of US-made 155mm 'Long Tom' guns. North West Europe 51st (Lowland) Heavy Rgt landed in Normandy with 4 AGRA in June 1944, shortly after D-Day. On 8 and 9 July, the guns of 4 AGRA were part of the massive artillery support for I Corps' attack on Caen (Operation Charnwood). After the breakout from the Normandy beachhead, I Corps was tasked with clearing the port of Le Havre on 10 September (Operation Astonia), again supported by 4 AGRA engaged in counter-battery (CB) fire. By now, I Corps was operating under the command of First Canadian Army advancing into the southern Netherlands. At the end of October, 51st (L) Hvy Rgt was detached from 4 AGRA to support II Canadian Corps in its attack on Walcheren (Operation Infatuate). It returned to 4 AGRA in I Corps on 4 November and deployed around Etten-Leur, with a section of 7.2s west of Breda, directing harassing fire (HF) against German movements on the Moerdijk bridges. From 5 to 8 November, the regiment was engaged in CB and HF tasks around the Maas () estuary, 2 and 6 Btys expending 800 rounds on CB tasks on 6 November alone. On 11 November, the regiment moved, establishing RHQ at De Rips, with 1 and 2 Btys (7.2-inch) on 11th Armoured Division's front east of Deurne, 4 and 6 Btys (155mm) on 3rd Division's front between Oploo and Overloon. The gunners then spent the next few days preparing gun positions. From 15 to 24 November, 1 and 2 Btys supported 11th Armd Division and 15th (Scottish) Division in their attack towards the Mass, though there was only a little CB and counter-mortar (CM) fire. On 25 and 27 November, 4 Bty carried out shoots against a German strongpoint at Kasteel, directed by Air Observation Post (AOP) aircraft. On 28 and 29 November, 4 and 6 Btys carried out small CB programmes, but 1 and 2 Btys were now out of range. On 1 December, the regiment moved back into Belgium to join XXX Corps. During late December the corps was diverted south to strengthen the northern side of the 'Bulge' formed by the German Ardennes Offensive, and by early January 1945, 51st (L) Hvy Rgt was with 9 AGRA in XII Corps in the southern Netherlands, supporting 7th Armoured and 52nd (Lowland) Divisions with CB and HF missions. Once the Ardennes crisis was passed, Second Army began