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First Canadian Army

First Canadian Army
First Canadian Army formation patch.png
Formation patch worn by army-level personnel.
Active 1942–1946
Country  Canada
Branch Lesser badge of the Canadian Army.svg Canadian Army
Type Field army
Role Senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during World War II.
Size 251,000
Commanders
1942–1943 Andrew McNaughton
1943–1944 Kenneth Stuart
1944 Guy Simonds
1944–1945 Harry Crerar

The First Canadian Army (French: 1re Armée canadienne) was a field army and the senior formation of the Canadian Army that served on the Western Front from July 1944 until May 1945 during the Second World War.

The First Canadian 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 United Kingdom consisted of three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two independent armoured brigades. The first commander was Lieutenant-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 Great War. Allied formations of other nationalities were added to the First Canadian Army to keep it at full strength.

The First Canadian Army's strength was 177,000 in all ranks at the end of 1942. One year later it had grown to 242,000. On 31 May 1944, shortly before the Normandy landings, it was 251,000 of which 75,000 were serving on the Italian Front.


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