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Perth Regiment

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The Perth Regiment
Active1866–1965
Country Canada
BranchCanadian Militia (1866-1940)
Canadian Army (1940-1965)
TypeLine Infantry
RoleInfantry
SizeOne battalion
Part ofNon-Permanent Active Militia (1866-1940)
Royal Canadian Infantry Corps (1942-1965)
Garrison/HQStratford, Ontario
Motto(s)Latin: Audax et cautus
("Bold and wary")
ColoursFacing colour green
March"Kenmure's On and Awa"
EngagementsFenian Raids
First World War
Second World War
Battle honoursSee #Battle Honours
Insignia
Tartan[1]
Blazer[2]

The Perth Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is currently on the Supplementary Order of Battle.

Lineage

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Lineage of The Perth Regiment:[1]

The Perth Regiment (Overseas Battalion)

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  • Originated 22 Dec as 110th (Overseas) Battalion, CEF
  • Disbanded 17 Jul 1917
  • Originated 1 Sep 1939 as The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF
  • Redesignated 2 Nov 1940 as 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF
  • Redesignated 11 Feb 1941 as 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Motor), CASF
  • Redesignated 31 Jan 1943 as 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment, CIC, CASF
  • Disbanded 31 Jan 1946

The Perth Regiment (Reserve Battalion)

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  • Originated 14 Sep 1866 as 28th (Perth) Battalion of Infantry
  • Redesignated 8 May 1900 as 28th Perth Regiment
  • Redesignated 29 Mar 1920 as The Perth Regiment
  • Amalgamated 15 Dec 1936 with C Company of the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC and redesignated as The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun)
  • Redesignated 7 Nov 1940 as 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun)
  • Redesignated 1 Apr 1941 as 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Motor)
  • Redesignated 1 Apr 1946 as The Perth Regiment
  • Amalgamated 1 October 1954 with The Highland Light Infantry of Canada and renamed The Perth and Waterloo Regiment (Highland Light Infantry of Canada)
  • Amalgamation ceased 1 April 1957 and resumed as The Perth Regiment
  • Assigned to the Supplementary Order of Battle 28 Feb 1965, and reduced to nil strength

Lineage Chart

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Family of Perth Regiment
1858Independent infy and rifle coys
186628th "Perth Bn of Infy"
190028th Perth Regt
1915110th "Overseas" Bn, CEF
1917Absorbed by 8th Reserve Bn, CEF. Disbanded
1920The Perth Regt
 C Coy, 2nd MG Bn, CMGC
1936The Perth Regt (MG)
1939The Perth Regt (MG), CASF
19401st Bn, The Perth Regt (MG), CASF2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Perth Regt (MG)
19411st Bn, The Perth Regt (Motor), CASF2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Perth Regt (Motor)
19431st Bn, The Perth Regt, CIC, CASF
1946DisbandedThe Perth Regt
 Highland Light Infy of Canada
 
1954The Perth and Waterloo Regt (Highland Light Infy of Canada)
 
1957The Perth RegtHighland Light Infy of Canada
1965Supplementary Order of Battle
2024
Abbreviations used in the chart
Abbreviation Phrase
Bn Battalion
CASF Canadian Active Service Force
CEF Canadian Expeditionary Force
CIC Canadian Infantry Corps
CMGC Canadian Machine Gun Corps
Coy Company
Infy Infantry
MG Machine gun
Regt Regiment

Perpetuations

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History

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Early history

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In 1838, the Third Regiment of Huron was organized in the territory which is now the south part of Perth County, Ontario. This was a paper organization of the compulsory militia, to which every able-bodied male citizen in theory belonged. It did not have equipment, did not train, and while it continued to exist after the voluntary militia was formed, it was distinct from the volunteers.

The Stratford Volunteer Rifle Company was formed in 1856, elected its own officers, and carried on entirely at the expense of its members for two years, before it was officially recognized in 1858.

In response to the Fenian Raids, a temporary battalion-sized composite unit was formed in 1866 at Thorold, Ontario. It consisted of companies from Stratford, Chatham, Ingersoll, St. Thomas and Guelph.

A general order of the Militia Department of the Province of Canada, dated 14 September 1866 authorized a regimental headquarters. Robert Service of Stratford was promoted to Lt Col and appointed to command. The Stratford Volunteer Rifle Company became No. 1 Company of the regiment. Other companies were in Listowel and St. Marys

The principle of Militia units was voluntary service and year-round training while carrying on with civilian life. The Perth Regiment maintained this principle throughout its peacetime service.

First World War

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On 6 August 1914, during events which led to the First World War, details of the regiment were placed on active service for local protection duties.

The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was organized in 1914 and 1915 using numbered battalions, which had little connection with the existing militia regiments. The 110th Battalion (Perth), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915. The Perth Regiment recruited the 110th Battalion from Perth county.

The 110th Battalion embarked for Great Britain on 31 October 1916 with a strength of 679 all ranks. On 2 January 1917, personnel of the 110th Battalion were absorbed by the 8th Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The 110th Battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.

Second World War

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The 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment, was mobilized 1 September 1939 for service in World War II. The 1st Battalion embarked for Great Britain on 9 October 1941. It landed in Italy on 8 November 1943, as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Division. The 1st Battalion transferred with the I Canadian Corps to North-West Europe in March 1945, where it fought until the end of the war. It returned home under command of a Perth militia officer, Lt Col MW Andrew and was disbanded on January 31, 1946.

The 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, headquartered in Stratford, was authorized in 1940 and trained recruits for the 1st Battalion.

Post War

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In 1954, as a result of the Kennedy Report on the Reserve Army, this regiment was amalgamated with The Highland Light Infantry of Canada to form The Perth and Waterloo Regiment (Highland Light Infantry of Canada). This was not a successful amalgamation, and in 1957 the two units reverted to their former designations.

In June 1964, The Commission on the Reorganization of the Canadian Army (Militia), commonly called the Suttie Commission, issued its report.[3] The Commission proposed the Supplementary Order of Battle to maintain the name of deactivated units and to facilitate reactivation.[3]: Part II, p.26  The commission further recommended that the Perth Regiment be transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle and that the regiment's personnel be absorbed by 3 RCR (now 4 RCR).[3]: Part II, Appendix A, Annex 2 

On 28 February 1965, The Perth Regiment was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle.[1] At the time it was inactivated, The Perth Regiment consisted of a company in Stratford and a support platoon in St Marys.[3]: Part II, Appendix A, Annex 1 

Before being moved to the Supplementary Order of Battle, The Perth Regiment its final Order of Precedence as 16.[1][2]

Alliances

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The Perth Regiment was allied to the Cameronians, the Otago Regiment of New Zealand, 26th Battalion of Australia, and the Witwatersrand Rifles of South Africa.[2]

Uniform

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They wore Douglas kilt, green glengarry with green & white diced border, grey sporran with three black points, Douglas hose, and green garter flashes.[2]

Battle Honours

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In the list below, battle honours in small capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles. The battle honours written in bold are emblazoned on the regimental colour.[1]

Colours

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The first set of colours was presented by the 28th Regiment Chapter IODE, on 15 June 1927 at Queen's Park Stratford, Ontario.[4]

The second set of colours was presented by the Honourable John Keiller MacKay, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on 30 June 1962 at Queen's Park Stratford, Ontario.[4]

Both sets of colours are laid up at St. James' Anglican Church, Stratford, Ontario.

Commanding Officers

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Overseas Battalion:[4]

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  • 1915 - LCol JL Youngs
  • 1917 - Disbanded
  • 1939 - LCol SH McComb, ED
  • 1940 - LCol (later Col) GW Little, MVO, OBE, MC, ED
  • 1942 - LCol (later BGen) ISH Lind, DSO, ED
  • 1943 - LCol (later Col) HET Doucet, OBE, ED (May - Sep)
  • 1943 - LCol (later BGen) WS Rutherford, ED
  • 1944 - LCol (later BGen) ISH Lind, DSO, ED (Mar - May)
  • 1944 - LCol (later BGen) WW Reid, DSO
  • 1944 - LCol MW Andrew, DSO, ED, QC
  • 1946 - Disbanded

Reserve Battalion

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  • 1866 - LCol Robert S Service
  • 1872 - LCol WM Smith, VD
  • 1881 - LCol D Scot
  • 1885 - LColl RS McKnight
  • 1898 - LCol AAW Whight
  • 1903 - LCol WG Moscrip, VD
  • 1908 - LCol GT Cooke
  • 1912 - LCol WM Lawrence, VD
  • 1920 - LCol JL Youngs, MC
  • 1923 - LCol AW Deacon, MC
  • 1928 - LCol RM Trow
  • 1933 - LCol H Denroche
  • 1933 - LCol A Garrod, MC, ED
  • 1939 - LCol SH McComb, ED
  • 1940 - LCol GDL Rice, ED
  • 1944 - Maj TW Orr
  • 1946 - LCol John S Whyte, ED
  • 1950 - LCol (later B Gen) WH Hempell, CD
  • 1954 - LCol EM Hutchinson, CD
  • 1959 - LCol FW Savage, CD
  • 1962 - LCol EB Burnett, ED
  • 1964 - LCol EC Skowby, CD
  • 1965 - Assigned to Supplementary Order of battle and reduced to nil strength
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  • Private H.E. Goddard of The Perth Regiment, carrying a Bren gun while advancing through a forest north of Arnhem, Netherlands, April 1945
    Private H.E. Goddard of The Perth Regiment, carrying a Bren gun while advancing through a forest north of Arnhem, Netherlands, April 1945
  • Private K.O. Earl of The Perth Regiment resting in the forest north of Arnhem, Netherlands, April 15, 1945
    Private K.O. Earl of The Perth Regiment resting in the forest north of Arnhem, Netherlands, April 15, 1945
  • Audax et Cautus
    Audax et Cautus

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "The Perth Regiment". Official Lineages Volume 3, Part 2: Infantry Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. 9 November 2004. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Barnes, Major R.M. (1972). The Uniforms and History of the Scottish Regiments. London: Sphere Books Limited.
  3. ^ a b c d The Commission on the Reorganization of the Canadian Army (Militia). Ottawa: Department of National Defence. 1964.
  4. ^ a b c Presentation of new colours to the Perth Regiment by Lt.-Col. the Honourable John Keiller Mackay, DSO, VD, QC, LLD, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, Saturday June 30, 1962 at Queen's Park, Stratford, Ontario and laying up of old colours Sunday July 1, 1962 at St. James' Church, Stratford, Ontario. Department of National Defence.

Bibliography

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  • Barnes, R. Money (Major) (1972). The Uniforms and History of the Scottish Regiments. London: Sphere Books Limited.
  • Johnston, Stafford (1964). The Fighting Perths: The Story of the First Century in the Life of a Canadian County Regiment. Stratford: B-H Press.
  • Scislowski, Stanley & Watt, Gavin K. (1997). Not All of Us Were Brave: Perth Regiment, 11th Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Armoured Division. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 978-1550022988.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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