First Canadian Army
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The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.
The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps. By the end of 1943 Canadian formations in the UK consisted of three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two independent armoured brigades. The first commander was General A.G.L. "Andy" McNaughton, who was replaced in 1944 by General H. D. G. "Harry" Crerar. Both had been senior artillery officers in the Canadian Corps in the First World War.
Two brigades of the 2nd Division led the ill-fated Dieppe Raid in 1942. Aside from this endeavour, the Army did not see combat until July 1943. In 1943, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, and 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division were detached from the Army for participation in the Italian Campaign. In early 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd Armoured Brigade were also detached to British I Corps to participate in the assault phase of the Normandy landings. II Canadian Corps became operational in Normandy in early July 1944, as the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division landed. The First Canadian Army headquarters did not itself arrive in Normandy until mid-July, becoming operational 23 July 1944 just prior to 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division arriving on the Continent.
The Army proper first went into action in the Battle of Normandy and conducted operations at Falaise (e.g. Operation Totalise, Operation Tractable) and helping close the Falaise pocket. After reaching the Seine, the objective of the first phase of Operation Overlord, the Army moved along the coast towards Belgium, with the Canadian 2nd Division entering Dieppe at the beginning of September. The critical Battle of the Scheldt in October and November opened Antwerp to Allied shipping.
The First Army held a static line along the river Meuse (Maas) from December through February, then launched Operation Veritable in early February, cracking the Siegfried Line and reaching the banks of the Rhine in early March.
In the final weeks of the war in Europe, the First Army cleared the Netherlands of German forces. By this time the First Division and Fifth (Armoured) Division as well as First Armoured Brigade had returned to the Army during Operation Goldflake and for the first time, both the I Canadian Corps and II Canadian Corps fought under the same Army commander.
Makeup
The First Canadian Army was international in character. In addition to II Canadian Corps (which included the Canadian formations under command described above), other formations under command included the British I Corps, and the 1st Polish Armoured Division, as well as, at various times, American, Belgian, Dutch and Czechoslovak troops. The First Canadian Army in North-West Europe during the final phases of the war comprised the largest field army ever under the control of a Canadian general. Ration strength of the army ranged from approximately 105,000 to 175,000 Canadian soldiers to anywhere from 200,000 to over 450,000 when including the soldiers from other nations.
Order of Battle
- I Canadian Corps
- II Canadian Corps
- I (British) Corps
- 6th Airborne Division (to 3 September 1944)
- 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
- 51st (Highland) Infantry Division (to 19 December 1944)
Commanders
General Andrew McNaughton (Commander, 1942 - 1943)
General Harry Crerar (Commander, 1943 - 1945)
General Guy Simonds (Acting Commander in 28 September to 7 November 1944)