-
Canada Declares War
Parliament decalres war agianst Germany, the first time Canada declared war as an independat nation. At the time, Canada could only send one division overseas and kept one for defence. -
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
Canada and Britain decide to train British pilots in Canada, emphasizing Canada's role as a trainer and producer more than a supplier of troops. This suited Canada just fine as the surrender of France increased the likelihood of bing invaded by Germany. -
Canadians Arrive
Canadian troops land in Britain. -
Canadians Deploy
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment deploy to help reinforce the British in Belgium but return to Britain shortly as Paris fell the next day. For years Canadians helped defend the British Isles without seeing any sustained combat until 1943. -
If Day
A simulated Nazi invasion of Winnipeg that raised $3 million for the war effort, $24 million over the course of the Victory Bond drive.
The event had volunteers acting as invading Nazis who fought local soldiers and mock bombed the city. The local forces surrendered at 9:30 a.m. People were imprisioned, with one councilman escaping but recaptured after an intense search. The city was renamed Himmlerstadt and military decrees and indoctrination were enacted. The event ended at 5:30 p.m. -
Dieppe Raid
A predominately Canadian force that is disasterously beaten due to poor planning, a lack of clear objectives, support that didn't materialize, and the German's being ready for the attack. Canadians suffered a 68% casualty rate. Louis Mountbatten, one of the raid's commanders, claimed “I have no doubt that the Battle of Normandy was won on the beaches of Dieppe. For every man who died in Dieppe, at least 10 more must have been spared in Normandy in 1944." -
Princess Margriet Born in Ottawa
The Norwegian princess was born in Canada due to the royals being in exile. To ensure she remained a Dutch citizen, the Canadian government declared the maternity ward where she was born temporarily unaffiliated territory. -
Period: to
Invasion of Sicily
Canada's first major engagement of the war. 26,000 Canadians landed on the beaches on July 10 and fought 13 battles. The inital gighting was light but German soldiers dug in and allowed their troops time to eventually retreat to Italy.
The campaign gave the Allies an important base for an attck on Italy and opened up the Mediterranean.
562 were killed and 1,848 wounded. 58 Canadians drowned en route when enemy subs sank three ships. -
Period: to
Italian Campaign
While the U.S. wanted to liberate France and deal with Germany head on, Britain wanted to take Italy out of the war and surround Germany on all fronts. Eventually they decided to focus on Northern Europe in 1944 with a periphreal attack on Italy that would also spread out Germany's forces. More casualties sustained on both sides in this campaign than any on the Western Front. -
Invasion of Kiska
When Japan took two islands of the coast of Alaska, Kiska and Attu, the Americans sent troops to take them back and retain control of the Pacific Great Circle. Canadians helped with the invasion of Kiska, but it had been abandoned on July 28 after the fall of Attu made it vulnerable, meaning the Americans had bombed an abandoned island for about three weeks.
There were still 313 casualties, four Canadians killed and 30 wounded, from booby traps, friednly fire, disease and frostbite. -
D-Day
The 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade, who mainly supported the British 2nd Army, and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landed at Juno Beach. In the hour it took to clear the seawall they suffered a 50% casualty rate, the equivalent of the Americans at Omaha but were able to more easily beat the Germans. They moved further into France than any other Allied force but were held up longer by the counterattack of two German armour divisions. -
Period: to
Battle of the St. Lawrence
Final U-boat incursion into the St. Lawrence, other major incursions occurring in May-Oct 1942 and Sept 1943. In total, 23 ships were sunk and 340 killed.
Most of Germany's efforts were focused on sinking convoys once they were in the Atlantic. -
Period: to
Battle of the Scheldt
Canadians commanded the operation to take the Scheldt river, which would open up Antwerp to Allied shipping, that cost the Allies about 12,000 casualities, half of whom were Canadian. Over 41,000 German soldiers were captured. Antwerp was such an important port that it was constantly attacked by German ballistic missiles and a primary target in the Battle of the Bulge. -
VE Day
Victory in Europe Day marked Germany's official surender in Berlin after a generl surrender on April 29. Some Germans held out in Prague until the Russians defeated them on May 11. -
Allied Victory
Japan surrenders and the war officially ends.
About half of Canada's army and 3/4 of the airforce never left the country, though 1.1 million served. Canada also produced the most trucks (800,000) of any nation, exceeding the total output of the Axis and called Canada's greatest contribution according to British Offical History. Canada also made 1,300 tanks for the Russians, 14,000 aircraft, and 345 merchant vessels plus military craft.
