The Life and Death of Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- Hello and welcome to The AceDestroyer! Welcome to the fourth video in the Life and Death of… series. In this episode it’s all about Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters. Thé Canadian tank ace. He was also the highest scoring western allied tank ace with an astonishing amount of 18 German tanks knocked out of action. He survived the war and lived up to the age of 95. In this episode you’ll learn more about this legendary tank commander and tank ace. Don’t forget to like and subscribe if you want to see more! Do drop a comment below as well! I love to read what you have to say, add,… Kind regards, The AceDestroyer
Information:
www.theglobean...
lmharchive.ca/w...
www.thememorypr...
www.veterans.g...
mapleleafup.ca/...
www.journal.for...
Breakout from Juno: First Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign by Mark Zuehlke
Operation Totalize 1944: The Allied drive south from Caen by Stephen Hart
Footage:
(British pound Caen Sector) • BRITISH POUND CAEN SEC... and (German newsreel excerpts) • GERMAN NEWSREEL EXCERPTS (by PublicResourceOrg / @publicresourceorg )
(British and Canadian troops under Field Marshal Montgomery push into NW Germany) • British and Canadian T... (by HistoryFlicks4U / @historyflicks4u960 )
(Canada carries on break through) • Canada Carries On - Br... (by Canmildoc / @canmildoc )
Pictures are from Google images (‘Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters’, ‘Michael Wittmann’ and ‘Michael Wittmann death’
Music:
TH-cam free music: ‘descent’ and ‘mist’
My Dad fought in France, Belgium and Germany in the US 2nd "Indianhead" Division. He told me that the Canadian soldiers were the toughest S.O.B's in the war. The efforts of Canadian soldiers seem to be ignored all too often, but they did a hell of a great job after they "found their footing". Thanks for posting videos about these brave men. Canada still has many tough grunts who aren't afraid to get in the thick of it.
It is amazing your father was able to meet every single soldier in the war so he could decide who was the toughest SOB. Comparing them to the millions of Russian soldiers really must of been tricky. When did he have time to fight?
@@ihatemybosses clown
My Dad fought in Normandy, Belgium and the Netherlands with 2nd Canadian Div and he said the toughest were the Poles!
So nobody who hasn't met every soldier who fought in WW2, on all sides, can be entitled to an opinion about toughness. I see. No doubt you, yourself, hold no opinions that are not based on a complete sample of the entire universe of whatever you might opine on. Of course, that means you are careful never to have an opinion on anything not entirely within the span of your own experience.
We get it from swinging hockey sticks at an opponent on the ice, eh. Appreciate the comment. I am pissed I hadn't heard of this guy. We don't brag enough.
I met L/COL Radley-Walters in 1964 at the RCAC school in Camp Borden, where I was a young recruit trainee. He liked to wade into a group of young soldiers and 'shoot-the-breeze' with them. He was very popular with the rank and file. His tactical lectures around the sand table were fascinating.
I know how it is. I brownnosed MOH recip and a couple of Navy cross wearers myself as a young Jarhead
I was in the band at the road house down the line at Ilses aux Allumettes, Moorehead's Island Lodge. We had Camp Petawawa in there almost every night. I'm sure you knew the place.
That would have been fascinating to meet these guys at that point of time when they were old but not you know really really old.
Thank you for sharing that
I joined the RCAC in 1980. As an 8th Hussar, there were several trips to Rad's "Whiskey Jack" farm in Wilno, On
Thank you for this video. B.Gen Radley-Walters was a family friend. My father served with him in the Netherlands. Unfortunately a land mine sent my dad to hospital for the last weeks of the war. They continued to be friends until my dad passed away in 1986. I last met him when I was a young lawyer and even then he pressed me to go to the Royal Military College at Kingston.
If I could do it all over again I would have gone to RMC
@@tallyhoscalemodels Same here.
Bless em' all.
My father, then Lt. Ivan A. MacArthur, served with "Rad" in the Sherbrooke Fusiliers from D-Day through their return to Canada. I remember him visiting Dad in the early 50's when we lived in Kingston (Dad had been promoted along with Rad and was Commanding Officer of Kingston's Princess of Wales Own Regiment) Did your father or Rad ever speak to you about an incident with a sniper soon after they learned about Meyer's executions of their fellow Fusiliers?
@@deborahmacarthurrepp5960 My dad was also in the Sherbrooke Fusiliers. I remember him writing to Rad in the 80's.
As a proud Canadian I thank you for this video. We don't hear enough about our veterans.
Somewhat rare: biographical information about the contributions of a Canadian in battle. Thank you!
Canada is so underrepresented in detail of the War, that needs to be addressed
As Canadians we do not learn about our war heroes in school If we want learn we must do our own research I find Tim Cook and JL Granatstein excellent Canadian historians who have opened some of the doors to our military history for me . I watched a special on the death of Micheal Whitman . Radley -Walters was interviewed He mentioned he was there ,his group shot at the Tigers. No mention on his personal involvement etc . One might say he was a average unassuming Canadian hero
Leave it up to a European to get the job done.
Imagine that. An officer that listened to his enlisted personnel and became a better leader for it.
I posted this under my own post already, but here, so you don't miss out: :)
S.V. Radley-Walters was amazing, as human being and as soldier. I read a biography about him and it said, he took all troopers new to the front aside and talked to them. He tried to give them vital tips for survival and prepare them for the horrors to come. He respected this fellow humans, it seems.
Great video. I've thought for many years that the Canadian story of WW 2 was neglected. More about the Canadian Armed Forces should be told to give due and proper respect. Up the Canadians!
MILLION+ soldiers, sailors and airmen, and more millions in support organizations key for the war effort (10% of all Canadians AND almost all of the men in their prime). Out of a population of 11 million, 1939.
Canada was at war. It was horrific and memorable. Perhaps, why Canadians only go to war now to stop wars or through the UN go to keep the peace.
And here are some Doco's for ya.
th-cam.com/video/oWngprzVGec/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/L6x_WuRwV18/w-d-xo.html
Especially since most Canadians were well into the war before 1939. My mom even has a war production Award working in the paper mill in Dryden, Ontario while many men from the Rainy River District were in service BEFORE war officially broke out.
13thBear Ya, eh!
Thank you for bringing this legendary man to my attention, I had never heard of him before. God bless Canada.
Cheers Scorp!
British Scorpion 👍👍👍
I met BGen Radley - Walters when I was 10 on a flight from Lahr to Trenton for christmas and was in awe, a true Canadian hero, and will forever hold a spot in history!!! Maximum Respect Sir!!!
I am Canadian and a WWII aficionado and I never heard of this tank ace! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Just to let you know Radely- Walters did a great documentary Called the Valour and the Horror due by the CBC in the early 90"s by Terrance Mckeena and his brother. Jaque Dextras is also in that section of the documentary who goes on to fame with the Canadian army and ends his career as Chief of Defense staff in the 80"s. Cheers!
Rangersly 👍👍👍
I do not think i have heard a bad thing about Canadians in either World Wars. Their leadership was professional, thorough and strong. The Canadian soldier was the same, with true grit. They have played such pivotal roles in both World Wars and beyond.
Rad was Corps Commandant when I graduated from the Armour School. After our grad mess dinner, I asked him what the best tank of the war was. I expected him to answer Tiger or Panther. But he said the Sherman. My jaw hit the floor. He said because there was plenty of them. I also went to his funeral in Kingston. So I met the great man twice in my career; at the beginning as a newly minted troop leader and at the end as a CO of an armoured regiment.
The chieftian , a you tuber, ex tanker and tank historian who works for world of tanks says the same due to quantity, build quality and effectiveness. I believe target acquisition was superior in the sherman and often its the 1st hit that wins a tank battle.
He had realised that in a total war, quantity has a quality of it's own. You won't win by building a few thousand or maybe just a few hundred of (supposedly) very good tanks when you have the whole of Europe as battlefield and a front that's thousands of miles long, you win by building tens of thousand more of adequate tanks than the enemy can build in the same time.
@@Finderskeepers. Target acquisition was not superior in the Shermsn though. This has become a modern Internet myth. German tanks had better gun optics and German commanders had better cupolas with superior all round vision.
@Mayoforsam Apples and Oranges. Tiger was a Heavy Tank with a completely different mission. It was designed as a Breakthrough tank. The concept was that it was supposed to be used to punch holes through enemy lines, then it would be pulled out of action for much needed maintenance ( it required a lot to keep it running properly). Instead it was often deployed by rushing it to reinforce defensive positions and stop enemy attacks. It wasn't built for extended operations and continuous use of it's drive train. That's why so many were lost... they broke down. The Sherman excelled in that it was more mobile and reliable. Head to head a Tiger could easily defeat a Sherman, or even 3 or more Shermans. But it wasn't a Matter of tank vs Tank. It was Tanks, Artillery, Air Power, Infantry and Support/ Logistics. The Tiger was a one trick pony running the wrong race.
@Mayoforsam In a stationary position, sure, but if I had to travel 100 Kilometers over different terrain to fight I'd rather have an allied tank. The Tiger might never get there.
Thank you very much a great doco ,they we're thrown into the heaviest fights ,my father was a desert rat of Tobruk Australia 2/2 machine gun battalion ,1003 days in combat he survived during the whole of the war he was a warrant officer when he left the army ,my they all rest in peace
I use to game with a mate from Australia, his wife's grandfather was in the 2/9... You guys also stopped the Japanese at Milne bay. Lots of respect for the Anzacs, from America. My dad landed in Africa '42, Sicily, Italy, and then southern France. Radio man, 3rd wave to hit the beaches, he was in Munich when the war ended.
You can see the Tobruk forts and anti-tank ditch on Google maps to this day.
Amen
An incredible, extremely well done video about a true Canadian Hero. Thank you so much for posting this. As someone who takes an enormous amount of pride in Canada's contribution to Allied victory in both World Wars I'm amazed that this is the first time I've ever heard this great man's name.
Not only do you give a thorough review of Radley-Walters military career, but a qwell-rounded testimonial to his outstanding characteristics both as a soldier and a man. And your pronunciation of the French town names was magnifique! Bien fait, et merci!
@Cristian Rudi : Hey, I was born in Cook County, Illinois, ("where Jussie Smollett runs free!"), but my family moved to Toronto when I was five and I lived there for the next 24 years (my other three brothers live there still). I meet nice American girl & move back to your fabulous country 38 years ago! But Canada is a great place to grow up, and as nice a neighbor as any country could hope to have...and they have better beer!
Right up there with Mark Felton, Drachaneifel, Tik, Greg, and a handful of other documentry producers
Thanks! It means a lot to me!
I really enjoy this channel. Focuses on little separate tank battles from the personal aspect.
I so appreciate your attention to this incredible man. Many thanks from a Canadian who confesses never to have heard of him before.
Excellent. He was unknown to me, but deserves to be remembered
He was a French Canadian during a time period when we were taken for granted. Look up Léo Major, another Frenchie who went above and beyond.
Gregory Skie 👍👍👍
@@mikecimerian6913 Ummm - he was the son of the Rev. Sydney Radley Walters and Marjorie Tuzo Valpy (a Hugenot Descendant from the Channel Islands) so he would be better characterized as an Anglo.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! All too often Canada gets ignored in these history videos (as well as movies - like the Longest Day). All through my time in the army I had heard Rad's name and was aware that he was something special in the Canadian Armoured Corps. However, I never knew he was the highest scoring tank ace of the allies nor did I know that he took out Whittmann.
Good report. Very educational about Canadians in the war. The battle with Whitman especially so.
yeah who the fuck is Whiteman
@Mayoforsam there is no tank commander called *Whiteman* you fucking apeshit
I think , his name was Michael Wittmann, here is a link: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wittmann_%28SS-Mitglied%29?wprov=sfla1
It’s always a pleasure to here about skilled, competent and successful leaders and why/how they are so successful
Good quality, thank you. All too often is Canada's contribution overlooked.
Not contribution, Canada went all in from 1939 to war's end. We finished the war with the 3rd largest surface fleet in the world. Americans contributed, Canada took the fight to the enemy.
@@mikecimerian6913 Canadians chased U- boats out of their waters during "Paukenschlag". Unfortunately those boats migrated to US waters where the pickings were much easier. Eventually US ASW got up to speed but not before we lost 5000 merchant sea men.
waiting4aliens Dieppe was not forgotten when Canadians landed on Juno Beach. Their fight towards Caen was heavy, intense, and sad as many prisoners were executed. Go to The Canadian sector and see and feel the history of these incredible men.
Try being Australian.
A great Canadian, makes me damn proud.
Great video! Thank for giving a detailed history lesson on my country's finest tank commander!
that one of his group knocked michael wittman out of the war, showed the high caliber he truly was. How he had set this up to happen is not lost on me.
Befitting that an ace was taken out by another ace.
You tell a well detailed account of these brave men and battles...Well done Sir!
As a former Cameron Highlander, it gives me a wonderful feeling to hear the Camerons referenced in this story. CAMERONS, ADVANCE!
Thank you so much. As a kid I lived in Camp Borden. Never realized there was such a hero on the base at the same time. amazing story.
IIRC When Rad took over A squadron he stopped his crews from being tasked with the retrieval their knocked-out tanks and saved them from having to remove the corpses of their comrades. Which greatly improved morale.
I can not fathom the job of removing dead members of tank crews. I don't care who you are, that has to leave a mental scar. That job should be given to the polaticians that called those men to war
Radley did that after he cut a body in half in order to get it out of a tank that was recoverable. Something about that experience told him it was best that tanks crews didn't go through the same thing as he did.
@@64maxpower Sorry Max, but if our politicians had not send our men to war in 39 we would all be speaking German, not free to speak and most ethnicities would be gone. WW2 was a just war. It was necessary and the men knew this and wanted to "get the job done".
You mean as we speak english today and we witness many ethnicities gone in middle east? And we certainly are not free to speak, so in its essence its the same shit. Somebody profitted and most ate mud and died.
@@64maxpower Yes I saw an interview with him in the 90"s and he said, that he went to retrieve a knocked out Sherman and the drive was dead inside the tank and Rad had to take a machete to the driver to remove him from the tank. After that he said never again would he do that, or have his men do that. Cheers
nice to hear about a tank ace actually surviving the ( second world ) war , and passing on his knowledge to the next generation of tankers
A yes. The first man to ever get 9 kills in a random battle in world of tanks. True hero...
Yeah, he seems to be a gaming hero as well.
@@TheAceDestroyer All jokes aside, that was a great and informative video as always. Good job once again mate!
You must be a subscriber. Thanks. More videos are on the way.
@@TheAceDestroyer I don't quite understand your comment/insult. I appreciated your informative video and you insult me in return. If playing a video game discounts me from offering you a compliment, then so be it.
@@m_m_m_beer8917 Attention seeker.....wow
This man was Colonel Commandant of the armoured corps when I was young lieutenant in an Armoured Corps reserve regiment. I met him on several occasions, but didn't know anything about his history.
What were your impressions of Rad at that time?
Thank you for calling attention to this effective commander. I did not know about his history and enjoyed this presentation.
I met B.Gen Radley-Walters (ret.) when I was an officer cadet at the Royal Military College in St-Jean in 1991 or 1992. He was invited to the mess diner of my squadron. I was lucky to talk for a while with him since beeing a tanker myself I wanted to know about his experience during WWII. He told me about the tank tracks and logs being put in front of their shermans to help stop germans from killing them. He aknowledged that this was mainly for the tankers' morale since even with these the 88 gun would pierce right trough the sherman and exit at the back of the tank. He told me he survived one such hit himself. Great person, really friendly. RIP
My dad was laying those tracks when the guy in front of him swung back his mattock too vigorously and hit him on the forehead, leaving him unconscious for 2 days!
Thanks for describing the career and highlights of such an impressive Canadian. As a New Zeslander I heard little of their WW2 history.
The night march on Aug7/8 is a real achievement that led to the Wittman battle.
" A Fine Night for Tanks" is an excellent book.
As is this video.
Thankyou for remembering him
It's good that he spoke regularly to his men, because surprisingly, British and American tankers were a lot more doctrinaire/inflexible than their German opponents and more driven by the "rule book". Up to date tactics were not in the rule book and often had to disseminated by word of mouth.
Karl P From the number of books I’ve read regarding allied tankers, I get the opposite. British experience in North Africa changed tactics they started the war with and once they were confronted with more powerful tanks in France, they continued to evolve. In fact much of that learnt and used in Normandy, is the basis of modern day NATO tank doctrine.
If they were as inflexible and simply followed the rule book as you say, they wouldn’t last long. Most of the tank field commanders were adaptable, they had to be, but they still had to operate to the limitations of the equipment, environment and circumstances they faced.
One of the top things German soldiers were taught is to be flexible and take initiative, even if they don't have an order. I don't know if that translates to tank crews. Wouldn't matter because when you're outnumbered with no air cover you're toast.
@@tnix80 Individual initiative was even more important in the Panzerwaffe. Tankers were carefully selected for superior technical skills and quick reactions, but good leadership and initiative was an essential attribute for any crew commander. A tank with the best view/position versus the enemy would often control a whole formation deployment using radio.
I served in the RCAC, as a crew commander you always wanted to treat your crew well as they were the ones carrying out your orders and could make or break you
I'm Canadian and I can't believe I didn't know about this man. Thanks for posting this.
The fact he took down a Panzer Ace like Wittman, should make him better known. I never heard of the guy till today?
I cant believe u did not know about the Canuck that defeated the best Germany had to offer on the western front. I bet you dont know about John Garand either ehh! lol
Ya we have a few really amazing WW1 pilots and snipers too
The story and heroism of the British and Canadian tankers in WWII sometimes doesn't seem to get the credit it so richly deserves. The actions in and around Caen after D-Day were some of the most vicious in the war.
Although they had a great deal going against them they persevered.
Montgomery's unclear take on the situation, the shortcomings of the M4 Sherman, the qualitative advantage of the Panzers they faced plus the stubborn German tank crews made it an overall rough go for the Brits and Canadians. However, they prevailed and fought their way through France and onto the final Allied victory. Brave Men.
Thanks for another superb video AceDestroyer!
Thank-you. I had never heard of this great soldier.
Great Soldier, great leader! Thanks for sharing!
He made it to 95 thats wonderful
Well done. This video is very historically accurate. Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
Canadian tankers were always top notch. I remember one historical documentary where they came upon a group of Panther tanks and with their "under powered" Sherman's blew them to pieces with flat out superior gunnery.
@John Cornell Actually in this instance it was head on, they put their rounds at the weak spot on a Panther (between the turret and main body of the vehicle) hence the "superior gunnery"
@John Cornell Look under "Greatest Tank Battles Operation Blockbuster The Battle for the Hochwald Gap". I must admit to making a mistake, it wasn't a Panther that got hit. What they nailed in the turret ring was a TIGER! (At the 25 minute mark) At about minute 29 they hit a panther head on. To be honest, the Sheman's took a lot of casualties, but I was surprised they could stop ANY German armor from the front, but like I said, the Canadians seemed to be masters of the M4.
The American Tankers were pretty good too. Especially Patton's guys. Knowing their inferior machines when they encountered a german armour force they would fix it with some HE, Smoke, AP then if cover were available such as a wood or tree line they would use it to get on the flank of the panzers and hit them from the side or rear where their armour was vulnerable.
@@ZnenTitan The same thing I heard from a Canadian armored vet of WWII. He matter of factly explained how they took out Tigers by going for a sweet spot of only 3" high and 3 feet wide, center front. And no more than 100 yards away. He didn't explain further. It was urban combat, not open ground, so probably a pop out of a side street and bushwhack the Tiger before they knew what hit them.
I can't imagine the nerve required to do that, but I'm getting really tired of all the internet warrior fascination with the Tiger as an invincible war machine that struck terror in every allied tanker. This veteran just considered it part of their job to figure out how to take out the enemy and that's what they did.
@@LiveMusicOntario If you really want to be shocked check out "M8 Greyhound vs King tiger 1944 or The History Guy "The Tank Duel at St. Vith, Belgium" (Unreal guts!)
Rad never claimed to have knocked out whitmann's Tiger. He just said they were only a few hundred meters from the advancing Tigers and panzer iv's and his guys only poured it into them on his command when they were very close. I do believe the Sherbrookes got him. I don't believe it can be conclusively determined but a French citizen who looked over Whitmann's Tiger after the war (it sat in the field until after the war) said the shell that destroyed the tank entered on the rear left engine deck setting off the fuel and ammo which blew the turret off. With both the Brits and Canucks firing at this column at the same time I don't find it plausible that Eakins could get a round passed the turret to the rear left engine deck from 800 meters. While not impossible it would have been highly improbable.
I agree and I remember reading that Frenchman’s comments 👍
And so do l. Ekins fires at the Tiger and it explodes.... His tank commander confirms this. Are we to assume that they are lying? The tank suffered a catastrohic explosion which would indicate a hit on the turret or hull sides as its ammunition was stored there. Ekins says he aimed for the turret side... and. the tank exploded. These accounts were written before anyone who fought for the good guys knew who Wittmann was. Now Wittmann has a fan club and you can buy a model of his tank made by Tamiya.!!!! and suddenly there is an associated glory in who killed him. I personally find this revisionist glory claiming distasteful.
@@ericgrace9995 I respectfully disagree with your view that getting it right is somehow glory claiming. I think it's important for the historical record. Using your logic shall we continue to accept the initial conclusion that Canadian Pilot Roy Brown shot down the Red Baron? After extensive post war analysis it was established that it was Australian Ground Troops who shot him down. You have to ask yourself does a 75mm shell or 17 pounder shell fired at these tanks from 300-400 meters versus 800-900 meters get there first? Eakins and his boys and Rad and his guys were all firing at the same tanks. AFAIK Eakins didn't know the Canadians were there. Apparently neither did Whitmann because if he did (despite his increased risk taking) do you not believe he would have had his Panzers cover his left flank by assaulting Gaumesnil? Also, given the number of Sherman 75's and Firefly's in action during the fight I would suspect the greatest likelihood is that a 75mm round penetrated the tank. The armor on the deck of a Tiger was thinner than even the sides of the tank and easily penetrated by a 75mm round and also a HE 75mm as well which the allies fired considerably more of than armour piercing. I am basing this belief on a rear deck penetration as evidenced by the French farmer after the war in whose field Whitmann's Tiger lay. I do believe Eakins when he said he fired and his tank commander confirmed the hit but I don't believe it was their shot that set the Tiger ablaze. I should point out that it wasn't the Canadians that started the glory claiming. People should not forget as Eakins once said that this man was an affirmed National Socialist and an extension of that evil regime. He got what he deserved.
@@tallyhoscalemodels First, it's Ekins, not Eakins.
Secondly, Wittmann knew the Canadians were there. They had destroyed two Mk. IVs and 2 Panthers. for the loss of a couple of carriers. How could he not know they were there?
As the Tigers advanced German accounts confirm that they had their turrets rotated, guns pointing, to the west (Canadians) and were positioned /angled to meet a threat from the direction of the chateau . This was not normal German practise. Panzer wedges were meant to give all round fire. Ekins and his commander noted this prior to opening fire. The
Germans were looking the other way and were unaware that the Yeomanry, following a night march, had occupied the wood to the east.
Wittmann had made an incredibly stupid mistake by not reconoitering the ground before his advance, and the first he knew of the British presence was when his rear Tiger was knocked out by Ekins.
These are all matters of fact. Wittmann had placed his Tigers between 2 allied tank forces... and in positioning to face the Canadian threat to the west, he exposed his rear/ flanks to the British who were positioned to the east. He could not face one enemy without exposing his back to the second.
The entire action was timed at lasting 12 minutes, so we can assume that wherever it started was not where it ended up. Ekins tank repositioned after the wounding of his officer and it's a certainty that the Tigers would also move. I would suggest that at 200+m, Wittmann would perceive the Canadian tanks as a much greater threat to the surviving Tigers than an unknown enemy 7/800 meters away. Proximity made them more dangerous. Even the infantry's 6pdr.(57mm) was a threat to Tigers at 200m. and it would be reckless to the point of stupidity to expose his rear, /flank to an enemy 200m. away, when most allied anti tank weapons would be ineffective against a Tiger at 7/800m.
At this point Ekins fired a third round at the second Tiger... And it exploded.. It did not require a second round. So we have a situation where Ekins fires, and instantly his target explodes. There was only one tiger that suffered such catastrophic damage... Tiger 007..Wittmann's. A 56 ton Tiger exploding, its turret flying through the air, would be something worth mentioning in the post combat action reports, and yet no Canadian gunners or tank crew describe the destruction of a Tiger in this way.
Ekins and his commander did record the destruction of a Tiger in this manner.
We have a contemporary record in the war diary.. and physical evidence in the form of a tank wreck on the battlefield that was destroyed in the manner that Ekins described. Without the evidence of the condition of the wreck matching Ekins description of its destruction, I too might be sceptical... But in this case, the photographic evidence supports the contemporary records, so l see no reason to doubt the word of these soldiers.
Without supportive evidence, I can't really comment on what a young French boy says he saw 60/70yrs ago. But its highly unlikely that a round would penetrste a tanks deck.... The flat bit behind the turret! Such a shot would have to come from a bove.
As for your comments re. the time it would take for a round to hit its target-, the 17pdr. had a performance similar to the German 88m.... And on paper it had greater penetrative power. But I think a clue might be in its designation as a high velocity weapon... Whereas the 75mm. was a medium velocity gun..might indicate a disparity in performance between the two when firing AP rounds. .
As for my comments on glory hunting, there were 4 * Tigers ( another one was destroyed by the Canadians) knocked out that day... And yet l have yet to see any interest shown in the fate of the other 3 tanks by theodolite wielding Canadian TV documentary crews or the general public. Just Wittmann's tank.
Ekins made no claim to have killed Wittmann... He had no idea who he was until after the war... And by that time the war diaries had been written. Only after the war has Wittmann attracted a fan boy status from people who never saw an angry Nazi. Only his death attracts any interest..... So just looking for the facts for the historical record, doesn't wash it with me. Its the reputation of killing Wittmann that seems to count.
@@ericgrace9995 enough of your speculation. Let's establish the facts.
1. Ekins claimed 3 tigers destroyed. The Yeomanry history states it.
2. There were 4 tigers in the field that day tiger 312 hit at 767 meters from the north east or to it's right by the yeomanry.
3. Tiger 009 hit by the yeomanry as claimed 754 meters to the south and west of the yeomanry position.
4. Tiger 314 (third tiger) hit 775 meters from the yeomanry position.
5. Not seen by the yeomanry due to a rise, tiger 007 (Wittmann) the 4th tiger very far west and south of the yeomanry position at a whopping 967 meters.
6. SHERBROOKES firing at this attack as well. Distance from their position along the stone wall facing east to wittmann's Tiger? 143 meters.
Whitmann was ordered to attack the Canadians along the high ground north of Gausmesnil. He didnt.know they were already in The village.
All distances and locations of the 4 tigers referenced from wartime aerial photographs and surveyors measurements. So, in conclusion the yeomanry did not hit wittmann's group from the rear more like from the germans 2 or 3 o'clock position. Canadians hit them in the 150 to 250 meter range and at the german's 9 or 8 o'clock position. It's just simply not good enough to say Ekins fired and the tank blows up. In fact I would say it's a toss up as to who got the other 3 tigers but for sure the Yeomanry did not destroy wittmann's tiger 007.
As for the allied guns involved let's look at the 17 pounder muzzle velocity and distances involved. I will use HEAT ammo as an example. Distance to tiger 007 from the yeomanry position is 967 meters. Distance from.the Sherbrookes 143 meters but let's say 150 meters. A round from the yeomanry would take roughly 1.09 seconds to hit the tiger. If the Canadians fired at the same time the round would take .16 seconds to impact the tiger. As you can see the Canadian round would hit the tiger significantly sooner than the yeomanry shot.
I think Norm Christie is the only historian to have actually studied the battlefield and analyzed the evidence. You can say other wise but British Press stories dont cut it here.
Impressive Canadian. Like the tens of thousands of RCAF crew like my dad that flew bombers . 35 missions ( Ops) before being screened out for other duties. He made his 35 raids, unlike so many others that were shot down.
The thought that puzzles me today about this very interesting video is this... what on earth do the 45 naysayers that gave a thumbs down have to complain about? It's well researched, clearly narrated with appropriate film clips.
Thanks Bo don! I'm very happy to see that you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this story! I grew up in Sherbrooke so very proud to see a good leader from Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters, I still believe you are born with leadership in your blood, it cannot be learned.
Truth!
Living in Kingston it's a shame there is no monument for him
A nice idea but, I am sure Rad would not have been keen on a monument to him
He deserves respect. Some woke a**hole would just vandalize the memorial to protest 'the glorification of violence'.
Awesome video!!! Thank you so much for bringing attention to this brave soldier, whom I'd not heard of before this. Thanks to all our brave brothers to the north.
Good ol' Canadian lad - thanks for covering his amazing story
My father served with Rad in 1957 as a Captain in the newly formed reg force 8CH.
I have an uncle that apparently trained tankers in Canada in ww2. He lived in Kingston so I wonder if he ever knew any of the soldiers mentioned in the video. Sadly he died of cancer before I was born. As a trainer back in Canada he was likely a lot less traumatized by the war and might of had some good stories to share. By the way, Another excellent video!
Well done. I'm a Canadian and never knew about Rad. Thanks Canadian schooling system.
Same here, I had heard about the Sherbrookes being the likely ones to smoke Micheal Wittman but otherwise knew nothing about the unit and their OC.
Guys, this history did not fit well with the leftist education system. They avoided our valourous warriors deeds to tell us how we should all be sweet and nice, when Canada of old was a nation of hard nosed but kind people 1-2 to generations from homesteading or the frontier. Canada is being destroyed from within by leftist idealogues.
Great video. Thanks. A fascinating piece of history. Great to hear about aces on the allied side.
Nice to hear of a long lived hero, a Canadian hero. Thanks. Thumbed up, of course.
Thanks! I really appreciate it!
We lived in CFB Petawawa when Radley Walters was base commander. My dad was a member of the 8th Canadian Hussars.
I love this story and presentation.
Good quality.
Never heard about this Ace, but now I know. 🙏
I find my happy place when I see you’ve uploaded a new video. 😁
Very impressive. A man to whom we should all aspire to be. Men like him are different than the rest of us.
Thanks for the video, was interesting to see an Allied tank ace and his story, keep up the great work!
Ace - American built tanks generally have the loader on the left side of the turret (as one faces forward), the gunner at the feet of the tank commander. When you ran through the crew positions you had the gunner and loader positions flip-flopped. Great work overall. Thank you for making these videos.
Ah thank you! I was confused with the British and American crew positions.
@Evilstorm11 Walters served in the _M4_ for the most of the war. I don't recall him using the _Churchill_ I don't see the merit for your argument.
My father was a member of the 27 armoured & served with him Trooper GA Donnelly nice to see this story they were all very brave man.
Thanks for sharing about this fine tankie.
Didn't know Radley Walters was a fellow Canadian. That's good to know.
My great uncle named John Rowe, He was in Canada’s first special forces also known as the devils brigade, he won the Italy star, Germany star, French, And the congressional gold medal I look up to him for myself to be more powerful than ever
I live in Kingston and heard nothing about his funeral..its a shame as I would have attended
Way to go Captain Rad!!! Military Cross and Distinguished Service Cross, are only given for outstanding courage in the face of battle. No wonder his men loved him. We will always owe you and the others, a debt of gratitude.
Very good presentation of a true Canadian warrior. Just found your channel and subscribed. Will watch the others and hope for more. Thank you.
Thanks! Glad to see that you enjoyed it!
An excellent account of a true Leader.
S.V. Radley-Walters was amazing, as human being and as soldier. I read a biography about him and it said, he took all troopers new to the front aside and talked to them. He tried to give them vital tips for survival and prepare them for the horrors to come. He respected this fellow humans, it seems.
To all the Wheraboos comparing Allied and Axis aces:
Comparing Tiger Aces to Sherman aces is completely off. Tiger aces drove a tank that in 1942-1943 could one-shot any Soviet tank almost anywhere from the front and at the same time were practically invulnerable to anything the Soviets could and would (in large numbers!) throw at them. Getting a dozen kills isn't too hard then.
At the same time Sherman aces in Normandy could reliably kill only PzIVs from the front and had to resort to trick-shooting StuGs and Panthers (very small weak spots from the front) or outflanking enemies in order to get kills. They could penetrate Tigers only with HVAP at close ranges. And to make matters even more difficult, they could be destroyed by every one of their foes with relative ease. Getting a double ace without dying or getting maimed is already outstanding under these circumstances.
If Radley-Walters had a tank like the Tiger, I bet you he would have racked up dozens of kills. Hundreds of kills would be nigh impossible, because the Germans only deployed 3500 tanks in total to Normandy. Getting 100 kills would mean knocking out every 35th tank the Germans deployed in total!
(disclaimer: I am German)
So to summarize things, having the same level of skill as tanker yields TOTALLY different results, depending what tank you happen to operate.
I'm a Canadian and have been reading about the world wars all my life but this the first i have heard of this great man and leader.Thanks
No problem! Happy to see that I was able to bring this great man to your attention.
Thank you That was very good, what a great soldier.
This is the best tank ace that i've heard of!
Thank you for this video. As a Canadian I did not know it was a Canadian Tank group that took out Vittmen and should of. I am an diesel mechanic who has pulled and made running the engines in two post war Sherman’s including the one in the documentary Storming Juno and am very proud of our tankers and all members who served in WW2. -Ktmcandog!
I really appreciate your style of presentation. Keep up the good work. ✝️
Thanks! Happy to hear that!
Great job! Love your videos. You always have great newsreels and you are very fair and balanced in your narrative.
Thanks John! It means a lot!
General "Rad", as we referred to him in the RCAC, was a humble man and a brilliant speaker
That’s for your work on this vid. Great information.
Impressive career and commentary.
Thank you.
Regards,
Geoff. Reeks
I always learn something new from you. Thanks and
Cheers!
Wow great video! Back in 1978-79, I was very fortunate to have General Rad join us at our table in the mess tent while in the field. I was a gunner with "B" sqn, VIII Canadian Hussars (PL) during Camp May ex in CFB Gagetown. He recounted one instance where his loader bent over to pick up a shell when a German 88 shell went into the turret, over the loader's head and out the other side, not wounding anyone in the crew. The man was, and still is a legend. RIP Sir. BTW the last Sherman he commanded now sits in front of the Sherbrooke Hussars armoury in Sherbrooke, Quebec The tank's name is Bomb.
Wow! Thank you very much for this incredible piece of personal history! I really appreciate it!
@@TheAceDestroyer your welcome ace, I cherish the memory of Rad joining us at our table and buying us a round. What a man!
as a war history enthusias i really appriacated for the video thank you !
We thank you for your bravery your sacrifice and we thank you for your service it's an honor to know your heroic story you are a true soldier a true hero and you will never be forgotten
I was hoping for this video and you came through.
O'H Canada ! Grand-Pappy Was There . God Bless them All . YYZ , Mohawk-Planker .
Glad to see some alid history thank you
Chris Barber you are missing a couple letters
@@TOO_TALL305 sorry
So glad i found another GREAT channel. Instant sub. Now binge watching all your videos.
Thanks! I appreciate it! Happy to see that you're enjoying the channel!
Cheers ! That's another ace who made the list of hard to kill.
Read of this great man's exploits many times. But I had yet to hear/view his exploits with such great narration, and historical accuracy. Well done my guy!
Thank you very much! It really means a lot!
Very well presented! Thanks :-)
Great video and thank you for your research and work in doing these!
My pleasure! Glad to see that you enjoyed it!
Wow , a countryman , from my Province , from my area near Sherbrooke as well ...wow
Salute to this Brilliant Canadian Tank Ace.
I live in Kingston Ontario. And this is the 1st time I have heard this story. Thank you for this awesome vid 👍
Canadians liberated my country in ww2. forever grateful. Greetings from the Netherlands!
Great footage. 7:31 seems to show a crashed spitfire along the road. Always fascinating to see this kind of footage.
Absolutely one of the very best videos yet!
An old sailor and lover of history. well done on your melding of footage and audio looking forward to scanning your library thanx.
Thanks!