| The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) |
|
|---|---|
Cap badge of the Canadian Scottish Regiment |
|
| Active | 3 September 1912 – present |
| Country | Canada |
| Branch | Militia |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Light infantry |
| Size | One battalion |
| Part of | 39 Canadian Brigade Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Victoria |
| Patron | Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood |
| Motto | Deas Gu Cath |
| March | "Blue Bonnets over the Border" |
| Battle honours | Ypres, 1915, '17; Gravenstafel; St. Julien; Festubert, 1915; Mount Sorrel; Somme, 1916; Pozières; Flers-Courcelette; Thiepval; Ancre Heights; Ancre, 1916; Arras, 1917, '18; Vimy, 1917; Arleux; Scarpe, 1917, '18; Hill 70; Passchendaele; Amiens; Drocourt-Quéant; Hindenburg Line; Canal du Nord; Pursuit to Mons; France and Flanders, 1915–18; Normandy Landing; Putot-en-Bessin; Caen; The Orne; Falaise; The Laison; Calais, 1944; The Scheldt; Leopold Canal; Breskens Pocket; The Rhineland; Waal Flats; Moyland Wood; The Rhine; Emmerich-Hoch Elten; Deventer; Wagenborgen; North-West Europe, 1944–1945. |
| Insignia | |
| Tartan | Hunting Stewart |
| Abbreviation | C Scot R |
The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based on Vancouver Island British Columbia.
The regiment is located in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Courtenay, British Columbia. It is part of 39 Canadian Brigade Group, the headquarters for all of the army reserves in BC.
One of four infantry regiments in BC, the Canadian Scottish is the largest reserve unit in Western Canada and continues to evolve operationally.
As a light infantry regiment the regiment trains in raids, reconnaissance patrolling, ambushes, amphibious operations and airmobile operations. The unit also trains to meet the realities of the “Three Block War” – warfighting, peacekeeping, and humanitarian support.
Regimental Headquarters: Bay Street Armoury 715 Bay Street Victoria, BC V8T 1R1
Contents |
The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) is actively involved in sending troops to various Canadian missions around the world.
Currently the regiment has members serving on combat operations with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Afghanistan.
Members of The Canadian Scottish Regiment have also been involved in peacekeeping missions, notably Egypt, Golan Heights, Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia, and Sierra Leone.
The regiment originated on 3 September 1912 when the 88th Regiment, Victoria Fusiliers, was authorised. When the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion, CEF, was created in 1914, it drew on soldiers from the four separate regiments – the 50th Regiment (Gordon Highlanders of Canada) in Victoria, the 72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in Vancouver, the 79th Regiment (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) in Winnipeg, and the 91st Canadian Highlanders (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) in Hamilton. The desire was to not perpetuate specific regimental identities and so the new battalion was simply referred to as "Canadian Scottish".
The 16th Battalion served in the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Canadian Division. Since its early beginnings, the battalion had a high standard of conduct on the battlefield and was commanded by outstanding leaders. One such was Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Currie who rose to command the Canadian Corps during the First World War. Currie was a master tactician whose skills led the Canadians to victory at Vimy Ridge and Amiens.
Four members of the 16th Battalion were awarded the Victoria Cross. Lieutenant Colonel Cyrus Peck commanded the battalion for many months in the trenches. Piper James Richardson was just 18 years old when he enlisted, and was killed during the Battle of the Somme shortly after having played his company through No Man's Land. He disappeared in shellfire after going back to retrieve the bagpipes he laid aside to bring back a wounded comrade. Piper James Richardson's Pipes were returned to the Regiment after being found on display in France. They were received in Victoria at a ceremony on the lawn on the Parlament Building by the CScotR Cadet Pipe Major Sgt Josh MacDonald.
After the war, the battalion disbanded, and in the 1920 reorganization of the Militia, in the wake of the work of the Otter Commission, a new regiment was created amalgamating the 50th Regiment and the Victoria Fusiliers and named "The Canadian Scottish Regiment". The suffix "(Princess Mary's)" followed later.
The Canadian Scottish were unique in 1939 in having two battalions on the strength of the Canadian Militia. The 1st Battalion was mobilized for overseas service in 1940 and trained in Debert, Nova Scotia, until August 1941, from where it moved to the United Kingdom as part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. On 6 June 1944 C Company was in the first wave ashore in Normandy on Juno Beach, the rest of the battalion following in the second wave. The battalion proceeded to advance a total of six miles – farther than any other assault brigade of the British Second Army that day. The regiment went on to earn 17 battle honours, including the liberation of Wagenborgen, a small Dutch village. The last honour was not awarded until the 1990s.
All capitals indicate honours selected for emblazonment.
First World War
Second World War
| Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) Regimental Museum | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bay Street Armoury, Room 315, 715 Bay Street, Victoria, British Columbia Canada |
| Type | Regimental Museum |
The Museum presents, researches and preserves items of historic significance to the Regiment and to the Infantry Branch. The artifacts assist military historians and serve as a training aid to teach regimental history.[1] (), with displays of weapons, uniforms, medals and other items. The museum features a collection of Lee-variant rifles. The museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, OMMC and Virtual Museum of Canada.
There are several Royal Canadian Army Cadets units spread across British Columbia which are affiliated to the Canadian Scottish Regiment.
| Corps | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| 1726 RCACC | Comox | |
| 2136 RCACC | Victoria | |
| 2308 RCACC | Port Alberni | |
| 2422 RCACC | Nanaimo |
Cadet units affiliated to the Canadian Scottish receive support and also are entitled to wear traditional regimental accoutrements on their uniforms.
| Preceded by The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada |
The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) | Succeeded by The Royal Montreal Regiment |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
