6th Canadian Infantry Division

6th Canadian Infantry Division

1st Canadian 6th Infantry Division formation patch
Active 1942–1944
Country Canada
Allegiance Allies of World War II
Branch Canadian Army
Type Infantry
Engagements Aleutian Islands Campaign
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Major General E.A. Potts, CBE, ED (20 May 1942 – 11 October 1943)
Major General H.N. Ganong, CBE (16 October 1943 – 15 December 1944)

The 6th Canadian Infantry Division was a Canadian infantry division formed in 1942 during the Second World War. It was attached to Pacific Command. The division had a brigade sent to the Aleutian Islands Campaign, particularly at Kiska, but never saw action.[1] The 6th Division was to have been part of a proposed Commonwealth Corps, formed for a planned invasion of Japan, but was disbanded in 1945, after the war was ended by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Home defence

The 6th was raised as part of a home-defence scheme in Canada, the culmination of various mobilizations throughout 1941 and 1942. The 6th was raised in March 1942 with its headquarters on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Various composite units were stationed at Port Alberni, Vancouver Island and Vernon. Throughout 1943, the division lost its artillery units to coastal defence work, and other battalions were shipped overseas. In June 1943, these units were sent to Kiska only to find the island abandoned, and in late 1943, the 7th Canadian Infantry Division was disbanded and various battalions were amalgamated into the 6th. By January 1944, the units had returned from Kiska, having not taken part in any fighting. On 1 December 1944, the need for coastal defence having lessened, the division was disbanded, the process completing by 31 January 1945. Remaining units loaned from other, now defunct divisions, were finally disbanded in January 1946.[1]

Reformation as part of CAPF

The Division was reformed as part of the Canadian Army Pacific Force, and was to be a component of the Commonwealth Corps intended to be used in Operation Olympic, the planned 1945 invasion of Japan. The division was to be commanded by Major General Bert Hoffmeister. 6th Division was organized on American lines and with U.S. equipment, but units were named after the component units of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division. The division was disbanded after Japan's surrender made the Corps's use unnecessary.

Order of battle

March 1942

August 1943 at Kiska

November 1943

November 1944

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 6th Canadian Division at Canadian Soldier, retrieved 22 November 2007
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Canadian Army, 1943–44 retrieved 20 November 2007