Canadian Reserve Armoured Recce units

[HorseSoldier]

Kind of off the wall question, but my Google-fu and a search of archived stuff here have both failed to answer it -- Does anyone have a TO&E for Canadian reserve force Armoured Recce units, both those equipped with AFVs and the Iltis mobile sorts?

[Fusilier]

Originally Posted by HorseSoldier

Kind of off the wall question, but my Google-fu and a search of archived stuff here have both failed to answer it -- Does anyone have a TO&E for Canadian reserve force Armoured Recce units, both those equipped with AFVs and the Iltis mobile sorts?

On paper and what we could/would actually field in reality are very very different, but...

Squadron HQ X1
-HQ (4 men)
-Transport troop
-QM troop
-Maintenance Troop

Combat Squadron X2
-HQ (12 men) 2 APC CP (Bison), 2 Iltis, 2 LSVW
-Recce Troops X3 with 21 men 7 Cougars each

Units without the cougar I believe were organized (on paper) the same.

[HorseSoldier]

Thanks.

So what was the logic with the reserves in Canada? During a long war they'd serve as a cadre to build up complete units? (And, if so, was there enough assorted equipment mothballed somewhere to equip them -- I'm assuming in the case of the armoured recce guys in trucks, they'd have been waiting on new production AFVs.)

Or was the intent more to provide a pool of battle casualty replacements? From the little bit I've seen/heard/read Canadian reservists in Afghanistan are mostly going over as individual augmentees.

[Fusilier]

Originally Posted by HorseSoldier

Or was the intent more to provide a pool of battle casualty replacements?

Yeah, for the most part reserve units would be tapped for replacements.

Some company or small battalion sized units might get deployed, but they'd more than likely be composite units made up from different units in their Area... say no more than a platoon from each regiment*. They'd then be probably given a light role (rear security, MSE protection, D&S section/platoons, etc). And they would have very little in the way of heavy weapons - light mortars and GPMGs mostly. Only one of the 50+ reserve infantry "battalions" had an equipped and trained 81mm mortar platoon for example.

I can't say for sure about the armd recce guys, but figured they'd be used in the same fashion - replacements or strengthening the composite units I mentioned. The units starting off with soft skins (Iltis) wouldn't probably get reissued anything on a significant scale. We don't really have much in the way of war stocks at all... except maybe some stored Lynx or captured armored vehicles, and the 2 mech brigades in Germany would be priority.

Of course this might all change as the war drags out. Not to mention the Alaskan invasion and the nuclear exchange.

*For example on one exercise, all of the units in one of Land Forces Atlantic Area's "brigades" pooled enough troops and support together to form the composite "1st Atlantic Battalion".

[HorseSoldier]

Thanks for the information.

Living up here in AK, I've been pushing around idea for Alaska in the war, and one thought I had was a Canadian brigade being stuck on the wrong side of Whitehorse by the Soviet division that mutinies and marches up there from the Alaskan panhandle.

Was thinking basic framework of 38th CBG (reflagged as 38th Canadian Infantry Brigade), rushed in theater after the invasion kicks off.

After mobilization starting in December 96, recall of secondary reservists, induction of new recruits (conscription?) by July 97 the brigade fields:

2 infantry battalions (formed by merging four of the unit's infantry battalions)
1 infantry battalion (amalgamated and borrowed from one of the other CBGs)
1 Light Armoured Recce regiment (Iltis equipped -- merging of both the brigade's arm'd recce units)
1 Armoured Recce regiment (with Cougars, grabbed from one of the other CBGs)
1 towed 105mm battalion (amalgamation of the two regiments and one indy battery)

With the possibility that the US perhaps rushed in some crew served weapons and other kit to flesh out any gaps below the major systems level. I don't think there would be time or spares laying around to hand over AFVs, upgraded artillery, etc. but MGs, mortars, and perhaps some modern anti-armor kit.

[Fusilier]

Yeah, IMO the Alaskan Campaign would most likely change the function of the reserve force just how you put it. Your idea regarding the brigade's vehicles and equipment I also agree with. And like you already know, the terrain in British Columbia, Yukon and such is also suitable for light units, so lacking armor wouldn't be a serious issue anyways.

You might already know this too, but I forgot to mention towed artillery. While inventories of armored vehicles are understrength, the reserves have a fair amount of towed 105mm guns in their arty regiments.