1940 Canadian Army parade in London

British Newsreel. April 22, 1940. Following the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, Canada's Parliament supported the government's decision to declare war on Germany on September 10, one week after the United Kingdom and France. Canadian airmen played a small but significant role in the Battle of Britain, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian merchant marine played a crucial role in the Battle of the Atlantic. C Force, two Canadian infantry battalions were involved in the failed defence of Hong Kong. Troops of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division also played a leading role in the disastrous Dieppe Raid in August 1942. The 1st Canadian Division and tanks of the independent 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade landed on Sicily in July 1943 and after a 38-day campaign there, took part in the successful Allied invasion of Italy. Canadian forces played an important role in the long advance north through Italy, eventually coming under their own corps headquarters after 5th Canadian Armoured Division joined them on the line in early 1944 after the costly battles on the Moro River and at Ortona.On June 6, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Division (supported by tanks of the independent 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade) landed on Juno Beach in the Battle of Normandy. Canadian airborne troops had also landed earlier in the day behind the beaches. Resistance on Juno was fierce, and casualties were high in the assault waves, in particular the first assault waves, which sustained a 50 percent casualty rate. By day's end, however, the Canadians had made the deepest penetrations inland of any of the five seaborne invasion forces. The Canadians went on to play an important role in the subsequent fighting in Normandy, with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division coming ashore in July and the 4th Canadian Armoured Division in August. In the meantime, both a corps headquarters (II Canadian Corps) and eventually an army headquarters—for the first time in Canadian military history—were activated. One of the most important Canadian contributions to the war effort was in the Battle of the Scheldt, where First Canadian Army defeated an entrenched German force at great cost to help open Antwerp to Allied shipping.First Canadian Army fought in two more large campaigns; the Rhineland in February and March 1945, clearing a path to the Rhine River in anticipation of the assault crossing of that obstacle, and the subsequent battles on the far side of the Rhine in the last weeks of the war. The I Canadian Corps returned to northwest Europe from Italy in early 1945, and as part of a reunited First Canadian Army assisted in the liberation of The Netherlands (including the rescue of many Dutch from near-starvation conditions) and the invasion of Germany.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Canadian
• Army
• Military
• Parade
• London
• World
• War
• II
• Commonwealth

[jimmyphack]

We dont do anything like this anymore becuase people would rather be american then have any shread of pride like this.

[OjciecWalczy]

you mean: For King and Country ;)

[43mrssimba]

Respect to the British..

[sutton123454]

@rctsos So happy we went into ww2 on our own since we were no longer a part of Britain but our own country and we fought for our beliefs and our country.

[MegaWolfgang]

@popFORfresh The royal family learn the french language because of Canada's position in the commonwealth idiot.

[popFORfresh]

french-canadians don't consider England the mother country. ignorant British assholes, unaware of Canada's 2 seperate cultures...

[lolKocksylol]

Germany ftw!

[somegalfromcan]

@MrFreedomrequired LOL - some people do speak both!

[martynrobin121]

Respect to the Canadians, Our Brothers and great Allies. We have fought with each other in our darkest and greatest moments, And we shall fight for each other untill the end.  LONG LIVE THE Commonwealth, Long live the Queen, I am British i have never been to canada, But would be happy to risk my life to fight for our brothers and great Allies. We stand United.

[MrFreedomrequired]

@tickle2012 you should see how fit some of them are now!

[MrFreedomrequired]

@cripto136 LOL 100 is the whole there is nomore after that....so where are you going to get the extra people in your 50 to 89 ratio. Back to school with you! and where did you get these figures from....im pretty sure it was from your ass!

[Thanato26]

@harrison28514 well since they are Canadians... which was a member of the British Empire...

~Thanato