The Airborne Regiment (pre-1977)

[baboon6]

 

For Completeness Sake - the old CAR structure was:

3 Commandos, each of 1 Major and 154 other bodies (After 1977) organized into FOUR platoons, each of 3 10 man sections, plus a support platoon of 3 TOWs, 2 HMGs and 4x81mms (this was after 1ABN Bty was disbanded and the Arty task reverted to E, 2RCHA)  Mobility was supplied by OSVs and Jeeps.

Other subunits were a 134 body service commando and 132 HQ and  sigs squadron (which included a recce platoon). This made up a Regiment of 730 all-ranks.  With addition of E 2RCHA (6x105mm + 5xVSHORAD), and Engineer Squadron(Troop?) of 64  bodies and a Medical Group of 17 (capable of emergency surgery and care) they formed the Airborne Battle Group of 925 all-ranks.  A self contained, deployable resource capable of rapid reaction company sized actions, spearhead actions or longstay peacekeeping actions.

I happen to think that was a more versatile structure for what the CF is facing now than the understrength Brigades that we have.  6 leg units like that with an attached armd recce and dragoon element, along with the a 7th parachute capable group as well as a fully formed Cavalry Unit of Action (modern US mini-brigade) sounds about right to me.

(Data on CAR from The Elite and Their Support, Peter Harclerode, pp 94-96).

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I have a couple of questions on the structure of the CAR pre-1977. If I am correct there was an airborne HQ & signal squadron, 1 Commando Aeroportee (A, B, C Coys), 2 Abn Commando (D, E, F Coys), 1 Abn Battery, 1 Abn Field Eng Sqn, and the Abn Service Coy. My first question - how big were the rifle coys? They must have been pretty small if the whole regt numbered about 900. The second question is what rank was the CO of a commando? I know the Regt Cdr was a Lt Col and the coy OCs Majs.



[Mode Edit for legibility] 

 

[Old Sweat]

While I did not serve in the regiment, the commander was a colonel with a lieutenant colonel as deputy commander. Each of the commandos was commanded by a major with captains commanding the companies. I can vouch for this as some very close personal friends commanded commandos and/or companies.

 

[baboon6]

I managed to find the information on another site. Here is a detailed breakdown of the CAR pre-1977:

The CAR war establishment was published on 27 Feb, 1968 as Canadian
Forces War Establishment 14/1. It was used as the basis for the
organization of the formation which was activated on 8 April, 1968.
Within the WE were two infantry units called commandos each with a
strength of 278 (23-37-218). These two commandos comprised 62% of
the formation's total strength of 898 (78-132-688).

The commandos were neither oversized rifle company's or undersized
infantry battalions, but ad hoc organizations created to allow two
infantry units to stay within the imposed manpower limits placed
upon the WE. This begs the question why not combine the manpower
into a single small battalion organization of 556? The reason was
the entire formation was organized so as to have half of its troops
on immediate standby with the remainder either training, on course,
on leave etc. This neccesitated a two infantry unit organization.

Each commando headquarters comprised the commando CO, a Major, with
a Captain as Deputy CO, a WO I as the RSM and three Corporal
communicators totalling 6 (2-1-3). Two of the Corporals operated
the CO's and one the DCO's rovers (1/4 ton each). The RSM travelled
with the commando's Intelligence Section.

The commandos fighting strength was composed of three rifle
company's. The company was commanded by a Captain with a Capt/Lt as
the 2IC. A WO II was the CSM and a Staff Sergeant the CQMS. A
Corporal drove the OC's rover (1/4 ton). A Corporal and a Cpl/Pte
operated, with the 2IC, the company CP (1-1/4 ton). A Corporal
clerk drove the ammo truck (1-1/4 ton) with the CSM. An
intelligence Corporal commanded two intelligence Cpl/Pte's in a 1-
1/4 ton vehicle with an Albis (medium range infra-red illuminator
and viewer). Two armoured defence detachments, each commanded by a
Corporal with three Cpl/Pte's, were carried in 1-1/4 ton vehicles
mounting 106mm recoilless rifles with 18 rounds apiece. The
transport Sergeant rode a motorcycle and the CQMS and a Corporal
storeman rode in a 1-1/4 ton stores vehicle. The company
headquarters had a total strength of 21 (2-3-16).

The two rifle platoons within each rifle company were organized
without vehicles. The platoon was commanded by a Capt/Lt and a
Staff Sergeant was the platoon 2IC. A Cpl/Pte communicator and a
Cpl/Pte infantryman completed the platoon HQ. Each rifle section
was commanded by a Sergeant with two Corporal detachment commanders,
one Cpl/Pte communicator and seven Cpl/Pte infantrymen. Armament
consisted of 8 rifles, 2 light automatic rifles, 1 sub-machine gun,
and 1 medium anti-tank weapon. Total strength for each platoon was
26 (1-3-22).

The commandos were completed by a headquarters company of 53 (9-9-
35) which included a reconnaissance platoon of 26 (3-5-18).

This organization for the CAR's infantry remained at least until the
July, 1975 move of the formation to CFB Petawawa from CFB Edmonton.
The change to the CF rank system for the OR's saw the WO I replaced
by Chief Warrant Officer, the WO II replaced by Master Warrant
Officer and the Staff Sergeant replaced by Warrant Officer. A
Sergeant remained the same while the Corporal rank, as a command
position (known at the time as a 'hard corporal'), was replaced by
Master Corporal.

From: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/TOandEs/message/11344

1968

Canadian Airborne Regiment (Officers, SR NCO, Jr NCO)
78-132-688

Regimental Headquarters 11-1-0

Headquarters and Signals Commando 4-22-54

HQ 2-1-1
Support Pl 0-12-13 (Stores, INT, MP etc.)
Radio Pl 2-5-23
OP PL 0-21-10 (switchboard etc)
Tele Maint 0-2-7

Airborne Commando (CDO) (x 2) 23-37-218

CDO HQ 9-9-36 (includes CP, Int, Admin, Recce)

3 X Rifle Companies 4-9-60

Company HQ 2-3-16

2 X Rifle PL 1-3-22

PL HQ 1-1-2
3 x Section 0-1-10

Airborne Artillery Battery 8-11-61

Battery HQ 2-3-9

2 x Troops (Howitzer or mortar) 3-4-26

Troop HQ 3-1-8

The troops could be divided into 3 howitzer sections
of 0-1-6
Or 3 mortar sections of 0-1-7 (with a Tp HQ of 3-1-5)

Airborne Field Squadron (Engineers) 4-5-72

Sqn HQ 2-1-5

Field Troop 1-1-39

Support Troop 1-3-28

Airborne Service CDO 5-19-65

CDO HQ 1-1-3
Medical PL 1-4-22

Supply and Transport PL 1-4-12

Pers Section 1-3-2

Maint PL 1-5-26

In addition to the Regiment itself was the:

Canadian Airborne Regiment Field Service Support Group
11-25-134

HQ 1-2-4
Adm PL 7-7-26
Transport PL 102-34
Supply PL 1-4-27
Maint PL 1-10-43

From: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/TOandEs/message/11194

Hope others also find this useful.