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Canadian Infantry Brigade
British Army of the Rhine 1951-1971
Outline Deployment
Background-1945-46
The Canadian First Army, including British Formations and contingents from the Free Belgian, Czech, Dutch and Polish Forces had played an important role in the Allied Advance across North West Europe from Normandy to the German Surrender in May 1945. The Canadian 3rd Division was responsible for the final capture of the German Forces in the areas known as Emsland and Friesland in the north west corner of Germany and part of the future British Zone of Occupation.
It was a Canadian Government priority to return their personnel back to their homeland as quickly as possible for demobilisation and civilian life rather than retain troops in Germany as part of any long term Occupying Force. 3rd Canadian Division was therefore retitled Canadian Army Occupation Force (CAOF) with initially three subordinate Brigades but continually reducing in size and responsibility as drafts of men returned to Canada though in some cases being temporarily replaced by men of lower priority from the remaining Canadian Forces in Italy. Operational responsibility was handed over in March 1946 and the last Canadian left Germany in May 1946
Units known to have been part of CAOF included:
17th Duke of York’s Canadian Hussars (armour), Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa,
Regiment de la Chaudiere, Royal Regina Rifles, Royal Winnipeg Rifles and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders (all infantry) plus four Royal Canadian Artillery Regiments
1951-1953
27 Canadian Infantry Brigade was the first Canadian contribution to the NATO Alliance and the defence of Western Europe to be permanently based in Germany, It was principally a volunteer formation recruited from units of the Canadian Militia. The three composite Infantry Battalions were known as 1st Canadian Highland Battalion, 1st Canadian Rifle Battalion and 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion. C Sqn RCD, 79 Field Regiment RCA and 58 Independent Squadron RCE were also deployed. The Brigade was temporarily based in the Hannover area between December 1951 and Autumn 1953 pending completion of the new purpose built accommodation in the Soest area. The majority of the units, including the Brigade Headquarters, were based in London Barracks Hannover, the Armoured Squadron (equipped with British Centurion (Mark 3) tanks) and Artillery Regiment at Chatham Barracks Langenhagen (adjacent to the airfield) and the Sapper Squadron in Hameln.
In addition a small Headquarters was established in Antwerp with the task of facilitating the movement by sea of freight and other stores through the nearby docks to and from Canada to and from the Operational Units. This together with associated logistic units became known as Headquarters Canadian Base Units Europe (HQ CBUE)
1953-1971
In Autumn 1953 the Brigade moved to the newly completed, purpose built accommodation in the Soest, Hemer, Werl area of the northern Sauerland immediately northeast of the Industrial Ruhr. Initially complete Brigades of the Canadian Army Regular Division served two year tours in the area. However in 1959 the reinforcement policy changed and 4 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group was permanently assigned to the task with the major units rotating on three year tours.
| Year | Formation | Fort Prince of Wales
Hemer
Artillery Regiment
| Fort
MacLeod
Hemer
Infantry Battalion
| Fort
York
Soest
Infantry Battalion
| Fort
Chambly
Soest
Service Units
| Fort
St Louis
Werl
Infantry Battalion
| Fort
Beausejour
Iserlohn
Armoured Regiment
| 1953-55
1955-57
1957-59
1959-62
1960-64
1962-65
1964-67
1965
1966
1967
| A
B C
D
| 2 RCHA
4 RCHA
1 RCHA
3 RCHA
2 RCHA
1 RCHA
| 2 PPCLI
1 PPCLI
2 QORofC
1 QORofC
1 PPCLI
2 PPCLI
| 2 RCR
1 RCR
2 Cdn Gds 1 Cdn Gds
1 RCR
2 RCR
| Bde Recce Sqn
RCASC
RCOC
RCEME
| 2 R22eR
1 R22e R
3 RCR
2 RHC
2 R22eR
1 R22eR
|
RCD
FGH
LdSH
|
The outline deployment was:
Brigade Headquarters Fort Henry Soest
Engineer Regiment Fort Victoria Werl
Field Ambulance Fort St Anne Werl
Personnel were trickle posted to and from the Engineer Regiment based in Fort Victoria and Service Units permanently based in Fort Chambly.
In addition Canadian Medical personnel were also based in BMH Iserlohn.
Following the departure of 4CMBG to Lahr in 1971 the majority of the Camadian Forts/Barracks were occupied by elements of the newly arrived 3rd (UK) Armoured Division, and 6 Armoured Brigade in particular, following the restructuring of 1st (British) Corps
For additional information on the political and military factors and the deployment options considered by the Canadian Government prior to the initial move of Canadian Forces to Europe in 1951 click here. Notes
A 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade
B 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade
C 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade
D Retitled 4th Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group September 1968
Unit Abbreviations
FGH Fort Garry Horse
Ld SH Lord Strathcona’s Horse
RCD Royal Canadian Dragoons
RCHA Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
RCA Royal Canadian Artillery
RCE Royal Canadian Engineers
Cdn Gds The Canadian Guards
PPCLI Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
QOR of C The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
RCR Royal Canadian Regiment
RHC The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment of Canada)
R22eR Le Royal 22eme Regiment – Francophone Regiment recruited in the Province of Quebec
RCASC Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
RCOC Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
RCEME Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Engineer Regiment Fort Victoria Werl
Field Ambulance Fort St Anne Werl
Personnel were trickle posted to and from the Engineer Regiment based in Fort Victoria and Service Units permanently based in Fort Chambly.
In addition Canadian Medical personnel were also based in BMH Iserlohn-
Following the departure of 4CMBG to Lahr in 1971 the majority of the Camadian Forts/Barracks were occupied by elements of the newly arrived 3rd (UK) Armoured Division, and 6 Armoured Brigade in particular, following the restructuring of 1st (British) Corps. PJW Click here for listings of the Canadian Forts Firstly a few comments about the Canadian "Forts" where our Infantry Bde Group of different periods, hung their collective hats. Postwar, Canada took up a role in Europe after the formation of NATO and responded with an Infantry Brigade in 1951. The Brigade was recruited mainly from scratch, trained over a few short months and then sent off to Germany, where it was spread out over many miles in the northern part of the country, Hohne, Hameln, Hanover and in many other bits and pieces of former German barracks. At some point in it's early days, the politicians at home with the deep pockets, were convinced to build infrastructure which would house a Bde Gpe of some 6000, together with it's little bits and pieces such as tanks, artillery etc etc. Thus came about the brand spanking new "Forts", which were soon occupied at the end of 1953. The thing that I could never understand was the two Forts which were built in Deilinghofen. All of the other Forts were built in the periphery of Soest and were within hailing distance of one another, brigade headquarters and all the supporting units. But one Infantry Battalion and 1 Artillery Regt. were treated like poor cousins and sent off some 30 kilometres down a great number of back roads. There must have been some reason behind the decision (see note 1), but it certainly has never jumped to mind. Another thing that has struck me is the short life of those barracks, something like 50 years from birth to death. Oh yes, a number of the buildings are still standing and have been put to good use in redeveloped industrial sites, but anything else has been razed. The Germans didn't take them over as sites for their troops to man, nor were they adopted for some quasi military purpose such as training guys who always wear sun glasses, baseball caps and who are forever looking over their shoulders. Now old German barracks which were used by British units all around Iserlohn, together with the BMH, are still standing and have been put to many good uses. What was amusing about the BMH in the 1950s was the fact the old German Army rifle racks were still in place in the hallways, the floors were made of wood and there were still quite a few old time residents still there i.e. cockroaches. Ah well, the medics did their best and all of the children born there, who survived their first few days ;-) will probably live into triple digits.
As promised, photos are attached. If you might wonder why there are so many with Grenzhausers Cafe in them, well, we lived on the top floor of the place, from Oct 1955 through to Nov 1957. Never did manage enough points to be allocated a comfortable married quarter down in Hemer, so Iserlohn became our Kleine Heimat. We have been back 5 or 6 times in the intervening years, have seen many changes, but are especially pleased that Germans, unlike Canadians, don't tear everything down that reaches 100 years of age. All of centre Iserlohn is as easily recognizable today, as it was 50 years ago and probably was 150 years ago.
Mr Terry Flanagan (1) Both Fort Prince of Wales and Fort Macleod were sited there, because there was an excise ground behind (Übungsplatz). This was used by both tanks and infantry of the German Bundeswehr. I am not so sure now, if the Canadians ever used it? |
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