Canadian Forces Europe was the

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Forc ...

military formation Military organization or military organisation is the structuring of the armed forces of a State (polity), state so as to offer such military capability as a military policy, national defense policy may require. In some countries paramilitary ...

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

during the Cold War. The CF assisted other

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

allies in watching the military activities of

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist repub ...

and the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

. Canadian Forces Europe (CFE) consisted of two formations in

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...

Canadian Forces Base Lahr Canadian Forces Base Lahr ( IATA:LHA, ICAO: EDTL, former code EDAN) was a military operated commercial airport located in Lahr, Germany. It was operated primarily as a French air force base, and later as a Canadian army base, beginning in the la ...

, with the

4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (4CMBG; french: 4e Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada, 4GBMC) was a formation of the Canadian Army, then Mobile Command of the unified Canadian Forces. It was part of the European formation known as Canadian ...

(1957-1993), and No. 1 Air Division RCAF at

Canadian Forces Base Baden-Soellingen Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

, which later became 1 Canadian Air Group. Both formations closed in the early 1990s with the end of the Cold War.

Canadian Forces Europe 1989 units

Besides units of army and air force Canadian Forces Europe also contained a number of multi-service commands and units: * Canadian Forces Europe (CFE),

CFB Lahr Canadian Forces Base Lahr (IATA:LHA, ICAO: EDTL, former code EDAN) was a military operated commercial airport located in Lahr, Germany. It was operated primarily as a French air force base, and later as a Canadian army base, beginning in the l ...

** Canadian Forces Element, HQ CENTAG, in

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

** Canadian Forces Element, HQ 4 ATAF, at Ramstein Air Base ** Canadian Forces Element, HQ AMF (L), in

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...

** Canadian Forces Element, NATO Airborne Early Warning Force,

E-3A The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are commonly known as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-wea ...

Component, at Geilenkirchen Air Base ** National Support Unit, at Geilenkirchen Air Base ** Communications Group Europe, CFB Lahr *** Communications Squadron Lahr *** Communications Squadron Baden-Söllingen ** Canadian Forces Network, CFB Lahr ** Canadian Forces Hospital Europe, CFB Lahr *** Base Hospital Lahr *** Base Hospital Söllingen *** 35 Dental Unit, CFB Lahr *** Detachment Söllingen, 35 Dental Unit **

*** Base Post Office *** Base Transportation Section *** Base Maintenance (Land) Section *** Base Supply Section *** Base Construction Engineering Squadron Lahr *** Base Ground Operations Section *** Lahr Military Police Section ** CFB Baden–Soellingen, CFB Baden-Söllingen *** Base Post Office *** Base Transportation Section *** Base Maintenance (Land) Section *** Base Supply Section *** Base Construction Engineering Squadron Baden-Söllingen *** Base Ground Operations Section *** Baden-Söllingen Military Police Section ** 311 Forward Mobile Support Unit, providing general logistic support to CFE *** Forward Storage Site, for units that would have been dispatched to Germany in case of war, in Zimmern ob Rottweil ** Ammunition Depot Lahr ** Ammunition Depot Söllingen ** Training Area Langenhard

Canadian Army

Canada had maintained a presence in Europe as part of the

forces since 1951, when 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 27 Canadian Infantry Brigade was initially deployed to Hannover attached to British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). This formation, which was formed primarily with Canadian Forces Primary Reserve, Militia units, eventually moved to a permanent base at Soest, Germany, Soest in 1953. To begin with, it was intended to rotate brigades to Germany - 27 CIB was replaced by 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in October 1953, which in turn was replaced by 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in 1955, and then 4 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in 1957. The arrival of 4 CIBG saw a significant reinforcement of the formation's capabilities; prior to this each brigade had only been equipped with a squadron of main battle tanks. The arrival of 4 CIBG saw a full armoured regiment equipped with Centurion tank, Centurions and an independent brigade reconnaissance squadron with Ferret armoured car, Ferrets. In 1959, when 4 CIBG's tour was due to end, a change was made in the reinforcement policy for

. Instead of whole brigades rotating every two years, the decision was made to keep 4 CIBG and its associated brigade units in place, instead rotating the major combat elements to Germany every three years. The brigade was headquartered in Soest. Individual units were stationed both at Soest and other towns in North Rhine-Westphalia: * Soest, Germany, Soest - BHQ, 1 x infantry battalion, service units * Hemer - 1 x infantry battalion, artillery regiment * Werl - 1 x infantry battalion, engineer regiment, field ambulance * Iserlohn - armoured regiment In 1962, the brigade was reinforced with the addition of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps helicopter recce troop, equipped with nine CH-112 Nomad helicopters. By the mid 1960s, 4 CIBG's manpower totalled 6,700 men; it featured three mechanised infantry battalions, a reconnaissance squadron equipped with both Armoured fighting vehicle, armoured vehicles and helicopters, artillery equipped with both fire support and tactical nuclear weapons, and an extensive logistic operation. The extent of the Canadian operation led to the British describing it as "a light division". The brigade was renamed

in May 1968. The reformation of 1st Canadian Division in November 1989 followed the Canadian government's decision to end the Canadian Air-Sea Transportable Brigade Group (CAST) commitment to reinforce Northern Norway.This section is primarily based on Sean M. Maloney, ''War Without Battles: Canada's NATO Brigade in Germany 1951–1993'', McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., (Toronto, Montreal, and others), 1997. 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, based in Quebec, was thus available for other tasks. The CAST rapid-reinforcement commitment had been encountering problems, most graphically demonstrated during Exercise Brave Lion in 1986, which prompted Canada to start formal consultations with NATO about consolidating the CAST Brigade and

, based in southern Germany. The two separate forces would have meant critical logistical and medical support needs would have gone unmet in case of real war. The headquarters was established, with both 4 Brigade and 5 Brigade under command, at Kingston, Ontario, with a forward detachment at Lahr in Germany where 4 Brigade was based. The main headquarters was intended to move gradually from Kingston to Lahr over a period of time, though this never, in the event, took place.

Structure 1989

* Canadian Forces Europe ** 1st Canadian Division, 1 Canadian Division (Forward),

*** 1st Canadian Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment,

*** 1st Canadian Division Intelligence Company, CFB Lahr ***

**** 4 CMBG Headquarters & Signal Squadron, CFB Lahr **** 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's), CFB Lahr (77x Leopard 1#Canada, Leopard C1, 20x Lynx reconnaissance vehicle, Lynx, 36x M113 armored personnel carrier, M113, 2x M577, 6x Leopard 1, Bergepanzer) **** 1^er Btn, Royal 22nd Regiment, Royal 22^e Régiment, CFB Lahr (2x M577, 65x M113 armored personnel carrier, M113, 11x Lynx reconnaissance vehicle, Lynx, 18x M113 TUA with BGM-71 TOW, TOW, 24x M125 with a M29 mortar, 81mm mortar) **** 3rd Btn, The Royal Canadian Regiment, Royal Canadian Regiment, CFB Baden–Soellingen, CFB Baden-Söllingen (2x M577, 65x M113 armored personnel carrier, M113, 11x Lynx reconnaissance vehicle, Lynx, 18x M113 TUA with BGM-71 TOW, TOW, 24x M125 with a M29 mortar, 81mm mortar) **** 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, CFB Lahr (2x M577, 26x M109 howitzer, M109A4, 46x M113, 24x M548) **** 4 Engineer Support Regiment, 4 Combat Engineer Regiment, CFB Lahr (14x M113, 2x M577, 6x M548, 9x Leopard 1, Badger Armoured engineering vehicle, AEV, 6x Leopard 1, Biber bridgelayer) **** Service battalion, 4 Service Battalion, CFB Lahr (4x M113, 2x Bergepanzer, 6x Variants of the M113 armored personnel carrier#Canada, MTV-R) **** 4 Field Ambulance, CFB Lahr **** 4 Military Police Platoon, CFB Lahr *** 4 Air Defence Regiment, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery **** Headquarters & Service Battery, 4 Air Defence Regiment, RCA (2x M 577, 2x M113) **** 127 Air Defence Battery (detached to

), CFB Lahr (12x Air Defense Anti-Tank System, ADATS, 15x Javelin (surface-to-air missile), Javelin, 5x M113) **** 128 Air Defence Battery (detached to 4 Wing), CFB Baden–Soellingen, CFB Baden-Söllingen (4x Air Defense Anti-Tank System, ADATS, 8x Oerlikon GDF, 35mm Skyguard) **** 129 Air Defence Battery (detached to 3 Wing), CFB Lahr (4x Air Defense Anti-Tank System, ADATS, 8x Oerlikon GDF, 35mm Skyguard) **** 4 Air Defence Workshop In case of war 1 Canadian Division would have been reinforced by 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 5 Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada and 1,400 men from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group would have been sent to bring 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group to full wartime strength. 1 Canadian Division would have been assigned to the CENTAG, Central Army Group Commander's tactical reserve, performing operations in support of either II (German) Corps or VII Corps (United States), VII US Corps.

Royal Canadian Air Force

To meet

's air defence commitments during the Cold War, No. 1 Air Division RCAF was established in

in the early 1950s with four Royal Canadian Air Force bases in France and West Germany. These included RCAF Station Marville (''No. 1 Wing'') and RCAF Station Grostenquin (''No. 2 Wing'') in France and Zweibrücken Air Base, Royal Canadian Air Force Station Zweibrücken (''No. 3 Wing'') and Canadian Forces Base Baden-Soellingen, Royal Canadian Air Force Station Baden-Soellingen (No. 4 Wing) in West Germany. These wings consisted of three fighter jet, fighter squadrons each. RCAF Station Grostenquin was closed in 1964 and its units transferred to RCAF Station Marville. In 1967 Marville was closed after France's withdrawal from NATO's military command structure and the units transferred to new RCAF Station Lahr (later CFB Lahr, now Flughafen Lahr). RCAF Station Zweibrücken was closed in 1969.

Structure 1989

* Canadian Forces Europe ** No. 1 Air Division RCAF, 1 Canadian Air Division, CFB Baden-Soellingen, CFB Baden-Söllingen, in war under Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force *** 3 Wing

**** 3 Wing Operations **** 3 Communication and Air Traffic Control Squadron **** 416 Tactical Fighter Squadron or 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron from CFB Cold Lake, 18x McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet, CF-18 **** 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron or 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron from CFB Bagotville, 18x CF-18 *** 4 Wing CFB Baden-Söllingen **** 4 Wing Operations **** 4 Communication and Air Traffic Control Squadron **** 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18x McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet, CF-18 **** No. 421 Squadron RCAF, 421 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18x CF-18 **** 439 Combat Support Squadron, 439 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 18x CF-18 **** Air Reserve Augmentation Flight (Reserve Pilots) **** Training Flight, 5x Canadair CT-133 Silver Star, CT-133 Silver Star **** 1 Air Maintenance Squadron CFB Baden-Soellingen *** 4 Construction Engineer Squadron, detached from Royal Canadian Engineers *** 444 Combat Support Squadron, 444 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (detached to

), CFB Lahr (Bell OH-58 Kiowa, CH136 Kiowa, Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, UH1N) *** Detachment Lahr, 412 Transport Squadron, 2x Bombardier Dash 8, CC-142 Dash 8 **** 5 Air Movement Unit

References

* http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/organization/orgformations/4cmbg.htm Commands of the Canadian armed forces Military units and formations disestablished in 1993 Cold War military history of Canada Politics of Europe