6th Canadian Infantry Brigade

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade


caption=2^nd Canadian Infantry Division Formation Patch
dates= 1939-1945
country= Canada
allegiance=
branch= Canadian Army
type=Infantry
role=
size= Brigade
command_structure= 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
current_commander=n/a
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Dieppe Raid
Normandy
Operation Charnwood
Operation Atlantic
Operation Spring
The Scheldt
The Rhineland
Battle of Groningen
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

History

As part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division mobilization started on 1 September 1939, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. However, further expansion was hindered by a temporary halt in recruitment and uncertainty about overseas deployment. Consequently, divisional and brigade headquarters were not actually formed until May and June 1940.

tructure

6th Canadian Infantry Brigade - Prairie Provinces (1939 - 44)

:The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada - Winnipeg, Manitoba:The South Saskatchewan Regiment - Estevan, Saskatchewan:The Calgary Highlanders - Calgary, Alberta:The Winnipeg Grenadiers (Machine Gun) - Winnipeg, Manitoba

6th Canadian Infantry Brigade (1944-45)

:Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal:The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada:The South Saskatchewan Regiment

Dieppe , Operation Jubilee

Operation Jubilee was a large-scale raid on Dieppe, France in August 1942 carried out by the 4th and 6th Canadian Infantry Brigades,and support for British Commandos suffering extensive losses in the landing and the ensuing withdrawal. [Robertson, Terence. The Shame and The Glory]

The objective was to seize and hold a major port for a short period, both to prove it was possible and to gather intelligence from prisoners and captured materials while assessing the German responses. The raid was also intended to use air power to draw the "Luftwaffe" into a large, planned encounter.

No major objectives of the raid were accomplished. 3,623 of the 6,086 men who made it ashore were either killed, wounded, or captured. The Allied air forces failed to lure the "Luftwaffe" into open battle, and lost 119 planes, while the Royal Navy suffered 555 casualties. The catastrophe at Dieppe later influenced Allied preparations for Operation Torch and Operation Overlord.

The Brigade played no further part in the war as most of its participating regiments sustained high losses$ and would have to be rebuilt from scratch throughout 1943. [{ [cite web|url=http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=573}] ]

Normandy

The Brigade did not participate in the D Day landings , but arrived in Normandy later that month and was involved in the operations to capture Caen.

*Operation Charnwood

*Operation Atlantic

*Operation Spring

After the breakout from Normandy, "'6th Canadian Infantry Brigade" and 2nd Canadian Infantry Division captured Dieppe. Then they were involved in operations to clear the Rhine approaches and then cross the river and engagements in the forest of the Reichswald, and the towns of Xanten and Groningen.

They ended the war in Hanover, Germany.

ee also

*Military history of Canada during the Second World War
*Military history of Canada
*Canadian Forces

References