Canada was an
unlikely contributor of military forces to West Germany during the Cold War,
however it nonetheless provided forces for the percieved war against the Warsaw
Pact and the Soviet Union. Initial Canadian forces to arrive in West Germany
originated in 1951, when the 27 Canadian Infantry Brigade was deployed to
Hanover, West Germany as a part of the British Army of the Rhine. These initial
units would soon be relocated two years later in 1953, when they were
garrisoned at Soest. From here, Canadian military forces would rotate Army
units with the 27 being replaced by 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in
October 1953, followed by 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in 1955 and 4
Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in 1957. Up until 1957 with the arrival of 4
Canadian Infantry Brigade Group, each brigade had only been equipped with a
single squadron of main battle tanks, however 4 CIB was equipped with a full
armored regiment equipped with Centurion tanks and an independent brigade
reconnaissance squadron equipped with Ferret armored cars. As 1959, approached
and it became time for 4 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group to rotate back to
Canada, the policy was changed with 4 CIB and its associated brigades remaining
in Germany instead of different units rotating in and out every two years.
Under this policy, major combat elements under 4 CIB were rotated out of West
Germany every three years.
The Brigade was
headquartered in Soest with additional units positioned in Soest and other
towns across North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Soest - Brigade Headquarters complete with 1 Infantry battalion and service units
- Hemer - 1 Infantry battalion and an artillery regiment
- Werl - 1 Infantry battalion, an engineer regiment and a field ambulance unit
- Iserlohn - 1 Armored regiment
In 1962, 4 Canadian
Infantry Brigade Group was reinforced with a helicopter recce troop operating
nine CH-112 Nomad helicopters. The CH-112 was Canada's variant of the American
Hiller OH-23 Raven observation helicopter. Into the 1960s, the Brigade strength
was around 6,700 men organized into three mechanized infantry battalions, a
reconnaissance squadron, an artillery detachment and a logistical operations
detachment. It was subsequently called a 'light division' by Canada's British
counterparts. On 1 May 1968, 4 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group was redesignated
as 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in response to Canada's armed forces
being unified to become the single Canadian Forces. After a review of Canadian
policy, the Canadian government reduced defense spending and reduced the force
in Europe by half.
It was also decided
that instead of being an attachment as an active part of the British Army of
the Rhine, the 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group would be given a new role
and status as a reserve unit attached to the American US VII Corps or II German
Corps. With its new status and designation, the unit was relocated to the town
of Lahr in southern West Germany where it stood up at Canadian Forces Base or
CFB Lahr. Now in a reserve status, 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group's
nuclear capability was thus withdrawn although, the unit would continue serving
as a deterrent against Soviet aggression in Europe.
Canadian Infantry
Brigade Group/Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group units included:
Armor
- The Royal Canadian Dragoons - 1957-1959, 1970-1987
- Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) - 1966-1970
- 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) - 1960-1964, 1988-1993
- The Fort Garry Horse - 1962-1966
Infantry
- 1st Battalion, Canadian Guards - 1959-1962
- 2nd Battalion, Canadian Guards - 1957-1959
- 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment - 1962-1965
- 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment - 1965-1969
- 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment - 1977-1984, 1988-1993
- 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry - 1964-1967
- 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry - 1966-1970, 1984-1988
- 1er Bataillon, Royal 22e Régiment - 1967-1993
- 2e Bataillon, Royal 22e Régiment - 1965-1969
- 1st Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada - 1960-1964
- 2nd Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada - 1957-1959
- 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada - 1962-1965
- 3rd Mechanized Commando, The Canadian Airborne Regiment - 1970-1977
Artillery
- 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery - 1957-1960, 1967-1993
- 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery - 1964-1967
- 3rd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery - 1960-1964
CFB Lahr
- 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron
- one armoured regiment
- 1970–1987 - The Royal Canadian Dragoons
- 1987–1993 - 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)
- 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
- 4th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
- 4 Combat Engineer Regiment
- 4 Service Battalion
- 4 Field Ambulance
- 4 Military Police Platoon
- 1er Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment
- 444 Tactical Helicopter Squadron
- 5 AMU (Air Movement Unit)
Initially equipped
with Centurion tanks and Ferret armored cars, Canadian military capabilities
were enhanced with the replacement of the Centurion by the Leopard 1 main
battle tank and the employment of the M113 armored personnel carrier.
The Royal Canadian
Air Force also committed a detachment No.1 Air Division RCAF at Canadian Forces
Base Baden-Soellingen. With the need for greater NATO air defense commitments,
No.1 Air Division RCAF was officially established in the 1950s initially at
four bases in France and West Germany. These bases respectively were RCAF
Station Marville home to No.1 Wing and RCAF Grostenquin home to No.2 Wing
positioned in France and RCAF Station Zweibrücken home to No. 3 Wing and RCAF
Station Baden-Soellingen home to No.4 Wing located in West Germany. Each wing
had three fighter squadrons assigned to them each. Eight air division squadrons
were replaced with strike aircraft complete with nuclear capability an issue
which would prove quite controversial in Canada.
In 1963, the French
government announced that all nuclear weapons positioned on French soil would
fall under French control, an announcement that the Canadians and other NATO
forces strongly disagreed with. As a result of this, all Canadian nuclear
strike forces were relocated to RCAF Station Zweibrücken and RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen. In 1964, RCAF
Station Grostenquin was closed with its assets transferred to RCAF Marville.
RCAF Marville would later be subsequently closed when France withdrew from
NATO's military command structure and ordered all foreign military forces to
vacate French soil or thus fall under French military authority. The units from
RCAF Marville were then transfered to RCAF Station Lahr. In 1966, the Canadians
took over Base Aérienne 139 Lahr which was operated by the French Armée de
l'Air. French forces were vacating the base in compliance with the French
withdrawal from NATO. The first RCAF personnel would arrive in March 1967 when
it was renamed RCAF Station Lahr.
With the
consolidation of Canadian military forces, RCAF Station Lahr was renamed
Canadian Forces Base Lahr which was shortened to CFB Lahr. RCAF Station
Zweibrücken would also be closed followed Canadian defense reviews in 1969 as
part of an effort to remove duplication of force projection and cut the defense
budget. Soon only RCAF Station Lahr and RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen remained.
Along with the fighter units maintained at CFB Baden-Soellingen, there was a
mechanized infantry battalion assigned there as well. Mechanized Infantry Battalions
at CFB Baden Soellingen included:
- 1970-1977: 3rd Mechanized Commando, The Canadian Airborne Regiment
- 1977-1984: 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
- 1984-1988: 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
- 1988-1993: 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
In addition to these
units there was a communication squadron as well as an air defense battery and
a multi-force airfield repair unit. Under the reorganization of Canadian
defense forces, No.1 Air Division RCAF became 1 Canadian Air Group. Following a
period of intense renewed Cold War tensions, CFB Baden-Soellingen received
improved infrastructure and services as well as upgrades and improvements to
the base to accommodate the arrival of new CF-18 Hornet multirole fighters to
replace the CF-104 Starfighters.
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