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{{Short description|Infantry division of the Canadian Army (1939–45)}}
{{For|the full history of the division|2nd Canadian Division}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
|image=
|caption= Forces of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, move towards South Beveland during the Battle of the Scheldt, October 1944
|dates= 1939–1945
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|role=
|size=[[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure={{plainlist|
* [[I Canadian Corps]] (1942–1944)
* [[II Canadian Corps]] (1944–1945)
}}
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
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|march=
|mascot=
|battles= [[World War II]]
* [[Dieppe Raid]]
* [[Operation Atlantic|Caen]]
* [[Battle of Verrières Ridge|Verrières Ridge]]
* [[Operation Totalize|Cintheaux]]
* [[Operation Tractable|Falaise]]
* [[Battle of the Scheldt|The Scheldt]]
* [[Rhineland#The 1945 military campaign|The Rhineland]]
* [[Battle of Groningen]]
|notable_commanders= [[John Hamilton Roberts|John Roberts]]<br />[[Charles Foulkes (Canadian Army general)|Charles Foulkes]]<br />[[Bruce Matthews (general)|Bruce Matthews]]
|identification_symbol=[[Image:
|identification_symbol_label=[[Formation patch]]
|anniversaries=
}}
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
Having performed well in training exercises during 1941 and early 1942, elements of the 2nd Division were selected as the main force for [[Dieppe Raid|Operation Jubilee]], a large-scale [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious raid]] on the port of Dieppe in German-occupied France. On 19{{nbsp}}August 1942, with air and naval gunfire support, the division's [[4th Canadian Infantry Brigade|4th]] and [[6th Canadian Infantry Brigade|6th Infantry Brigade]]s assaulted Dieppe's beaches. The Germans were well prepared and, despite being reinforced, the Canadians sustained heavy losses and had to be evacuated, with fewer than half their number returning to the United Kingdom.
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.
==Formation, garrison duties and organization (1939–1940)==
{{command structure
|name =
|date =
|subordinate =
**[[The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)|The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry]] ▼
: [[Royal Regiment of Canada]]
:
**[[Le Régiment de Maisonneuve]] ▼
*[[6th Canadian Infantry Brigade]]▼
:
**[[The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada|The Cameron Highlanders of Canada]] ▼
**[[The South Saskatchewan Regiment]] ▼
** [[The Winnipeg Grenadiers]] (machine gun) ▼
}}
At the start of the Second World War, the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) was initially composed of two [[Division (military)|divisions]]; the [[1st Canadian Division|1st]] and 2nd Canadian Infantry Divisions, both raised on 1{{nbsp}}September 1939.<ref>Bercuson, p. 27</ref> The fighting power of this force lay in its constituent infantry brigades, of which each division had three. These were in turn composed of three [[rifle]] and one [[machine gun]] [[battalion]], with additional divisional [[artillery]] and [[Military engineer|engineer]] units in support.<ref name="Bercuson279">Bercuson, p. 279</ref>
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>
It was over a year before the 2nd Division came together as a cohesive unit and, during the interim period between formation and arrival in the United Kingdom, many changes to its organization were made. The first brigade concentrations took place in May and June 1940, until which time all units had trained in their own garrisons. The 4th Brigade assembled at [[Camp Borden]] in Ontario, the 5th at [[Valcartier|Valcartier Camp]] in Quebec, and the 6th at [[CFB Shilo|Camp Shilo]] in [[Manitoba]].<ref name="Bercuson29">Bercuson, p. 29</ref> The divisional artillery was concentrated at artillery training centres at [[CFB Petawawa|Camp Petawawa]] in Ontario, and at Shilo.<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 39</ref><ref>Byers pp. xvii & 81</ref>
The 2nd Division's structure was altered in early 1940, reducing its number of machine-gun battalions from three to one.<ref>Copp, p. 20</ref> The Camerons and the Chaudières (now a rifle battalion) were reassigned to the newly mobilized [[3rd Canadian Infantry Division]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.army.dnd.ca/rdechaud/qg-hq/historique-history-eng.aspx?action=view&id=historique-history |
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>
As a result, most of the 2nd Division's units were sent to the United Kingdom in August 1940, although the Iceland garrison remained in place until 31{{nbsp}}October.<ref name="Bercuson29"/> The absence of the ''Mont Royal''s allowed Odlum to reassign the Calgary Highlanders to the 5th Brigade in September, in an attempt to ethnically mix the brigades of the division.<ref>Copp, p. 19</ref> By late December 1940, the 2nd Canadian Division was joined with the 1st to form the [[I Canadian Corps|Canadian Corps]] (later renamed to I Canadian Corps).<ref>Canadian Army Historical Section, p. 34</ref>
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==Training in the United Kingdom (1941)==
[[File:Sergeant H.A. Marshall of the Sniper Section, The Calgary Highlanders.jpg|thumb|right|Sgt. [[Harold Marshall (sniper)|Harold Marshall]] of the Calgary Highlanders' Sniper Platoon]]
In 1941, the [[Toronto Scottish Regiment]] was transferred from the 1st Division to become the machine-gun battalion of the 2nd Division.<ref>Copp, p. 12</ref> Around the same time, the [[8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars)]] was raised from 2nd Division personnel supplemented by reinforcements from Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.saskd.ca/27Light.htm|title= 14th Canadian Hussars|
When the division was not engaged in coastal-defence duties or unit training, formation-level training took the form of increasingly larger exercises. Exercise Waterloo, conducted from
On 23{{nbsp}}December 1941, Major
==Operation Jubilee (1942)==
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==Rebuilding (1942–1944)==
{{command structure
|name =
|date = 1944
|subordinate =
: [[The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)| :
▲**[[Le Régiment de Maisonneuve]]
▲**[[The Calgary Highlanders]]
:
▲**[[The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada|The Cameron Highlanders of Canada]]
: [[The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada|Cameron Highlanders]]
**[[The South Saskatchewan Regiment]]▼
▲*6th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon
*Support units▼
:
**[[8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars)]]▼
: 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment
: 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
: 2nd Divisional Medical Corps Troops
**No. 2 Provost Company▼
: 2nd Divisional Ordnance Field Park
}}
Throughout 1943, the 2nd Division focused on rebuilding its ranks, having lost close to half its strength at Dieppe. In April 1943, Major
==Battle of Normandy==
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On 22{{nbsp}}July 1944, Montgomery elected to use the Anglo-Canadian forces south of Caen in an all-out offensive aimed at breaking the German defensive cordon keeping his forces bottled up in Normandy.<ref name="Bercuson224">Bercuson, p. 224</ref> To meet Montgomery's objectives, General Simonds was ordered to design a large breakout assault, codenamed [[Operation Spring]].<ref>Copp, p. 63</ref> The attack was planned in three tightly timed phases of advance, pitting two Canadian and two British divisions against three German SS-Panzer divisions, which would be launched in conjunction with an American offensive, [[Operation Cobra]], scheduled to take place on 25{{nbsp}}July 1944.<ref>Stacey 1964, pp. 180 & 183</ref>
The 4th Brigade attacked in the east with some success, taking Verrières village itself, but were repulsed at [[Tilly-la-Campagne]] by German counterattacks.<ref name="Bercuson224"/> The 5th Brigade, in the centre, made a bid for [[Fontenay-le-Marmion]]; of the 325 members of the [[Black Watch of Canada|Black Watch]] who left the start-lines, only 15 answered evening roll-call.<ref name="Bercuson224"/> German counterattacks on 26 and 27{{nbsp}}July pushed Canadian forces back to Point 67.<ref>Copp, p. 87</ref> However, the situation eventually eased for the 2nd Canadian Division when US forces went on the offensive. Throughout the first week of August, significant German resources were transferred from the Anglo-Canadian front to that of the [[United States Army Central|U.S. Third Army]], under [[Lieutenant
===Operation Totalize===
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===Operation Tractable===
On 14{{nbsp}}August, the First Canadian Army launched [[Operation Tractable]] with the aim of capturing Falaise and achieving a linkup with American forces in Chambois.<ref>D'Este, p. 429</ref>
Shortly afterwards, the 2nd Division moved to Foret de la Londe, along the valley of the [[River Seine]]. From 27{{nbsp}}to 29{{nbsp}}August, the 4th and 6th Brigades were engaged in heavy fighting against the rearguard of German forces seeking to withdraw across the Seine.<ref name="Zuehlke, p. 169"/>
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Throughout September and October 1944, the First Canadian Army moved along the coast of France with the aim of securing the [[Channel Ports]]. On 1{{nbsp}}September, while the 3rd Division made for Boulogne and Calais, the 2nd Division entered Dieppe, encountering virtually no resistance.<ref name="Bercuson234">Bercuson, p. 234</ref> Five days later they were tasked by Montgomery and Crerar with retaking Dunkirk.<ref name="Copp123">Copp, p. 123</ref> Heavy fighting around the outskirts would hold the division for several days but, by 9{{nbsp}}September, the 5th Brigade had captured the port.<ref name="Copp127">Copp, p. 127</ref> The Dunkirk perimeter was handed over to the British on 15{{nbsp}}September, and the 2nd Division made for [[Antwerp]].<ref name="Copp127"/>
Although the [[Witte Brigade|Belgian White Brigade]], the 11th Armoured Division, and elements of the [[3rd Division (United Kingdom)|British 3rd Infantry Division]] had entered Antwerp as early as
During the initial phases of the battle, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division sought to force a crossing of the Albert Canal.<ref>Bercuson, p. 235</ref> On 2{{nbsp}}October, the entire First Canadian Army—under the temporary command of General Simonds—moved against the German defences. Two days later, 2nd Division had cleared the canal, and was moving northwest towards South Beveland and Walcheren Island.<ref name="Zuehlke170">Zuehlke, p. 170</ref>
==Battles for the Rhine (November 1944 – March 1945)==
By November 1944, the First Canadian Army had entered the [[Nijmegen|Nijmegen Salient]] which was being held for use in the development of future offensives.<ref name="Bercuson255">Bercuson, p. 255</ref> The 2nd Division came under the command of Major
[[File:The Campaign in North-west Europe 1944-45 B14681.jpg|thumb|right|[[M4 Sherman|Sherman tanks]] of the [[10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse)]] with infantry of the [[Royal Regiment of Canada]] massing in preparation for the assault on Goch, 17 February 1945]]
[[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
The operational plan's second phase called for the 2nd and 3rd Divisions to take the Hochwald Forest. Following its capture, the 4th Canadian Armoured would sweep through the Hochwald Gap towards [[Wesel]],<ref>Bercuson, p. 265</ref> followed by the 2nd Division "leap-frogging" towards Xanten. [[Operation Blockbuster]] was scheduled for 27{{nbsp}}February, but despite initial gains, stubborn German resistance prolonged the battle for six days.<ref name="JunoBeachVictory"/><ref name="Zuehlke171">Zuehlke, p. 171</ref> It was not until 3{{nbsp}}March that the forest was cleared—during the intense close-quarter fighting, Major [[Frederick Albert Tilston|Frederick Tilston]] of the Essex Scottish Regiment won a [[Victoria Cross]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history/secondwar/citations/tilston |title=Major Frederick Tilston, Victoria Cross |
Operation Blockbuster's final phase was the attack on Xanten itself, which lasted from 8{{nbsp}}to 10{{nbsp}}March.<ref name="Zuehlke172">Zuehlke, p. 172</ref>
==North of the Rhine (March–May 1945)==
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{{See also|Battle of Groningen}}
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
==Commanding officers==
The following officers commanded the division:<ref name=Stacey542/>
* Major
* Major
* Major
* Major
* Major
* Major
* Major
==See also==
* [[Canadian Armed Forces]]▼
*[[Military history of Canada during World War II]]▼
* [[Military history of Canada]]
▲* [[Military history of Canada during World War II]]
▲*[[Canadian Armed Forces]]
==Notes==
{{Reflist
==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Bercuson |first=David Jay |
* {{cite book |last=Berton |first=Pierre |year=2001 |title=Marching As to War: Canada's Turbulent Years, 1899–1953 |location=Toronto |publisher=Anchor Canada |isbn=0-385-25819-4 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/marchingastowarc0000bert }}
* {{cite book |last=Byers |first=Daniel |title=Zombie Army: The Canadian Army and Conscription in the Second World War |year=2016 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Toronto |isbn=978-077483-054-6 }}
* {{cite book |author=Canadian Army Historical Section |year=1945 |title=The Canadians in Britain, 1939–1944 |series=Canadian Army at War |location=Ottawa |publisher=King's Printer |oclc=61602259}}
* {{cite book |last=Chartrand |first=Rene |title=The Canadian Corps in World War I |year=2012 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-78200-906-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Copp |first=Terry |
* {{cite book |last=D'Este |first=Carlo |year=1983 |title=Decision in Normandy |location=New York |publisher=E.P. Dutton |isbn=978-0-52524-218-5}}
* {{cite book |last=English |first=John |title=The Canadian Army & Normandy Campaign |year=2009 |publisher=Stackpole Books |location=Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania |isbn=978-1-46175-185-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Hart |first=Stephen A. |title=Operation Totalize 1944 |year=2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=978-147281-288-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Rottman |first=Gordon |title=Victory 1945: Western Allied Troops in Northwest Europe |year=2015 |series=Elite # 209 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-47280-949-0}}
* {{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
* {{cite book| first=Simon|last=Trew
* {{cite book |last1=Willmott |first1=H.P. |last2=Keegan |first2=John |
* {{cite book |last1=Zuehlke |first1=Mark |last2=Daniel |first2=C. Stuart |year=2001 |title=The Canadian Military Atlas: The Nation's Battlefields from the French and Indian Wars to Kosovo |edition=Illustrated |location=Toronto |publisher=Stoddart |isbn=0-7737-3289-6}}
{{refend}}
==Further reading==
{{Infantry Division of Canada}}▼
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | last =Hayes | first =Geoffrey | title =Crerar's Lieutenants | publisher =UBC Press | year =2017 | location =Vancouver, BC Canada | url =http://www.ubcpress.ca| isbn =978-0-7748-3484-1}}
{{refend}}
▲{{Infantry Division of Canada}}
▲{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian Infantry Division 2}}
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