1st Canadian Infantry Division
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| 1st Canadian Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1939-1945 1954-1958 1989-1999 |
| Country | Canada |
| Allegiance | Allies NATO |
| Branch | Canadian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Nickname | The Old Red Patch |
| Battles/wars | Invasion of Sicily Battle of Ortona Adolf Hitler Line |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
n/a |
| Notable commanders |
Guy Simonds Chris Vokes |
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.
The division was mobilized even before the formal declaration of war, with the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade. The division crossed the Atlantic in two main convoys at the end of 1939, with additional troops reaching the UK at the beginning of February 1940.
In 1941, the formation adopted the red rectanglular battle patch insignia worn by the 1st Canadian Division in the First World War.
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[edit] Formation history
All elements of the division were far from completely equipped on mobilization: of the artillery and machine guns on hand, most were obsolete, and the troops lacked steel helmets. Only gradually did a full complement of more modern weapons, equipment, and transport begin reaching the division in 1940.
Nevertheless, in the wake of the Dunkirk evacuation the Canadians were ordered to France in June 1940. Only the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade actually arrived on the continent, and it returned almost immediately. The division trained in England for three years before transferring to the Mediterranean to take part in the assault landing on Sicily in July of 1943. It then landed in Calabria and fought its way up the Italian peninsula from Ortona to the Senio with the British 8th Army, earning an excellent reputation along the way.
The 1st Division halted its advance at the banks of the Senio to take up winter positions in late December of 1944 (movement was hindered by the wet Italian winter). The division was finally moved from Italy as part of Operation Goldflake in March 1945, finishing the war in the Netherlands with First Canadian Army.
[edit] Order of Battle
- 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade
- 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade
- Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
- The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
- The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
- 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade
- Other Units
- 4th Reconnaissance Regiment (4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards)
- The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun)
- 1st (Halifax-Dartmouth) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
- 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
- 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
- 1st Anti-tank Regiment, RCA
- 2nd Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, RCA
(In July 1944, the divisional reconnaissance battalion, the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards, converted to infantry and transferred to 12th Infantry Brigade of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division, to be replaced by The Royal Canadian Dragoons. The Princess Louise returned to its original mechanized role in Northwest Europe in March of 1945, and The Royal Canadian Dragoons became the armoured car regiment of I Canadian Corps.)
[edit] Battles
- Landing in Sicily
- Motta Montecorvino
- San Leonardo
- Ortona
- Gustav Line
- Hitler Line
- Gothic Line
- Lomone Crossing
- Rimini Line
- Battle of Holland (1945)
[edit] Cold War
A 1st Canadian Division Headquarters was reactivated twice following the Second World War, in 1954 (disbanding in 1958) and in 1988 (disbanding in the 1990s).
