Atlantic Command was a formation of the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...

created during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

to strengthen and administer home defence facilities on Canada's Atlantic Coast. A second major function was to train reinforcements to be sent to the Canadian divisions in Europe. Most of those soldiers received and trained with their personal weapons in Camp Debert before being transported by train to Halifax where they embarked on

troop ships A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop ...

that took them to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

. Atlantic Command combined the pre-war Military District No. 6 (

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...

and

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

) with Military District No. 7 (

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

) and Military District No. 5 (the eastern part of the Province of

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

bordering the

Gulf of Saint Lawrence , image = Baie de la Tour.jpg , alt = , caption = Gulf of St. Lawrence from Anticosti National Park, Quebec , image_bathymetry = Golfe Saint-Laurent Depths fr.svg , alt_bathymetry = Bathymetry ...

). Extending the existing military cooperation among Canada, the

Dominion of Newfoundland Newfoundland was a British dominion in eastern North America, today the modern Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was established on 26 September 1907, and confirmed by the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and the Statute of Westmi ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, Atlantic Command also controlled Canadian personnel stationed in Newfoundland.

Composition

*Halifax Fortress ** 1st (Halifax) Coast Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) **21st Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA ** Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment **2nd Battalion, Black Watch (R.H.R.) of Canada (attached from 7th Cdn Inf Div) * Saint John Defences ** 3rd (New Brunswick) Coast Regiment, RCA **22nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA ** Le Régiment de Chateauguay (Militia) **

Prince Edward Island Highlanders The Prince Edward Island Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. In 1946, the regiment was amalgamated with The Prince Edward Island Light Horse to form The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC). Lineage The Prince Edward Isl ...

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

and

Canso The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) is a representative body of companies that provide air traffic control. It represents the interests of Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs). CANSO members are responsible for supporting ov ...

Defences **16th Coast Regiment, RCA **23rd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA ** Les Fusiliers du St. Laurent (less two companies) ** 2nd/10th Dragoons C.I.C (attached from 7th Cdn Inf Div) * Shelburne Defences **104th Coast Battery, RCA **One company of Les Fusiliers du St. Laurent * Gaspé Defences **105th Coast Battery, RCA **One company of Les Fusiliers du St. Laurent * Goose Bay Defences **108th Coast Battery, RCA **

New Brunswick Rangers The New Brunswick Rangers was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). In 1946, the regiment was amalgamated with The Saint John Fusiliers to form The South New Brunswick Regiment wh ...

*Newfoundland (based in St. John's) **25th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA **26th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA **103rd Coast Battery, RCA **106th Coast Battery, RCA ** Le Régiment de Joliette **

Pictou Highlanders The Pictou Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army from 1871 until it was amalgamated into the Nova Scotia Highlanders in 1954. Lineage Founded in 1871 as the ''Colchester and Hants Provisional Battalion of Infantry'' it went thr ...

** Lincoln and Welland Regiment (until May 1943) ** Le Régiment de St. Hyacinthe (from May 1943) *

7th Canadian Infantry Division The 7th Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army, mobilized in the spring of 1942 and assigned for home defence within Atlantic Command, during World War II. At the time it was assumed it would consist of volunte ...

, Mar. 1942 - Oct. 1943 **Divisional troops based at Camp Debert, Nova Scotia **15th Infantry Brigade (based at Camp Debert) **17th Infantry Brigade (based at

Camp Sussex The Sussex Military Camp, frequently shortened to Camp Sussex, was a training facility for the Permanent Active Militia and Non-Permanent Active Militia, later known as the Canadian Army. It was located on the southeastern edge of the town of S ...

, New Brunswick) **20th Infantry Brigade (based at Camp Debert)

Commanders

The following two generals served as General Officer Commanding in Chief Atlantic Command: * Major-General William Henry Pferinger Elkins, Aug. 1, 1940 to July 15, 1943 * Major-General L. F. Page, July 16, 1943, to Aug. 26, 1944

References

{{Reflist * Stacey, C.P. ''The Canadian Army 1939-1945'' (Queen's Printer, 1948) * Law, Clive M. ''Distinguishing Patches'' (

Service Publications Service Publications was established in 1995 by Clive M. Law (1954-2017), an author and historian as well as former officer of the Governor General's Foot Guards. The company is devoted to the publication of books and periodicals regarding Canadian ...

, Ottawa, 2002) Canadian World War II commands Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945

Composition

Commanders

See also

References