7th Canadian Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 7th Infantry Division of the Canadian Army
was mobilized in the spring of 1942 and assigned for home defence within Atlantic Command
.
At the time is was assumed it would consist of volunteers and proceed overseas. By the summer of 1942 it became obvious that there would not be enough volunteers, so National Resource Mobilization Act (NRMA) conscripts were assigned to the regiments of the Division to bring their numbers up the war establishment strength.
This meant that the Division could only be used for home defence, unless the Parliament of Canada
ruled that conscripted men could be sent overseas. Two brigades were assembled in the early fall of 1942 in Camp Debert
in Nova Scotia with the third at Camp Sussex in New Brunswick.
16th Canadian Infantry Brigade
17th Canadian Infantry Brigade
18th Canadian Infantry Brigade
Aug 1942
15th Canadian Infantry Brigade
17th Canadian Infantry Brigade
20th Canadian Infantry Brigade
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
was mobilized in the spring of 1942 and assigned for home defence within Atlantic Command
Atlantic Command (Canadian Army)
Atlantic Command was a formation of the Canadian Army created during the Second World War to strengthen and administer home defence facilities on Canada's Atlantic Coast.A second major function was to train reinforcements to be sent to...
.
At the time is was assumed it would consist of volunteers and proceed overseas. By the summer of 1942 it became obvious that there would not be enough volunteers, so National Resource Mobilization Act (NRMA) conscripts were assigned to the regiments of the Division to bring their numbers up the war establishment strength.
This meant that the Division could only be used for home defence, unless the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
ruled that conscripted men could be sent overseas. Two brigades were assembled in the early fall of 1942 in Camp Debert
CFS Debert
Canadian Forces Station Debert was a Canadian Forces station located in Debert, Nova Scotia. It was most recently used during the Cold War as a communications facility and was home to a "Regional Emergency Government Headquarters" complex.Originally this facility was developed with an airfield...
in Nova Scotia with the third at Camp Sussex in New Brunswick.
Order of battle
May 1942- 7 Defense and Employment Platoon (Lorne Scots)
16th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- No. 16 Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
17th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- No. 17 Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
18th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- No. 18 Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
Aug 1942
- 7 Defense and Employment Platoon (Lorne Scots)
15th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- No. 15 Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
17th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- No. 17 Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
20th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- No. 20 Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)