4th Canadian Division

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4th Canadian Division
4 Canadian Armoured Division patch.png
4th Canadian Division formation patch
Active 1916–1919
1940–1946
2013–present
Country  Canada
Allegiance Queen Elizabeth II[1][2]
Branch Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921.svg Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Army.png Land Force Command
Badge of the Canadian Army (lesser).png Canadian Army
Type Infantry
Armoured
Engagements Battle of Normandy
Battle of the Scheldt
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 David Watson
George Kitching
Chris Vokes

The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. The division was first created as a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. During the Second World War the division was reactivated as the 4th Canadian Infantry Division in 1941 and then converted to armour and redesignated as the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division.[3] Beginning in 1916 the division adopted a distinctive green-coloured formation patch as its insignia. In 2013 it was announced that Land Force Central Area would be redesignated 4th Canadian Division.[4]

First World War

The 4th Canadian Division was formed in the Britain in April 1916 from several existing units and others scheduled to arrive shortly thereafter. Under the command of Major-General David Watson, the Division embarked for France in August of that year where they served both in the Western Front in France and in Flanders until Armistice Day. The 4th Canadian Division was a part of the Canadian Corps in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which attacked and defeated the Germans, driving them from the ridge. As a result the Canadians became known as masters of offensive warfare and an elite fighting force.[5]

In the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917, the 4th Canadian Division was given the job of capturing Hill 145, the highest and most important feature of Vimy Ridge. However, when they attempted to capture the hill, they were hampered by fire from the "Pimple", which was the other prominent height at Vimy Ridge. To capture Hill 145, forces which were supposed to attack the Pimple were redeployed and captured Hill 145.

Infantry Units

10th Canadian Brigade:

11th Canadian Brigade:

12th Canadian Brigade:

Pioneers:

Battles and Engagements on the Western Front

1916:

1917:

1918:

4th Canadian (Armoured) Division

The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division was created by the conversion of the 4th Canadian Infantry Division at the beginning of 1942 in Canada. The division proceeded overseas in 1942, with its two main convoys reaching the United Kingdom in August and October.

The division spent almost two years training in the UK before crossing to Normandy in July 1944. In UK, it did participate in war games together with the 1st Armoured Division (Poland), and in France, Low Countries, and Germany, both divisions followed very close paths. It participated in the battle of the Falaise pocket, the advance from Normandy and spent almost two months engaged at the Breskens pocket. It wintered in the Netherlands and took part in the final advance across northern Germany.

Formation

1944–1945

4th Canadian Armoured Brigade 
Formation sign used to identify vehicles of the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
10th Canadian Infantry Brigade
Other units 

Commanding officers

Date General officer commanding
10 Jun 1941 – 24 Dec 1941 Major General L.F. Page, DSO
2 Feb 1942 – 29 Feb 1944 Major General F.F. Worthington, CB, MC, MM
1 Mar 1944 – 21 Aug 1944 Major General George Kitching, DSO
22 Aug 1944 – 30 Nov 1944 Harry W. Foster, CBE, DSO
1 Dec 1944 – 5 Jun 1945 Major General Chris Vokes, CBE, DSO

[7]

David Vivian Currie VC

David Vivian Currie VC was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in command of a battle group of tanks from The South Alberta Regiment, artillery, and infantry of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada at St. Lambert-sur-Dives, during the final actions to close the Falaise Gap. This was the only Victoria Cross awarded to a Canadian soldier during the Normandy campaign (from 6 June 1944 to the end of August 1944), and the only VC ever awarded to a member of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.

The then 32 year-old Currie was a Major in The South Alberta Regiment. During the Battle of Falaise, Normandy, between 18–20 August 1944, Currie was in command of a small mixed force of tanks, self-propelled anti-tank guns and infantry which had been ordered to cut off one of the Germans' main escape routes.

After Currie led the attack on the village of St. Lambert-sur-Dives and consolidated a position halfway inside it, he repulsed repeated enemy attacks over the next day and a half. Despite heavy casualties, Major Currie's command destroyed seven enemy tanks, twelve 88 mm guns and 40 vehicles, which led to the deaths of 300 German soldiers, 500 wounded and 1,100 captured. The remnants of two German armies were denied an escape route.

Gallery

  • Members of the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division demonstrating the use of flame throwers across a canal, Maldegem, October 1944.

  • Armoured cars in the Belgian-Dutch border town of Putte – 11 October 1944

  • Major David V. Curry (with pistol), accepting the surrender of German troops at St. Lambert-sur-Dives, France, 19 August 1944. This photo captures the actions that led to him being awarded the Victoria Cross

  • Canadians enter Bergen-op-Zoom, early November 1944

  • War Memorial in Moerbrugge

  • Plaque on the World War II Memorial in Moerbrugge

Land Force Central Area and 2013 reactivation

The LFCA was created on 1 September 1991, taking command of what was previously Central Militia Area and the Regular Force Army units and formations in Ontario from the northern Lakehead region to the border with Quebec. At that point in time, the six subordinate militia districts were reorganized into four: Northern Ontario District, London District, Toronto District, and Ottawa District each one garrisoned by a brigade of militia troops and a small number of regular support staff.[8]

In 2013, the LFCA was renamed the "4th Canadian Division". With this change of name, the formation was also granted the identifying patch and historical lineage of the division that fought in the two world wars.

4th Canadian Division Organization

  • 21 Electronic Warfare Regiment – Kingston – On 17 April 2010, the regular force 2 Electronic Warfare Squadron and reserve force 772 Electronic Warfare Squadron combined to form the new 21 Electronic Warfare Regiment under LFCA.[9][10]
  • 2 Military Police Regiment

2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group CFB Petawawa
2 CMBG Headquarters & Signal Squadron Communications CFB Petawawa
2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery CFB Petawawa
The Royal Canadian Dragoons Armoured CFB Petawawa
2 Combat Engineer Regiment CFB Petawawa
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Mechanized infantry CFB Petawawa
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment* Mechanized infantry CFB Gagetown
3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Light infantry CFB Petawawa
2 Service Battalion Combat Support CFB Petawawa

*2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment is stationed at Gagetown, which falls under the administration of Land Force Atlantic Area

31 Canadian Brigade Group

31 Canadian Brigade Group London
31 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters London and Sarnia, Ontario
1st Hussars Armoured reconnaissance London, Ontario
The Windsor Regiment (RCAC) Reconnaissance Windsor, Ontario
11th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA Artillery Guelph and Hamilton, Ontario
31 Combat Engineer Regiment (The Elgins) Engineer St. Thomas and Waterloo, Ontario
31 Signal Regiment Communications Hamilton, Ontario
The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) Light infantry Hamilton, Ontario
4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Light infantry London and Stratford, Ontario
The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada Light infantry Cambridge and Kitchener, Ontario
The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Light infantry Owen Sound and Barrie
The Essex and Kent Scottish Light infantry Windsor and Chatham, Ontario
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) Light infantry Hamilton, Ontario
31 Service Battalion   London, Hamilton, Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie

32 Canadian Brigade Group

32 Canadian Brigade Group Toronto
32 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters Toronto
The Governor General's Horse Guards Reconnaissance Toronto
The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) Reconnaissance Toronto and Aurora, Ontario
7th Toronto Regiment, RCA Artillery Toronto
56th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA Artillery Brantford, Ontario
32 Combat Engineer Regiment Engineer Toronto
32 Signal Regiment Communications Toronto, Ontario
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Light infantry Toronto (downtown and Scarborough)
The Royal Regiment of Canada Light infantry Toronto
The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Light infantry St. Catharines and Welland, Ontario
The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) Light infantry Brampton, Oakville and Georgetown
48th Highlanders of Canada Light infantry Toronto
The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's Own) Light infantry Toronto and Mississauga
32 Service Battalion   Toronto

33 Canadian Brigade Group

33 Canadian Brigade Group Ottawa
33 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario
The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) Reconnaissance Oshawa, Ontario
30th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA Artillery Ottawa, Ontario
42nd Field Artillery Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA Artillery Pembroke, Ontario
49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA Artillery Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
33 Combat Engineer Regiment Engineer Ottawa, Ontario
33 Signal Regiment Communications Ottawa, Ontario
Governor General's Foot Guards Light infantry Ottawa, Ontario
The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment Light infantry Kingston, Ontario
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment Light infantry Belleville, Peterborough and Cobourg, Ontario
The Brockville Rifles Light infantry Brockville, Ontario
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders Light infantry Cornwall, Ontario
The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) Light infantry Ottawa, Ontario
The Algonquin Regiment Light infantry North Bay and Timmins, Ontario
2nd Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada Light infantry Sudbury, Ontario
33 Service Battalion   Ottawa, North Bay, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario

4th Canadian Division Support Group

Units

  • 4 CDSB Petawawa Personnel Services
  • 4 CDSB Petawawa Operations Services
  • 4 CDSB Petawawa Technical Services
  • 4 CDSB Petawawa Engineers Services Squadron
  • 4 CDSG Signal Squadron

Branches

  • 4 CDSB Petawawa Safety Services
  • 4 CDSB Petawawa Environmental Services
  • 4 CDSB Petawawa Corporate Services

Other Reserve Units

  • 3 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group – Borden

Abbreviations

See also

References

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  5. ↑ Honey, K., (9 April 2002). A once-proud history, slipping away. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved on: 2 September 2008.
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  10. ↑ [1][dead link]

External links

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