Fort York Guard is a ceremonial unit at Fort York

Fort York

Fort York is a historic site of military fortifications and related buildings on the west side of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fort was built by the British Army and Canadian militia troops in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, to defend the settlement and the new capital of the...

. The unit represents the Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry

Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry

Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry was a short lived regiment in Canada during the early 19th century.The regiment was originally raised in Scotland but a rumour circulated that the regiment would be moved to the British colonies in the West Indies. The West Indies at the time were hot,...

 or the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot

8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot

The 8th Regiment of Foot, also referred to diminutively as the 8th Foot and the King's, was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1685 and retitled the King's on 1 July 1881....

, one of many units once stationed at the fort.
The unit was created on May 21, 1934 (Victoria Day

Victoria Day

Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday before May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. The date is also, simultaneously, that on which the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday is recognized...

) and trained to simulate the duties of the original guards.

The guard consists of two units:

• squad or musketmen
• drums or musicians

Equipment

• drums
• pipe
  Pipe (instrument)
  Pipe describes a number of musical instruments, historically referring to perforated wind instruments. The word is an onomatopoeia, and comes from the tone which can resemble that of a bird chirping.-Folk pipe:...
  
  
• Pike
  Pike (weapon)
  A pike is a pole weapon, a very long thrusting spear used extensively by infantry both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a counter-measure against cavalry assaults. Unlike many similar weapons, the pike is not intended to be thrown. Pikes were used regularly in European warfare from the...
  
  
• muskets
• field guns

Organization

The number of guards vary on the number of people available. They have ranged from 3 to 50 members. Today it consists of 20-25 members. The guards are paid staff (high school to university students) at the fort. They are maintained and run by the Friends of Fort York.

Ranks

• Drum Major
  Drum Major
  A drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band, usually positioned at the head of the band or corps. The drum major, who is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the band or corps, is responsible for providing commands to the ensemble regarding...
  
   - Fort York Drums
• Fife Major - Fort York Drums
• Sergeant
  Sergeant
  Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
  
  
• Corporal
  Corporal
  Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
  
  
• Lance Corporal
  Lance Corporal
  Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
  
  
• Lieutenant
  Lieutenant
  A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...