The Algonquin Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Algonquin Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry
regiment
of the Canadian Forces
comprising two companies
. A Coy (Alpha Company) is located in North Bay
, Ontario
and B Coy (Bravo Company) is located in Timmins
.
, Ontario
. Some members of this company served in the Wolseley Expedition
against the Red River Rebellion
in 1870. The threat of Fenian raids on Canada, ultimately convinced the government of the day to maintain a militia force at the head of Lake Superior
. In 1886, a battalion was authorized in the Algoma District with companies in Rat Portage and Gore Bay
. An additional company was formed in Sault-Ste-Marie in 1889 and lastly in Sudbury in 1896. The Sudbury company later became the nucleus of the 97th Regiment of Rifles.
On 1 July 1900 the 97th Regiment of Rifles was formed with four independent companies of militia. Company Headquarters were established in Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thessalon
and Sturgeon Falls. On 23 June 1903 the regiment was redesignated the 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles). The regiment sent volunteers to the South African War and on occasion, were called out in Sault Ste. Marie to conduct defence of property and maintenance of peace in the face of rioting strikers.
and Sudbury
in late 1915 resulting in the formation of the 159th (1st Algonquins) Battalion. The battalion was mobilized on 5 July 1916, trained at Camp Borden in Angus, Ontario during that summer and fall of 1916, and embarked for England on 1 November 1916 with a strength of 1,004 men. The battalion remained intact until 20 January 1917 when it was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Battalion and used to reinforce units already in France
. As the result of not having enough men at any particular battle, the unit received only the general "Great War 1916-1917" battle honour.
Following the end of the war the 159th (1st Algonquins), 228th (Northern Fusiliers) and 256th (Toronto)
Battalions were perpetuated in the Algonquin Rifles. In 1933, the unit was renamed The Algonquin Regiment. The regiment decided to keep the bull moose symbol of the 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles) on a redesigned cap badge. In 1936, A Company in Sudbury was removed from the regiment and amalgamated with the Sault-Ste-Marie Regiment to become the Sault Ste. Marie/Sudbury Regiment, and the 23rd Regiment (Northern Pioneers) were amalgamated into The Algonquin Regiment.
and Parry Sound
to the south and Timmins
and Cochrane
to the north. It was not until 22 July 1940 that the regiment went into active service. On 4 September 1940 the first battalion loaded up, The Algonquin Regiment (Active Force), and arrived at Camp Borden three days later . There was not enough space however for training exercises and were moved to Current River Camp in Port Arthur, Ontario
and again to Camp Shilo
in Manitoba
on 4 June 1941. The regiment was transferred to Niagara-on-the-Lake
and assigned guard duty on the Niagara and Welland canals in November 1941 before finally being asked for their first draft for overseas enforcements on 14 January 1942. In February 1942 the regiment was transferred to Newfoundland
and assigned protection duties at Torbay airport
and Cape Spear
. In January 1943, the regiment was chosen for operations overseas, was moved to Debert Camp
in Nova Scotia
and, for administration purposes, was assigned to the 20th Brigade of the 7th Canadian Infantry Division
. The regiment embarked on the RMS Empress of Scotland
in Halifax
on 10 June 1943, and sailed the following day for England with a complement of 4,500 troops. Upon arriving in Liverpool
the regiment proceeded to Heathfield
and was made part of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
. On 16 July 1944 an advance party left for Normandy
, France
with the regiment as a whole arriving a couple days later. The Morning of July 25, 1944 all four companies of the Algonquin Regiment landed on Juno Beach
where, in the following days learnt of their ensuing mission to support the 4th Canadian Armored Division in closing the Falaise Gap. August 9th 1944 the Regiment, supporting BCR (British Columbia Regiment) were tasked with taking Hill 195, taking an unfortunate wrong turn at 0200 hours they ended up four miles east of Hill 195 closer to Hill 140, deep in German territory. The Regiment suffered heavy loses with total casualties of 128 men and 47 tanks. Leading up to August 31 1944 the Algonquin Regiment, moving within the 4th CDN ARMD DIV, were tasked with filling the gap to the south at Hill 240, fighting alongside the Polish ARMD DIV. The Period from August 31 to September 8 was a period of rapid movement into Belgium
, halted on the 8th at the Leopold Canal
. Fighting all day and suffering multiple setbacks resulting in numerous casualties across all the Regiments Coy's, ended August 14 with the allies across the Leopold Canal desperately holding back the German counterattacks. The Regiment continued with the 4th Division north out of Belgium into Holland in a progression of battles for the north shore of the Sheldt area eventually leading to the liberation of Welberg and Steenbergen
. The Liberation of Welberg operation was initiated on October 31 1944, however with D coy resting all A, B and C coy's fell short of objectives facing massive German counterattacks. Fighting continued on until November 1st when the regiment retreated back to a few km outside of Welberg. November 2nd they launched their second attack this time along the right side of the town, fighting continued throughout the night, by the end of November 3rd all four coy's had reached their target objectives and succeeded in the liberation of Welberg. From November 5-8th the Algonquin Regiment rested in the Steenbergen area, the period proceeding became known as the winter war (November 1944-February 1945). Leading into Operation Blockbuster
, this dislodgment of the German hinge in Hochwald
, February 27 fighting to close the Hochwald gap began by mid day of March 3rd 1945 the allies had completed their objectives. Over the next couple month the Algonquin Regiment continued to fight, as they had been the entire war, under the CND 4th Division crossing the Rhine with the last round up (April 16th-May 4th) cease fire called just past Rastede
Germany
. As of January 1946 the Algonquin Regiment's final death toll was 65 officers killed and 1235 other soldiers .
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 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."...
comprising 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...
. A Coy (Alpha Company) is located in North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, 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....
and B Coy (Bravo Company) is located in Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
.
Early period
The Algonquin Regiment began in 1865 as the Volunteer Infantry Company in Sault Ste. MarieSault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
, 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....
. Some members of this company served in the Wolseley Expedition
Wolseley Expedition
The Wolseley Expedition was a military force authorized by Sir John A. Macdonald to confront Louis Riel and the Métis in 1870, during the Red River Rebellion, at the Red River Settlement in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba...
against the Red River Rebellion
Red River Rebellion
The Red River Rebellion or Red River Resistance was the sequence of events related to the 1869 establishment of a provisional government by the Métis leader Louis Riel and his followers at the Red River Settlement, in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba.The Rebellion was the first crisis...
in 1870. The threat of Fenian raids on Canada, ultimately convinced the government of the day to maintain a militia force at the head of Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
. In 1886, a battalion was authorized in the Algoma District with companies in Rat Portage and Gore Bay
Gore Bay, Ontario
Gore Bay is a town on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada. Located on Gore Bay, a bay of Lake Huron's North Channel, it is one of the two incorporated towns of Manitoulin District....
. An additional company was formed in Sault-Ste-Marie in 1889 and lastly in Sudbury in 1896. The Sudbury company later became the nucleus of the 97th Regiment of Rifles.
On 1 July 1900 the 97th Regiment of Rifles was formed with four independent companies of militia. Company Headquarters were established in Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thessalon
Thessalon, Ontario
Thessalon is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located at the junction of Highway 17 and Highway 129. It is surrounded by but not part of the municipality of Huron Shores, and is part of the District of Algoma....
and Sturgeon Falls. On 23 June 1903 the regiment was redesignated the 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles). The regiment sent volunteers to the South African War and on occasion, were called out in Sault Ste. Marie to conduct defence of property and maintenance of peace in the face of rioting strikers.
First World War
The 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles) recruited to its full active strength and supplied 12 officers and 251 other ranks to the 15th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Captain E.F. Armstrong began recruiting in the NipissingNipissing District, Ontario
Nipissing District, Ontario is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858. The district seat is North Bay.In 2006, the population was 84,688...
and Sudbury
Sudbury District, Ontario
The Sudbury District is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1894 from townships of eastern Algoma District and west Nipissing District....
in late 1915 resulting in the formation of the 159th (1st Algonquins) Battalion. The battalion was mobilized on 5 July 1916, trained at Camp Borden in Angus, Ontario during that summer and fall of 1916, and embarked for England on 1 November 1916 with a strength of 1,004 men. The battalion remained intact until 20 January 1917 when it was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Battalion and used to reinforce units already in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. As the result of not having enough men at any particular battle, the unit received only the general "Great War 1916-1917" battle honour.
Following the end of the war the 159th (1st Algonquins), 228th (Northern Fusiliers) and 256th (Toronto)
256th Battalion, CEF
The 256th Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the unit began recruiting in late 1916 in that city. The unit later became the 10th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops. The 256th Battalion, CEF had one Officer...
Battalions were perpetuated in the Algonquin Rifles. In 1933, the unit was renamed The Algonquin Regiment. The regiment decided to keep the bull moose symbol of the 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles) on a redesigned cap badge. In 1936, A Company in Sudbury was removed from the regiment and amalgamated with the Sault-Ste-Marie Regiment to become the Sault Ste. Marie/Sudbury Regiment, and the 23rd Regiment (Northern Pioneers) were amalgamated into The Algonquin Regiment.
Second World War
When war broke out the Algonquin Regiment were only 250 men strong, recruitment and training became their primary concern. The regiment recruited from an area extending from BracebridgeBracebridge, Ontario
Bracebridge is a town and the seat of the Muskoka District Municipality of Ontario, Canada.The town was built around a waterfall on the Muskoka River in the centre of town, and is known for its other nearby waterfalls . It was first incorporated in 1875...
and Parry Sound
Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...
to the south and Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
and Cochrane
Cochrane, Ontario
Cochrane is a town in northern Ontario, Canada. It is located east of Kapuskasing, northeast of Timmins, south of Moosonee, and north of Iroquois Falls. It is about a one-hour drive from Timmins, the major city of the region. It is the seat of Cochrane District...
to the north. It was not until 22 July 1940 that the regiment went into active service. On 4 September 1940 the first battalion loaded up, The Algonquin Regiment (Active Force), and arrived at Camp Borden three days later . There was not enough space however for training exercises and were moved to Current River Camp in Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
and again to Camp Shilo
CFB Shilo
Canadian Forces Base Shilo is an Operations and Training base of the Canadian Forces, located east of Brandon, Manitoba. During the 1990s, Canadian Forces Base Shilo was also designated as an Area Support Unit, which acts as a local base of operations for south-west Manitoba in times of military...
in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
on 4 June 1941. The regiment was transferred to Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
and assigned guard duty on the Niagara and Welland canals in November 1941 before finally being asked for their first draft for overseas enforcements on 14 January 1942. In February 1942 the regiment was transferred to Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
and assigned protection duties at Torbay airport
St. John's International Airport
St. John's International Airport is an international airport located northwest of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada that serves the St. John's Metro Area and the Avalon Peninsula. The airport is part of the National Airports System, and is operated by St...
and Cape Spear
Cape Spear
Cape Spear, located on the Avalon Peninsula near St. John's, Newfoundland, is the easternmost point in North America , excluding Greenland and the portions of Alaska west of the 180th parallel of longitude . Cape Spear is close to Blackhead, an amalgamated area of the City of St. John's, about...
. In January 1943, the regiment was chosen for operations overseas, was moved to Debert Camp
CFS Debert
Canadian Forces Station Debert was a Canadian Forces station located in Debert, Nova Scotia. It was most recently used during the Cold War as a communications facility and was home to a "Regional Emergency Government Headquarters" complex.Originally this facility was developed with an airfield...
in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and, for administration purposes, was assigned to the 20th Brigade of the 7th Canadian Infantry Division
7th Canadian Infantry Division
The 7th Infantry Division of the Canadian Army was mobilized in the spring of 1942 and assigned for home defence within Atlantic Command.At the time is was assumed it would consist of volunteers and proceed overseas...
. The regiment embarked on the RMS Empress of Scotland
RMS Empress of Japan (1930)
RMS Empress of Japan was an ocean liner built in 1929-1930 by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland for Canadian Pacific Steamships . This ship -- the second of two CP vessels to be named Empress of Japan -- regularly traversed the trans-Pacific route...
in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
on 10 June 1943, and sailed the following day for England with a complement of 4,500 troops. Upon arriving in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
the regiment proceeded to Heathfield
Heathfield
There are a number of settlements called Heathfield:in Australia:* Heathfield, South Australiain South Africa*Heathfield, Cape Town is a suburb in Cape Town.in the United Kingdom:* Heathfield, Cambridgeshire, England* Heathfield, Croydon, London...
and was made part of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
4th Canadian (Armoured) Division
The 4th Canadian Division was created by the conversion of the 4th Canadian Infantry Division at the beginning of 1942 in Canada. The division proceeded overseas in 1942, with its two main convoys reaching the United Kingdom in August and October....
. On 16 July 1944 an advance party left for Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the regiment as a whole arriving a couple days later. The Morning of July 25, 1944 all four companies of the Algonquin Regiment landed on Juno Beach
Juno Beach
Juno or Juno Beach was one of five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The sector spanned from Saint-Aubin, a village just east of the British Gold sector, to Courseulles, just west of the British Sword sector...
where, in the following days learnt of their ensuing mission to support the 4th Canadian Armored Division in closing the Falaise Gap. August 9th 1944 the Regiment, supporting BCR (British Columbia Regiment) were tasked with taking Hill 195, taking an unfortunate wrong turn at 0200 hours they ended up four miles east of Hill 195 closer to Hill 140, deep in German territory. The Regiment suffered heavy loses with total casualties of 128 men and 47 tanks. Leading up to August 31 1944 the Algonquin Regiment, moving within the 4th CDN ARMD DIV, were tasked with filling the gap to the south at Hill 240, fighting alongside the Polish ARMD DIV. The Period from August 31 to September 8 was a period of rapid movement into Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, halted on the 8th at the Leopold Canal
Leopold Canal
The Leopold Canal is a canal in northern Belgium. Construction occurred between 1847 and 1850 after the Belgian government granted permission in 1846. It runs about 40 km westward from Boekhoute to Heist-aan-Zee just south of the Dutch border. It is between 1.2 and 2.3 m deep...
. Fighting all day and suffering multiple setbacks resulting in numerous casualties across all the Regiments Coy's, ended August 14 with the allies across the Leopold Canal desperately holding back the German counterattacks. The Regiment continued with the 4th Division north out of Belgium into Holland in a progression of battles for the north shore of the Sheldt area eventually leading to the liberation of Welberg and Steenbergen
Steenbergen
Steenbergen can mean:*Steenbergen, a town and municipality in North Brabant, the Netherlands*Steenbergen , a hamlet in the south of Drenthe, the Netherlands*Steenbergen , a hamlet in the north of Drenthe, the Netherlands...
. The Liberation of Welberg operation was initiated on October 31 1944, however with D coy resting all A, B and C coy's fell short of objectives facing massive German counterattacks. Fighting continued on until November 1st when the regiment retreated back to a few km outside of Welberg. November 2nd they launched their second attack this time along the right side of the town, fighting continued throughout the night, by the end of November 3rd all four coy's had reached their target objectives and succeeded in the liberation of Welberg. From November 5-8th the Algonquin Regiment rested in the Steenbergen area, the period proceeding became known as the winter war (November 1944-February 1945). Leading into Operation Blockbuster
Operation Blockbuster
Operation Blockbuster was the completion of the larger Operation Veritable by the Canadian 1st Army, reinforced by the British XXX Corps. It took place in late February and early March, 1945...
, this dislodgment of the German hinge in Hochwald
Hochwald
Hochwald may refer to:* Hochwald, Switzerland, district of Dorneck in the canton of Solothurn* Hochwald , Saxony, southeastern Germany* Hochwald, a peak in the Hunsrück in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
, February 27 fighting to close the Hochwald gap began by mid day of March 3rd 1945 the allies had completed their objectives. Over the next couple month the Algonquin Regiment continued to fight, as they had been the entire war, under the CND 4th Division crossing the Rhine with the last round up (April 16th-May 4th) cease fire called just past Rastede
Rastede
Rastede is a municipality in the Ammerland district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 12 km north of Oldenburg. It is the site of the Schloss Rastede.-References:...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. As of January 1946 the Algonquin Regiment's final death toll was 65 officers killed and 1235 other soldiers .