The Royal Canadian Regiment

A Brief Regimental History

Prepared by: Capt Michael O'Leary, CD (2011, updated 2013)

The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR) was authorized as a unit of Canada's Permanent Force, now known as the Regular Force, on 21 December 1883. Created for the purpose of instructing the Canadian Militia, the Regiment was originally known as the Infantry School Corps. The Regiment's first garrisons, each occupied by a company plus the supported Instructional Cadre, were at Fredericton, St Jean (PQ) and Toronto. A fourth Company was established in London, Ontario, in 1888.

Shortly after its formation, "C" Company of the Regiment saw action in the North-West Rebellion of 1885. In 1898, the Regiment provided men to the Yukon Field Force, which assisted with the policing of the Yukon Territory during the gold rush.

During the 1890s, the Regiment saw three changes to its title:

The Royal Canadian Regiment formed Canada's first contingent to the South African War when, in 1899, a 2nd (Special Service) Battalion was formed for service in South Africa during 1899-1900. A 3rd (Special Service) Battalion was also formed to provide the Halifax garrison between 1900 and 1902. Both of these units were comprised primarily of Militia soldiers who volunteered to serve in The RCR for the purpose of the operational deployment or garrison task.

In November 1901, the Regiment changed its name one more time, becoming "The Royal Canadian Regiment."

At the outbreak of the First World War, The RCR was assembled at Halifax where Regimental Headquarters and six of the Regiment's ten companies had been located since 1905, having replaced the last British Army garrison in Canada. The RCR was brought up to wartime strength in late 1914 as it started its first task which was to serve for a year as the garrison battalion in Bermuda until August 1915. The RCR then proceeded to England and onward to France as a battalion of the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division.

The RCR was awarded 16 battle honours for its actions during the First World War, including the Somme 1916, Vimy Ridge and the Pursuit to Mons. One member of The RCR, Lieutenant Milton Fowler Gregg, was awarded the Victoria Cross.

In 1919, the Regiment received a singular honour when King George V granted the Regiment the right to wear Queen Victoria's cypher – "VRI" – on its buttons and badges in perpetuity in recognition of its service in the First World War. This made the RCR the only Commonwealth regiment to wear a deceased sovereign's cypher with no requirement to change cyphers following the coronation of a new King or Queen.

The RCR sailed for England shortly after the start of the Second World War where it trained for three years as a battalion of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division. The Regiment entered combat when it landed on the beaches of Sicily on 10 July 1943 – a date still commemorated within the Regiment as "Pachino Day." The RCR fought their way through Sicily and Italy over almost 18 months including participation in the battles at Ortona, the Hitler Line at Pontecorvo and the Gothic Line on the Adriatic coast.

In February, 1945, The RCR joined the final push to liberate Northwest Europe, fighting their last battle at Apeldoorn, Holland. In the closing days of the war, a second battalion of the Regiment was created in Canada, its planned employment being in the Pacific Force. With the capitulation of Japan, this requirement disappeared and, following the return and disbandment of the overseas battalion, the newly created 2nd Battalion became the single battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment in the post-war Canadian Army.

On the outbreak of the Korean War, The RCR still consisted of a single Regular Force battalion. During the three years of the war, two new battalions would be formed for the Special Force which fought in Korea, and all three battalions would serve in Korea in turn. The 2nd Battalion deployed in 1951, the 1st Battalion in 1952 and the 3rd Battalion in 1953. Following the Korean War, the 3rd Battalion was disbanded and the 2nd Battalion remained a unit of the Regular Force.

On 1 October 1954, The Royal Canadian Regiment gained a Reserve Force battalion, formed by the amalgamation of The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Machine Gun) and The Oxford Rifles. This new unit was designated the London and Oxford Fusiliers (3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment).

The Oxford Rifles

The Oxford Rifles originated in Woodstock, Ontario, on 14 August 1863, when the '"Twenty-second Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada" or "The Oxford Rifles"' was authorized. In its early years, the unit was called out for service on the St Clair frontier during the Fenian Raids in 1866. The unit also provided some soldiers to the Canadian Contingents for South Africa.

From 1920 until 1936, the unit briefly had a two-battalion structure, with one battalion part of the Non-Permanent Active Militia and the second battalion on the Reserve establishment (i.e, without personnel). During the Second World War, the 1st Battalion, The Oxford Rifles, CASF, was mobilized for active service in March 1942. It served in Canada in a home defence role until January 1945 when it embarked for Britain where it was disbanded in England later that month.

Having undergone several changes in naming, the regiment was redesignated The Oxford Rifles on 1 June 1945. On 1 October 1954, it was amalgamated with 'The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Machine Gun) and redesignated 'The London and Oxford Fusiliers (3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment)'.

The Oxford Rifles perpetuated the 71st and 168th Canadian Infantry Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and carried the honours, awards and accomplishments of those units into the regimental history of The RCR.

The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Machine Gun)

The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Machine Gun) originated in London, Ontario on 27 April 1866 as the 7th Battalion Infantry, "Prince Arthur's Own". During the regiment's early years, two companies were called out on active service in April 1870 during the Fenian Raids, serving on the St. Clair frontier. The unit also mobilized in 1885, serving in the Alberta column of the North West Field Force and provided troops to the Canadian Contingents in the South African War.

Undergoing several changes of name, including a brief period as a three-battalion regiment titled the Western Ontario Regiment during the early 1920s, the unit was designated The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) on 1 August 1924.21 On 15 December 1936 it was amalgamated with the 'Headquarters' and 'A Company' of the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC, and redesignated The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Machine Gun). During the Second World War, the regiment formed a second battalion; the 1st Battalion served as part of the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) and the 2nd Battalion remained in the Reserve establishment.

The 1st Battalion, The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), CASF, was mobilized in 1942 and served on home defence duties as part of Pacific Command, taking part in the August 1943 expedition to Kiska, Alaska, with the 13th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group. The unit arrived in Britain in May 1944 where it was redesignated the 2nd Canadian Infantry Training Battalion, Type A (Canadian Fusiliers), CASF, and remained so until being disbanded in August 1945.

Following the Second World War, the Reserve battalion of the Canadian Fusiliers regained its single-battalion designation: The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Machine Gun). On 1 October 1954, it was amalgamated with 'The Oxford Rifles.

The Canadian Fusiliers perpetuated the 1st, 33rd and 142nd Canadian Infantry Battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and carried the honours, awards and accomplishments of those units into the regimental history of The RCR.

2nd Machine Gun Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps (CMGC)

The 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC, of the Canadian Militia originated when the 2nd Machine Gun Brigade, CMGC was authorized on 1 June 1919. The battalion was disbanded on 14 December 1936 with its HQ and companies amalgamating with a number of Militia units.

The 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC, of the Canadian Militia perpetuated the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC, of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and carried the honours, awards and accomplishments of this unit into the regimental history of The RCR.

CEF Perpetuations

Through the amalgamations with The Canadian Fusiliers and The Oxford Rifles, the following units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (1914-1919) are perpetuated by The Royal Canadian Regiment:

In 1958, formal amalgamation with The Royal Canadian Regiment was completed and the Reserve battalion was redesignated the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (London and Oxford Fusiliers). In 1959, the Regimental Executive Committee of The RCR confirmed the receipt of formal authority from the Arm