The Canadian Forces in England had grown steadily since the troops of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division landed in December 1939. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division arrived in the summer and autumn of 1940, and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division was sent overseas in 1941. These first units were primarily infantry, but were followed by two armoured divisions and two armoured brigades. These additional forces necessitated changes in organisation. Thus, early in 1942, the First Canadian Army with two corps was formed under the command of the native-born Canadian, General McNaughton. Another Canadian, General H.D.G. Crerar would later, in 1943, succeed him.
The role of the First Canadian Army changed as well. After the first few months of intense preparation for an expected imminent invasion, which fortunately did not come, the troops were forced to settle down to a long period of waiting. They waited and trained for the time when they could spearhead an allied attack to regain the Continent. There were only occasional breaks in the weary routine. A small Canadian-British expedition was sent to Spitzbergen beyond the Arctic Circle; and Canadian tunnelers went to Gibraltar to strengthen defences there. On 23 May 1940 McNaughton went to France to study the battlefield and moved the Canadians to Dover but then he advised London there was no way of his Division to rescue the situation and the soldiers were sent back to Aldershot. Anxious to get into the fight the Canadians sat discouraged and unhappy in their barracks while the events transpired at Dunkirk. "The Great Retreat from Dover" or "the Portsmouth Panic" as the troops called their abortive mission while the miraculous rescue of most of the British Expeditionary Force known as the miracle of Dunkirk was unfolding. A great flotilla made up of ships of the Royal Navy and hundreds of small civilian crafts evacuated 338,000 British and French soldiers back across the channel to England. On 12 & 13 June 1940 one Brigade of Infantry and a Regiment of Artillery, about 5,000 troops in all landed at Brest on the western tip of France. They started to move inland but wisely the troops were ordered to return to the coast and to abandoned equipment and gun and return to England. The Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel J.H. Roberts flatly refused to destroy his precious guns and brought them back to England. Most of the vehicles were ran off cliffs or burned but if there had been less panic they could have also been brought back. The troops continued bitching among themselves that the CASF (Canadian Active Service Force) really meant Canadians Almost Seen France. In April 1942 a small, unsuccessful raid was attempted near Boulogne, France.
The first major contact with the enemy had come on the other side of the world in Hong Kong and had ended in disaster. The next major contact was also to have disastrous results as the Canadians formed the main assault force for the raid on Dieppe.
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12th Manitoba Dragoons |
18th Armoured Car Regiment |
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14th Royal Canadian Hussars |
8th Recce (Reconnaissance) Regiment |
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17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars |
7th Recce Regiment |
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1st Bn. The Canadian Scottish Regiment |
Infantry |
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1st Hussars |
6th Armoured Regiment |
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48th Highlanders of Canada |
Infantry |
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4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards |
4th Recce Regiment |
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8th Princess Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars |
5th Armoured Regiment |
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Le Regiment de Maisonneuve |
Infantry |
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Le Regiment de la Chaudiere |
Infantry |
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Le Royal 22e Regiment |
Infantry |
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Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal |
Infantry |
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Lord Strathcona's Horse |
2nd Armoured Regiment |
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Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry |
Infantry |
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The Algonquin Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada |
Infantry |
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The Black Watch of Canada |
Infantry |
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The British Columbia Dragoons |
9th Armoured Regiment |
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The British Columbia Regiment |
28th Armoured Regiment |
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The Calgary Highlanders |
Infantry |
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The Calgary Regiment |
14th Armoured Regiment |
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The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa |
MG Bn (Battalion) |
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The Canadian Grenadier Guards |
22nd Armoured Regiment |
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The Cape Breton Highlanders |
Infantry |
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The Carleton & York Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Elgin Regiment |
25 Armoured Delivery Regiment |
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The Essex Scottish Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Fort Garry Horse |
10th Armoured Regiment |
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The Governor General's Foot Guards |
21st Armoured Regiment |
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The Governor General's Horse Guards |
3rd Armoured Recce Regiment |
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The Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Highland Light Infantry of Canada |
Infantry |
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The Irish Regiment of Canada |
Infantry |
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The Lake Superior Regiment Motorized |
Infantry |
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The Lanark & Renfrew Scottish Regiment |
1st LAA (Light Anti Aircraft)Regiment |
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The Lincoln & Welland Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Royal Edmonton Regiment |
Infantry |
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The New Brunswick Rangers |
MG Coy (Company) |
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The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Ontario Regiment |
11th Armoured Regiment |
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The Perth Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Princess Louise Fusiliers |
MG Coy |
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The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
Infantry |
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The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada |
Infantry |
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The Regina Rifle Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Royal Canadian Dragoons |
1st Armoured Car Regiment |
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The Royal Canadian Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry |
Infantry |
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The Royal Regiment of Canada |
Infantry |
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The Royal Rifles of Canada |
Infantry (Served in Hong Kong) |
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The Royal Winnipeg Rifles |
Infantry |
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The Saskatoon Light Infantry |
MG Bn |
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The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada |
Infantry |
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The Sherbrooke Fusiliers |
27th Armoured Regiment |
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The South Alberta Regiment |
29th Armoured Recce Regiment |
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The South Saskatchewan Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders |
Infantry |
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The Three Rivers Regiment |
12th Armoured Regiment |
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The Toronto Scottish Regiment |
MG Bn |
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The West Nova Scotia Regiment |
Infantry |
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The Westminster Regiment Motorized |
Infantry |
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The Winnipeg Grenadiers |
Infantry (Served in Hong Kong) |
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The Halifax Rifles |
2nd Army Tank Brigade |
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The Grey and Simcoe Foresters |
2nd Army Tank Brigade |
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16/22 Saskatchewan Light Horse |
2nd Army Tank Brigade |
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2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division Regiment (Mobile) |
2nd Army group, RCA |
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3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
2nd Canadian Inf. Division |
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4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
3rd Canadian Inf. Division |
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69th Anti-Aircraft Battery |
Air Defense Artillery |
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1,2,3,5,7, Medium Artillery Regiment |
Artillery |
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2nd Field Survey Regiment |
Artillery |
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5th Field regiment |
Artillery |
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Royal Canadian Horse Artillery |
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Royal Montreal Regiment |
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Canadian Parachute Battalion |
With 6th British Airborne Division |
Note: Not all Regiments are listed, nor is the list in order of precedence
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Formation
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Strength |
Command |
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Section |
15 - 20 Men |
Corporal / Sergeant |
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Company (3 Platoons in a Company) |
185 - 225 Men |
Lieutenant / Captain |
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Battalion (3 Companies, HQ & Support) |
800 Men |
Major / Colonel |
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Brigade (HQ, Infantry, Armour, Artillery, Support) |
3000 Men |
Brigadier General |
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Division ( 3 or more Brigades) |
10,000 - 13,000 Men |
Major General |
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Corps (3 or more Divisions) |
40,000 Men |
Lieutenant General |
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Army (3 or more Corps) |
100,000 Men |
Lieutenant General |
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Army Group
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1,000,000 Men |
Field Marshal |
The 1st Canadian Corps was brought from the Italian Campaign to join the 2nd Canadian Corps in Northwest Europe forming the 1st Canadian Army in February 1944, the Order of Battle was:
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1st Cdn Infantry Division MGen. H.W. Foster
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5th Cdn Armoured Division MGen B.M. Hoffmeister
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2nd Cdn Infantry Division MGen C. Foulkes 10.11.44 MGen A.B. Matthews
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3rd Cdn Infantry Division MGen Spry 22.03.45 MGen R.H. Keefler
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4th Cdn Armoured Division MGen Foster 30.11.44 MGen C. Vokes
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1st Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig J.D.B. Smith
Royal Canadian Regiment Hasting & Prince Edward 48th Highlanders of Canada
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5th Armoured Brigade Brig I.H. Cumberland
Lord Strathcona Horse 8th Princess Louise New Brunswick Hussars British Columbia Dragroons
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4th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig F.N. Cabeldu
Royal Regiment of Canada Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Essex Scottish Regiment
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7th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig J.G. Spragge 20.02.45 Brig T.G. Gibson
Royal Winnipeg Rifles Regina Rifle Regiment Canadian Scottish Regiment
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4th Cdn Armoured Brigade Brig R.W. Moncel
Governor General Foot Guards Canadian Grenadier Guards British Columbia Regiment
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2nd Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig M.P. Bogert
Princess Patricia Cdn Light Inf. Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Loyal Edmonton Regiment
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11th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig J.S. Johnston
Perth Regiment Cape Breton Highlanders Irish Regiment of Canada
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5th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig W.J. Megill
Black Watch of Canada Regiment de Maisonneuve Calgary Highlanders
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8th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig A.J. Roberts
Queen's Own Rifles Regiment de la Chaudiere North Shore New Brunswick Regiment
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10th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig J.C. Jefferson
Lincoln & Welland Regiment Argyll & Southerland Highlanders Algonquin Regiment
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3rd Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig J.P.E. Bernatcher
Royal 22e Regiment Carleton & York Regiment West Nova Scotia Highlanders
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1st Cdn Tank Brigade Brig W.C. Murphy
Ontario Regiment Three Rivers Regiment Calgary Regiment
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6th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig R.H. Keefler
Les Fusillers Mont Royal Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders South Saskatchewan Regiment
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9th Cdn Infantry Brigade Brig JM Rockingham
Highland Light Infantry Stormond Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders North Nova Scotia Highlanders
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1st Cdn Tank Brigade
Ontario Regiment Three Rivers Regiment Sherbrooke Fuisliers
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I Canadian Corps Troops Royal Canadian Dragoons 7th Anti-Tank Regiment 1st Survey Regiment Lanark & Renfrew Regiment(LAA)
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2nd Cdn Tank Brigade
1st Hussars Fort Garry Horse Sherbrooke Fusillers
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II Canadian Corps Troops 12th Manitoba Dragoons 6th Anti-Tank Regiment 2nd Survey Regiment 6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
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Motor Westminster Regiment
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Motor Lake Superior Regiment
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Machinegun Support Battalion
Saskatoon Light Infantry
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Machinegun Support Battalion
Princess Louise Fusillers
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Machinegun Support Battalion
Toronto Scottish Regiment
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Machinegun Support Battalion
Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa
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Machinegun Support Battalion
The New Brunswick Rangers
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Reconnaissance
Princess Louise Dragoon Guards
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Reconnaissance
Governor General's Horse Guards
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Reconnaissance
14th Royal Canadian Hussars
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Reconnaissance
Dukes of York's Royal Canadian Hussars
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Reconnaissance
South Alberta Regiment
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Artillery
1st, 2nd & 3rd Field Regiments 1st Anti-Tank Regiment 2nd Light Anti -Aircraft Regiment
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Artillery
8th & 17th Field Regiments 4th Anti-Tank Regiment 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
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Artillery
4th, 5th & 6th Field Regiments 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
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Artillery
12th, 13th & 14th Field Regiments 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
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Artillery
15th & 23rd Field Regiments 5th Anti-Tank Regiment 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
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Engineers
2nd Field Park Company 1st, 3rd, & 4th Field Companies
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Engineers
1st & 10th Field Squadrons 4th Field Park Squadron
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Engineers
1st Field Park Company 2nd, 7th & 11th Field Companies
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Engineers
3rd Field Park Company 6th, 16th, & 18th Field Coy.
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Engineers
6th Field Park Squadron 8th & 9th Field Squadrons
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Service Corps
1st Infantry Div Tp Company 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Bdg Companies
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Service Corps
5th Army Div Tp Company 5th Army Div Transport Coy. 5th Armoured Brigade Coy. 11 Infantry Brigade Coy.
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Signals
2nd Infantry Div RC Signals
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Signals
3rd Infantry Div RC Signals
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Signals
4th Armoured Div RC Sigs
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Medical Corps
4th, 5th, & 9th Field Ambulance
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Medical Corps
7th Light Field Ambulance 24th Field Ambulance
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Medical Corps
11th & 18th Field Ambulance
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Medical Corps
14th, 22nd & 23rd Field Amb
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Medical Corps
12th Light Field Ambulance 15th Field Ambulance
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R.C.E.M.E.
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Bgd Workshop
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R.C.E.M.E.
5th Army Bgd Workshop 11th Infantry Brg Workshop
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R.C.E.M.E.
4th, 5th, & 6th Inf Bgd Workshop
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R.C.E.M.E.
7th, 8th, & 9th Inf Bgd Wk Shop
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R.C.O.C.
1st Infantry Div Field Park
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R.C.O.C.
5th Armoured Div Ord Fld Park
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Signals
1st Infantry Div R.C. Signals
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Signals
5th Armoured Div R.C. Signals
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R.C.E.M.E. - Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
R.C.O.C. - Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps.
Regimental Numbering System
As you visit war cemeteries throughout Europe the Canadian Regimental Numbering System can provide you with information as to area where the soldier came from in Canada or at least where in Canada he joined the army. The Regimental number was always proceeded by a letter as follows:
A Central Ontario
B Toronto
C Kingston
D Montreal
E Quebec City
F Nova Scotia
G New Brunswick
H Manitoba
K British Columbia
L Alberta
M Saskatchewan
N Newfoundland
P Permanent Force Joined the Army in the United Kingdom
If the first number is the number 6 you know he was a conscript soldier (dubbed the Zombies) from Canada. Unfortunately because of the Conscription Policy in Canada there a lot of them in the Holland cemeteries because they were brought from Canada late in the war to fill the infantry units depleted ranks. They had no combat experience and very little military training.
Later after the war the letter "S" preceded the letters listed above but the area stayed the same. Example SG was from New Brunswick, SF from Nova Scotia, SN from Newfoundland etc.
Conscription
After five months of unrelenting warfare and the long march from the beaches of Normandy through France, the battle of the Sheldt and the move to the Nijmegen Slant the 1st Canadian Army entered a period of rest, recuperation and light action. However there was few long leaves for the men the reason being their was no one to replace them except the "Zombie Army" in Canada and to protect their precious skin the Volunteers would just have to take it. The issue of course was reinforcements and there was none.
In September 1944 the Defence Minister travelled to Italy and North West Europe to see for himself the condition of the Army and the disturbing rumours about the reinforcement shortage. To his shock he found out that the truth was even more disturbing than the rumours. There was such a shortage of Infantry reinforcements that some poorly trained soldiers had been sent to the front along with men recently recovered from wounds.
Defence Minister Ralston returned to Canada determined to press the issue of conscription to provide at least 15,000 Infantry Soldiers to keep the Battalions up to strength. Those men could be found among the 60,000 NRMA (Zombies Army) trained soldiers in Canada. NRMA soldiers were Canadians who had been conscripted under the National Resources Mobilization Act.
Prime Minister MacKenzie King being pressured by Rolston to honour a pledge he had made in 1942 regarding conscription when he said he would use conscription if necessary. King give the normal political response to "if necessary" saying that what he had meant was "if necessary to win the war" and with the Russians pressing west and the Allies pushing east the Germans would soon be forced to surrender. Needing support on the policy of non-conscription MacKenzie turned to General Mc Naughton the beloved soldier who took the 1st Canadian Division to England in 1939 and built it up into an Army. In late 1943 Mc Naughton had been recalled to Canada because the British High Command doubted his ability but most importantly to MacKenzie was the fact that Mc Naughton considered conscription as the wrong way to recruit an Army. Mc Naughton was still very popular with the troops and the Canadian public.
The axe fell on Rolston who was forced to resign and was immediately replaced by Mc Naughton. The political scheme backfired however when the news spread across the country there was a public out cry. To King's horror and Mc Naughton's distress the once popular General was booed and jeered when he tried to rally the country behind the No Conscription Policy. Worse yet the NRMA soldiers refused to volunteer for overseas service. King facing revolt finally decided that conscription was necessary (not to win the war but to save the government) and the ministers passed an order in council to send 16,000 NRMA soldiers overseas. Despite the late decision, the odd mutiny and the large number of deserters 12,908 NRMA soldiers went overseas before the end of the war and 2,463 were posted to units of the 1st Canadian Army the rest got no further than England.