2nd Canadian Division during World War II: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Infantry division of the Canadian Army (1939-451939–45)}}

The [[2nd Canadian Division]], an [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[Canadian Army]], was mobilized for war service on 1{{nbsp}}September 1939 at the outset of [[World War II]]. Adopting the designation of the '''2nd Canadian Infantry Division''', it was initially composed of volunteers within [[brigade]]s established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of the war caused a delay in the formation of brigade and divisional headquarters. With questions concerning overseas deployment resolved, the division's respective commands were formed in May and June 1940, and at [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]]'s request, the division was deployed to the [[United Kingdom]] between 1{{nbsp}}August and 25{{nbsp}}December 1940, forming part of the [[I Canadian Corps|Canadian Corps]].

Following a period of reconstruction and retraining from 1942 to 1944, the division joined [[II Canadian Corps]] as part of the [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|British Second Army]] for the [[invasion of Normandy|Allied invasion of Normandy]]. The division was redesignated as '''2nd Canadian Infantry Division''' in January 1943. The 2nd Division saw significant action from 20{{nbsp}}July to 21{{nbsp}}August in the battles for [[Battle for Caen|Caen]] and [[Falaise Pocket|Falaise]]. Joining the newly activated headquarters of the [[First Canadian Army]] in the assault on northwestern Europe, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division played a significant role in the retaking of the [[Channel Ports]], the [[Battle of the Scheldt]], and the liberation of the Netherlands. The division was deactivated shortly after the end of the war.

Formed under the command of Major-General [[Victor Odlum]], a highly distinguished veteran of the First World War, with an authorized strength of between 13,000 and 17,000 personnel,<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 75</ref> the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, like its sister formation, was originally organized along regional lines. Its [[4th Canadian Infantry Brigade|4th Brigade]] was composed of regiments from [[Ontario]], the [[5th Canadian Infantry Brigade|5th Brigade]] of regiments from [[Quebec]], and [[6th Canadian Infantry Brigade|6th Brigade]] of regiments from [[Western Canada]].<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 43</ref> These were the same infantry brigades—although their constituent battalions were different—that had formed part of the 2nd Canadian Division during its service on the Western Front as part of the [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] during the First World War.<ref>Chartrand, p. 12</ref>

In May 1940, The Black Watch were moved from Valcartier to Newfoundland, and in June, the 2nd Division was earmarked for garrison duty by the forces of the [[British Commonwealth]],<ref>Copp, p. 15</ref> with the Royal Regiment of Canada and ''Les Fusiliers Mont Royal'' arriving in Iceland later that month.<ref>Copp, p. 16</ref> However, at the request of [[Winston Churchill]], the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British prime minister]], these deployments were cut short,<ref name="Bercuson29"/> as the division was badly needed in England to supplement the [[British Army]]—then facing the imminent possibility of [[Operation Sealion|German invasion]].<ref name="Bercuson29"/>

Throughout 1943, the 2nd Division focused on rebuilding its ranks, having lost close to half its strength at Dieppe. In April 1943, Major-General [[Guy Simonds]]—the first officer to command the division who had not served in the [[World War I|Great War]]—assumed command of the division, taking over from Roberts,<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 249</ref> before handing over the following month to Major-General [[E. L. M. Burns|Eedson Burns]]. In January 1944, Major-General [[Charles Foulkes (Canadian Army officer)|Charles Foulkes]]—another officer who, like Simonds, had been too young to serve in the Great War—replaced Burns, who went to [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italy]] to command [[I Canadian Corps]], where it had been deployed towards the end of 1943.<ref name="Copp35">Copp, p. 35</ref> The following month, all three brigade commanders were replaced as part of a general move to modernize the Canadian forces' higher echelons;<ref>Copp, p. 37</ref> further sweeping changes throughout all levels of command, coupled with the lingering effects of the large influx of new personnel during 1943, lowered morale in the division.<ref name="Copp35"/> However, in March 1944, training again intensified, heralding the coming [[Operation Overlord|invasion of Europe]]. On 9{{nbsp}}March, the 2nd Division was inspected by [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King]] [[George VI]],<ref>Copp, p. 38</ref> and by May the division numbered close to 18,000 fully equipped and trained soldiers.<ref>Copp, p. 39</ref> When D-Day arrived on 6{{nbsp}}June 1944, the main Canadian assault was led by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, while the 2nd Division was held in reserve.<ref>Copp, p. 41</ref> At this time, the division consisted of three brigades—4th, 5th and 6th—each of three infantry battalions,<ref>Hart 2016, p. 24</ref> and a brigade ground defence platoon provided by [[The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment)|Lorne Scots]].<ref>Rottman, p. 60</ref> In addition, at divisional level there was a machine gun battalion and a reconnaissance regiment provided by [[The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)|the Toronto Scottish Regiment]] (machine gun) and 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), as well as various combat support and service support elements including field, anti-tank and anti-aircraft artillery, field engineers, electrical and mechanical engineers, and signals, medical, ordnance, service corps troops and provosts.<ref>English, p. 177</ref><ref>Hart, p. 24</ref>

[[Operation Veritable]] was designed to bring the 21st Army Group to the west bank of the [[Rhine River]], the last natural obstacle before entering Germany.<ref name="JunoBeachVictory">{{cite web |url=http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-rhi-e.htm |title= Juno Beach Centre—LiberationCentre – Liberation of the Netherlands and capitulation of Germany|access-date=15 August 2008 |publisher= Juno Beach Centre| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080818055617/http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-rhi-e.htm| archive-date= 18 August 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> Initially scheduled for December 1944, the operation was delayed until February by the German [[Battle of the Bulge|Ardennes Offensive]].<ref>Bercuson, p. 258</ref> Plans were developed to breach three successive defensive lines: the outpost screen; a formidable section of the [[Siegfried Line]] running through the [[Hochwald Forest]]; and finally the Hochwald Layback covering the approach to the ultimate objective of [[Xanten]].<ref name="Zuehlke171"/> The first phase began on 8{{nbsp}}February 1945, with the 2nd Division's advance following up one of the largest artillery barrages seen on the Western Front.<ref name="JunoBeachVictory"/> The Germans had prepared significant defences in depth, both within the outpost screen and the Siegfried Line itself,<ref name="JunoBeachVictory"/> and to add to the Canadians' difficulties, constant rain and cold weather obscured the battlefield. However, by the end of the first day, the 2nd Division had captured their objectives—the fortified towns of [[Wyler, North Rhine-Westphalia|Wyler]] and [[Den Heuvel]].<ref name="Bercuson263">Bercuson, p. 263</ref> On 11{{nbsp}}February, the division moved southeast to assist [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|British XXX Corps]] in their assault on Moyland Wood.<ref name="Bercuson263"/>

As Canadian forces had incurred heavy casualties in clearing a path to the Rhine, the 2nd Division was excluded from the massive crossing operation that took place on 23{{nbsp}}March 1945, instead crossing unopposed a week later after a bridgehead had been secured.<ref>Bercuson, p. 267</ref> After a brief detour through German territory, the First Canadian Army—now unified with the arrival of [[I Canadian Corps]] from [[Italian campaign (World War II)|the Italian Front]]—prepared to assault German positions in the Netherlands. The 2nd Division moved northwards towards [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]].<ref>Copp, p. 196</ref> In the nine days preceding their attack, German resistance had been light and uncoordinated,<ref>Copp, p. 197</ref> but opposition stiffened as the assault progressed, leading to heavy losses among the battalions of the 5th Brigade.<ref>Copp, p. 200</ref> By 13{{nbsp}}April, the division had been shifted eastward to guard the flanks of a British assault on [[Bremen]],<ref>Copp, p. 202</ref> and the following day I{{nbsp}}Canadian Corps [[Liberation of Arnhem|liberated Arnhem]]. On 2{{nbsp}}May, the 2nd Division took [[Oldenburg (city)|Oldenburg]], solidifying Canadian positions throughout the Netherlands.<ref>Zuehlke, p. 173</ref> German and Canadian forces declared a ceasefire on 5{{nbsp}}May,<ref name="Copp205">Copp, p. 205</ref> and all fighting came to an end with the [[Victory in Europe Day|surrender of German forces in Western Europe]] on 7{{nbsp}}May 1945.<ref name="Zuehlke172"/> In October 1945, after four months in the Netherlands, General Order 52/46 officially disbanded the headquarters of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.<ref name="Copp205"/> By December, the entirety of the division had been stood down and returned to Canada.<ref>Copp, p. 206</ref> The division suffered heavy casualties through 1944 and 1945; according to Bercuson it had the "highest casualty ratio in the Canadian Army – from the time it returned to combat in early July 1944 until the end of the war".<ref>Bercuson p. 74.</ref>

* {{cite book |last=Stacey |first=C. P. |year=1964 |series=Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War |volume=III |title=The Victory Campaign |publisher=Queen's Printer |location=Ottawa |oclc=874034911 |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=29 |access-date=15 December 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714064359/http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=29 |url-status=dead }}

* {{cite book |last=Stacey |first=C. P. |year=1955 |series=Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War |volume=I |title=Six Years of War |publisher=Queen's Printer |location=Ottawa |oclc=317692673 |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=27 |access-date=15 December 2014 |archive-date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401004200/http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=27 |url-status=dead }}

* {{cite book |last=Stacey |first=C.P. |year=1948 |title=The Canadian Army 1939–1945: An Official Historical Summary |series=Official History of the Canadian Army |publisher=King's Printer |location=Ottawa |oclc=2144853 |url= http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/CA/OpSumm/index.html }}