![]() They practiced the landing in Scotland and near Portsmouth together with the British navy and DD tanks from the Canadian 2nd Armored Brigade, which would aid them during the operation. It was already decided back in 1943 that the 3rd Infantry would come ashore during an amphibious landing on the coast of occupied Europe, so the division had been preparing for the mission for some time. The division’s commanding officer, General-Major Rod Keller, was actually born in the United Kingdom. Most of the troops were descendants of British immigrants and spoke English, but the division also had French-Canadian soldiers (Le Régiment de Maisonneuve, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, Régiment de la Chaudière). The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was assigned to land on Juno Beach. ![]() The RAF managed to destroy the complex’s radars prior to the D-Day landing, but the buildings were still in use as a defensive position. The underground bunker complex measured 29.6 acres and was defended by anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft artillery, flame throwers, machine guns and a garrison of 230 men. In addition to the radar equipment, the complex consisted of 30 above ground structures. On the high ground in Basly-Douvre, the Distelfunk complex was equipped with four radar stations being used by the Luftwaffe. The troops – roughly 16,000 altogether – were spread out across a number of villages. Panzerjägerabteilung - were stationed further inland, equipped with half-tracks and self-propelled anti-tank guns. Beyond the shoreline lie an artillery regiment from the division. To the west of the river, the beach was heavily defended with a field gun, two guns in casemates, four guns in Tobruks, a bunker armed with a turret from a Renault tank, and many machine gun nests and mortars. Nests were constructed as part of the coastal defense on either side of the mouth of the Seulles: in Courseulles, one in Bernières and one in St.-Aubin. One of the battalions manned the Widerstandneste in the Canadian sector. The division consisted of around 6,700 German troops with 2,000 additional reinforcements from three Osttruppen battalions. ![]() Infanteriedivision, led by General Wilhelm Richter, was responsible for coastal defenses.
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