The Canadian forces were put against the second most heavily defended beach in Normandy (Omaha Beach was the most heavily defended beach). This section will describe the defenses in place on Juno beach and how prepared the Germans were for an amphibious assault.
German General Richter was in command of the 716th division guarding the beach. He had at his disposal:
11 heavy batteries of 155mm guns
9 medium batteries of 75mm guns
The Germans were station in heavily fortified bunkers and pillboxes across the beach with all the guns aimed down the beach so anything on the beach was going to get hit by something. The strongest point along Juno beach was Corseulles-sur-mer. It was not only the most heavily fortified position along the Canadian beach it was the most heavily guarded section along any of the British beaches. The Canadians would not only have to face heavy artillery and machine gun fire, the seawall at the end of the beach was almost twice the size of the one the Americans would face on Omaha Beach. In the water was a heavy minefield that would eventually damage a large number of Canadian transports trying to hit the shore. The pillboxes and bunkers just off the beach were all supported by an extensive network of trenches, barb wire and machine gun pits. The Canadians would suffer %50 causality rates during the first hour attacking the Germans on Juno Beach.
The German troops the Canadian faced on June 6 1944 could not hold a candle to German Panzer and SS units they would face later in the War. The 716th division that defended Juno beach was comprised of boys under 18, men over 35 and Vets from the front in Russia that were suffering from debilitating wounds that prevented them from fighting in the front lines. The German division was spread over a kilometer and was virtually immobile. Horse moved the artillery and supplies for the 716th division and the only form of transportation available to the troops was their feet. The 716th couldn't move any faster or efficiently than the armies that fought in World War I. The Canadians wouldn't face the German crack troops until the day after they landed on Juno Beach.
The next section will go over the air and naval bombardment of Juno Beach leading up to H-Hour(the time of the Canadian Assault).
Plans and objective of the Candian army on Juno beach
Naval and air bombardment of Juno Beach