The Calgary Highlanders
Encyclopedia
The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Forces
Land Force
Primary Reserve infantry
regiment
, headquartered at Mewata Armouries
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
. The regiment is a part-time reserve unit, under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group
, itself part of Land Force Western Area
(LFWA), one of four land force areas in Canada.
The badge is based on that worn by the 10th Battalion, CEF, which the regiment perpetuates. Significantly, a St. Andrew's Cross
has been added to the design (this is not a representation of the Roman Numeral ten as is often erroneously reported).
The crown is of the reigning monarch; a Tudor Crown was used from the introduction of this badge until 1953, and the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II
. The crown was then changed to a St. Edward's Crown
. These are sometimes referred to as "King's" and "Queen's" Crowns. The beaver and maple leaves are representative of Canada and the scrolls bearing thistles are representative of Scotland. The City of Calgary grew out of Fort Calgary
, established in 1875 and so named by Colonel James Macleod
after Calgary, Scotland
, a location near his sister's home.
The badge appears not only as a cap badge
, but is also seen on the regiment's drums, as well as the Drum Major's Sash and Regimental Pipe Banners.
Oddly, the official granting of battle honours to the 10th Battalion was not done until 15 October of the same year. There was also one minor change; while the Calgary Highlanders were granted "Arras, 1917, '18" as a battle honour, the 10th Battalion's honour read only "Arras, 1917."
While the overall battle of Saint-Julien was considered worthy of a battle honour, to the dismay of those regiments perpetuating the units involved, the counter-attack at Kitcheners' Wood
was not. This counter attack, 22 April 1915, was thrown into the first German gas attack of the war. In recognition of this gallant effort and the persistence of the Winnipeg Light Infantry, the Calgary Highlanders and the Canadian Scottish, a special 'Honorary Distinction' was granted by Order in Council No. 10, 1934, of a special oak leaf shoulder badge now unique in the Canadian armed forces, and worn only by those three regiments at the time of adoption in 1938, and today by only two units, The Calgary Highlanders and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
.
, the capital of lower Normandy
and one of the original D-Day
objectives, this ridge was the dominating feature crucial to the success of any further movements beyond the city. When Caen finally fell one month after D-Day, this ridge, and the adjacent Verrières Ridge, became the scene of much fighting. The Calgary Highlanders launched two attacks on the Bourguébus Ridge, a failed attempt on 25 July 1944 to secure the heights, and a successful action from 7–9 August. The cost of these actions was very high.
Faubourg de Vaucelles — A suburb of Caen, south of the city and the Orne River. During Operation Atlantic
and Operation Goodwood
, the Highlanders launched successful attacks south of the city during the period 18–21 July 1944, notably at Hill 67.
Verrières Ridge, Tilly-la-Campagne
— Adjacent to the Bourguébus Ridge, Verrières Ridge was another dominating feature of which German possession ensured the British and Canadians in Normandy would be pinned against the sea. On 25 July, 5th Brigade assaults on this feature proved costly for the Calgary Highlanders, and especially for the Black Watch
who lost over 300 men in the course of a few hours, making their attack the costliest single day of battle for a single battalion, not counting Dieppe.
Falaise
— The next significant feature after the Verrières Ridge was the town of Falaise
; a German pocket was created when they counterattacked towards Mortain
—the American armies, moving fast from the south under the command of General George S. Patton Jr., threatened to cut off this pocket of Germans and trap an entire army. The northern shoulder of the "Falaise Gap" was the scene of much fighting, and the battle honour covers all the fighting from the eventual breakout at Verrières and Bourguébus ridges, to the final collapse of German resistance on 16 August 1944.
Falaise Road — Operations Tractable
and Totalize
were conducted in the period 7–16 August 1944, and The Calgary Highlanders were involved in fighting along the road to Falaise during this period.
Clair Tison — Located near the Falaise Road, this surprise attack by The Calgary Highlanders on the night of 12–13 August 1944 forced a German abandonment of positions during the Falaise Road fighting, and was executed with very few casualties. The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel DG MacLauchlan, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his handling of this battle.
Forêt de la Londe — This forest, located on the Bourgtheroulde-Rouen Highway, was nestled in a bend of the Seine River and was an excellent defensive position for German forces retreating to the other side of the river. A blocking position here was assaulted and overwhelmed during a series of actions from 28–30 August 1944, with moderate losses to the unit.
Dunkirk, 1944 — Allied supplies were being sent to France mainly via the open beaches in Normandy; the need to secure a sizeable port facility was thus acute. The port of Dunkirk was put under siege, and the Highlanders joined these actions from 6 to 18 September 1944. The action here was mainly patrol work, though a successful battle to liberate the town of Loon Plage stands out from this otherwise dreary episode. The port never fell, and like many of the French Channel ports, it remained in German hands until May 1945.
Wyneghem — In September 1944, the acute need for a port promised to be alleviated by the capture of Antwerp, with its large port facilities intact. However, the British failed to act quickly to secure the Scheldt Estuary, the waterway leading into Antwerp. No Allied ship could come within miles of Antwerp until the large number of coastal guns lining the Scheldt were silenced. The Germans were aware of the importance of the Scheldt, and hastily organized an amalgam of veteran parachute units and low grade infantry units. The Canadian Army moved to clear the lands east of Antwerp, and south of the Albert Canal. Wyneghem was one of the towns in this area, and was cleared of Germans by the Highlanders in September.
Antwerp-Turnhout Canal — This canal was one of the waterworks connecting with the city and its badly needed port facilities. The Calgary Highlanders arrived in this area on 18 September 1944, and on the 21st a bridgehead over the Albert Canal was created by Sergeant Ken Crockett and a handpicked section of ten men. His foray into enemy territory was soon expanded to a company-sized bridgehead, after which the entire 5th Brigade was able to follow. His nomination for a Victoria Cross
was turned down at the highest levels of command for a very well deserved Distinguished Conduct Medal
instead.
The Scheldt — The Scheldt
battles were fought on both sides of this waterway during September, October and the early part of November 1944. All three Canadian divisions in northwest Europe took part in these actions, as well as several other divisions under the command of First Canadian Army
. Major features north of the Scheldt Estuary included, from west to east, Walcheren Island, North Beveland, and the South Beveland Peninsula. To the south of the Estuary was the area known as "The Breskens Pocket". The Calgary Highlanders fought many actions in the Scheldt battles, highlighted by the battle honours listed next.
Woensdrecht
— a village at the base of the South Beveland Peninsula in the southwest of The Netherlands. Any units seeking to gain access to South Beveland had to clear a series of villages in this area of enemy soldiers. From 22–27 October, much fighting was seen in this area between the 5th Brigade and veteran German paratroops of Battle Group Chill.
South Beveland — a long peninsula marking the northern boundary of the Scheldt Estuary, the waterway through which Allied ships would have to sail to reach Antwerp and shorten Allied supply lines, still being traced over land all the way back to Normandy. The failure to secure a port closer to the front line meant the expenditure of thousands of gallons of gasoline trucking supplies through France, Belgium and Holland. The Highlanders fought their way west down the peninsula with the rest of the 2nd Canadian Division, in order to reach Walcheren Island and silence the many German coastal batteries there.
Walcheren Causeway
— After South Beveland was secured, the only land route to Walcheren Island—last holdouts on the Scheldt Estuary—was a long causeway just 40 metres wide and over 1000 metres long. The Slooe Channel through which the causeway ran was too shallow for assault boats, and the salt marshes and mud made the way impassable to land vehicles or marching infantry. On Hallowe'en Night, the Calgary Highlanders followed up a disastrous attack by the Black Watch on the causeway, and managed to force a shallow bridgehead on the far end. Fierce fighting ensued, and the Highlanders were relieved by Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
on 1 November. Sixty-four Highlanders were killed or wounded in the action; the ferocity of the fighting was testified to by the actions of Sergeant Emile Laloge, who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for, among other things, picking up German grenades and throwing them back at the enemy before they could explode among his men. This battle is commemorated each year by the regiment with a drumhead ceremony and visit from the Dutch community.
The Rhineland — After the Battle of the Scheldt, the Canadian Army spent the winter of 1944–45 in static positions in the Nijmegen Salient. The next big offensive action was in February and Operation Veritable
, when all remaining land west of the River Rhine—the last great barrier between the Allies and the heart of Germany—was to be cleared in anticipation of a massive assault crossing of the great obstacle itself. The fighting in the Rhineland
was fought in terrible conditions of terrain and weather, and the Calgary Highlanders' part in that fighting is exemplified by the other battle honours, listed below, earned in that campaign.
The Reichswald — a small forest by the Hochwald which needed to be cleared to make possession of the Hochwald possible. The fighting here was part of Operation Blockbuster
.
The Hochwald — A small national forest just east of the Dutch border, south of the River Rhine. This forest blocked access to the town of Xanten
, which was a key German defensive position on the Allied side of the river. Several difficult and costly actions were fought here, also as part of Operation Blockbuster, which commenced 26 February 1945 and ended with the capture of Xanten on 7 March.
Xanten — Key defensive position defending the approaches to the River Rhine, and ultimate objective of Operation Blockbuster. Xanten was completely ruined in the bitter fighting there.
The Rhine — The bitter fighting in the Rhineland paved the way for the much anticipated assault crossing of the Rhine which went ahead on 23 March 1945. Units of the Third Canadian Division participated in the earliest battles on the far side of the Rhine, with units of the Second Canadian Division crossing over after the bridgehead was formed. One of the major battles of this phase was in Doetinchem
in which the Calgary Highlanders played a major part.
Groningen — Capital city of the province of Groningen
in the northeast of the Netherlands, this city was held by a mixed force of Germans, stiffened with Dutch SS who felt compelled to fight to the death. The Calgary Highlanders participated in the assault on the city, attacking from the west on 14 April 1945, penetrating the Oranje Kwartier (Orange Quarter) and paving the way for the Black Watch and Régiment de Maisonneuve to advance into the inner city.
Oldenburg — Final battle fought by The Calgary Highlanders in the Second World War, on German soil once again just east of the Dutch border, on 3–4 May 1945. The regiment was in place in Oldenburg
on VE Day, 8 May 1945. "Betsy', the only surviving 6-pounder gun of the original 6-gun platoon, fired the last shot of the regiment in World War II here. During the approach to Oldenburg, heavy fighting took place at Gruppenbühren, for which several awards for valour were made.
North-West Europe, 1944–45 — An all encompassing battle honour reflecting the long march of the regiment from the initial landing in Normandy on 6 July 1944 to the final shots in May 1945. Over 400 Calgary Highlanders were killed during this campaign.
and instead received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The Calgary Highlanders adopted many dress distinctions of the allied regiment in Scotland
in the 1920s and continue to cherish those distinctions into the 21st century, including the red and white diced Glengarry
worn by all ranks (except pipers), the badger head sporran
worn by officers, warrant officers, and senior NCOs, the six-point horsehair sporran worn by junior NCOs (except pipers), and the striped necktie of the 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, also worn by officers, warrant officers, senior NCOs, pipers and drummers of The Calgary Highlanders. It is unclear if any of these dress distinctions will continue to be worn in Scotland now that the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
(Princess Louise's) have been amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
; however, the 103rd Regiment contributed men to several overseas battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
beginning in 1914, including the 10th Battalion.
In 1921, the Canadian Militia was reorganized and the 103rd Regiment became simply "The Calgary Regiment". The 1st Battalion of this new unit became known as the Calgary Highlanders. The regiment was permitted to perpetuate the history of the 10th Battalion, CEF, and inherited that units battle honour
s (granted in 1929) as well as inheriting the memory of two Victoria Cross
holders, Acting Sergeant Arthur George Knight
and Private Harry Brown
, both of whom were awarded the VC posthumously in the last year and a half of the Great War.
The Calgary Highlanders perpetuate the 10th
, 56th and 82nd
Battalions, Canadian Expeditionary Force.
In the mid 1920s, the regiment formed an official alliance with The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) of the British Army
. In 2006, that affiliation officially ended as the Imperial Argylls were absorbed into the Royal Regiment of Scotland. It is unclear if previous affiliations will be permissible between single battalions of the new regiment, or if any future affiliations will be with the regiment as a whole. In either event, all Canadian regiments now affiliated with British regiments scheduled for amalgamation will need to be renewed separately.
In the late 1930s, a special oakleaf shoulder badge was bestowed to the regiment in honour of the first combat action of the 10th Battalion, at Kitcheners' Wood during the Battle of St. Julien, part of the Second Battle of Ypres
fought in April 1915 in the area of Belgium
known as Flanders
.
, Manitoba
. The Calgary Highlanders, CASF (Canadian Active Service Force) joined the Second Canadian Division there, and the 2nd Battalion was raised in Calgary for part time service.
In September 1940, the 1st Battalion arrived in England
.
During the Dieppe Raid
of August 1942, the mortar platoon commanded by Lieutenant FJ Reynolds was attached to the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade but stayed offshore during the raid. Sergeants Lyster and Pittaway were decorated with a Mention in Despatches for their part in shooting down two German aircraft during the raid, and one officer of the regiment was killed while ashore with a brigade headquarters.
The Calgary Highlanders pioneered battle drill
for the Canadian Army, which was a realistic system of training infantry
for the hardships of modern war. They themselves learned battle drill from the British 47th Division.
On 6 July 1944, one month after the Normandy
landings, the regiment landed in France
. In Operation Spring, the Calgary Highlanders were part of the Battle of Verrières Ridge
, along with the Black Watch
, in which the regiment took heavy casualties. The unit saw extensive action in Normandy, marched through Dieppe with the 2nd Division in September 1944 as liberators, then moved on to the fighting for the Channel Ports
. By the end of September the regiment was in Belgium and forced a crossing of the Albert Canal
, northeast of Antwerp.
The regiment saw extensive fighting in the Netherlands in October 1944, opening the way to South Beveland, and then west to the Walcheren Island Causeway
where the brigade fought an extended battle beginning on Hallowe'en night.
From November to February 1945 the regiment wintered in the Nijmegen Salient, then was back in action in the Rhineland
fighting, clearing the last approaches to the River Rhine itself. Fighting resumed on the far bank in March, and city fighting in Doetinchem
and Groningen followed. The regiment ended the war on VE Day on German soil.
The Victory Campaign had cost The Calgary Highlanders over 400 men killed, from a war establishment of just over 800 men. Several times that many were wounded in action.
In the 1980s, the regiment trained as mechanized infantry using the Grizzly Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Militiamen and even army cadets were routinely flown to NATO exercises in Germany, Norway and Alaska to participate in realistic training, as the perceived threat of Warsaw Pact
military aggression was felt to be high. After the fall of the Berlin Wall
and the end of the Cold War
, the emphasis on training throughout Force Mobile Command moved away from large-scale armoured formations fighting Soviet tank formations in central Europe. The Grizzlies were withdrawn by the mid 1990s and the regiment resumed training in a light infantry role.
Most significantly, The Calgary Highlanders have contributed hundreds of soldiers to peacekeeping missions in the years since 1945, including peacekeeping, peace enforcing, and observation missions in Cambodia, the Persian Gulf, the Middle East, the former Yugoslavia, and Sudan. Recently, they have contributed soldiers to the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, including the deployment in early 2008 of 55 soldiers.
The regiment observed its centennial in 2010, an anniversary shared with its sister unit, The King's Own Calgary Regiment, as well as fellow unit in the Calgary garrison, 14 (Calgary) Service Battalion, as well as the Canadian Navy (represented in Calgary by ). The centennial was marked by several unique events, including the last ever military parade at Currie Barracks in Calgary, and an overseas pilgrimage to battlefield sites and places of regimental significance which included the dedication of plaques at Hill 67 and Clair Tison. Also originally part of the centennial events was the announcement of a Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
, which will now be dedicated on the anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in 2011.
of the Aryglls is worn by all ranks (except pipers, who wear black). In combat dress, the khaki tam o'shanter
is worn by junior NCMs with the balmoral
worn by senior NCMs and officers. A cap badge in yellow metal is worn by trained privates who are not yet infantry qualified. Infantry qualified junior NCMs wear a bronze cap badge, and senior NCMs, officers, and pipe band musicians all wear a nickel-plated cap badge. Tradesmen wear the badge of their branch, as appropriate.
.
The Government tartan kilt is worn, with pleats arranged in box style according to the pattern worn by the Argylls. Several types of sporran are worn. All ranks wear a brown leather purse when in walking-out dress (i.e. with green Lovat hose); NCMs wear a simpler version with brass stud closure, officers wear a separate pattern with hidden snap fastener. For dress parades (commanding officer's parade dress), corporals and master corporals wear the six-point horsehair sporran while senior NCMs and officers wear a badger head sporran. Pipers wear three-point horsehair sporrans while the pipe major and drum major wear a separate pattern of three-point sporran. Hose tops and diced hose are in red/white dice, with pipers wearing Rob Roy tartan (red/black dice).
Honorary Colonel Richard Bennett originally outfitted the Pipes and Drums with Royal Stewart tartan kilts and plaids in the 1920s; when the band of the 1st Battalion arrived in England in 1940 they were very quickly informed that Royal Stewart was the prerogative of royal regiments only, and they were to cease wear of that tartan at once. Pipers in the 2nd Battalion (Calgary) continued to wear Royal Stewart tartan until 1947.
for officers and senior NCMs is based closely on that worn by the Argylls; Honorary Colonel Mannix approved a new distinctive pattern officers' mess jacket in the 1980s, which featured buttons on a turn-back cuff, which differed from the Argylls pattern.
, the Clan of the Gallant Canadians
, in 1992.
During the Second World War, The Glen was the regimental newspaper of the overseas battalion beginning in September 1939, and The Glen continues to be the regimental journal of the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association. The Glen is published semi-regularly.
, The Netherlands, recommended that the city park be renamed in honour of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Tennant
and that a monument for the Calgary Highlanders who were killed in the fighting there be established. Tennant distinguished himself during the battle for Doetinchem where the Highlanders fought to clear the city between 1 and 3 April 1945.
As a measure of thanks on the 50th anniversary of Holland's liberation, the City of Doetinchem named the park "Mark Tennantplantsoen – Een Canadese bevrijder" – "Mark Tennant Park, A Canadian Liberator." Trees in the park still contained shrapnel; mute evidence of the fighting that raged there in April 1945.
The Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
will bear the names of all Calgary area soldiers who died in war from 1914, with separate sections for both the 10th Battalion, CEF
and the Calgary Highlanders.
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."...
Land Force
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
Primary Reserve infantry
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...
, headquartered at Mewata Armouries
Mewata Armouries
Mewata Armoury is a Canadian Forces reserve armoury in Calgary, Alberta.The building was built between 1915 and 1918 for an original cost of $282,051 Canadian dollars. The building was designed by T.W. Fuller and the project was supervised locally by Calgary architect Leo Dowler...
in Calgary, Alberta, 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 regiment is a part-time reserve unit, under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group
41 Canadian Brigade Group
41 Canadian Brigade Group is a brigade group that is part of Land Forces Western Area of the Canadian Army. It is a reserve formation and is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, at the former location of CFB Calgary....
, itself part of Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area is one of four operational commands of the Canadian Army. LFWA is responsible for all Canadian Army administration and operations in western Canada from the Pacific Ocean to Thunder Bay, Ontario...
(LFWA), one of four land force areas in Canada.
Armourial description
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
has been added to the design (this is not a representation of the Roman Numeral ten as is often erroneously reported).
The crown is of the reigning monarch; a Tudor Crown was used from the introduction of this badge until 1953, and the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. The crown was then changed to a St. Edward's Crown
St. Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
. These are sometimes referred to as "King's" and "Queen's" Crowns. The beaver and maple leaves are representative of Canada and the scrolls bearing thistles are representative of Scotland. The City of Calgary grew out of Fort Calgary
Fort Calgary
Fort Calgary was established in 1875 as Fort Brisebois by the North-West Mounted Police, located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers in what is now Calgary, Alberta.-History:...
, established in 1875 and so named by Colonel James Macleod
James Macleod
Lieutenant-Colonel James Farquharson Macleod , born in Drynoch, Isle of Skye, Scotland, was a militia officer, lawyer, NWMP officer, magistrate, judge, and politician in Alberta. He served as the second Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police, from July 22, 1876, to October 31, 1880...
after Calgary, Scotland
Calgary, Mull
The wide sand beach at Calgary is possibly the best in Mull, and its idyllic location makes it one of the finest in Scotland. Calgary Bay is located on the north west of Mull about past Dervaig, from the island's capital Tobermory, and is framed by low hills, partly wooded. A broad area of...
, a location near his sister's home.
The badge appears not only as a cap badge
Cap badge
A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
, but is also seen on the regiment's drums, as well as the Drum Major's Sash and Regimental Pipe Banners.
Regimental names
- 1910: Raised as the 103rd Regiment "Calgary Rifles"
- 1914: contributed men to several battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary ForceCanadian Expeditionary ForceThe 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...
, most notably the 10th Battalion, CEF10th Battalion, CEFThe 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a Canadian field force unit created during the First World War. Technically distinct from the Militia from which its soldiers were drawn the unit served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force , specifically in the 1st Canadian Division from 1914 to...
, whom they perpetuate. - 1920: 103rd reorganized into The Calgary Regiment and The Alberta Regiment
- 1921: The Calgary Regiment divided into six battalions, the 1st Battalion became The Calgary Highlanders and 2nd Battalion became The Calgary Regiment (later King's Own Calgary Regiment). The 3rd, 4th and 5th battalions were paper units that were never formed; they disbanded in the 1936 reorganizations of the Militia.
| 1910 | 103rd Regt "Calgary Rifles" | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | 10th Bn, CEF 10th Battalion, CEF The 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a Canadian field force unit created during the First World War. Technically distinct from the Militia from which its soldiers were drawn the unit served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force , specifically in the 1st Canadian Division from 1914 to... |
56th Bn, CEF | ||
| 1915 | 82nd "Overseas" Bn, CEF 82nd Battalion, CEF The 82nd Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Calgary, Alberta, the unit began recruiting in the late summer of 1915 in that city. After sailing to England in May 1916, the battalion was absorbed into the 9th Battalion, CEF, on July... |
|||
| 1916 | Absorbed by 9th Reserve Bn, CEF | Absorbed by 9th Reserve Bn, CEF | ||
| 1920 | Disbanded | 1st Bn, The Calgary Regt | 2nd Bn, The Calgary Regt | The Alberta Regt |
| 1921 | 1st Bn, Calgary Highlanders, The Calgary Regt | |||
| 1924 | The Calgary Highlanders | The Calgary Regt | ||
| 1939 | The Calgary Highlanders, CASF | |||
| 1940 | 1st Bn, The Calgary Highlanders, CASF | 2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Calgary Highlanders | ||
| 1945 | Disbanded | The Calgary Highlanders | ||
Battle honours
The process for awarding battle honours for the First World War took over a decade, and The Calgary Highlanders were first awarded battle honours for the actions of the 10th Battalion, CEF, on 15 September 1929.Oddly, the official granting of battle honours to the 10th Battalion was not done until 15 October of the same year. There was also one minor change; while the Calgary Highlanders were granted "Arras, 1917, '18" as a battle honour, the 10th Battalion's honour read only "Arras, 1917."
While the overall battle of Saint-Julien was considered worthy of a battle honour, to the dismay of those regiments perpetuating the units involved, the counter-attack at Kitcheners' Wood
Battle of Kitcheners' Wood
The Battle of Kitcheners' Wood was fought during World War I during the Second Battle of Ypres.-Location:The name of this oak plantation derived from the French name, Bois-de-Cuisinères, where French troops housed their field kitchens, and not in reference as is sometimes thought to the British...
was not. This counter attack, 22 April 1915, was thrown into the first German gas attack of the war. In recognition of this gallant effort and the persistence of the Winnipeg Light Infantry, the Calgary Highlanders and the Canadian Scottish, a special 'Honorary Distinction' was granted by Order in Council No. 10, 1934, of a special oak leaf shoulder badge now unique in the Canadian armed forces, and worn only by those three regiments at the time of adoption in 1938, and today by only two units, The Calgary Highlanders and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
The Canadian Scottish Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based on Vancouver Island British Columbia.The regiment is located in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Courtenay, British Columbia...
.
Battle honours – First World War
for complete descriptions- Ypres, 1915, '17
- Gravenstafel
- Saint-Julien
- Festubert, 1915
- Mount Sorrel
- Somme, 1916
- Thiepval
- Ancre Heights
- Arras, 1917, '18
- Vimy, 1917
- Arleux
- Hill 70
- Passchendaele
- Amiens
- Scarpe, 1918
- Drocourt-Quéant
- Hindenburg Line
- Canal du Nord
- Pursuit to Mons
- France and Flanders, 1915–18
Battle honour descriptions – Second World War
Bourguebus Ridge — located to the south of CaenCaen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
, the capital of lower 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:...
and one of the original D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
objectives, this ridge was the dominating feature crucial to the success of any further movements beyond the city. When Caen finally fell one month after D-Day, this ridge, and the adjacent Verrières Ridge, became the scene of much fighting. The Calgary Highlanders launched two attacks on the Bourguébus Ridge, a failed attempt on 25 July 1944 to secure the heights, and a successful action from 7–9 August. The cost of these actions was very high.
Faubourg de Vaucelles — A suburb of Caen, south of the city and the Orne River. During Operation Atlantic
Operation Atlantic
Operation Atlantic was a Canadian offensive during the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War, from July 18–21, 1944. This Canadian offensive was launched in conjunction with a British-led offensive, Operation Goodwood...
and Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
, the Highlanders launched successful attacks south of the city during the period 18–21 July 1944, notably at Hill 67.
Verrières Ridge, Tilly-la-Campagne
Operation Spring
Operation Spring was an offensive operation conducted by II Canadian Corps during the Normandy campaign. The plan was intended to create pressure on the German forces operating on the British and Canadian front simultaneously to American offensive operations in their sector known as Operation...
— Adjacent to the Bourguébus Ridge, Verrières Ridge was another dominating feature of which German possession ensured the British and Canadians in Normandy would be pinned against the sea. On 25 July, 5th Brigade assaults on this feature proved costly for the Calgary Highlanders, and especially for the Black Watch
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
The Black Watch of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde...
who lost over 300 men in the course of a few hours, making their attack the costliest single day of battle for a single battalion, not counting Dieppe.
Falaise
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
— The next significant feature after the Verrières Ridge was the town of Falaise
Falaise
Falaise is the name of several communes in France:* Falaise, Ardennes* Falaise, Calvados** The Falaise pocket was the site of a battle in the Second World War* La Falaise, in the Yvelines département* The Falaise escarpment in Quebec City...
; a German pocket was created when they counterattacked towards Mortain
Mortain
Mortain is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune.-Administration:Mortain is the seat of a canton...
—the American armies, moving fast from the south under the command of General George S. Patton Jr., threatened to cut off this pocket of Germans and trap an entire army. The northern shoulder of the "Falaise Gap" was the scene of much fighting, and the battle honour covers all the fighting from the eventual breakout at Verrières and Bourguébus ridges, to the final collapse of German resistance on 16 August 1944.
Falaise Road — Operations Tractable
Operation Tractable
Operation Tractable was the final offensive conducted by Canadian and Polish Army troops as part of the Battle of Normandy. The goal of this operation was to capture the strategically important French town of Falaise, and following that, the smaller towns of Trun and Chambois...
and Totalize
Operation Totalise
Operation Totalize was an offensive launched by Allied troops of the First Canadian Army during the later stages of the Operation Overlord, from August 8 to August 13, 1944...
were conducted in the period 7–16 August 1944, and The Calgary Highlanders were involved in fighting along the road to Falaise during this period.
Clair Tison — Located near the Falaise Road, this surprise attack by The Calgary Highlanders on the night of 12–13 August 1944 forced a German abandonment of positions during the Falaise Road fighting, and was executed with very few casualties. The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel DG MacLauchlan, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for his handling of this battle.
Forêt de la Londe — This forest, located on the Bourgtheroulde-Rouen Highway, was nestled in a bend of the Seine River and was an excellent defensive position for German forces retreating to the other side of the river. A blocking position here was assaulted and overwhelmed during a series of actions from 28–30 August 1944, with moderate losses to the unit.
Dunkirk, 1944 — Allied supplies were being sent to France mainly via the open beaches in Normandy; the need to secure a sizeable port facility was thus acute. The port of Dunkirk was put under siege, and the Highlanders joined these actions from 6 to 18 September 1944. The action here was mainly patrol work, though a successful battle to liberate the town of Loon Plage stands out from this otherwise dreary episode. The port never fell, and like many of the French Channel ports, it remained in German hands until May 1945.
Wyneghem — In September 1944, the acute need for a port promised to be alleviated by the capture of Antwerp, with its large port facilities intact. However, the British failed to act quickly to secure the Scheldt Estuary, the waterway leading into Antwerp. No Allied ship could come within miles of Antwerp until the large number of coastal guns lining the Scheldt were silenced. The Germans were aware of the importance of the Scheldt, and hastily organized an amalgam of veteran parachute units and low grade infantry units. The Canadian Army moved to clear the lands east of Antwerp, and south of the Albert Canal. Wyneghem was one of the towns in this area, and was cleared of Germans by the Highlanders in September.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
was turned down at the highest levels of command for a very well deserved Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
instead.
The Scheldt — The Scheldt
Battle of the Scheldt
The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
battles were fought on both sides of this waterway during September, October and the early part of November 1944. All three Canadian divisions in northwest Europe took part in these actions, as well as several other divisions under the command of First Canadian Army
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps...
. Major features north of the Scheldt Estuary included, from west to east, Walcheren Island, North Beveland, and the South Beveland Peninsula. To the south of the Estuary was the area known as "The Breskens Pocket". The Calgary Highlanders fought many actions in the Scheldt battles, highlighted by the battle honours listed next.
Woensdrecht
Woensdrecht
Woensdrecht is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands.Woensdrecht is mainly known for Woensdrecht Air Base. In 1983 it was decided that the US would station 48 nuclear armed cruise missiles here, unless the USSR would reduce the number of SS-20 missiles to 378. Since the number was...
— a village at the base of the South Beveland Peninsula in the southwest of The Netherlands. Any units seeking to gain access to South Beveland had to clear a series of villages in this area of enemy soldiers. From 22–27 October, much fighting was seen in this area between the 5th Brigade and veteran German paratroops of Battle Group Chill.
South Beveland — a long peninsula marking the northern boundary of the Scheldt Estuary, the waterway through which Allied ships would have to sail to reach Antwerp and shorten Allied supply lines, still being traced over land all the way back to Normandy. The failure to secure a port closer to the front line meant the expenditure of thousands of gallons of gasoline trucking supplies through France, Belgium and Holland. The Highlanders fought their way west down the peninsula with the rest of the 2nd Canadian Division, in order to reach Walcheren Island and silence the many German coastal batteries there.
Walcheren Causeway
Battle of Walcheren Causeway
The Battle of Walcheren Causeway was an engagement of the Battle of the Scheldt between the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, elements of the British 52nd Infantry Division, notably the Glasgow Highlanders, and troops of the German 15th Army in 1944...
— After South Beveland was secured, the only land route to Walcheren Island—last holdouts on the Scheldt Estuary—was a long causeway just 40 metres wide and over 1000 metres long. The Slooe Channel through which the causeway ran was too shallow for assault boats, and the salt marshes and mud made the way impassable to land vehicles or marching infantry. On Hallowe'en Night, the Calgary Highlanders followed up a disastrous attack by the Black Watch on the causeway, and managed to force a shallow bridgehead on the far end. Fierce fighting ensued, and the Highlanders were relieved by Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
Le Régiment de Maisonneuve is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.The regiment is Canada's twenty-sixth most senior reserve infantry regiment, and comprises one battalion serving as part of the Land Force Reserve.-History:...
on 1 November. Sixty-four Highlanders were killed or wounded in the action; the ferocity of the fighting was testified to by the actions of Sergeant Emile Laloge, who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for, among other things, picking up German grenades and throwing them back at the enemy before they could explode among his men. This battle is commemorated each year by the regiment with a drumhead ceremony and visit from the Dutch community.
The Rhineland — After the Battle of the Scheldt, the Canadian Army spent the winter of 1944–45 in static positions in the Nijmegen Salient. The next big offensive action was in February and Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable was a Second World War pincer movement conducted by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group to clear and occupy the land between the Rhine and Maas rivers. It took place between 8 February and 11 March 1945. It was a part of General Dwight Eisenhower's "broad front"...
, when all remaining land west of the River Rhine—the last great barrier between the Allies and the heart of Germany—was to be cleared in anticipation of a massive assault crossing of the great obstacle itself. The fighting in the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
was fought in terrible conditions of terrain and weather, and the Calgary Highlanders' part in that fighting is exemplified by the other battle honours, listed below, earned in that campaign.
The Reichswald — a small forest by the Hochwald which needed to be cleared to make possession of the Hochwald possible. The fighting here was part of 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...
.
The Hochwald — A small national forest just east of the Dutch border, south of the River Rhine. This forest blocked access to the town of Xanten
Xanten
Xanten is a historic town in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany, located in the district of Wesel.Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park or archaeological open air museum , its medieval picturesque city centre with Xanten Cathedral and many museums, its large man-made lake for...
, which was a key German defensive position on the Allied side of the river. Several difficult and costly actions were fought here, also as part of Operation Blockbuster, which commenced 26 February 1945 and ended with the capture of Xanten on 7 March.
Xanten — Key defensive position defending the approaches to the River Rhine, and ultimate objective of Operation Blockbuster. Xanten was completely ruined in the bitter fighting there.
The Rhine — The bitter fighting in the Rhineland paved the way for the much anticipated assault crossing of the Rhine which went ahead on 23 March 1945. Units of the Third Canadian Division participated in the earliest battles on the far side of the Rhine, with units of the Second Canadian Division crossing over after the bridgehead was formed. One of the major battles of this phase was in Doetinchem
Doetinchem
Doetinchem is a city and municipality in the east of the Netherlands. It is situated along the Oude IJssel river in a part of the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . The municipality has 56,700 inhabitants and has an area of 79.66 km²...
in which the Calgary Highlanders played a major part.
Groningen — Capital city of the province of Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
in the northeast of the Netherlands, this city was held by a mixed force of Germans, stiffened with Dutch SS who felt compelled to fight to the death. The Calgary Highlanders participated in the assault on the city, attacking from the west on 14 April 1945, penetrating the Oranje Kwartier (Orange Quarter) and paving the way for the Black Watch and Régiment de Maisonneuve to advance into the inner city.
Oldenburg — Final battle fought by The Calgary Highlanders in the Second World War, on German soil once again just east of the Dutch border, on 3–4 May 1945. The regiment was in place in Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
on VE Day, 8 May 1945. "Betsy', the only surviving 6-pounder gun of the original 6-gun platoon, fired the last shot of the regiment in World War II here. During the approach to Oldenburg, heavy fighting took place at Gruppenbühren, for which several awards for valour were made.
North-West Europe, 1944–45 — An all encompassing battle honour reflecting the long march of the regiment from the initial landing in Normandy on 6 July 1944 to the final shots in May 1945. Over 400 Calgary Highlanders were killed during this campaign.
Basic facts
Sergeant Clarence "Ken" Crockett, DCM of the 1st Battalion, Calgary Highlanders, was nominated for the Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
and instead received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The Calgary Highlanders adopted many dress distinctions of the allied regiment in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the 1920s and continue to cherish those distinctions into the 21st century, including the red and white diced Glengarry
Glengarry
The glengarry bonnet is a traditional boat-shaped hat without a peak made of thick-milled woollen material with a toorie on top, a rosette cockade on the left, and ribbons hanging down behind...
worn by all ranks (except pipers), the badger head sporran
Sporran
The Sporran is a traditional part of male Scottish Highland dress. It is a pouch that performs the same function as pockets on the pocketless Scottish kilt....
worn by officers, warrant officers, and senior NCOs, the six-point horsehair sporran worn by junior NCOs (except pipers), and the striped necktie of the 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, also worn by officers, warrant officers, senior NCOs, pipers and drummers of The Calgary Highlanders. It is unclear if any of these dress distinctions will continue to be worn in Scotland now that the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
(Princess Louise's) have been amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
History 1910–1938
The regiment dates back to 1 April 1910 and the creation of the 103rd Regiment, Calgary Rifles, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel WCG Armstrong. The regiment did not mobilize for the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; however, the 103rd Regiment contributed men to several overseas battalions 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...
beginning in 1914, including the 10th Battalion.
In 1921, the Canadian Militia was reorganized and the 103rd Regiment became simply "The Calgary Regiment". The 1st Battalion of this new unit became known as the Calgary Highlanders. The regiment was permitted to perpetuate the history of the 10th Battalion, CEF, and inherited that units 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 (granted in 1929) as well as inheriting the memory of two Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
holders, Acting Sergeant Arthur George Knight
Arthur George Knight
Arthur George Knight VC , was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Knight was one of seven Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 2...
and Private Harry Brown
Harry Brown (VC)
Harry W. Brown, VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross during the First World War.-Biography:Harry Brown, from Ganonoque, Ontario, was born on 10 May 1898. He was a farmer in civilian life...
, both of whom were awarded the VC posthumously in the last year and a half of the Great War.
The Calgary Highlanders perpetuate the 10th
10th Battalion, CEF
The 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a Canadian field force unit created during the First World War. Technically distinct from the Militia from which its soldiers were drawn the unit served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force , specifically in the 1st Canadian Division from 1914 to...
, 56th and 82nd
82nd Battalion, CEF
The 82nd Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Calgary, Alberta, the unit began recruiting in the late summer of 1915 in that city. After sailing to England in May 1916, the battalion was absorbed into the 9th Battalion, CEF, on July...
Battalions, Canadian Expeditionary Force.
In the mid 1920s, the regiment formed an official alliance with The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. In 2006, that affiliation officially ended as the Imperial Argylls were absorbed into the Royal Regiment of Scotland. It is unclear if previous affiliations will be permissible between single battalions of the new regiment, or if any future affiliations will be with the regiment as a whole. In either event, all Canadian regiments now affiliated with British regiments scheduled for amalgamation will need to be renewed separately.
In the late 1930s, a special oakleaf shoulder badge was bestowed to the regiment in honour of the first combat action of the 10th Battalion, at Kitcheners' Wood during the Battle of St. Julien, part of the Second Battle of Ypres
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
fought in April 1915 in the area of 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...
known as Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
.
History 1939–1945
On 1 September 1939, the Calgary Highlanders were ordered to mobilize for the Second World War. The regiment trained in Calgary until the summer of 1940 when it departed for CFB ShiloCFB 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...
, 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...
. The Calgary Highlanders, CASF (Canadian Active Service Force) joined the Second Canadian Division there, and the 2nd Battalion was raised in Calgary for part time service.
In September 1940, the 1st Battalion arrived in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
During the Dieppe Raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
of August 1942, the mortar platoon commanded by Lieutenant FJ Reynolds was attached to the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade but stayed offshore during the raid. Sergeants Lyster and Pittaway were decorated with a Mention in Despatches for their part in shooting down two German aircraft during the raid, and one officer of the regiment was killed while ashore with a brigade headquarters.
The Calgary Highlanders pioneered battle drill
Battle drill
An Infantry battle drill describes how platoons and squads apply fire and maneuver to commonly encountered situations. They require leaders to make decisions rapidly and to issue brief oral orders quickly....
for the Canadian Army, which was a realistic system of training infantry
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...
for the hardships of modern war. They themselves learned battle drill from the British 47th Division.
On 6 July 1944, one month after the Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
landings, the regiment landed 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...
. In Operation Spring, the Calgary Highlanders were part of the Battle of Verrières Ridge
Battle of Verrières Ridge
The Battle of Verrières Ridge was a series of engagements fought as part of the Battle of Normandy, in western France, during the Second World War. The main combatants were two Canadian infantry divisions—with additional support from the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade—against elements of three...
, along with the Black Watch
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
The Black Watch of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde...
, in which the regiment took heavy casualties. The unit saw extensive action in Normandy, marched through Dieppe with the 2nd Division in September 1944 as liberators, then moved on to the fighting for the Channel Ports
Channel Ports
The Channel Ports are seaports in southern England and the facing continent, which allow for short crossings of the English Channel. There is no formal definition, but there is a general understanding of the term. Some ferry companies divide their routes into "short" and "long" crossings...
. By the end of September the regiment was in Belgium and forced a crossing of the Albert Canal
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...
, northeast of Antwerp.
The regiment saw extensive fighting in the Netherlands in October 1944, opening the way to South Beveland, and then west to the Walcheren Island Causeway
Battle of Walcheren Causeway
The Battle of Walcheren Causeway was an engagement of the Battle of the Scheldt between the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, elements of the British 52nd Infantry Division, notably the Glasgow Highlanders, and troops of the German 15th Army in 1944...
where the brigade fought an extended battle beginning on Hallowe'en night.
From November to February 1945 the regiment wintered in the Nijmegen Salient, then was back in action in the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
fighting, clearing the last approaches to the River Rhine itself. Fighting resumed on the far bank in March, and city fighting in Doetinchem
Doetinchem
Doetinchem is a city and municipality in the east of the Netherlands. It is situated along the Oude IJssel river in a part of the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . The municipality has 56,700 inhabitants and has an area of 79.66 km²...
and Groningen followed. The regiment ended the war on VE Day on German soil.
The Victory Campaign had cost The Calgary Highlanders over 400 men killed, from a war establishment of just over 800 men. Several times that many were wounded in action.
History 1945–2009
The Calgary Highlanders continued to train infantry soldiers in the late 1940s and into the 1950s, with some soldiers volunteering on an individual basis for service in Korea. The regiment was not asked to contribute subunits to the brigades serving in West Germany. In the 1960s, as nuclear détente between the United States and the Soviet Union mounted, Militia units in Canada moved away from warfighting roles into national disaster training, a role not very well liked. By the 1970s, the Militia had once again focussed its training activities on war fighting.In the 1980s, the regiment trained as mechanized infantry using the Grizzly Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Militiamen and even army cadets were routinely flown to NATO exercises in Germany, Norway and Alaska to participate in realistic training, as the perceived threat of Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
military aggression was felt to be high. After the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
and the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the emphasis on training throughout Force Mobile Command moved away from large-scale armoured formations fighting Soviet tank formations in central Europe. The Grizzlies were withdrawn by the mid 1990s and the regiment resumed training in a light infantry role.
Most significantly, The Calgary Highlanders have contributed hundreds of soldiers to peacekeeping missions in the years since 1945, including peacekeeping, peace enforcing, and observation missions in Cambodia, the Persian Gulf, the Middle East, the former Yugoslavia, and Sudan. Recently, they have contributed soldiers to the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, including the deployment in early 2008 of 55 soldiers.
History 2010 to present
Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
The Calgary Soldiers' Memorial is a war monument in Calgary, Alberta that was dedicated on April 9, 2011, the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The monument is dedicated to Calgary area soldiers who have given their lives in war and military service overseas...
, which will now be dedicated on the anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in 2011.
Uniform distinctions
In addition to the cap badge and oak leaf shoulder titles mentioned above, the regiment wears several other notable distinctions of dress.Headdress
The red and white diced glengarryGlengarry
The glengarry bonnet is a traditional boat-shaped hat without a peak made of thick-milled woollen material with a toorie on top, a rosette cockade on the left, and ribbons hanging down behind...
of the Aryglls is worn by all ranks (except pipers, who wear black). In combat dress, the khaki tam o'shanter
Tam o'shanter (hat)
A Tam o' Shanter is a Scottish style hat originally worn by men. The hat is named after a character in a poem written by Robert Burns in 1790...
is worn by junior NCMs with the balmoral
Balmoral bonnet
The Balmoral is a traditional Scottish hat that can be worn as part of formal or informal Highland dress. Dating back to at least the 16th century, it takes the form of a knitted, soft wool cap with a flat crown...
worn by senior NCMs and officers. A cap badge in yellow metal is worn by trained privates who are not yet infantry qualified. Infantry qualified junior NCMs wear a bronze cap badge, and senior NCMs, officers, and pipe band musicians all wear a nickel-plated cap badge. Tradesmen wear the badge of their branch, as appropriate.
Ceremonial dress
The theoretical full dress uniform for the regiment would be a scarlet jacket and feather bonnet; this uniform has never been worn in actuality. The regiment did adopt a green coatee in the 1950s, and has retained it as the standard ceremonial uniform; they are worn only by the regimental colour party or by small parties for special occasions (such as weddings, etc.). The Pipes and Drums have always retained full ceremonial band dress, consisting of green doublets for pipers and scarlet doublets with crown lace for drummers. Pipers wear a black cock feather in their glengarries in full dress, with drummers wearing the feather bonnetFeather bonnet
The feather bonnet is a type of military headdress used mainly by the Scottish Highland infantry regiments of the British Army from about 1763 until the outbreak of World War I. It is now mostly worn by pipers and drummers in various bands throughout the world...
.
Highland dress
Honorary Colonel Richard Bennett originally outfitted the Pipes and Drums with Royal Stewart tartan kilts and plaids in the 1920s; when the band of the 1st Battalion arrived in England in 1940 they were very quickly informed that Royal Stewart was the prerogative of royal regiments only, and they were to cease wear of that tartan at once. Pipers in the 2nd Battalion (Calgary) continued to wear Royal Stewart tartan until 1947.
Mess dress
Mess dressMess dress
Mess dress is the military term for the formal evening dress worn in the mess or at other formal occasions. It is also known as mess uniform and mess kit...
for officers and senior NCMs is based closely on that worn by the Argylls; Honorary Colonel Mannix approved a new distinctive pattern officers' mess jacket in the 1980s, which featured buttons on a turn-back cuff, which differed from the Argylls pattern.
Combat dress
Other than regimental headdress (when not wearing the CADPAT field cap or helmet), the only distinction a Calgary Highlander has in combat dress are the CALG HIGHRS titles on his slip-ons.Regimental order
The regiment created its own orderOrder (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
, the Clan of the Gallant Canadians
Clan of the Gallant Canadians
The Clan of the Gallant Canadians is an unofficial Order created by The Calgary Highlanders of the Canadian Forces and the first such regimental order to be approved by the Canadian sovereign, and the first in the British Empire and Commonwealth since the time of Oliver Cromwell.-History:On...
, in 1992.
Regimental association
The 10th Battalion Association was merged with The Calgary Highlanders Association in 1956 to become the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association.During the Second World War, The Glen was the regimental newspaper of the overseas battalion beginning in September 1939, and The Glen continues to be the regimental journal of the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association. The Glen is published semi-regularly.
Notable Personalities
- Lieutenant Colonel J.G. McQueen was the first commander of the Canadian contingent of the First Special Service ForceDevil's BrigadeThe Devil's Brigade , was a joint World War II American-Canadian commando unit organized in 1942 and trained at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana in the United States...
(The Devil's Brigade). - Lieutenant Colonel Mark TennantMark TennantLieutenant Colonel Mark Tennant, CM, ED, CD was an alderman of the City of Calgary.Mark Tennant was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was educated at St. Rose du Lac and later moved to Alberta...
rose from the rank of private in 1939 to the rank of Major in 1944, and commanded the peacetime regiment after the Second World War. He was also appointed Honorary Lieutenant Colonel. In civilian life he served for many years as an Alderman of the City of Calgary. - Sergeants Lyster and Pittaway were decorated with a Mention in Despatches for their part in shooting down two German aircraft during the Dieppe RaidDieppe RaidThe Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
. - Four Calgary Highlanders officers served in the CANLOAN project during the Second World War, two were captured at Arnhem, one was killed in Normandy with the Royal Scots, and one became the last CANLOAN to die in action when he was killed with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in April 1945.
- General John de ChastelainJohn de ChastelainAlfred John Gardyne Drummond de Chastelain is a retired Canadian soldier and diplomat.De Chastelain was born in Romania and educated in England and in Scotland before his family immigrated to Canada in 1954...
, who served two terms as Chief of the Defence StaffChief of the Defence Staff (Canada)The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...
, began his military career as a private in the Regimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary Highlanders. On 30 June 1990, while serving as CDS, he paraded as a piper with the band during the Presentation of Queen's Colour at McMahon StadiumMcMahon StadiumMcMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
.
Regimental monuments
As part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of VE Day, a special celebrations committee in the City of DoetinchemDoetinchem
Doetinchem is a city and municipality in the east of the Netherlands. It is situated along the Oude IJssel river in a part of the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . The municipality has 56,700 inhabitants and has an area of 79.66 km²...
, The Netherlands, recommended that the city park be renamed in honour of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Tennant
Mark Tennant
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Tennant, CM, ED, CD was an alderman of the City of Calgary.Mark Tennant was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was educated at St. Rose du Lac and later moved to Alberta...
and that a monument for the Calgary Highlanders who were killed in the fighting there be established. Tennant distinguished himself during the battle for Doetinchem where the Highlanders fought to clear the city between 1 and 3 April 1945.
As a measure of thanks on the 50th anniversary of Holland's liberation, the City of Doetinchem named the park "Mark Tennantplantsoen – Een Canadese bevrijder" – "Mark Tennant Park, A Canadian Liberator." Trees in the park still contained shrapnel; mute evidence of the fighting that raged there in April 1945.
The Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
The Calgary Soldiers' Memorial is a war monument in Calgary, Alberta that was dedicated on April 9, 2011, the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The monument is dedicated to Calgary area soldiers who have given their lives in war and military service overseas...
will bear the names of all Calgary area soldiers who died in war from 1914, with separate sections for both the 10th Battalion, CEF
10th Battalion, CEF
The 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a Canadian field force unit created during the First World War. Technically distinct from the Militia from which its soldiers were drawn the unit served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force , specifically in the 1st Canadian Division from 1914 to...
and the Calgary Highlanders.
Order of precedence
Published histories and memoirs
- The History of The Calgary Highlanders 1921–1954 by Major Roy Farran, DSO, MC (Bryant Press, 1954) 221 pages, no ISBN, now out of print
- Battalion of Heroes: The Calgary Highlanders in World War Two by Doctor David Jay Bercuson (Calgary Highlanders Regimental Funds Foundation, 1994) 297 pages, 48 pages of illustrations and maps. ISBN 0-9694616-1-5
- Gallant Calgarians: The Story of the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association Heritage Section, 1995-2006 (Published by the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association Heritage Section) 98 pages, illustrated with 200 colour photographs ISBN 978-0-9782646-6-6
- Gallant Canadians: The Story of the Tenth Canadian Infantry Battalion, 1914–1919 by Daniel G. Dancocks (Calgary Highlanders Regimental Funds Foundation, 1990) 251 pages, lavishly illustrated throughout with photos and maps ISBN 0-9694616-0-7
- The Brigade: The Fifth Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1939–1945 by Dr. Terry Copp (Fortress Publications, Stoney Creek, ON, 1992) ISBN 0-919195-16-4
- Far From Home: A Memoir of a 20th Century Soldier by Jeffery Williams. (University of Calgary Press, 2003) 374 pages, many illustrations. ISBN 1-55238-119-6
- A Backward Glance: The Personal Story of an Infantry Signaller with the Calgary Highlanders in World War Two by Frank Holm (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario: Self Published, 1989)
- "A Bloody Miracle: A Calgary Highlander Mortar Platoon at the Dieppe Raid" by Eswyn Lyster (Legion Magazine 1989, also in True Canadian War Stories, Jane Dewar, ed., Lester, Orpen and Denny 2002 : ISBN 978-0886191405)
Film portrayals
- The Devil's Brigade (1968). Two main characters can be seen wearing the insignia of the Calgary Highlanders, Corporal Peacock and Private MacDonald (Richard Dawson).
- Legends of the FallLegends of the FallLegends of the Fall is a 1994 epic drama film based on the 1979 novella of the same title by Jim Harrison. It was directed by Edward Zwick and stars Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins and Aidan Quinn. The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction , and Best...
(1994). The character of Samuel Ludlow (Henry Thomas) very clearly wears the insignia of the 10th Battalion, CEF. It is presumed that Tristan Ludlow (Brad Pitt) and Alfred Ludlow (Aidan Quinn) also belong to the same battalion, but neither costume nor dialogue confirm this though a voiceoverVoiceOverVoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
indicates that all three enlisted together in Calgary. - PasschendaelePasschendaele (film)Passchendaele is a 2008 Canadian war film from Alliance Films, written, co-produced, directed by, and starring Paul Gross. The film, which was shot in Calgary, Alberta, Fort Macleod, Alberta, and in Belgium, focuses on the experiences of a Canadian soldier, Michael Dunne, at the Battle of...
(2008). This film project, announced by Paul GrossPaul GrossPaul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
, filmed in Alberta in the autumn of 2007; Gross depicts a character inspired by his grandfather, Sergeant Michael Dunne, who served in the 10th Battalion, CEF. The film opened at the Toronto International Film FestivalToronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
on September 4, 2008, and was released in Canada on October 17, 2008.
Associated Army Cadet Corps
- 2137 RCACC (Calgary Highlanders)
- 3125 Chestermere RCACC (Calgary Highlanders)
- 3016 Airdrie RCACC (Calgary Highlanders)
See also
- Regimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary HighlandersRegimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary HighlandersThe Regimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary Highlanders is an authorized volunteer pipe band associated with The Calgary Highlanders of the Canadian Forces. For many years, the band was a bona fide, and separate, military unit unto itself, with a separate Unit Identification Code within the CF...
- Eswyn LysterEswyn LysterCoral Eswyn Lyster, was a Canadian author best known for writing extensively on the Canadian war bride experience...
- warbride author, married to Captain Bill Lyster, Calgary Highlanders