# Why was there a Canadian force on D-Day? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203 "2014-06-06T14:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/21 "2014-06-06T23:18:48Z")
> [@Suicide](#): > > but he didn’t declare war on canada…it could’ve remained neutral like sweden or spain or switzerland or any of those other neutral s countries Spain may have declared itself non-belligerent, but Franco sympathized with the Axis and offered them substantial aid. Likewise, before Pearl Harbor, the US may have been officially “neutral” but we were giving the British a ton of aid. Worse yet, it wasn’t entirely out of the question for Germany to attempt to strike across the Atlantic, especially after declaring war on the US. I’ll second the call for more study. You’ve demonstrated some significant factual errors and a simple reading of the history might be able to resolve some of that. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/22 "2014-06-06T23:19:38Z")
Yeah, Canada had been in it since '39 alongside Britain and her Commonwealth Realms. Although it was her first declaration of war since being granted autonomy over her affairs. Canada’s manpower was not something Allied planners could afford to turn away. Of the Commonwealth realms I think I’m correct that only India had a larger army, and they were busy fighting the Japanese (as well as trying to hold India itself together, but that’s a different story). ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/23 "2014-06-06T23:28:56Z")
Worth adding perhaps, that many Americans volunteered to the Canadian armed forces long before their country joined the war. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/24 "2014-06-06T23:44:45Z")
Interesting fact: James Doohan, who was Scotty on Star Trek, hit Juno Beach with the Canadian forces on D-Day, sustaining six wounds in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/25 "2014-06-06T23:59:42Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Interesting fact: James Doohan, who was Scotty on Star Trek, hit Juno Beach with the Canadian forces on D-Day, sustaining six wounds in the process. The six wounds being inflicted by another Canadian (true story). Doohan made it through the entire day of fighting against the Germans without injury and then was accidentally shot after sunset by a Canadian sentry. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/26 "2014-06-07T00:10:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The six wounds being inflicted by another Canadian (true story). Doohan made it through the entire day of fighting against the Germans without injury and then was accidentally shot after sunset by a Canadian sentry. Just to [clarify](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Doohan#Military_service): > [@](#): > > His first combat was the invasion of Normandy at Juno Beach on D-Day. Shooting two snipers, Doohan led his men to higher ground through a field of anti-tank mines, where they took defensive positions for the night. Crossing between command posts at 11:30 that night, Doohan was hit by six rounds fired from a Bren gun by a nervous Canadian sentry:[5] four in his leg, one in the chest, and one through his right middle finger. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/27 "2014-06-07T00:17:33Z")
> [@Suicide](#): > > so why did canada participate in d-day anyway then? after pearl harbor, hitler declared war on the usa to support his ally japan…but he didn’t declare war on canada…it could’ve remained neutral like sweden or spain or switzerland or any of those other neutral s countries We were involved in D-Day because we were involved in the war, and had been from the start. We were involved in the war because our allies were. We could, certainly, have remained neutral, if we had wanted, but in light of the fact that would: 1. Seriously piss off the UK and the other allied nations. 2. Be abandoning our friends, which is bad on principle, even aside from point 1. 3. Run the risk of the Axis winning. … Why would we? ---
**Author:** ![Suicide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Suicide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suicide)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/28 "2014-06-07T00:24:37Z")
sorry, i went to an american school…we spent one week on world war 2, literally, and that was mostly about fdr ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/29 "2014-06-07T00:44:40Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Worth adding perhaps, that many Americans volunteered to the Canadian armed forces long before their country joined the war. There was also a joint Canadian-American commando unit formed during the war, the [1st Special Service Force](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil's_Brigade). > [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > About the only inaccuracy (and such a small one it’s strange Brits made such a big deal over SPR) is that the guys who drove the landing vehicles were British. Oh, if you want to get down to it Saving Private Ryan is full of inaccuracies. The plot itself is simply absurd; trying to find a single paratrooper would have been a fool’s errand. The _average_ drop error was two miles. The final battle couldn’t be fought against ordinary German soldiers, being Hollywood they had to be SS soldiers. The first SS formation to reach the American sector was the reconnaissance battalion of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen on June 11th. The Germans had to have a tank, and being Hollywood a German tank has to be a Tiger. There were no Tigers on the American sector of Normandy in the entire month of June; they were all deployed to the British/Canadian sector. Tigers were not organic to panzer divisions; they were exclusively used in independent heavy panzer battalions and companies. So if the fact that there were no Tigers present is to be ignored, it stretches credulity that the crew of one of the SS’s crack heavy panzer battalions made the novice error of leading with a tank down a city street. Then there’s that P-51 making a direct hit on its first pass on a tank in a town… it’s Hollywood. It’s going to be full of inaccuracies. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/30 "2014-06-07T02:31:51Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The six wounds being inflicted by another Canadian (true story). Doohan made it through the entire day of fighting against the Germans without injury and then was accidentally shot after sunset by a Canadian sentry. Just had to one-up me, didn’t you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/31 "2014-06-07T02:45:17Z")
> [@Suicide](#): > > sorry, i went to an american school…we spent one week on world war 2, literally, and that was mostly about fdr You may have gone to a lousy school or had a lousy teacher, but don’t blame it on the country. A lot of us went to US schools and knew an awful lot about WWII by the time we graduated from high school. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/32 "2014-06-07T03:29:29Z")
> [@Suicide](#): > > so why did canada participate in d-day anyway then? after pearl harbor, hitler declared war on the usa to support his ally japan…but he didn’t declare war on canada…it could’ve remained neutral like sweden or spain or switzerland or any of those other neutral s countries In addition to what the others have said, I have to add they did so because their King called on them to: > [@King George VI](#): > > I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own. I ask them to stand calm, firm and united in this time of trial . . . (emphasis added) (from the “[King’s Speech](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/08/99/world_war_ii/429704.stm)”) ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/33 "2014-06-07T03:55:15Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > At the rate of amazing historical misrepresentation in the OP (“no distinct Canadian air force”) pretty soon the Canucks will get written out of World War II altogether! 😃 Like the way the [Americans stole the Engima machine from the German sub](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-571_%28film%29)? In regards the OP, let us not forget the fabulous things the British had done with colonial forces during WW1, not the least of which would be Gallipoli and Beaumont Hamel. You’d have to be an idjit to let them be in charge again. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/34 "2014-06-07T04:39:47Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Canada’s manpower was not something Allied planners could afford to turn away. Of the Commonwealth realms I think I’m correct that only India had a larger army, and they were busy fighting the Japanese (as well as trying to hold India itself together, but that’s a different story). Nope. Canada’s Army was about the size of the Australian Army and actually slightly smaller in terms of troops committed. Even the Canadian First Army was a mostly British formation, in terms of troops. Canada’s most important contribution was that of its Navy in the Atlantic. I think it’s fair to say that the Canadians did more than most for victory in that theatre. Indian Army had 4 Divisions in Italy at the time. Initially the plan had been for two of them (8th and 10th) to form an Indian Corps in NW Europe, but Alexander managed to convince Churchill otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/35 "2014-06-07T04:58:14Z")
No, we stole the whole sub [German submarine U-505 - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U505) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Fornicator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Fornicator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fornicator)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/36 "2014-06-07T07:29:14Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Like the way the [Americans stole the Engima machine from the German sub](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-571_%28film%29)? > > In regards the OP, let us not forget the fabulous things the British had done with colonial forces during WW1, not the least of which would be Gallipoli and Beaumont Hamel. You’d have to be an idjit to let them be in charge again. Gallipoli helped least two countries, Austraila and New Zealand, forge a national identity. It’s fundamental to their identity but lets not get carried away. Together they suffered less than 20% of Allied casualties. Plenty of nations were contributig there and elsewhere. > **[Gallipoli campaign](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_Campaign#Casualties)** > > 5 divisions (initial)15 divisions (final) > Total: 489,000–550,000 > Supported by: > 6 divisions (initial)16 divisions (final) > Total: 250,000–315,500 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Fornicator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Fornicator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fornicator)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/37 "2014-06-07T07:34:30Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Canada’s most important contribution was that of its Navy in the Atlantic. I think it’s fair to say that the Canadians did more than most for victory in that theatre. I’d agree. Worth noting, by D-Day and Dieppe aside, most Canadians who volunteered at the outbreak in late 1939 had been waiting 4 1/2 years for action. They totally deserved D-Day. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/38 "2014-06-07T08:04:40Z")
[QUOTE=Dissonance] it’s Hollywood. It’s going to be full of inaccuracies. [/QUOTE] Hey, I’m happy enough that the Tiger they run into is an actual Tiger or at least very Tiger-looking tank rather than a stock M-48 Patton or somesuch (as in the movie _Patton_, ironically enough) :). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/39 "2014-06-07T08:13:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Just had to one-up me, didn’t you? 😃 Admit it - it’s the little bits of trivia that sticks in our brains not the real information. Five years from now, the only thing you’ll remember from this thread about Canada’s role in World War II will be “Scotty got shot by friendly fire.” ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203/40 "2014-06-07T09:31:26Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Canada’s most important contribution was that of its Navy in the Atlantic. I think it’s fair to say that the Canadians did more than most for victory in that theatre. My uncle was a sailor in the RCN during the Battle of the Atlantic. He has passed away, but I know he would appreciate your comments. Thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-there-a-canadian-force-on-d-day/690203.md?page=3)