Preparing for the Normandy Landing
During the first months of 1944, the Canadians found themselves caught up in training programmes, preparing for Operation Overlord, which became more and more detailed. For the members of the First Hussars, this involved experimenting, rehearsing and practising on waterproofing vehicles (practice in de-waterproofing was also required).
FLOATING TANK OF THE FIRST HUSSARS
Rehearse they did. Squadrons of the First Hussars went off to school to learn to navigate their DD tanks. The Divisional staff officers were in London for a month mastering the plan. On April 12th, Exercise Trousers took the division through the first stage of the landing. Then, in May. Force J and the 3rd Canadian Division assaulted the south coastline of England in Exercise Fabius III which closely simulated the plan for the first two days of the campaign. As the troops headed for the sealed embarkation area to receive their final briefings, there was a collective sigh of relief that at least the rehearsals were over.
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The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
The origins of today's Armoured Corps lie in a 1936 reorganization of the Militia which made the modest addition of two armoured car regiments and six tank battalions. To train these units the Canadian Tank School was also established in London, Ontario, later moved to Camp Borden, under the command of Captain FF (Worthy) Worthington, MC, MM. 
As Commandant of the Tank School, Worthy worked constantly for the creation of an armoured organization which would develop and coordinate doctrine, weapons and common standards for all armoured units. His dream was realized when the Canadian Armoured Corps (CAC) was officially authorized on Tuesday, 13 August
1940. Today, Worthy is revered as the "Father of the Corps".
The new CAC rapidly expanded over the next five years. By 1945, it had raised 11 reconnaissance regiments, 19 tank regiments, an armoured personnel carrier regiment and two training centres containing five schools teaching armoured trades and tactics.
The first unit of the Corps to see action was The Calgary Regiment which landed on the beaches of Dieppe, France, 19 August 1942 in support of the 2nd Canadian Division. The steel tracks of its Churchill tanks could not get traction on the pebble beach and every tank was lost in a one-sided fight against well-positioned enemy guns. Only a handful of survivors made the return voyage to Britain.
The next unit of the CAC into battle was the Three Rivers Regiment. On 10 July 1943, it
landed at Pachino, Sicily in support of the 1st Canadian Division, to start the Italian Campaign. The regiment was soon joined in Sicily by its sister units in 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, The Ontario Regiment and The Calgary Regiment. The conquest of
Sicily completed, the Allied forces, including the Canadians, attacked the Italian mainland. On 8 November 1943, the 5th Canadian Armoured Division and the Headquarters of 1st Canadian Corps arrived in theatre. The 5th Division included within its ranks 5th Armoured Brigade made up of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), the 8th New Brunswick Hussars and The British Columbia Dragoons. The divisional reconnaissance regiment was The Governor General's Horse Guards, and the 1st Canadian Corps reconnaissance regiment was The Royal Canadian Dragoons. In all, three reconnaissance and six tank regiments saw action in Italy. They won for themselves an enviable reputation in such battles as Termoli, Liri Valley, the Melfa Crossing, the breaching of the Hitler Line, the Gothic Line, Coriano and Pozzo Alto Ridge.
While the troops in the Mediterranean were battling their way up the Italian boot, 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade was landing in Normandy, in support of the 3rd Canadian Division. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, the 1st Hussars, The Fort Garry Horse and The Sherbrooke Fusiliers assaulted "Fortress Europe". 
The 1st Hussars had the distinction of being the only Allied unit to achieve its D-Day objective.
Once the lodgment in France was large enough, the 4th Canadian Armoured Division and the Headquarters of 2nd Canadian Corps were brought across the Channel. Originally an Infantry Division, the 4th had been converted to armour in February 1942.
Major-General FF Worthington had trained it and taken it overseas. Unfortunately, he was never destined to lead it in action. The Division included in its ranks 4th Armoured
Brigade consisting of The Governor General's Foot Guards, The Canadian Grenadier Guards and The British Columbia Regiment. Its divisional reconnaissance unit was The South Alberta Regiment. It was the 4th Division which closed the Falaise gap and won the CAC's only Victoria Cross when Major DV Currie's squadron of The South Alberta Regiment successfully held a vastly superior enemy force from breaking out of the Falaise Pocket in a battle that continued nonstop for three days. In all, a total of 12 Canadian armoured regiments served in Normandy. Their hard-won battle honours included Le Mesnil-Patry, Carpiquet, The Liason and Bourguebus Ridge.
With the Normandy Campaign concluded, 2nd Canadian Corps pursued the enemy north, liberating the French Channel ports. The pursuit continued on into Belgium and Holland where, in March 1945, 1st Canadian Corps from Italy rejoined their fellow Canadians for the final battles of the war in Northwest Europe. The two combined Corps formed 1st Canadian Army, the first time Canada had placed an entire army in the field.
The units of the CAC had seen action in nearly every Canadian battle from Dieppe in 1942 to the Hochwald in 1945. A total of 21 CAC units were in the field at the end of hostilities on 8 May 1945. During the war years, the CAC had fielded two armoured divisions and two independent armoured brigades as well as two corps and five divisional reconnaissance regiments. The sacrifices, gallantry and devotion to duty of all ranks won for the Corps the honoured title of Royal. It thus became the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC) on 2 August 1945.
With the end of the war, the Armoured Corps was given a peacetime regular establishment of a school, The RCAC School [(RCAC(S)], and two regiments; The Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) and Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) [(LdSH(RC)]. The Militia component consisted of a further 26 Regiments. The Corps' primary mount was the M4A2E8 Sherman, and it was with this tank that the LdSH(RC) embarked on the Korean campaign in 1950.
From 1950 to 1954, independent squadrons were rotated yearly through Korea. The front line was relatively stable and there was little call for the type of swift-moving operations at which armoured units excel. Nevertheless, the high standards of courage and efficiency forged in World War II were upheld.
Toward the end of the Korean War, the Government announced the acquisition of a new Main Battle Tank (MBT) for the Canadian Army. In 1954 the Regulars were re-equipped with the British Centurion.
In 1956, the RCAC contributed a composite RCD/LdSH(RC) sub-unit known as 56 Reconnaissance Squadron for the new role of peacekeeping in the Sinai. It would be the first of many peacekeeping missions the Corps would be called upon to perform. To date the cost of these missions has included the lives of 3 officers and 8 crewmen.
The many tasks of the Corps and the expansion of the Regular Army in the 1950's brought about the raising of two new regular regiments. The 8th Canadian Hussars were formed in 1957 and The Fort Garry Horse in 1958. Both units continued to be represented in the Militia. In spite of these positive developments, the Militia now entered on a period of turmoil and decline. The Government of the day had reached the conclusion that the next war would be nuclear and short; thus reserve forces would not be required for combat. Therefore, the role of the Militia was changed to one of Civil Defence. Training was turned toward first aid and building evacuation. This change of focus and the absence of modern equipment led to an unprecedented loss of morale and heavy attrition. Understrength units were then steadily eliminated as cost-cutting measures. The number of militia regiments decreased from 26 in 1958 to 18 in 1968.
Integration in 1964 caused the elimination of the RCAC(S) as it was amalgamated into the Combat Arms School (CAS). Thirteen years later, the Armour School in CFB Gagetown would emerge from a reorganization of the CAS. In 1968 unification was introduced and the Corps' most cherished symbol, the black beret, was abolished. The regimental system was also under attack and the regular regiments came close to being replaced by numbered armoured battalions on the American model. Fortunately, the black beret was permitted to return and the regimental system was retained. The year 1968 also saw the regular force strengthened by the addition of the 12e Régiment blindé du Canada. Sadly, The Fort Garry Horse was retired from the regular order of battle in 1970. However, its traditions live on in the Militia regiment.
Of the many rapid changes of the period 1964-1977 the most significant development was the failure to obtain new tanks for the Corps. The Militia's Shermans were all scrapped by 1970. The Regular's Centurions were kept running year after year until they were finally replaced by the German Leopard CI in 1979. But only one regiment, the one in Europe, received the new Leopards. After years of neglect, the Militia finally received a new vehicle in the late 1970s, the Cougar tank trainer. This wheeled armoured vehicle with a 76 mm gun was issued to the three regular regiments in Canada as well as a majority of reserve units. The Corps was thus able to turn once again to serious armoured training. In the late 1980s, attention was again focused on tank replacements as the army sought to acquire a new MBT. Although the tank project was well underway by late 1988, the Federal budget of April 1989 brought the programme to a halt as the future of Canada's commitment to NATO came under review.
Many challenges remain for the end of the century. Nevertheless, our future will be faced with confidence and with pride. Pride in a distinguished record of service to the nation and confidence in the outstanding quality of our soldiers and our regiments.
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see also Duplex Drive