APPX "A"
to
CW REPORT No. 18

REPORT ON FLAME ACTION BY LAKE SUP R (MOT)
4 CDN ARMD BDE - 4 CDN ARMD DIV

9 Mar 45

Ref Map: GSGS 4414
1:25,000
Sheets 4304, 4305

On 9 Mar 45 two Badgers were att to the scout pl of 'A' Coy, which was engaged in clearing the woods at 1335 SOUTH of WINNENTHAL. After the coy had successfully completed the wood clearing, the sout pl was ordered to go round the South end of the wood and join the remainder of the coy at 142346. On the way there they were fired on by SA and bazooka from the buildings at 143341. From the volume of the fire it appeared that the scout pl would not be able to clear them with the very few men at their disposal for dismounted work. Accordingly, after laying on covering fire, the scout pl comd sent the two Badgers in to burn the enemy out. They went in, in a close pincer move, to within 50 yds of the buildings and emptied their tks into them. The effect was instantaneous, all buildings catching fire and the enemy rushing out, literally screaming in terror. Nearly 30 paratroopers, incl 2 offrs, were taken prisoner. No cas were suffered either by the Badgers or by the scout pl itself, chiefly due to the hy covering fire which the scout pl maint while the Badgers were going in, their hy armour enabling them to move right through our own SA fire.

Later in the day three Badgers were allotted to 'C' Coy, which had the task of attacking WINNENTHAL from the direction of the woods at 134352. The coy adv along a hedgerow which soon proved to be infested with enemy snipers and MG posts. Here again the Badgers proved most effective, moving ahead of the inf and silencing at least five of these enemy posts, so that the coy was able to close right up to the buildings at 134360. It was found here that it was not possible to get into the buildings from the south, so the coy comd decided to send his flame throwers round to the right and get into the courtyard from the east. The three Badgers went in again, covered by fire from the scout pl. Two of them used all their fuel going around the corner of the buildings and had to go back to refuel, but the third one got right into the courtyard. Here it was fired on by bazookas, and in it's efforts to avoid the fire got bogged down in some sort of sump hole. It was hit by a bazooka almost immediately, but the shot evidently did no vital damage inside the compartment, as the crew were still able to op the gun, emptying their tks into the nearest house. As it happened, this house was the Bn HQ, and the disorg thus created was chiefly responsible for the subsequent capture of WINNENTHAL. We were told by a captured offr that when the Badger appeared outside his HQ, the enemy CO started to go down into the cellar, but a burst of flame followed him down the stairs and he was killed.

(Signed) R A KEANE, Lt-col
COMD
Lake Sup R (Mot)