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First Canadian Army

January 01, 1970

The First Canadian Army (French: 1reArmée canadienne) was a field army and a formation of the Canadian Army in World War II in which most Canadian elements serving in North-West Europe were assigned. It served on the Western Front from July 1944 until May 1945.

First Canadian Army
Formation patch worn by army-level personnel.
Active1942–1946
CountryCanada
BranchCanadian Army
TypeField army
RoleCanadian Army force also with UK and other national elements World War II.
Size251,000
Part of21st Army Group
Commanders
1942–1943Andrew McNaughton
1943–1944Kenneth Stuart (acting)
1944Guy Simonds (acting)
1944–1945Harry Crerar

The army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing contribution of Canadian forces to serve with the British Army in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps. By the end of 1943 Canadian formations consisted of three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions and two independent armoured brigades. The first commander was Lieutenant-General A. G. L. "Andy" McNaughton, who was replaced in 1944 by General H. D. G. "Harry" Crerar. Both had been senior Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery officers in the Canadian Corps in World War I. Allied formations of other nationalities were added to the First Canadian Army to keep it at full strength.[1]

The First Canadian Army's strength was 177,000 all ranks at the end of 1942. One year later it had grown to 242,000. On 31 May 1944, shortly before the Normandy landings, Canadian troops in Europe numbered 251,000 of which 75,000 had left First Canadian Army to serve on the Italian Front.[2][page needed]

History edit

 
From left to right: Christopher Vokes, Harry Crerar, Sir Bernard Montgomery, Brian Horrocks (both British Army), Guy Simonds, Daniel Spry and Bruce Mathews, all pictured here in February 1945.

When the First Canadian Army was formed overseas in 1942, Lieutenant-General Andrew McNaughton's aim was to keep Canada's contributions to the British Army together to lead the cross-channel assault on northwest Europe.[1] Two brigades of the 2nd Canadian Division led the ill-fated Dieppe Raid in 1942.[3] Aside from this endeavour, the Army did not see combat until July 1943. In 1943, because the Canadian government wanted Canadian troops to see action immediately,[4] the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, and 5th Canadian Armoured Division were detached from the Army for participation in the Italian Campaign.[5]

In early 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade were also detached to British I Corps to participate in the assault phase of the Normandy landings. II Canadian Corps became operational in Normandy in early July 1944, as the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division landed. The First Canadian Army headquarters did not itself arrive in Normandy until mid-July, becoming operational on 23 July 1944 just before 4th Canadian Armoured Division arriving on the Continent.

 
Senior commanders of the First Canadian Army, May 1945. Seated from the left: Stanisław Maczek (Polish Army), Guy Simonds, Harry Crerar, Charles Foulkes, Bert Hoffmeister. Standing from the left: Ralph Keefler, Bruce Matthews, Harry Foster, Robert Moncel (standing in for Chris Vokes), Stuart Rawlins (British Army).

During Operation Overlord, the First Canadian Army was under the control of the British 21st Army Group. The Army proper first went into action in the Battle of Normandy and conducted operations at Falaise (e.g. Operation Totalize, Operation Tractable) and helping close the Falaise pocket. After reaching the Seine, the objective of the first phase of Operation Overlord, the Army moved along the coast towards Belgium, with the Canadian 2nd Division entering Dieppe at the beginning of September. The First Army, under acting command of Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds (from 28 September 1944 to 7 November 1944), fought the critical Battle of the Scheldt along with the supporting Operation Pheasant in October and early November, opening Antwerp for Allied shipping.

The First Canadian Army held a static line along the river Meuse (Maas) from December through February, then launched Operation Veritable in early February. By this point, the Army, besides the II Canadian Corps, contained nine British divisions. The Siegfried Line was broken and the Army reached the banks of the Rhine in early March.

In the final weeks of the war in Europe, the First Army cleared the Netherlands of German forces. By this time the First Division and Fifth (Armoured) Division as well as First Armoured Brigade and the 1st Cdn AGRA had returned to the Army during Operation Goldflake and for the first time, both the I Canadian Corps and II Canadian Corps fought under the same Army commander.

Makeup edit

The First Canadian Army was international in character. The size of Canada's military contribution on its own would likely not have justified the creation of a separate army-level command in North-West Europe, especially over the period when I Canadian Corps was away gaining valuable combat experience in Italy. However, both McNaughton and Crerar, backed up by the Canadian government, were successful in their lobbying for the British Army to create a Canadian-led army enlarged with contributions from other Allied countries. In addition to II Canadian Corps (which included the Canadian formations under command described above), other formations under command included the British I Corps, and the 1st Polish Armoured Division, as well as, at various times, the American 104th Infantry Division (Timberwolf), 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade, Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade and 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade. The First Canadian Army in North-West Europe during the final phases of the war comprised the largest field army ever under the control of a Canadian general. Ration strength of the army ranged from approximately 105,000 to 175,000 Canadian soldiers to anywhere from 200,000 to over 450,000 when including the soldiers from other nations.

The 'Maple Leaf Route' was the designation of the army's main supply route. The route was usually divided into Maple Leaf Up and Maple Leaf Down, designating traffic to and away from the front, respectively.

Order of battle edit

Second World War 1939–1945[6]

Commanders edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Harris, Stephen. "First Canadian Army". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Foundation. Retrieved on: 2011-12-23
  2. ^ Stacey, C.P (1948). "Chapter III New Tasks and Problems, 1941–1942". The Canadian Army 1939–1945, An Official Historical Summary. Retrieved 2011-12-23 – via Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Stacey, C.P (1948). "Chapter V The Raid on Dieppe, 19 August 1942". The Canadian Army 1939-1945. Official History of the Canadian Army In the Second World War. p. 65. Retrieved 2012-12-24 – via Hyperwar Foundation.
  4. ^ Stacey, C.P. (1948). Chapter VI Canadian Troops Go to the Mediterranean. Retrieved on: 2012-12-24.
  5. ^ Stacey, C.P. (1948). Chapter VII The Italian Campaign: Sicily and Southern Italy, July–November 1943. Retrieved on: 2012-12-24.
  6. ^ "Structure of the Canadian Army from 1900 to 2000". canadiansoldiers. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  7. ^ a b c Bernd Horn; Stephen John Harris (2001). Warrior chiefs: perspectives on senior Canadian military leaders. Dundurn Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-55002-351-0.
  8. ^ J. L. Granatstein (July 2005). The generals: the Canadian army's senior commanders in the Second World War. University of Calgary Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-55238-176-2.

Further reading edit

Main article: Bibliography of Canadian military history § Second World War
  • Copp, Terry (29 July 2004). Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0-8020-3780-0.
  • Copp, Terry (10 October 2007). The Brigade: The Fifth Canadian Infantry Brigade in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3422-6.
  • Angus Brown; Richard Howard Gimblett (May 2009). In the footsteps of the First Canadian Army: northwest Europe 1942–1945. Magic Light Pub. ISBN 978-1-894673-33-4.
  • Zuehlke, Mark (13 March 2012). Breakout from Juno: First Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign, July 4 – August 21, 1944. Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 978-1-55365-325-7.
  • Zuehlke, Mark (1 April 2009). Terrible Victory: First Canadian Army and the Scheldt Estuary Campaign: September 13 – November 6, 1944. Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 978-1-55365-404-9.
  • Robin Dickers (2012). The History of the 2nd Canadian Army Group Royal Artillery. London: Lonsdale. ISBN 978-0-9569969-9-2.
Official accounts – National Defence and the Canadian Forces
  • Stacey, C P. (1955) , Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War. Queen's Printer, Ottawa
  • Nicholson, G W L (1956). . Official history of the Canadian Army in the Second World War. Queen's Printer, Ottawa. Archived from the original on 2012-05-31.
  • Stacey, C P. (1960) Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War, Queen's Printer, Ottawa

External links edit

  • canadiansoldiers.com page
  • – Veterans Affairs Canada
  • First Canadian Army, 8 May 1945 – Juno Beach Centre

January 01, 1970
first, canadian, army, french, 1rearmée, canadienne, field, army, formation, canadian, army, world, which, most, canadian, elements, serving, north, west, europe, were, assigned, served, western, front, from, july, 1944, until, 1945, formation, patch, worn, ar. The First Canadian Army French 1reArmee canadienne was a field army and a formation of the Canadian Army in World War II in which most Canadian elements serving in North West Europe were assigned It served on the Western Front from July 1944 until May 1945 First Canadian ArmyFormation patch worn by army level personnel Active1942 1946CountryCanadaBranchCanadian ArmyTypeField armyRoleCanadian Army force also with UK and other national elements World War II Size251 000Part of21st Army GroupCommanders1942 1943Andrew McNaughton1943 1944Kenneth Stuart acting 1944Guy Simonds acting 1944 1945Harry Crerar The army was formed in early 1942 replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps as the growing contribution of Canadian forces to serve with the British Army in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps By the end of 1943 Canadian formations consisted of three infantry divisions two armoured divisions and two independent armoured brigades The first commander was Lieutenant General A G L Andy McNaughton who was replaced in 1944 by General H D G Harry Crerar Both had been senior Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery officers in the Canadian Corps in World War I Allied formations of other nationalities were added to the First Canadian Army to keep it at full strength 1 The First Canadian Army s strength was 177 000 all ranks at the end of 1942 One year later it had grown to 242 000 On 31 May 1944 shortly before the Normandy landings Canadian troops in Europe numbered 251 000 of which 75 000 had left First Canadian Army to serve on the Italian Front 2 page needed Contents 1 History 2 Makeup 3 Order of battle 4 Commanders 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory edit nbsp From left to right Christopher Vokes Harry Crerar Sir Bernard Montgomery Brian Horrocks both British Army Guy Simonds Daniel Spry and Bruce Mathews all pictured here in February 1945 When the First Canadian Army was formed overseas in 1942 Lieutenant General Andrew McNaughton s aim was to keep Canada s contributions to the British Army together to lead the cross channel assault on northwest Europe 1 Two brigades of the 2nd Canadian Division led the ill fated Dieppe Raid in 1942 3 Aside from this endeavour the Army did not see combat until July 1943 In 1943 because the Canadian government wanted Canadian troops to see action immediately 4 the 1st Canadian Infantry Division 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade and 5th Canadian Armoured Division were detached from the Army for participation in the Italian Campaign 5 In early 1944 the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade were also detached to British I Corps to participate in the assault phase of the Normandy landings II Canadian Corps became operational in Normandy in early July 1944 as the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division landed The First Canadian Army headquarters did not itself arrive in Normandy until mid July becoming operational on 23 July 1944 just before 4th Canadian Armoured Division arriving on the Continent nbsp Senior commanders of the First Canadian Army May 1945 Seated from the left Stanislaw Maczek Polish Army Guy Simonds Harry Crerar Charles Foulkes Bert Hoffmeister Standing from the left Ralph Keefler Bruce Matthews Harry Foster Robert Moncel standing in for Chris Vokes Stuart Rawlins British Army During Operation Overlord the First Canadian Army was under the control of the British 21st Army Group The Army proper first went into action in the Battle of Normandy and conducted operations at Falaise e g Operation Totalize Operation Tractable and helping close the Falaise pocket After reaching the Seine the objective of the first phase of Operation Overlord the Army moved along the coast towards Belgium with the Canadian 2nd Division entering Dieppe at the beginning of September The First Army under acting command of Lieutenant General Guy Simonds from 28 September 1944 to 7 November 1944 fought the critical Battle of the Scheldt along with the supporting Operation Pheasant in October and early November opening Antwerp for Allied shipping The First Canadian Army held a static line along the river Meuse Maas from December through February then launched Operation Veritable in early February By this point the Army besides the II Canadian Corps contained nine British divisions The Siegfried Line was broken and the Army reached the banks of the Rhine in early March In the final weeks of the war in Europe the First Army cleared the Netherlands of German forces By this time the First Division and Fifth Armoured Division as well as First Armoured Brigade and the 1st Cdn AGRA had returned to the Army during Operation Goldflake and for the first time both the I Canadian Corps and II Canadian Corps fought under the same Army commander Makeup editThe First Canadian Army was international in character The size of Canada s military contribution on its own would likely not have justified the creation of a separate army level command in North West Europe especially over the period when I Canadian Corps was away gaining valuable combat experience in Italy However both McNaughton and Crerar backed up by the Canadian government were successful in their lobbying for the British Army to create a Canadian led army enlarged with contributions from other Allied countries In addition to II Canadian Corps which included the Canadian formations under command described above other formations under command included the British I Corps and the 1st Polish Armoured Division as well as at various times the American 104th Infantry Division Timberwolf 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade and 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade The First Canadian Army in North West Europe during the final phases of the war comprised the largest field army ever under the control of a Canadian general Ration strength of the army ranged from approximately 105 000 to 175 000 Canadian soldiers to anywhere from 200 000 to over 450 000 when including the soldiers from other nations The Maple Leaf Route was the designation of the army s main supply route The route was usually divided into Maple Leaf Up and Maple Leaf Down designating traffic to and away from the front respectively Order of battle editSecond World War 1939 1945 6 nbsp First Canadian Army Headquarters First Canadian Army Defence Battalion Lorne Scots until April 1944 amp Royal Montreal Regiment No 1 Army Headquarters Car Company Royal Canadian Army Service Corps RCASC Royal Canadian Artillery nbsp No 1 Army Group R C A 1st Cdn AGRA 11th Army Field Regiment 1st Medium Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 2nd Medium Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 5th Medium Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 56th Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery from Mar 1945 nbsp No 2 Army Group R C A 2nd Cdn AGRA 19th Army Field Regiment 3rd Medium Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 4th Medium Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 7th Medium Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 10th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery 15th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery disb Dec 44 1st Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery 2nd Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment Mobile 1st Rocket Battery 1st Radar Battery F Squadron 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment The Elgin Regiment Canadian Armoured Corps CAC 1st Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment CAC No 6 Casualty Clearing Station Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps RCAMC Nos 4 5 6 amp 7 Field Transfusion Units RCAMC Nos 9 10 amp 11 Field Dressing Stations RCAMC No 14 Field Hygiene Section RCAMC units of the Canadian Dental Corps CDC Nos 81 amp 82 Artillery Companies RCASC Nos 35 amp 36 Army Troops Composite Companies RCASC Nos 41 45 47 63 amp 64 Army Transport Companies RCASC Nos 1 amp 2 Motor Ambulance Convoys RCASC nbsp Royal Canadian Engineers First Canadian Army Troops Engineers 10th Field Park Company 5th 20th amp 23rd Field Companies 2nd Canadian Army Troops Engineers 11th Field Park Company 32nd 33rd amp 34th Field Companies No 1 Workshop and Park Company 1st Field Air Survey Company 2nd Field Survey Company 3rd Field Reproduction Company First Army Signals Royal Canadian Corps of Signals RCCS 1st Air Support Signals Unit Nos 1 2 amp 3 Special Wireless Sections First Army Troops Workshop Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers No 11 Provost Company Canadian Provost Corps No 1 Canadian Forestry Group Canadian Forestry Corps No 1 Army Base Post Office Canadian Postal Corps nbsp I Canadian Corps April 1942 to November 1943 February to July 1945 attached to the British Eighth Army in Italy from November 1943 to February 1945 nbsp 1st Canadian Infantry Division in Italy from July 1943 to February 1945 nbsp 5th Canadian Armoured Division nbsp 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade 1st Corps Defence Company Lorne Scots Other Corps Troops nbsp II Canadian Corps January 15 1943 to June 25 1945 nbsp 2nd Canadian Infantry Division nbsp 3rd Canadian Infantry Division nbsp 4th Canadian Armoured Division nbsp 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade nbsp Polish 1st Armoured Division nbsp 15th Scottish Infantry Division January to March 1945 2nd Corps Defence Company The Prince Edward Island Light Horse Other Corps Troops nbsp I British Corps August 1 1944 to April 1 1945 nbsp 6th Airborne Division to 3 September 1944 nbsp 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade August 10 to September 10 1944 nbsp 49th West Riding Infantry Division nbsp 51st Highland Infantry Division to 19 December 1944 nbsp 33rd Armoured Brigade to September 1944 nbsp 104th Infantry Division United States mid October to early November 1944 nbsp XXX British Corps January to March 1945 for Operation Veritable nbsp Guards Armoured Division nbsp 43rd Wessex Infantry Division nbsp 52nd Lowland Infantry Division nbsp 53rd Welsh Infantry Division nbsp elements of 79th Armoured Division nbsp 4th Armoured Brigade nbsp 6th Guards Armoured Brigade nbsp 8th Armoured Brigade nbsp 34th Armoured BrigadeCommanders editAndrew McNaughton Commander early 1942 21 December 1943 7 Kenneth Stuart Acting Commander 21 December 1943 20 March 1944 8 Harry Crerar Commander 20 March 1944 summer 1945 7 Guy Simonds Acting Commander from 28 September to 7 November 1944 7 References edit a b Harris Stephen First Canadian Army The Canadian Encyclopedia Historica Foundation Retrieved on 2011 12 23 Stacey C P 1948 Chapter III New Tasks and Problems 1941 1942 The Canadian Army 1939 1945 An Official Historical Summary Retrieved 2011 12 23 via Patrick Clancey HyperWar Foundation a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Stacey C P 1948 Chapter V The Raid on Dieppe 19 August 1942 The Canadian Army 1939 1945 Official History of the Canadian Army In the Second World War p 65 Retrieved 2012 12 24 via Hyperwar Foundation Stacey C P 1948 Chapter VI Canadian Troops Go to the Mediterranean Retrieved on 2012 12 24 Stacey C P 1948 Chapter VII The Italian Campaign Sicily and Southern Italy July November 1943 Retrieved on 2012 12 24 Structure of the Canadian Army from 1900 to 2000 canadiansoldiers Retrieved 2011 12 24 a b c Bernd Horn Stephen John Harris 2001 Warrior chiefs perspectives on senior Canadian military leaders Dundurn Press Ltd ISBN 978 1 55002 351 0 J L Granatstein July 2005 The generals the Canadian army s senior commanders in the Second World War University of Calgary Press p 50 ISBN 978 1 55238 176 2 Further reading editMain article Bibliography of Canadian military history Second World War Copp Terry 29 July 2004 Fields of Fire The Canadians in Normandy University of Toronto Press ISBN 978 0 8020 3780 0 Copp Terry 10 October 2007 The Brigade The Fifth Canadian Infantry Brigade in World War II Stackpole Books ISBN 978 0 8117 3422 6 Angus Brown Richard Howard Gimblett May 2009 In the footsteps of the First Canadian Army northwest Europe 1942 1945 Magic Light Pub ISBN 978 1 894673 33 4 Zuehlke Mark 13 March 2012 Breakout from Juno First Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign July 4 August 21 1944 Douglas amp McIntyre ISBN 978 1 55365 325 7 Zuehlke Mark 1 April 2009 Terrible Victory First Canadian Army and the Scheldt Estuary Campaign September 13 November 6 1944 Douglas amp McIntyre ISBN 978 1 55365 404 9 Robin Dickers 2012 The History of the 2nd Canadian Army Group Royal Artillery London Lonsdale ISBN 978 0 9569969 9 2 Official accounts National Defence and the Canadian Forces Stacey C P 1955 Volume I Six Years of War The Army in Canada Britain and the Pacific Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War Queen s Printer Ottawa Nicholson G W L 1956 Volume II The Canadians in Italy Official history of the Canadian Army in the Second World War Queen s Printer Ottawa Archived from the original on 2012 05 31 Stacey C P 1960 Volume III The Victory Campaign The Operations in Northwest Europe 1944 45 Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War Queen s Printer OttawaExternal links edit nbsp Canada portal canadiansoldiers com page The First Canadian Army Veterans Affairs Canada First Canadian Army 8 May 1945 Juno Beach Centre Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title First Canadian Army amp oldid 1213620819, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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