Topic: Perpetuation
At the end of the First World War, the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was disbanded, and many of its units faded into history, their memory and the heritage of their battlefield achievements transferring to units of the Canadian Militia, both Permanent Force (P.F. - now the Regular Force) and the Non-Permanent Active Militia (N.P.A.M.; now the Reserves). This transfer of history and heritage was made possible by the creation of a uniquely Canadian process labeled perpetuation.
As a result of perpetuation and the blending of unit histories through evolving oral narratives (because not everyone studies the detail of their unit histories) many Canadians, including many who have served in the Canadian Army, do not well understand the links between today's Regiments and the units of the CEF. With the rapidly approached centennial of the First World War, Canadians can expect to see commemorative events held both in Canada and abroad. When these events are to be linked to the actions of each of the Infantry Divisions of the CEF, it is essential to understand which modern regiments should be standing in place of the CEF battalions that fought on the battlefields of France and Flanders.
The following tables show the alignment of the divisional organizations of the CEF to today's perpetuating regiments.
The Perpetuating Units of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, CEF
| 1st Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 1st Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Canadian Regiment |
| • 2nd Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Governor General's Foot Guards |
| • 3rd Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada — The Royal Regiment of Canada. |
| • 4th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) |
| 2nd Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 5th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The North Saskatchewan Regiment |
| • 7th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (RCAC) |
| • 8th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Winnipeg Rifles |
| • 10th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Calgary Highlanders — The Royal Winnipeg Rifles. |
| 3rd Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 13th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Black Watch of Canada (Royal Highland Regiment) |
| • 14th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Montreal Regiment |
| • 15th Cdn Inf Bn | — | 48th Highlanders of Canada. |
| • 16th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) |
| 1st Bn CMGC | — | The Irish Regiment of Canada |
The Perpetuating Units of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, CEF
| 4th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 18th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Essex and Kent Scottish. |
| • 19th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) |
| • 20th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) |
| • 21st Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment |
| 5th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 22nd Cdn Inf Bn | — | Royal 22e Regiment |
| • 24th Cdn Inf Bn | — | NIL (was The Victoria Rifles of Canada.) |
| • 25th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Nova Scotia Highlanders |
| • 26th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal New Brunswick Regiment |
| 6th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 27th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Winnipeg Rifles |
| • 28th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Regina Rifles |
| • 29th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (RCAC) |
| • 31st Cdn Inf Bn | — | The South Alberta Light Horse |
| 2nd Bn CMGC | — | The Royal Canadian Regiment |
The Perpetuating Units of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, CEF
| 7th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • The RCR | — | The Royal Canadian Regiment |
| • PPCLI | — | Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry |
| • 42nd Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Black Watch of Canada (Royal Highland Regiment) |
| • 49th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Bn, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) |
| 8th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 1st CMR | — | The North Saskatchewan Regiment |
| • 2nd CMR | — | The British Columbia Dragoons |
| • 4th CMR | — | The Governor General's Horse Guards |
| • 5th CMR | — | The Sherbrooke Hussars |
| 9th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 43rd Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada |
| • 52nd Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment. |
| • 58th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Regiment of Canada. |
| • 60th Cdn Inf Bn | — | NIL (was The Victoria Rifles of Canada.) |
| • 116th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) |
| 3rd Bn CMGC | — | The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) |
The Perpetuating Units of the 4th Canadian Infantry Division, CEF
| 10th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 44th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Winnipeg Rifles |
| • 46th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Saskatchewan Dragoons |
| • 47th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Royal Westminster Regiment |
| • 50th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The King's Own Calgary Regimant (RCAC) |
| 11th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 54th Cdn Inf Bn | — | NIL |
| • 75th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Toronto Scottish |
| • 87th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Canadian Grenadier Guards. |
| • 102nd Cdn Inf Bn | — | NIL (was Irish Fusiliers) |
| 12th Cdn Inf Bde | ||
| • 38th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa. |
| • 72nd Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. |
| • 73rd Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Black Watch of Canada (Royal Highland Regiment) |
| • 78th Cdn Inf Bn | — | NIL (was The Winnipeg Grenadiers) |
| • 85th Cdn Inf Bn | — | The Nova Scotia Highlanders |
| 4th Bn CMGC | — | 50th Field Artillery Regiment (The Prince of Wales Rangers), RCA |
Corps Troops
| 1st Cdn M.M. Gun Bde | — | The Royal Canadian Hussars |
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