5th Canadian Armoured Division
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List of military divisions — List of Canadian divisions in WWII
Following its redesignation from '1st Canadian Armoured Division', the bulk of 5th Canadian Armoured Division (officially “5th Canadian (Armoured) Division”) proceeded overseas in one main convoy, arriving in the UK at the end of November 1941.
5th Armoured spent two years of the war uneventfully in the UK, finally transferring to the Mediterranean in November 1943. The division moved without its tanks and vehicles, inheriting that equipment (in a less than pristine state) as a legacy from British 7th Armoured Division in Italy where the Canadians campaigned until the end of 1944. As with other Allied armoured divisions in the Mediterranean, local resources were used to establish an additional infantry brigade, the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade.
In January 1945 the division moved by truck, train, and naval transport to Belgium via Livorno and Marseille. After arriving, it disbanded the 12th Brigade, and re-equipped in time to participate in the final offensives across the Rhine.
Formation
Organization until July 1944, and from March 1945
- 2nd Armoured Regiment (Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians))
- 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Princess Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars)
- 9th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Dragoons)
- The Westminster Regiment (Motor)
- 11th Independent Machine Gun Company
- The Perth Regiment
- The Cape Breton Highlanders
- The Irish Regiment of Canada
- 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The Governor General's Horse Guards)
- Other Units
- 17th Field Regiment, RCA
- 8th Field Regiment (Self-Propelled), RCA
- 4th Anti-tank Regiment, RCA
- 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA
Organization July 1944 until March 1945
- 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade
- 2nd Armoured Regiment (Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians))
- 5th Armoured Regiment (8th Princess Louise’s (New Brunswick) Hussars)
- 9th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Dragoons)
- 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- 11th Independent Machine Gun Company
- The Perth Regiment
- The Cape Breton Highlanders
- The Irish Regiment of Canada
- 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade
- 12th Independent Machine Gun Company
- The Westminster Regiment (Motor)
- 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards (from 1st Canadian Infantry Division)
- The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment (from Corps anti-aircraft assets)
- 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The Governor General’s Horse Guards)
- Other Units
- 17th Field Artillery Regiment
- 8th Field Artillery Regiment (Self-Propelled)
- 4th Anti-tank Regiment
- 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment