Thread by @Kormin_

1 / #Normandy, DDay. If you are driving around Bernières-sur-Mer, you might find this monument. The history behind it is not widely known, and fewer people even know that photographs exist of what happen.
A thread🧵

On June 6, Juno Beach, Bernières sur Mer. After firing hundred of shells in their run-in toward the beach, the 14th Field Artillery Regiment, RAC, is landing around 9.25am from 8 LCTs, with priority vehicles of the 8th Brigade. A total of 106 vehicules !

The traffic in Bernières is a nightmare. SPGs, Jeeps, Shermans, Halftracks, Universal Carriers, AVREs, are stuck in the small streets of the town. Especially since the exit from Bernières is under fire and that no one can now push inland.

The Chaudière regiment need arty support to advance further. Gun Position Officier Garth Webb and Doug Allen decided to direct the 4 first SPGs that can get out of the traffic to a field west of the main road exiting Bernières. This will prove a terrible idea...

Facing the exit of Bernières is a 88mm gun, probably from 2./Panzerjäger-Komp. of the 716th ID. Here is the gun (thank @seanboy_50).

The gun got a perfect field of fire toward the vehicles of the 14th Regiment. Here is a picture taken for the gun position, looking toward the field, and another taken from the 14th Regiment position toward the wood where the gun was located.

The air picture I already shared above show perfectly the position of both the Canadians with their M7 SPGs and the 88mm

The vehicles of the 14th Regiment are getting in position. A Sherman tank of the Gun Position Officier from C Troop, 2 M7 from A Troop, 1 from Able and 1 from Dog. On the picture below, you see Dog 4 joining the firing line.

From the words of Wes Alkenbrack, from Dog 4: "Clear above the noise of our labouring engines and clanking tracks came the shrieking, grinding screech of an armour piercing shell meeting steel plate at incredible velocity as Evan's gun (Charlie 2) took the first hit"

Within seconds, a second shell hit a second gun (Able 3). The Canadians are just realizing their mistake. They need to get out of the field as fast as possible. Wes Alkenbrack is ordering to back up. When the third shell hit...

Wes Alkenbrack again: "There was no smoke to veil the disaster. One moment there was that vast sheet of flame and the next moment revealed the stark and utter disintegration of what had been 30 tons of moving steel". Bob Sciberas and his SPGs (Able 4) just got hit in the ammo....

This is where amazingly, a plane took a picture of the aftermaths of the destruction. The 2 burning M7 can clearly be seen, while a crater is now standing where the third SPGs was vaporized in the explosion. Note the tracks of the Sherman that left the field.

Here are the two before and after air pictures together so you can compare. The timing of the plane photography is just incredible, and brutal.

The entire crew of Able 4, 6 men, is missing in action. Their names are at the Bayeux Memorial.

Thank for @seanboy_50 for the 88mm picture. @mike_bechthold @OTDCanMilHis will maybe find the story interesting. Also @SeaSpitfires who loves air pictures ;-)