Private Thomas Joseph Richard—Killed in Action July 4, 1944

 Thomas Joseph Richard was born in Charlos Cove, Guysborough County, on May 25, 1918, the youngest of Martin S. and Margaret Jane “Maggie” (Richard) Richard’s three children. Martin was the son of Stephen Benjamin Richard (1849 - 1926) and Marie Pellerin (1842 - 1921), while Maggie was the daughter of Luke Richard (YOB c. 1846) and Nancy Boudreau (YOB c. 1854).

Private Thomas Joseph Richard

Martin and Maggie were married at Charlos Cove on January 10, 1912. At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, the Richard household included  parents Martin and Maggie,  and children Rena Malvenia (DOB May 8, 1914), Edmond Vincent (DOB February 1, 1916), and Thomas, age two.

Upon completing Grade 8, Thomas left school and went to work in the local fishery. During the year prior to his military enlistment, he was employed as a “road worker” for the Nova Scotia Department of Highways. At the time of the outbreak of war overseas, 21-year-old Thomas was part of the age group most likely to join the military. On March 30, 1940, he enlisted with the Pictou Highlanders at Mulgrave, NS.

In September 1939, soldiers from the Pictou Highlanders, a Canadian militia unit, assumed responsibility for guarding two artillery batteries and other military sites along the Strait of Canso. Thomas served in the Mulgrave area for approximately one year. By April 1941, he had relocated to the Halifax area, where he served at various military facilities. In October 1941, for instance, he spent two weeks at No. 10 Searchlight Battery, after which he was assigned to the Devil’s Battery detachment.

Thomas remained in the Halifax area throughout the winter of 1941-42. During that time, he completed a mortar training course. In mid-April 1942, he was attached to the camp police force at No. 1 Fortress Weapons Training Camp (FWTC), Bedford, where he spent the remainder of the year.

On February 25, 1943, Thomas received permission to marry Elizabeth Alvita “Rita” Mannette, daughter of Frank C. Mannette and Mary Pellerin, Charlos Cove. (Rita’s sister Marguerite had married Thomas’s older brother Edmond in 1937.) Thomas and Rita were married in St. Joseph’s Church, Charlos Cove, on March 3, 1943. The newlyweds purchased a house in New Glasgow, as Rita was working at the Caribou Fish Plant. Later that year, Rita gave birth to the couple’s first child, Harvey Edmond.

Within months of the young couple’s marriage, significant developments occurred in Thomas’s military service. On August 31, 1943, he was “struck off strength” by No. 1 Artillery Anti-Aircraft Reinforcement Camp (AAARC), Bedford, and transferred to No. 61 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre, New Glasgow, for preliminary infantry instruction. In early October, Thomas was assigned to A14 Training Centre, Camp Aldershot, for advanced infantry training, an indication that he would soon head overseas.

On December 10, Thomas was granted several days’ personal leave and headed to New Glasgow. His young son Harvey had contracted a case of whooping cough. As the days passed, his condition worsened, resulting in his death from broncho-pneumonia on December 22, 1943. Harvey Edmond Richard was laid to rest in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Cemetery, Stellarton.

In the aftermath of his young son’s tragic death, Thomas returned to Camp Aldershot. On January 20, 1944, he was transferred to No. 1 Training Brigade Group, Debert, NS, an indication that his departed for overseas was imminent. Two months later. he left for the United Kingdom, landing on British soil on April 2, 1944. Shortly afterward, Thomas was placed on the Canadian Army’s general reinforcement list.

Thomas was in the United Kingdom when Allied forces landed in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. One week later, he crossed the English Channel to a reinforcement camp in the Allied beach-head. He was placed on the reinforcement list for the North Shore Regiment (New Brunswick) on June 18 and joined the unit in the field shortly afterward.

The North Shore Regiment (NSR) traces its origins to the 73rd Northumberland New Brunswick Battalion of Infantry, a Canadian militia unit established on February 25, 1870. The  Bathurst-based unit underwent several title changes before it was officially designated the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment on April 1, 1922.

While the unit recruited an infantry battalion—the 132nd (North Shore)—for service during the First World War, it never served in combat. Upon arriving in the UK in November 1916, the 132nd provided reinforcements until early 1917, when it was dissolved and its remaining personnel were transferred to the 13th Reserve Battalion.

The NSR was placed on active service on September 1, 1939, and departed for the UK in mid-July 1941 as part of the 3rd Canadian Division’s 8th Brigade. Its personnel spent almost three years training and performing home defence duties in England and Scotland. During that time, the New Brunswick unit and its Brigade mates—The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada (Toronto, ON) and Le Régiment de la Chaudière (Chaudière-Appalaches, QC)—prepared for their role in an Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Western Europe.

The 8th Brigade’s Queen’s Own Rifles (QOR) boarded landing craft at 0630 hours June 6, 1944, and came ashore at Bernières-sur-Mer as part of the first wave of Allied D-Day landings. The North Shore Regiment was part of the second wave, heading for nearby Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer at 0810 hours. The following day, the NSR pushed inland toward Tailleville and advanced as far as Cairon, northwest of the city of Caen, by June 11. The battalion’s war diary commented, “This sector is fairly quiet and the troops are spending the time resting and cleaning their weapons.”

On the evening of June 17, the regiment relieved the Royal Winnipeg Rifles at Le Mesnil-Patry. The village was within 10 kilometers of Carpiquet airfield, which was situated on the western outskirts of Caen. The NSR’s location was subjected to “light shelling and mortaring” the following day as the inexperienced soldiers endured their first significant exposure to enemy fire.

Private Thomas Joseph Richard, Charlos Cove, joined the NSR’s ranks sometime during its time at Le Mesnil-Patry. The unit remained there for several days as it prepared for “a forthcoming op [operation].” Soldiers carried out daily patrols, probing the area in front of its line and “gathering information on enemy defences.” On June 26, the battalion held its position as the 49th British Infantry Division on its right flank launched an attack on Fontenay-le-Pesnel. The following morning,15th British Infantry Division personnel passed through Le Mesnil-Patry in preparation for an attack on another German position.

At 0730 hours, the NSR’s personnel witnessed the largest Allied barrage of the enemy line since landing in Normandy. German guns responded in late morning, shelling the unit’s location and inflicting several casualties. Meanwhile, the British units advanced toward the Odin River, west of Caen, in an effort to encircle the city.

On June 27, the North Shore Regiment retired to reserve positions at Bouanville. While the unit had spent 22 days “in close contact with the enemy” during its first tour, its soldiers were not involved in direct combat with German forces. The following day, the battalion’s Commanding Officer (CO), Lieutenant-Colonel D. B. Buell, and another officer attended a conference at 8th Brigade Headquarters, during which senior officers outlined a plan to seize Carpiquet village and airport.

At 2000 hours June 29, NSR personnel relocated to an assembly area near Bretteville-l’Orgueilleuse, in preparation for their first major combat assignment. Before midnight, reports of an enemy breakthrough at nearby Cheux resulted in a quick withdrawal to a safe location. When the situation stabilized the following day, the North Shore Regiment returned to Bouanville at 1800 hours June 30.

At month’s end, the NSR reported its strength as 37 officers and 801 “other ranks,” with an additional 27 “all ranks”available in a nearby reinforcement pool. For several days, the unit remained in reserve “in a counterattack role” as the 8th Brigade and one 7th Brigade battalion prepared to execute the postponed attack on Carpiquet village and airport. At 1500 hours July 3, the NSR relocated to new positions at Villeneuve, where its officers received a final briefing on the impending operation that evening.

Plans for the Carpiquet attack were developed in response to the situation in Normandy at the end of June. Allied commanders had hoped to avoid a direct assault on Caen, preferring instead to encircle the city and force German forces located there to surrender. The failure of the British push toward the Orin River, south of Caen, to encircle the city meant that a direct attack was unavoidable.

The first step in such an operation involved securing the village of Carpiquet and its airfield on Caen’s western outskirts. The targets were located on high ground that provided an excellent view of the city and rear areas behind the German line. If Allied forces could secure the area, it would be impossible for German forces to maintain their defensive positions.

The battle plan called for two 8th Brigade units—the NSR and Régiment de la Chaudière—to capture Carpiquet village and the airport’s northern hangars and control buildings, with support from two Fort Garry Horse tank squadrons, two troops of AVREs [Armoured Vehicles Royal Engineers], one squadron of Crocodile flame-throwing tanks, and two troops of M-10 tank destroyers. Once the initial objectives were secured, the QOR would capture the airport buildings southeast of the village and occupy a contour line overlooking the city of Caen.

The 8th Brigade’s objectives were situated approximately 2,500 meters from Canadian lines. The terrain in between was mostly flat, open ground, eliminating the possibility of a rapid or surprise attack. As a result, Allied commanders planned a massive artillery bombardment of German positions. More than 500 guns, including those on two British battleships, would fire on enemy strongpoints. Two squadrons of Typhoon fighters equipped with rockets would also support the attack.

Meanwhile, a second group of lighter artillery guns would provide a “creeping barrage” similar to First World War tactics as the infantrymen crossed the open ground. The bombardment would begin 200 meters in front of the attack’s start line and move across the battlefield in 100-meter increments every three minutes. The plan required the Companies leading the advance to stay as close as possible to the barrage as they moved forward.

Well aware of a possible Allied attack, German forces opposite the Canadian line were willing to concede the village and concentrate their defences around several large concrete bunkers located near the airport’s southern hangars. Once Canadians occupied the village, they would find themselves in a narrow salient, surrounded on three sides by higher ground under enemy control. German commanders were confident that a massive bombardment and counter-attack would easily reclaim the area, inflicting significant losses on the occupying units.

The NSR remained in reserve at Bouanville during the days leading up to the Cariquet attack. At 1500 hours July 3, personnel moved forward to Villeneuve, where details of the following day’s attack were presented. The unit would attack the village on a 500-meter-wide, two-Company front, D Company on the left and A Company on the right. The regiment’s remaining two Companies would follow in support. Starting positions were located in a field south of the Caen - Bayeux railway line and east of the Villeneuve - Marcelot Road.

Once the lead Companies had cleared the first half of the village’s northern section, the two supporting Companies would pass through their comrades and secure the remaining portion. Meanwhile, the Régiment de la Chaudière on the NSR’s right would secure the village’s southern section and the airfield’s northern hangars. The 7th Brigade’s Royal Winnipeg Rifles were assigned the task of capturing the hangars and bunkers located along the airport’s southern edge.

Source: C. P. Stacey, "The Victory Campaign"

The NSR’s men started their day with breakfast at 0300 hours July 4 and immediately reported to their designated assembly area. One hour later, German artillery began shelling the location as the supporting tanks moved into position, catching the attention of enemy spotters. Around the same time, the soldiers began moving out to the start line.

All personnel were in position by 0450 hours. Ten minutes later the massive bombardment of German positions commenced, followed shortly afterward by the creeping barrage approximately 200 meters in front of the infantrymen. Almost immediately, artillery shells began to strike the assembly area. At the time, it was thought that the shells were “shorts” from the creeping barrage. In retrospect, however, it appears to have been German retaliatory fire targeting the attackers, who were assumed to be approximately 200 meters behind the barrage and thus easily targeted.

D Company in particular suffered significant casualties before moving forward. Its officers immediately instructed the men to “hug” the creeping barrage as closely as possible, thus keeping ahead of the German counter-fire. The two support Companies, however, continued to suffer casualties as they were unable to advance quickly enough to escape the enemy shelling. B Company, located behind D Company, was particularly hard-hit.

NSR personnel set out toward Carpiquet at 0512 hours. The creeping barrage created a large dust cloud ahead of them, hindering visibility and causing some platoons to lose their bearings. As the soldiers reached the outskirts of the village, they encountered fire from German outposts. Despite incurring more casualties, the two lead Companies pushed into the village. The artillery bombardment had been effective, softening defensive positions. Remaining German resistance was scattered and easily overcome.

At 0625 hours, A Company reached the airport hangars on the western edge of Carpiquet. The soldiers had to pause for approximately 30 minutes, as the artillery bombardment was still landing in the village. The delay caused several casualties, as German counter-fire struck the tops of nearby trees, spraying the area with shrapnel fragments. When the creeping barrage finally moved forward at 0700 hours, A Company surged into the village, which was significantly damaged.

The attackers quickly realized that the artillery fire had done its job. Any German soldiers who survived appeared to have fled as soon as the barrage lifted. NSR soldiers quickly completed a house-to-house clearance operation. By 0812 hours, its section of Carpiquet was deemed “captured,” but at a considerable price. The attacking Companies suffered an estimated casualty rate of 40 % during the advance.

While the NSR and Chaudière Regiment to its south consolidated the village and northern section of the airfield, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles (RWR) launched its attack on the southern hangars and bunkers at 0900 hours. The soldiers immediately encountered fierce resistance, as the artillery barrage had done little to damage the concrete structures.

The RWR spent almost four hours attempting to penetrate the bunkers where German soldiers were sheltering. Meanwhile, enemy guns systematically eliminated their supporting tank and AVRE vehicles. The unit was finally forced to retreat and regroup, in hopes of launching a second attack later in the day.

By 1100 hours, Carpiquet was secure enough for the 8th Brigade to launch the attack’s second phase—an attack on buildings in the airfield’s south-eastern corner. The Queen’s Own Rifles (QOR) advanced across open ground, with support from Fort Garry Horse tanks. German 88-mm guns immediately targeted the tanks as artillery fire rained down on the area, forcing the QOR to abandon the attack.

For the remainder of the day, the 8th Brigade concentrated on holding Carpiquet, its remaining soldiers consolidating their positions in the village’s northern sector. The NSR’s D Company had been reduced to half strength, while B Company had suffered similar losses. C Company consisted of 50 men all ranks. The unit endured constant enemy tank and artillery fire throughout the day. Meanwhile, at 1600 hours, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles made a second unsuccessful attempt to capture the southern hangars and bunkers.

As Allied control of Carpiquet would make it impossible for enemy forces to maintain their defensive line north of Caen, preparations for a German counter-attack immediately commenced. The 8th Brigade now occupied a narrow strip of land reaching deep into German-held territory, making it vulnerable to attack. Personnel were well aware of the danger, laying down barbed wire barriers and improvised minefields in front of their positions.

During the evening hours, NSR Chaplain Myles Hickey and an officer supervised a burial party that interred the bodies of 40 of their comrades in a temporary cemetery. The battle, however, was far from finished. Over a period of six hours during the early morning of July 5, German soldiers launched five counter-attacks on 8th Brigade positions. Each time, Allied artillery, along with rifle, machine gun and mortar fire from the village’s occupying forces targeted the attacking units. The NSR’s soldiers repelled four direct attacks on their positions, while a fifth launched on the Chaudière Regiment to their right inflicted heavy casualties but was driven off with support from M-10 anti-tank guns.

By 0810 hours July 5, the situation was once again secure and no further attacks occurred as the day passed. The fighting, however, had taken a significant toll on the New Brunswick Regiment, which suffered a total of 170 casualties, 46 of which were fatalities. July 4, 1944 proved to be the regiment’s worst day of its Second World War service.

Private Thomas Joseph Richard was one of the 46 NSR soldiers killed during the attack on Carpiquet village. Based on information in his service file, he was not among the 40 men buried during the evening hours. On July 6, he was initially buried at Carpiquet airfield, on the “north side of [the] main road and halfway to tracks on track [sic].”

Altogether, 337 Canadian soldiers were killed, wounded or listed as missing after the fighting in Carpiquet. While the operation failed to secure the southern portion of the airfield, it provided Allied forces with control of a strategically valuable location in their campaign to capture Caen. The 8th Brigade’s efforts were a major step toward achieving this goal.

On July 11, Rita Richard received a telegram from military authorities, informing her that her husband “Private Thomas Joseph Richard has been officially reported killed in action 4th July 1944.” Pregnant with her second child at the time, Rita gave birth to a son Thomas on September 11, 1944. One month later, military authorities dispatched a Memorial Cross to her residence at 160 Sixth St., New Glasgow.

Private Thomas Richard's headstone, Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian Military Cemetery

Thomas Richard was re-interred in Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian Military Cemetery on December 20, 1944. His father Martin passed away in Charlos Cove on August 2, 1954, while his mother Maggie died at 5181 South St., Halifax, where she had been residing with her daughter Rena, on March 11, 1971.

Thomas and Rita’s second son Thomas Jr. died suddenly on July 18, 1994, the result of a stroke. After the Second World War, Rita eventually relocated to Halifax, where she worked as a caregiver in a nursing home and later operated a boarding house on Victoria Road. She also volunteered at Spencer House Senior Centre. Rita Richard passed away in St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, on May 6, 2021, and was laid to rest beside her two sons in Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery, Stellarton.

Picture of Private Thomas Joseph Richard courtesy of Pauline MacIsaac, Charlos Cove. Photograph of Private Richard's headstone courtesy of the War Graves Photographic Project.