View source for 2nd Canadian Division during World War II

{{Short description|Infantry division of the Canadian Army (1939–45)}}
{{For|the full history of the division|2nd Canadian Division}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
|image=2ndcanadianinscheldt.jpg
|caption= Forces of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, move towards South Beveland during the Battle of the Scheldt, October 1944
|dates= 1939–1945
|country= {{flag|Canada|1921}}
|allegiance=
|branch= [[Canadian Army]]
|type=[[Infantry]]
|role=
|size=[[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure={{plainlist|
* [[I Canadian Corps]] (1942–1944)
* [[II Canadian Corps]] (1944–1945)
}}
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles= [[World War II]]
* [[Dieppe Raid]]
* [[Operation Atlantic|Caen]]
* [[Battle of Verrières Ridge|Verrières Ridge]]
* [[Operation Totalize|Cintheaux]]
* [[Operation Tractable|Falaise]]
* [[Battle of the Scheldt|The Scheldt]]
* [[Rhineland#The 1945 military campaign|The Rhineland]]
* [[Battle of Groningen]]
|notable_commanders= [[John Hamilton Roberts|John Roberts]]<br />[[Charles Foulkes (Canadian Army general)|Charles Foulkes]]<br />[[Bruce Matthews (general)|Bruce Matthews]]
|identification_symbol=[[Image:2nd Canadian Division formation patch.svg|100px|alt=A rectangular organizational symbol]]
|identification_symbol_label=[[Formation patch]]
|anniversaries=
}}
The [[2nd Canadian Division]], an [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[Canadian Army]], was mobilized for war service on 1{{nbsp}}September 1939 at the outset of [[World War II]]. Adopting the designation of the '''2nd Canadian Division''', it was initially composed of volunteers within [[brigade]]s established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of the war caused a delay in the formation of brigade and divisional headquarters. With questions concerning overseas deployment resolved, the division's respective commands were formed in May and June 1940, and at [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]]'s request, the division was deployed to the [[United Kingdom]] between 1{{nbsp}}August and 25{{nbsp}}December 1940, forming part of the [[I Canadian Corps|Canadian Corps]].

Having performed well in training exercises during 1941 and early 1942, elements of the 2nd Division were selected as the main force for [[Dieppe Raid|Operation Jubilee]], a large-scale [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious raid]] on the port of Dieppe in German-occupied France. On 19{{nbsp}}August 1942, with air and naval gunfire support, the division's [[4th Canadian Infantry Brigade|4th]] and [[6th Canadian Infantry Brigade|6th Infantry Brigade]]s assaulted Dieppe's beaches. The Germans were well prepared and, despite being reinforced, the Canadians sustained heavy losses and had to be evacuated, with fewer than half their number returning to the United Kingdom.

Following a period of reconstruction and retraining from 1942 to 1944, the division joined [[II Canadian Corps]] as part of the [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|British Second Army]] for the [[invasion of Normandy|Allied invasion of Normandy]]. The division was redesignated as '''2nd Canadian Infantry Division''' in January 1943. The 2nd Division saw significant action from 20{{nbsp}}July to 21{{nbsp}}August in the battles for [[Battle for Caen|Caen]] and [[Falaise Pocket|Falaise]]. Joining the newly activated headquarters of the [[First Canadian Army]] in the assault on northwestern Europe, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division played a significant role in the retaking of the [[Channel Ports]], the [[Battle of the Scheldt]], and the liberation of the Netherlands.  The division was deactivated shortly after the end of the war.

==Formation, garrison duties and organization (1939–1940)==
{{command structure
|name = 2nd Canadian Division
|date = 1939–1940
|subordinate =
; [[4th Canadian Infantry Brigade|4th Infantry Brigade]]
: [[Essex Scottish Regiment]]
: [[Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa|Ottawa Cameron Highlanders]]
: [[Royal Regiment of Canada]]
: [[The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)|Royal Hamilton Light Infantry]]
:
; [[5th Canadian Infantry Brigade|5th Infantry Brigade]]
: [[The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada|The Black Watch]]
: [[Fusiliers Mont-Royal]]
: [[Régiment de Maisonneuve]]
: [[Régiment de la Chaudière]]
:
; [[6th Canadian Infantry Brigade|6th Infantry Brigade]]
: [[Calgary Highlanders]]
: [[The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada|Cameron Highlanders]]
: [[South Saskatchewan Regiment]]
: [[Winnipeg Grenadiers]]
}}

At the start of the Second World War, the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) was initially composed of two [[Division (military)|divisions]]; the [[1st Canadian Division|1st]] and 2nd Canadian Infantry Divisions, both raised on 1{{nbsp}}September 1939.<ref>Bercuson, p. 27</ref> The fighting power of this force lay in its constituent infantry brigades, of which each division had three. These were in turn composed of three [[rifle]] and one [[machine gun]] [[battalion]], with additional divisional [[artillery]] and [[Military engineer|engineer]] units in support.<ref name="Bercuson279">Bercuson, p. 279</ref>

Formed under the command of Major-General [[Victor Odlum]], a highly distinguished veteran of the First World War, with an authorized strength of between 13,000 and 17,000 personnel,<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 75</ref> the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, like its sister formation, was originally organized along regional lines. Its [[4th Canadian Infantry Brigade|4th Brigade]] was composed of regiments from [[Ontario]], the [[5th Canadian Infantry Brigade|5th Brigade]] of regiments from [[Quebec]], and [[6th Canadian Infantry Brigade|6th Brigade]] of regiments from [[Western Canada]].<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 43</ref> These were the same infantry brigades—although their constituent battalions were different—that had formed part of the 2nd Canadian Division during its service on the Western Front as part of the [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] during the First World War.<ref>Chartrand, p. 12</ref>

It was over a year before the 2nd Division came together as a cohesive unit and, during the interim period between formation and arrival in the United Kingdom, many changes to its organization were made. The first brigade concentrations took place in May and June 1940, until which time all units had trained in their own garrisons. The 4th Brigade assembled at [[Camp Borden]] in Ontario, the 5th at [[Valcartier|Valcartier Camp]] in Quebec, and the 6th at [[CFB Shilo|Camp Shilo]] in [[Manitoba]].<ref name="Bercuson29">Bercuson, p. 29</ref> The divisional artillery was concentrated at artillery training centres at [[CFB Petawawa|Camp Petawawa]] in Ontario, and at Shilo.<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 39</ref><ref>Byers pp. xvii & 81</ref>

The 2nd Division's structure was altered in early 1940, reducing its number of machine-gun battalions from three to one.<ref>Copp, p. 20</ref> The Camerons and the Chaudières (now a rifle battalion) were reassigned to the newly mobilized [[3rd Canadian Infantry Division]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.army.dnd.ca/rdechaud/qg-hq/historique-history-eng.aspx?action=view&id=historique-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222004625/http://www.army.dnd.ca/rdechaud/qg-hq/historique-history-eng.aspx?action=view&id=historique-history|title=Chaudière Regimental History |access-date=5 December 2008 |publisher=Le Régiment de la Chaudière|archive-date=22 February 2012}}</ref> and the Winnipeg Grenadiers were sent to Jamaica for garrison duty, after which they returned to Canada then redeployed to Hong Kong, where they were captured when it [[Battle of Hong Kong|fell to the Japanese]] on 25{{nbsp}}December 1941.<ref>Willmott & Keegan, p. 57</ref>

In May 1940, The Black Watch were moved from Valcartier to Newfoundland, and in June, the 2nd Division was earmarked for garrison duty by the forces of the [[British Commonwealth]],<ref>Copp, p. 15</ref> with the Royal Regiment of Canada and ''Les Fusiliers Mont Royal'' arriving in Iceland later that month.<ref>Copp, p. 16</ref> However, at the request of [[Winston Churchill]], the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British prime minister]], these deployments were cut short, as the division was badly needed in England to supplement the [[British Army]]—then facing the imminent possibility of [[Operation Sealion|German invasion]].<ref name="Bercuson29"/>

As a result, most of the 2nd Division's units were sent to the United Kingdom in August 1940, although the Iceland garrison remained in place until 31{{nbsp}}October.<ref name="Bercuson29"/> The absence of the ''Mont Royal''s allowed Odlum to reassign the Calgary Highlanders to the 5th Brigade in September, in an attempt to ethnically mix the brigades of the division.<ref>Copp, p. 19</ref> By late December 1940, the 2nd Canadian Division was joined with the 1st to form the [[I Canadian Corps|Canadian Corps]] (later renamed to I Canadian Corps).<ref>Canadian Army Historical Section, p. 34</ref>

==Training in the United Kingdom (1941)==
[[File:Sergeant H.A. Marshall of the Sniper Section, The Calgary Highlanders.jpg|thumb|right|Sgt. [[Harold Marshall (sniper)|Harold Marshall]] of the Calgary Highlanders' Sniper Platoon]]
In 1941, the [[Toronto Scottish Regiment]] was transferred from the 1st Division to become the machine-gun battalion of the 2nd Division.<ref>Copp, p. 12</ref> Around the same time, the [[8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars)]] was raised from 2nd Division personnel supplemented by reinforcements from Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.saskd.ca/27Light.htm|title= 14th Canadian Hussars|access-date=6 December 2008 |publisher= 14th Canadian Hussars (Saskatchewan Dragoons)| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081209012527/http://www.saskd.ca/27Light.htm| archive-date= 9 December 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> Due to equipment shortages, it was often difficult to adequately supply newly arrived divisions in England.<ref>Berton, p. 362</ref> Artillery units had to make use of outmoded 75&nbsp;mm guns with steel tires, and a lack of anti-aircraft guns—diverted to civil defence during the height of the [[Battle of Britain]]—left Canadian units to fend for themselves with small arms.<ref>Copp, p. 22</ref> However, by February 1941, enough [[Bren gun]]s had been issued to the infantry units and, by September, the artillery had been equipped with [[25-pounder]] ({{convert|84|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}) [[howitzer]]s, although signals equipment and transport were still lacking and anti-tank guns were dangerously scarce.<ref name="Bercuson63">Bercuson, p. 63</ref>

When the division was not engaged in coastal-defence duties or unit training, formation-level training took the form of increasingly larger exercises. Exercise Waterloo, conducted from 14 to 16{{nbsp}}June 1941, was the largest in the United Kingdom to date, with I{{nbsp}}Canadian Corps counter-attacking an imagined German sea and air landing.<ref name=48th/> Exercise Bumper, held from 29{{nbsp}}September to 3{{nbsp}}October, was larger still, involving 250,000 men.<ref name=48th>{{cite web |url= http://dileas.mapleleafup.org/england.htm|title= 48th Highlanders of Canada Regimental History|access-date=6 December 2008 |work=Maple Leaf Up |author=Johnson, Art | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081209041904/http://dileas.mapleleafup.org/england.htm| archive-date= 9 December 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> These exercises tended to concentrate on traffic control, communications, and logistical concerns, and were of little practical value to the infantry.<ref>Copp, p. 23</ref>

On 23{{nbsp}}December 1941, Major-General [[Harry Crerar]] was appointed as divisional commander, replacing Odlum who had ceased command in November, temporarily handing over to Major-General [[John Hamilton Roberts|John Roberts]]. However, Crerar was appointed temporary corps commander the same day and as a result never actually fulfilled the role of divisional commander, with Roberts eventually being confirmed in the role in April 1942.<ref name=Stacey542>Stacey 1955, p. 542</ref> Meanwhile, on 30{{nbsp}}December 1941, the [[Calgary Highlanders]] introduced "[[battle drill]]" to the division.<ref name="Copp24">Copp, p. 24</ref> This new type of training emphasized small unit tactics as well as "hardening" training through use of live ammunition, slaughterhouse visits, and obstacle courses, and was adopted throughout Commonwealth forces stationed in Britain.<ref name="Copp24"/>

==Operation Jubilee (1942)==
{{Main article|Dieppe Raid}}
[[Image:Bodies of Canadian soldiers - Dieppe Raid.jpg|thumb|left|Soldiers' corpses from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division following the [[Dieppe Raid]]]]

In early 1942, under Roberts, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division participated in several additional full-scale combat exercises, again gauging the ability of Commonwealth divisions to repel a [[Operation Sea Lion|possible German invasion]]. As April and May progressed, the exercises intensified, becoming significantly more demanding on the participants.<ref>Copp, p. 29</ref> As a result, the 2nd Division was judged to be one of the four best divisions in the United Kingdom,<ref>Copp, p. 30</ref> and was selected as the primary force for the upcoming Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe—codenamed Operation Jubilee.  Mounted as a test of whether or not such a landing was feasible,<ref name="Bercuson62">Bercuson, p. 62</ref> the Dieppe raid was to be undertaken by the 4th and 6th Brigades, with additional naval, air, and infantry support. Significant elements of the 5th Brigade were also involved.<ref name="Zuehlke151"/>

On 19{{nbsp}}August 1942, while [[British Commandos|British commando]] units attacked bunker positions on the outskirts of Dieppe, forces of the 2nd Division landed on four beaches. The easternmost, Blue Beach, which was at the foot of a sheer cliff, presented the most difficulties; [[the Royal Regiment of Canada]], with a company of the [[The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada|Black Watch]], was held at bay by two platoons of German defenders.<ref name="Zuehlke151"/> Only six percent of the men that landed on Blue Beach returned to Britain.<ref>Bercuson, p. 69</ref>

The main beaches, codenamed White and Red, lay in front of Dieppe itself. Making only minor gains, the majority of the 4th and 6th Brigades became pinned down on the beach, and despite the arrival of an armoured squadron from the Calgary Tank Regiment, casualties were heavy.<ref name="Zuehlke151">Zuehlke, p. 151</ref> Reinforcements from the Mont Royals had little effect, and surviving forces were withdrawn by 11:00. Of the nearly 5,000 Canadian troops that participated, more than half were killed, wounded or captured.<ref>Bercuson, p. 73</ref>

At Green Beach to the west, part of the [[South Saskatchewan Regiment]] was landed on the wrong side of the [[Scie River]], necessitating an assault over the machine gun swept bridge there so they could assault the cliffs on the west. The village of [[Pourville]]<ref name="Bercuson71">Bercuson, p. 71</ref> was captured but the eastern cliffs proved impossible to capture so blocking their assault on an artillery battery and a radar station. The [[Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders]] were landed with the objective of moving south to attack an airfield and a divisional HQ. Neither battalion was able to achieve their objectives. As with the other three beaches, casualties among the Canadians were high with 160 fatalities.<ref name="Bercuson71"/>

==Rebuilding (1942–1944)==
{{command structure
|name = 2nd Canadian Division
|date = 1944
|subordinate =
; [[4th Canadian Infantry Brigade|4th Infantry Brigade]]
: [[Essex Scottish Regiment]]
: [[Royal Regiment of Canada]]
: [[The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)|Royal Hamilton Light Infantry]]
:: Ground Defence Platoon
:
; [[5th Canadian Infantry Brigade|5th Infantry Brigade]]
: [[The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada|The Black Watch]]
: [[Calgary Highlanders]]
: [[Régiment de Maisonneuve]]
:: Ground Defence Platoon
:
; [[6th Canadian Infantry Brigade|6th Infantry Brigade]]
: [[The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada|Cameron Highlanders]]
: [[Fusiliers Mont-Royal]]
: [[South Saskatchewan Regiment]]
::Ground Defence Platoon
:
; Support units
: [[Toronto Scottish Regiment]]
: [[8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars)|8th Reconnaissance Regiment]]
: 4th Field Regiment
: 5th Field Regiment
: 6th Field Regiment
: 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment
: 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
: 2nd Divisional Engineers
: 2nd Divisional Signals
: 2nd Divisional Service Corps Troops
: 2nd Divisional Workshops and Light Aid Detachments
: 2nd Divisional Medical Corps Troops
: 2nd Divisional Ordnance Field Park
: No. 2 Provost Company
}}

Throughout 1943, the 2nd Division focused on rebuilding its ranks, having lost close to half its strength at Dieppe. In April 1943, Major-General [[Guy Simonds]]—the first officer to command the division who had not served in the [[World War I|Great War]]—assumed command of the division, taking over from Roberts,<ref>Stacey 1955, p. 249</ref> before handing over the following month to Major-General [[E. L. M. Burns]]. In January 1944, Major-General [[Charles Foulkes (Canadian Army officer)|Charles Foulkes]]—another officer who, like Simonds, had been too young to serve in the Great War—replaced Burns, who went to [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italy]] to command [[I Canadian Corps]], where it had been deployed towards the end of 1943.<ref name="Copp35">Copp, p. 35</ref> The following month, all three brigade commanders were replaced as part of a general move to modernize the Canadian forces' higher echelons;<ref>Copp, p. 37</ref> further sweeping changes throughout all levels of command, coupled with the lingering effects of the large influx of new personnel during 1943, lowered morale in the division.<ref name="Copp35"/> However, in March 1944, training again intensified, heralding the coming [[Operation Overlord|invasion of Europe]]. On 9{{nbsp}}March, the 2nd Division was inspected by [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King]] [[George VI]],<ref>Copp, p. 38</ref> and by May the division numbered close to 18,000 fully equipped and trained soldiers.<ref>Copp, p. 39</ref> When D-Day arrived on 6{{nbsp}}June 1944, the main Canadian assault was led by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, while the 2nd Division was held in reserve.<ref>Copp, p. 41</ref> At this time, the division consisted of three brigades—4th, 5th and 6th—each of three infantry battalions,<ref>Hart 2016, p. 24</ref> and a brigade ground defence platoon provided by [[The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment)|Lorne Scots]].<ref>Rottman, p. 60</ref> In addition, at divisional level there was a machine gun battalion and a reconnaissance regiment provided by [[The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)|the Toronto Scottish Regiment]] (machine gun) and 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), as well as various combat support and service support elements including field, anti-tank and anti-aircraft artillery, field engineers, electrical and mechanical engineers, and signals, medical, ordnance, service corps troops and provosts.<ref>English, p. 177</ref><ref>Hart, p. 24</ref>

==Battle of Normandy==

The attack on [[Juno Beach]] by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division was the most successful of the five beaches attacked on [[Normandy landings|D-Day]], 6{{nbsp}}June 1944. Having successfully [[invasion of Normandy|landed in Normandy]], [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]] soon became embroiled in battles against [[Panzer division|German armour]] and were unable to significantly expand their [[beachhead]]; by the time the 2nd Division came ashore at the end of the first week of July, the entire front had congealed.<ref>Zuehlke, p. 166</ref> Assigned to the [[II Canadian Corps]], and subordinated to the [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|British Second Army]], the division assembled its brigades for combat while British and Canadian forces launched [[Operation Charnwood]]. It was a tactical success, but could not clear all [[Caen]] of its German defenders.<ref>D'Este, p. 325</ref> Although originally a D-Day objective, Caen proved a difficult prize, holding out until 19{{nbsp}}July when it finally fell to British troops during [[Operation Goodwood]].<ref name="Trew 77">Trew, p. 77</ref> In the aftermath, [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Bernard Montgomery]], commander of the Anglo-Canadian [[21st Army Group]], ordered elements of [[II Canadian Corps]], commanded by [[Lieutenant-general (Canada)|Lieutenant-General]] Guy Simonds, to push forward towards [[Verrières Ridge]], the dominant geographical feature between Caen and [[Falaise, Calvados|Falaise]]. By keeping up the pressure, Montgomery hoped to divert German attention away from the American sector to the west.<ref>D'Este, p. 398</ref>

===Operation Atlantic===
[[Operation Atlantic]], launched on 18{{nbsp}}July alongside Goodwood, had the objectives of securing the western bank of the [[Orne River]] and Verrières Ridge.<ref name="Zuehlke168">Zuehlke, p. 168</ref> The 2nd Division's 5th and 6th Brigades were selected as the assaulting forces, with the 5th Brigade focusing on the Orne and the 6th on Verrières. The 4th Brigade were tasked with securing the flank of the operation, and the Royal Regiment of Canada attacked Louvigny on 18{{nbsp}}July.<ref>Stacey 1964, p. 172</ref> Early on 19{{nbsp}}July, the [[The Calgary Highlanders|Calgary Highlanders]] seized Point 67, directly north of Verrières Ridge, and the following morning the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada crossed the Orne River and secured the flanks of the advance. In the afternoon, the 6th Brigade's South Saskatchewan Regiment attacked the well-entrenched German positions on the ridge, with support from [[Hawker Typhoon|Typhoon]] fighter-bombers and tanks.<ref name="Bercuson223">Bercuson, p. 223</ref> However, the attack ran into torrential rain, and the Germans counterattacked in force.<ref name="Bercuson223"/> This and further German attacks inflicted heavy casualties on the South Saskatchewan Regiment and its supporting battalions, the [[The Essex Scottish Regiment|Essex Scottish Regiment]] and the [[The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada|Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada]]. On 21{{nbsp}}July, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade reinforced Canadian positions on Point 67. In two days of fighting, the division suffered 1,349 casualties.<ref name="Zuehlke168"/>

===Operation Spring===
[[File:2nd Canadian Infantry Division formation sign.png|thumb|right|Formation sign used to identify vehicles of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division]]
On 22{{nbsp}}July 1944, Montgomery elected to use the Anglo-Canadian forces south of Caen in an all-out offensive aimed at breaking the German defensive cordon keeping his forces bottled up in Normandy.<ref name="Bercuson224">Bercuson, p. 224</ref> To meet Montgomery's objectives, General Simonds was ordered to design a large breakout assault, codenamed [[Operation Spring]].<ref>Copp, p. 63</ref> The attack was planned in three tightly timed phases of advance, pitting two Canadian and two British divisions against three German SS-Panzer divisions, which would be launched in conjunction with an American offensive, [[Operation Cobra]], scheduled to take place on 25{{nbsp}}July 1944.<ref>Stacey 1964, pp. 180 & 183</ref>

The 4th Brigade attacked in the east with some success, taking Verrières village itself, but were repulsed at [[Tilly-la-Campagne]] by German counterattacks.<ref name="Bercuson224"/> The 5th Brigade, in the centre, made a bid for [[Fontenay-le-Marmion]]; of the 325 members of the [[Black Watch of Canada|Black Watch]] who left the start-lines, only 15 answered evening roll-call.<ref name="Bercuson224"/> German counterattacks on 26 and 27{{nbsp}}July pushed Canadian forces back to Point 67.<ref>Copp, p. 87</ref> However, the situation eventually eased for the 2nd Canadian Division when US forces went on the offensive. Throughout the first week of August, significant German resources were transferred from the Anglo-Canadian front to that of the [[United States Army Central|U.S. Third Army]], under [[Lieutenant-general (United States)|Lieutenant-General]] [[George S. Patton|George Patton]], while reinforcements moved from [[Pas de Calais]] to the Falaise–Calvados area.<ref name="Bercuson228">Bercuson, p. 228</ref> By 7{{nbsp}}August 1944, only one major formation—the [[12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend]]—faced Canadian forces on Verrières Ridge.<ref>Stacey 1948, p. 205</ref>

===Operation Totalize===
By 1{{nbsp}}August 1944, the British had made significant gains on the [[Vire river|Vire]] and Orne Rivers during [[Operation Bluecoat]], while the Americans had achieved a complete breakthrough in the west. On 4{{nbsp}}August, Simonds and [[General (Canada)|General]] Harry Crerar—newly appointed commander of the [[First Canadian Army]]—were given the order to prepare an advance on Falaise.<ref name="Bercuson228"/> Three days later, with heavy bomber support, [[Operation Totalize]] began, marking the first use of [[Kangaroo (armoured personnel carrier)|Kangaroo Armoured Personnel Carriers]].<ref name="Zuehlke168"/> While the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division attacked east of the Caen–Falaise Road, 2nd Division attacked to the west. By noon Verrières Ridge had finally fallen, and Canadian and Polish armour was preparing to exploit south towards Falaise.<ref name="Bercuson229">Bercuson, p. 229</ref> However, strong resistance by the 12th SS Panzer Division and the [[272nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|272nd ''Volksgrenadier'' Division]] halted the advance.<ref name="Bercuson229"/> Although 12&nbsp;km (7.5&nbsp;mi) of ground had been gained, Canadian forces had failed to reach Falaise itself.<ref name="Bercuson230">Bercuson, p. 230</ref>

Simultaneously, the Germans had launched [[Operation Luttich]], a desperate and ill-prepared armoured thrust towards [[Mortain]], beginning on 6{{nbsp}}August 1944. This was halted within a day and, despite the increasingly dangerous threat presented by the Anglo–Canadian advance on Falaise, the German commander [[Generalfeldmarschall|Field Marshal]] [[Günther von Kluge]] was prohibited by [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] from redeploying his forces.<ref>D'Este, p. 420</ref> Thus, as American armoured formations advanced towards [[Argentan]] from the south, the Allies were presented with an opportunity to encircle large sections of the [[7th Army (Wehrmacht)|German Seventh Army]].<ref>D'Este, p. 427</ref> The First Canadian Army was ordered south, while the Americans prepared to move on [[Chambois, Orne|Chambois]] on 14{{nbsp}}August. Simonds and Crerar quickly planned a further offensive that would push through to Falaise, trapping the German Seventh Army in Normandy.<ref name="Zuehlke, p. 169">Zuehlke, p. 169</ref>

===Operation Tractable===
On 14{{nbsp}}August, the First Canadian Army launched [[Operation Tractable]] with the aim of capturing Falaise and achieving a linkup with American forces in Chambois.<ref>D'Este, p. 429</ref> A daylight attack was executed after artillery provided [[smoke-screen]] cover and medium bombers softened up the German defences.<ref name="TractableMMO">{{cite web |url=http://montormel.evl.pl/?id=67|title=Operation Tractable |publisher= Memorial Mont-Ormel|access-date=28 May 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080617070258/http://montormel.evl.pl/?id=67| archive-date= 17 June 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> The offensive was largely successful and, although the 2nd Division was not an active participant, divisional troops entered Falaise on 16{{nbsp}}August as the remainder of First Canadian Army moved south-east towards Trun and Chambois.<ref name="junobeach.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-nor-cam-e.htm |title=Juno Beach Centre, Normandy, France |publisher= The Juno Beach Association |access-date=28 May 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080516015151/http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-nor-cam-e.htm| archive-date= 16 May 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> By 21{{nbsp}}August the remnants of the battered German Seventh Army had surrendered in the [[Falaise Pocket]], bringing the Battle of Normandy to a close. The German forces committed to Normandy since D-Day had been virtually annihilated—by the end of Operation Tractable, the 12th SS Panzer Division, the main adversary of the Canadians, had lost 80% of its tanks,<ref name="DEste432">D'Este, p. 432</ref> 70% of its personnel carriers,<ref name="DEste432"/> and 60% of its artillery.<ref name="DEste432"/>

Shortly afterwards, the 2nd Division moved to Foret de la Londe, along the valley of the [[River Seine]]. From 27{{nbsp}}to 29{{nbsp}}August, the 4th and 6th Brigades were engaged in heavy fighting against the rearguard of German forces seeking to withdraw across the Seine.<ref name="Zuehlke, p. 169"/>

==The Channel Ports and the Scheldt==
[[Image:Mapnorthernfront.gif|thumb|right|400px|Canadian movements during the [[Battle of the Scheldt]], October 1944]]
Throughout September and October 1944, the First Canadian Army moved along the coast of France with the aim of securing the [[Channel Ports]]. On 1{{nbsp}}September, while the 3rd Division made for Boulogne and Calais, the 2nd Division entered Dieppe, encountering virtually no resistance.<ref name="Bercuson234">Bercuson, p. 234</ref> Five days later they were tasked by Montgomery and Crerar with retaking Dunkirk.<ref name="Copp123">Copp, p. 123</ref> Heavy fighting around the outskirts would hold the division for several days but, by 9{{nbsp}}September, the 5th Brigade had captured the port.<ref name="Copp127">Copp, p. 127</ref> The Dunkirk perimeter was handed over to the British on 15{{nbsp}}September, and the 2nd Division made for [[Antwerp]].<ref name="Copp127"/>

Although the [[Witte Brigade|Belgian White Brigade]], the 11th Armoured Division, and elements of the [[3rd Division (United Kingdom)|British 3rd Infantry Division]] had entered Antwerp as early as 4{{nbsp}}September, taking the city and docks, a strategic oversight meant that the nearby bridges over the Albert Canal were not seized, leaving the Germans in control of the Scheldt estuary.<ref>Copp, p. 132</ref> The failure to make an immediate push on the estuary ensured the strategically vital port would remain useless until the Scheldt was cleared. Strong formations of the [[15th Army (Wehrmacht)|German Fifteenth Army]], which had withdrawn from the Pas de Calais, were able to consolidate their positions on the islands of South Beveland and Walcheren, as well as the Albert Canal directly northwest of Antwerp, and were further reinforced by elements of General [[Kurt Student]]'s [[First Parachute Army (Germany)|First Parachute Army]].<ref name="Bercuson234"/>

During the initial phases of the battle, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division sought to force a crossing of the Albert Canal.<ref>Bercuson, p. 235</ref> On 2{{nbsp}}October, the entire First Canadian Army—under the temporary command of General Simonds—moved against the German defences. Two days later, 2nd Division had cleared the canal, and was moving northwest towards South Beveland and Walcheren Island.<ref name="Zuehlke170">Zuehlke, p. 170</ref> On Friday, 13{{nbsp}}October, later known as "Black Friday", the 5th Brigade's Black Watch attacked positions near the coast, losing all four company commanders and over 200 men.<ref name="Bercuson249">Bercuson, p. 249</ref> Three days later, the Calgary Highlanders conducted a more successful offensive, capturing the initial objective of Woensdrecht.<ref name="Bercuson249"/> Simultaneously, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the [[4th Canadian Division|4th Canadian (Armoured) Division]] captured Bergen, cutting off South Beveland and Walcheren from reinforcement.<ref name="Bercuson250">Bercuson, p. 250</ref>

==Battles for the Rhine (November 1944 – March 1945)==
By November 1944, the First Canadian Army had entered the [[Nijmegen|Nijmegen Salient]] which was being held for use in the development of future offensives.<ref name="Bercuson255">Bercuson, p. 255</ref> The 2nd Division came under the command of Major-General [[Bruce Matthews (general)|Bruce Matthews]], with Foulkes being transferred to command the [[I Canadian Corps]] on the [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italian Front]].<ref>Copp, p. 176</ref> The First Canadian Army launched no major offensive operations from November 1944 to January 1945; the longest hiatus the Canadians had enjoyed since landing on the Normandy beaches the previous June.<ref name="Bercuson255"/>

[[File:The Campaign in North-west Europe 1944-45 B14681.jpg|thumb|right|[[M4 Sherman|Sherman tanks]] of the [[10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse)]] with infantry of the [[Royal Regiment of Canada]] massing in preparation for the assault on Goch, 17 February 1945]]

[[Operation Veritable]] was designed to bring the 21st Army Group to the west bank of the [[Rhine River]], the last natural obstacle before entering Germany.<ref name="JunoBeachVictory">{{cite web |url=http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-rhi-e.htm |title= Juno Beach Centre – Liberation of the Netherlands and capitulation of Germany|access-date=15 August 2008 |publisher= Juno Beach Centre| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080818055617/http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-rhi-e.htm| archive-date= 18 August 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> Initially scheduled for December 1944, the operation was delayed until February by the German [[Battle of the Bulge|Ardennes Offensive]].<ref>Bercuson, p. 258</ref> Plans were developed to breach three successive defensive lines: the outpost screen; a formidable section of the [[Siegfried Line]] running through the [[Hochwald Forest]]; and finally the Hochwald Layback covering the approach to the ultimate objective of [[Xanten]].<ref name="Zuehlke171"/> The first phase began on 8{{nbsp}}February 1945, with the 2nd Division's advance following up one of the largest artillery barrages seen on the Western Front.<ref name="JunoBeachVictory"/> The Germans had prepared significant defences in depth, both within the outpost screen and the Siegfried Line itself,<ref name="JunoBeachVictory"/> and to add to the Canadians' difficulties, constant rain and cold weather obscured the battlefield. However, by the end of the first day, the 2nd Division had captured their objectives—the fortified towns of [[Wyler, North Rhine-Westphalia|Wyler]] and [[Den Heuvel]].<ref name="Bercuson263">Bercuson, p. 263</ref> On 11{{nbsp}}February, the division moved southeast to assist [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|British XXX Corps]] in their assault on Moyland Wood.<ref name="Bercuson263"/>

The operational plan's second phase called for the 2nd and 3rd Divisions to take the Hochwald Forest. Following its capture, the 4th Canadian Armoured would sweep through the Hochwald Gap towards [[Wesel]],<ref>Bercuson, p. 265</ref> followed by the 2nd Division "leap-frogging" towards Xanten. [[Operation Blockbuster]] was scheduled for 27{{nbsp}}February, but despite initial gains, stubborn German resistance prolonged the battle for six days.<ref name="JunoBeachVictory"/><ref name="Zuehlke171">Zuehlke, p. 171</ref> It was not until 3{{nbsp}}March that the forest was cleared—during the intense close-quarter fighting, Major [[Frederick Albert Tilston|Frederick Tilston]] of the Essex Scottish Regiment won a [[Victoria Cross]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history/secondwar/citations/tilston |title=Major Frederick Tilston, Victoria Cross |access-date=15 August 2008 |publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919220339/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history%2Fsecondwar%2Fcitations%2Ftilston |archive-date=19 September 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Operation Blockbuster's final phase was the attack on Xanten itself, which lasted from 8{{nbsp}}to 10{{nbsp}}March.<ref name="Zuehlke172">Zuehlke, p. 172</ref> This fell primarily to the 2nd Division and [[2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade]], although the [[43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division]] was temporarily assigned to Simonds's II Canadian Corps for the assault.<ref name="Copp190">Copp, p. 190</ref> Despite an elaborate preceding artillery barrage, dogged German resistance caused the battle to degenerate into one of attrition.<ref name="Copp190"/> Because effective air-support was prevented by fog and movement was hindered by German mortar barrages,<ref name="JunoBeachVictory"/> the British and Canadians suffered heavy casualties.<ref name="Copp190"/> However, by 10{{nbsp}}March, the 2nd Division's 5th Brigade had linked up with elements of the [[52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division]], bringing the offensive to a close.<ref>Copp, p. 192</ref> Total Canadian casualties during Veritable and Blockbuster were 5,304 killed or wounded.<ref name="Zuehlke172"/>

==North of the Rhine (March–May 1945)==
[[Image:Canadian soldiers during the Battle of Groningen.jpg|thumb|Canadian troops at Groningen]]
{{See also|Battle of Groningen}}

As Canadian forces had incurred heavy casualties in clearing a path to the Rhine, the 2nd Division was excluded from the massive crossing operation that took place on 23{{nbsp}}March 1945, instead crossing unopposed a week later after a bridgehead had been secured.<ref>Bercuson, p. 267</ref> After a brief detour through German territory, the First Canadian Army—now unified with the arrival of [[I Canadian Corps]] from [[Italian campaign (World War II)|the Italian Front]]—prepared to assault German positions in the Netherlands. The 2nd Division moved northwards towards [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]].<ref>Copp, p. 196</ref> In the nine days preceding their attack, German resistance had been light and uncoordinated,<ref>Copp, p. 197</ref> but opposition stiffened as the assault progressed, leading to heavy losses among the battalions of the 5th Brigade.<ref>Copp, p. 200</ref> By 13{{nbsp}}April, the division had been shifted eastward to guard the flanks of a British assault on [[Bremen]],<ref>Copp, p. 202</ref> and the following day I{{nbsp}}Canadian Corps [[Liberation of Arnhem|liberated Arnhem]]. On 2{{nbsp}}May, the 2nd Division took [[Oldenburg (city)|Oldenburg]], solidifying Canadian positions throughout the Netherlands.<ref>Zuehlke, p. 173</ref> German and Canadian forces declared a ceasefire on 5{{nbsp}}May,<ref name="Copp205">Copp, p. 205</ref> and all fighting came to an end with the [[Victory in Europe Day|surrender of German forces in Western Europe]] on 7{{nbsp}}May 1945.<ref name="Zuehlke172"/> In October 1945, after four months in the Netherlands, General Order 52/46 officially disbanded the headquarters of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.<ref name="Copp205"/> By December, the entirety of the division had been stood down and returned to Canada.<ref>Copp, p. 206</ref> The division suffered heavy casualties through 1944 and 1945; according to Bercuson it had the "highest casualty ratio in the Canadian Army – from the time it returned to combat in early July 1944 until the end of the war".<ref>Bercuson p. 74.</ref>

==Commanding officers==
The following officers commanded the division:<ref name=Stacey542/>
* Major-General [[Victor Odlum]] (1940–1941)
* Major-General [[Harry Crerar]] (1941–1942)
* Major-General [[John Hamilton Roberts|John Roberts]] (1941–1943)
* Major-General [[Guy Simonds]] (1943)
* Major-General [[E. L. M. Burns|Eedson Burns]] (1943–1944)
* Major-General [[Charles Foulkes (Canadian Army general)|Charles Foulkes]] (1944)
* Major-General [[Bruce Matthews (general)|Bruce Matthews]] (1944–1945)

==See also==
* [[Canadian Armed Forces]]
* [[Military history of Canada]]
* [[Military history of Canada during World War II]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Bercuson |first=David Jay |orig-year=1996 |year=2004 |title=Maple Leaf Against the Axis |edition=Illustrated |location=Calgary |publisher=Red Deer Press |isbn=0-88995-305-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mapleleafagainst0000berc }}
* {{cite book |last=Berton |first=Pierre |year=2001 |title=Marching As to War: Canada's Turbulent Years, 1899–1953 |location=Toronto |publisher=Anchor Canada |isbn=0-385-25819-4 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/marchingastowarc0000bert }}
* {{cite book |last=Byers |first=Daniel |title=Zombie Army: The Canadian Army and Conscription in the Second World War |year=2016 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Toronto |isbn=978-077483-054-6 }}
* {{cite book |author=Canadian Army Historical Section |year=1945 |title=The Canadians in Britain, 1939–1944 |series=Canadian Army at War |location=Ottawa |publisher=King's Printer |oclc=61602259}}
* {{cite book |last=Chartrand |first=Rene |title=The Canadian Corps in World War I |year=2012 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-78200-906-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Copp |first=Terry |orig-year=1992 |year=2007 |title=The Brigade: The Fifth Canadian Infantry Brigade in World War II |edition=Illustrated |publisher=Stackpole Books |location= Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania |isbn=978-0-8117-3422-6}}
* {{cite book |last=D'Este |first=Carlo |year=1983 |title=Decision in Normandy |location=New York |publisher=E.P. Dutton |isbn=978-0-52524-218-5}}
* {{cite book |last=English |first=John |title=The Canadian Army & Normandy Campaign |year=2009 |publisher=Stackpole Books |location=Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania |isbn=978-1-46175-185-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Dorosh |first=Michael |orig-year=2021 |year=2021 |title=The Hard Luck Division: A History of the 2nd Canadian Division in the Second World War |edition=Illustrated |location=Calgary |publisher=Dougle Dagger Publishing Ltd. |isbn=9781990644009 |url-access=|url=}}
* {{cite book |last=Hart |first=Stephen A. |title=Operation Totalize 1944 |year=2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=978-147281-288-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Rottman |first=Gordon |title=Victory 1945: Western Allied Troops in Northwest Europe |year=2015 |series=Elite # 209 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-47280-949-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Stacey |first=C. P. |year=1964 |series=Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War |volume=III |title=The Victory Campaign |publisher=Queen's Printer |location=Ottawa |oclc=874034911 |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=29 |access-date=15 December 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714064359/http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=29 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite book |last=Stacey |first=C. P. |year=1955 |series=Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War |volume=I |title=Six Years of War |publisher=Queen's Printer |location=Ottawa |oclc=317692673 |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=27 |access-date=15 December 2014 |archive-date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401004200/http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=27 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite book |last=Stacey |first=C.P. |year=1948 |title=The Canadian Army 1939–1945: An Official Historical Summary |series=Official History of the Canadian Army |publisher=King's Printer |location=Ottawa |oclc=2144853 |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/CA/OpSumm/index.html }}
* {{cite book| first=Simon|last=Trew| author2=Badsey, Stephen| series=Battle Zone Normandy| title=Battle for Caen|publisher=Faber and Faber| year=2004| isbn=0-7509-3010-1}}
* {{cite book |last1=Willmott |first1=H.P. |last2=Keegan |first2=John |author-link2=John Keegan |orig-year=1999 |year=2002 |title=The Second World War in the Far East |publisher=Cassell |location=London |isbn=978-0-30435-247-0 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Zuehlke |first1=Mark |last2=Daniel |first2=C. Stuart |year=2001 |title=The Canadian Military Atlas: The Nation's Battlefields from the French and Indian Wars to Kosovo |edition=Illustrated |location=Toronto |publisher=Stoddart |isbn=0-7737-3289-6}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | last =Hayes | first =Geoffrey | title =Crerar's Lieutenants | publisher =UBC Press | year =2017 | location =Vancouver, BC Canada |  url =http://www.ubcpress.ca| isbn =978-0-7748-3484-1}}
{{refend}}

{{Infantry Division of Canada}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian Infantry Division 2}}
[[Category:Canadian World War II divisions]]
[[Category:Infantry divisions of Canada]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1939]]