3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
First formed on 29 August 1914, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade was a formation of the Canadian Army in both World War 1
and World War II
. The brigade fought on the Western Front during the First World War, and in Sicily and Italy during the Second World War.
on 14 October 1914. As part of the 1st Canadian Division
, the brigade fought in every major Canadian engagement on the Western Front between 1914 and 1918.
During World War II
the brigade, again as part of the 1st Canadian Division, participated in the Allied Invasion of Sicily and then later fought in the Italian Campaign (World War II)
. It was demobilized for the second time at the end of the war.
1916:
1917:
1918:
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The brigade fought on the Western Front during the First World War, and in Sicily and Italy during the Second World War.
History
The brigade was initially made up from provisional battalions that were named after their province of origin, but these titles were replaced with numerals before the brigade arrived in BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 14 October 1914. As part of the 1st Canadian Division
1st Canadian Division
Formed in August 1914, the 1st Canadian Division was a formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The division was initially made up from provisional battalions that were named after their province of origin but these titles were dropped before the division arrived in Britain on October 14,...
, the brigade fought in every major Canadian engagement on the Western Front between 1914 and 1918.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the brigade, again as part of the 1st Canadian Division, participated in the Allied Invasion of Sicily and then later fought in the Italian Campaign (World War II)
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
. It was demobilized for the second time at the end of the war.
World War 1 - Order of Battle
- 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF. August 1914 – November 11, 1918.
- 14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment), CEF. August 1914 – November 11, 1918.
- 15th Canadian Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada), CEF. August 1914 – November 11, 1918.
- 16th Canadian Battalion (The Canadian Scottish), CEF16th Canadian Battalion (The Canadian Scottish), CEFThe 16th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, was organized at Valcartier on 2 September 1914 in response to the Great War and was composed of recruits from the 91st Canadian Highlanders , the 79th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, the 72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, and the 50th Regiment...
. August 1914 – November 11, 1918.
Battles and engagements on the Western Front
1915:- Second Battle of YpresSecond Battle of YpresThe Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
- Battle of Gravenstafel—April 22–23
- Battle of St. Julien—April 24 – May 4 (see also Saint Julien MemorialSaint Julien MemorialThe St. Julien Memorial is a Canadian war memorial and small commemorative park located in the village of Saint Julien , Belgium. The memorial commemorates the Canadian First Division's participation in the Second Battle of Ypres of World War I which included the defence against the first poison...
)
- Battle of FestubertBattle of FestubertThe Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...
—May 15–25 - Second Battle of Givenchy—June 15–16
1916:
- Battle of Mount Sorrel—June 2–13
- Battle of the Somme
- Battle of Flers-CourceletteBattle of Flers-CourceletteThe Battle of Flers-Courcelette, was a battle within the Franco-British Somme Offensive which took place in the summer and autumn of 1916. Launched on the 15th of September 1916 the battle went on for one week. Flers-Courcelette began with the overall objective of cutting a hole in the German...
—September 15–22 - Battle of Thiepval—September 26–28
- Battle of Le TransloyBattle of Le TransloyThe Battle of Le Transloy was the final offensive mounted by the British Fourth Army during the 1916 Battle of the Somme.-Prelude:With the successful conclusion of the preceding Battle of Morval at the end of September, the Fourth Army of Lieutenant General Henry Rawlinson had finally captured the...
—October 1–18 - Battle of the Ancre HeightsBattle of the Ancre HeightsThe Battle of the Ancre Heights was a prolonged battle of attrition in October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. Lieutenant General Hubert Gough's Reserve Army had finally managed to break out of the positions it had occupied since the start of the Somme fighting and Gough intended to maintain...
—October 1 – November 11
- Battle of Flers-Courcelette
1917:
- Battle of Vimy RidgeBattle of Vimy RidgeThe Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
—April 9–14 - Battle of Arleux—April 28–29
- Third Battle of the Scarpe—May 3–4 (including the capture of FresnoyFresnoyFresnoy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A tiny village situated some 20 miles southeast of Montreuil-sur-Mer on the D109 road. Fresnoy Mountain is a mountain in Canada named after the town.-Population:-References:* -External links:*...
) - Second Battle of Passchendaele—October 26 – November 10
1918:
- Battle of Amiens—August 8–11
- Actions round Damery—August 15–17
- Battle of the ScarpeBattle of the Scarpe (1918)The Battle of the Scarpe was a World War I battle that took place during the Hundred Days Offensive between 26 and 30 August 1918.-26 August:The Canadian Corps advanced over 5 kilometers and captured the towns of Monchy-le-Preux and Wancourt.Lt...
—August 26–30 - Battle of Drocourt-QuéantDrocourt-QuéantThe Drocourt-Quéant Line was a set of mutually supporting defensive lines constructed by Germany between the French cities of Drocourt and Quéant during World War I...
—September 2–3 - Battle of the Canal du NordBattle of the Canal du NordThe Battle of Canal du Nord was part of a general Allied offensive against German positions on the Western Front during the Hundred Days Offensive of World War I. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, along an incomplete portion of the Canal du Nord and on the outskirts...
—September 27 – October 1 - Battle of CambraiBattle of Cambrai (1918)The Battle of Cambrai was a battle between troops of the British First, Third and Fourth Armies and German Empire forces during the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War. The battle took place in and around the French city of Cambrai, between 8 and 10 October 1918...
—October 8–9