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The Royal
Canadian Regiment was
an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army that served
throughout the 20th Century.
Lineage
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Infantry School Corps
authorized 21 December 1883
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Redesignated Canadian
Regiment of Infantry 14 May 1892
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Redesignated The Royal
Regiment of Canadian Infantry 24 May 1893
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Redesignated The Royal
Canadian Regiment of Infantry 1 April 1899
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Redesignated The Royal
Canadian Regiment 1 November 1901
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The
Royal Canadian Regiment |
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Headquarters:
Various
Predecessor: None
Perpetuates: 1st, 33rd, 71st, 142nd, 168th
Battalions, CEF and 2nd Battalion, CMGC
Raised: 21 December 1883
Status as of 31 December 1999: Active
infantry regiment (3 Regular Force battalions, 1
Reserve Force battalion), |
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History
The Royal Canadian Regiment traced its history to the formation of
the Infantry School Corps with three companies ("A" at Fredericton,
NB, "B" at St Johns, PQ and "C" at Toronto, ON) on 21 December 1883.
This unit was formed as a regular unit to train the Canadian
Militia. A fourth company ("D" at London, ON) was formed on 18
August 1887. The unit saw action
during the North-West Rebellion in 1885, fighting at Batoche and Cut
Knife Creek. Half of "C" Company served with General Middleton's
column, the other half with Lieutenant-Colonel Otter's column. Personnel
of the regiment also later served with the Yukon Field Force
(1898-1900), which assisted the Royal Northwest Mounted Police in
the Yukon during the Gold Rush.
The Regiment's name was changed to The Royal Canadian Regiment of
Infantry in 1899. During the South African War (Second Boer War),
the "2nd (Special Service) Battalion" was raised from across the
country to contribute Canada's First Contingent, and the battalion
was quickly disbanded in 1900 on its return to Canada. The "3rd
(Special Service) Battalion" was also raised at this time, in 1900,
and was employed as a garrison force in Halifax until 1902 when it
was also disbanded.
In the Boer War, the Toronto company of the 2RCRI fought Canada’s
first overseas battle at Sunnyside, Cape Colony, on 1 January 1900,
defeating a Boer commando in an action led by Australia's Queensland
Mounted Infantry. The remainder of the regiment joined them for the
fighting at Paardeberg Drift
(18-27 February 1900) which included a night advance on the enemy's
positions on high ground. The Canadians won a signficant victory, removing
a Boer blocking position on the way to the enemy capital, Blomfontein. The
date of the enemy's surrender, 27 February, was maintained
afterwards as Paardeberg Day by the regiment. The RCRI distinguished
itself again during the march on Pretoria to the north.
During the South African War Private Richard Rowland Thompson was
one of four men awarded the Queen's Scarf.
In 1901, the Regiment's name was changed to The Royal Canadian
Regiment.
First World War
In 1914, the Regiment was deployed to
Bermuda for garrison duties from September 1914 to August 1915 when
it returned to Halifax and re-attested for overseas service in the
First World War. The RCR arrived in France October 1915 to join the
newly created 3rd Canadian Division. The Regiment combined with
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and the 42nd Battalion,
CEF and 49th Battalion, CEF to form the 7th Canadian Infantry
Brigade. It served in the division until the end of the war, and one
soldier earned the Victoria Cross. Lieutenant Milton F. Gregg, MC,
earned the supreme award on 27 September 1918.
Interwar
The RCR remained a Permanent Force regiment between the wars and
returned to its role of providing instruction to the Militia through
garrisons in London (Ontario), Halifax (Nova Scotia), Toronto
(Ontario) and Montreal (Quebec).
Second World War
On 1 September 1939 the Regiment was placed on active service as
Canada prepared for participation in the Second World War. The Royal
Canadian Regiment, Canadian Active Service Force was created as a
component of the 1st Canadian Division and embarded for the United
Kingdom on 18 December 1939. On 14 June 1940, it took part in the
abortive move to the Continent as part of the 2nd British
Expeditionary Force, and made it as far inland as Laval before being
ordered withdrawn.
The RCR saw hard training for almost
several years in the U.K. and in the summer of 1943 headed to the
Mediterranean. On 10 July 1943 the RCR
landed at Pachino as part of the Allied invasion of Sicily. After
fighting across the island as a component of the 1st Canadian
Brigade of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, the regiment was involved in another
amphibious landing at Reggio di Calabria on 3 September 1943. The RCR was also part of
the fierce battles outside Ortona and then took part in attacks on
the German defences in Italy at the Adolf Hitler Line and the Gothic
Line.
Lieutenant W. Smith, a
platoon commander, and Sergeant F.G. White, a platoon
sergeant, both of The Royal Canadian Regiment, resting
after the capture of Pontecorvo, Italy, 24 May 1944.
The regiment was transferred to North-West Europe
on 9 March 1945 along with the rest of I Canadian Corps
and took part in the liberation the Dutch city of Apeldoorn.
The regiment returned home to Canada in 1945. The overseas regiment
disbanded on 1 March 1946.
On 1 June 1945, a second Active Force
component of the regiment was mobilized for service in the Pacific
theatre of operations, under the designation '1st Canadian Infantry
Battalion (The Royal Canadian Regiment), CASF'. It was redesignated:
'2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment, CIC' on 2 September
1945; and 'The Royal Canadian Regiment, CIC' on 1 March 1946. On 27
June 1946, it was embodied in the Permanent Force underneath its
prewar designation, 'The Royal Canadian Regiment'.
Korean War
In 1950 the Regiment was called upon to contribute to Canada's
forces for the Korean War. A new Canadian Army Special Force was
raised and the Regiment expanded to a 2-battalion, then a
3-battalion, organization. The 2nd Battalion served in Koreas with
the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group, itself a component of the
1st Commonwealth Division. The 2nd Battalion served overseas from 5
May 1951 to 25 April 1952, and was relieved by the 1st Battalion (20
April 1952 - 25 March 1953) and 3rd Battalion (23 March 1953) in
turn. In February 1952, the
2nd Battalion fought the Chinese at the battle of Kowang San. It was
replaced by the 3rd Battalion, which took over the Jamestown Line on
Hill 187, where it fought one of the last engagements before the
armistice in 1953.
Battle Honours
The Regiment was
awarded Battle Honours for both World Wars and the Korean War (bold type indicates
honours selected for emblazonment):
Saskatchewan
Paardeberg
Ypres, 1915, '17
St. Julien
Mount Sorrel
Pozières
Ancre Heights
Vimy, 1917
Scarpe, 1917, '18
Passchendaele
Drocourt-Quéant
Canal du Nord
Pursuit to Mons
Landing in Sicily
Agira
Regalbuto
Landing at Reggio
Campobasso
San Leonardo
Ortona
Gustav Line
Hitler Line
Lamone Crossing
Rimini Line
Pisciatello
Italy 1943-45
North-West Europe, 1945 |
North West Canada, 1885
South Africa, 1899-1900
Gravenstafel
Festubert, 1915
Somme, 1916
Flers-Courcelette
Arras, 1917, '18
Arleux
Hill 70
Amiens
Hindenburg Line
Cambrai, 1918
France and Flanders, 1915-18
Valguarnera
Adrano
Sicily, 1943
Motta Montecorvino
Torella
The Gully
Cassino II
Liri Valley
Gothic Line
Misano Ridge
San Martino - San Lorenzo
Fosso Vecchio
Apeldoorn
Korea, 1951-1953 |
Origin of C.E.F. Battle
Honours
Battle Honours are held by the regiment,
not individual battalions. The reserve battalion of The Royal
Canadian Regiment, itself an amalgamation of several units which
perpetuate a number of C.E.F. battalions, have added to the total
number.3 The breakdown is as follows:
| Originating
Unit: |
The Royal Canadian Regiment, CEF |
1st Battalion, CEF |
2nd Battalion
Canadian MG Corps |
Total (since 1954) |
| |
|
Ypres, 1915 |
|
Ypres, 1915 |
| |
|
Gravenstafel |
|
Gravenstafel |
| |
|
St. Julien |
|
St. Julien |
| |
|
Festubert,
1915 |
|
Festubert,
1915 |
| |
Mount Sorrel |
Mount Sorrel |
|
Mount Sorrel |
| |
Somme, 1916
|
Somme, 1916 |
|
Somme, 1916 |
| |
|
Pozières |
|
Pozieres |
| |
Flers-Courcelette |
Flers-Courcelette |
|
Flers-Courcelette |
| |
Ancre Heights |
Ancre Heights |
|
Ancre Heights |
| |
Arras, 1917 |
Arras, 1917
|
|
Arras, 1917 |
| |
Vimy, 1917 |
Vimy, 1917 |
|
Vimy, 1917
|
| |
|
Arleux |
|
Arleux |
| |
|
Scarpe, 1917 |
|
Scarpe, 1917 |
| |
Hill 70 |
Hill 70 |
|
Hill 70 |
| |
Ypres, 1917 |
Ypres, 1917 |
|
Ypres, 1917 |
| |
Passchendaele |
Passchendaele |
|
Passchendaele |
| |
Amiens |
Amiens
|
Amiens |
Amiens |
| |
Arras, 1918 |
Arras, 1918
|
Arras, 1918 |
Arras, 1918 |
| |
Scarpe, 1918 |
Scarpe, 1918
|
Scarpe, 1918 |
Scarpe, 1918 |
| |
|
Drocourt-Quéant |
Drocourt-Quéant |
Drocourt-Quéant |
| |
Hindenburg
Line |
Hindenburg
Line |
Hindenburg
Line |
Hindenburg
Line |
| |
Canal du Nord |
Canal du Nord
|
Canal du Nord |
Canal du Nord |
| |
|
|
Cambrai, 1918 |
Cambrai, 1918 |
| |
Pursuit to
Mons |
Pursuit to
Mons |
Pursuit to
Mons |
Pursuit to
Mons |
| |
France and
Flanders 1915-1918 |
France and
Flanders 1915-1918 |
France and
Flanders 1918 |
France and
Flanders 1915-1918 |
| Total: |
16 |
24 |
9 |
49 |
Cold War
After the end of the Korean War, the
regiment was reduced to two battalions, when the 3rd Battalion was
renamed as 1st Battalion, The Canadian Guards. In 1954 two London,
Ontario, Militia regiments, The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London
Regiment)(MG) and The Oxford Rifles were amalgamated and
redesignated The London and Oxford Fusiliers (3rd Battalion, The
Royal Canadian Regiment). This unit thus became the Reserve
component of The RCR. In 1958, it was renamed 3rd Battalion, The
Royal Canadian Regiment (London and Oxford Fusiliers).
The 3rd Battalion was renumbered as the 4th Battalion in 1970 when a
new 3rd Battalion (on the Regular Force establishment) was
reactivated. In 1989, the designation of the Reserve battalion was
shortened to 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. This
amalgamation also brought to the Regiment the perpetuation of a
number of battalions of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary
Force, including the 1st, 33rd, 71st, 142nd and 168th Battalions as
well as the 2nd battalion of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. The
amalgamation also saw the total battle honours for the First World
War, based on the combined list of amalgamated components of the
Regiment, increased.
The Militia battalion changed from the 3rd to the 4th Battalion in
1970 when The Canadian Guards were reduced to nil strength and the
soldiers of that regiment's 2nd Battalion (at CFB Petawawa) became
the restored 3rd Battalion, The RCR, on the Regular Force order of
battle. At the same time, the 2nd Battalion of The RCR was relocated
to CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick, and reconstituted from the soldiers
of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada as its two
battalions there were also reduced to nil strength and removed from
the active regiments in the Army's Regular Force order of battle.
During the 1950s and 1960s, battalions of The RCR were stationed at
Fort York, Germany. These deployments were executed by 1RCR (1955-57
and 1962-65) and 2RCR (1953-55) and 1965-70). 3RCR was later
deployed to Germany, stationed in Baden-Soellingen 1977-84 and
1988-93.
All three Regular Force Battalions of The RCR were deployed during
the October Crisis in 1970 as part of the government's response to
the FLQ. The three Regular Force battalions were also deployed in to
support the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Quebec.
Throughout the Cold War period, The RCR participated in Canada's
contributions to United Nations Peacekeeping. For battalions of the
Regiment, this meant rotating tours on the Island of Cyprus. The
six-month tours of this mission, named Operation SNOWGOOSE, were
executed by elements of the Regiment thirteen times between 1966 and
1992.
In 1977 3RCR was posted to CFB Baden-Soellingen in Germany. In 1984
the battalion was rotated to Winnipeg. In 1988 the battalion was
rotated back to Baden until the base was closed in 1993 at which
time it was disbanded in Germany and subsequently stood up at CFB
Borden, Ontario, as a "10/90" battalion. the "10/90" concept saw an
infantry unit in each Regular Force Regiment established with
approximately 10 per cent of its personnel being full-time Regular
soldiers, while the remaining positions were filled by Reserve Force
soldiers from affiliated units in the region. These units existed
until 1996 when the three 10/90 battalions were stood down and
replaced by Light Infantry Battalions on the Regular Force order of
battle. Initially formed without specific Regimental affiliation,
within the year the Light Infantry Battalion was relocated to CFB
Petawawa and officially designated the 3rd Battalion, The RCR.
After the Cold War
In 1990, HQ and "Duke of Edinburgh's" Company (the first rifle
company) of the 1st Battalion deployed to Cornwall, Ontario, as part
of Operation KAHNAWAKE. The 2nd Battalion, as part of 5e Groupe
Brigade Mecanisee du Canada, deployed to the Montreal region to
partake in Operation SALON. These deployments were part of the
government's response to the so-called "Oka Crisis".
In 1991, "Mike" Company and a platoon from "Papa" Company from 3RCR
(CFB Baden-Soellingen, Germany) and "Charles" Company from 1RCR (CFB
London, Ontario) served in the Persian Gulf during Operations DESERT
SHIELD and DESERT STORM, the first Gulf War. "C" Company served in
Al Jabail, Saudi Arabia as security for "1 Canadian Field Hospital"
and prisoner of war processing from 21 February to 20 March 1991.
No. 12 Platoon of "P" Company served at Bahrain as security from 16
January to 31 March 1991.
In 1992, soldiers from the English-speaking November Company of the
Third Battalion based out of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Baden-Soellingen
in Germany, as an attachment to the French-speaking Royal 22e
Régiment, operationally secured the Sarajevo airport during the
Yugoslav wars. This Operation saw a re-deployment of the entire
Battle Group from Croatia to the Sarajevo Theatre of Operations,
under the command of General Lewis MacKenzie. Queen Elizabeth II,
Queen of Canada, made mention of this Operational Force and its
commitment to international peace while in the National Capital
Region that same year. The Unit returned to Bosnia for a tour with
the stabilization force, SFOR, in 1998 and 1999.2
The 1st Battalion has served as peacekeepers in the Sinai Peninsula,
in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Senior Personnel
Since 1953, the Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment has been the Duke
of Edinburgh.
Insignia
Cap Badge
The cap badge is described as:
On an eight-pointed diamond-cut
star Argent a bezant inscribed VRI, the Cypher of Queen
Victoria, in letters Argent and encircled by a rope Or
surmounted in chief with the Royal Crown proper.
The Directorate of
History and Heritage notes: "The star is a customary infantry badge
shape from the 19th Century. King George V granted the regiment the
right to wear in perpetuity Queen Victoria's cypher "VRI" in memory
of the sovereign under whose reign the regiment was raised and in
view of the services the regiment rendered in the Great War."
Notes
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A-AD-267-000/AF-003
Official Lineages, Volume 3, Part 1: Armour,
Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments – Armour Regiments.
Directorate of History and Heritage. June 11, 2010 accessed
online at
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/ol-lo/vol-tom-3/par2/RCR-eng.asp
(referencing General Order 53/1919)
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Ibid
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O'Leary, Michael "Great
War Battle Honours Revisited; 25 or 49?" The
Regimental Rogue, accessed online 9 Feb 2013
