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The
Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) was a regiment
of the Canadian Army that originated as an infantry regiment
in the 19th Century and served throughout the 20th, being
converted to armour after the Second World War.
Lineage
- 12th "York Battalion
of Infantry" authorized 14 September 1866
- Redesignated 12th
Regiment "York Rangers" 8 May 1900
- Redesignated The York
Rangers 1 May 1920
- Amalgamated with The
Queen's Rangers, 1st American Regiment and redesignated
The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (M.G.)
15 December 1936
- Redesignated 2nd
(Reserve) Battalion, The Queen's York Rangers (1st
American Regiment) on 5 March 1942
- Redesignated The
Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (Reserve)
on 15 September 1944
- Redesignated The
Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) on 30
November 1945
- Converted to armour and
redesignated 25th Armoured Regiment (Queen's York
Rangers), RCAC on 19 June 1947
- Redesignated The
Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (25th
Armoured Regiment) on 4 February 1949
- Redesignated The
Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)
on 19 May 1958
- Redesignated The
Queen's York Rangers (RCAC) on 3 September 19851
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The
Queen's York Rangers
(1st American Regiment) (RCAC) |
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Headquarters:
Toronto, ON
Predecessor: None
Perpetuates: 20th, 35th, 127th and 220th
Battalions, C.E.F.
Raised: 14 September 1866
Status as of 1 January 2000: Active Reserve
Force armoured reconnaissance regiment |
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History
The 12th York Battalion of Infantry provided four companies
for the York and Simcoe Provisional Battalion during the North-West
Rebellion. The companies were raised on 10 April 1885 and the York
and Simcoe Provisional Battalion served with the Alberta Column of
the North West Field Force. The companies were taken off active
service on 24 July 1885.2
During the South
African war (1899-1902), volunteers from the regiment served in the
2nd (Special Service) Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
The 12th Regiment,
York Rangers contributed men to the 4th Battalion, C.E.F. in
September 1914 and later recruited for the 20th, 35th, 81st, 83rd,
127th and 220th Battalions. The 20th Battalion was the only of these
to serve in the field as infantry with the Canadian Corps, as a unit
of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division. The 127th
Battalion served as the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops. The
35th and 220th Battalions provided reinforcements for the Canadian
Corps.3
The regiment
placed details on active service on 1 September 1939 for
local protective duty. An active battalion was mobilized on
5 March 1942, and served in Canada until disbanded on 15
October 1943. The battalion was designated 1st Battalion,
The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment), CASF, and
served in Military District No. 2, never leaving Canada. The
2nd Battalion remained a component of the Reserve Army.
The regiment converted to armour after
the Second World War, joining several other infantry units as part
of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC).
Battle Honours
North West Canada, 1885
Festubert, 1915
Somme, 1916, '18
Thiepval
Arras, 1917, '18
Hill 70
Langemarck, 1917
Polygon Wood
Poelcappelle
St.
Quentin
Scarpe, 1918
Hindenburg Line
Cambrai, 1918 |
Ypres,
1915, '17
Mount Sorrel
Flers-Courcelette
Ancre Heights
Vimy,
1917
Pilchkem
Menin Road
Broodseinde
Passchendaele
Amiens
Drocourt-Quéant
Canal du Nord
Pursuit to Mons |
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France
and Flanders, 1915-18 |
Insignia
Cap Badge
The cap badge is described as follows:
On an escutcheon Argent the
inscription QUEEN'S RANGERS 1ST AMER.NS
Argent fimbriated Sable, the shield ensigned by the Royal Crown
and within a wreath of roses, thistles and shamrocks proper.
Symbolism
Crown represents service to the Sovereign. The shield and the
words "QUEEN'S RANGERS 1ST AMER.NS." are
in memory of the Loyalist military unit formed during the
American Revolutionary War. The roses, thistles and shamrocks
represent the English, Scottish and Irish composition of the
Queen's Rangers.4
Notes
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The
regiment was redesignated The Queen's York Rangers (1st
American Regiment) (RCAC) on 12 November 2004. All
information via A-AD-267-000/AF-003 Volume
3, Part 1: Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments -
ARMOUR REGIMENTS accessed online
at
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/ol-lo/vol-tom-3/par1/arm-bli/QYR-eng.asp
-
Ibid
-
The Regiments and Corps of the Canadian Army
(Queen's Printer, Ottawa, ON, 1964), p.66
-
A-AD-267-000/AF-003,
Ibid
