The
Evolution Of WWII Canadian Armoured Formations
August 1940
Creation Of The Canadian Armoured
Corps
Formation of the 1st Armoured Brigade consisting of:
- 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort
Garry Horse)
- 11th Army Tank Battalion (The
Ontario Regiment (Tank))
- 12th Army Tank Battalion (The Three
Rivers Regiment (Tank))
- First Canadian Cavalry Regiment
(Attached), consisting of squadrons from the 1st Hussars,
Lord Strathcona Horse and the Royal Canadian Dragoons.
March 1941
Conversion of 1st Armoured Brigade to 1st Army Tank Brigade consisting of:
- 11th Army Tank Battalion (The
Ontario Regiment (Tank))
- 12th Army Tank Battalion (The Three
Rivers Regiment (Tank))
- 14th Army Tank Battalion (The
Calgary Regiment (Tank))
June 1941
Formation of 1st Canadian Armoured
Division later renumbered as the:
5th Canadian Armoured Division which was made up by:
- 1st Armoured Car Regiment (Royal
Canadian Dragoons)
1st Armoured Brigade
- 2nd Armoured Regiment (Lord
Strathcona Horse (Royal Canadians))
- 6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)
- 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort
Garry Horse)
2nd Armoured Brigade
- 3rd Armoured Regiment (The Governor
General's Horse Guards)
- 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Princess
Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars)
- 9th Armoured Regiment (The British
Columbia Dragoons)
Headquarters squadrons for divisional
and the armoured brigade headquarters were created from the 6th
Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars (Armoured Car), the
Prince Edward Island Light Horse and the 7/11th Hussars.
January 1942
4th Infantry Division (originally
authorized 27 May 1940) converted to:
4th Canadian Armoured Division
consisting of:
- 18th (Manitoba) Armoured Car
Regiment
3rd Armoured Brigade
- 25th Armoured regiment (The Elgin
Regiment)
- 28th Armoured Regiment (The British
Columbia Regiment)
- 29th Armoured Regiment (The South
Alberta Regiment)
4th Armoured Brigade
- 21st Armoured Regiment (The
Governor General's Foot Guards)
- 22nd Armoured Regiment (The
Canadian Grenadier Guards)
- 27th Armoured Regiment (The
Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment)
2nd Army Tank Brigade
- 23rd Army Tank Battalion (The
Halifax Rifles)
- 24th Army Tank Battalion (Les
Voltigeurs de Quebec)
- 26th Army Tank Battalion (The Grey
and Simcoe Foresters)
January 1943
Following the British example,
Canadian armoured formations underwent major re-organization
during the early months of 1943. This resulted in the
Establishments that would see action in the Mediterranean and
North-West Europe campaigns.
First Canadian Army Troops
- 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment
(The Elgin Regiment)
I Corps Troops
- 1st Armoured Car Regiment (Royal
Canadian Dragoons)
II Corps Troops
- 18th Armoured Car Regiment (12th
Manitoba Dragoons)
1st Canadian Armoured
Brigade,(formerly 1st Army Tank Brigade)
- 11th Armoured Regiment (The Ontario
Regiment)
- 12th Armoured Regiment (The Three
Rivers Regiment)
- 14th Armoured Regiment (The Calgary
Regiment)
2nd Canadian Armoured
Brigade,(formerly 2nd Army Tank Brigade)
- 6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)
- 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort
Garry Horse)
- 27th Armoured Regiment (The
Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment)
4th Canadian Armoured Division
- 29th Armoured Reconnaissance
Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment)
4th Armoured Brigade
- 21st Armoured Regiment (The
Governor General's Foot Guards)
- 22nd Armoured Regiment (The
Canadian Grenadier Guards)
- 28th Armoured Regiment (The British
Columbia Regiment)
5th Canadian Armoured Division
- 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance
Regiment (The Governor General's Horse Guards)
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)
3rd Army
Tank Brigade (created
in January 1943: disbanded in November 1943)
- 20th Army Tank Regiment
(16/22 Saskatchewan Horse)
- 23rd Army Tank Regiment
(The Halifax Rifles)
- 26th Army Tank Regiment
(The Grey and Simcoe Foresters)
See also:
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© Chris Johnson, 1997