First Canadian Army

First Canadian Army
Formation patch worn by army-level personnel.
Active	1942–1946
Country	Canada
Branch	Canadian Army
Type	Field army
Role	Canadian Army force also with UK and other national elements World War II.
Size	251,000
Part of	21st Army Group
Commanders
1942–1943	Andrew McNaughton
1943–1944	Kenneth Stuart (acting)
1944	Guy Simonds (acting)
1944–1945	Harry Crerar

The First Canadian Army (French: 1^reArmée canadienne) was a field army and a formation of the Canadian Army in World War II in which most Canadian elements serving in North-West Europe were assigned. It served on the Western Front from July 1944 until May 1945. It was Canada's first and, so far, only field army.

The army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing contribution of Canadian forces to serve with the British Army in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps. By the end of 1943 Canadian formations consisted of three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions and two independent armoured brigades. The first commander was Lieutenant-General A. G. L. "Andy" McNaughton, who was replaced in 1944 by General H. D. G. "Harry" Crerar. Both had been senior Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery officers in the Canadian Corps in World War I. Allied formations of other nationalities were added to the First Canadian Army to keep it at full strength.^[1]

The First Canadian Army's strength was 177,000 all ranks at the end of 1942. One year later it had grown to 242,000. On 31 May 1944, shortly before the Normandy landings, Canadian troops in Europe numbered 251,000 of which 75,000 had left First Canadian Army to serve on the Italian Front.^{[2][page needed]}