Canadian Forces Europe Canadian Forces Europe was the Canadian Forces military formation in Europe during the Cold War . The CF assisted other NATO allies in watching the military activities of Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union . Canadian Forces Europe ( CFE ) consisted of two formations in West Germany , Canadian Forces Base Lahr , with the 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group ( 1957 - 1993 ) , and No . 1 Air Division RCAF at Canadian Forces Base Baden - Soellingen , which later became 1 Canadian Air Group . Both formations closed in the early 1990s with the end of the Cold War . Canadian Army . Canada had maintained a presence in Europe as part of the NATO forces since 1951 , when 27 Canadian Infantry Brigade was initially deployed to Hannover attached to British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ) . This formation , which was formed primarily with Militia units , eventually moved to a permanent base at Soest in 1953 . To begin with , it was intended to rotate brigades to Germany - 27 CIB was replaced by 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in October 1953 , which in turn was replaced by 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in 1955 , and then 4 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in 1957 . The arrival of 4 CIBG saw a significant reinforcement of the formation ' s capabilities ; prior to this each brigade had only been equipped with a squadron of main battle tank s . The arrival of 4 CIBG saw a full armoured regiment equipped with Centurions and an independent brigade reconnaissance squadron with Ferrets . In 1959 , when 4 CIBG ' s tour was due to end , a change was made in the reinformcement policy for Germany . Instead of whole brigades rotating every two years , the decision was made to keep 4 CIBG and its associated brigade units in place , instead rotating the major combat elements to Germany every three years . The brigade was headquartered in Soest . Individual units were stationed both at Soest and other towns in North Rhine - Westphalia : In 1962 , the brigade was reinforced with the addition of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps helicopter recce troop , equipped with nine CH - 112 Nomad helicopters . By the mid 1960s , 4 CIBG ' s manpower totalled 6 , 700 men ; it featured three mechanised infantry battalions , a reconnaissance squadron equipped with both armoured vehicle s and helicopters , artillery equipped with both fire support and tactical nuclear weapons , and an extensive logistic operation . The extent of the Canadian operation led to the British describing it as " a light division " . The brigade was renamed 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in May 1968 . Royal Canadian Air Force . To meet NATO ' s air defence commitments during the Cold War , No . 1 Air Division RCAF was established in Europe in the early 1950s with four Royal Canadian Air Force bases in France and West Germany . These included RCAF Station Marville ( " No . 1 Wing " ) and RCAF Station Grostenquin ( " No . 2 Wing " ) in France and Royal Canadian Air Force Station Zweibrücken ( " No . 3 Wing " ) and Royal Canadian Air Force Station Baden - Soellingen ( No . 4 Wing ) in West Germany . These wings consisted of three fighter squadrons each . RCAF Station Grostenquin was closed in 1964 and its units transferred to RCAF Station Marville . In 1967 Marville was closed after France ' s withdrawal from NATO ' s military command structure and the units transferred to new RCAF Station Lahr ( later CFB Lahr , now Black Forest Airport ) . RCAF Station Zweibrücken was closed in 1969 .