"Canadian infantry company organisation in WW2" Topic

One of my playtesters wants to run a Canadian army so I am looking for details.
All I have so far is the squad organisation (slightly different from the British)
NCO with SMG, NCO with rifle (goes off with Bren team), Bren team (2) and 8 riflemen.
Use the same tanks as the British, from Matildas to Sherman Fireflies. Of course have various RAM APCs made from different vehicles.
Anyone got more info please?

Well the Canadian Army largely used the same WE as the British Army for the majority of its units, though there were some exceptions. Rifle Company wasn't one of those, so the same as the British model. It depends what period you're looking for, early war or Italy and NWE. The British 11-man Section (and in the Canadian Army it was likewise termed a Section, not a Squad) came in just before Dunkirk and was reduced to ten during 1941. As of 1943 the Canadian Rifle Company was the same as the British.

Coy HQ;

3 Orderlies (each with bicycle)

Major and Batman-driver (Jeep)

Storeman and Batman-driver (15-cwt)
CSM and Driver-mechanic (15-cwt truck)
Clerk and Driver IC (15-cwt truck)

Driver-mechanic (carrier with three PIATs and 2-in mortar)

Captain and two snipers (marching) and CQMS (in Admin Pl transport)

Three Rifle Platoons, each;

Lieutenant, Sergeant, Batman, Orderly (with bicycle)
2-inch Mortar sub-Section (L-Cpl and two men)

Three Rifle Sections, each Corporal and nine men (as British with L-Cpl and two men in the Gun Group, six men in the Rifle Group and Sec Cmdr).

Gary

Great, just the info I needed. I will proceed with the list.

From Calgary Highlanders
link

WW2 Organization
link

Tanks: other than Churchills at Dieppe, Shermans only.

Of course have various RAM APCs made from different vehicles.

Of course have various KANGAROO APCs made from different vehicles, including RAMs.

There, fixed it for ya. ;)

The first Kangaroos were made from US-supplied Priest (M7) SPGs. They saw first service in August of 1944 (with Canadian forces, as it was a Canadian-spawned idea, generally credited to Lt. General Simmonds of II Corps, First Canadian Army). Only after these "de-frocked Priests" were returned to US Army control did they start converting Ram tanks in the UK (training vehicles) to be Kangaroos. They started seeing service in September or October, IIRC, and dominated the Kangaroo role in Canadian service.

The Brits also used Shermans as Kangaroos in Italy. But I don't think there were instances of Canadian use of Sherman Kangaroos. Could be wrong on that…

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1))

link

The LOB (Left out of Battle) system was strongly embraced by the Canadians, and combined with chronic severe shortages of infantry replacements meant that units were always understrength after their first engagemnet. Commanders were free to improvise their actual order of battle as they saw fit. I think the more common option was to field 2 full strength platoons instead of 3 partial. The Bren guns from the disbanded platoon could be issued out to the remaining 2.

mark1
these "de-frocked Priests" were returned to US Army control
what did they do with them ,were they just scrapped ,never heard US Army using them as apc

Thank you for the information. List supplement done.

British Empire army details for Action all Fronts

This covers the armies of; Australia, Canada, India and New Zealand. They were all volunteer forces and rapidly gained a reputation as elite troops.

Special Rule
We don't Break
Units with this rule that fail a morale test that would result in them Fleeing or Surrendering, re-roll the test. If they fail again, they will Flee or Surrender. If they pass however, they remain as they are, their morale state unchanged.

Campaigns Fought in:
Australians: Mediterranean, Pacific, Burma
Canada: Europe, Italy
India: Mediterranean, Burma, Europe, Italy
New Zealand: Mediterranean, Pacific, Italy

Changes to the British Empire army list (p40 of the rules)
Infantry section consists of 10 men, not 8. Usually 2 NCOs, an LMG team and 6 riflemen. In the Australian, Canadian and New Zealand sections, one

NCO is armed with an SMG, the other has a rifle as do the six riflemen.

There are three grades of infantry section: Raw, Experienced and Veteran.
Raw sections have a Fs 3 and Morale 7. Cost 110 points
Experienced sections have a Fs 3 and Morale 8. Cost 150 points
Veteran sections have a Fs 4 and Morale 7. They have the veteran ability. Cost 230 points.

The army uses HQ's as per the standard list but they can also be upgraded.
A platoon HQ can be upgraded to Experienced and its soldiers will have M8, it then costs 152 points. Upgraded to Veteran, the officer and men are all upgraded to Fs4 M9 and have the veteran ability, cost is 220 points.
An experienced company HQ upgrades the soldiers to M8 and costs 192 points. A veteran CHQ has every member at Fs4 M9 and with the veteran ability cost 284.

All support units remain as standard.

Jungle Fighting
From 1943 onwards Australian, Indian and New Zealand troops were trained for jungle warfare and can be upgraded as jungle fighters at no extra cost. However in jungle operations the scale of artillery was cut back, so heavy artillery support cannot be used. In the jungle a company HQ can only chose one artillery support but may add another heavy machine gun support unit from platoon support. Also the types of tanks used were very limited. So allowed types are: bren gun carrier, Matilda II from British list, M5, M3 and Sherman M4A1 from USA list.
Australian units may replace up to 3 of the rifles in a section with SMG at no extra cost.

New AFV
The Canadians developed an armoured personal carrier from the abandoned RAM tank project, the RAM Kangaroo. They were used in Europe and in Italy by Canadian and British units.
RAM Kangaroo
Fs 3 M7 Sp8 Armour 10/4/0 Date: 1944 Armed with a hull MG. Cost 112 points. Can transport an infantry or HQ squad.

That looks about right mate. Couple of minor changes to the campaigns though.

Australia: Mediterranean – North Africa, Greece and Crete. Far East – Malaya, Singapore and the Pacific, but not Burma.

Canada: Sicily, Italy and NW Europe (and Dieppe obviously). Far East – defence of Hong Kong.

India: Mediterranean/Middle East – North Africa, East Africa, Italy, Iraq and Syria. Far East – Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong and Burma. Apart from some Mule Companies during the Battle of France the Indian Army wasn't involved in Northern Europe.

New Zealand – as you've stated.

Cheers,

Windy

Thank you.