Ceremonial Guard
Encyclopedia
The Ceremonial Guard is an ad hoc
military unit in the Canadian Forces
with elements drawn principally from two Primary Reserve (militia
) regiments of Foot Guards
: The Governor General's Foot Guards
from Ottawa
and the Canadian Grenadier Guards from Montreal
. Every summer, the Ceremonial Guard performs the Changing the Guard
ceremony on Parliament Hill
and posts sentries at Rideau Hall
, the residence of the Governor General of Canada
, and as of the summer of 2007, the National War Memorial
.
As any guard unit in the Canadian Forces, uniforms originate from the Queen's Guard
.
and the remainder of the Canadian Militia, form two companies
of the Ceremonial Guard. 1 Company, CG comprises soldiers wearing the uniform and parading the colours of the Governor General's Foot Guards
. 2 Company, CG has a similar composition, but wears the uniform and carries the colours of the Canadian Grenadier Guards. Each company includes two platoon
s of soldiers, each platoon divided into two 'divisions' of soldiers generally numbering between 20-25 rank and file plus leadership. The divisions are further subdivided into two sections for administrative purposes, however all daily activities are carried out at at least the division level. The nomenclature of 'division' for such a small formed body of troops is unique to the Ceremonial Guard.
The Ceremonial Guard maintains no Regimental Colour nor has any battle honour
s of its own as it is not a permanent unit in the Canadian Forces' order of battle
. The only colours flown in the ceremonies are those of the two regiments involved.
The Ceremonial Guard also maintains its own regimental band
and pipers
that form a separate company, as well as a fourth company for administration and support personnel. Musicians are drawn from military units and colleges or universities from across Canada and applicants must first pass an audition to be considered. The band of the ceremonial guard is widely regarded as a superb musical organization, hence the national level application process.
The unit exists with a full composition only from early June to the end of August. During the rest of the year a small administrative corps remains to prepare for next year's public duties season, and beginning in early May the unit will stand up partially to allow for the conduct of Basic Military Qualification and Primary Leadership Qualification courses.
on Parliament Hill
in Ottawa
, Ontario
, the national capital of Canada
. The Changing the Guard Ceremony is a parade representing the changing of the guards posted at Rideau Hall
, the official residence of the Canadian monarch when in Ottawa, and her representative, the Governor General
, in her absence. A full company of two platoons is employed in daily public duties, with both divisions of one platoon parading as the 'new guard' - those to take over duties at Rideau Hall - and the other platoon of the company split, one division parading as 'old guard', and the other performing sentry duties at Rideau Hall for the day.
with the Drum Major, followed by the band, an officer carrying the Regimental Colours, the old guard, and finally the two divisions of the 'new guard'. Turning North onto Queen Elizabeth Dr., the parade continues underneath the Laurier Ave. bridge and then turns left onto the ramp leading onto Laurier Avenue (Ottawa)
. The parade then continues with a right turn onto Elgin St, then 'wheels' onto Wellington before the parade arrives on Parliament Hill
precisely at 10:00AM.
The parade marches onto the east lawn of Parliament, with the band centered at the northernmost edge of the lawn and facing south. The old guard marches to the west side of the east lawn and faces the east block, while the new guard marches to the east side of the lawn and faces west towards the old guard. After the old and new guards are formed from three ranks into two, and independently dressed off for proper alignment the two sergeants of the guard - commanders of the two divisions of new guard - advance to be inspected by the company sergeant-major. Following inspection, the number two division sergeant marches to his position while the number one division sergeant stands still. The new guard is then given the order "Get on parade", at which point they advance to the tune of "The British Grenadiers" from the band, and form up dressed off the sergeants of the guard. The new guard's persons and weapons are inspected by the company commander, and they are stood at ease.
Following the inspection of the new guard, the old guard is inspected. After this inspection, the sergeants of the guard and division seconds in command are ordered to 'take post'- the sergeant of the guard marches from the right flank to directly behind the guard, while the second in command marches from the left flank to the right. The parade is then called to the present arms for the marching on of the regimental colours. With the colours marched on, the new guard advances at the slow march, ceremonially 'taking up the ground' from the old guard. The old guard and new guard salute each other at present arms, and the national anthem O Canada
is played. Following this, the old guard commander presents the ceremonial key to Rideau Hall to the new guard commander. The parade is then formed into three ranks and marched off at the slow march, transitioning into the quick march. The order of march differs only in that the old guard is now at the rear, instead of between the band and new guard.
The other highly visible public duty of the Ceremonial Guard is sentry duty at Rideau Hall
. The sentries are ceremonial in nature only and do not generally perform actual guard duty, however all are trained military personnel and procedures and orders do exist for the Ceremonial Guard to adopt an armed night guard of Rideau Hall should sufficient security threat arise.
The sentries are posted daily from 9:00AM EST to 5:00PM EST, every hour on the hour. At 9:00 AM the posting corporal - generally a corporal from the junior leadership but sometimes a corporal from the ranks - marches out accompanied by the four sentries, two escorts, and a bagpiper. The corporal, sentries, and escorts are all dressed in full scarlet uniforms and carry rifles with bayonets fixed. The party marches to the Sussex Drive gate of Rideau Hall where the first two sentries are posted and have their duties read to them. The party then marches back to Rideau Hall itself where the two remaining sentries are posted and have their duties read.
Throughout the day Rideau Hall will be visited by the Officer Commanding of the parade and the Company Sergeant-Major. They will generally elect to observe a relief of the sentries, and sometimes the officer commanding will take a report from the sentries on duty. The guard sergeant for Rideau Hall may also elect to do rounds to check on both of the sentry posts.
celebration on 1 July, the "Fortissimo" Sunset Ceremony that takes place in mid-late August on Parliament Hill, and the annual Trooping the Colour
. It also participates in military funerals (for example, Jack Layton's procession at Parliament), important visits (Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, Royal Couple in 2011). The band of the Ceremonial Guard has many engagements outside of public duties, including featuring prominently in the annual Nova Scotia International Tattoo.
Ad hoc
Ad hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
military unit in the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
with elements drawn principally from two Primary Reserve (militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
) regiments of Foot Guards
Foot Guards
-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Regular Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist. The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the Household Brigade in existence from 1900-1901...
: The Governor General's Foot Guards
Governor General's Foot Guards
The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada."Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is...
from Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and the Canadian Grenadier Guards from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Every summer, the Ceremonial Guard performs the Changing the Guard
Guard Mounting
Guard Mounting, or Changing the Guard , refers to a formal ceremony in which sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries...
ceremony on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
and posts sentries at Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
, the residence of the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, and as of the summer of 2007, the National War Memorial
National War Memorial (Canada)
The National War Memorial , is a tall granite cenotaph with acreted bronze sculptures, that stands in Confederation Square, Ottawa, and serves as the federal war memorial for Canada....
.
As any guard unit in the Canadian Forces, uniforms originate from the Queen's Guard
Queen's Guard
The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard are the names given to contingents of infantry and cavalry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in London...
.
Unit composition
Collectively, the troops assembled from the two contributing regiments, as well as augmentees from other units throughout Land Force Central AreaLand Force Central Area
Land Force Central Area is responsible for the administration of the Canadian Army in the province of Ontario, from the Quebec border to the northern Lakehead region...
and the remainder of the Canadian Militia, form two companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of the Ceremonial Guard. 1 Company, CG comprises soldiers wearing the uniform and parading the colours of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Governor General's Foot Guards
The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada."Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is...
. 2 Company, CG has a similar composition, but wears the uniform and carries the colours of the Canadian Grenadier Guards. Each company includes two platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
s of soldiers, each platoon divided into two 'divisions' of soldiers generally numbering between 20-25 rank and file plus leadership. The divisions are further subdivided into two sections for administrative purposes, however all daily activities are carried out at at least the division level. The nomenclature of 'division' for such a small formed body of troops is unique to the Ceremonial Guard.
The Ceremonial Guard maintains no Regimental Colour nor has any battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
s of its own as it is not a permanent unit in the Canadian Forces' order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
. The only colours flown in the ceremonies are those of the two regiments involved.
The Ceremonial Guard also maintains its own regimental band
Military band
A military band originally was a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
and pipers
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
that form a separate company, as well as a fourth company for administration and support personnel. Musicians are drawn from military units and colleges or universities from across Canada and applicants must first pass an audition to be considered. The band of the ceremonial guard is widely regarded as a superb musical organization, hence the national level application process.
The unit exists with a full composition only from early June to the end of August. During the rest of the year a small administrative corps remains to prepare for next year's public duties season, and beginning in early May the unit will stand up partially to allow for the conduct of Basic Military Qualification and Primary Leadership Qualification courses.
Public duties
The primary and most visible function of the Ceremonial Guard is, as mentioned, the Changing the GuardGuard Mounting
Guard Mounting, or Changing the Guard , refers to a formal ceremony in which sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries...
on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the national capital of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Changing the Guard Ceremony is a parade representing the changing of the guards posted at Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
, the official residence of the Canadian monarch when in Ottawa, and her representative, the Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, in her absence. A full company of two platoons is employed in daily public duties, with both divisions of one platoon parading as the 'new guard' - those to take over duties at Rideau Hall - and the other platoon of the company split, one division parading as 'old guard', and the other performing sentry duties at Rideau Hall for the day.
Changing the Guard
The parade begins at the Cartier Square Drill HallCartier Square Drill Hall
The Drill Hall at Cartier Square is a dedicated military training facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It has been a local landmark since its construction in 1879. The drill hall is long and has two tall mansard towers....
with the Drum Major, followed by the band, an officer carrying the Regimental Colours, the old guard, and finally the two divisions of the 'new guard'. Turning North onto Queen Elizabeth Dr., the parade continues underneath the Laurier Ave. bridge and then turns left onto the ramp leading onto Laurier Avenue (Ottawa)
Laurier Avenue (Ottawa)
Laurier Avenue is a central east west street running through Ottawa, Canada. Originally known as "Maria Street" and "Theodore Street" , it was renamed in honour of Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier...
. The parade then continues with a right turn onto Elgin St, then 'wheels' onto Wellington before the parade arrives on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
precisely at 10:00AM.
The parade marches onto the east lawn of Parliament, with the band centered at the northernmost edge of the lawn and facing south. The old guard marches to the west side of the east lawn and faces the east block, while the new guard marches to the east side of the lawn and faces west towards the old guard. After the old and new guards are formed from three ranks into two, and independently dressed off for proper alignment the two sergeants of the guard - commanders of the two divisions of new guard - advance to be inspected by the company sergeant-major. Following inspection, the number two division sergeant marches to his position while the number one division sergeant stands still. The new guard is then given the order "Get on parade", at which point they advance to the tune of "The British Grenadiers" from the band, and form up dressed off the sergeants of the guard. The new guard's persons and weapons are inspected by the company commander, and they are stood at ease.
Following the inspection of the new guard, the old guard is inspected. After this inspection, the sergeants of the guard and division seconds in command are ordered to 'take post'- the sergeant of the guard marches from the right flank to directly behind the guard, while the second in command marches from the left flank to the right. The parade is then called to the present arms for the marching on of the regimental colours. With the colours marched on, the new guard advances at the slow march, ceremonially 'taking up the ground' from the old guard. The old guard and new guard salute each other at present arms, and the national anthem O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
is played. Following this, the old guard commander presents the ceremonial key to Rideau Hall to the new guard commander. The parade is then formed into three ranks and marched off at the slow march, transitioning into the quick march. The order of march differs only in that the old guard is now at the rear, instead of between the band and new guard.
Sentry duty
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
. The sentries are ceremonial in nature only and do not generally perform actual guard duty, however all are trained military personnel and procedures and orders do exist for the Ceremonial Guard to adopt an armed night guard of Rideau Hall should sufficient security threat arise.
The sentries are posted daily from 9:00AM EST to 5:00PM EST, every hour on the hour. At 9:00 AM the posting corporal - generally a corporal from the junior leadership but sometimes a corporal from the ranks - marches out accompanied by the four sentries, two escorts, and a bagpiper. The corporal, sentries, and escorts are all dressed in full scarlet uniforms and carry rifles with bayonets fixed. The party marches to the Sussex Drive gate of Rideau Hall where the first two sentries are posted and have their duties read to them. The party then marches back to Rideau Hall itself where the two remaining sentries are posted and have their duties read.
Drill Team
Beginning in 2006, Ceremonial Guard took members of the parade company to form a silent drill team. Their first and only show was during Fortissimo. The next year followed the same format as the previous. In 2008 the Drill Team's duties were expanded and they went to Halifax to perform in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, along with other performances in Kingston and Ottawa. In 2009 the Drill Team was removed from the parade company and therefore no longer took part in the Changing the Guard on Parliament Hill. This Drill Team performed in Washington, D.C., Toronto, Ottawa and again in Halifax for the International Tattoo.Recruiting
Traditionally, Ceremonial Guard has been a powerful recruiting force for the contributing regiments, particularly the Governor General's Foot Guards. Recruiting for the Ceremonial Guard is done by each of the contributing units. All recruits are enrolled as primary reservists in the Canadian Forces, a part time military commitment. All Guardsmen however are trained soldiers, and many have already deployed operationally, whether in the former Yugoslavia, in Afghanistan, or elsewhere.Extra functions
In addition to the Changing the Guard, the Ceremonial Guard takes part in many other functions, such as the annual Governor General's inspection in late June, the Canada DayCanada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
celebration on 1 July, the "Fortissimo" Sunset Ceremony that takes place in mid-late August on Parliament Hill, and the annual Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and the Commonwealth armies. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
. It also participates in military funerals (for example, Jack Layton's procession at Parliament), important visits (Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, Royal Couple in 2011). The band of the Ceremonial Guard has many engagements outside of public duties, including featuring prominently in the annual Nova Scotia International Tattoo.