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I Canadian Corps was one of the two
corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...
fielded by 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 res ...
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 opposi ...
.


History

From December 24, 1940, until the formation of the First Canadian Army in April 1942, there was a single unnumbered Canadian Corps. I Canadian Corps became operational in Italy in November 1943 when the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division joined 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 ...
, which had been assigned to the British Eighth Army immediately prior to the
Allied invasion of Sicily The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers ( Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). It b ...
in July 1943. I Canadian Corps was commanded successively by Lieutenant-General
Harry Crerar General Henry Duncan Graham Crerar (28 April 1888 – 1 April 1965) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army who became the country's senior field commander in the Second World War as commander of the First Canadian Army in the campaign in N ...
(April 6, 1942, to March 19, 1944), Lieutenant-General Eedson Burns (March 20 to November 5, 1944), and Lieutenant-General Charles Foulkes (November 10, 1944, to July 17, 1945). However, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division took part in the Italian Campaign, participating in the
Moro River Campaign The Moro River Campaign was an important battle of the Italian Campaign during the Second World War, fought between elements of the British Eighth Army and LXXVI Panzer Corps (''LXXVI Panzerkorps'') of the German 10th Army (''10. Armee''). Las ...
and the Battle of Ortona in December 1943 as part of British V Corps and it was not until the fourth Battle of Monte Cassino (''Operation Diadem'') in May 1944 that I Canadian Corps fought its first battle as a corps. The Eighth Army held the corps in reserve until after the Gustav defences in the Liri valley had been broken and then brought it forward to assault successfully the next defensive line, the Hitler Line, shortly before the Allied capture of
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
in early June. Having taken part in the Allies' northward advance to Florence, the corps then took part in ''Operation Olive'', the assault on the Gothic Line, in September 1944 before being transported during January–February 1945 in Operation Goldflake to rejoin the rest of the First Canadian Army in
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. There the corps participated in the campaign to complete the liberation of the Netherlands. On May 6, 1945, at Wageningen, Lieutenant-General Foulkes received the final
surrender Surrender may refer to: * Surrender (law), the early relinquishment of a tenancy * Surrender (military), the relinquishment of territory, combatants, facilities, or armaments to another power Film and television * ''Surrender'' (1927 film), an ...
by Colonel General Johannes Blaskowitz of all remaining German forces still active in the Netherlands. The corps was deactivated on July 17, 1945, as part of general demobilization. Although nominally a Canadian formation, I Canadian Corps contained significant elements at different times from other Allied countries. For example, in Italy, during the assault on the Gothic Line in the Fall of 1944, the corps included the British 4th Infantry Division, the 2nd New Zealand Division and the
3rd Greek Mountain Brigade The 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade ( el, 3η Ελληνική Ορεινή Ταξιαρχία, ''Triti Elliniki Οrini Τaxiarkhia'', ΙΙΙ Ε.Ο.Τ.) was a unit of mountain infantry formed by the Greek government in exile in Egypt during World War I ...
. During the final campaign to liberate the Netherlands, the corps included for a time the British 49th Infantry Division.


21st century

In 2015, personnel of the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre, headquartered at
CFB Kingston Canadian Forces Base Kingston (also CFB Kingston) is a Canadian Forces Base operated by the Canadian Army located in Kingston, Ontario. History The Barriefield Military Camp, commonly called Camp Barriefield, was established as a military ba ...
, began wearing the formation patch of I Canadian Corps on their ceremonial and service dress uniforms.


Major operations

*Operation Timberwolf, December 1943 *Operation Morning Glory, December 1943 * Operation Diadem, Liri Valley Offensive, May 1944 *
Operation Olive The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...
, assault on the Gothic Line, September 1944 * Operation Goldflake, transport from Italy to the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, February–March 1945 *Operation Destroyer, advance from Nijmegen to
Arnhem Arnhem ( or ; german: Arnheim; South Guelderish: ''Èrnem'') is a city and municipality situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands about 55 km south east of Utrecht. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland, located on both ban ...
, April 1945 *Advance to
Harderwijk Harderwijk (; Dutch Low Saxon: ) is a municipality and city of the Netherlands. It is served by the Harderwijk railway station. Its population centres are Harderwijk and Hierden. Harderwijk is on the western boundary of the Veluwe. The south ...
on the coast of the IJsselmeer, April 1945 *Liberation of the Netherlands, March–May 1945 *Lieutenant-General Foulkes receives the surrender of all German forces in the Netherlands, May 5, 1945 *Security duties, delivery of relief supplies and infrastructure repair projects in the Netherlands, May–July, 1945


Order of Battle in Italy, 1944-45

*
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 ...
* 5th Canadian Armoured Division *
1st Canadian Armoured Brigade The 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade, later known as 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, was an armoured brigade of the Canadian Army, raised during the Second World War. The brigade was composed of the 11th, 12th and 14th Canadian Armoured regiments ...
*Corps Troops **I Corps Defence Company,
Lorne Scots The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of the 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Organization The sub-units of the Lorne Scots are situated ...
**
1st Armoured Car Regiment (Royal Canadian Dragoons) First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
**7th Anti-Tank Regiment,
Royal Canadian Artillery , colors = The guns of the RCA themselves , colors_label = Colours , march = * Slow march: "Royal Artillery Slow March" * Quick march (dismounted parades): "British Grenadiers/ The ...
(RCA) **1st Survey Regiment, RCA **9th Field Park Company, Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE) **12th Field Company, RCE **13th Field Company, RCE **14th Field Company, RCE **1st Drilling Company, RCE **I Canadian Corps Headquarters Signals,
Royal Canadian Corps of Signals The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (RCCS or RC Sigs; french: links=no, Corps des transmissions royal du Canada, CTRC) is a component within the Canadian Armed Forces' Communications and Electronics Branch, consisting of all members of that perso ...
**No. 31 Corps Troops Company,
Royal Canadian Army Service Corps The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) was an administrative and transport corps of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Army Service Corps was established in the Non-Permanent Active Militia in 1901 and in the Permanent Active Militia in 1903. ...
(RCASC) **No. 32 Corps Troops Company, RCASC **I Canadian Corps Transport Company, RCASC **No. 1 Motor Ambulance Company, RCASC **No. 1 Headquarters Corps Car Company, RCASC **Nos. 4 & 5 Casualty Clearing Stations,
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Militia Medical Service was established in 1898. It consisted of an Army Medical Service (officers) and an Army Medical Corps (other ranks). S ...
(RCAMC) **No. 8 Field Dressing Section, RCAMC **No. 5 Field Hygiene Section, RCAMC **Nos. 1, 3 & 8 Dental Companies,
Canadian Dental Corps The Royal Canadian Dental Corps (RCDC, french: links=no, Corps dentaire royal canadien) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Most members of RCDC, along with the members of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, are employed in ...
(CDC) **No. 11 Base Dental Company, CDC **No. 1 Corps and Army Troops Sub-Park, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC) **I Corps Troops Workshop, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) **No. 1 Recovery Company, RCEME **No. 3 Provost Company, Canadian Provost Corps (C Pro C) *Attached First Canadian Army Troops **No. 1 Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery ***11th Army Field Regiment, RCA ***1st Medium Regiment, RCA ***2nd Medium Regiment, RCA ***5th Medium Regiment, RCA **No. 41 Army Transport Company, RCASC **"H" Squadron,
25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment) 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (31 CER or "The Elgin's"), is currently a combat engineer regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, supporting 31 Canadian Brigade Group of the 4th Canadian Division (formerly Land Force Central Area). It consists of two ...
,
Canadian Armoured Corps The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC; french: links=no, Corps blindé royal canadien) is the armoured corps within the Canadian Army, including 3 Regular and 18 Reserve Force regimentsThe Regiments and Corps of the Canadian Army (Queen's Printe ...
**Nos. 1, 2 & 3 Field Transfusion Units, RCAMC **Nos. 3 & 16 Field Dressing Stations, RCAMC **Nos. 1, 3, 5, 14, 15 & 28 General Hospitals, RCAMC **No. 1 Convalescent Depot, RCAMC **Nos. 1, 2 & 3 Field Surgical Units, RCAMC


Commanders

These officers commanded the I Canadian Corps:Col. C. P. Stacey, ''Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War: The Canadian Army 1939-1945: An Official Historical Summary'', Department of National Defence, Ottawa, Canada, 1948. * Lieutenant-General Andrew G. L. McNaughton, (July 19, 1940, to April 5, 1942) *Lieutenant-General
Harry Crerar General Henry Duncan Graham Crerar (28 April 1888 – 1 April 1965) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army who became the country's senior field commander in the Second World War as commander of the First Canadian Army in the campaign in N ...
(April 8, 1942, to March 19, 1944) *Lieutenant-General Eedson Burns (March 20 to November 5, 1944) *Lieutenant-General Charles Foulkes (November 10, 1944, to July 17, 1945)


See also

*
Moro River Campaign The Moro River Campaign was an important battle of the Italian Campaign during the Second World War, fought between elements of the British Eighth Army and LXXVI Panzer Corps (''LXXVI Panzerkorps'') of the German 10th Army (''10. Armee''). Las ...
* Battle of Ortona * Battle of Monte Cassino * Gothic Line


References

*Byers, A. R. (ed.), ''The Canadians at War 1939/45'', 2nd ed., The Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., Montreal, Canada, 1986, . *Copp, Terry, ''Cinderella Army: The Canadians in Northwest Europe 1944-1945'', University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada, 2007, . * * * *


Notes


External links


I Canadian Corps at canadiansoldiers.com
{{World War II Military units and formations of Canada in World War II Military units and formations established in 1943 Canadian World War II corps Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II Military units and formations disestablished in 1945