The Royal Regiment of Canada

Royal Regiment of Canada

Cap badge of the Royal Regiment of Canada.
Active 1862–present
Country  Canada
Branch Canada Canadian Army
Type Infantry
Size One Battalion
Part of 32 Canadian Brigade Group
Garrison/HQ Fort York Armoury, Toronto
Nickname(s) The Royals
Motto(s)
  • Ready aye ready
  • Nec aspera terrent (And difficulties do not daunt)
March
  • Quick: "The British Grenadiers"/"Here's to the Maiden"
  • Slow: "Royal Regiment of Canada - Regimental Slow March"
Commanders
Commanding officer LCol Joseph Nonato
Regimental sergeant major CWO Vishnu Persaud
Colonel-in-chief HRH The Prince of Wales

The Royal Regiment of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based in Toronto, Ontario, part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Today, the regiment has a total of three companies:

Additionally there are two Army Cadet corps that wear the Royal Regiment of Canada cap badge:

The ceremonial dress uniform of the Royal Regiment of Canada is the scarlet tunic and bearskin similar to that of the British Army's Grenadier Guards. The plume is red over white similar to the former Canadian Guards regiment.

Lineage

Royal Grenadiers

Toronto Regiment

Royal Regiment of Canada

Perpetuations

The Great War

Operational history

The Fenian Raids

The 10th or Royal Regiment of Toronto Volunteers was called out on active service from 8 to 31 March and from 1 to 22 June 1866. The battalion served on the Niagara frontier.[2]

North West Rebellion

The 10th Regiment, Royal Grenadiers was Called to Arms on 27 March 1885 and mobilized detachments for active service on 10 April 1885 which served with Middleton's column of the North West Field Force, until they returned from active service on 24 July 1885.[2]

South African War

The 10th Battalion Royal Grenadiers contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents during the South African War.[2]

The Great War

The distinguishing patch of the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF.
The distinguishing patch of the 58th Battalion, CEF.

Details of the 10th Regiment Royal Grenadiers were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.[2]

The 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 26 September 1914. It disembarked in France on 11 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

The 58th Battalion, CEF, was authorized on 20 April 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 22 November 1915. It disembarked in France on 22 February 1916, where it fought as part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920. Its battalion history is captured in the book, "Second to None" by Kevin Shackleton.

The 123rd Battalion (Royal Grenadiers), CEF, was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 7 and 8 August 1916. It was converted to pioneers and redesignated the 123rd Canadian Pioneer Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF on 17 January 1917. It disembarked in France on 10 March 1917, where it served as the Pioneer Battalion of the 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until 25 May 1918, when it was reorganized to form three new Engineering Battalions; the 7th, 8th and 9th Canadian Engineer Battalions, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920. Its battalion history is chronicled in the book, "One-Two-Three - The Story of the 123rd Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF" by Dan Mowat.

The 124th Battalion (Governor General's Body Guard), CEF, was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 7 August 1916. It was redesignated the 124th Canadian Pioneer Battalion, CEF, on 17 January 1917. It disembarked in France on 11 March 1917, where it served as part of the 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until 26 May 1918, when it was reorganized to form three new Engineering Battalions; the 10th, 11th and 12th Canadian Engineer Battalions, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

The 170th Battalion (Mississauga Horse), CEF, was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on 25 October 1916. On 8 December 1916, its personnel were absorbed by the 169th Battalion (109th Regiment), CEF, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.

The 204th Battalion (Beavers), CEF, was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on 28 March 1917. On 4 May 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 2nd Reserve Battalion, CEF, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.

Second World War

The camp flag of the Royal Regiment of Canada.

The regiment mobilised the Royal Regiment of Canada, CASF, for active service on 1 September 1939. It embarked for garrison duty in Iceland with "Z" Force on 10 June 1940, and on 31 October 1940 it was transferred to Great Britain. It was redesignated the 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Canada, CASF, on 7 November 1940 when a 2nd Battalion was formed to provide reinforcements to the Regiment in Europe. The 1st battalion took part in the raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942. It landed again in France on 7 July 1944, as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, and continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The 1st battalion was disbanded on 31 December 1945 when it amalgamated with the 2nd Battalion back home.

Raid on Dieppe - Blue Beach

Royals dead on Blue Beach at Puys. The height of the seawall can be clearly seen, the machine gun position above the sentry's head is well placed to fire along the wall
Tombstone of an unknown Lance Corporal of the Royal Regiment of Canada

The naval engagement between the small German convoy and the craft carrying No. 3 Commando had alerted the German defenders at Blue Beach.[3] The Royal Regiment of Canada landed near Puys along with three platoons from the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada and an artillery detachment who were tasked to neutralize machine gun and artillery batteries protecting the Dieppe beach.[3] They were delayed by 20 minutes and the smoke screens that should have hidden their assault had lifted, eliminating the advantage of surprise and darkness lost. The Germans manned their defensive positions in preparation for the landings.[3] The well emplaced German forces stopped the Canadian forces that did land on the beach. As soon as they reached the shore, the Canadians found themselves pinned against the seawall, unable to advance and having murderous rifle and machine-gun fire rain down from the cliffs above.[3] The Royals suffered severe casualties: of the 556 men in the regiment 200 were killed and 264 captured.[3]

The regiment evolved from the 10th Royal Grenadiers and thus inherited British traditions. The regiment was authorized to wear the distinctive scarlet uniform of the "Guards" on all ceremonial occasions by decree of Queen Victoria. It is also sixth in the order of precedence.

Battle honours

The regimental colour of the Royal Regiment of Canada.

In the list below, 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 regimental colours.[4]

North West Rebellion
South African War
First World War
Second World War
South-West Asia
  • Afghanistan[5]

Band of the Royal Regiment of Canada

Presentation of Colours March Past
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, presents new colours to the Royal Regiment of Canada and Toronto Scottish Regiment at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, 5 November 2009.
Presentation of Colours March Off

The Band of The Royal Regiment of Canada is the oldest permanently organised band in the Canadian Forces. Based at Fort York in Toronto, Ontario, the band has continued to serve its country, province and city in many different roles throughout the world since its formation in 1863.

Some highlights from the band's itinerary are:

Recent years have seen the band travel from Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Victoria, British Columbia, with many performances in between (including the launching of the ship the Hector in Pictou, Nova Scotia, The Summerside Tattoo in Prince Edward Island, and the 2000 International Military Festival of Music in Quebec City). In addition there have been numerous trips to the United States to participate in events such as the historic Fort Ticonderoga Tattoo and the Rochester International Marine Tattoo in New York (state), the TRADOC Military Tattoo in Fort Monroe, Virginia and the Stone Mountain Highland Games Military Tattoo in Atlanta, Georgia.

The band’s four recordings: Ready Aye Ready; In Concert, On Parade; Footsteps in Time; and Fields of Honour, have been met with enthusiastic response and won wide critical acclaim.

The various groups within the main musical organisation are extremely active. Their wide-ranging activities include live, televised and broadcast music, colourful marching displays, concert performances, ceremonial fanfare trumpets, opening ceremonies at many functions and conventions and dance and reception music.

The Director of Music for the band is Captain William Mighton, CD, Mus. Bac., RRegtC.

The Director of Music Emeritus is Major Gino Falconi, SBStJ, KLMC, CD, Mus. Bac. RRegtC (Ret’d).

The Drum Major is D/Maj. M.E. Morello, CD, RRegtC

The Drum Major Emeritus is CWO R.L. Scott, CD, RRegtC (Ret'd).

The Band Sergeant Major is BSM K. Burnett-Longman

More information regarding the band can be found on their homepage.

Royal Regiment of Canada Association

The Royal Regiment of Canada Association consists of former members of the unit. The Association meets the first Thursday of each month September to June in the Royal Regiment of Canada Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess in Canadian Forces Armoury, Fort York. The main goal of the association is to maintain the comradeship and esprit du corps of the regimental family. The Association in 2008 co-ordinated a successful fund-raising campaign aimed at obtaining sufficient stocks of the scarlet and blue full dress of the regiment to enable the majority of its personnel to parade in this traditional uniform on ceremonial occasions.

The Association also maintains a site focused on the history and ongoing activities of the unit. www.rregtc-assoc.org

The Royal Regiment of Canada Museum

The Royal Regiment of Canada Museum
Location Fort York Armoury, 660 Fleet Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Type Regimental Museum

The museum preserves and displays the history of the Royal Regiment of Canada and its several predecessors for the benefit of both the members of the regiment and the public at large.[6] The museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, OMMC and Virtual Museum of Canada. The regiment's museum is located at the Fort York Armoury. Exhibits include weapons, uniforms, medals, photographs and artifacts about the history of the Royal Regiment of Canada and its predecessors – the 10th Royal Grenadiers, 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment) and 123rd, 124th, 204th and 58th Battalions, Canadian Expeditionary Force. The museum offers displays and school tours by appointment.

Alliances

Fort York Armoury

Home of the Royal Regiment of Canada

Order of precedence

Preceded by
Les Voltigeurs de Québec		 Royal Regiment of Canada Succeeded by
The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Annual Parade for 2736 Cadet Corps". The Royal Regiment of Canada Association. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dieppe raid". Canada in World War II. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  4. ↑ "The Royal Regiment of Canada". Official Lineages Volume 3, Part 2: Infantry Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  6. ↑ A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums –Operations and Administration 2002-04-03

Books

CD

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