6th Canadian Infantry Brigade
| 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade | |
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2nd Canadian Infantry Division Formation Patch |
As part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division mobilization started on 1 September 1939, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. However, further expansion was hindered by a temporary halt in recruitment and uncertainty about overseas deployment. Consequently, divisional and brigade headquarters were not actually formed until May and June 1940.
Structure
6th Canadian Infantry Brigade – Prairie Provinces (1939–44)
- The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada – Winnipeg, Manitoba
- The South Saskatchewan Regiment – Estevan, Saskatchewan
- The Calgary Highlanders – Calgary, Alberta
- The Winnipeg Grenadiers (Machine Gun) – Winnipeg, Manitoba
- No. 5 Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots) (6 Feb 1941 – 20 May 1943)
6th Canadian Infantry Brigade (1944–45)
- Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal
- The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
- The South Saskatchewan Regiment
- 5 Canadian Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)
Dieppe, Operation Jubilee
Operation Jubilee was a large-scale raid on Dieppe, France in August 1942 carried out by the 4th and 6th Canadian Infantry Brigades,and support for British Commandos suffering extensive losses in the landing and the ensuing withdrawal.[1]
The objective was to seize and hold a major port for a short period, both to prove it was possible and to gather intelligence from prisoners and captured materials while assessing the German responses. The raid was also intended to use air power to draw the Luftwaffe into a large, planned encounter.
No major objectives of the raid were accomplished. 3,623 of the 6,086 men who made it ashore were either killed, wounded, or captured. The Allied air forces failed to lure the Luftwaffe into open battle, and lost 119 planes, while the Royal Navy suffered 555 casualties. The catastrophe at Dieppe later influenced Allied preparations for Operation Torch and Operation Overlord.
Because of heavy casualties most of the brigades regiments had to go through substiantial reconstruction throughout 1943 before seeing further action.[2]
Normandy
The Brigade did not participate in the D Day landings, but arrived in Normandy later that month and was involved in the operations to capture Caen.
After the breakout from Normandy, '6th Canadian Infantry Brigade and 2nd Canadian Infantry Division captured Dieppe. Then they were involved in operations to clear the Rhine approaches and then cross the river and engagements in the forest of the Reichswald, and the towns of Xanten and Groningen.
They ended the war in Hanover, Germany.
See also
References
- ↑ Robertson, Terence. The Shame and The Glory
- ↑ "2nd Canadian Infantry Division".