2nd Canadian Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry
division
of the First Canadian Army
, mobilized on 1 September 1939 at the outset of the Second World War. It was initially composed of volunteers within brigades established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of the war caused a delay in the formation of brigade
and divisional headquarters. With questions concerning overseas deployment resolved, the division's respective commands were formed in May and June 1940, and at British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
's request, the division was deployed to the United Kingdom between 1 August and 25 December 1940.
Having performed well in training exercises during 1941 and early 1942, elements of the 2nd Division were selected as the main force for Operation Jubilee, a large-scale amphibious raid on the port of Dieppe in German-occupied France. On 19 August 1942, with air and naval gunfire support, the division's 4th
and 6th
brigades assaulted Dieppe's beaches. The Germans were well prepared and, despite being reinforced, the Canadians sustained heavy losses and had to be evacuated, fewer than half their number returning to the UK.
Following a period of reconstruction and retraining from 1942–1944, the division joined II Canadian Corps
as part of the Second British Army for the Allied Invasion of Normandy. 2nd Division saw significant action from 20 July–21 August in the battles for Caen
and Falaise
. Joining the newly activated headquarters of the First Canadian Army in the assault on northwestern Europe, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division played a significant role in the retaking of the Channel ports, the Battle of the Scheldt
, and the liberation of the Netherlands. The division was deactivated shortly after the end of the war.
; the 1st
and 2nd Canadian Infantry Divisions, both raised on the first of September 1939. The fighting power of this force lay in its constituent infantry brigades, of which each division had three. These were in turn composed of three rifle
and one machine gun
battalion
, with additional divisional artillery and engineer units in support.
The 2nd Division, like its sister formation, was originally organized along regional lines. Its 4th Brigade was composed of regiments from Ontario
, the 5th Brigade of regiments from Quebec
, and 6th Brigade of regiments from Western Canada.
, the 5th at Valcartier Camp in Quebec
, and the 6th at Camp Shilo
in Manitoba
.
The divisional artillery was concentrated at Camp Petawawa
in Ontario, and at Shilo.
The 2nd Division's structure was altered in early 1940, reducing its number of machine-gun battalions from three to one. The Camerons and the Chaudières (now a rifle battalion) were reassigned to the newly mobilized 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
, and the Winnipeg Grenadiers were sent to Jamaica for garrison duty, after which they returned to Canada then redeployed to Hong Kong, where they were captured when it fell to the Japanese
on 25 December 1941.
In May 1940, The Black Watch were moved from Valcartier to Newfoundland, and in June the 2nd Division was earmarked for garrison duty by the forces of the British Commonwealth, with the Royal Regiment of Canada and Les Fusiliers Mont Royal arriving in Iceland later that month. However, at the request of Winston Churchill
these deployments were cut short, as the division was badly needed in England to supplement the British Army
—then facing the imminent possibility of German invasion
.
As a result, most of the 2nd Division's units were sent to the United Kingdom in August 1940, although the Iceland garrison remained in place until 31 October. The absence of the Mont Royals allowed Major-General Victor Odlum
to reassign the Calgary Highlanders to the 5th Brigade in September, in an attempt to ethnically mix the brigades of the division.
In 1941, the Toronto Scottish Regiment was transferred from the 1st Division to become the machine-gun battalion of the 2nd Division. Around the same time, the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars) was raised from 2nd Division personnel supplemented by reinforcements from Canada. Due to equipment shortages, it was often difficult to adequately supply newly arrived divisions in England. Artillery units had to make use of outmoded 75 mm guns with steel tires, and a lack of anti-aircraft guns—diverted to civil defense during the height of the Battle of Britain
—left Canadian units to fend for themselves with small arms. However, by February 1941, enough Bren guns had been issued to the infantry units and, by September, the artillery had been equipped with 25-pounder (84 mm, 3.3-in) howitzer
s, although signals equipment and transport were still lacking and anti-tank guns were dangerously scarce.
When the division was not engaged in coastal-defence duties or unit training, formation-level training took the form of increasingly larger exercises. Exercise Waterloo, conducted from 14–16 June 1941, was the largest in the United Kingdom to date, with I Canadian Corps counter-attacking an imagined German sea and air landing. Exercise Bumper, held from 29 September to 3 October, was larger still, involving 250,000 men. These exercises tended to concentrate on traffic control, communications, and logistical concerns, and were of little practical value to the infantry.
On 30 December 1941, the Calgary Highlanders introduced "battle drill"
to the division. This new type of training emphasized small unit tactics as well as "hardening" training through use of live ammunition, slaughterhouse visits, and obstacle courses, and was adopted throughout Commonwealth forces stationed in Britain.
In early 1942, under Major General
J. H. Roberts
, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division participated in several additional full-scale combat exercises, again gauging the ability of Commonwealth divisions to repel a possible German invasion. As April and May progressed, the exercises intensified, becoming significantly more demanding on the participants. As a result, the 2nd Division was judged to be one of the four best divisions in the United Kingdom, and was selected as the primary force for the upcoming Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe—codenamed Operation Jubilee. Mounted as a test of whether or not such a landing was feasible, the Dieppe raid was to be undertaken by the 4th and 6th Brigades, with additional naval, air, and infantry support.
On 19 August 1942, while British commando units attacked bunker positions on the outskirts of Dieppe, forces of the 2nd Division landed on four beaches. The easternmost, Blue Beach, which was situated at the foot of a sheer cliff, presented the most difficulties; the Royal Regiment of Canada, with a company of the Black Watch, was held at bay by two platoons of German defenders. Only six percent of the men that landed on Blue Beach returned to Britain.
The main beaches, codenamed White and Red, lay in front of Dieppe itself. Making only minor gains, the majority of the 4th and 6th brigades became pinned down on the beach, and despite the arrival of an armoured squadron from the Calgary Tank Regiment, casualties were heavy. Reinforcements from the Mont Royals had little effect, and surviving forces were withdrawn by 11:00. Of the nearly 5,000 Canadian troops that participated, more than half were killed, wounded or captured.
At Green Beach to the west, the South Saskatchewan Regiment was landed on the wrong side of the Scie River, necessitating an assault on the bridge there, as well as on the German positions in and around the town of Pourville. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were deployed as reinforcements, but neither unit was able to reach its objectives. As with the other three beaches, casualties among the Canadians were high.
. On 9 March, the 2nd Division was inspected by King George VI, and by May the division numbered close to 18,000 fully equipped and trained soldiers. When D-Day arrived on 6 June 1944, the main Canadian assault was led by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, while the 2nd Division was held in reserve.
The Canadian attack of the Juno beach
was the most successful of the five beaches attacked on D-day. Having successfully landed in Normandy, Allied forces soon became embroiled in battles against German armour and were unable to significantly expand their beachhead
; by the time the 2nd Division came ashore at the end of the first week of July, the entire front had congealed. As the division assembled its brigades for combat, Anglo-Canadian forces launched Operation Charnwood
. It was a tactical success, but could not clear all Caen
of its German defenders. Although originally a D-Day objective, Caen proved a difficult prize, holding out until 19 July when it finally fell to British forces during Operation Goodwood
. In the aftermath, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery ordered elements of II Canadian Corps
to push forward towards Verrières Ridge, the dominant geographical feature between Caen and Falaise
. By keeping up the pressure, Montgomery hoped to divert German attention away from the American sector to the west.
, launched on 18 July alongside Goodwood, had the objectives of securing the western bank of the Orne River and Verrières Ridge. 2nd Division's 5th and 6th brigades were selected as the assaulting forces, with the 5th Brigade focusing on the Orne and the 6th on Verrières. The 4th Brigade were tasked with securing the flank of the operation, and The Royal Regiment of Canada attacked Louvigny on 18 July. Early on 19 July, The Calgary Highlanders
seized Point 67, directly north of Verrières Ridge, and the following morning the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada crossed the Orne River and secured the flanks of the advance. In the afternoon, the 6th Brigade's South Saskatchewan Regiment
attacked the well-entrenched German positions on the ridge, with support from Typhoon
fighter-bombers and tanks. However, the attack ran into torrential rain, and the Germans counterattacked in force. This and further German attacks inflicted heavy casualties on the South Saskatchewan Regiment and its supporting battalions, The Essex Scottish Regiment
and The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. On 21 July, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade reinforced Canadian positions on Point 67. In two days of fighting, the division suffered 1,349 casualties.
, commander of II Canadian Corps, was ordered to design a large breakout assault, codenamed Operation Spring
. The attack was planned in three tightly timed phases of advance, pitting two Canadian and two British divisions against three German SS-Panzer divisions.
It would be launched in conjunction with an American offensive, Operation Cobra
, scheduled to take place on 25 July 1944.
(1) The 4th Brigade attacked in the east with some success, taking Verrières village itself, but were repulsed at Tilly-la-Campagne
by German counterattacks.
(2) The 5th Brigade, in the centre, made a bid for Fontenay-le-Marmion
; of the 325 members of the Black Watch who left the start-lines, only 15 answered evening roll-call. German counterattacks on 26 July and 27 July pushed Canadian forces back to Point 67.
However, the situation eventually eased as the planned American offensive got underway. Throughout the first week of August, significant German resources were transferred from the Anglo-Canadian front to that of the Third United States Army, while reinforcements moved from Pas de Calais to the Falaise, Calvados
area. By 7 August 1944, only one major formation—the 12th SS Panzer Division—faced Canadian forces on Verrières Ridge.
, while the Americans had achieved a complete breakthrough in the west. On 4 August, Simonds and General Harry Crerar
—newly appointed commander of the 1st Canadian Army were given the order to prepare an advance on Falaise. Three days later, with heavy bomber support, Operation Totalize began, marking the first use of Kangaroo Armoured Personnel Carriers
. While the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division attacked east of the Caen-Falaise Road, 2nd Division attacked to the west. By noon Verrières Ridge had finally fallen, and Canadian and Polish armour was preparing to exploit south towards Falaise. However, strong resistance by the 12th SS Panzer Division and the 272nd Volksgrenadier Division halted the advance. Although 12 km (7.5 mi) of ground had been gained, Canadian forces had failed to reach Falaise itself.
Simultaneously, the Germans had launched a desperate and ill-prepared armoured thrust
towards Mortain
, beginning on 6 August 1944. This was halted within a day and, despite the increasingly dangerous threat presented by the Anglo-Canadian advance on Falaise, German commander Field Marshal Günther von Kluge
was prohibited by Adolf Hitler
from redeploying his forces. Thus, as American armoured formations advanced towards Argentan
from the south, the Allies were presented with an opportunity to encircle large sections of the German Seventh Army
. The First Canadian Army was ordered south, while the Americans prepared to move on Chambois
on 14 August. Simonds and Crerar quickly planned a further offensive that would push through to Falaise, trapping the German Seventh Army in Normandy.
with the aim of capturing Falaise and achieving a linkup with American forces in Chambois. A daylight attack was executed after artillery provided smoke-screen
cover and medium bombers softened up the German defenses. The offensive was largely successful and, although the 2nd Division was not an active participant, divisional troops entered Falaise on 16 August as the remainder of First Canadian Army moved south-east towards Trun and Chambois. By 21 August the remnants of the battered German Seventh Army had surrendered in the Falaise Pocket
, bringing the Battle of Normandy to a close. The German forces committed to Normandy since D-Day had been virtually annihilated—by the end of Operation Tractable, the 12th SS Panzer Division, the main adversary of the Canadians, had lost 80% of its tanks, 70% of its personnel carriers, and 60% of its artillery,.
Shortly afterwards, the 2nd Division moved to Foret de la Londe, along the valley of the River Seine. From 27–29 August, the 4th and 6th Brigades were engaged in heavy fighting against the rearguard of German forces seeking to withdraw across the Seine.
Throughout September and October 1944, the First Canadian Army moved along the coast of France with the aim of securing the Channel ports
. On 1 September, while the 3rd Division made for Boulogne and Calais, the 2nd Division entered Dieppe, encountering virtually no resistance. Five days later they were tasked by Montgomery and Crerar with retaking Dunkirk. Heavy fighting around the outskirts would hold the division for several days but, by 9 September, 5th Brigade had captured the port. The Dunkirk perimeter was handed over to the British on 15 September, and the 2nd Division made for Antwerp.
Although the Belgian White Brigade and elements of the 3rd British Division had entered Antwerp as early as 6 September, taking the city and docks, a strategic oversight meant that the nearby bridges over the Albert Canal were not seized, leaving the Germans in control of the Scheldt estuary. The failure to make an immediate push on the estuary ensured the strategically vital port would remain useless until the Scheldt was cleared. Strong formations of the Fifteenth German Army, which had withdrawn from the Pas de Calais, were able to consolidate their positions on the islands of South Beveland and Walcheren, as well as the Albert Canal directly northwest of Antwerp, and were further reinforced by elements of General Kurt Student
's First Parachute Army.
During the initial phases of the battle, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division sought to force a crossing of the Albert Canal. On 2 October, the entire First Canadian Army—under the temporary command of General Simonds—moved against the German defenses. Two days later, 2nd Division had cleared the canal, and was moving northwest towards South Beveland and Walcheren Island. On Friday, 13 October, later known as "Black Friday", 5th Brigade's Black Watch attacked positions near the coast, losing all four company commanders and over 200 men. Three days later, the Calgary Highlanders conducted a more successful offensive, capturing the initial objective of Woensdrecht. Simultaneously, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 4th Canadian Armoured
Division captured Bergen, cutting off South Beveland and Walcheren from reinforcement.
Operation Veritable
was designed to bring the 21st Army Group to the west bank of the Rhine River, the last natural obstacle before entering Germany. Initially scheduled for December 1944, the operation was delayed until February by the German Ardennes Offensive. Plans were developed to breach three successive defensive lines:—the outpost screen; a formidable section of the Siegfried Line
running through the Hochwald Forest; and finally the Hochwald Layback covering the approach to the ultimate objective of Xanten
. The first phase began on 8 February 1945, with the 2nd Division's advance following up one of the largest artillery barrages seen on the Western Front. The Germans had prepared significant defenses in depth, both within the outpost screen and the Siegfried Line
itself, and to add to the Canadians' difficulties, constant rain and cold weather obscured the battlefield. However, by the end of the first day, the 2nd Division had captured their objectives—the fortified towns of Wyler
and Den Heuvel. On 11 February, the division moved southeast to assist XXX British Corps in their assault on Moyland Wood.
The operational plan's second phase called for the 2nd and 3rd Divisions to take the Hochwald Forest. Following its capture, the 4th Canadian Armoured would sweep through the Hochwald Gap towards Wesel
, followed by 2nd Division "leap-frogging" towards Xanten
. Operation Blockbuster
was scheduled for 27 February, but despite initial gains, stubborn German resistance prolonged the battle for six days. It was not until 3 March that the forest was cleared—during the intense close-quarter fighting, Major Frederick Tilston
of the Essex Scottish Regiment won a Victoria Cross
Operation Blockbuster's final phase was the attack on Xanten
itself, which lasted from 8–10 March. This fell primarily to the 2nd Division and 2nd Canadian (Armoured) Brigade, although the 43rd Wessex Division was temporarily assigned to Simonds's II Canadian Corps for the assault. Despite an elaborate preceding artillery barrage, dogged German resistance caused the battle to degenerate into one of attrition. Because effective air-support was prevented by fog and movement was hindered by German mortar barrages, the Anglo-Canadians suffered heavy casualties. However, by 10 March, the 2nd Division's 5th Brigade had linked up with elements of the 52nd Lowland Division, bringing the offensive to a close. Total Canadian casualties during Veritable and Blockbuster were 5,304 killed or wounded.
Canadian forces having incurred heavy casualties in clearing a path to the Rhine, the 2nd Division was rested from the massive crossing operation that took place on 23 March 1945, instead crossing in relative ease a week later. After a brief detour through German territory, the First Canadian Army—now unified with the arrival of I Canadian Corps from Italy—prepared to assault German positions in the Netherlands. The 2nd Division moved northwards towards Groningen. In the nine days preceding their attack, German resistance had been light and uncoordinated but opposition stiffened as the assault progressed, leading to heavy losses among the battalions of the 5th Brigade. By 13 April, the division had been shifted eastward to guard the flanks of a British assault on Bremen
, and the following day I Canadian Corps liberated Arnhem
. On 2 May, the 2nd Division took Oldenburg
, solidifying Canadian positions throughout the Netherlands. German and Canadian forces declared a ceasefire on 5 May, and all fighting came to an end with the surrender of German forces in Western Europe
on 7 May 1945. In October 1945, after four months in the Netherlands, General Order 52/46 officially disbanded the headquarters of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. By December, the entirety of the division had been stood down and returned to Canada.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the First Canadian Army
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps...
, mobilized on 1 September 1939 at the outset of the Second World War. It was initially composed of volunteers within brigades established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of the war caused a delay in the formation of brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
and divisional headquarters. With questions concerning overseas deployment resolved, the division's respective commands were formed in May and June 1940, and at British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
's request, the division was deployed to the United Kingdom between 1 August and 25 December 1940.
Having performed well in training exercises during 1941 and early 1942, elements of the 2nd Division were selected as the main force for Operation Jubilee, a large-scale amphibious raid on the port of Dieppe in German-occupied France. On 19 August 1942, with air and naval gunfire support, the division's 4th
4th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the Canadian Army during the Second World War.-History:It was mobilized on 1 September 1939 part of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division , even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers...
and 6th
6th Canadian Infantry Brigade
As part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division mobilization started on 1 September 1939, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. However, further expansion was hindered by a temporary halt in recruitment and uncertainty about overseas deployment...
brigades assaulted Dieppe's beaches. The Germans were well prepared and, despite being reinforced, the Canadians sustained heavy losses and had to be evacuated, fewer than half their number returning to the UK.
Following a period of reconstruction and retraining from 1942–1944, the division joined II Canadian Corps
II Canadian Corps
II Canadian Corps was a corps-level formation that, along with I Corps and I Canadian Corps , comprised the First Canadian Army in Northwest Europe during World War II.Authorization for the formation of the Corps headquarters became effective in England on...
as part of the Second British Army for the Allied Invasion of Normandy. 2nd Division saw significant action from 20 July–21 August in the battles for Caen
Battle for Caen
The Battle for Caen from June-August 1944 was a battle between Allied and German forces during the Battle of Normandy....
and Falaise
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
. Joining the newly activated headquarters of the First Canadian Army in the assault on northwestern Europe, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division played a significant role in the retaking of the Channel ports, the Battle of the Scheldt
Battle of the Scheldt
The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
, and the liberation of the Netherlands. The division was deactivated shortly after the end of the war.
Formation and early organization (1939)
At the start of World War II, the Canadian Active Service Force was initially composed of two divisionsDivision (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
; the 1st
1st Canadian Infantry Division
The 1st Canadian Infantry Division was a formation mobilized on 1 September 1939 for service in the Second World War. The division was also reactivated twice during the Cold War....
and 2nd Canadian Infantry Divisions, both raised on the first of September 1939. The fighting power of this force lay in its constituent infantry brigades, of which each division had three. These were in turn composed of three rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
and one machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, with additional divisional artillery and engineer units in support.
The 2nd Division, like its sister formation, was originally organized along regional lines. Its 4th Brigade was composed of regiments from Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the 5th Brigade of regiments from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and 6th Brigade of regiments from Western Canada.
| Unit | 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade The 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the Canadian Army during the Second World War.-History:It was mobilized on 1 September 1939 part of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division , even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers... |
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| The Royal Regiment of Canada The Royal Regiment of Canada The Royal Regiment of Canada is the largest army regiment in the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. It is an infantry unit based in Toronto, Ontario, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group.... |
Toronto, Ontario | |
| The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry is a Primary Reserve unit of the Canadian Forces based at John W. Foote VC Armouries in Hamilton, Ontario.... |
Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe... |
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| The Essex Scottish Regiment The Essex Scottish Regiment The Essex Scottish was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army until 1954.Founded in 1885 as the 21st Essex Battalion of Infantry, it went through several name changes including: 1887 - 21st Battalion, Essex Fusiliers; 1900 - 21st Regiment, Essex Fusiliers; 1920 - The Essex Fusiliers, acquiring... |
Windsor, Ontario Windsor, Ontario Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor... |
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| The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-History:The 1st Volunteer Militia Rifle Company of Ottawa was formed on April 3, 1856. At that time, the bulk of Canada's militia existed as small, independent companies scattered throughout the provinces... (machine gun) |
Ottawa, Ontario | |
| The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada The Black Watch of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde... | Montreal, Quebec | |
| Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal is one of the oldest surviving units of the historical regiments of the Canadian army. It celebrated its regimental centenary in 1969. The unit was created on November 5, 1869... |
Montreal, Quebec | |
| Le Régiment de Maisonneuve Le Régiment de Maisonneuve Le Régiment de Maisonneuve is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.The regiment is Canada's twenty-sixth most senior reserve infantry regiment, and comprises one battalion serving as part of the Land Force Reserve.-History:... |
Montreal, Quebec | |
| Le Régiment de la Chaudière Le Régiment de la Chaudière The Régiment de la Chaudière is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-Insignia:The regimental insignia consists of two crossed machine guns, surmounted by a beaver supporting a fleur-de-lys... (machine gun) |
Levis, Quebec Lévis, Quebec Lévis is a city in eastern Quebec, Canada. It is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. A ferry links Old Quebec with Old Lévis, and two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre Laporte Bridge, connect western Lévis with Quebec City. The Société de transport de... |
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| 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade As part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division mobilization started on 1 September 1939, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. However, further expansion was hindered by a temporary halt in recruitment and uncertainty about overseas deployment... |
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| The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-Formation:As early as 1905 the local Scottish community in Winnipeg, led by the St Andrew's Society, began lobbying the government to raise a Highland regiment... |
Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
| The South Saskatchewan Regiment The South Saskatchewan Regiment The South Saskatchewan Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces formed in 1936 by the amalgamation of The Weyburn Regiment and The Saskatchewan Border Regiment. It was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle in 1968... |
Estevan, Saskatchewan Estevan, Saskatchewan Estevan is the eighth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located at , which is near the southeastern corner of the province. The Souris River runs by the city. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5.-History:... |
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| The Calgary Highlanders The Calgary Highlanders The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Forces Land Force Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada... |
Calgary, Alberta | |
| The Winnipeg Grenadiers The Winnipeg Grenadiers The Winnipeg Grenadiers was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army formed on 1st April 1908 under General Order No. 20. Initially it was raised with Headquarters at Morden, Manitoba and companies at: ‘A’ Company at Morden, ‘B’ Company at Morden, ‘C’ Company at Manitou, ‘D’ Company at Carmen,‘E’... (machine gun) |
Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
Garrison duties and reorganization (1940)
It was over a year before the 2nd Division came together as a cohesive unit and, during the interim period between formation and arrival in the United Kingdom, many changes to its organization were made. The first brigade concentrations took place in May and June 1940, until which time all units had trained in their own garrisons. The 4th Brigade assembled at Camp Borden in OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the 5th at Valcartier Camp in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and the 6th at Camp Shilo
CFB Shilo
Canadian Forces Base Shilo is an Operations and Training base of the Canadian Forces, located east of Brandon, Manitoba. During the 1990s, Canadian Forces Base Shilo was also designated as an Area Support Unit, which acts as a local base of operations for south-west Manitoba in times of military...
in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
The divisional artillery was concentrated at Camp 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 Ontario, and at Shilo.
The 2nd Division's structure was altered in early 1940, reducing its number of machine-gun battalions from three to one. The Camerons and the Chaudières (now a rifle battalion) were reassigned to the newly mobilized 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...
, and the Winnipeg Grenadiers were sent to Jamaica for garrison duty, after which they returned to Canada then redeployed to Hong Kong, where they were captured when it fell to the Japanese
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
on 25 December 1941.
In May 1940, The Black Watch were moved from Valcartier to Newfoundland, and in June the 2nd Division was earmarked for garrison duty by the forces of the British Commonwealth, with the Royal Regiment of Canada and Les Fusiliers Mont Royal arriving in Iceland later that month. However, at the request of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
these deployments were cut short, as the division was badly needed in England to supplement the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
—then facing the imminent possibility of German invasion
Operation Sealion
Operation Sea Lion was Germany's plan to invade the United Kingdom during the Second World War, beginning in 1940. To have had any chance of success, however, the operation would have required air and naval supremacy over the English Channel...
.
As a result, most of the 2nd Division's units were sent to the United Kingdom in August 1940, although the Iceland garrison remained in place until 31 October. The absence of the Mont Royals allowed Major-General Victor Odlum
Victor Odlum
Victor Wentworth Odlum, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. was a Canadian journalist, soldier, and diplomat. He was a prominent member of the business and political elite of Vancouver, British Columbia from the 1920s until his death in 1971...
to reassign the Calgary Highlanders to the 5th Brigade in September, in an attempt to ethnically mix the brigades of the division.
Training in the United Kingdom (1941)
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
—left Canadian units to fend for themselves with small arms. However, by February 1941, enough Bren guns had been issued to the infantry units and, by September, the artillery had been equipped with 25-pounder (84 mm, 3.3-in) howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
s, although signals equipment and transport were still lacking and anti-tank guns were dangerously scarce.
When the division was not engaged in coastal-defence duties or unit training, formation-level training took the form of increasingly larger exercises. Exercise Waterloo, conducted from 14–16 June 1941, was the largest in the United Kingdom to date, with I Canadian Corps counter-attacking an imagined German sea and air landing. Exercise Bumper, held from 29 September to 3 October, was larger still, involving 250,000 men. These exercises tended to concentrate on traffic control, communications, and logistical concerns, and were of little practical value to the infantry.
On 30 December 1941, the Calgary Highlanders introduced "battle drill"
Battle drill
An Infantry battle drill describes how platoons and squads apply fire and maneuver to commonly encountered situations. They require leaders to make decisions rapidly and to issue brief oral orders quickly....
to the division. This new type of training emphasized small unit tactics as well as "hardening" training through use of live ammunition, slaughterhouse visits, and obstacle courses, and was adopted throughout Commonwealth forces stationed in Britain.
Operation Jubilee (1942)
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
J. H. Roberts
John Hamilton Roberts
John Hamilton "Ham" Roberts CB, DSO, MC was a Canadian artillery officer and major general.Roberts was born in Pipestone, Manitoba...
, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division participated in several additional full-scale combat exercises, again gauging the ability of Commonwealth divisions to repel a possible German invasion. As April and May progressed, the exercises intensified, becoming significantly more demanding on the participants. As a result, the 2nd Division was judged to be one of the four best divisions in the United Kingdom, and was selected as the primary force for the upcoming Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe—codenamed Operation Jubilee. Mounted as a test of whether or not such a landing was feasible, the Dieppe raid was to be undertaken by the 4th and 6th Brigades, with additional naval, air, and infantry support.
On 19 August 1942, while British commando units attacked bunker positions on the outskirts of Dieppe, forces of the 2nd Division landed on four beaches. The easternmost, Blue Beach, which was situated at the foot of a sheer cliff, presented the most difficulties; the Royal Regiment of Canada, with a company of the Black Watch, was held at bay by two platoons of German defenders. Only six percent of the men that landed on Blue Beach returned to Britain.
The main beaches, codenamed White and Red, lay in front of Dieppe itself. Making only minor gains, the majority of the 4th and 6th brigades became pinned down on the beach, and despite the arrival of an armoured squadron from the Calgary Tank Regiment, casualties were heavy. Reinforcements from the Mont Royals had little effect, and surviving forces were withdrawn by 11:00. Of the nearly 5,000 Canadian troops that participated, more than half were killed, wounded or captured.
At Green Beach to the west, the South Saskatchewan Regiment was landed on the wrong side of the Scie River, necessitating an assault on the bridge there, as well as on the German positions in and around the town of Pourville. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders were deployed as reinforcements, but neither unit was able to reach its objectives. As with the other three beaches, casualties among the Canadians were high.
Rebuilding (1942–1944)
Throughout 1943, the 2nd Division focused on rebuilding its ranks, having lost close to half its strength at Dieppe. In January 1944, Major General Charles Foulkes—the first to command the division who had not served in the First World War—replaced Burns. The following month, all three brigade commanders were replaced as part of a general move to modernize the Canadian forces' higher echelons; further sweeping changes throughout all levels of command, coupled with the lingering effects of the large influx of new personnel during 1943, lowered morale in the division. However, in March 1944, training again intensified, heralding the coming invasion of EuropeOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. On 9 March, the 2nd Division was inspected by King George VI, and by May the division numbered close to 18,000 fully equipped and trained soldiers. When D-Day arrived on 6 June 1944, the main Canadian assault was led by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, while the 2nd Division was held in reserve.
| 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade |
|---|
| The Royal Regiment of Canada The Royal Regiment of Canada The Royal Regiment of Canada is the largest army regiment in the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. It is an infantry unit based in Toronto, Ontario, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group.... |
| The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry is a Primary Reserve unit of the Canadian Forces based at John W. Foote VC Armouries in Hamilton, Ontario.... |
| The Essex Scottish Regiment The Essex Scottish Regiment The Essex Scottish was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army until 1954.Founded in 1885 as the 21st Essex Battalion of Infantry, it went through several name changes including: 1887 - 21st Battalion, Essex Fusiliers; 1900 - 21st Regiment, Essex Fusiliers; 1920 - The Essex Fusiliers, acquiring... |
| 4th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) The Lorne Scots is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group.The sub-units of the Lorne Scots are situated in the following armouries:... ) |
| The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada The Black Watch of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde... |
| Le Régiment de Maisonneuve Le Régiment de Maisonneuve Le Régiment de Maisonneuve is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.The regiment is Canada's twenty-sixth most senior reserve infantry regiment, and comprises one battalion serving as part of the Land Force Reserve.-History:... |
| The Calgary Highlanders The Calgary Highlanders The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Forces Land Force Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada... |
| 5th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) The Lorne Scots is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group.The sub-units of the Lorne Scots are situated in the following armouries:... ) |
| The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-Formation:As early as 1905 the local Scottish community in Winnipeg, led by the St Andrew's Society, began lobbying the government to raise a Highland regiment... |
| The South Saskatchewan Regiment The South Saskatchewan Regiment The South Saskatchewan Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces formed in 1936 by the amalgamation of The Weyburn Regiment and The Saskatchewan Border Regiment. It was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle in 1968... |
| Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal is one of the oldest surviving units of the historical regiments of the Canadian army. It celebrated its regimental centenary in 1969. The unit was created on November 5, 1869... |
| 6th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) The Lorne Scots is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group.The sub-units of the Lorne Scots are situated in the following armouries:... ) |
| The Toronto Scottish Regiment The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) The Toronto Scottish Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. It is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group.-History:... (machine gun) |
| 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars) 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars) The 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment , commonly abbreviated to 8 Recce, VIII Recce or 8 Canadian Recce, was the reconnaissance arm of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division during World War II.- Formation and structure :8 Recce was formed at Guillemont Barracks, near Aldershot in... (8 Recce) |
| Royal Canadian Artillery Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Forces .-History:... |
| Headquarters |
| 4th Field Regiment , 2nd (Ottawa) Field Battery, 14th (Midland) Field Battery, 26th (Lambton) Field Battery , 5th Field Regiment , 5th (Westmount) Field Battery, 28th (Newcastle) Field Battery, 73rd Field Battery, 6th Field Regiment, 13th (Winnipeg) Field Battery, 21st Field Battery, 91st Field Battery |
| 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, 18th Anti-Tank Battery, 20th Anti-Tank Battery, 23rd Anti-Tank Battery, 108th Anti-Tank Battery, 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 16th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, 17th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, 38th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Royal Canadian Corps of Signals The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals was a corps of the Canadian Army. Major Wallace Bruce Matthews Carruthers established the corps in 1903, making it the first independent Signal Corps in the British Empire... |
| 2nd Canadian Divisional Signals |
| Royal Canadian Army Service Corps Royal Canadian Army Service Corps For successor see Logistics BranchThe Royal Canadian Army Service Corps was an administrative and transport corps of the Canadian Army.... |
| Headquarters |
| 4th Infantry Brigade Company, 5th Infantry Brigade Company, 6th Infantry Brigade Company, Second Infantry Divisional Troops Company |
| Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Militia Medical Service was established in 1899. The Militia Medical Service was redesignated the Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1904. The Canadian Army Medical Corps was redesignated The Royal Canadian... |
| No. 10 Field Ambulance, No. 11 Field Ambulance, No. 18 Field Ambulance, 13th Canadian Field Hygiene Section, 4th Canadian Field Dressing Station, 21st Canadian Field Dressing Station |
| Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps RCOC can trace its roots back to the Canadian Stores Department. Formed in 1871, the Canadian Stores Department was a civil department of the Canadian Government... |
| No. 2 Infantry Division Ordnance Field Park |
| Canadian Provost Corps Canadian Provost Corps The Canadian Provost Corps was the military police corps of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Provost Corps was authorized on 15 Jun 1940. The Canadian Provost Corps was amalgamated into the Canadian Forces in 1968.-Canadian Military Police Corps:... |
| No. 2 Provost Company |
Battle of Normandy
Juno Beach
Juno or Juno Beach was one of five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The sector spanned from Saint-Aubin, a village just east of the British Gold sector, to Courseulles, just west of the British Sword sector...
was the most successful of the five beaches attacked on D-day. Having successfully landed in Normandy, Allied forces soon became embroiled in battles against German armour and were unable to significantly expand their beachhead
Beachhead
Beachhead is a military term used to describe the line created when a unit reaches a beach, and begins to defend that area of beach, while other reinforcements help out, until a unit large enough to begin advancing has arrived. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Bridgehead and Lodgement...
; by the time the 2nd Division came ashore at the end of the first week of July, the entire front had congealed. As the division assembled its brigades for combat, Anglo-Canadian forces launched Operation Charnwood
Operation Charnwood
Operation Charnwood was a Second World War Anglo-Canadian offensive that took place from 8–9 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. The operation was intended to at least partially capture the German-occupied French city of Caen , which was an important Allied objective during the opening stages...
. It was a tactical success, but could not clear all Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
of its German defenders. Although originally a D-Day objective, Caen proved a difficult prize, holding out until 19 July when it finally fell to British forces during Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
. In the aftermath, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery ordered elements of II Canadian Corps
II Canadian Corps
II Canadian Corps was a corps-level formation that, along with I Corps and I Canadian Corps , comprised the First Canadian Army in Northwest Europe during World War II.Authorization for the formation of the Corps headquarters became effective in England on...
to push forward towards Verrières Ridge, the dominant geographical feature between Caen and Falaise
Falaise, Calvados
Falaise is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:The town was the birthplace of William I the Conqueror, first of the Norman Kings of England. The Château de Falaise , which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of...
. By keeping up the pressure, Montgomery hoped to divert German attention away from the American sector to the west.
Operation Atlantic
Operation AtlanticOperation Atlantic
Operation Atlantic was a Canadian offensive during the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War, from July 18–21, 1944. This Canadian offensive was launched in conjunction with a British-led offensive, Operation Goodwood...
, launched on 18 July alongside Goodwood, had the objectives of securing the western bank of the Orne River and Verrières Ridge. 2nd Division's 5th and 6th brigades were selected as the assaulting forces, with the 5th Brigade focusing on the Orne and the 6th on Verrières. The 4th Brigade were tasked with securing the flank of the operation, and The Royal Regiment of Canada attacked Louvigny on 18 July. Early on 19 July, The Calgary Highlanders
The Calgary Highlanders
The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Forces Land Force Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada...
seized Point 67, directly north of Verrières Ridge, and the following morning the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada crossed the Orne River and secured the flanks of the advance. In the afternoon, the 6th Brigade's South Saskatchewan Regiment
The South Saskatchewan Regiment
The South Saskatchewan Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces formed in 1936 by the amalgamation of The Weyburn Regiment and The Saskatchewan Border Regiment. It was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle in 1968...
attacked the well-entrenched German positions on the ridge, with support from Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
fighter-bombers and tanks. However, the attack ran into torrential rain, and the Germans counterattacked in force. This and further German attacks inflicted heavy casualties on the South Saskatchewan Regiment and its supporting battalions, The Essex Scottish Regiment
The Essex Scottish Regiment
The Essex Scottish was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army until 1954.Founded in 1885 as the 21st Essex Battalion of Infantry, it went through several name changes including: 1887 - 21st Battalion, Essex Fusiliers; 1900 - 21st Regiment, Essex Fusiliers; 1920 - The Essex Fusiliers, acquiring...
and The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. On 21 July, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade reinforced Canadian positions on Point 67. In two days of fighting, the division suffered 1,349 casualties.
Operation Spring
On 22 July 1944, Montgomery elected to use the Anglo-Canadian forces south of Caen in an all-out offensive aimed at breaking the German defensive cordon keeping his forces bottled up in Normandy. To meet Montgomery's objectives, Canadian General Guy SimondsGuy Simonds
Lieutenant General Guy Granville Simonds, CC, CB, CBE, DSO, CD was a Canadian Army officer who commanded the II Canadian Corps during World War II. He served as acting commander of the First Canadian Army, leading the Allied forces to victory in the Battle of the Scheldt in 1944...
, commander of II Canadian Corps, was ordered to design a large breakout assault, codenamed Operation Spring
Operation Spring
Operation Spring was an offensive operation conducted by II Canadian Corps during the Normandy campaign. The plan was intended to create pressure on the German forces operating on the British and Canadian front simultaneously to American offensive operations in their sector known as Operation...
. The attack was planned in three tightly timed phases of advance, pitting two Canadian and two British divisions against three German SS-Panzer divisions.
It would be launched in conjunction with an American offensive, Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
, scheduled to take place on 25 July 1944.
(1) The 4th Brigade attacked in the east with some success, taking Verrières village itself, but were repulsed at Tilly-la-Campagne
Tilly-la-Campagne
-References:*...
by German counterattacks.
(2) The 5th Brigade, in the centre, made a bid for Fontenay-le-Marmion
Fontenay-le-Marmion
-References:*...
; of the 325 members of the Black Watch who left the start-lines, only 15 answered evening roll-call. German counterattacks on 26 July and 27 July pushed Canadian forces back to Point 67.
However, the situation eventually eased as the planned American offensive got underway. Throughout the first week of August, significant German resources were transferred from the Anglo-Canadian front to that of the Third United States Army, while reinforcements moved from Pas de Calais to the Falaise, Calvados
Falaise, Calvados
Falaise is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:The town was the birthplace of William I the Conqueror, first of the Norman Kings of England. The Château de Falaise , which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of...
area. By 7 August 1944, only one major formation—the 12th SS Panzer Division—faced Canadian forces on Verrières Ridge.
Operation Totalize
By 1 August 1944, the British had made significant gains on the Vire and Orne Rivers during Operation BluecoatOperation Bluecoat
Operation Bluecoat was an attack by the British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy during the Second World War, from 30 July – 7 August 1944. The geographical objectives of the attack were to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinçon...
, while the Americans had achieved a complete breakthrough in the west. On 4 August, Simonds and General Harry Crerar
Harry Crerar
Henry Duncan Graham "Harry" Crerar CH, CB, DSO, KStJ, CD, PC was a Canadian general and the country's "leading field commander" in World War II.-Early years:...
—newly appointed commander of the 1st Canadian Army were given the order to prepare an advance on Falaise. Three days later, with heavy bomber support, Operation Totalize began, marking the first use of Kangaroo Armoured Personnel Carriers
Kangaroo (armoured personnel carrier)
A Kangaroo was a World War II Commonwealth or British armoured personnel carrier , created by conversion of a tank chassis. Created as an expedient measure by the Canadian Army, the Kangaroos were so successful that they were soon being used by British forces as well...
. While the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division attacked east of the Caen-Falaise Road, 2nd Division attacked to the west. By noon Verrières Ridge had finally fallen, and Canadian and Polish armour was preparing to exploit south towards Falaise. However, strong resistance by the 12th SS Panzer Division and the 272nd Volksgrenadier Division halted the advance. Although 12 km (7.5 mi) of ground had been gained, Canadian forces had failed to reach Falaise itself.
Simultaneously, the Germans had launched a desperate and ill-prepared armoured thrust
Operation Lüttich
Operation Lüttich was a codename given to a German counterattack during the Battle of Normandy, which took place around the American positions near Mortain from 7 August to 13 August 1944...
towards Mortain
Mortain
Mortain is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune.-Administration:Mortain is the seat of a canton...
, beginning on 6 August 1944. This was halted within a day and, despite the increasingly dangerous threat presented by the Anglo-Canadian advance on Falaise, German commander Field Marshal Günther von Kluge
Günther von Kluge
Günther Adolf Ferdinand “Hans” von Kluge was a German military leader. He was born in Posen into a Prussian military family. Kluge rose to the rank of Field Marshal in the Wehrmacht. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
was prohibited by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
from redeploying his forces. Thus, as American armoured formations advanced towards Argentan
Argentan
Argentan is a commune, and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in north-western France.Argentan is located NE of Rennes, ENE of the Mont Saint-Michel, SE of Cherbourg, SSE of Caen, SW of Rouen and N of Le Mans....
from the south, the Allies were presented with an opportunity to encircle large sections of the German Seventh Army
German Seventh Army
The 7th Army was a World War I and World War II field army of the German land forces.-Origins:The 7th Army was activated in Stuttgart on August 25, 1939 with General Friedrich Dollmann in command. At the outbreak of the war, the 7th Army defended the German border and manned the Westwall in the...
. The First Canadian Army was ordered south, while the Americans prepared to move on Chambois
Chambois
Chambois is a commune in the Orne département in north-western France. The city is remarkable for its Norman keep and was part of the Falaise pocket in 1944.-Norman keep:The Norman keep or Donjon was built in the 12th century...
on 14 August. Simonds and Crerar quickly planned a further offensive that would push through to Falaise, trapping the German Seventh Army in Normandy.
Operation Tractable
On 14 August, the First Canadian Army launched Operation TractableOperation Tractable
Operation Tractable was the final offensive conducted by Canadian and Polish Army troops as part of the Battle of Normandy. The goal of this operation was to capture the strategically important French town of Falaise, and following that, the smaller towns of Trun and Chambois...
with the aim of capturing Falaise and achieving a linkup with American forces in Chambois. A daylight attack was executed after artillery provided smoke-screen
Smoke-screen
thumb|right|205px|A [[U.S. Army]] [[Humvee]] laying a smoke screenA smoke screen is smoke released to mask the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft or ships....
cover and medium bombers softened up the German defenses. The offensive was largely successful and, although the 2nd Division was not an active participant, divisional troops entered Falaise on 16 August as the remainder of First Canadian Army moved south-east towards Trun and Chambois. By 21 August the remnants of the battered German Seventh Army had surrendered in the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
, bringing the Battle of Normandy to a close. The German forces committed to Normandy since D-Day had been virtually annihilated—by the end of Operation Tractable, the 12th SS Panzer Division, the main adversary of the Canadians, had lost 80% of its tanks, 70% of its personnel carriers, and 60% of its artillery,.
Shortly afterwards, the 2nd Division moved to Foret de la Londe, along the valley of the River Seine. From 27–29 August, the 4th and 6th Brigades were engaged in heavy fighting against the rearguard of German forces seeking to withdraw across the Seine.
The Channel Ports and the Scheldt
Channel Ports
The Channel Ports are seaports in southern England and the facing continent, which allow for short crossings of the English Channel. There is no formal definition, but there is a general understanding of the term. Some ferry companies divide their routes into "short" and "long" crossings...
. On 1 September, while the 3rd Division made for Boulogne and Calais, the 2nd Division entered Dieppe, encountering virtually no resistance. Five days later they were tasked by Montgomery and Crerar with retaking Dunkirk. Heavy fighting around the outskirts would hold the division for several days but, by 9 September, 5th Brigade had captured the port. The Dunkirk perimeter was handed over to the British on 15 September, and the 2nd Division made for Antwerp.
Although the Belgian White Brigade and elements of the 3rd British Division had entered Antwerp as early as 6 September, taking the city and docks, a strategic oversight meant that the nearby bridges over the Albert Canal were not seized, leaving the Germans in control of the Scheldt estuary. The failure to make an immediate push on the estuary ensured the strategically vital port would remain useless until the Scheldt was cleared. Strong formations of the Fifteenth German Army, which had withdrawn from the Pas de Calais, were able to consolidate their positions on the islands of South Beveland and Walcheren, as well as the Albert Canal directly northwest of Antwerp, and were further reinforced by elements of General Kurt Student
Kurt Student
Kurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
's First Parachute Army.
During the initial phases of the battle, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division sought to force a crossing of the Albert Canal. On 2 October, the entire First Canadian Army—under the temporary command of General Simonds—moved against the German defenses. Two days later, 2nd Division had cleared the canal, and was moving northwest towards South Beveland and Walcheren Island. On Friday, 13 October, later known as "Black Friday", 5th Brigade's Black Watch attacked positions near the coast, losing all four company commanders and over 200 men. Three days later, the Calgary Highlanders conducted a more successful offensive, capturing the initial objective of Woensdrecht. Simultaneously, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 4th Canadian Armoured
4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
The 4th Canadian Division was created by the conversion of the 4th Canadian Infantry Division at the beginning of 1942 in Canada. The division proceeded overseas in 1942, with its two main convoys reaching the United Kingdom in August and October....
Division captured Bergen, cutting off South Beveland and Walcheren from reinforcement.
Battles for the Rhine (November 1944 – March 1945)
By November 1944, the First Canadian Army had entered the Nijmegen Salient which was being held for use in the development of future offensives. The 2nd Division came under the command of Major-General A.B. Matthews, with Foulkes being transferred to command I Canadian Corps. The First Canadian Army launched no major offensive operations from November 1944 – January 1945; the longest hiatus the Canadians had enjoyed since landing on the Normandy beaches the previous June.Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable was a Second World War pincer movement conducted by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group to clear and occupy the land between the Rhine and Maas rivers. It took place between 8 February and 11 March 1945. It was a part of General Dwight Eisenhower's "broad front"...
was designed to bring the 21st Army Group to the west bank of the Rhine River, the last natural obstacle before entering Germany. Initially scheduled for December 1944, the operation was delayed until February by the German Ardennes Offensive. Plans were developed to breach three successive defensive lines:—the outpost screen; a formidable section of the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
running through the Hochwald Forest; and finally the Hochwald Layback covering the approach to the ultimate objective of Xanten
Xanten
Xanten is a historic town in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany, located in the district of Wesel.Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park or archaeological open air museum , its medieval picturesque city centre with Xanten Cathedral and many museums, its large man-made lake for...
. The first phase began on 8 February 1945, with the 2nd Division's advance following up one of the largest artillery barrages seen on the Western Front. The Germans had prepared significant defenses in depth, both within the outpost screen and the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
itself, and to add to the Canadians' difficulties, constant rain and cold weather obscured the battlefield. However, by the end of the first day, the 2nd Division had captured their objectives—the fortified towns of Wyler
Wyler, North Rhine-Westphalia
Wyler is a village along the Dutch/German border, 7 km SE of Nijmegen, Netherlands, and 5 km west of Kranenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia...
and Den Heuvel. On 11 February, the division moved southeast to assist XXX British Corps in their assault on Moyland Wood.
The operational plan's second phase called for the 2nd and 3rd Divisions to take the Hochwald Forest. Following its capture, the 4th Canadian Armoured would sweep through the Hochwald Gap towards Wesel
Wesel
Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...
, followed by 2nd Division "leap-frogging" towards Xanten
Xanten
Xanten is a historic town in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany, located in the district of Wesel.Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park or archaeological open air museum , its medieval picturesque city centre with Xanten Cathedral and many museums, its large man-made lake for...
. Operation Blockbuster
Operation Blockbuster
Operation Blockbuster was the completion of the larger Operation Veritable by the Canadian 1st Army, reinforced by the British XXX Corps. It took place in late February and early March, 1945...
was scheduled for 27 February, but despite initial gains, stubborn German resistance prolonged the battle for six days. It was not until 3 March that the forest was cleared—during the intense close-quarter fighting, Major Frederick Tilston
Frederick Albert Tilston
Frederick Albert Tilston, VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
of the Essex Scottish Regiment won a Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
Operation Blockbuster's final phase was the attack on Xanten
Xanten
Xanten is a historic town in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany, located in the district of Wesel.Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park or archaeological open air museum , its medieval picturesque city centre with Xanten Cathedral and many museums, its large man-made lake for...
itself, which lasted from 8–10 March. This fell primarily to the 2nd Division and 2nd Canadian (Armoured) Brigade, although the 43rd Wessex Division was temporarily assigned to Simonds's II Canadian Corps for the assault. Despite an elaborate preceding artillery barrage, dogged German resistance caused the battle to degenerate into one of attrition. Because effective air-support was prevented by fog and movement was hindered by German mortar barrages, the Anglo-Canadians suffered heavy casualties. However, by 10 March, the 2nd Division's 5th Brigade had linked up with elements of the 52nd Lowland Division, bringing the offensive to a close. Total Canadian casualties during Veritable and Blockbuster were 5,304 killed or wounded.
North of the Rhine (March – May 1945)
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, and the following day I Canadian Corps liberated Arnhem
Liberation of Arnhem
Operation Anger , was a military operation to seize the city of Arnhem in April 1945, during the closing stages of the Second World War. It is occasionally referred to as the Second Battle of Arnhem or the Liberation of Arnhem...
. On 2 May, the 2nd Division took Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
, solidifying Canadian positions throughout the Netherlands. German and Canadian forces declared a ceasefire on 5 May, and all fighting came to an end with the surrender of German forces in Western Europe
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
on 7 May 1945. In October 1945, after four months in the Netherlands, General Order 52/46 officially disbanded the headquarters of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. By December, the entirety of the division had been stood down and returned to Canada.
See also
- Military history of Canada during the Second World WarMilitary history of Canada during the Second World WarThe Second World War officially began on September 1, 1939, with the German invasion of Poland. Britain and France declared war on the Nazi Third Reich on September 3, 1939...
- Military history of CanadaMilitary history of CanadaThe military history of Canada comprises hundreds of years of armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Canada, and the role of the Canadian military in conflicts and peacekeeping worldwide. For thousands of years, the area that would become Canada was the site of sporadic intertribal wars...
- Canadian ForcesCanadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...