1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG; French: 1er Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada, 1 GBMC) is a Canadian Forces brigade group that is part of the 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Army. Originally headquartered at CFB Calgary, it is currently based in CFB Edmonton in Alberta with two major units at CFB Shilo in Manitoba, and consists of eight Regular Force units.

1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1er Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada
Brigade group badge
Active1953–present
CountryCanada
BranchCanadian Army
TypeBrigade group
Part of3rd Canadian Division
Garrison/HQEdmonton
Motto(s)Semper vigilans
March"Sons of the Brave"
Websitecanada.ca/en/army/corporate/3-canadian-division/1-canadian-mechanized-brigade-group.html Edit this at Wikidata
Commanders
Current
commander
Colonel S. French MSM CD
Insignia
NATO Map Symbol
1
3
Headquarters

History

edit

The brigade was established on 14 October 1953 in Europe.[1]

  • 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade created 14 October 1953
  • Redesignated 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in October 1955
  • Redesignated 1 Combat Group in 1972
  • Redesignated 1 Canadian Brigade Group in 1976
  • Redesignated 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in 1992

In 1989 at the height of the Cold War the 1st Canadian Mechanized Infantry Division consisted of three brigades, one of them being the 1st Canadian Brigade Group. It had the following structure:[2]

1 CMBG sent a contingent of approximately 200 personnel for Task Force Kandahar Headquarters for a nine-month rotation starting February 2009 and sent approximately 2500 personnel for the task force in September 2009 for a six-month tour.

Composition

edit

The eight units that comprise 1 CMBG are:[3]

 
Structure of the 1 CMBG
Unit Type Locations
 
 
1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron Headquarters and communications CFB Edmonton
 
 
1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Field artillery CFB Shilo
 
 
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Armoured CFB Edmonton
 
 
1 Combat Engineer Regiment Armoured combat engineers CFB Edmonton
 
 
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Mechanized infantry CFB Edmonton
 
 
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Mechanized infantry CFB Shilo
 
 
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Light infantry CFB Edmonton
 
 
1 Service Battalion Combat service support CFB Edmonton

1 CMBG is colocated with, and frequently operates alongside, three regular force units which are not part of the formation:

 
 
408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron of 1 Wing
 
 
1 Field Ambulance of Canadian Forces Health Services Group
 
 
1 Military Police Regiment of Canadian Forces Military Police

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "www.canadiansoldiers.com". www.canadiansoldiers.com.
  2. ^ NATO's Order of Battle 1989. p. 165.
  3. ^ "1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group". Canadian Army. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
edit