Fusiliers Mont-Royal stele

Inscriptions on The Stele:

"NUNQUAM RETRORSUM

In memory of the sacrifice of the Fusiliers Mont-Royal who fought here between July 20 and 23, 1944 against a numerically superior enemy and held their front line at the cost of heavy losses.
We will remember.
The forum
Le Monde en Guerre Reconnaissance"

"Tribute to the Fusiliers Mont-Royal
On July 7, 1944, the Fusiliers Mont-Royal set foot on French soil for the first time since the disastrous raid de Dieppe of August 19, 1942, when, according to regimental history, their losses were 511 men out of the 584 engaged in the operation. As early as July 11, they were sent as reinforcements to relieve the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada south of Carpiquet airfield, where they suffered their first losses two days later. The FMRs also witness the terrible bombardments over the martyred city of Caen.

On July 18, Operation Goodwood is launched, and Canadian participation in this war effort goes by the code name "Atlantic". The FMRs' mission was to seize an axis formed by the Beauvoir (Cie B) and Troteval (Cie C) farms in St-Martin-de- Fontenay, as well as the hamlet of Verrières (Cie D). On the 20th, the men set off on empty stomachs, with orders to advance at least 150 m behind a rolling artillery barrage. The three companies carry out their mission successfully, but on the 21st, with no hope of reinforcements or supplies, encircled during the harsh German counter-attack by armored elements of the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leidstandarte Adolf Hitler", they suffer heavy losses that lead to the total annihilation of companies B and C. However, their heroic resistance gained precious hours for the reserve battalions who, better supported this time, definitively retook these vital positions: Beauvoir on the 24th, Troteval on the 25th.

The FMRs were then sent to rest in order to regain their strength and receive new manpower to take part in the liberation of France, Belgium, and Holland.

This place of remembrance is dedicated to the Canadian Fusiliers Mont-Royal Regiment, and through them, to the courage and sacrifice of all the men and women, many of whom paid the price of our precious freedom with their lives."