Governor General's Foot Guards

The Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) is the senior reserve infantry regiment in the Canadian Army. Located in Ottawa at the Cartier Square Drill Hall, the regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry unit, and the members are part-time soldiers.

Governor General's Foot Guards
Active1872present
CountryCanada
BranchCanadian Army
TypeFoot guards
RoleLight infantry
SizeBattalion
Part of33 Canadian Brigade Group
Garrison/HQCartier Square Drill Hall, Ottawa, Ontario
Nickname(s)
  • "The Guards"
  • "GGFGs"
  • "The Sharpshooters" (historic)
Motto(s)
  • Civitas et princeps cura nostra (Latin for 'Our country and ruler are our concern')[1]
  • Up the Guards! (unofficial)
March
Anniversaries
Engagements
Battle honoursSee list of battle honours
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Commanders
Current
commander
LCol Jamie Bell
Colonel-in-ChiefVacant
Colonel of
the Regiment
Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada
Regimental sergeant majorCWO Greg L. Witol
Insignia
HeaddressKhaki beret

The GGFG are infantry reserve soldiers who train part-time and full-time for domestic operations and international missions. This involves training for domestic operations where the unit deployed members to help during a natural disaster or public emergency such as it did during the 1998 Ice Storm, flooding in 2017 and 2019, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It also involves training for international operations and support to the Regular Force on operations in countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Latvia, and Ukraine where troops from the regiment have deployed in recent years.

Members of the GGFG train part time between September and June, usually Tuesday evenings and one weekend a month. Between May and August, members can be employed full time in a variety of roles such as students or instructors on training courses, taking part in tasks such as the Ceremonial Guard, and attending field exercises.

The regiment also runs supplementary training programs such as the marksmanship program to improve shooting skills, and the leadership development training program to prepare soldiers to attend leadership courses. Additionally the regiment runs sports and fitness programs. The GGFG are also affiliated with 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR) for reserve integration training.

The GGFG perpetuate the 2nd Canadian Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF, and 77th Battalion (Ottawa), CEF, from the First World War.[2]

GGFG, Governor General's Foot Guards
A 2023 Recruiting poster for the GGFG. The poster was inspired by recruiting posters from the First World War.

Regimental structure

The regiment is composed of the following sub-units:

  • Regimental Headquarters  Regimental Headquarters is responsible for the overall command, control, and administration of all members of the regiment.
  • No. 1 Company (Rifle Company)  The rifle company conducts collective field training exercises to train soldiers to work together as a team across a range of tactical scenarios. Most of the trained soldiers in the regiment are part of the rifle company.
  • No. 2 Company (Training Company)  The training company runs individual training courses so members can become qualified or complete specialized courses.  It is composed of instructors and students taking part in individual training courses. New members of the regiment are members of the training company until they are fully trained.
  • No. 3 Company (Combat Service Support)  The Support Company provides logistical support to the training being conducted by No. 1 and 2 Companies.
  • GGFG Band  The regimental band is a brass-and-reed band that represents the regiment at performances around the city and beyond.
  • Public Duties Company  Public Duties Company (PDC) plans and conducts the Ceremonial Guard during the summer months as well as supporting the governor general and Rideau Hall with ceremonial tasks throughout the year.

The regiment also supports the 2784 GGFG Army Cadets of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.

The PDC, given the suspension of Ceremonial Guard activities owing to the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020, is ad interim the official guard of honour of the Canadian Armed Forces. This status will continue until the Guard's reconstitution.

Lineage

The GGFG originated in Ottawa, Ontario, on 7 June 1872 as the 1st Battalion Governor General's Foot Guards. It was redesignated as the Governor General's Foot Guards on 16 September 1887; as The Governor General's Foot Guards on 1 April 1896; as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Governor General's Foot Guards on 7 November 1941; as The Governor General's Foot Guards on 31 January 1946; as The Governor General's Foot Guards (5th Battalion, The Canadian Guards) on 1 September 1954; as the Governor General's Foot Guards (5th Battalion, The Canadian Guards) on 25 April 1958; and finally returned to the name Governor General's Foot Guards on 1 September 1976.[2]

In the Canadian Forces, units may make formal, official links between each other called affiliations. These affiliations are "to foster continuous fraternal connections between military organizations beyond the close, professional relationships which are always encouraged."[3] The GGFG were affiliated with the Canadian Guards, and from 1954 to 1976 they used a Canadian Guards battalion number in token of the affiliation. Despite the battalion number, the GGFG were considered a separate regiment from the Canadian Guards. The affiliation automatically ceased when the Canadian Guards were put on the Supplementary Order of Battle in 1970.[4]

Lineage chart[5]
1869Independent rifle coys
18721st Bn Governor General's Foot Guards
1877Governor General's Foot Guards
1896The Governor General's Foot Guards
19142nd Bn, CEF
191577th "Overseas" Bn', CEF
1916Absorbed by 47th and 73rd "Overseas" Bn, CEF
1920Disbanded1st Bn, The Governor General's Foot Guards2nd Bn (77th Bn, CEF),[lower-alpha 1] The Governor General's Foot Guards
19311st Bn (2nd Bn, CEF), The Governor General's Foot Guards
1936The Governor General's Foot GuardsDisbanded
1940The Governor General's Foot Guards, CASF
19401st Bn, The Governor General's Foot Guards, CASF
19412nd (Reserve) Bn, The Governor General's Foot Guards
194221st Armd Regt (The Governor General's Foot Guards), CAC, CASF
194521st Armd Regt (The Governor General's Foot Guards), RCAC, CASF
1946DisbandedThe Governor General's Foot Guards
1954The Governor General's Foot Guards (5th Bn, The Canadian Guards)
1958Governor General's Foot Guards (5th Bn, The Canadian Guards)
1976Governor General's Foot Guards

Operational history

Members of the Regiment took part in the Nile Expedition of 1884 and the following year provided a company of sharpshooters to the Battleford column during the North West Rebellion, where the Regiment suffered its first two casualties at the battle of Cut Knife Hill. The company was removed from active service on 24 July 1885.[2]

During the Boer war the regiment contributed volunteers for the various Canadian contingents, mainly the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry.[2]

The Great War

The GGFG perpetuates two battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force who took part in the First World War.

The 2nd Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF “The Iron Second”, which was a part of the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division and saw continuous service on the Western front from 1915 to end of war in 1918.  The 2nd Battalion also fought at the battles of Ypres, St. Julien, Festubert, Pozières, Vimy (1917), Arleux, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, and Canal du Nord, to name only a few. By the end of the war, 242 officers and 5,084 other ranks had fought with the battalion. Of those, 52 officers and 1,227 other ranks were killed.

The 77th Battalion (Ottawa), CEF was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 19 June 1916. It provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 22 September 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 47th Battalion (British Columbia), CEF and 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF and the battalion was disbanded.[2]

The honours and traditions of these battalions are perpetuated by the GGFG.

The Second World War

During the Second World War the GGFG 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 (G.G.F.G.)”. 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. The overseas regiment was disbanded on 31 January 1946.[2]

Modern day

In the intervening years, members have participated in United Nations and NATO operations, including service in the Cyprus, Somalia, the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Haiti, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone. During the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, the GGFG deployed members, taking part Task Force 3-06, Task Force 3-08, and Task Force 1-10 in Kandahar, as well as the Operation Attention training mission in Kabul.

The GGFG provides individual augmentation to the Regular Force when they deploy on operations. The regiment deployed members on Operation Impact in Iraq and Jordan, Operation Calumet in Egypt, Operation Soprano in Sudan, Operation Reassurance in Poland and Latvia, and Operation Unifier in the Ukraine.

GGFG
A GGFG NCO commanding his section on exercise in Meaford. Photo: Cpl Grieves, DAPA


The regiment maintains domestic response capability to support Canadians at home in natural disasters or emergencies. The regiment deployed soldiers to the 1998 Ice Storm, floods 2017 and 2019, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Victoria Cross recipients

RecipientUnitLocationDate
(Acting) Corporal Leo Clarke[lower-alpha 2] 2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force Pozières, France September 9, 1916
(Acting) Major Okill Massey Learmonth[lower-alpha 2] 2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force Hill 70, France August 18, 1917

Monuments

The No 1 Company Governor Generals Foot Guards and the Ladies Soldiers Aid Association of Ottawa erected a memorial tablet which was unveiled on May 2, 1887; The memorial is dedicated to the memory of Privates J. Rogers and Wm. B. Osgood who died in action at Cut Knife Hill on May 2, 1885, during the Northwest Rebellion.[6]

A memorial plaque in the GGFG Regimental Museum is dedicated to the memory of the 5326 Officers and Men who served in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion Canadian Expeditionary force during the Great War 1914-1918.[7]

A Second World War–era Sherman tank nicknamed Forceful III in the Canadian War Museum, is dedicated to the memory of the members of the GGFG killed during the Second World War while operating as an armoured regiment.[8]

Lieutenant-colonels commanding

Lieutenant-colonels commanding[9]
No.NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office (Years)Governor generalMonarch
1Thomas Ross18 Jun 187219 Nov 188614John Young, Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, John Campbell, Henry Petty-FitzmauriceQueen Victoria
2James Pennington MacPherson20 Nov 188623 Nov 18882Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Frederick StanleyQueen Victoria
3John Tilton24 Nov 188829 Nov 18891Frederick StanleyQueen Victoria
4Alfred Hamlyn30 Nov 188923 Mar 18922Frederick StanleyQueen Victoria
5Frederick Toller24 Mar 189224 Oct 18942Frederick Stanley, John Hamilton-GordonQueen Victoria
6William Egerton Hodgins25 Oct 189427 Oct 18995John Hamilton-Gordon, Gilbert Elliot-Murray-KynynmoundQueen Victoria / King Edward VII
7Arthur Leonard Fitzgerald Jarvis28 Oct 18993 March 19044Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Albert GreyKing Edward VII
8Sydney Charles Dyne Roper4 Mar 19041 Apr 19062Albert GreyKing Edward VII
9Henry Allan Bate2 Apr 190622 Mar 19081Albert GreyKing Edward VII
10Douglas Richmond Street23 Mar 190819 Oct 19102Albert GreyKing Edward VII / King George V
11James William Woods20 Oct 19107 Nov 19177Albert Grey, HRH Prince Arthur, Victor CavendishKing George V
12James Frederick Cunningham8 Nov 19173 May 19202Victor CavendishKing George V
13John Thomas Connelly Thompson4 May 19205 May 19211Victor CavendishKing George V
14William Bourbank Bartram6 May 19215 Oct 1921<1Victor Cavendish, Julian ByngKing George V
15Richard Francis Parkinson6 Oct 19214 Oct 19253Julian ByngKing George V
16Charles Beresford Topp5 Oct 19254 Apr 19304Julian Byng, Freeman Freeman-ThomasKing George V
17James Cuvillier Foy5 Apr 19304 Apr 19343Freeman Freeman-Thomas, Vere PonsonbyKing George V
18Geoffery Gordon Chrysler5 Apr 19344 Apr 19383Vere Ponsonby, John BuchanKing George V / King Edward VIII / King George VI
19William Godfrey Hoffman Wurtele5 Apr 193825 Jan 19423John Buchan, Alexander CambridgeKing George VI
20Howard Wilfred Rick26 Jan 194226 Aug 19431Alexander CambridgeKing George VI
21Murray Joseph Scott27 Aug 194314 Aug 1944<1Alexander CambridgeKing George VI
22Harold Foster Baker15 Aug 194417 Aug 1944<1Alexander CambridgeKing George VI
23Edward Marshall Smith18 Aug 19441 Sep 19451Alexander CambridgeKing George VI
24George Taylor Baylay2 Sep 194519 Feb 1946<1Alexander CambridgeKing George VI
25Percy Hannaford20 Feb 19462 Jan 1947<1Alexander Cambridge, Harold AlexanderKing George VI
26Herschell Allistar Smith3 Jan 19473 Jan 19481Harold AlexanderKing George VI
27George Patrick4 Jan 194819 Aug 19524Harold AlexanderKing George VI / Queen Elizabeth II
28Thomas Guy Bowie20 Aug 195211 Nov 19575Harold Alexander, Vincent MasseyQueen Elizabeth II
29George Galt Aldous12 Nov 195731 Jan 19602Vincent Massey, Georges VanierQueen Elizabeth II
30Charles Douglas Arthur1 Feb 196013 Oct 19644Georges VanierQueen Elizabeth II
31Ian Albert Hodson14 Oct 196414 Jul 19672Georges Vanier, Roland MichenerQueen Elizabeth II
32David Phillip William Wood15 Jul 196729 Aug 19703Roland MichenerQueen Elizabeth II
33Howard Rodney Hill30 Aug 197023 Sep 19733Roland MichenerQueen Elizabeth II
34Roy Longbottom24 Sep 197317 Sep 19773Roland Michener, Jules LégerQueen Elizabeth II
35Michael Eric Butler18 Sep 197728 Jun 19802Jules Léger, Edward SchreyerQueen Elizabeth II
36Paul Stanley Dunseath29 Jun 198015 Jul 19844Edward Schreyer, Jeanne SauvéQueen Elizabeth II
37Lawrence Edward Lomas16 Jul 198417 Jul 19884Jeanne SauvéQueen Elizabeth II
38J.A.E. Michel Simard18 Jul 198830 Sep 19913Jeanne Sauvé, Ray HnatyshynQueen Elizabeth II
39Donald Ian MacLeod1 Oct 199117 Aug 19942Ray HnatyshynQueen Elizabeth II
40Lawson Roy Hillier18 Aug 199426 Jul 19972Ray Hnatyshyn, Roméo LeBlancQueen Elizabeth II
41William Scott Sturgess27 Jul 199714 Jul 20002Roméo LeBlanc, Adrienne ClarksonQueen Elizabeth II
42Stephen John Delaney15 Jul 200027 Sep 20033Adrienne ClarksonQueen Elizabeth II
43Nicholas Curcumelli-Rodostamo28 Sep 20039 Sep 20062Adrienne Clarkson, Michaëlle JeanQueen Elizabeth II
44Robert Michael Foster10 Sep 200622 Sep 20093Michaëlle JeanQueen Elizabeth II
45Derek Joseph Cheff22 Sep 200916 Oct 20123Michaëlle Jean, David JohnstonQueen Elizabeth II
46Kevin MacLean17 Oct 201229 Sept 20152David JohnstonQueen Elizabeth II
47Chris Lynam30 Sept 201529 Oct 20194David Johnston, Julie PayetteQueen Elizabeth II
48Vincent Quesnel30 Oct 201930 May

2023

4Julie Payette, Mary SimonQueen Elizabeth II / King Charles III
49 Jamie Bell 30 May

2023

Present Mary Simon King Charles III

Alliances

Battle honours

Rank names

Ensign
Second lieutenants (OF-1) in Guard regiments are referred by their former title of ensign (Esgn). The name derives from the task the newest joined officers were entrusted with, carrying the ensign or colours.
Colour sergeant
Personnel carrying the rank of warrant officer (OR-7) in Guard regiments are called by their former title of colour sergeant (CSgt). This rank originated from the appointment of specific sergeants to escort and defend the colours. Lower ranks refer to colour sergeants as "Sir" or "Ma'am" rather than "Warrant" as in other units.
Guardsman
Upon successful completion of recruit training soldiers are addressed as guardsman (Gdsm/OR-3). King George V awarded this honour in 1918 to mark the service of regiments of Foot Guards during the First World War. General Order 138 of 1928 promulgates this honour.
Musician
Upon successful completion of recruit training members of the band are addressed as musician (Muscn/OR-3).

Regimental museum

Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental Museum
LocationCartier Square Drill Hall
Ottawa, Ontario
TypeRegimental museum

The Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental Museum collects, preserves, studies and exhibits those objects that serve to illustrate the history and traditions of the regiment. The museum will collect materials that depict the regiment’s past in terms of war, ceremonial, training, sport and other affairs that have influenced the regiment over the years. The museum will provide for the preservation of such material and for its availability to all those who wish to see and study it. The museum will be a non-profit educational establishment, operated for the regiment and open to the public, regardless of race, creed, or occupation. The museum will disseminate knowledge and stimulate interest through materials, information services by holding meetings and arranging special programs for the regiment, the association and the public for the furtherance of the purpose of the museum. The museum co-operates with the regiment, association, the National War Museum and other museums as well as the Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, to collect and preserve materials of significance so that these materials may be preserved and aid in the advancement of knowledge of the regiment.[11] The Guards' museum holds many artifacts from throughout the history of the regiment. Some of the artifacts displayed are a captured German trench periscope, various firearms from past wars including a Second World War–era German MG42, a MP 40, and a copy of Mein Kampf signed by Adolf Hitler. Also on display are several books containing photographs from World War II. The museum is located in the south end of the Cartier Square Drill Hall and is open on parade nights or by appointment.

Freedoms

The regiment has received the Freedom twice throughout its history at the following occasions:

Badge and motto

Coat of arms of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Notes
Blazon of the badge: upon a six-pointed star rayonné Argent an annulus Gules edged and inscribed CIVITAS ET PRINCEPS CURA NOSTRA in letters Or and enclosing a cross Azure fimbriated Argent.[15]
Motto
Civitas et princeps cura nostra (Latin for 'Our country and ruler are our concern').
Symbolism
The badge is based on the breast star of the Order of the Garter, which is used as the badge of the Coldstream Guards, an allied regiment whose uniform (with minor differences) is worn by the GGFG.[1]

Drill Hall

Site Date(s) Designated Location Description Image
Cartier Square Drill Hall 1879 Classified - 1985 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings On the bank of the Rideau Canal, just south of Laurier Avenue W.

Ottawa, Ontario

A large and centrally-located building with low-pitched gable roof houses The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) and GGFG and 2784 Governor General's Foot Guards Army Cadets

See also

References

  1. Reserve order of battle
  2. Awarded posthumously
  1. "The official lineage of the Governor General's Foot Guards infantry regiment". Canadian Armed Forces. 24 October 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  2. Department of National Defence. Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Vol. 3: Combat Arms Regiments. Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003.
  3. The Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces. Directorate of History and Heritage. 4 January 1999. pp. 8–1.
  4. The Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces. Directorate of History and Heritage. 4 January 1999. pp. 8–4.
  5. "Governor General's Foot Guards". www.canada.ca. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  6. "Rogers and Osgood memorial (brass plaque): Cartier Square Drill Hall: Memorial 35059-090 Ottawa, ON". National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials. Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  7. "2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (First World War): Cartier Square Drill Hall: Memorial 35059-091 Ottawa, ON". National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials. Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  8. "Forceful III: Canadian War Museum: Memorial 35059-011 Ottawa, ON". National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials. Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  9. Steady the buttons two by two : Governor General's Foot Guards regimental history, 125th anniversary, 1872-1997. R. M. Foster, Tim Richter. Ottawa: Governor General's Foot Guards. 1999. ISBN 0968379206. OCLC 39347863.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  11. A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums – Operations and Administration 2002-04-03
  12. Dept, Innovative Client Services (2022-06-02). "Witness the Governor General's Foot Guards exercise Freedom of the City". ottawa.ca. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
  13. "GG's Foot Guards mark 150th anniversary with Freedom of the City march". ottawacitizen. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
  14. "Governor General's Foot Guards celebrate 150 years in Ottawa". Ottawa. 2022-06-04. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
  15. "Confirmation of the blazon of a Badge". Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada. Official website of the Governor General. Retrieved November 8, 2021.

Further reading

  • Governor General's Foot Guards (1947). Governor General's Foot Guards: Seventy-Fifth Anniversary, June 8, 1872-1947. Ottawa.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Governor General's Foot Guards (1 January 1948). The Regimental History of the Governor General's Foot Guards: 1872-1946.
  • Captain Robert M. Foster, CD (1999). Steady the Buttons Two By Two: Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental History, 125th Anniversary. Foster.
  • Ducimus, The Regiments of the Canadian Infantry. St. Hubert: Mobile Command Headquarters, Canadian Armed Forces. 1992. p. 248. ISBN 0-9696421-0-5.

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