Canadian Armoured Regiments, WWII
At Cessation Of Hostilities
In North-West Europe, 08 May 1945

In Canada there are currently two schools of thought on Arm of Service markings on Canadian armour in the post 1943 period of World War II. Barry Beldam, a respected Canadian armour authority in his own right, maintains that the coloured square was green over blue with white numbers for armoured regiments of armoured divisions, mirroring that used by armoured reconnaissance regiments. Another group of enthusiasts maintain that Canadian units followed the British pattern and used red squares with white numbers.

Mr. Beldam has based his position on photo interpretation he has done over the years in addition to interviews with some thirty veterans of these units who have unanimously stated that the markings were green over blue. Those who disagree with him base their beliefs on archive documents, assuming that what was used in the field would reflect administrative orders of the period.

Where do I stand in all of this? To be frank; I really don't know for sure. Mr. Beldam and those who disagree with him are far more accomplished in this field than I. I take no side in this debate, preferring to await definative proof to put this issue 'to bed' once and for all. I have shown the squares as red in colour simply to reflect the 'administrative orders' of the period. No more and no less.

I welcome any information, specifically photographs, that will settle this debate once and for all.

1st Canadian Army Troops

• 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment)
• 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment

1st Canadian Corps Troops

• 1st Armoured Car Regiment (The Royal Canadian Dragoons)

2nd Canadian Corps Troops

• 18th Armoured Car Regiment (12th Manitoba Dragoons)

1st Canadian Armoured Brigade

• 11th Armoured Regiment (The Ontario Regiment)
• 12th Armoured Regiment (The Three Rivers Regiment)
• 14th Armoured Regiment (The Calgary Regiment)

2nd Canadian Armoured 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)

1st Canadian Infantry Division

• 4th Reconnaissance Regiment (4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards)

2nd Canadian Infantry Division

• 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars)

3rd Canadian Infantry Division

• 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars)

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© Chris Johnson, 1997