Portal:Canadian Armed Forces

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
The Canadian Armed Forces Portal

Template:/box-header

The emblem of the Canadian Forces topped by a St. Edward's Crown to indicate from where the military's authority stems.
The Canadian Forces (CF) (French: Forces Canadiennes; FC), officially the Canadian Armed Forces (French: Forces armées canadiennes), are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces." This single institution consists of the sea, land, and air environmental commands called the: Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), which together are overseen by the Armed Forces Council, chaired by the Chief of the Defence Staff. At the pinnacle of the command structure is the Commander-in-Chief, who is the reigning Canadian monarch, Elizabeth II, represented by the governor general.

Prior to Confederation in 1867, residents of the colonies in what is now Canada served as regular members of French and British forces and in local militia groups. The latter aided in the defence of their respective territories against attacks by other European powers, Aboriginal peoples, and later American forces during the American Revolution and War of 1812, as well as in the Fenian raids and North-West Rebellion. Consequently, the lineages of some Canadian army units stretch back to the early 19th century, when militia units were formed to assist in the defence of British North America against invasion by the United States.

The current iteration of the Canadian Forces dates from 1 February 1968, when the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged into a unified structure. Its roots, however, lie in colonial militia groups that served alongside garrisons of the French and British armies and navies; a structure that remained in place until the early 20th century. Thereafter, a distinctly Canadian army and navy was established, followed by an air force, that, because of the constitutional arrangements at the time, remained effectively under the control of the British government until Canada gained legislative independence from the United Kingdom in 1931, partly due to the performance and sacrifice of the Canadian Corps in the First World War.

The Canadian forces were then heavily involved in the Second World War (which, as with the previous world war, involved conscription) and Korean War, and, from the 1950s on, actively worked with her NATO Allies to counter the threats of the Cold War. Land Forces during this period also deployed in support of peacekeeping operations within United Nations sanctioned conflicts. The nature of the Canadian Forces has continued to evolve. They are currently engaged in Afghanistan, under the NATO-led United Nations International Security Assistance Force, at the request of the Government of Afghanistan.

Template:/box-footer

Show new selections (purge)

Selected article - show another

FortEdwardWindsorNovaScotiaCanada.JPG

Fort Edward is a National Historic Site of Canada in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada (formerly known as Pisiguit) and was built during Father Le Loutre's War. The British built the fort to help prevent the Acadian Exodus from the region. The Fort is most famous for the role it played both in the Expulsion of the Acadians (1755) and in protecting Halifax, Nova Scotia from a land assault in the American Revolution. While much of Fort Edward, including the officers quarters (burned down 1922) and barracks, has been destroyed, the blockhouse that remains is the oldest in North America. A cairn was later added to the site.

During World War I, it was utilized as a training depot for Canadian and British soldiers. The site became known locally (but not officially) as "Camp Fort Edward" for the duration of the war. Among the recruits passing through the camp was the ill-fated Hollywood film director William Desmond Taylor. The fort was designated a National Historic Site in 1920. The blockhouse was additionally designated a Classified Federal Heritage Building in 1994.

Selected event - show another

The Battle of Amiens (also known as the Third Battle of Picardy (French: 3ème Bataille de Picardie)), which began on 8 August 1918, was the opening phase of the Allied offensive later known as the Hundred Days Offensive that ultimately led to the end of the First World War. Allied forces advanced over seven miles on the first day, one of the greatest advances of the war, with Henry Rawlinson's British Fourth Army playing the decisive role.

6 Bn 1918 (E02866).jpg

The battle is also notable for its effects on both sides' morale and the large number of surrendering German forces. This led Erich Ludendorff to describe the first day of the battle as "the black day of the German Army." Amiens was one of the first major battles involving armoured warfare and marked the end of trench warfare on the Western Front; fighting becoming mobile once again until the armistice was signed on 11 November 1918.

The battle began in dense fog at 4:20 a.m. on 8 August 1918. Under Rawlinson's Fourth Army, the British III Corps attacked north of the Somme, the Australian Corps to the south of the river in the centre of Fourth Army's front, and the Canadian Corps to the south of the Australians. The French 1st Army under General Debeney opened its preliminary bombardment at the same time, and began its advance 45 minutes later, supported by a battalion of 72 Whippet tanks.

Read more...

Did you know? - show another

Selected biography - show another

Francis Pegahmagabow.jpg
Francis Pegahmagabow MM & Two Bars, (March 9, 1891 – August 5, 1952) was the First Nation soldier most highly decorated for bravery in Canadian military history and the most effective sniper of World War I. Three times awarded the Military Medal and seriously wounded, he was an expert marksman and scout, credited with killing 378 Germans and capturing 300 more. Later in life, he served as chief and a councilor for the Wasauksing First Nation, and as an activist and leader in several First Nations organizations. He corresponded with and met other noted aboriginal figures including Fred Loft, Jules Sioui, Andrew Paull and John Tootoosis.
Read more...

Selected picture - show another

5 Wing Goose Bay.jpg
CFB Goose Bay located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

Template:/box-header

To display all subcategories click on the ►

Canadian military history task force

Template:/box-footer

Selected wide picture - show another

Corvette Shawinigan.jpg
HMCS Shawinigan, Flower class corvette that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and was lost during the Battle of the Atlantic.

Template:/box-header

Roundel of the Royal Canadian Air Force (1946-1965).svg Canadian military history task force

User:JL-Bot/Project content

Featured articles
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Featured lists
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
A-Class articles
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3
Good articles
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
3


Bibliography

Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header

Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header

Topics Provinces & Territories Cities & Regions

Canada Canada
Canada flag map.svg Geography of Canada
Canadian Coat of Arms Shield.svg  History of Canada
Canadian Forces emblem.svg Canadian Forces
Can-vote-stub.svg  Politics of Canada
Tower-wireless-can.png  Music of Canada
CanadaSoccer.svg  Sports of Canada
Canadian television stub icon.svg  Canadian TV
Trans-Canada Highway shield.svg  Roads of Canada
Volcanism of Canada flag.png Volcanism of Canada
Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg New France
Flag of Acadia.svg  Acadia
20px Aboriginals

Ontario  Ontario
Quebec  Quebec
Nova Scotia  Nova Scotia
New Brunswick  New Brunswick
Manitoba  Manitoba
British Columbia  British Columbia
Prince Edward Island  P.E.I.
Saskatchewan  Saskatchewan
Alberta  Alberta
Newfoundland and Labrador  Newfoundland & Labrador
Northwest Territories  Northwest Territories
Yukon  Yukon
Nunavut  Nunavut

Flag of Ottawa, Ontario.svg  Ottawa
Toronto Flag.svg  Toronto
Flag of Vancouver (Canada).svg  Vancouver
Flag of Calgary, Alberta.svg  Calgary
Flag of Montreal.svg  Montreal
Edmonton City Hall.jpg  Edmonton
Flag of Hamilton.svg  Hamilton
Flag of Quebec City.svg  Quebec City
City of St. John's.jpg  St. John's
Coat of arms of Québec.svg  Quebec Regions

Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  Eastern Ont.

YorkRegion.png  York Region
Arctic Ocean.jpg  Arctic

WikiProject Canada WP Canada Logo-.svg

What are Portals· List of Canadian portals

Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header

The following Wikimedia sister projects provide more on this subject:
Wikibooks  Wikimedia Commons Wikinews  Wikiquote  Wikisource  Wikiversity  Wikivoyage  Wiktionary  Wikidata 
Books Media News Quotations Texts Learning resources Travel guides Definitions Database

Template:/box-footer