Hobby Master Archive

In August 1914 the Canadian 1st Infantry Division was created. The Canadian 1st Infantry Division was mobilized on September 1, 1939 even before war had officially been declared. Late in 1939 the division sailed to England in two main convoys and along with additional troops reached England in February 1940. In 1941 they adopted the red patch insignia used by the 1st Canadian Division in WWI. For their vehicle identification in WWII the Canadian 1st Division used a red patch with a gold maple leaf in the center. These markings earned them the nickname “The Old Red Patch”. The guns and machine guns they brought with them were obsolete and most personnel didn’t even have steel helmets. The division trained for 3 years while they waited for modern artillery and anti-tank guns. Finally they were shipped out to take part in “Operation Husky” the invasion of Sicily in July 1943.