Cape Breton Highlanders
Encyclopedia
The Cape Breton Highlanders is an infantry
regiment
of the Canadian Army. It was established in 1871, merged into The Nova Scotia Highlanders
in 1954, and re-established as a distinct regiment in 2011.
Originally founded in 1871 as the Victoria Provisional Battalion of Infantry, it was converted to a Highland unit in 1879. It went through several name changes including: 1885 – 94th "Victoria" Battalion of Infantry, "Argyll Highlanders"; 1900 – 94th Victoria Regiment "Argyll Highlanders", and; 1920 – The Cape Breton Highlanders. In 1954, as a result of the Kennedy Report on the Reserve Army, this regiment became the 2nd Battalion of the newly amalgamated Nova Scotia Highlanders formed from its union with The North Nova Scotia Highlanders
and The Pictou Highlanders
. The Nova Scotia Highlanders
serve to this day as an army reserve highland infantry regiment.
On January 16, 2011, Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay
announced that the name of the 2nd Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton) will be changed back to the Cape Breton Highlanders. The army reserve unit is assigned to the 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment's rebadging ceremony was held on September 10, and MacKay presented the regiment its camp flag on October 2, 2011.
The Cape Breton Highlanders were allied to the Cheshire Regiment
and were kitted as Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) except for badges and the pipe major wore a powder horn in full dress. The regiment perpetuated the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) and 185th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
and held its final order of precedence as 35.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the Canadian Army. It was established in 1871, merged into The Nova Scotia Highlanders
The Nova Scotia Highlanders
The Nova Scotia Highlanders is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.- Creation :The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders....
in 1954, and re-established as a distinct regiment in 2011.
Originally founded in 1871 as the Victoria Provisional Battalion of Infantry, it was converted to a Highland unit in 1879. It went through several name changes including: 1885 – 94th "Victoria" Battalion of Infantry, "Argyll Highlanders"; 1900 – 94th Victoria Regiment "Argyll Highlanders", and; 1920 – The Cape Breton Highlanders. In 1954, as a result of the Kennedy Report on the Reserve Army, this regiment became the 2nd Battalion of the newly amalgamated Nova Scotia Highlanders formed from its union with The North Nova Scotia Highlanders
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army.Founded in 1936 as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders by the amalgamation of the Cumberland Highlanders, The Colchester and Hants Rifles, and 'C' Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, it acquired its present title in...
and The Pictou Highlanders
The Pictou Highlanders
The Pictou Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army.Founded in 1871 as the Colchester and Hants Provisional Battalion of Infantry it went through several name changes including, in 1871, the 78th Colchester and Hants, or Highlanders Battalion of Infantry; in 1879 the 78th...
. The Nova Scotia Highlanders
The Nova Scotia Highlanders
The Nova Scotia Highlanders is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.- Creation :The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders....
serve to this day as an army reserve highland infantry regiment.
On January 16, 2011, Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay
Peter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
announced that the name of the 2nd Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton) will be changed back to the Cape Breton Highlanders. The army reserve unit is assigned to the 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment's rebadging ceremony was held on September 10, and MacKay presented the regiment its camp flag on October 2, 2011.
The Cape Breton Highlanders were allied to the Cheshire Regiment
Cheshire Regiment
The Cheshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division.The regiment was created in 1881 as part of the Childers reforms by the linking of the 22nd Regiment of Foot and the militia and rifle volunteers of Cheshire...
and were kitted as Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) except for badges and the pipe major wore a powder horn in full dress. The regiment perpetuated the 85th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) and 185th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
and held its final order of precedence as 35.
Battle honours
- Arras 1917, '18
- Vimy 1917
- Ypres 1917
- Passchendaele
- Amiens
- Scarpe 1918
- Drocourt-QuéantDrocourt-QuéantThe Drocourt-Quéant Line was a set of mutually supporting defensive lines constructed by Germany between the French cities of Drocourt and Quéant during World War I...
- Hindenburg LineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
- Canal du Nord
- Valenciennes
- Sambre
- France and Flanders 1917–18