5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles
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| 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles | |
|---|---|
 Cap badge of the 5th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles |
|
| Active | 1914-1919 |
| Country | Canada |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Mounted infantry |
| Size | Battalion |
The 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles were a mounted infantry unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I. The unit was raised from volunteers of the 7th and XIth (Canadian) Hussars from the Eastern Townships of Québec.[1] Formed in 1915, they were transported to England later that year. In 1916, they converted to an infantry battalion attached to the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, C.E.F. (later the Canadian Corps). The battalion saw action in France and Flanders between 1916 and 1918.[2]
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[edit] Battle Honours
In 1929-31, well after the Great War had ended, Canada assigned battle honours to those units involved in pivotal battles and campaigns during the war. The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were accorded the following battle honours:[3]
| 1916 | 1917 | 1918 |
|---|---|---|
| Mont Sorrel | Arras 1917-18 | Amiens |
| Somme 1916 | Vimy 1917 | Scarpe 1918 |
| Flers-Courcelette | Hill 70 | Hindenburg Line |
| Ancre Heights | Ypres 1917 | Canal du Nord |
| Passchendaele | Cambrai 1918 | |
| Valenciennes | ||
| Sambre | ||
| France and Flanders 1915-18 | ||
During the Battle of Passchendale, the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles fighting strength was reduced by 60% in a single day.
Two members of the battalion were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for bravery in the British Empire. These individuals were: George Randolph Pearkes, VC, and Charles Smith Rutherford, VC.[4] [5].
[edit] Perpetuation
Following World War I, the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were perpetuated by the later merged 7th/XIth Hussars, which themselves were eventually merged into the Sherbrooke Hussars, which perpetuates the unit today.
The memory of the original unit was also perpetuated by its original members in the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Association. The Association met annually from its formation in 1934 until it disbanded in 1969. The records of the Association may still be found at the Eastern Townships Research Centre at Bishop's University library, Lennoxville, Quebec.[6]
[edit] Notes and References
World War I recruitment poster.
- ^ Regiments.org; 5th CMR.[1]
- ^ Regiments.org; 5th CMR.[2]
- ^ Regiments.org; 5th CMR.[3]
- ^ Canadian Department of National Defence.[4]
- ^ Regiments.org; 5th CMR.[5]
- ^ 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Association[6]
[edit] External links
- War diaries of the regiment for 29 July, 1915 – 28 February, 1917, 01 March, 1917 – 31 March, 1918, and 01 April, 1918 – 17 March, 1919 can be viewed on-line, courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.
- Eastern Townships Research Centre.[7]
- Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth.[8]
- Brief history of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Association.[9]
- Photo of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles on parade in Sherbrooke, 4 June, 1915.[10]
