Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters
Encyclopedia
Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters CMM
, DSO
, MC
, CD
, (nicknamed "Rad") (born January 11, 1920) was a tank commander in the Canadian Army.
Radley-Walters was born in Gaspé in 1920 and graduated from Bishop's College
in 1940. He was commissioned in the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment
in October of that year. The regiment was redesignated 27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment) in January 1942 and embarked for England in October 1942.
The regiment was part of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade supporting the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
landing in Normandy on D-Day 6 June 1944. Captain Radley-Walters commanded a tank during the Battle of Normandy
. On D-Day + 1, 7 June 1944, in fighting near Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe
, with the 12th SS Panzer Division, Radley-Walters had his first kill, a Panzer IV
. Major Radley-Walters commanded a tank squadron in the regiment. His unit was credited with killing the tanker ace "The Black Baron" Michael Wittmann
of the 101. Schwere SS-Panzerabteilung, though which tank in the squadron had the actual kill is unknown. This claim has been disputed by 3 Troop, A Squadron, 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry
tank regiment gunner Joe Ekins
, who also claims to have killed the Panzer ace. Radley-Walters was awarded both the Distinguished Service Order
and the Military Cross
and for his outstanding leadership and gallantry as a squadron commander.
His regiment participated in Operation Market-Garden and broke through and relieved the 101st Airborne Division
.
By the end of the war, he was the top tank ace, the ace of aces of the western Allies (and therefore, of Canada), with a total of 18 kills. From July 1945, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and commanded the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment as part of the Allied Occupation Force.
After the war, Radley-Walters served on peacekeeping
missions in Cyprus
and Egypt
.
In 1957, he became the Commanding Officer of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)
. He attended NATO Defence College in Paris and was assigned to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
from June 1961 to July 1962. He returned to Canada as commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured School in Camp Borden. In 1966, he became the Director-General Training and Recruiting at Canadian Forces Headquarters in Ottawa.
In June 1968 he was promoted to brigadier-general and took command of 2 Combat Group at CFB Petawawa
. In 1971 he became the commander of the Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown
.
Radley-Walters retired in December 1974. He served eight years as colonel of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) and in November 1980 became colonel-commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.
There is a two part article discussing Rad's leadership style in the Canadian Military Journal (Vol 9, No 4 and Vol 10, No 1).
Order of Military Merit (Canada)
The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
, (nicknamed "Rad") (born January 11, 1920) was a tank commander in the Canadian Army.
Radley-Walters was born in Gaspé in 1920 and graduated from Bishop's College
Bishop's University
Bishop's University is a predominantly undergraduate university in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Bishop's is one of three universities in the province of Quebec that teach primarily in the English language...
in 1940. He was commissioned in the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment
Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment
The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment was a World War II Canadian armoured regiment created in 1940 with officers and men from two Militia regiments in Sherbrooke, Quebec. The name is a blend of Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke, a francophone infantry unit, and the Sherbrooke Regiment, an English-speaking...
in October of that year. The regiment was redesignated 27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment) in January 1942 and embarked for England in October 1942.
The regiment was part of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade supporting the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
landing in Normandy on D-Day 6 June 1944. Captain Radley-Walters commanded a tank during the Battle of Normandy
Battle of Normandy
The Invasion of Normandy was the invasion and establishment of Allied forces in Normandy, France, during Operation Overlord in World War II. It was the largest amphibious operation in history...
. On D-Day + 1, 7 June 1944, in fighting near Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe
Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe
Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, with the 12th SS Panzer Division, Radley-Walters had his first kill, a Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
. Major Radley-Walters commanded a tank squadron in the regiment. His unit was credited with killing the tanker ace "The Black Baron" Michael Wittmann
Michael Wittmann
Michael Wittmann was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. Wittmann would rise to the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer and was a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross holder....
of the 101. Schwere SS-Panzerabteilung, though which tank in the squadron had the actual kill is unknown. This claim has been disputed by 3 Troop, A Squadron, 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry
Northamptonshire Yeomanry
The Northamptonshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1794 as volunteer cavalry, it later served in an armoured role before being reduced to squadron level in 1956...
tank regiment gunner Joe Ekins
Joe Ekins
Joe Ekins , is a retired World War II British Army veteran. He gained recognition for apparently killing the famous German tank commander, Michael Wittmann, the 4th top scoring tank ace in history, on August 8, 1944 near St. Aignan de Cramesnil, France...
, who also claims to have killed the Panzer ace. Radley-Walters was awarded both the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and for his outstanding leadership and gallantry as a squadron commander.
His regiment participated in Operation Market-Garden and broke through and relieved the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
.
By the end of the war, he was the top tank ace, the ace of aces of the western Allies (and therefore, of Canada), with a total of 18 kills. From July 1945, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and commanded the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment as part of the Allied Occupation Force.
After the war, Radley-Walters served on peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
missions in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
In 1957, he became the Commanding Officer of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)
The 8th Canadian Hussars is one of the longest serving armoured regiments in the Canadian Army. A Squadron being Regular Force served in CFB Gagetown and B, C and HQ Squadrons served in Sussex, Moncton and Sackville...
. He attended NATO Defence College in Paris and was assigned to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
from June 1961 to July 1962. He returned to Canada as commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured School in Camp Borden. In 1966, he became the Director-General Training and Recruiting at Canadian Forces Headquarters in Ottawa.
In June 1968 he was promoted to brigadier-general and took command of 2 Combat Group at CFB Petawawa
CFB Petawawa
Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, commonly referred to as CFB Petawawa, or simply "Pet", is a Canadian Forces Base located in Petawawa, Ontario. It is operated as an army base by Canadian Forces Land Force Command.-Base facts:...
. In 1971 he became the commander of the Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown
CFB Gagetown
Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, referred to as CFB Gagetown is a large Canadian Forces Base located in southwestern New Brunswick.- Construction of the base :...
.
Radley-Walters retired in December 1974. He served eight years as colonel of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) and in November 1980 became colonel-commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.
There is a two part article discussing Rad's leadership style in the Canadian Military Journal (Vol 9, No 4 and Vol 10, No 1).
Sources
"Au Service du Canada: Histoire du Royal Military College depuis la deuxième guerre mondiale", Richard A. Preston, University of Ottawa, 1992, ISBN 2760303594- "A Fine Night For Tanks: The Road To Falaise", Ken Tout, Sutton Publishing, 1998, ISBN 075091730X
- "Rad's War", Lawrence James Zaporzan, University of New Brunswick, 2003, ISBN 0612682854
- "In Desperate Battle: Normandy 1944", 1992
- "Fields Of Fire: The Canadians In Normandy", Terry Copp, University of Toronto Press, 2004, ISBN 0802037801
- "Normandy: The Real Story: How Ordinary Allied Soldiers Defeated Hitler", W. Denis Whitaker, Random House, 2004, ISBN 0345459075
- National Defence Canada, "History of the Sherbrooke Hussars" (accessed 20 April 2009)
- The Memory Project, "James V. Love" (accessed 20 April 2009)
- The Maple Leaf (Canadian Forces), "Fourth Dimension", Charmion Chaplin-Thomas, 1970 October 12 (accessed 20 April 2009)
- "The Valour and the Horror", Sydney Radley-Walters (accessed 20 April 2009)
- Operation CALVA Battlefield Study notes, Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, 1988.
- Greatest Tank Battles, "The Battle of Normandy" (episode 7), History Television
See also
- Lafayette G. PoolLafayette G. PoolLafayette G. Pool was an American tank-crew and tank-platoon commander in World War II and is widely recognized as the US tank ace of aces, credited with 12 confirmed tank kills and 258 total vehicle and self-propelled gun kills...
, US tanker ace of aces for World War II