Canadian Bren Gun crew conduct firing exercises just before The Battle for Hong Kong

Canadian Bren Gun crew

The Elgin Regiment (25th Armoured Regiment) on the as the morning mists of mid-winter roll about their column of loaded Kangaroos somewhere in Holland, January 1945. Note that the troops in the lead vehicle are wearing berets, which suggests this might be an administrative move rather than combat assault. The gentleman on his feet looks like a cold and somewhat bored junior infantry officer waiting for orders.
Kangaroo # 14 is a late-production model featuring a hull-mounted Browning .30 calibre machine gun rather than the cupola of the earlier Ram IIs. Most Kangaroos were initially equipped with at least one Browning .50 on an improvised mount on the turret ring, but these mounts were found awkward and unreliable due to the incredible vibration of firing, and were subsequently replaced with one or two additional Browning .30s scrounged from wrecked vehicles or wherever they could be found.  Ever resourceful, The Elgins move up the line.


The Elgins on the move.

The units of 4 Canadian Armoured Division landed on the beaches at Courseulles and Bernières, beginning with the Governor General’s Foot Guards on 24 July. The South Albertas followed on 25 July, the Elgin Regiment, the Canadian Grenadier Guards on 26 July, and the British Columbia Regiment on 28 July. Once joined by 10 Infantry Brigade, the division moved into reserve positions south-east of Caen. 