I'm looking an the organisation of the battalions landed at Dieppe. I believe a 1942 Canadian Infantry Battalion was organised as follows; 4x Rifle Companies: Each comprising HQ and 3x Rifle Platoons (HQ- 7 men including 1x 2-inch mortar and 1x Boyes rifle and 3x Sections- (10 men, including 1x Bren) Support Company: No1 (MG) Platoon - Bren? No2 (AA) Platoon - Twin Bren? No3 (Mortar) Platoon - 6x 3-inch mortars No4 (Carrier) Platoon - 4-6 Universal Carriers No5 (Pioneer) Platoon - 3x Section No6 (Supply) Platoon - For the operation, in the case of the support company, with the exception of the mortar platoon, it seems that different battalions made different use of the companies personnel. In some they were used to reinforce the rifle companies with additional Bren guns, but in others they were used to form adhoc rifle platoons. I wonder if anyone could add to/confirm if my information is correct, especially whether the number of 2-inch and 3-inch mortars is correct. Regards, Steve
It was pretty much a copy of the 1941 British Inf Bn org, so mostly as you've outlined with a few tweaks; Bn HQ (1 Bren and 1 carrier) HQ Coy; No.1 Sig Pl (1 Boys) No.2 AA Pl (4 twin Bren, 4 Boys) No.3 Mortar Pl (6x 3-in mortars and 7 carriers, and 3 Boys) No.4 Carrier Pl (13 carriers, each with Bren, plus 4 Boys and 4x 2-in mortars (one of each per Sec of three carriers)) No.5 Pioneer Pl (2 Pio Secs and Tradesmen) No.6 Admin Platoon (1 Boys) Four Coys, each; Coy HQ Three Rifle Pls (as above, 3 Brens, 1 2-in and 1 Boys) Total 50 Bren guns, 4 twin Bren guns, 16x 2-in and 6x 3-in mortars, 25 Boys and 21 carriers. The 1941 WE is on the Canadiana Heritage reels somewhere, though darn hard to read as a I recall. Gary
1944 info, I’ll see if I can find an earlier manual https://wartimecanada.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Infantry Training Part I- The Infantry Battalion- 1944.pdf https://wartimecanada.ca/sites/defa...ning Part I- The Infantry Battalion- 1944.pdf
Thanks for that. I'd imagine the changes between 1941 and 1944, other than the division of the Support Company into HQ and Support Companies, was the withdrawal of the Boyes and conversion of the AA platoon into the anti-tank platoon. Regards, Steve
