Canadian Armour

Canadian Army armour before World War Two consisted of two British Vickers tanks. Not much of an effective force. 

Using WWI American armour for training after entering WWII, the Canadian's geared up for war. After the start of WWII Canada became a major supplier of war machines and vehicles for itself and the British Commonwealth forces. The Valentine and Grizzly were the major pieces of armour. Today Canada's Armour divisions are some of the most modern on earth.

Armour - a very mobile and powerful force, is an offshoot of the pasts horse cavalry. The need for speed and maneuverability on the battlefield brought out the horse mounted troops. Eventually the need for speed, maneuverability, and firepower needed to be combined. Thus the advent of armour was born.

The Canadian Army had two Armoured divisions during World War Two, the 4th and the 5th., one Armoured brigade, and many smaller units made up of armour.

The list of Armoured vehicles included the :

• The Canadian Ram

• The Sherman Medium Tank

• The Stuart Tank

• The Valentine Tank

• The Churchill Mk.VII - Crocodile

• The Priest SP Gun (Self Propelled)

• The Sexton SP Gun

• Artillery and Anti-Tank Weapons

A list of Armoured units serving in both Europe and Italy is as follows.

July 1941

• 1st Armored Brigade

• 2nd Armored Brigade

• 17th Field Regiment

• 4th Anti-tank Regiment

• 5th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment

1944 - 1945

• 4th Armored Brigade
     21st Armored Regiment (The Governor General's Foot Guards)
     22nd Armored Regiment (The Canadian Grenadier Guards)
     28th Armored Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment)
     The Lake Superior Regiment (Motor)

• 10th Infantry Brigade
     The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
     The Algonquin Regiment
     The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's)

• 29th Armored Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment)

• 15th Field Regiment

• 23rd Field Regiment

• 5th Anti-tank Regiment

• 8th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment

1944 - 1945

• 5th Armored Brigade
     2nd Armored Regiment (Lord Strathcona's Horse )
     5th Armored Regiment (8th Princess Louise's Hussars)
     9th Armored Regiment (The British Columbia Dragoons)
     The Westminster Regiment (Motor)

• 11th Infantry Brigade
     11th Independent Machine Gun Coy
     The Perth Regiment
     The Cape Breton Highlanders
     The Irish Regiment of Canada

• 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment 

The copyright of the article Canadian Armour in Canada's Military is owned by Carl Johnson. Permission to republish Canadian Armour in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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