The Nova Scotia Highlanders
Encyclopedia
The Nova Scotia Highlanders is a reserve infantry
regiment
of the Canadian Forces
.
, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders
.
The regiment was composed of two separate units, officially designated as the 1st Battalion, The Nova Scota Highlanders (North), and 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton), both of which were part of Land Force Atlantic Area
's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The 1st Battalion was headquartered in Truro
with individual companies located in Amherst
, Pictou, New Glasgow
, Springhill
, and Truro. The 2nd Battalion was headquartered in Sydney
, and in 2011 it was renamed back to its pre-1954 designation, the Cape Breton Highlanders
. This leaves The Nova Scotia Highlanders as a one-battalion regiment.
, the traditional headdress of the regiment, the 1st Battalion did not. There was a strong movement within the unit by the majority of the troops to replace the beret with the balmoral once again as it marked out the highland unit as distinctive and showed the ties with the unit's heritage that contributed to its ésprit de corps. As of January 1, 2011, the balmoral once again became the official headdress of the 1st Battalion as well.
, the Hindenburg Line
in World War I
and the Normandy landing, Boulogne, and the Gothic Line
in World War II
. Members of the regiment volunteered for service in the Canadian Contigents that served in South African War (1899–1902).
of the First World War:
s since the unit's inception.
They are:
Early History
World War One
World War Two
NOTE: The honours in CAPITALS currently appear on the Nova Scotia Highlanders regimental colours.
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."...
.
Creation
The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The North Nova Scotia HighlandersThe North Nova Scotia Highlanders
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army.Founded in 1936 as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders by the amalgamation of the Cumberland Highlanders, The Colchester and Hants Rifles, and 'C' Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, it acquired its present title in...
, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders
The Pictou Highlanders
The Pictou Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army.Founded in 1871 as the Colchester and Hants Provisional Battalion of Infantry it went through several name changes including, in 1871, the 78th Colchester and Hants, or Highlanders Battalion of Infantry; in 1879 the 78th...
.
The regiment was composed of two separate units, officially designated as the 1st Battalion, The Nova Scota Highlanders (North), and 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton), both of which were part of Land Force Atlantic Area
Land Force Atlantic Area
Land Force Atlantic Area is responsible for Canadian Army operations in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. LFAA is headquartered at Canadian Forces Base Halifax on the Atlantic coast...
's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The 1st Battalion was headquartered in Truro
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
with individual companies located in Amherst
Amherst, Nova Scotia
Amherst is a Canadian town in northwestern Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.Located at the northeast end of the Cumberland Basin, an arm of the Bay of Fundy, Amherst is strategically situated on the eastern boundary of the Tantramar Marshes 3 kilometres east of the interprovincial border with New...
, Pictou, New Glasgow
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
New Glasgow is a town in Pictou County, in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It is situated on the banks of the East River of Pictou, which flows into Pictou Harbour, a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait....
, Springhill
Springhill, Nova Scotia
-Coal mining:The first industrial coal mining in the area took place in the 1870s after a rail connection was built by the Springhill and Parrsboro Coal and Railway Company to the newly completed Intercolonial Railway at neighbouring Springhill Junction....
, and Truro. The 2nd Battalion was headquartered in Sydney
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, and in 2011 it was renamed back to its pre-1954 designation, the Cape Breton Highlanders
Cape Breton Highlanders
The Cape Breton Highlanders is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It was established in 1871, merged into The Nova Scotia Highlanders in 1954, and re-established as a distinct regiment in 2011....
. This leaves The Nova Scotia Highlanders as a one-battalion regiment.
Headdress
Although the 2nd Battalion continued the proud tradition of wearing balmoralsBalmoral 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...
, the traditional headdress of the regiment, the 1st Battalion did not. There was a strong movement within the unit by the majority of the troops to replace the beret with the balmoral once again as it marked out the highland unit as distinctive and showed the ties with the unit's heritage that contributed to its ésprit de corps. As of January 1, 2011, the balmoral once again became the official headdress of the 1st Battalion as well.
History of predecessor regiments
The regiment's original constituents participated in many operations, including the VimyBattle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
, the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
in World War I
World 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...
and the Normandy landing, Boulogne, and the Gothic Line
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Members of the regiment volunteered for service in the Canadian Contigents that served in South African War (1899–1902).
Perpetuations
The Nova Scotia Highlanders perpetuate the following battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary ForceCanadian 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...
of the First World War:
- 17th Battalion, CEF
- 25th Battalion, CEF
- 106th Battalion, CEF
- 193rd Battalion, CEF
- 246th Battalion, CEF
Battle honours
The Nova Scotia Highlanders have received 56 battle honourBattle 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 since the unit's inception.
They are:
Early History
- South Africa, 1899–1900
World War One
- YPRES, 1915,'17
- Hill 70
- Festubert, 1915
- PASSCHENDAELE
- MOUNT SORREL
- AMIENS
- Somme, 1916,'18
- DROCOURT-QUEANT
- Flers-Courcelette
- HINDENBURG LINE
- Thiepval
- CANAL DU NORD
- Ancre Heights
- Cambrai, 1918
- ARRAS, 1917,'18
- Valenciennes
- VIMY, 1917
- Sambre
- Arleux
- FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915–1918
- Scarpe, 1917,'18
World War Two
- LIRI VALLEY
- Falaise
- Melfa Crossing
- The Laison
- Ceprano
- CHAMBOIS
- GOTHIC LINE
- BOULOGNE, 1944
- Montecchio
- Calais, 1944
- CORIANO
- The Scheldt
- LAMONE CROSSING
- Savojaards Plaat
- Fosso Munio
- BRESKENS POCKET
- Conventello-Comacchio
- The Rhineland
- ITALY, 1944–1945
- Waal Flats
- Normandy Landing
- The Hochwald
- AUTHIE
- THE RHINE
- Caen
- Zutphen
- The Orne
- IJsselmeer
- Bourguebus Ridge
- Leer
- Faubourg de Vaucelles
- Delfzijl Pocket
- Verrières Ridge—Tilly-la-Campagne
- North-West Europe, 1944–1945
NOTE: The honours in CAPITALS currently appear on the Nova Scotia Highlanders regimental colours.