2nd Canadian Infantry Division

2nd Canadian Infantry Division
Unit name	2nd Canadian Infantry Division
Caption	The divisional formation patch.
Dates	1939–1945
Country	Canada
Branch	Canadian Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Command structure	First Canadian Army
Battles	World War II, Dieppe Raid, Battle of Normandy, Battle of the Scheldt, Operation Veritable
Notable commanders	Victor Odlum, J.H. Roberts, Charles Foulkes

2nd Canadian Infantry Division was a formation of the Canadian Army that served with distinction during the Second World War. Raised in 1939 as part of Canada's overseas commitment, it became a core component of the First Canadian Army in the North-West Europe Campaign. The division's service was marked by significant sacrifice and hard-won victories, from the disastrous Dieppe Raid in 1942 to the final advance into the Netherlands and Germany in 1945.

History

The division was authorized in September 1939 following Canada's declaration of war on Nazi Germany, with initial mobilization centered in Southern Ontario. Its early years were spent in intensive training within the United Kingdom, first under the command of Victor Odlum and later J.H. Roberts. The division's first major combat test came in August 1942 with its central role in the Dieppe Raid, a costly failure that provided critical lessons for the later Normandy landings. Following a period of reorganization and retraining, it returned to full combat strength under General Charles Foulkes and joined the First Canadian Army for the Invasion of Normandy in July 1944, fighting through to the end of the war in Europe.

Organization

The division was organized as a standard triangular infantry division, comprising three infantry brigades. These were the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, and 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade. Each brigade contained three infantry battalions, such as the Royal Regiment of Canada, the Essex Scottish Regiment, and the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada. Supporting arms included the Royal Canadian Artillery units like the 4th Field Regiment, RCA, the 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA, and engineers from the Royal Canadian Engineers. The division also included service and medical corps units integral to its operations.

Operations and battles

The division's combat debut was the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, where units like the South Saskatchewan Regiment and the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa suffered devastating casualties on the beaches of Puys and Pourville. Following the D-Day landings, the division entered the line in Normandy during Operation Atlantic, part of the larger Battle of Caen. It fought in the grueling battles to close the Falaise Gap. In the autumn, it played a brutal role in the Battle of the Scheldt, clearing the Breskens Pocket in Operation Switchback and advancing on Walcheren. In 1945, the division fought in the fierce Rhineland battles, including Operation Veritable through the Hochwald Forest, before advancing across the Rhine during Operation Plunder and liberating parts of the Netherlands and western Germany.

Commanders

The division was led successively by several prominent Canadian officers. Its first commander was Major-General Victor Odlum, a veteran of the First World War. He was succeeded in 1941 by Major-General J.H. Roberts, who commanded during the Dieppe Raid. Following the raid, Major-General E. L. M. Burns briefly took command before being replaced by Major-General Charles Foulkes in early 1944. Foulkes led the division through the North-West Europe Campaign from Normandy until the end of the war, later becoming Chief of the General Staff.

Insignia and traditions

The division's official formation sign was a simple, bold red patch, earning the division the nickname "The Red Patch Division." Individual units maintained strong regimental identities and traditions, with Highland battalions like the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa and the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada wearing kilts and maintaining pipe bands. The legacy of the Dieppe Raid cast a long shadow, with annual commemorations and memorials, such as the one at Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, becoming sacred traditions for the surviving veterans and their regiments.

Legacy

The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division is remembered for its resilience, overcoming the tragedy of Dieppe to become an effective fighting force. Its contributions were crucial to key Allied victories in the Battle of Normandy, the Battle of the Scheldt, and the final defeat of Wehrmacht forces in the Rhineland. The division was disbanded after the war, but its member regiments continue to serve in the Canadian Army Reserve. Its history is preserved at institutions like the Canadian War Museum and commemorated at numerous sites across Europe, including the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery and the Juno Beach Centre.

Category:Infantry divisions of Canada in World War II Category:Military units and formations established in 1939 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945