European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Canadian Landing controversy continue by Joseph Owen staff writer a. When Canadian veterans visit Juno Beach to Mark their a Day Landing of 50 years ago a bittersweet past and a politically charged present May taint the Observance. The Normandy Campaign was Many experts claim a near embarrassment for Canada. And its veterans now Are suing producers of a three part television series they say portrays them As incompetent and criminal. The 3rd Canadian div troops that landed at Cour Eulles sur Mer France on june 6,1944, faced problems instantly. British Field marshal Bernard l. Montgomery a memoirs described the 8 . Landing this Way a the rough sea caused casualties to the amphibious tanks and delay to some of the assault Craft and the fact that the Landing was behind schedule proved a great Handicap to the  after Clearing the Beach exits he wrote canadians pushed ahead steadily All Day. Troops reached a town on the Bayeux to Caen Highway where a they inflicted considerable casualties on the enemy before withdrawing for the night to the main divisional  but the canadians and British failed to take the key City of Caen regarded As the Gateway to Paris. . 1st  commander Gen. Omar n. Bradley grumbled about it in his memoirs a general a life. A in sum the British and Canadian assaults amps Bob Crockett a Canadian forces duplex drive Sherman tank is on display at Juno Beach. Forces sat Down a Bradley wrote. A they had Caen within their grasp and let it slip away. Weeks would pass before Caen  canadians let Down Allied leaders again in August by failing to close the Falaise Gap South of Caen letting key German tank units escape to fight again later. Canadian military leaders were at fault wrote John a. English an International Institute for strategic studies research associate. Mired in bureaucracy and politics before the War commanders a proved incapable of conducting worthwhile training in Britain. The overseas . Had to be re taught by others the business of War English wrote in his 1991 Book the Canadian  and the Normandy Campaign a study of failure in High command. Canadas  incurred heavy casualties in Normandy 18,444, including 5,021 dead. He disputed television series the valor and the horror appeared in 1992, casting Canadian War deeds in an even More sinister Light. The docudrama aired by the Canadian broadcasting corp. And distributed by the National film Board of Canada Drew criticism for suggesting that Allied bombers targeted German civilian areas and that Canada s Normandy efforts were inept. The Issue became a National debate about Public television s obligation to Cheek its broadcasts accuracy and fairness. Cd cd a ombudsman panned the series. The network apologised admitting Haws. The Canadian Senate a veterans affairs subcommittee investigated the film and Drew a similar conclusion the panel advised Csc in 1993 to Issue a review of what went wrong and to set a procedure for consulting  ensure balance and accuracy in future productions. It recommended that the film Board print material expressing other opinions including a pamphlet listing the to series alleged errors. A panel member sen. Jack Marshall a a Day Veteran said he fought a Long Uphill Battle against the valor and the horror. A the government never took up the cause. They protected the Csc a he said adding that Csc essentially paid the series two producers a to degrade almost everything Canadian soldiers did during the  Marshall part of Canadas official 70-member delegation to the june 6 anniversary events said the series spawned a a surge of patriotism Quot among veterans. It inspired litigation As Well. Through a Toronto based Trust fund veterans filed a $500 million . $360 million class action suit against All parties involved a judge rejected the suit but the veterans have appealed the decision. A Csc spokesman said the series is a dead Issue and the  not air it again. But the film Board defends the series. A every statement that a made in the film is backed up by research Quot said spokeswoman Michelle do Auray. The producers published a Book rebutting criticism of the series do Auray said. Veterans in the lawsuit have offered to Settle out of court but the Board declined she added. The Board is producing a series for the 50th anniversary of the wars end. What happened a Gold Juno and sword beaches Gold Juno and sword beaches a Gold Juno and sword a from Caen take route 07 to beaches Are directly North Lang Rune sur Mer and follow d514 of Caen along the top of the Cliffs West along the coast toward arro Manches. By Nancy l. Torner . Bureau heavy Armor from Britain a 3rd inf div led the charge on sword Beach at about 7 25 ., headed by duplex drive a a swimming tanks. Despite heavy seas at least 31 of the 40 tanks managed to crawl to Shore while Allied destroyers bombarded the germans. Destroyers also set off smoke screens to conceal troop movements from German artillery. However the smoke also shielded German a boats that slipped out of the be Havre port and torpedoed the norwegian destroyer Svenner which folded in half and Sank in two minutes. Landing Craft were hampered by heavy winds and rough tide that hid barbed wire mines and Iron stakes along the Shore. Wreckage mounted on the Beach and wounded men pinned to the Sand by the weight of their equipment drowned in the rising tide. But by 1 30 p.m., the first commandos pushed Inland to Ranville and joined forces with Allied airborne troops. Just to the West on Juno Beach the 3rd Canadian div was facing dangerous reefs and jutting rocks that forced the initial Landing to be delayed until 7 45 . But by then the rising tide also had concealed Beach obstacles. Only four of the initial 24 Landing Craft were Able to return to their Mother ships. Most others exploded scattering debris Over advancing troops. Only six out of the Royal marines 40 Centaur tanks made it to Shore. Most of the 10 or so swimming tanks landed safely but they arrived late and followed rather than led the infantry. Heavy machine gun fire rained on the soldiers who dashed for cover across the mined Beach to a Concrete Wall about 50 Yards Inland. More than 14,000 mines had been Laid in one area of Beach alone and Many troops were killed or wounded. Some of the wounded died when their own tank Drivers Rode Over them. Although it took three hours for flail tanks to open lanes on both sides of the Eulles River by Nightfall troops were Well Inland and 12 lanes had been cleared for reinforcements. Britain a 50th div was met with an eerie silence on Gold Beach until it was about 200 Yards Inland. Then came a relentless barrage of enemy machine gun fire and mortars making it Clear that an earlier bombardment by air had barely made a Dent in Beach defences. Heavy gun emplacements in la. A amps Ijnar Harris Hamel rained shells on the West Side of the Beach Kitling More than 200 soldiers. Troops outside the firing Range suffered relatively few casualties enabling them to liberate villages just beyond the Beach in less than an hour. By 11 ., seven lanes had been cleared on the Beach. June 6, 1994 a stars and stripes commemorative edition