3RD CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION

The formation of the 'Canadian 3rd Infantry Division' was authorized on 17 May 1940. There was then a considerable delay until the brigade and divisional headquarters were formed on September 5, and the first divisional commander was appointed on October 26.
While the division’s components were forming, The Cameron Highlanders were detached and transferred to Iceland as part of Z Force. The battalion spent the winter of 1940–41 there before moving to the UK. The division's 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade and 9th Canadian Infantry Brigades began embarking as early as July 1 1941 and arrived in the UK at the end of that month. The 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade embarked in August and arrived at the beginning of September. After its arrival, the division spent three uneventful years in garrison and training duties prior to the assault landing on Juno Beach in Normandy, as part of the British 2nd Army, later joining the newly-formed 1st Canadian Army. Battle honours include Caen, Falaise, capturing the Channel ports, the Breskens pocket, and the final offensives of 1945. During the Battle of the Scheldt, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had the nickname of "Water Rats" bestowed upon them by General Bernard Montgomery, for their skilled amphibious abilities.

Contents

Formation

See also

External links

Formation

; 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade
:
★ The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
:
★ The Regina Rifle Regiment
:
★ 1st Battalion The Canadian Scottish Regiment
; 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade

:
★ The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
:
★ Le Régiment de la Chaudière
:
★ The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
; 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade
:
★ The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
:
★ The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders
:
★ The North Nova Scotia Highlanders
; Other units
:
★ 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars)
:
★ The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (machine gun)
:
★ 12th Field Artillery Regiment
:
★ 13th Field Artillery Regiment
:
★ 14th Field Artillery Regiment
:
★ 3rd Anti-tank Regiment
:
★ 4th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
:
★ 16th Field Company Engineers

See also

★ 'History of the 3^rd Canadian infantry division at memorial-montormel.org'

★ List of military divisions

★ List of Canadian divisions in WWII

External links

★ Juno Beach - The Canadians on D-Day

★ Memorial of Coudehard-Montormel - 3rd ID in the Falaise pocket