5th Canadian Division

5th Canadian Division 1st Canadian Armoured Division 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division
5th Canadian Division formation patch
Active	February 1917 – February 1918 1939–1945 2013–present
Country	Canada
Allegiance	Queen Elizabeth II
Branch	Canadian Army
Type	Infantry Armoured
Size	Division
Nickname(s)	The Mighty Maroon Machine, Maroon 5
Engagements	Italian Campaign North-West Europe
Commanders
Notable commanders	Bert Hoffmeister

The 5th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. It was first created as a formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. It was stood down during the war only to be reactivated through the renaming from '1st Canadian Armoured Division' to the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division during the Second World War. In both wars the division was recognized by the distinctive Maroon patch worn on the sleeve of its soldiers.

The 5th Canadian Division of the Canadian Corps was formed during World War I. The 5th began assembling in Britain in February, 1917, but was broken up in February 1918 before it was fully formed. Its men were used as reinforcements for the other four Canadian divisions, helping to maintain the over-strength Divisions of 22,000–25,000 with more than 100,000 men total. It was reactivated in 2013.

13th Canadian Brigade:

14th Canadian Brigade:

15th Canadian Brigade:

Attached Troops:

The 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division was a Canadian division during World War II. Following its redesignation from 1st Canadian Armoured Division, the bulk proceeded overseas in one main convoy, arriving in the United Kingdom at the end of November 1941.

The 5th Armoured Division spent two years of the war uneventfully in the United Kingdom, finally transferring to the Mediterranean theatre in November 1943 to join the 1st Canadian Infantry Division as part of I Canadian Corps, under command of the British Eighth Army. The division moved without its tanks and vehicles, inheriting heavily used equipment as a legacy from the veteran British 7th Armoured Division ("The Desert Rats") who they relieved on the Italian Front. The majority of the vehicles were completely worn out, having first been issued in North Africa or were two-wheel drive–useless in Italy. It took several months for the division to be fully equipped with new vehicles, including M4 Shermans. Only the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade was committed prior to 31 January 1944.