Second World War History of the Canadian Army

the second world war saw major changes militia; in november 1940 name canadian army adopted refer both former pam , npam. many infantry regiments transferred canadian armoured corps, created same year. cavalry regiments mechanized, horse withdrawn military use, , royal canadian army veterinary corps disbanded.

a canadian m4 sherman tank crew near caen, france, june 1944. canadians helped develop tank doctrine in great war, , created canadian armoured corps in world war ii.

in 1939, canadian active service force (casf) mobilized; similar cef, mobilization of prewar pf , npam units, retained traditional titles. in 1940, land forces of canada retitled. casf became canadian army (overseas), permanent force became canadian army (active) , npam became canadian army (reserve). canadian army (overseas) ceased exist after second world war. new canadian armoured corps created , many infantry regiments reroled fight in tanks. @ home, atlantic command , pacific command created direct home defence efforts.

a desire have entire french-canadian brigade thwarted lack of francophone staff officers. original mobilization scheme grouped infantry battalions region; 1st brigade ontario brigade, 2nd western canada , 3rd maritimes. 2nd division supposed follow same lines, after deployments iceland, western canadian , quebec brigades mixed , no attempt made 3rd, 4th or 5th divisions organize regionally. 5th brigade all-quebec brigade, 1 anglophone , 2 francophone regiments. while french canada represented 4 overseas french-speaking infantry battalions, , canadian army did attempt produce training literature in french, not until after unification french , english soldiers have equal career opportunities.

canadian mortar team in action in france, c. 1944.

the 6th, 7th , 8th divisions home defence divisions , contained large number of troops conscripted under national resources mobilization act (nrma) law not serve overseas . 1 brigade did go aleutians in 1943 fight japanese on technicality north american soil, though no contact enemy made. in november 1944, on hearing government had decided send conscripts overseas, number of soldiers based in terrace, british columbia, mutinied. terrace mutiny largest insurrection in canadian military history.

the use of irregular forces became common in western canada during second world war, pacific coast militia rangers being formed in 1942; disbanded after 1945, inspiration canadian rangers.

veterans guard of canada

as home guard, veterans guard of canada formed in days of second world war defence force in case of attack on canadian soil. composed largely of first world war veterans included, @ peak, 37 active , reserve companies 451 officers , 9,806 other ranks. on 17,000 veterans served in force on course of war. active companies served full-time in canada overseas, including general duty company attached canadian military headquarters in london, england, no. 33 coy. in bahamas, no. 34 coy. in british guiana , newfoundland, , smaller group dispatched india. veterans guard involved in three-day prisoner of war uprising in 1942, known battle of bowmanville. along home defence role, veterans guard assumed responsibility guarding internment camps canadian provost corps, helped release younger canadians service overseas. guards disbanded in 1947.