subject: Canadian Army Veteran Motorcycle Units [print this page] History History
Started in 2003, two military veteran motorcyclists meeting at a local charity ride, developed an idea that a military motorcyclist organization was needed. The two co-founders, P.M. rapper Cane and J.S.Y. oc Lebrun adopted the name Canadian Army Veteran (CAV) and a WWII crest of a despatch rider as their crest, which had been used in a World War II recruiting poster in Canada. The co-founders' inspiration was the continuance of the military comradeship that brothers-in-arms experience.
Within the first five years The CAV had grown by thousands of riding military veterans and Canadian Forces (CF) from across Canada and Canada's North. Now named as Canadian Army Veteran Motorcycle Units (CAV MU) this military motorcycle organization now reflects a more national scope.
As the CAV MU grew so did the organizational requirements, although the emphasis remains on individual units.
Fundraising and awards
The CAV MU, has helped raise funds for international, national and local charities, totalling in the millions of dollars. CAV was the 2007 recipient of the ICROSS Humanitarian Award.
Formations and units
Due to the strong military association, instead of more typical 'chapters', the CAV is organised along military lines, into four formations comprising several units. Each unit is named after or associated with a 'battle honour'. Many units possess a membership in the hundreds.
The CAV has a national headquarters and three formation headquarters (HQ). 1st CAV is based generally on central Canada, including Quebec, 2nd CAV is based on Newfoundland and Labrador and the Maritimes, and 3rd CAV on Western and Northern Canada. A fourth formation, CAV International was developed to provide units to Canadian veterans and CF members in different parts of the world.
Central Canada
1st CAV HQ
Battle of Vimy Ridge Vimy Unit
Battle of Amiens Unit Amiens
Operation Shingle Anzio Unit
Korean War Unit Core
Dieppe Raid Dieppe Unit
Juno Beach Juno Unit
Battle of Kapyong Kapyong Unit
Battle of Normandy Normandy Unit
Battle of Ortona Ortona Unit
Paardeberg Unit
Battle of the Somme Somme Unit
Falaise gap Falaise Unit
Battle of Cambrai (1917) Cambrai Unit
Hindenburg Line Hindenburg Line
Allied invasion of Sicily Assoro Unit
Operation Undergo Unit Calais
Operation Blockbuster Hochwald Unit
North Russia Campaign Archangel Unit
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) BAD ZWISCHENAHN Unit
