Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade

The Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade, also known as Brutinel's Brigade or the Brutinel Brigade, was the first fully motorized unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War.^[1] It was established on August 24, 1914, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, as Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No. 1 by Canadian Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel, who initiated the program and was the unit's first commander.^[2] The unit played a significant part in halting the major German spring offensive of March 1918, and in the final Hundred Days Offensive when it was part of the Canadian Independent Force (CIF) commanded by Brutinel.

Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade
Cleaning armoured cars
Active	1914–1919
Country	Canada
Branch	Canadian Expeditionary Force
Type	Motorized infantry
Part of	Canadian Independent Force
Nickname(s)	Brutinel's Brigade
Engagements	World War I
Commanders
Notable commanders	Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel

History

The brigade was originally equipped with eight Armoured Autocars mounting two Colt Model 1914 machine guns (later replaced with the standard British Vickers MG) manufactured by Autocar in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Autocar also supplied six unarmoured support vehicles, four "roadsters" for the brigade's officers, and an ambulance.

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig wrote that the "work of the 1st CMMG Brigade in recent operations has proved the value that can be obtained from such units, and recommends the formation of a 2nd Brigade be undertaken forthwith."^[3] So in May 1918 the 2nd Canadian Motor MG Brigade was added. With the new unit Brutinel's CIF consisted of the 1st and 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigade (each of 5x8 gun batteries), Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion, one section of medium trench-mortars mounted on lorries (plus an assumed wireless and medical support).^[4] This totaled 80 machine guns and about 300 bicycle infantry. Canadian historian John A. English points out that this "was the first mechanized formation in the Commonwealth armies and the forerunner of the armoured division."^[5]

"In early 1918 the brigade saw heavy defensive action during the German spring offensives. It played an important role in the Battle of Amiens in the second half of 1918.^[6] Later that year, the Canadians formed the 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade and the two brigades, along with cavalry, cyclists, trench mortar sections and an artillery battery, comprised the Canadian Independent Force."

Structure

By June 1916 there were five batteries in the brigade:^[7]

• A Battery (Armoured Autocar)
• B Battery (Armoured Autocar)
• C Battery (Machine Gunners)
• D Battery (Machine Gunners)
• E Battery (Machine Gunners)