Selected Photographs: Army
The Canadian Army
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Lance-Corporal H.G. Roseborough of No. 8 Provost Company, Canadian Provost Corps, painting signs, Boxtel, Netherlands, March 15, 1945. Photograph by Captain Jack H. Smith.
During the Second World War, over 750,000 men and women served in administrative, combat, and support units of the Canadian Army. In Canada, some personnel were tasked for home-defence duties, while others staffed 97 Army training centers. As units were mobilized in Canada, National Defence Headquarters transferred them to the United Kingdom (UK), where they became part of the Canadian Army Overseas. From 1940 to June 5, 1944, Canadian soldiers honed their skills while actively participating in the defence of the UK.
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Infantrymen of The South Saskatchewan Regiment during mopping-up operations along the Oranje Canal, Netherlands, April 12, 1945. Photograph by Lieutenant Dan Guravich.
Concurrently, other Canadian units were stationed to defend Newfoundland, the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Guiana, and Jamaica. From 1940 to 1942, Canadian troops took part in operations along the Norwegian coastline, in the defence of Hong Kong in December 1941, and in the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942. In July 1943, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, along with British and American units, invaded Sicily. After the fall of Sicily, they went on to fight in Italy alongside the 5th Canadian Armoured Division. During this period, Canadian units in the UK continued their preparations for the imminent invasion of Europe.
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A three-inch (7.62 cm) mortar crew of Support Company, The Regina Rifle Regiment. Bretteville-l’Orgueilleuse, France, circa June 9, 1944. (Front, L-R): Riflemen Dan E. Corturient, A.V. “Swede” Renwick and Win R. Powell. (Rear, L-R): Rifleman George Cooper, Sergeant Tom Holt, Rifleman Ben Wilson. Photograph by Lieutenant Donald I. Grant.
On June 6, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade landed in Normandy along with other elements of the 2 nd British Army. In the following days, additional units of the 2nd Canadian Corps were deployed in the Normandy bridgehead. These Canadian troops and their allies went on to liberate France. From October 1944 to May 1945, Canadian soldiers fought throughout northwestern Europe, liberating Belgium and the Netherlands. The last European campaign involved the invasion of Germany. The German forces caught between the advancing Allied and Russian forces crumbled and capitulated. The hostilities officially ceased on May 8, 1945. The Canadian Army had paid a very heavy price; it had sustained a total of 17,682 fatal battle casualities.
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Infantrymen of The West Nova Scotia Regiment in a Universal Carrier en route to Rotterdam are surrounded by Dutch civilians celebrating the liberation of the Netherlands, May 9, 1945. Photograph by Lieutenant G. Barry Gilroy.
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Dutch women and children sitting on a Sherman VC Firefly tank of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians). Harderwijk, Netherlands, April 19, 1945. Photograph by Captain Jack H. Smith.
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Personnel of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps at No. 3 CWAC (Basic) Training Centre, Kitchener, Ontario, April 6, 1944. Photographer unknown.
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Tactical Headquarters of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. Munderloh, Germany, April 29, 1945. (L-R): Captain J.S. Hamilton, Royal Canadian Artillery; Lieutenant-Colonel J.A. Dextraze, Commanding Officer of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal; Lieutenant A. Gautier and Sergeant P.P. Leduc, both of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal; Major D.W. Grant, The Toronto Scottish Regiment (M.G.). Photograph by Lieutenant Dan Guravich.
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Gunners of the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, pushing a 3.7-inch (9.84 cm) anti-aircraft gun through mud. Dunkerque, France, February 1, 1945. Photograph by Lieutenant Ken Bell.
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Private H.E. Goddard of The Perth Regiment, carrying a Bren gun while advancing through a forest north of Arnhem, Netherlands, April 15, 1945. Photograph by Captain Jack H. Smith.
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Gunners of “B” Troop, 5th Battery, 5th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, firing a 25-pounder (11.4 kg) gun. Malden, Netherlands, February 1, 1945. (L-R): Sergeant Jack Brown, Bombardier Joe Wilson, Gunners Lyle Ludwig, Bill Budd, George Spence and Bill “Scotty” Stewart. Photograph by Lieutenant Michael M. Dean.
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Forward Observation Post of “B” Battery, 1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. Near Potenza, Italy, September 24, 1943. (L-R): Gunner Chuck Drickerson (rangefinder), Gunner Jim Tulley (field telephone), Regimental Sergeant-Major G. Doug Gilpin (binoculars), Captain George E. Baxter (map board) and Gunner Hugh Graham (radio). Photograph by Lieutenant Alex M. Stirton.
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Infantrymen of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada cooking a meal and warming themselves around a fire in a barnyard near Veen, Germany, March 7, 1945. (L-R): Privates Bob Fessay, G.J. Burt, K.L. McKenney and L.R. Young. Photograph by Captain Jack H. Smith.
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The first nursing sisters of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps to land in France after D-Day. France, July 17, 1944. (L-R): Lieutenant M. Green, Captain H.M. Boutilier and Major Moya MacDonald. Photograph by Lieutenant Frank L. Dubervill.
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Corporal N.R.V. Chapman, a member of the first group of Canadian parachute candidates, trains with the shock harness at the U.S. Army Parachute Training School. Fort Benning, Georgia, United States, circa September 1-6, 1943. Photograph by Harry Rowed, National Film Board of Canada.
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Personnel of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps checking the condition of a wounded Canadian soldier being evacuated to a Field Surgical Unit, Italy, January 15, 1944. (L-R): Major P.K. Tisdale, Staff-Sergeant W.H. Brigham and Private L.P. Lemieux. Photograph by Lieutenant Alex M. Stirton.