3rd Canadian Infantry Division
1944 - 1945 History
The formation of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division was authorized during the Second World War on 17 May 1940. There was then a considerable delay until the brigade and divisional headquarters were formed on 5 September, and the first divisional commander was appointed on 26 October.
While the division's components were forming, The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa was detached and transferred to Iceland as part of Z Force. The battalion spent the winter of 1940–41 there, then moved to the United Kingdom. The division's 8th and 9th Canadian Infantry Brigades began embarking as early as 1 July 1941 and arrived in the United Kingdom at the end of that month. The 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade embarked in August and arrived at the beginning of September. After its arrival, the division spent three uneventful years in garrison and training duties prior to the assault landing on Juno Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944, as part of the British Second Army, later joining the newly formed First Canadian Army. Battle honours include Caen, Falaise, clearing the Channel ports, the Breskens pocket, and the final offensives of 1945. During the Battle of the Scheldt, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had the nickname of "Water Rats" bestowed upon them by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, commanding 21st Army Group, in recognition of the poor conditions of terrain through which they fought, first in the Normandy landings, and then in the flooded Breskens Pocket.
Bridge over the Orne River
Juno Beach, D Day
Juno Beach was 5 miles (8.0 km) wide and stretched on either side of Courseulles-sur-Mer. It lay between Sword and Gold beaches which were the responsibility of British Army forces.
The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, with the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade under command, landed in two brigade groups, the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade and the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade. Each brigade had three infantry battalions and an armoured regiment in support, two artillery field regiments, combat engineer companies and specialist units of the British 79th Armoured Division. The 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse) tanks supported the 7th Brigade landing on the left and the 6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars) tanks supported the landing on the right.
The 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade was kept in reserve and landed later that day and advanced through the lead brigades. The 27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment) provided tank support.
The initial assault was carried out by:
North Shore Regiment on the left at St. Aubin (Nan Red beach)
Queen's Own Rifles in the centre at Bernières (Nan White beach)
Regina Rifles at Courseulles (Nan Green beach)
Royal Winnipeg Rifles on the western edge of Courseulles (Mike Red and Mike Green beaches)
Canadian air, land and sea forces suffered approximately 950 casualties on D-Day, the majority being soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Division.[6] By noon, the entire division was ashore and leading elements had pushed several kilometres inland to seize bridges over the Seulles. By 6:00 pm, they had captured the town of Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer. A 1st Hussars armoured troop reached its objective along with men of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada before nightfall, when both units moved 15 km inland and crossed the Caen-Bayeux highway.[7] However, this troop was forced to pull back because they had passed the supporting infantry. By the end of D-Day, the division had penetrated farther into France than any other Allied force, though counter-attacks by elements of two German armoured divisions prevented further major gains for four weeks.
None of the assault divisions, including 3rd Canadian Division, had managed to secure their D-Day objectives, which lay inland, although the Canadians came closer than any other Allied formation.[8] Indeed, The Queen's Own Rifles of the 8th Brigade were the only Allied battalion to capture their D-Day objective.[9]
By the end of the next day, the Canadian forces had linked up with the British forces that had landed at Sword Beach.
Commanders
Major General Rod Keller: 1942–1944
Major General Daniel Spry: 1944–1945
Major General Ralph Holley Keefler: 1945
Order of Battle 1944
Divisional Headquarters
The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (M.G.) (3rd Canadian Division Support Battalion)
7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars)
7th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
The Regina Rifle Regiment
1st Battalion, The Canadian Scottish Regiment
7th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
8th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
Le Régiment de la Chaudière
The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
8th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
9th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders
9th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
Royal Canadian Artillery
Headquarters, 3rd Divisional Artillery, RCA
12th Field Regiment
11th (Hamilton) Field Battery
16th Field Battery
43rd Field Battery
13th Field Regiment
22nd Field Battery
78th Field Battery
44th Field Battery
14th Field Regiment
34th Field Battery
66th Field Battery
81st Field Battery
3rd Anti-Tank Regiment
4th Anti-Tank Battery
52nd Anti-Tank Battery
94th Anti-Tank Battery
105th Anti-Tank Battery
4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
32nd (Kingston) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
69th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
100th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Headquarters RCE
3rd Field Park Company, RCE
6th Field Company, RCE
16th Field Company, RCE
18th Field Company, RCE
One bridge platoon
Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
3rd Infantry Divisional Signals, RCCS
Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
Headquarters RCASC
7th Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC
8th Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC
9th Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC
3rd Infantry Divisional Troops Company, RCASC
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
No. 14 Field Ambulance, RCAMC
No. 22 Field Ambulance, RCAMC
No. 23 Field Ambulance, RCAMC
3rd Division Field Hygiene Section, RCAMC
two Field Dressing Stations
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
No. 3 Infantry Division Ordnance Field Park, RCOC
Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Headquarters RCEME
7th Infantry Brigade Workshop, RCEME
8th Infantry Brigade Workshop, RCEME
9th Infantry Brigade Workshop, RCEME
One LAA workshop
Eleven light aid detachments.
Battles
Faubourg de Vaucelles
The Hochwald
The Rhine
Emmerich – Hoch Elten
Deventer
Equipment
Bren Gun MG
Sten SMG
Vickers MG
2" Mortar
3" Mortar
6-pounder anti-tank gun
17-pounder anti-tank gun
M7 Priest Self Propelled Artillery