Second Canadian Division
| 2nd Canadian Division 2nd Canadian Infantry Division 2nd Canadian Division |
|
|---|---|
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2nd Canadian Infantry Division formation patch
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|
| Active | 1915–19 1939–45 2013 – present |
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Branch |
Canadian Expeditionary Force Canadian Army
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements |
First World War Second World War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Richard Ernest William Turner Sam Steele John Hamilton Roberts Charles Foulkes Bruce Matthews |
First World War
Second World War
The 2nd Canadian Division (2 Can Div) is responsible for Canadian Army operational readiness in the province of Quebec, Canada. The present command was created 2013 when Land Force Quebec Area was redesignated. The division draws its historical lineage from formations that existed during the First and Second World Wars.
During the First World War, the division fought on the Western Front before being disbanded in 1919. It was reformed on 1 September 1939, as part of the First Canadian Army, at the outbreak of the Second World War, adopting the designation "2nd Canadian Infantry Division". It was initially composed of volunteers within brigades established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of the war caused a delay in the formation of brigade and divisional headquarters. With questions concerning overseas deployment resolved, the division's respective commands were formed in May and June 1940, and at British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's request, the division was deployed to the United Kingdom between 1 August and 25 December 1940.
Having performed well in training exercises during 1941 and early 1942, elements of the 2nd Division were selected as the main force for Operation Jubilee, a large-scale amphibious raid on the port of Dieppe in German-occupied France. On 19 August 1942, with air and naval gunfire support, the division's 4th and 6th brigades assaulted Dieppe's beaches. The Germans were well prepared and, despite being reinforced, the Canadians sustained heavy losses and had to be evacuated, fewer than half their number returning to the United Kingdom.
Following a period of reconstruction and retraining in 1942–44, the division joined II Canadian Corps as part of the Second British Army for the Allied Invasion of Normandy. 2nd Division saw significant action from 20 July to 21 August in the battles for Caen and Falaise. Joining the newly activated headquarters of the First Canadian Army in the assault on northwestern Europe, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division played a significant role in the retaking of the Channel ports, the Battle of the Scheldt, and the liberation of the Netherlands. The division was deactivated shortly after the end of the war.
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Wikipedia