Canada's Vehicle History

Build Up

Submitted to me by Jean-Pierre Raymond

The fact is that Canada sent 5 divisions and 2 brigades overseas. The first, second and third divisions were infantry divisions, the fourth and fifth were armoured divisions and the two brigades were Armoured brigades. The first infantry division with the fifth armoured division and the first armoured brigade made-up the first Canadian corps. The second and third infantry divisions with the fourth armoured division and the second Armoured division formed the second Canadian corps. The two Canadian corps formed the first Canadian army. In 1943 the First infantry division with the first Armoured brigade were sent to Sicily and later to Italy. In 1944, in preparation for D-Day and at the request of general Montgomery, the fifth Canadian armoured division replaced the seventh British armoured division, leaving in England their vehicles and taking over the seventh division vehicles in Italy (finding out in the process that the British division, through their campaign, had accumulated over 1000 vehicles more then authorized and the Canadian ran out of drivers, but on the first move of the division about 500 vehicles were left along the road for mechanical failure.). This move allowed the transfer of the first Canadian corps in Italy where they fought until 1945 when they transferred to Holland back into the first Canadian Army for the final campaign. To replace the first corps, the British assigned a British corps and various other allied troops (among which a Polish armoured division, a Belgian brigade, a Dutch unit and even an American division) to the first Canadian army. The Armoured brigades (of three regiments equivalent to three US battalions) were normally assigned to one infantry division with one regiment (of three squadrons equivalent to three US company) assigned to each infantry brigades and further divided into one squadron per infantry regiments. This combination of one armoured brigade per infantry division was much more powerful then the usual US combination of one tank battalion per infantry division. About the Royal Armoured Corps, it was not a field organization but, instead, an organization responsible for the training and procurement of armoured units, the same as for the medical corps, the ordinance corps, the engineer corps, the artillery corps and others.

Early Armored Forces

Armored regiments were formed on paper in 1936.¹ There were no tanks available until 1939.¹

In 1936, a Tank Training School was established in London, Ontario. The Light Mk VIs were used for training. In the summer of 1939, 14 more Light Mk VIs were ordered from Britain.

The Build Up

The military budget was doubled from 1936-1939, but was used primarily to purchase some destroyers and British Hawker Hurricane aircraft.¹

The War

The War Starts

Canada declared war on Germany on September 10, 1939.¹ Industry was transformed quickly to produce the weapons of war.¹

Mobilizing for War

Mackenzie King, head of the Liberal government, introduced to the House of Commons on June 18, 1940, the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA), which he drafted. 2 It authorized for national registration and conscription for home defense.^1,2 French Canada resisted the NRMA, but after Camillien Houde, mayor of Montreal, was jailed for calling for his countrymen to not register, it ended.²

Once the United States was brought into the war, Arthur Meighen, Conservative Party leader, and the press started calling for full conscription.² King felt honor bound to a pledge he had made earlier in Quebec.² On April 27, 1942, he called for a plebiscite to ask all of Canada to allow him to lift the restriction on conscription.² French, German, and Ukrainian Canadians predominately voted no, but the majority of Canada voted yes.² It wasn’t until November 22, 1944, that it was decided to send 16,000 conscripts overseas.²

In December 1944, it was passed and approximately 63,000 conscripts (nicknamed “zombies”) were eligible for service overseas.¹ There were protests at many bases across Canada, and some draftees disappeared. However, a majority of Canada’s soldiers that did see action were still made up from the volunteers.¹

Build Up of the Armored Forces

When Canada entered the war they had a small army and 16 British Light Mk VIs and 12 Carden-Loyd carriers. Since Canada couldn't get any from England (as they needed all theirs in Europe) and the United States could only supply 219 World War I era tanks, Canada decided to produce their own. Most of these purchased tanks were used for training.

When the war started there were only 4 anti-aircraft guns, 5 mortars, 82 Vickers MGs, 10 Bren guns, and 2 light tanks in the Canadian armed forces.²

In September 1939, 54,844 volunteered for the military.² By the end of 1944 there were approximately 650,000 volunteers.²

In 1940, the commander of the armored corps, Major General Frank Worthington, purchased Renault tanks from the United States as scrap metal so that they could be used for training.¹

To help with acquiring armored vehicles, the Montreal Locomotive Works developed the Ram tank in 3 weeks in 1941, which was an amazing feat for the time.¹ However, Canada primarily relied on building licensed copies of the Sherman tank to arm their forces.¹

Canada started by building Valentines at the Canadian Pacific Railway Company of Montreal for the British. The Canadian Defense Department also placed an order for 488 Valentines to equip the 1st Canadian Armored Brigade. However by the time these were built the Brigade was already in England and all except 30 of the final 1,390 ended up being sent to Russia.

Then it was decided to design and build a tank based on the USA M3 Medium . However, it was going to be designed without the sponson and would carry a 2 pdr and could later be upgraded to a 6 pdr. It was to be called the Ram in honor of the founder of the Canadian armored corps General "Worthy" Worthington. The Ram was part of his family crest.

Army Goes Overseas

The 1st Infantry Division arrived in Britain on December 16, 1939.¹

After Dunkirk, elements of the 1st Infantry Division landed in France, but were quickly retrieved as the military situation was rapidly coming apart.² They did end up leaving some of their equipment behind.²

In June and July of 1941 the 1st Army Tank Brigade and 3rd Infantry Division ship to England.¹ Then in November 1941 the 5th Armored Division goes to England.¹

In September 1941 a request was sent to the Canadian government to send troops to Hong Kong.² Two infantry battalions were sent in late November.² The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles fought in the battle for Hong Kong which ended on December 25, 1941.²

In January 1942 the 4th Armored Division and 2nd Army Tank Brigade were ordered to be formed, and in the summer of 1942 the 4th Armored Division was shipped to England.¹

The 2nd Infantry Division was used in the raid on Dieppe on August 19, 1942.^1,2 Of the 4,963 men sent, 656 died, and 1,946 became POWs.²

Enter Sicily

Major General Simonds lead the 1 st Infantry Division¹ in its landing with the 1st Armored Brigade at Pachino on July 10, 1943.² Major battles occurred at Valguarnero, Leonforte, and Assoro. After Valguarnero Field Marshal Kesselring reported that his troops had fought “mountain boys” trained in Alpine fighting.² On August 2, 1943, the division was pulled from the line for rest.²

Italy Bound

On September 3, 1943, the Canadians landed at Reggio Calabria and was later joined by the 5th Armored Division.^1,2 The formed the 1st Corps under General Crerar.² A major battle was fought at Ortona against the German 90th Light Panzer Grenadiers and the 1st Parachute Division.²

Lt. General Burns took over the 1st Corps in March 1944, when General Crerar left for England.²

In the attack on the Gustav Line on May 16, 1944, the 1st Infantry Division played a major role.² The Gothic Line was broken through in August 1944 by the 1st Corp.² By December they were at the River Senio.² Lt. General Foulkes, took over command while they waited out the winter.² They were then sent to Europe to join the 1st Canadian Army.²

Of the 93,000 that served in Italy, 5,399 were killed, 19,486 wounded, and 1,004 became prisoners of war.²

Build Up In England

The 2nd Army Tank Brigade was shipped to England in June 1943, but was disbanded in November 1943.¹

General Crerar returned to England in March 1944 to head the 1st Canadian Army.²

Revenge for Dieppe

On June 6, 1944, the 3rd Infantry Division and 2nd Armored Brigade landed at Juno Beach.^1,2 Some units passed their D-Day objectives after going through stiff German defenses.² The 9th Infantry Brigade received the first major German counterattack on June 7, by the 25 th SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment.² The fighting was fierce, and in 6 days the Canadians had 2,831 casualties.²

On July 23, 1944, the 1st Canadian Army became operational with the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions, 4th Armored Division, and the 1st Polish Armored Division.¹ They were under the command of General Crerar.¹

The Canadians were in the fight to close the Falaise pocket, and then advanced along the Channel, going through Dieppe, Boulogne, and Calais.² In Belgium they fought a long grueling battle along the Scheldt Estuary.² It was cleared on November 3, but it had cost 6,367 casualties.²

During the fighting in the Rhineland during February and March 1945 the 1st Canadian Army had up to 13 divisions.^1,2 The 1st Canadian Cops was moved from Italy and help in the liberation of northern Holland.¹

The Canadian army crossed the Rhine on March 23.²

The Canadian armored forces were designated the Royal Canadian Armored Corps in August 1945. The "Royal" was given by King George VI in recognition of their outstanding war record.

Population

10,376,766, 11 million¹, 11.5 million², 11,100,000

Regular Forces: 8,000¹
Volunteer Militia: 60,000¹
Independent Domain in 1867¹

Armed Forces2	Start of War	End of War
Royal Canadian Navy	1,990 1,700 Reservists	106,522
Royal Canadian Air Force	3,048 1,000 Reservists	249,662
Army	4,261 51,000 Militia	730,159

Casualties: 42,042 Killed, 54,414 Wounded, 8,995 Prisoners of War²

Foreign Tanks

Great Britain

• Light Tanks Mk VI, VIA, VIB: Used for training at Camp Borden in 1940.
• Valentine VI, VII, VIIA: Canadian built by Canadian Pacific. Most were shipped to Russia.
• Churchill I, III, IV, V, VII: Used in Europe 1942-1945. First used at Dieppe.

United States

• M4 Medium Tank (Sherman): Mainly M4A1, M4A2, M4A4 were used.
• M10 GMC (Wolverine, Achilles)
• Sherman Kangaroo: Priest Kangaroo
• Sherman Badger: Flame thrower version of M4A3 HVSS with turret removed.