The table below shows the number of deaths of Canadians in the LAC Killed in Action database for the Second World War on days with more than 200 fatalities.
You don’t have to know military history well to recognize the first two dates and understand the clustering of most of the others.
Can you name any battles associated with the other dates? What do you know about the large numbers of fatalities on 23 May 1944? Why is 26 February 1945 the only winter month in the top ten?
Date | Deaths |
---|---|
Wednesday, 19 August 1942 | 875 |
Tuesday, 6 June 1944 | 392 |
Tuesday, 25 July 1944 | 386 |
Tuesday, 8 August 1944 | 352 |
Tuesday, 23 May 1944 | 322 |
Saturday, 8 July 1944 | 298 |
Monday, 14 August 1944 | 278 |
Thursday, 8 June 1944 | 229 |
Saturday 29 July 1944 | 226 |
Monday, 26 February 1945 | 221 |
I would suggest the Canadian Army involvement in Operation Blockbuster in the battle of the Rhineland. The assault was launched on the evening of 25 February 1945, the heaviest fighting – and losses – the next day.
I will admit that I had forgotten that the war being fought in Italy as well and had to look it up. 23 May 1944 was the assault on the Senger line: “The line was breached on 24 May 1944 on the British Eighth Army’s front by the 1st Canadian Infantry Division and 5th Canadian Armoured Division, attacking with II Polish Corps on their right.”