3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade

First formed on 29 August 1914, the brigade was initially made up from provisional battalions that were named after their province of origin, but these titles were replaced with numerals before the brigade arrived in Britain on 14 October 1914. On arrival in Britain, it consisted of four infantry battalions, numbered 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th.[1] As part of the 1st Canadian Division, the brigade fought in every major Canadian engagement on the Western Front between 1915 and 1918. Its first commander was Colonel Richard Turner.[1] From March 1916 until the end of the war, the brigade was commanded by Brigadier-General George Tuxford.[2]

After training on Salisbury Plain in late 1914, the brigade moved as part of the 1st Canadian Division to the Western Front.[3] During its deployment on the Western Front, the 3rd Brigade fought in the following battles and engagements on the Western Front:[4]

1915:

• Second Battle of Ypres
  • Battle of Gravenstafel: April 22–23
  • Battle of St. Julien: April 24 – May 4 (see also Saint Julien Memorial)
• Battle of Festubert: May 15–25
• Second Battle of Givenchy: June 15–16

1916:

• Battle of Mount Sorrel: June 2–13
• Battle of the Somme
  • Battle of Flers-Courcelette: September 15–22
  • Battle of Thiepval: September 26–28
  • Battle of Le Transloy: October 1–18
  • Battle of the Ancre Heights: October 1 – November 11

1917:

• Battle of Vimy Ridge: April 9–14
• Battle of Arleux: April 28–29
• Third Battle of the Scarpe: May 3–4 (including the capture of Fresnoy)
• Second Battle of Passchendaele: October 26 – November 10

1918:

• Battle of Amiens: August 8–11
• Actions round Damery: August 15–17
• Battle of the Scarpe: August 26–30
• Battle of Drocourt-Quéant: September 2–3
• Battle of the Canal du Nord: September 27 – October 1
• Battle of Cambrai: October 8–9

During World War II the brigade, again as part of the 1st Canadian Division, participated in the Allied Invasion of Sicily and then later fought in the Italian campaign. It was demobilized for the second time at the end of the war.[5]