| 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade | |
|---|---|
 2nd Canadian Infantry Division Formation Patch | |
| Active |
|
| Country | Canada |
| Branch | |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | 2nd Canadian Division |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | |
The4th Canadian Infantry Brigade was aninfantrybrigade of theCanadian Army active duringWorld War I andWorld War II. Raised in 1915, the brigade formed part of the2nd Canadian Division and fought on theWestern Front between 1916 and 1918. The brigade was re-raised in 1939 for service during World War II and subsequently took part in actions at Dieppe in 1942 and then in north-west Europe during 1944 and 1945.
The formation of the 2nd Canadian Division began in May 1915 inBritain following the arrival of a large contingent of soldiers fromCanada. The 2nd Division remained in Great Britain only a short time before embarking forFrance in September 1915. Under the command of Major-General R.E.W. Turner, its members spent a long and bitterly cold winter in aBelgian section of the front betweenPloegsteert Wood andSaint-Eloi, south ofYpres. The brigade's first major combat took place during theactions of St Eloi Craters in March – April 1916. Infantry units as well as artillery units of the 2nd Canadian Division served in both France andFlanders untilArmistice Day.[citation needed] It was disbanded by May 1919.[1]
The 4th Brigade took part in the following battles:[2]
It was mobilized on 1 September 1939 part of2nd Canadian Infantry Division, even before the declaration of war, and the battalions were promptly fleshed out by volunteers. However, further expansion of the Brigade was hindered by a temporary halt in recruitment and uncertainty about overseas deployment. Consequently, the brigade headquarters were not actually formed until May and June 1940. The 2nd Division conductedOperation Jubilee, a large-scale raid onDieppe, France in August 1942 with the 4th and6th Canadian Infantry Brigades, suffering extensive losses in the landing and the ensuing withdrawal.[3]
Following reconstruction, the 4th Brigade, along with the rest of the 2nd Canadian Division, moved toNormandy in time to serve with theBritish 2nd Army. It then participated in the advance along theChannel coast with theCanadian 1st Army including the liberation of Dieppe. The division saw heavy action in theNetherlands in late 1944 and took part in the final offensives in 1945.[citation needed]
The 4th Canadian Brigade consisted of the following units during World War I:[1]
In 1939, the 2nd Division was organized along regional lines, like the1st Canadian Infantry Division. The initialorder of battle for the 4th Infantry Brigade was as follows:[4]
By 1944–45 the brigade consisted of:[4]
Four members of the brigade received the Victoria Cross: