Otter Scout Car of 4th Armored Division, II Canadian Corps

Canadian soldier of Governor General's Foot Guards, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, II Canadian Corps in an Otter Mark I Scout Car the day after liberation of May-sur-Orne. At the end of July 1944 in Normandy, II Canadian Corps under Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds attempted to eliminate the German resistance south of Caen. Two SS Armored Divisions tenaciously held each Norman town, turning the rubble into a fortress. On August 7, the Operation Totalize began. May-sur-Orne was pulverized by British and Canadian aircraft. Tanks and infantry attacked in the morning hours of August 8. In the vicinity of May-sur-Orne a deluge of artillery and machine-guns fire stopped dead two assaults of the Canadians. The allied attack was renewed with support of Crocodiles flame-thrower tanks; after fierce resistance, the German garrison withdrew, around 1800 Hours. The Fusiliers Mont Royal led II Canadian Corps into May-sur-Orne. The Otter Light Reconnaissance Car (LRC) was developed by General Motors Canada. Between 1942 and 1945, 1761 units were produced in Oshawa, Ontario. The vehicle was based on the 4x4 Chevrolet C15 truck. The armament consisted of a hull-mounted Boys anti-tank rifle and a .303 caliber Bren light machine gun in a small open-topped turret.