5th Canadian Division

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5th Canadian Division 1st Canadian Armoured Division 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division
5th Canadian Division formation patch
Active	February 1917–February 1918 1939–1945 2013–present
Country	Canada
Branch	Canadian Expeditionary Force  Canadian Army
Type	Infantry Armoured
Size	Division
Nickname(s)	The Mighty Maroon Machine, Maroon 5
Engagements	Italian Campaign North-West Europe
Commanders
Current commander	Brigadier-General R. Pelletier
Division CWO	Chief Warrant Officer J. Smith
Notable commanders	Bert Hoffmeister Guy Simonds

The 5th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of most army units in the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador; as well as some units in Kingston, Ontario. The division is recognized by the distinctive maroon patch worn on the sleeve of its soldiers.

It was first created as a formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. It was stood down during the war only to be reactivated through the renaming from '1st Canadian Armoured Division' to the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division during the Second World War. It was stood down following demobilization and was again reactivated in 2013 with the renaming of the former Land Force Area Atlantic.

Organization[]

5th Canadian Division organization in 2020

The division is headquartered at CFB Halifax and covers the Atlantic provinces.

• 5th Canadian Division Headquarters, at CFB Halifax
  • Canadian Combat Support Brigade, at CFB Kingston^[1]
  • 36 Canadian Brigade Group, in Halifax (covering Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island)
  • 37 Canadian Brigade Group, in Moncton (covering New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador)
  • 3 Military Police Regiment, in Lower Sackville
  • 3 Intelligence Company (Reserve), in Halifax
  • 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown, at CFB Gagetown
  • 5th Canadian Division Training Centre, at CFB Gagetown
  • 5th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, at CFB Gander

First World War[]

The 5th Canadian Division of the Canadian Corps was formed during World War I under Major General Garnet Burk Hughes. The 5th began assembling in Britain in February, 1917, but was broken up in February 1918 before it was fully formed. The Division adopted a coloured formation patch identical in design to that worn by the four combatant divisions of the Canadian Corps. Its men were used as reinforcements for the other four Canadian divisions, helping to maintain the over-strength Divisions of 22,000–25,000 with more than 100,000 men total.^{[citation needed]} It was reactivated in 2013.^[2]

Infantry units[]

13th Canadian Brigade:

• 128th (Moose Jaw) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – May 1917. Absorbed by the 15th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 134th (48th Highlanders) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – February 1918. Absorbed by the 12th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 160th Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – February 1918. Absorbed by the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 164th (Halton and Dufferin) Battalion Canadian Infantry. May 1917 – April 1918. Absorbed by the 8th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 202nd Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – May 28, 1918. Absorbed by the 9th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 208th Battalion Canadian Infantry. May 1917 – January 3, 1918. Absorbed by the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Reserve Battalions.

14th Canadian Brigade:

• 125th Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – April 16, 1918. Absorbed by the 8th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 150th (Carabiniers Mont Royal) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – February 15, 1918. Absorbed by the 6th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 156th (Leeds and Grenville) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – February 15, 1918. Absorbed by the 6th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 161st Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – February 15, 1918. Absorbed by the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion.

15th Canadian Brigade:

• 104th (New Brunswick) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – February 15, 1918. Absorbed by the 13th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 119th (Algoma) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – April 16, 1918. Absorbed by the 8th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 185th (Cape Breton Highlanders) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – February 15, 1918. Absorbed by the 17th Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 198th (Canadian Buffs) Battalion Canadian Infantry. April 1917 – March 9, 1918. Absorbed by the 3rd Canadian Reserve Battalion;
• 199th (Duchess of Connaught's Own Irish Canadian Rangers) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – April 1917. Absorbed by the 23rd Canadian Reserve Battalion.

Attached Troops:

• 164th (Halton and Dufferin) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – May 1917. To the 13th Canadian Brigade;
• 198th (Canadian Buffs) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – April 1917. To the 15th Canadian Brigade;
• 208th Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – May 1917. To the 13th Canadian Brigade;
• 236th (MacLean Highlanders) Battalion Canadian Infantry. February 1917 – May 1917. Disbanded on March 13, 1918.
• 12 Canadian Field Ambulance

Second World War[]

Formation patch used to identify vehicles of the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division during the Second World War.

The 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division was a Canadian division during World War II. Following its redesignation from 1st Canadian Armoured Division, the bulk proceeded overseas in one main convoy, arriving in the United Kingdom at the end of November 1941.

The 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division spent two years of the war uneventfully in the United Kingdom, before finally transferring to the Mediterranean theatre in November 1943 to join the 1st Canadian Infantry Division as part of I Canadian Corps, under command of the British Eighth Army. The division moved without its tanks and vehicles, inheriting heavily used equipment as a legacy from the veteran British 7th Armoured Division ("The Desert Rats") who they relieved on the Italian Front. The majority of the vehicles were completely worn out, having first been issued in North Africa or were two-wheel drive–useless in Italy. It took several months for the division to be fully equipped with new vehicles, including M4 Shermans. Only the was committed prior to 31 January 1944.^[3]

The 5th Armoured took part in the Italian Campaign until the end of 1944, seeing notable action on the Hitler Line after the Allied breakthrough at Cassino in May 1944 and also during Operation Olive on the Gothic Line in August 1944. During the latter battle its single infantry brigade was augmented by a second, which was raised using reinforcements and units serving in other roles. Among them was the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards–1st Canadian Division's armoured reconnaissance regiment. As with other Allied armoured divisions in the Mediterranean, local resources were used to establish an additional infantry brigade, the . Based on the colour of its shoulder patch, the division became known as the "Mighty Maroon Machine".^[4]

A Sherman Firefly of the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division assists British troops of the 11th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, British 49th Infantry Division, to clear the Germans from Ede, the Netherlands, 17 April 1945.

In January 1945, the division, together with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, as part of Operation Goldflake, moved by truck, train, and naval transport to Belgium via Livorno and Marseille. After arriving on the Western Front, it disbanded the 12th Brigade, and re-equipped to join the First Canadian Army in time to participate in the final advance into Germany.

In April 1945, the Irish Regiment of Canada was assigned to Operation Cleanser in the Netherlands. They had to liberate the route from Arnhem to Harderwijk. This unexpectedly resulted in a fierce fight at the Battle of Otterlo.

Commanding officers[]

• Jun 1941 to Jan 1943 Major-General Ernest William Sansom
• Jan 1943 to Oct 1943 Major-General Charles Ramsay Stirling Stein
• Oct 1943 to Jan 1944 Major-General Guy Simonds
• Jan 1944 to Mar 1944 Major-General E. L. M. Burns
• Mar 1944 to Jun 1945 Major-General Bert Hoffmeister

Organization until July 1944 and after March 1945[]

5th Armoured Brigade[]

• 2nd Armoured Regiment (Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians))
• 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Princess Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars)
• 9th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Dragoons)
• 1st Battalion, The Westminster Regiment (Motor)

11th Infantry Brigade[]

• 11th Independent Machine Gun Company (The Princess Louise Fusiliers)
• 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment
• 1st Battalion, The Cape Breton Highlanders
• 1st Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada
• 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The Governor General's Horse Guards)
• 11th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)

Other units[]

• "G" Squadron, 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment)
• 5th Canadian Armoured Division Engineers
  • 1st Field Squadron, RCE
  • 10th Field Squadron, RCE
  • 4th Field Park Squadron, RCE
  • 5th Canadian Armoured Division Bridge Troop, RCE
• 5th Canadian Armoured Divisional Signals, RCSigs
• No. 5 Provost Company, Canadian Provost Corps

Organization July 1944 until March 1945[]

5th Canadian Armoured Brigade[]

• 2nd Armoured Regiment (Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians))
• 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Princess Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars)
• 9th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Dragoons)

11th Canadian Infantry Brigade[]

• 11th Independent Machine Gun Company (The Princess Louise Fusiliers)
• 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment
• 1st Battalion, The Cape Breton Highlanders
• 1st Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada
• 11th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)

12th Canadian Infantry Brigade (raised in August 1944)[]

• 12th Independent Machine Gun Company (The Princess Louise Fusiliers)
• 1st Battalion, The Westminster Regiment (Motor)
• 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards (from 1st Canadian Infantry Division)
• The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment (from Corps anti-aircraft assets)
• 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The Governor General's Horse Guards)
• 12th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)

Other units[]

• 17th Field Artillery Regiment
• 8th Field Artillery Regiment (Self-Propelled)
• 4th Anti-tank Regiment
• 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
• "G" Squadron, 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment), Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
• 5th Canadian Armoured Division Engineers
  • 1st Field Squadron, RCE
  • 10th Field Squadron, RCE
  • 4th Field Park Squadron, RCE
  • 5th Canadian Armoured Division Bridge Troop, RCE
• 5th Canadian Armoured Divisional Signals, RCSigs
• No. 5 Provost Company, Canadian Provost Corps

Land Force Atlantic Area[]

Land Force Atlantic Area (LFAA) was created on 1 September 1991, taking command of what was previously the militia areas and the Regular Force Army units and formations in Atlantic Canada. At that point in time, the Militia Areas ceased to exist, and the subordinate Militia Districts were reorganised.^[5] Later that decade, the reserve force districts were again reorganized into two Canadian Brigade Groups.

LFAA was a formation responsible for Canadian Army operations in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island and was headquartered at Canadian Forces Base Halifax.

Regular Force[]

Operational units[]

5th Canadian Division Support Group[]

Lodger units supported by 5 CDSG[]

Combat Training Centre[]

Reserve Force[]

36 Canadian Brigade Group[]

37 Canadian Brigade Group[]

Other reserve units[]

• 5 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group: Gander, Newfoundland
• 3 Intelligence Company: Halifax, Nova Scotia

See also[]

• List of military divisions
• List of Canadian divisions in World War II

Notes[]

References[]

• Dancocks, Daniel G. (1991). The D-Day Dodgers. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc. ISBN 978-0-7710-2544-0.
• Groningen, J. Niemeijer "History of 17th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, 5th Canadian Armoured Division" by (J. Niemeijer Groningen, 1946)
• Zuehlke, Mark, "The Liri Valley: Canada's World War II Breakthrough to Rome", Douglas & McIntyre Ltd., Vancouver, 2003

External links[]

• Canadian Forces Recruiting
• "RA Park (Archived copy)". Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2011.

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