Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade, also known as Brutinel's Brigade or the Brutinel Brigade, was the first fully mechanized unit of the British Army
. It was established on September 9, 1914 by Canadian Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel
, who initiated the program and was the unit's first commander. The unit played a significant part in halting the major German
offensive of March 1918.
In 1918 Brutinel's force consisted of 1st and 2nd Canadian Motor MG Brigades (each of 5x8 gun batteries), Canadian Cyclist battalion, one section of medium trench-mortars mounted on lorries (plus an assumed wireless and medical support) This totalled 80 machine guns and about 300 cyclist infantry.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It was established on September 9, 1914 by Canadian Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel
Raymond Brutinel
Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel CB CMG DSO was a geologist, journalist, soldier, entrepreneur and a pioneer in the field of mechanized warfare who commanded the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade during World War I....
, who initiated the program and was the unit's first commander. The unit played a significant part in halting the major German
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
offensive of March 1918.
In 1918 Brutinel's force consisted of 1st and 2nd Canadian Motor MG Brigades (each of 5x8 gun batteries), Canadian Cyclist battalion, one section of medium trench-mortars mounted on lorries (plus an assumed wireless and medical support) This totalled 80 machine guns and about 300 cyclist infantry.