The 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade was an
infantry brigade of the
Canadian Army active during
World War I and
World War II. Raised in 1915, the brigade formed part of the
2nd Canadian Division
The 2nd Canadian Division (2 Cdn Div; french: 2e Division du Canada) is a formation of the Canadian Army in the province of Quebec, Canada. The present command was created 2013 when Land Force Quebec Area was re-designated. The main unit housed ...
and fought on the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to:
Military frontiers
*Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
between 1916 and 1918. The brigade was re-raised in 1939 for service during World War II and subsequently took part in actions at Dieppe in 1942 and then in north-west Europe during 1944 and 1945.
History
World War I
The formation of the 2nd Canadian Division began in May 1915 in
Britain following the arrival of a large contingent of soldiers from
Canada. The 2nd Division remained in Great Britain only a short time before embarking for
France in September 1915. Under the command of Major-General R.E.W. Turner, its members spent a long and bitterly cold winter in a
Belgian section of the front between
Ploegsteert Wood and
Saint-Eloi, south of
Ypres. The brigade's first major combat took place during the
actions of St Eloi Craters in March – April 1916. Infantry units as well as artillery units of the 2nd Canadian Division served in both France and
Flanders until
Armistice Day. It was disbanded by May 1919.
[
The 4th Brigade took part in the following battles:]Battle of Flers-Courcelette
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
*Battle of Thiepval
The Battle of Thiepval Ridge was the first large offensive of the Reserve Army (Lieutenant General Hubert Gough), during the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front during the First World War. The attack was intended to benefit from the Four ...
* Battle of Le Transloy
*Battle of the Ancre Heights
The Battle of the Ancre Heights (1 October – 11 November 1916), is the name given to the continuation of British attacks after the Battle of Thiepval Ridge from during the Battle of the Somme. The battle was conducted by the Reserve Army (re ...
;1917
* Vimy Ridge
* Hill 70
* PasschendaeleBattle of the Hindenburg Line
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
*Canal du Nord
The Canal du Nord (, literally ''Canal of the North'') is a long canal in northern France. The canal connects the Canal latéral à l'Oise at Pont-l'Évêque to the Sensée Canal at Arleux. The French government, in partnership with coal-min ...
* Pursuit to Mons
World War II
It was mobilized on 1 September 1939 part of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
The 2nd Canadian Division, an infantry division of the Canadian Army, was mobilized for war service on 1September 1939 at the outset of World War II. Adopting the designation of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, it was initially composed of vo ...
, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. However, further expansion of the Brigade was hindered by a temporary halt in recruitment and uncertainty about overseas deployment. Consequently, the brigade headquarters were not actually formed until May and June 1940. The 2nd Division conducted Operation Jubilee, a large-scale raid on Dieppe, France in August 1942 with the 4th and 6th Canadian Infantry Brigades, suffering extensive losses in the landing and the ensuing withdrawal.
Following reconstruction, the 4th Brigade, along with the rest of the 2nd Canadian Division, moved to Normandy in time to serve with the British 2nd Army
The British Second Army was a field army active during the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front throughout most of the war and later active in Italy. During the Second World War the army ...
. It then participated in the advance along the Channel
Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to:
Geography
* Channel (geography), in physical geography, a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water.
Australia
* Channel Country, region of outback Austral ...
coast with the Canadian 1st Army
The First Canadian Army (french: 1reArmée canadienne) was a field army and a formation of the Canadian Army in World War II in which most Canadian elements serving in North-West Europe were assigned. It served on the Western Front from July 194 ...
including the liberation of Dieppe. The division saw heavy action in the Netherlands in late 1944 and took part in the final offensives in 1945.
Organization
World War I
The 4th Canadian Brigade consisted of the following units during World War I:
World War II
In 1939, the 2nd Division was organized along regional lines, like the 1st Canadian Infantry Division
The 1st Canadian Division (French: ''1re Division du Canada'' ) is a joint operational command and control formation based at CFB Kingston, and falls under Canadian Joint Operations Command. It is a high-readiness unit, able to move on very short ...
. The initial order of battle for the 4th Infantry Brigade was as follows:[ Stacey, C.P. ''The Canadian Army 1939–1945'' (Queen's Printer, 1948)]
* The Royal Regiment of Canada – Toronto, Ontario
* The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) – Hamilton, Ontario
* The Essex Scottish Regiment – Windsor, Ontario
*The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa
The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment.
Regimental badge
The regimental badge is laid out as follows: within a wreath of thistles and maple leaves, the figure of St Andr ...
(Machine Gun) – Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Ontario
By 1944–45 the brigade consisted of:[
*1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Canada
*1st Battalion, The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
*1st Battalion, The Essex Scottish Regiment
*4th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon ( Lorne Scots)
]
Awards
Four members of the brigade received the Victoria Cross:
* Frederick Hobson of the 20th Battalion for actions on the Western Front in 1917.
* Wallace Algie
Wallace Lloyd Algie, (10 June 1891 – 11 October 1918) was a Canadian Expeditionary Force officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonweal ...
of the 20th Battalion for actions on the Western Front in 1918.
* Rev. John Weir Foote
John Weir Foote, (May 5, 1904 – May 2, 1988) was a Canadian military chaplain and politician. He received the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Dieppe Raid in 1942. Foote is the only Canadian chaplain to be awarded the Victoria C ...
, VC, CD (5 May 1904 – 2 May 1988 ), Regimental Chaplain to The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) for work with the wounded at the Dieppe Raid.
* Frederick Albert Tilston
Frederick Albert Tilston VC (June 11, 1906 – September 23, 1992) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth f ...
acting major in The Essex Scottish Regiment. During the Battle of the Rhineland, he volunteered to lead an infantry company in an attack on the Hochwald. After leading "C" Company in a 500-yard attack and wounded, he refused to be evacuated while he organized a defence against German counter-attacks.
See also
*Military history of Canada during the Second World War
The history of Canada during World War II begins with the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. While the Canadian Armed Forces were eventually active in nearly every theatre of war, most combat was centred in Italy, Northwestern Europ ...
* Military history of Canada
* Canadian Forces
References
Further reading
*
External links
CalgaryHighlanders.comcanadiansoldiers.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:4 Infantry Brigade
Infantry brigades of the Canadian Army
Military units and formations established in 1915
1915 establishments in Canada
Canadian World War II brigades
Canadian World War I brigades