Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada

The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada is a Primary Reserve light infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, with companies in Cambridge and Kitchener, and is an infantry sub-unit of 31 Canadian Brigade Group, headquartered in London, Ontario. The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and The Prince Andrew, Duke of York, as members of the Canadian Royal Family, acted as Colonel-in-Chief.

The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada
Cap badge of The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada
Active14 September 1866–present
CountryCanada Canada
Branch Canadian Army
TypeLine Infantry
RoleLight Infantry (one company)
Medium Mortar 81mm (one platoon)
SizeOne battalion (-)
Part ofRoyal Canadian Infantry Corps
Garrison/HQCambridge and Kitchener, Ontario
Motto(s)DEFENCE NOT DEFIANCE
MarchQuick: Seann Triubhas/The Highland Laddie
Slow: 74ths Slow March
AnniversariesRegimental Birthday – 14 September
Battle of Buron– 8 July
EngagementsFirst World War
Second World War
War in Afghanistan
Battle honoursSee #Battle honours
Websitearmy-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/royal-highland-fusiliers-canada/index.page
Commanders
Commanding OfficerLieutenant-Colonel Shawn Dumbreck, CD
Regimental Sergeant MajorChief Warrant Officer, Colin Hock, CD
Insignia
TartanMacKenzie
Identification
symbol
RHFC

Lineage

The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada

  • Originated 14 September 1866 in Berlin, Ontario, as the 29th Waterloo Battalion of Infantry
  • Redesignated 8 May 1900 as the 29th Waterloo Regiment
  • Redesignated 15 April 1915 as the 29th Regiment (Highland Light Infantry of Canada)
  • Redesignated 29 March 1920 as The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
  • Redesignated 7 November 1940 as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
  • Redesignated 1 May 1946 as The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
  • Amalgamated 1 October 1954 with The Perth Regiment and renamed as The Perth and Waterloo Regiment (Highland Light Infantry of Canada)
  • Amalgamation ceased 1 April 1957, the two regiments ceased to be amalgamated and resumed their former designations
  • Amalgamated 26 February 1965 with The Scots Fusiliers of Canada and redesignated as The Highland Fusiliers of Canada
  • Redesignated 7 July 1998 as The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada[1]

The Scots Fusiliers of Canada

  • Originated 21 September 1914 in Berlin, Ontario when an "eight company regiment of infantry" was authorized to be formed.[2]
  • Designated 1 February 1915 as the 108th Regiment
  • Redesignated 29 March 1920 as The Waterloo Regiment
  • Redesignated 3 August 1920 as the North Waterloo Regiment
  • Redesignated 15 September 1928 as The Scots Fusiliers of Canada
  • Redesignated 5 March 1942 as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Scots Fusiliers of Canada
  • Redesignated 15 October 1943 as The Scots Fusiliers of Canada (Reserve)
  • Redesignated 7 November 1945 as The Scots Fusiliers of Canada
  • Converted 1 April 1946 to artillery and redesignated as the 54th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Scots Fusiliers of Canada), RCA
  • Converted 1 December 1959 to infantry and redesignated as The Scots Fusiliers of Canada
  • Amalgamated 26 February 1965 with The Highland Light Infantry of Canada

Lineage chart

Lineage chart[3]
1862Independent infy coys
186629th "Waterloo Bn of Infy"
190029th Waterloo Regt
191434th Bn, CEFRegt of infy authorized
191529th Regt (Highland Light Infy of Canada)111th "Overseas" Bn, CEF118th "Overseas" Bn, CEF108th Regt
191634th Boys' Bn, CEFAbsorbed by 35th "Overseas" Bn, CEF
1917DisbandedAbsorbed by 25th Reserve Bn, CEF
19201st Bn (34th Bn, CEF), The Highland Light Infy of Canada2nd Bn (111th Bn, CEF),[lower-alpha 1] The Highland Light Infy of Canada1st Bn (118th Bn, CEF), The Waterloo Regt2nd Bn,[lower-alpha 1] The Waterloo Regt
19201st Bn (118th Bn, CEF), North Waterloo Regt2nd Bn, North Waterloo Regt
19281st Bn (118th Bn, CEF), The Scots Fusiliers of Canada2nd Bn, The Scots Fusiliers of Canada
1936The Highland Light Infy of CanadaDisbandedThe Scots Fusiliers of CanadaDisbanded
1940The Highland Light Infy of Canada, CASF
19401st Bn, The Highland Light Infy of Canada, CASF2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Highland Light Infy of Canada
19421st Bn, The Scots Fusiliers, CASF2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Scots Fusiliers of Canada
1943DisbandedThe Scots Fusiliers of Canada (Reserve)
19453rd Bn, The Highland Light Infy of Canada, CIC, CAOFThe Scots Fusiliers of Canada
1946DisbandedThe Highland Light Infy of CanadaDisbanded54th Light Anti-Aircraft Regt (Scots Fusiliers of Canada), RCA
The Perth Regt
1954The Perth and Waterloo Regt (Highland Light Infy of Canada)
1957The Highland Light Infy of CanadaThe Perth Regt
1959The Scots Fusiliers of Canada
1965The Highland Fusiliers of Canada
1998The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada

History

The Great War

The 34th Battalion, CEF, was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 23 October 1915, where it provided reinforcements to Canadian units in the field until 27 November 1916, when it was reorganized as the 34th Battalion (Boys'), CEF. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on 17 July 1917.[1]

It was recruited in Guelph, Ontario, and district and was mobilized at Guelph.[4] It had one Officer Commanding, Lt.-Col. A.J. Oliver, who commanded the battalion from 23 October 1915 to 6 July 1916.[4]

The 111th Battalion (South Waterloo), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 25 September 1916 where on 13 October 1916 its personnel were absorbed by the 35th Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for Canadian units in the field. The 111th Battalion was disbanded on 21 May 1917.

The 118th (North Waterloo) Battalion, CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 22 January 1917 where on 6 February 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 25th Reserve Battalion, CEF, to provide reinforcements for Canadian units in the field. The 118th Battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.

The regiment perpetuates all these three battalions.

The Second World War

The Highland Light Infantry of Canada mobilized the Highland Light Infantry of Canada, CASF, for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry of Canada, CASF, on 7 November 1940 and embarked for Britain on 20 July 1941. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, it landed on Juno Beach in Normandy as part of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion was disbanded on 15 January 1946. The regiment subsequently mobilized the 3rd Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry of Canada, Canadian Infantry Corps, Canadian Army Occupation Force on 1 June 1945 for service in Germany. The 3rd Battalion was disbanded on 1 May 1946.[1]

The Scots Fusiliers mobilized the 1st Battalion, The Scots Fusiliers, CASF, for active service on 5 March 1942. It served in Canada in a home defence role as part of Military District No. 2 until the battalion was disbanded on 15 October 1943.[1]

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the regiment disembarking at Nan sector on Juno Beach with the rest of the 9th Brigade, the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. These regiments were not in the first wave assault, but landed later in the morning and advanced through the lead brigades.[5]

The Highland Light Infantry continued to serve throughout Europe. From D-day to the end of war of Europe the regiment became one of the most battle hardened units in the Canadian army.

War In Afghanistan

The regiment contributed an aggregate of more than 20% of its authorized strength to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014.[6]

Alliances

Battle honours

Battle honours in small capitals are for large operations and campaigns and those in lowercase are for more specific battles. Bold type indicates honours emblazoned on the regimental colour.

First World War
Second World War
South-West Asia
Afghanistan[7]

Armoury

Site Date(s) Designated Location Description Image
Cambridge Armoury Ainslie Street South, 1914-5 1987 Recognized - Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings Cambridge, Ontario
  • Housing The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada, this centrally located, brick and stone structure features a façade, flanking towers and a low-pitched gable roof; it projects a solid, fortified appearance

See also

Notes

  1. Reserve order of battle

References

  1. Canadian Forces.
  2. "www.canadiansoldiers.com". www.canadiansoldiers.com. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  3. "The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada". www.canada.ca. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  4. Meek, John F. Over the Top! The Canadian Infantry in the First World War. Orangeville, Ont.: The Author, 1971. ISBN 0906158109
  5. webpage about Juno Beach
  6. "South-West Asia Theatre Honours | Prime Minister of Canada". Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  7. "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  • Canadian Forces. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  • Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919 by Col. G.W.L. Nicholson, CD, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, Ontario, 1962
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