II Canadian Corps was a

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

-level formation that, along with I (British) Corps (August 1, 1944, to April 1, 1945) and I Canadian Corps (April 6, 1943, to November 1943, and April 1, 1945, until the end of hostilities), comprised the

First Canadian Army The First Canadian Army () was a field army and a formation of the Canadian Army in World War II in which most Canadian elements serving in North-West Europe were assigned. It served on the Western Front from July 1944 until May 1945. It was Cana ...

in Northwest Europe during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Authorization for the formation of the corps headquarters became effective in England on January 14, 1943. Over March 4–12 the new Canadian corps was involved in Exercise Spartan, a large-scale training exercise in southern England. This exercise revealed weaknesses in the command of both the new Corps and of First Canadian Army, and this led directly to several changes in leadership over the subsequent year. The first commander of II Canadian Corps was Lieutenant-General Ernest William Sansom, effective January 15, 1943. Concerns over his leadership abilities and health caused Sansom to be replaced by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds on January 29, 1944. Simonds led the corps for the remainder of its existence. On May 5, 1945, at Bad Zwischenahn in Northern Germany, Simonds accepted the surrender of German forces facing II Canadian Corps at the end of the war. The corps was deactivated on June 25 as part of general demobilization. II Canadian Corps opened its first tactical headquarters in

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

at Amblie on June 29, 1944. The headquarters became fully operational on July 7 as the

2nd Canadian Infantry Division The 2nd Canadian Division, an infantry Division (military), division of the Canadian Army, was mobilized for war service on 1September 1939 at the outset of World War II. Adopting the designation of the 2nd Canadian Division, it was initially c ...

began to arrive in France. This first division was soon joined by the

3rd Canadian Infantry Division The 3rd Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of all army units in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as Northwestern Ontario including the ...

and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade, which had participated earlier in the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...

and in

Operation Windsor Operation Windsor was a Canadian attack of the Battle of Normandy during the Second World War. The attack was undertaken by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division to take Carpiquet and the adjacent airfield from troops of the of . The attack was o ...

as part of I (British) Corps. The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division was the third Canadian division-level component of the corps. Finally, for most of the campaign through Northwest Europe the corps also included Polish 1st Armoured Division. Although nominally a Canadian formation, II Canadian Corps contained significant contributions at different times from other Allied countries. In addition to the 1st Polish Armoured Division, the corps included the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade, the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade, and the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division.

Major Operations

II Canadian Corps engaged in combat operations in North-West Europe from the beginning of July 1944 to just before

VE Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations ...

in early May 1945. During the

Battle of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the N ...

, the corps was used to spearhead the British-Canadian advance from

Caen Caen (; ; ) is a Communes of France, commune inland from the northwestern coast of France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Calvados (department), Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inha ...

to Falaise. With the final closure of the Falaise Gap on August 21, 1944, the remaining German forces in northern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

were forced into a rapid retreat back towards defensive positions in port cities along the coast, and in the regions just south of the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

and outside the western borders of Germany, in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

and eastern France. The First Canadian Army formed the left flank of the advancing Allied armies, and was charged with capturing or sealing off German-occupied ports in Northern France and in Belgium.

Dieppe Dieppe (; ; or Old Norse ) is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department, Normandy, northern France. Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to Newhaven in England ...

Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...

, Cap-Gris-Nez and

Ostend Ostend ( ; ; ; ) is a coastal city and municipality in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke, Raversijde, Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the la ...

were captured in September by troops of II Canadian Corps. However, the defences of

Dunkirk Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...

proved to be so strong that it was decided to leave the German-occupied port city under siege until the end of the European war.

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

had been captured by the

British Second Army The British Second Army was a Field Army active during the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front throughout most of the war and later ...

on September 4, but the city's large port facilities were useless to the Allies as long as German forces continued to occupy the banks of the Scheldt Estuary. As the spearhead of the First Canadian Army, II Canadian Corps was heavily involved in the

Battle of the Scheldt The Battle of the Scheldt in World War II was a series of military operations to open up the Scheldt river between Antwerp and the North Sea for shipping, so that Antwerp's port could be used to supply the Allies in north-west Europe. The oper ...

to clear out those German positions. II Canadian Corps was involved in the battles to expel German forces from the eastern provinces of the Netherlands, back across the western border of Germany, and then to drive them out from the west bank of the

Rhine River The Rhine ( ) is one of the major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Swiss-Austrian border. From Lake Cons ...

. In the final phases of the war, II Canadian Corps advanced into the northern provinces of the Netherlands and across the border into Germany towards the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...

coast. On May 5, 1945 Lt.-Gen. Simonds received the unconditional surrender of those German forces facing the corps in northern Germany. General Guy G Simonds

* Operation Atlantic, crossing the

Orne Orne (; or ) is a département in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne. It had a population of 279,942 in 2019.Verrières Ridge, area south of Caen, July 18–21, 1944 * Operation Spring, assault against Verrières Ridge, July 25–28, 1944 *

Operation Totalize Operation Totalize (also spelled Operation Totalise in recent British sources) was an offensive launched by Allied troops in the First Canadian Army during the later stages of Operation Overlord, from 8 to 9 August 1944. The intention was to bre ...

, capture of Verrières Ridge and advance towards Falaise, Normandy, August 8–13, 1944 *

Operation Tractable Operation Tractable was the final attack conducted by Canada in World War II, Canadian and Polish contribution to World War II, Polish troops, supported by a British tank brigade, during the Operation Overlord, Battle of Normandy during World W ...

, capture of Falaise, Normandy, August 14–21, 1944 * Advance up to and then across the

River Seine The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres p ...

Elbeuf Elbeuf () is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. Geography A light industrial town situated by the banks of the Seine some south of Rouen at the junction of the D7, D321 and the D313 roads. The ...

and

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...

, Aug. 23–28, 1944 * Liberation of

, abandoned by the retreating German Army, Sept. 1, 1944 *

Investment Investment is traditionally defined as the "commitment of resources into something expected to gain value over time". If an investment involves money, then it can be defined as a "commitment of money to receive more money later". From a broade ...

as the initial part of the 8-month-long

siege A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...

of that port city, Sept. 7-18, 1944 * Liberation of

, Sept. 9, 1944 * Liberation of

Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...

, Sept. 12, 1944 * Operation Wellhit, capture of

, September 17–22, 1944 * Operation Undergo, capture of

and the heavy batteries at Cap Gris Nez, September 25–30, 1944 *

Operation Switchback The Battle of the Scheldt in World War II was a series of military operations to open up the Scheldt, Scheldt river between Antwerp and the North Sea for shipping, so that Antwerp's port could be used to supply the Allies of World War II, Allies ...

, clearing area north of the

Albert Canal The Albert Canal (, ; , ) is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse river with the Scheldt river. It also connects with the Des ...

, Belgium, October 6 to November 3, 1944 * Operation Vitality, South Beveland peninsula and Walcheren Island, the Netherlands, October 24 to November 3, 1944 * Operation Infatuate I, South Beveland, October 26, 1944 *

Operation Veritable Operation Veritable (also known as the Battle of the Reichswald) was the northern part of an Allies of World War II, Allied pincer movement that took place between 8 February and 11 March 1945 during the final stages of the World War II, Second ...

, Reichwald Forest, Germany, February 8 to March 11, 1945 * Operation Blockbuster, and the capture of

Xanten Xanten (, Low Rhenish: ''Santen'') is a town in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the district of Wesel. Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park, one of the largest archaeological open air museums in the ...

on the Rhine River, Germany, February 23 to March 3, 1945 * Battle of Friesoythe, April 13-14 1945 * Battle of Groningen, northern Netherlands, April 14–18, 1945 * Operation Duck, crossing of the Ems River and the capture of Leer, April 28 to May 4, 1945 * Capture of Oldenburg, April 25 to May 4, 1945

Commanders

* Lieutenant-General Ernest William Sansom (January 15, 1943 to January 29, 1944) * Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds (January 29, 1944 to June 25, 1945)

Order of battle

* 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division * 1st Polish Armoured Division, August 1944 to May 1945 * 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division, January to March, 1945 * 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, August 1944 * 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade * 33rd Armoured Brigade, August 1944, Operation Totalize * 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade, April 1945 * Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade, August 1944 *

1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade The 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group () was an armoured unit of expatriate Czechoslovaks organised and equipped by the United Kingdom during the Second World War in 1943. The brigade landed in Normandy in August 1944 and was gi ...

, October–November 1944, Siege of

* Corps troops ** 2nd Corps Defence Company (The Prince Edward Island Light Horse) ** 18th Armoured Car Regiment (12th Manitoba Dragoons) ** 6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment,

Royal Canadian Artillery The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery () is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Army. History Many of the units and batteries of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery are older than the Dominion of Canada itself. The first arti ...

(RCA) ** 6th Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA ** 2nd Survey Regiment, RCA ** 8th Field Park Company,

Royal Canadian Engineers The Canadian Military Engineers (CME; ) is the military engineering personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces. The members of the branch that wear army uniform comprise the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE; ). The mission of the Canadia ...

(RCE) ** 29th, 30th and 31st Field Companies, RCE ** 2nd Drilling Company, RCE ** II Canadian Corps Headquarters Signals, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals ** 2 Corps Troops Company,

Royal Canadian Army Service Corps The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) was an administrative and transport corps of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Army Service Corps was established in the Non-Permanent Active Militia in 1901 and in the Permanent Active Militia in 19 ...

(RCASC) ** II Canadian Corps Transport Company, RCASC ** 33 and 34 Transport Companies, RCASC ** 2 Motor Ambulance Company, RCASC ** 2 Headquarters Corps Car Company, RCASC ** 2 and 3 Casualty Clearing Stations,

Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. History The Militia Medical Service was established in 1898. It consisted of an Army Medical Service (officers) and an Army Medical Corps (oth ...

(RCAMC) ** 6 Field Dressing Section, RCAMC ** 8 Field Hygiene Section, RCAMC ** unknown Dental Companies, Canadian Dental Corps (CDC) ** 12 Base Dental Company, CDC ** 2 Corps and Army Troops Sub-Park,

Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC; , ''CRCM'') was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps RCOC can trace its roots back to the Canadian Stores Department. Formed in 1871, the Canadian Stores Depart ...

(RCOC) ** II Corps Troops Workshop, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) ** Recovery Compani(es), RCEME ** 13 Provost Company, Canadian Provost Corps (C Pro C) * Attached

Troops ** 2 Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery *** 19th Army Field Regiment, RCA *** 3rd Medium Regiment, RCA *** 4th Medium Regiment, RCA *** 7th Medium Regiment, RCA ** "E" Squadron, 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment), Canadian Armoured Corps

References

* Byers, A. R. (ed.), ''The Canadians at War 1939/45'', 2nd ed., The Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., Montreal, Canada, 1986, . * Brown, Angus and Gimblett, Richard, ''In the Footsteps of First Canadian Army: Northwest Europe 1942-1945,'' Magic Light Publishing, Ottawa, 2009, . * Copp, Terry, ''Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy'', University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada, 2004, . * Copp, Terry, ''Cindarella Army: The Canadians in Northwest Europe 1944-1945'', University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada, 2007, . * * Zuehlke, Mark, ''Terrible Victory: First Canadian Army and the Scheldt Estuary Campaign: September 13 – November 6, 1944'', Douglas & McIntyre, 2009, . * "History of the 6th Canadian anti-tank regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, 1st April, 1942-24th June, 1945" (Toronto, Regiment, 1946)

External links

www.canadiansoldiers.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ii Canadian Corps Military units and formations established in 1943 Canadian World War II corps Military units and formations disestablished in 1945