1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG; French: 1^er Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada, 1 GBMC) is a Canadian Forces brigade group that is part of the 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Army. Originally headquartered at CFB Calgary, it is currently based in CFB Edmonton in Alberta with two major units at CFB Shilo in Manitoba, and consists of eight Regular Force units.

1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
1er Groupe-brigade mécanisé du Canada
Brigade group badge
Active	1953–present
Country	Canada
Branch	Canadian Army
Type	Brigade group
Part of	3rd Canadian Division
Garrison/HQ	Edmonton
Motto(s)	Semper vigilans
March	"Sons of the Brave"
Website	canada.ca/en/army/corporate/3-canadian-division/1-canadian-mechanized-brigade-group.html
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel S. French MSM CD
Insignia
NATO Map Symbol	1 3

Headquarters

History

The brigade was established on 14 October 1953 in Europe.^[1]

• 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade created 14 October 1953
• Redesignated 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in October 1955
• Redesignated 1 Combat Group in 1972
• Redesignated 1 Canadian Brigade Group in 1976
• Redesignated 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in 1992

In 1989 at the height of the Cold War the 1st Canadian Mechanized Infantry Division consisted of three brigades, one of them being the 1st Canadian Brigade Group. It had the following structure:^[2]

• Headquarters at Calgary
  • Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) – armoured reconnaissance
  • 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry – mechanized
  • 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry – mechanized
  • 3rd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery – self-propelled artillery
  • 1st Combat Engineer Regiment, Royal Canadian Engineers – light engineers
  • 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron – light helicopter support

1 CMBG sent a contingent of approximately 200 personnel for Task Force Kandahar Headquarters for a nine-month rotation starting February 2009 and sent approximately 2500 personnel for the task force in September 2009 for a six-month tour.

Composition

The eight units that comprise 1 CMBG are:^[3]

Structure of the 1 CMBG

	Unit	Type	Locations
	1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron	Headquarters and communications	CFB Edmonton
	1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery	Field artillery	CFB Shilo
	Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)	Armoured	CFB Edmonton
	1 Combat Engineer Regiment	Armoured combat engineers	CFB Edmonton
	1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry	Mechanized infantry	CFB Edmonton
	2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry	Mechanized infantry	CFB Shilo
	3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry	Light infantry	CFB Edmonton
	1 Service Battalion	Combat service support	CFB Edmonton

1 CMBG is colocated with, and frequently operates alongside, three regular force units which are not part of the formation:

	408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron of 1 Wing
	1 Field Ambulance of Canadian Forces Health Services Group
	1 Military Police Regiment of Canadian Forces Military Police

See also

• Canada portal

• Military history of Canada
• History of the Canadian Army
• Canadian Forces
• List of armouries in Canada