A Sherman tank was issued to Major E.M. Smith, No. 3 Squadron, 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General's Foot Guards), in Maresfield, England, June 1944. It landed in France on 25 July, 1944. Major Smith became the commanding officer of the regiment in August 1944. With his crew, he fought "Forceful" throughout the campaigns in Northwest Europe. While damaged by enemy action, the Sherman tank nicknamed "Forceful" was never put out of action.
Forceful III was placed in front of Cartier Square Drill Hall as a memorial shortly after its return from Europe in 1946. It remained in this location until about 2004 when the area in front of the drill hall was renovated and the tank relocated to the Canadian War Museum.
This plaque was dedicated to the members of the Governor General's Foot Guards who were killed during the Second World War while operating as an armoured regiment.
During the Second World War the Governor General’s Foot Guards was mobilized in May 1940. In 1942 the regiment was re-rolled to become an armoured unit to address the need for more armoured units in the Canadian Army, assuming the name “21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General’s Foot Guards)”. It embarked for Great Britain on 23 September 1942. On 24 July 1944, it landed in France as part of the 4th Armoured Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division and it continued to fight in northwest Europe until the end of the war taking part in the battle of Normandy, the battle of the Scheldt, and the Rhineland. Over the course of the war the Regiment’s casualties were 101 dead and 284 wounded.
