Fort Henry Guard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Fort Henry Guard
Active	1938-Present
Country	Canada
Branch	Civilian Reenenactment
Type	Line Infantry
Size	Two Sub-Units
Garrison/HQ	Fort Henry
Nickname	Ontario's Own Royal Regiment
Motto	Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense
March	Quick March: British Grenadiers Slow March: Draught of Ale
Mascot	David the IXth

The Fort Henry Guard (FHG) is a military re-enactment organization based at Fort Henry, a national historic site in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It has prided itself in the recreation of British military tradition of a bygone era since its founding in 1938. The Guard seeks to interpret in an entertaining and animated manner, a snapshot of life in the British Army of Queen Victoria, when Canada was part of the British Empire. Guard members dress in the standard red line infantry uniforms of a British regiment and the standard gunner's uniforms of the Royal Artillery in the year 1867, but the Guard does not represent any specific infantry regiment that garrisoned the fort.

The Fort Henry Guard consists primarily of university, college and high school students from the Kingston area. It is an entirely civilian organization with no formal ties to the Canadian Forces. Historical reenactment events are presented from May to October.

Contents 1 History 2 Organization 3 Equipment 4 The Fort Henry Guard 4.1 Seniors 4.2 Quartermasters 4.3 Drums 4.4 Squad 4.5 Domestics 5 Drums vs Squad 2nd Annual Armstrong Race 6 Fort Henry Guard Numbers

[edit] History

The Fort Henry Guard was founded in 1938 by Ronald L. Way, after Fort Henry was restored as part of a government-sponsored work program during the Great Depression. During the Second World War, the fort was used by the Canadian military as a prisoner of war camp. The Guard ceased to exist during this time, and many of the original members of the Fort Henry Guard served overseas. The fort reopened as a living museum after the war, and the Fort Henry Guard has manned the fort every summer since.

The world-renowned Guard has performed at countless events and ceremonies in Canada and abroad since its founding, most notably the prestigious Royal Tournament in England. Performing with the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and Silent Drill Platoon both at their barracks in Washington D.C. and in Fort Henry itself is one of the most famous events in which the Guard has been involved, and is an honour accorded to no other civilian unit. The Guard also annually performs the 1812 Overture with the Kingston Symphony, uniquely combining magnificent music with rousing artillery fire. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip and many other noted visitors from around the world have expressed their sincere appreciation for Fort Henry and the Fort Henry Guard.

The Guard Colours are based on the regulations in effect in 1867 and were presented to the Fort Henry Guard in 1955. They have been carried on parade ever since. The Regimental Colours of the Fort Henry Guard, instead of bearing battle honours, commemorate the 33 British Regiments and 6 Canadian Regiments who have garrisoned Fort Henry.

Although the officers and soldiers of today's Guard superficially represent the regular garrisons that have known the stone walls of Fort Henry, the connection goes much deeper as seen in the pride, honour, tradition, and esprit de corps of the Fort Henry Guard. The Guard has its own rich history and is steeped in tradition.

[edit] Organization

The Guard's most senior non-administrative position is that of the Guard Captain who oversees all aspects of training and performance throughout the summer. His second in command is the Artillery Lieutenant who is in charge of the fort's artillery. There are also two Ensigns whose main duties are to carry the Regimental Colours when parading and to assist in the running of Fort Henry as officer of the day. The Guard is composed of two sub-units: the Drill Squad, a precision drill team led by the Sergeant Major and Colour Sergeant; and a precision military marching unit known as the Drums, who play snare and bass drums, fifes and bugles led by the Drum Major and a Sergeant who acts as his or her second-in-command (2 i/c). Other positions within the Guard can include a Battery Sergeant Major, who can act as the NCO in charge of the artillery in the absence of a lieutenant, sergeants to assist in artillery and/or interpretation duties, and several junior non-commissioned officers within the two main sub-units, who are involved with the training and immediate supervision of the privates. Promotion within the Guard is based on merit and seniority - every Guard Captain in the Fort Henry Guard started as a private. There are also domestic interpreters and a headquarters unit, usually composed of pipers, pioneers, and the Goat Major, who is in charge of David IX, a White Saanen Goat who serves as the Guard's mascot. All Guard are also doubly trained to man the Fort's guns in the uniforms of the Royal Artillery.

[edit] Equipment

The Guard is noted for its dedication to historical accuracy and as such all the uniforms, while not original, are extremely accurate reproductions. In addition, the Snider-Enfield rifles and carbines used by the Guard are all original to the 1860s. The Guard also fires 24-pounder smooth bore muzzle loading guns, two rifled breech loader 6-pounder Armstrong guns and on 12 pounder,32 pounder carronades, and mortars.

[edit] The Fort Henry Guard

[edit] Seniors

Infantry Rank	Artillery Rank	Name	Infantry Insignia	Artillery Insignia		Infantry Rank	Artillery Rank	Name	Infantry Insignia	Artillery Insignia
Lieutenant Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Bennett, Mark				Major	Major	Gouthro, Greg
Captain	Captain	Palmer, Craig				Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Gillis, Tim
Ensign	Lieutenant	Spencer, Matt				Ensign	Lieutenant	Dejneha, Ryan
Sergeant Major	Brigade Sergeant Major	Lewis, Ian				Drum Major	Battery Sergeant Major	Compeau, Bruce
Colour Sergeant	Sergeant					Sergeant	Sergeant	Donaldson, Taylor
Sergeant	Sergeant	Holland, Alex				Sergeant	Sergeant	Lemieux, Jillian
Sergeant	Sergeant	Spencer, Emily

[edit] Quartermasters

Rank	Name
Captain	Gillis, John
Assistant	Herrick, Ryan
Assistant	Nickel, Ryan

[edit] Drums

Infantry Rank	Artillery Rank	Name	Infantry Insignia	Artillery Insignia		Infantry Rank	Artillery Rank	Name	Infantry Insignia	Artillery Insignia
Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Cunningham, Mary-Jane				Lance Corporal	Bombardier	LeClair, Brian
Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Rollwagen, Ali				Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Nally, Susan
Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Shea, Laura				Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Thompson, Justine
Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Van Vliet, Jenna
Private	Gunner	Briginshaw, Justin				Private	Gunner	Nelson, Tyler

[edit] Squad

Infantry Rank	Artillery Rank	Name	Infantry Insignia	Artillery Insignia		Infantry Rank	Artillery Rank	Name	Infantry Insignia	Artillery Insignia
Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Brown, Andrew				Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Hau, Michel
Lance Corporal	Bombardier	Lord, Daniel				Lance Corporal	Bombardier	McLuckie, Ryan
Lance Corporal	Bombardier	McMullan, Chris				Lance Corporal	Bombardier
Private	Gunner	Szoldatits, Patrick				Private	Gunner	Nonato, Greg
Private	Gunner	Pyper, Rosalind

[edit] Domestics

Position	Name
Sergeant's Wife
Sergeant's Wife
Soldier's Wife

[edit] Drums vs Squad 2nd Annual Armstrong Race

Drums				Squad
Position	Rank	Name		Position	Rank	Name
1	Corporal	Spencer, Emily		1	Bombardier	Lewis, Ian
2	Corporal	Gillis, Tim		2	Bombardier	Jarzylo, Chris
3	Gunner	Thompson, Justine		3	Bombardier	Dempster, Jessie
4	Gunner	Shea, Laura		4	Bombardier	Lemieux, Jillian
5	Gunner	Rollwagen, Ali		5	Gunner	Lord, Daniel
6	Bombardier	Donaldson, Taylor		6	Gunner	Murphy, Justin
7	Bombardier	Holland, Alex		7	Gunner	Brown, Andrew
SP	Gunner	Studd, Emily		SP	Gunner	Aguirre, Jose

Finals	Heat 1	Heat 2	Heat 3
Drums	X
Squad		X	X

[edit] Fort Henry Guard Numbers

Upon completing certain criteria, each member of the Fort Henry Guard receives a Guard Number at the end of their first summer.
This section is for past and present Fort Henry Guard to record their name and Guard Number in numerical order.
185 - Ron Kirkwood
407 - John Rombough
553 - Jim Lapp
911 - Mark MacDonald
915 - Otte A. Rosenkrantz
950 - Steve Mecredy
1022 - Martin Blaser
1056 - Mike Dabros
1058 - Rod Heikkila
1146 - Jeff Stewart
1500 - Paul Smith
1596 - Martin Poirier
1616 - Mike Kozak
1644 - Chris Gobeil
1655 - Mark Staveley
1675 - Bronwen (Gustar) Dearlove
1685 - Mike White
1692 - Christopher Dearlove
1753 - Carolyn French
1781 - David Rankine
1784 - Greg Taylor
1810 - Lidia Palik
1811 - Meaghan Proudfoot
1821 - Magdalena Ziarko
1822 - Steve Morales
1823 - Bruce GT Compeau
1824 - Matthew Archibald
1853 - Tim Gillis
1897 - Melanie Murphy
1904 - Aaron Savage
1909 - Geoff Wilkin
1927 - Ian Lewis
1930 - Dave Perreault
1933 - Matthew Spencer
1944 - Jessie Dempster
1946 - Andrew Goodridge
1947 - David Murphy Haglund
1948 - Alexander Holland
1951 - Jillian Lemieux
1955 - Neil Saldanha
1964 - Jose Aguirre
1965 - Todd Allward
1969 - Mark Blaser
1970 - Andrew Brown
1978 - Lauren Heggison
1981 - Brian R. LeClair
1982 - Adam T. Leclerc
1983 - Daniel Lord
1986 - Ryan F. McLuckie
1987 - Christopher McMullan
1988 - Susan Nally
1990 - Jared Ross
1992 - Laura Shea
1993 - Angela Smith
1994 - Emily Spencer
1997 - Justine Thompson
1999 - Jenna Van Vliet
2000 - Kristyn Van Vliet
2001 - Stephanie Sinden
2003 - Heather Baer
2005 - Justin Briginshaw
2007 - Dana Dabros
2010 - Meghan Lewkoski
2013 - Tyler Nelson
2015 - Steph Roman
2016 - Adam Michael Joseph Royer
2018 - Joseph Snider
2020 - Patrick Szoldatits
2022 - Laura P Waddington
2023 - Andrew Warden