The Royal Winnipeg Rifles

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The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces. They are based at Minto Armouries in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Royal Winnipeg Rifles were formed in 1883 under command of Lt Col. William Nassau Kennedy. The regimental Latin motto is Hosti Acie Nominati, which means “named by the enemy in battle”. After the Battle of Fish Creek during the Northwest Rebellion of 1885, a captured Métis asked, "The red coats we know, but who are those little black devils?" Infantry of the line usually wore red coats, while Rifle units wore dark green - almost black - coats.

Rifles regiments are full of history and traditions, one of which is a lack of colours. A regiment's colours is a [flag that was used to show the location of each regiment in battle. Rifles regiments were essentially the first guerrilla soldiers, thus the dark green coats. They marched at 140 paces per minute (rather than the standard 120) to get a head of the infantry and disrupt the enemy. That said, a big flag is an impractical thing to have in battle if you are trying to disguise yourself. Instead Rifles carry their colours on their cap badge and drums (see below) which, for the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, is a devil carrying a sceptre with a wreath bearing the battle honours.

One other fact of rifles regiments is that a trained private (one chevron) is referred to as a rifleman.

The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are fortunate enough to have a band on which the drums bear the battle honours. Just as the colours are considered sacred in other regiments, the drums are sacred in rifles regiments. They are so important that four infantrymen (called skirmishers) are tasked to protect them on parade. Skirmishers wear leather armour and carry special weapons: an axe, a pick, a hatchet and a halberd.

During World War II the Royal Winnipeg Rifles got the honour of being the first Allied troops on the beaches on D-Day. The Winnipeg Rifles, Regina Rifles and The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada were the first to land to suppress German fire.

The regimental march of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles is "Old Solomon Levi" and the double quick march is "Keel Row".