An interview/narrative of Hershell A. Smith's experiences during World War II. Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, D.S.O., M.C., served with the Ontario Regiment (11th Armoured Regiment)and the Canadian Grenadier Guards (22nd Armoured Regiment). Interview took place on July 7, 1981.

Interviewer: Roy, Reginald H.

ABSTRACT: Lt.-Col. Hershell A. Smith, D.S.O., M.C. The Ontario Regiment (11th Armoured Regiment) The Canadian Grenadier Guards (22nd Armoured Regiment) Smith_H_0187_01.mp3, (Reel 1, Side 1, interviewed by R. H. Roy) Born on Jan. 21, 1920 in Dauphin, Man. Attended Royal Military College in 1937, graduating after two and one-half years (due to the outbreak of war). Comments on his instructors, including the future Lt.-Gen. Guy Simonds. Posted to the Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicles School at Camp Borden in Jan. 1940. Transferred to the Ontario Regiment in June 1940. Admires Maj.-Gen. Worthington and regrets that he was not allowed to lead armour in battle. Overseas in 1941, 1st Armoured Brigade. Churchill tanks issued; badly undergunned. Comments on British/German tanks. Issued with Sherman tanks about two months before the invasion of Sicily. In the meantime sent to North Africa to the 17th/21st Lancers of the 6th Armoured Division (British) to obtain some battle experience. Anecdote of infantry night patrol. Returned to Britain, sailed for Sicily in landing ship, tank. Modest action in Sicily. Invaded Italy; in action around Ortona in support of the Royal 22nd Regiment. Awarded Military Cross. One of several battle-experienced officers sent from Italy to join armoured units preparing to invade Normandy. Joined the Canadian Grenadier Guards (22nd Armoured Regiment), commanded by Lt.-Col. W.W. Halpenny, as part of the 4th Armoured Brigade, 4th Armoured Division. Promoted to major and squadron commander. Operation Totalize, Aug. 8, 1944. (45:00) Smith_H_0187_02.mp3 (Reel 1, Side 2, interviewed by C. Bell) Landed in Normandy in late July 1944. First fighting patrol. As war progressed they gradually obtained diesel-powered tanks; much better propulsion units. Unfortunately still lightly armoured. Explains the confusion of battle. Thinks that armour was not properly used in Normandy; too often in piecemeal fashion. Best attack is a heavy one and pushed on to the farthest extreme. Night attacks can be very effective, best about one and one-half hours before daylight. Personalities. Maj.-Gen. George Kitching perhaps did not have an entirely fair deal: perhaps not familiar enough with some of his senior officers; no chance for a proper shakedown of his division. Kitching lost touch with the action through faulty brigade organization. Recalls a battle in Italy. Canadians lacked inspired leadership, often failing to exploit favourable situations in battle. Remarks; Halpenny, Booth, Kitching. Tactical situations. (45:00) Smith_H_0187_03.mp3 Hill 195. Rescued lost tank. Excellent system for replacing battle casualties, both tanks and crews. Operation Tractable; ideal method of armoured attack, a heavy blow. Almost immediately confusion developed within the attack due to heavy dust, created by both A.F.V.'s (armoured fighting vehicles and aerial bombardment. In his opinion they obtained a clear breakthrough of the German defences, but were not allowed to proceed beyond their immediate objective. This allowed the Germans to reorganize. Describes duel with German anti-tank gun. Bombed by the U.S. Air Force; near-miss by a 500 lb. bomb. (30:00)

Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel. Medals and Honours: Distinguished Service Order (DSO); Military Cross (MC)

Interviewee: Smith, Hershell A., b. 1920

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Roy, Reginald H.
• Smith, Hershell A., b. 1920

Subject

• Military history
• Tanks (Military science)
• World War (1939-1945)
• World War (1914-1918)

Language

• eng

Date created

• July 7, 1981

Relation

• Special Collections holds additional interviews with Lt.-Col. Smith.
• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 3 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic Coverage

• France--Normandy

Coordinates

• 49, 0

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 150 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical Repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• reminiscences
• interviews
• sound recordings
• oral histories (literary genre)

Archival item identifier

• SHA_187

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• January 21, 2010

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2010. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/nsag-2e10

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