Major General George Kitching, 1956. (Courtesy LAC)

Lieutenant General Guy Simonds (left) and Major General George Kitching listening to a talk by General Montgomery to Canadian 2 Corps troops. (Courtesy LAC)

A Ram II tank of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps during a training exercise in England, 22 December 1942. (Courtesy LAC)

Waterproofing Sherman tanks of the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment, England, 20 April 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Canadian tanks firing tracers into advancing Germans. Normandy, France, 8–9 June 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Aerial photograph of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division battleground for Phase II of Operation Totalize. Photographed on 26 July 1944. (Courtesy LCMSDS)

A dramatic war picture showing fires caused by bombing with transports and men taking cover on the Caen–Falaise road, 8 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

A Universal Carrier of the Lake Superior Regiment, Cintheaux, France, 8 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Troopers J.L. Gaudet and G.A. Scott of the South Alberta Regiment pause in front of a sign pointing towards Falaise. Cintheaux, France, 9 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Sherman tanks waiting to advance, 8 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Sherman tank of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division near Cintheaux, France, 8 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Close-up of Worthington Force in defensive position, 9 August 1944. (Courtesy LCMSDS)

Worthington Force on the ground as viewed from Allied tactical aircraft. The tracks in the photograph are from attacking German tanks. (Courtesy LCMSDS)

Tanks and armoured vehicles taking part in Operation Tractable near Bretteville-le-Rabet, France, 14 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Air photograph of western portion of Quesney Woods, 26 July 1944. (Courtesy LCMSDS)

Air photograph of Quesney Woods after bombing on 14 August for Operation Tractable. (Courtesy LCMSDS)

Canadian tanks of 4th Canadian Armoured Division move into battle south of Robertmesnil, France, 14 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

A note written on 14 August 1944 from Major General Kitching to Lieutenant Colonel Scott outlining the orders for the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade for 15 August 1944. (Courtesy of the Governor General’s Foot Guards Museum, Ottawa)

Sherman tanks of the South Alberta Regiment, St Lambert-sur-Dives, France, 19 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Mopping up St Lambert-sur-Dives, France, 19 August 1944, by members of Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. A destroyed German tank is seen in the background. (Courtesy LAC)

B Company, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, in action in St Lambert-sur-Dives. (Courtesy LAC)

Major David V. Currie (left, with pistol in hand) of the South Alberta Regiment accepting the surrender of German troops at St Lambert-sur-Dives, France, 19 August 1944. (Courtesy LAC)

Sherman tank of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division passing wreckage of German Jagdpanther V with 8.8cm PaK 43/3 L/71 tank, Elbeuf, France, 28 August 1944. (Courtesy of LAC)

Author standing beside railway embankment at Cintheaux in 2004.

Laison River near Ernes in 2004.

Road through St Lambert-sur-Dives in 2004. Mont Ormel and Pt 262 south can be seen starting from the left of the photograph.

Near Soignolles looking south into the Laison Valley. This was the ground over which 4 Canadian Armoured Division advanced during Operation Tractable.

St Hilaire Farm in 2004 looking south to the top of Pt 195.

View from the top of Pt 195 in 2004 looking northeast across the ground of Operation Totalize. Caen is located in the upper left of the photograph.

The view from Mt Ormel looking towards St Lambert.

The village of Cintheaux in the foreground with the trees of the quarry in the background in 2004.

Oberst Hubert Meyer, Major General George Kitching and Air Vice-Marshal Johnnie Johnson, Normandy battlefield tour, April 1990.