Atlantic Command (Canadian Army)
Encyclopedia
Atlantic Command was a formation of the Canadian Army created during the Second World War to strengthen and administer home defence facilities on Canada's Atlantic Coast.
A second major function was to train reinforcements to be sent to
the Canadian divisions in Europe. Most of those soldiers received and
trained with their personal weapons in Camp Debert before being
transported by train to Halifax
where they embarked on troop ships
that took them to Britain
.
Atlantic Command combined the pre-war
Military District No. 6 (Prince Edward Island
and Nova Scotia
) with Military District No. 5 (New Brunswick
) and
Military District No. 7 (the eastern part of the Province of Quebec
bordering the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
).
Extending the existing military cooperation among Canada, the Dominion of Newfoundland
and the United Kingdom
, Atlantic Command also controlled Canadian personnel stationed in Newfoundland.
A second major function was to train reinforcements to be sent to
the Canadian divisions in Europe. Most of those soldiers received and
trained with their personal weapons in Camp Debert before being
transported by train to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
where they embarked on troop ships
Troopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
that took them to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Atlantic Command combined the pre-war
Military District No. 6 (Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
and Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
) with Military District No. 5 (New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
) and
Military District No. 7 (the eastern part of the Province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
bordering the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
).
Extending the existing military cooperation among Canada, the Dominion of Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Atlantic Command also controlled Canadian personnel stationed in Newfoundland.
Composition
- Halifax Fortress
- 1st (Halifax) Coast Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA)
- 21st Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA
- The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (R.H.R.) of CanadaThe Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of CanadaThe Black Watch of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde...
(attached from 7th Cdn Inf Div)
- Saint JohnSaint John, New BrunswickCity of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
Defences- 3rd (New Brunswick) Coast Regiment, RCA
- 22nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA
- Le Régiment de ChateauguayRoyal 22e RégimentThe Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...
(Militia) - The Prince Edward Island HighlandersThe Prince Edward Island HighlandersThe Prince Edward Island Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. Originally founded in 1875 as the Queen's County Provisional Battalion of Infantry, it went through several name changes including: 1876 - Queen's County Battalion of Infantry; 1879 - 82nd Queen's County Battalion...
- SydneySydney, Nova ScotiaSydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
and CansoCanso, Nova ScotiaFor the headland, see Cape Canso.Canso is a small Canadian town in Guysborough County, on the north-eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia, next to Chedabucto Bay. The area was established in 1604, along with Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The British construction of a fort in the village , was instrumental...
Defences- 16th Coast Regiment, RCA
- 23rd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA
- Les Fusiliers du St. LaurentLes Fusiliers du St-LaurentLes Fusiliers du Saint-Laurent is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. It was first raised in 1869. From 1954 to 1968, as a reserve regiment, it also was given a subsidiary title as the 5th Battalion of the Van Doos. This association was ended in 1968.The regiment is based in...
(less two companies) - 2nd/10th Dragoons C.I.C (attached from 7th Cdn Inf Div)
- ShelburneShelburne, Nova ScotiaShelburne is a town located in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Shelburne County.-History:-Settlers:...
Defences- 104th Coast Battery, RCA
- One company of Les Fusiliers du St. Laurent
- GaspéGaspé, QuebecGaspé is a city at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region of eastern Quebec, Canada. As of the 2006 census, the city had a total population of 14,819....
Defences- 105th Coast Battery, RCA
- One company of Les Fusiliers du St. Laurent
- Goose BayGoose BayGoose Bay may refer to:* Happy Valley – Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Goose Bay , Canada...
Defences- 108th Coast Battery, RCA
- The New Brunswick RangersThe Royal New Brunswick RegimentThe Royal New Brunswick Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in New Brunswick. It consists of two battalions, both of which are part of 37 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment as it is now, was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of the Carleton and York Regiment,...
- Newfoundland (based in St. John'sSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
)- 25th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA
- 26th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA
- 103rd Coast Battery, RCA
- 106th Coast Battery, RCA
- Le Régiment de Joliette
- The Pictou HighlandersThe Pictou HighlandersThe Pictou Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army.Founded in 1871 as the Colchester and Hants Provisional Battalion of Infantry it went through several name changes including, in 1871, the 78th Colchester and Hants, or Highlanders Battalion of Infantry; in 1879 the 78th...
- The Lincoln and Welland RegimentThe Lincoln and Welland RegimentThe Lincoln and Welland Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in St Catharines and Welland, Ontario.The Regimental Colonel-in-Chief is The Countess of Wessex and...
(until May, 1943) - Le Régiment de St. HyacintheRoyal 22e RégimentThe Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...
(from May, 1943)
- 7th Canadian Infantry Division7th Canadian Infantry DivisionThe 7th Infantry Division of the Canadian Army was mobilized in the spring of 1942 and assigned for home defence within Atlantic Command.At the time is was assumed it would consist of volunteers and proceed overseas...
, Mar. 1942 - Oct. 1943- Divisional troops based at Camp Debert, Nova Scotia
- 15th Infantry Brigade (based at Camp Debert)
- 17th Infantry Brigade (based at Camp Sussex, New Brunswick)
- 20th Infantry Brigade (based at Camp Debert)
Commanders
The following two generals served as General Officer Commander in Chief Atlantic Command:- Major-General William Henry Pferinger ElkinsWilliam Henry Pferinger ElkinsMajor General William Henry Pferinger Elkins CB, C.B.E., DSO was a Canadian soldier. He was a Commandant of the RMC.-Education:624 Major General William Henry Pferinger Elkins was born on 13 June 1883 at Sherbrooke, Quebec...
, Aug. 1, 1940 to July 15, 1943 - Major-General L. F. Page, July 16, 1943 to Aug. 26, 1944
See also
- Pacific Command (Canadian Army)Pacific Command (Canadian Army)Pacific Command was a formation of the Canadian Army created during the Second World War to strengthen and administer home defence facilities on Canada's Pacific Coast against possible Japanese attack. A second major function was to train reinforcements to be sent to the Canadian divisions in...
, corresponding command on the Pacific Coast - Land Force Atlantic AreaLand Force Atlantic AreaLand Force Atlantic Area is responsible for Canadian Army operations in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. LFAA is headquartered at Canadian Forces Base Halifax on the Atlantic coast...
, the present-day formation in the Canadian ForcesCanadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."... - Canadian Northwest Atlantic CommandCanadian Northwest AtlanticCanadian Northwest Atlantic Command was the zone of operations during the Battle of the Atlantic that stretched from north of New York City to 47 degrees west. It was set up at the Atlantic Convoy Conference, held in Washington DC from 1-12 March 1943, and placed under the command of Rear-Admiral...
, Allied naval command responsible for guarding the North Atlantic shipping lanes during the Battle of the AtlanticBattle of the AtlanticBattle of the Atlantic may refer to either of two naval campaigns:* The Atlantic U-boat Campaign during the First World War * The Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War...