Battledress Canada R.C.E.M.E. 5th Canadian Division

The 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division spent two years of the war uneventfully in the United Kingdom, before finally transferring to the Mediterranean theatre in November 1943 to join the 1st Canadian Infantry Division as part of I Canadian Corps, under command of the British Eighth Army. The division moved without its tanks and vehicles, inheriting heavily used equipment as a legacy from the veteran British 7th Armoured Division ("The Desert Rats") who they relieved on the Italian Front. The majority of the vehicles were completely worn out, having first been issued in North Africa or were two-wheel drive–useless in Italy. It took several months for the division to be fully equipped with new vehicles, including M4 Shermans. Only the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade was committed prior to 31 January 1944. The 5th Armoured took part in the Italian Campaign until the end of 1944, seeing notable action on the Hitler Line after the Allied breakthrough at Cassino in May 1944 and also during Operation Olive on the Gothic Line in August 1944. During the latter battle its single infantry brigade was augmented by a second, which was raised using reinforcements and units serving in other roles. Among them was the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards–1st Canadian Division's armoured reconnaissance regiment. As with other Allied armoured divisions in the Mediterranean, local resources were used to establish an additional infantry brigade, the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade. Based on the colour of its shoulder patch, the division became known as the "Mighty Maroon Machine