Organization
Canadian Army

Domestic Military Organization

Headquarters

►Militia HQ

►Canadian Forces HQ

►National Defence HQ (NDHQ)

Political Institutions

►Dept. of Militia & Defence

►►Minister of Militia & Defence

►►Militia Council

►Department of National Defence

►►Minister of National Defence

►►Chiefs of Staff Committee
Reorganizations

►1902-1904 Dundonald Reforms
►1920 Otter Committee
►1936 Reorganization
►1954 Kennedy Board
►1957 Anderson Report
►1964 Suttie Commission
►1968 Unification
►1995 Special Commission
Organizational Corps/Branches

►1900-1968 Organizational Corps
►1968-2000 Branches
Field Forces

1914-1919  

►Canadian Expeditionary Force
►CEF Regional Affiliations

►Territorial Reinforcement Regts.

1919

►Canadian Exped Force Siberia

1939-1940 (1945) 

►Canadian Active Service Force

1945

►Canadian Army Pacific Force

1950-1953

►Canadian Army Special Force
Field Force Formations

1914-1918  
Canadian Corps

  

 

 

1st Div  | 2nd Div | 3rd Div  | 4th Div


5th Div
1939-1945

1st Canadian Army

1st Canadian Corps

2nd Canadian Corps

Atlantic Command

Pacific Command
1st Infantry Division
2nd Infantry Division

3rd Infantry Division
4th (Armoured) Division
5th (Armoured) Division
6th Division 

7th Division 

8th Division 
1st Armoured Brigade
2nd Armoured Brigade
3rd Armoured Brigade
3rd Tank Brigade

 1950-1953
1 Com Div | 25 Inf Bde

Foreign Headquarters

►Allied Forces HQ (AFHQ)

►►15th Army Group

►►►8th Army

►SHAEF

►►21st Army Group

►►►2nd British Army
 ►►►►Beach Groups
Special Forces

►1st Canadian Para Battalion

►First Special Service Force

►Pacific Coast Militia Rangers

►Canadian Rangers

►Special Air Service (SAS) Coy

►The Canadian Airborne Regt
Organizational Formations

►Reserve Bdes - 1941-1945

►13 Cdn Infantry Training Bde

►14 Cdn Infantry Training Bde

►27th Canadian Brigade

►1 CMBG

►2 CMBG

►3 CMBG

►4 CMBG

►5 CMBG

►1st Cdn Division (1954-1958)

►1st Cdn Division (1988-2000)

►Special Service Force
Auxiliary Services
Alliances

►1914-1918 Triple Alliance
►1939-1945 Allies
►1949-1999 NATO
Veteran's Organizations

Defence Associations

►Canadian Cavalry Association
 ►Canadian Infantry Association
 ►Intelligence Branch Association

►National Defence Emp Assoc
 ►RCAC (Cavalry)
 ►RCA Association
 ►RCOC Association
 ►Union of Nat Def Employees

Veteran's Associations

►ANAVETS
 ►Royal Canadian Legion
Supplementary Order of Battle

Unit Listings by year

1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904
1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909
1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914
1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919
1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924
1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929
1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934
1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939
1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944
1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949
1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954
1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959
1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964
1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979
1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984
1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989
1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994
1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999
Unit Listings by Corps/Branch

►Armoured Units 1940-1945

►Cdn Dental Corps 1939-1945
►Cdn Intelligence Corps 1942-45

►Cdn Provost Corps 1940-1945

►Infantry Battalions 1939-1945

►RCOC 1939-1945

 

Organizational Corps

Before 1914

As Canada developed its own military forces in the late 19th Century, organizational corps patterned after that of the British were created and developed by the Canadian Militia.

On 1 Jan 1900, Canada had no corps of its own. Canada did have its own artillery, though generally artillery forces were referred to as a regiment rather than a corps (eventually becoming known as the Regiment of Royal Canadian Artillery.)

Permanent Force

  • Canadian Engineer Corps created 1 Jul 1903

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Engineers 1 Feb 1904

  • Canadian Army Service Corps authorized 1 Dec 1903

    • Redesignated Canadian Permanent Army Service Corps 2 Jan 1906

  • Permanent Active Militia Army Medical Corps authorized 2 Jul 1904

    • Redesignated Canadian Army Medical Corps 1 May 1909

  • Canadian Veterinary Corps created 1910

    • Canadian Army Permanent Veterinary Corps ??

  • Ordnance Stores Corps authorized 1 Jul 1903

    • Redesignated Canadian Ordnance Corps 2 Dec 1907

  • Canadian Army Pay Corps authorized 1 Jan 1907

    • Canadian Postal Corps authorized 3 May 1911

  • Corps of Military Staff Clerks authorized 1912

  • Canadian School of Musketry authorized 1903

Non-Permanent Active Militia

  • Canadian Engineers referred to as such from Aug 1904

  • Reserve signals units became known as the Signalling Corps on 24 Oct 1903

    • Redesignated The Canadian Signal Corps 4 Jun 1913

  • Canadian Army Service Corps authorized 1 Nov 1901

  • Militia Army Medical Corps authorized 2 Jul 1904

    • Redesignated Canadian Army Medical Corps 1 May 1909.

  • Canadian Veterinary Corps created 1910

  • Canadian Ordnance Corps (reserve units) authorized 1 Apr 1912

  • Canadian Army Pay Corps authorized 1 Jan 1907

  • Corps of Guides authorized 1903

  • Canadian Postal Corps authorized 3 May 1911

  • Canadian School of Musketry authorized 1903

The World Wars

The organizational corps underwent many changes from 1914 to 1964.

Permanent Force (Permanent Active Militia, later Canadian Army)

Those corps not in existence on 1 Jan 1914 are noted by the date of formation.

  • Canadian Armoured Corps created 13 Aug 1940

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Armoured Corps 2 Aug 1945

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted back to Royal Canadian Armoured Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Royal Canadian Engineers

    • Redesignated The Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers 1 Mar 1932

  • Canadian Signalling Instructional Staff authorized 1 Apr 1919

    • Redesignated The Canadian Permanent Signal Corps 15 Dec 1920

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals 15 Jun 1921

  • Canadian Infantry Corps authorized 2 Sep 1942

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Infantry Corps 20 Apr 1947

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Infantry Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Royal Canadian Infantry Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Permanent Army Service Corps

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps 3 Nov 1919

  • Canadian Army Medical Corps

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps 3 Nov 1919

  • Canadian Army Permanent Veterinary Corps

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps 3 Nov 1919

    • Disbanded 2 Nov 1940

  • The Canadian Dental Corps authorized 31 Aug 1939

    • Regular and Reserve components collectively redesignated The Royal Canadian Dental Corps 15 Jan 1947

  • Canadian Ordnance Corps

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps 3 Nov 1919

  • Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers authorized 1 Feb 1944

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 20 Apr 1944

    • Redesignated The Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 13 Apr 1953

  • Canadian Army Pay Corps

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps 1 Nov 1920

  • Canadian Postal Corps

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Postal Corps 20 Jun 1961

  • Corps of Military Staff Clerks Disbanded 1946

  • The Canadian Army Chaplain Corps authorized 22 Mar 1948

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Chaplain Corps 3 Jun 1948

  • The Canadian Provost Corps authorized 15 Jun 1940

  • Canadian Women's Army Corps authorized 13 Aug 1941

    • Redesignated The Canadian Women's Army Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Canadian Women's Army Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Intelligence Corps authorized 29 Oct 1942

    • Redesignated The Canadian Intelligence Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Canadian Intelligence Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Officers' Traning Corps authorized 1 Nov 1912

Militia (Non-Permanent Active Militia, later Canadian Army (Reserve))

  • Canadian Armoured Corps created 13 Aug 1940

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Armoured Corps 2 Aug 1945

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted back to Royal Canadian Armoured Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Engineers

    • Redesignated The Corps of Canadian Engineers 1 Mar 1932

    • Redesignated The Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers 29 Apr 1936

  • The Canadian Signal Corps

    • Redesignated Canadian Corps of Signals 1 Aug 1921

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Corps of Signals 29 Apr 1936

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted back to Royal Canadian Corps of Signals 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Infantry Corps authorized 2 Sep 1942

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Infantry Corps 20 Apr 1947

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Infantry Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Royal Canadian Infantry Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Army Service Corps

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Army Service Corps 29 Apr 1936

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Royal Canadian Army Service Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Army Medical Corps

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps 29 Apr 1936

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Veterinary Corps Disbanded 2 Nov 1940

  • Canadian Army Dental Corps authorized 20 Apr 1915

    • Disbanded 1 Nov 1920

  • Canadian Army Dental Corps authorized 15 Jun 1921

    • Redesignated The Canadian Dental Corps 31 Aug 1939

    • Regular and Reserve components collectively redesignated The Royal Canadian Dental Corps 15 Jan 1947

  • Canadian Ordnance Corps

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps 29 Apr 1936

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers authorized 1 Feb 1944

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 20 Apr 1944

    • Redesignated The Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 13 Apr 1953

  • Canadian Army Pay Corps

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps 1 Nov 1920

  • Corps of Guides Disbanded 31 Mar 1929

  • Canadian Postal Corps

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Postal Corps 20 Jun 1961

  • Canadian Machine Gun Corps authorized 1 Jun 1919

    • Disbanded 15 Dec 1936

  • Canadian Chaplain Service authorized 1 Jun 1921

    • Redesignated The Canadian Army Chaplain Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Army Chaplain Corps 3 Jun 1948

  • The Canadian Provost Corps authorized 15 Jun 1940

  • Canadian Women's Army Corps authorized 13 Aug 1941

    • Redesignated The Canadian Women's Army Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Canadian Women's Army Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Canadian Intelligence Corps authorized 29 Oct 1942

    • Redesignated The Canadian Intelligence Corps 22 Mar 1948

    • Reverted to Canadian Intelligence Corps 18 Apr 1955

  • Corps of School Cadet Instructors (Militia) authorized 1 May 1909

    • Disbanded 1 May 1921

    • Reorganized 1 May 1921

    • Redesignated The Cadet Services of Canada (Non-Permanent) 1 Jan 1924

    • Redesignated The Cadet Services of Canada

Unification

Beginning in the late 1960s, as the Canadian Army was integrated with the other two services (Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force) under the policy of Unification, the corps were redesignated as branches of the new Canadian Armed Forces. As unification was undone in the 1980s, only two former corps became known as such again, the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps.

Permanent Force and Reserve Army (later Regular Force and Militia respectively)

  • Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

    • Redesignated Armoured Branch 2 May 1969

    • Redesignated Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

  • The Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers

    • Military Engineering Branch formed 8 May 1967 from all Army, Navy and Air Force engineers

    • Redesignated Canadian Military Engineers

  • The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals

    • Amalgamated with equivalent Navy and Air Force services and redesignated Communications and Electronics Branch 24 Oct 1968

  • Royal Canadian Infantry Corps

    • Redesignated Infantry Branch 2 May 1969

    • Redesignated The Royal Canadian Infantry Corps

  • The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps

    • Amalgamated with Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps, Royal Canadian Postal Corps, and equivalent navy and air force services and redesignated Administration Branch 1 Sep 1967

  • The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps

    • Amalgamated with equivalent services of the navy and air force and redesignated Medical Service Branch 2 Jul 1974.

    • Redesignated Canadian Forces Medical Service

  • The Royal Canadian Dental Corps

    • Amalgamated with equivalent services of the Navy and Air Force and redesignated Dental Branch, 1 Sep 1967

  • The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps

    • Amalgamated with supply and transport services of Royal Canadian Army Service Corps and equivalent Navy and Air Force services and redesignated Logistics Branch 1 Sep 1967

  • The Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

    • Amalgamated with RCAF Mobile Support Equipment to become Land Ordnance Engineering Branch 31 Jan 1961

    • Redesignated Land Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch 15 May 1984

    • Redesignated Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch 1990

  • The Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps

    • Amalgamated with certain clerical trades of Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, Royal Canadian Postal Corps, and equivalent navy and air force service and redesignated Administration Branch 1 Sep 1967

  • The Royal Canadian Postal Corps

    • Amalgamated with Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps, certain clerical trades of Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, and equivalent Navy and Air Force pay and postal services, and redesignated Administration Branch 1 Sep 1967

    • Canadian Forces Postal Services re-formed by separating postal services from Administration Branch 1987

  • The Royal Canadian Army Chaplain Corps

    • Amalgamated with equivalent Navy and Air Force elements and redesignated Chaplains Services Branch 2 May 1969

  • The Canadian Provost Corps

    • Amalgamated with Canadian Intelligence Corps and equivalent police and intelligence services of the navy and air force and redesignated Security Branch 1 Feb 1968

    • Redesignated Security and Military Police Branch 1999

  • Canadian Women's Army Corps Disbanded 1 Apr 1964

  • Canadian Intelligence Corps

    • Amalgamated with Canadian Provost Corps and equivalent services of the navy and air force to form Security Branch 1968

  • Intelligence Branch formed by separation from the Security Branch 1982


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