Grouping 23RCA

Grouping 23RCA – 4th Canadian Armoured Division

Fantastic uniform grouping of The 23 Royal Canadian Artillery (Self-Propelled) within the 4th Canadian Armoured Division. The complete grouping belonged to one soldier, something written in the greatcoat inside pocket, probably initials.
The grouping is in good used condition without damage, shows traces of usage and some has some spots.
This grouping consists of the Battledress tunic, Battledress trousers, Greatcoat and Beret.
The Battledress tunic is having embroidered CANADA titles, division patches, three years overseas stripes and printed 23 RCA titles. And a complete ribbon bar. The tunic is maked marked, size 7 and dated 1942. The tunic is having the early chocolate brown coloured plastic shoulderboard buttons.
The beret is complete with its original Royal Canadian Artilley capbadge and maker marked, dated 1944 size 7 1/8.
The greatcoat is also having the embroidered CANADA titles, division patches and printed 23RCA titles. The coat has a label and stamp marking dated 1943 size 5, the pocket seems to have initials/name. The trousers are maker marked size 4 and dated April 1945, missing one button.

This grouping would make an awesome display. For more pictures see the next advert.

History of the 23 RCA (SP) – 4th Canadian Armoured Division.

Action in France.
26 July 1944 – Disembarked at Arromanches and moved inland to Banville area, near Caen.
July to September 1944 – activity in areas of Meauvaines, south of Caen near Ifs, Mondeville, Four, Soliers, Grentheville, LaHogue, Tilly, Operation Totalize (the breakout from Caen perimeter and push down Route Nationale 158 to Falaise), Hill 180, 195 and 206 – south of Bretteville-le-Rabet, Saint-André-sur-Orne and south of Ifs, Verrières, Gausmesnil, Roquancourt, Caillouet, River Laize, Bretteville-le-Rabet, Hautmesnil, St. Aignon de Cramesnil, Renemesnil, Operation Tallulah — then changed to Operation Tractable (intention of smashing through the anti-tank screen between Quesnay Woods and Potigny along the River Laison, crossing the river and striking on to Falaise, at the same time seizing crossing of the Rivers Ante and Dives), River Laison at Rouvres, Olendon, Perrières, Le Moutiers-en-Auge, Le Menil Girard (north-east of Trun), 31st battery – River La Vie and River Touques, Rouen, Coudehard, Monnai, Bernay, (liberated) Bout de la Ville, St. Pierre les Elbeuf, River Seine, Criqueboeuf-sur-Seine just north-west of Pont de L’Arche, Ymaro, Le Hamel aux Batiers, Grainville-sur-Ry, 36th Battery to Crenon River, Boissay, 83rd Battery to Forges-les-Eaux, Orival, Airaines, Wanel, Sorel just west of the Somme, high ground overlooking Abbeville, Wisquesm just this side of St. Omer, Soex and crossing the border into Belgium on 7 September 1944.

Action in Belgium
September – October 1944 – activity in areas of Leysele, St. Riquiers, southwest of Bruges/Brugge just west of Den Daelo, Holding of the Leopold, Canal de Ghent, Moerbrugge, Oedelem, Syssele, over Leopold Canal, Cliet, Balgerhoek, Eecloo, Caprycke, Bouchante, Assenede, Sas van Gent, Philippe, north-west of Maldegem, near Balgerhoek, Eecloo, via Ghent to Antwerp, (Netherlands->) north of Schildt, Operation Suitcase, Putte, Pont Heuvel, Wildert near Roosendaal Canal and Wousche Plantage.

Action in Netherlands
October 1944 to February 1945 – activity in areas of Spillebeek, Heimolen, Bergen-op-Zoom, Halsteren, Steenbergen, Dinteloord, Willemstad, Halsteren, end of Operation Suitcase, Roosendaal, Breda, Tilburg, Vught, east of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, (31st at Nulands, 83rd at Rosmalen and 36th in between), Boxtel, 36th in Gemonde, Hedikuizen, Breda area, 36th to St. Philipsland Peninsula, Operation Trojan,(simulate crossing of the Maas), Operation Schultz (intention of getting prisoners from other side of the river), Sprang north-east of Tilburg, s’Hertogenbosch, Vught and then off to Germany on 22 February 1945.

Action in Germany and the Netherlands
February, March 1945 — activity in areas of Hau (near Cleve), Operation Blockbuster, Louisendorf, Keppeln, Uedemerbruch, The Hochwald Gap, Sonsbeck, Veen, Xanten, Winnenthal and headed back to Netherlands on 12 March 1945.
12 to 22 March 1945 – In Tilburg, in the Netherlands, for rest period.
March 1945 – return to Germany, activity in areas of Huibsberden (practically on banks of the Rhine), Operation Plunder, Emmerich and Rees near Millingen (across Rhine).
2–4 April 1945 – activity in the Netherlands in the areas between Gelselaar and Diepenheim, Twente Canal, Wegdam and north of Delden.
April, May 1945 – return to Germany, activity in areas of near Wilsum, Emmlicheim, Coevorden, Ruhle, Dortmund-Ems Canal, Meppen, north along canal to Lathen, Sogel, Werlte, Lorup, Neuvrees, Friesoythe, Kusten Canal, Edewecht, Bad Zwischenahn, Rorbeck, Rastede, & on 3 May 1945, to their last gun position of the war, midway between Rastede and Nutte.
4 May 1945 — During evening it was heard on the Regiment’s radio that all German forces in northwest Germany, Denmark and the occupied part of the Netherlands had surrendered to the 21st Army Group.
5 May 1945 — Cease fire was officially proclaimed at 8:00 am