The Canadian
Army 1939-40
The Canadian
Army 1939-40
The pre-war Canadian Army consisted of the Permanent Force and the Non-Permanent Active Militia (N.P.A.M.). Each became part of the Canadian Active Service Force (C.A.S.F.) when mobilised. Most of the cavalry regiments formed tank regiments, armour regiments, reconnaissance regiments, and armoured car regiments, when they became C.A.S.F. The N.P.A.M. and Permanent Force on September 3, 1939 was organised into eleven military districts organised geographically and numbered 1-7 and 10-13. Within the districts existed brigades, also organised geographically. The infantry brigades were numbered 1-19 while the cavalry brigades were numbered 1-4 and 7. The pre-war brigades had no bearing on those mobilised for service under the C.A.S.F. and went out of use shortly after the start of war.
Certain units were mobilised on 26 August 1939 in anticipation of the declaration of war. They were mostly coast defence formations. Many militia units also mobilised details to guard vulnerable points. For example, the Regina Rifle Regiment called out a guard of four officers and 44 other ranks to guard Regina airport, an armoury guard of a warrant officer and 12 other ranks and an ordnance guard of one NCO and six other ranks. The following units mobilised on 26 August 1939 and became C.A.S.F details on 1 September 1939:
In addition ten infantry battalions, with HQs near the coast had details active. These details remained active until each was mobilized on 1 January 1941:
The Canadian Active Service Force was mobilised on 1 September 1939 under General Order 135. It consisted of the 1st and 2nd Canadian Infantry Divisions along with supporting units for an army corps. It was formed from elements of the Permanent Force and mobilized militia units.
1st Canadian Infantry Division HQ was formed
in October 1939. The 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade was
raised in Ontario. Its battalions remained at their home stations
until November 1939, when the brigade assembled at Valcartier,
PQ. It embarked for the United Kingdom on 17 December 1939 and
arrived at Greenock, Scotland on 25 December. It moved to Aldershot
on arrival. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade was raised
in Western, Canada. The battalions remained at their home stations
until they moved to Halifax in mid-December 1939 to depart. 2nd
Brigade embarked for the United Kingdom on 22 December 1939 and
arrived at Greenock, Scotland on 30 December. It moved to Aldershot
on arrival. The 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade was raised
in Quebec and the Maritimes. The battalions remained at their
home stations until early December 1939, when they moved to Halifax.
It embarked for the United Kingdom on 8 December 1939 and arrived
at Greenock, Scotland on 17 December. It also moved to Aldershot
on arrival. The tank and cavalry regiments associated with the
division remained in Canada as did most of the corps units.
2nd Canadian Infantry Division was raised on 1 September
1939 in Canada, but the units remained at their mobilization HQs
until the spring of 1940. Recruiting for the division was suspended
in October 1939. Recruiting for specialists resumed on 18 February
and for the rest of the division on 18 March. The divisional HQ
was not organized until the end of May 1940 in Ottawa. The 4th
Canadian Infantry Brigade was raised in Ontario, Canada. The
battalions remained at their mobilization HQs until the brigade
assembled at Camp Borden, Ontario on 3 June 1940. 
[The
Royal Regiment of Canada left 9 June 1940 for Halifax and then
served on Iceland from 16 June 1940 to 31 October 1940. It arrived
at Greenock, Scotland on 3 November 1940 and rejoined the brigade
at Aldershot. The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa left Canada on
30 June 1940 and arrived in Iceland on 7 July 1940, where it remained
until 27 April 1941.] The rest of the brigade embarked for the
United Kingdom on 23 July 1940 and arrived at Gourock, Scotland
on 2 August. It moved to Aldershot on arrival. The 5th Canadian
Infantry Brigade was raised in the Province de Quebec. The
battalions remained at their mobilization HQs until the brigade
assembled at Valcartier, PQ on 25 May 1940. [1st Black Watch was
sent to Newfoundland on 21 June 1941 and remained there until
11 August 1940. It rejoined the brigade at Halifax on 13 August.
Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal left the brigade on 7 July 1940 and arrived
in Iceland on 9 July 1940. It officially left the brigade on arrival
in the United Kingdom] The rest of the brigade, with the Calgary
Highlanders, embarked for the United Kingdom on 27 August 1940
and arrived at Gourock, Scotland on 4 September. It moved to Aldershot
on arrival. 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade was raised in
Western Canada. The battalions remained at their mobilization
HQs until the brigade assembled at Camp Shilo, Manitoba in May
1940. [The Winnipeg Grenadiers left the brigade in late May 1940
for service in the Caribbean. The Calgary Highlanders left the
brigade in June 1940 for Valcartier to join 5th Brigade and replace
Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal.] The two battalions remained at Camp
Shilo, until it was time to leave for the United Kingdom. They
embarked on 16 December 1940 and arrived on 25 December 1940 in
the United Kingdom. It moved to Aldershot on arrival and was joined
there by Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal from Iceland on 3 November 1940.
The fall of France in May 1940 had an effect on efforts to
raise additional units in Canada. The authorization for a further
corps of two divisions was given on 17 May. Units
were mobilised from May 24, 1940 although the call out list
was not published until September 5, 1940. The 3rd Canadian
Infantry Division was formed on 5 September 1940 and concentrated
in the Maritimes at Camp Debart, Nova Scotia and Camp Sussex,
New Brunswick. 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade was raised
on 24 May 1940 in as a Scottish brigade. The battalions remained
at their RHQs until the brigade assembled at Camp Debart, Nova
Scotia in October 1940. There were changes in the brigade organization
before it assembled in Nova Scotia. It left 
Halifax
on 24 August 1941 and arrived in Gourock, Scotland on 1 September
1941. It moved to Aldershot on arrival. 8th Canadian Infantry
Brigade was raised on 24 May 1940. The battalions also remained
at their RHQs until the brigade assembled at Sussex, New Brunswick
in early December 1940. There were some changes in the brigade
organization before it assembled in New Brunswick. It left Halifax
on 21 July 1941 and arrived in Gourock, Scotland on 29 July 1941.
It also moved to Aldershot on arrival. 9th Canadian Infantry
Brigade was raised on 24 May 1940 and battalions remained
at their RHQs until the brigade assembled at Camp Debart, Nova
Scotia in early March 1941.Some changes in the brigade organization
took place before it assembled in New Brunswick. It left Halifax
on 21 July 1941 and arrived in Gourock, Scotland on 29 July 1941,
moving to Aldershot on arrival. 4th Canadian Infantry
Division was authorized on 27 May 1940. The division was not
established until 10 June 1941 at Camp Debart, Nova Scotia. It
remained in the Maritimes until converted to 4th Canadian Armoured
Division on 26 January 1942. Its battalions were located at Niagara-on-the-Lake,
Camp Borden, Valcartier, Sussex and Camp Debart. 10th Canadian
Infantry Brigade assembled at Naniamo, British Columbia in
October 1940. The brigade HQ was not established until February
1941 at Naniamo. It was replaced in April 1941 by 13th Brigade
and moved to the east in the Niagara area, where it took over
the duties of 13th Brigade. It was converted to 3rd Canadian Armoured
Brigade on 26 January 1942. The battalions of 11th Canadian
Infantry Brigade assembled at Camp Borden, Ontario on 11 October
1940 and the brigade HQ was formed in December. The brigade concentrated
at Camp Debart, Nova Scotia on 13 August 1941, although the Irish
Regiment remained detached at Halifax. It was converted to 2nd
Canadian Army Tank Brigade on 26 January 1942. The battalions
of 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade concentrated at Camp
Borden, Ontario in October 1940. The brigade HQ was formed in
January 1941 at Camp Borden. The brigade then concentrated at
Valcartier, PQ in March and April 1941. It moved to Sussex, New
Brunswick in late July 1941, but its battalions were scattered
through the Maritimes. It was converted to 4th Canadian Armoured
Brigade on 26 January 1942.
In addition to field formations, additional units were raised
in 1940 to provide internal
security in Canada. For example, 13th Canadian Infantry
Brigade was raised for security in the Niagara Peninsula.
The battalions of this brigade were responsible for the Chippewa
Power District and the Welland Canal. This brigade was sent to
Naniamo, British Columbia in 
April 1941 to replace 10th
Canadian Infantry Brigade. Two battalions were sent to Newfoundland
in November 1940. Five cavalry regiments were mobilized as motorcycle
regiments and were used for both internal security and support
for 3rd Canadian Infantry Division's brigades in the maritimes.
The Canadian Armoured Corps was formed on 13 August 1940 and its main formation was 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, which was established at Camp Borden, Ontario. Units for this brigade, for the most part, consisted of tank and cavalry regiments previously mobilized. In addition, tank regiments of the militia not yet mobilized became part of the Canadian Armoured Corps. This brigade became the basis for the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade and later the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade.
It was decided by the Minister of National Defence in June 1940 that the Non-Permanent Active Militia would continue to have a role during the war. Recruiting for the NPAM continued through August 15, 1940. By July 1940, all NPAM infantry units not mobilized were authorized to recruit to full-strength and those that were mobilized were to form a second battalion. For example, the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa established a 2nd Battalion on 28 June 1940 at the Drill Hall, Cartier Square, Ottawa. This battalion served in a role similar to the original NPAM unit during the war. Generally, the reserve battalions were formed at the original NPAM headquarters and served there during the war. A major change took place on 7 November 1940, when the "Military Forces of Canada" were designated "The Canadian Army". At this time all units on active duty became "Active" where all other formations were designated "Reserve." Hence the terms Canadian Active Service Force and Non-Permanent Active Militia became obsolete.