Misplaced Pages

The Perth Regiment
Active	1866–1965
Country	Canada
Branch	Canadian Militia (1866-1940) Canadian Army (1940-1965)
Type	Line Infantry
Role	Infantry
Size	One battalion
Part of	Non-Permanent Active Militia (1866-1940) Royal Canadian Infantry Corps (1942-1965)
Garrison/HQ	Stratford, Ontario
Motto(s)	Latin: Audax et cautus ("Bold and wary")
Colours	Facing colour green
March	"Kenmure's On and Awa"
Engagements	Fenian Raids First World War Second World War
Battle honours	See #Battle Honours
Insignia
Tartan
Blazer

The Perth Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is currently on the Supplementary Order of Battle.

Lineage

Lineage of The Perth Regiment:

The Perth Regiment (Overseas Battalion)

• Originated 22 Dec as 110th (Overseas) Battalion, CEF
• Disbanded 17 Jul 1917
• Originated 1 Sep 1939 as The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF
• Redesignated 2 Nov 1940 as 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF
• Redesignated 11 Feb 1941 as 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Motor), CASF
• Redesignated 31 Jan 1943 as 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment, CIC, CASF
• Disbanded 31 Jan 1946

The Perth Regiment (Reserve Battalion)

• Originated 14 Sep 1866 as 28th (Perth) Battalion of Infantry
• Redesignated 8 May 1900 as 28th Perth Regiment
• Redesignated 29 Mar 1920 as The Perth Regiment
• Amalgamated 15 Dec 1936 with C Company of the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC and redesignated as The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun)
• Redesignated 7 Nov 1940 as 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Machine Gun)
• Redesignated 1 Apr 1941 as 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Perth Regiment (Motor)
• Redesignated 1 Apr 1946 as The Perth Regiment
• Amalgamated 1 October 1954 with The Highland Light Infantry of Canada and renamed The Perth and Waterloo Regiment (Highland Light Infantry of Canada)
• Amalgamation ceased 1 April 1957 and resumed as The Perth Regiment
• Assigned to the Supplementary Order of Battle 28 Feb 1965, and reduced to nil strength

Lineage Chart

Perpetuations

• 110th Battalion (Perth), CEF

History

Early history

In 1838, the Third Regiment of Huron was organized in the territory which is now the south part of Perth County, Ontario. This was a paper organization of the compulsory militia, to which every able-bodied male citizen in theory belonged. It did not have equipment, did not train, and while it continued to exist after the voluntary militia was formed, it was distinct from the volunteers.

The Stratford Volunteer Rifle Company was formed in 1856, elected its own officers, and carried on entirely at the expense of its members for two years, before it was officially recognized in 1858.

In response to the Fenian Raids, a temporary battalion-sized composite unit was formed in 1866 at Thorold, Ontario. It consisted of companies from Stratford, Chatham, Ingersoll, St. Thomas and Guelph.

A general order of the Militia Department of the Province of Canada, dated 14 September 1866 authorized a regimental headquarters. Robert Service of Stratford was promoted to Lt Col and appointed to command. The Stratford Volunteer Rifle Company became No. 1 Company of the regiment. Other companies were in Listowel and St. Marys

The principle of Militia units was voluntary service and year-round training while carrying on with civilian life. The Perth Regiment maintained this principle throughout its peacetime service.

First World War

On 6 August 1914, during events which led to the First World War, details of the regiment were placed on active service for local protection duties.

The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was organized in 1914 and 1915 using numbered battalions, which had little connection with the existing militia regiments. The 110th Battalion (Perth), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915. The Perth Regiment recruited the 110th Battalion from Perth county.

The 110th Battalion embarked for Great Britain on 31 October 1916 with a strength of 679 all ranks. On 2 January 1917, personnel of the 110th Battalion were absorbed by the 8th Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The 110th Battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.

Second World War

The 1st Battalion, The Perth Regiment, was mobilized 1 September 1939 for service in World War II. The 1st Battalion embarked for Great Britain on 9 October 1941. It landed in Italy on 8 November 1943, as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Division. The 1st Battalion transferred with the I Canadian Corps to North-West Europe in March 1945, where it fought until the end of the war. It returned home under command of a Perth militia officer, Lt Col MW Andrew and was disbanded on January 31, 1946.

The 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, headquartered in Stratford, was authorized in 1940 and trained recruits for the 1st Battalion.

Post War

In 1954, as a result of the Kennedy Report on the Reserve Army, this regiment was amalgamated with The Highland Light Infantry of Canada to form The Perth and Waterloo Regiment (Highland Light Infantry of Canada). This was not a successful amalgamation, and in 1957 the two units reverted to their former designations.

In June 1964, The Commission on the Reorganization of the Canadian Army (Militia), commonly called the Suttie Commission, issued its report. The Commission proposed the Supplementary Order of Battle to maintain the name of deactivated units and to facilitate reactivation. The commission further recommended that the Perth Regiment be transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle and that the regiment's personnel be absorbed by 3 RCR (now 4 RCR).

On 28 February 1965, The Perth Regiment was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle. At the time it was inactivated, The Perth Regiment consisted of a company in Stratford and a support platoon in St Marys.

Before being moved to the Supplementary Order of Battle, The Perth Regiment its final Order of Precedence as 16.

Alliances

The Perth Regiment was allied to the Cameronians, the Otago Regiment of New Zealand, 26th Battalion of Australia, and the Witwatersrand Rifles of South Africa.

Uniform

They wore Douglas kilt, green glengarry with green & white diced border, grey sporran with three black points, Douglas hose, and green garter flashes.

Battle Honours

In the list below, battle honours in small capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles. The battle honours written in bold are emblazoned on the regimental colour.

• Ypres, 1915
• Festubert, 1915
• Liri Valley May 25 – June 1, 1944
• Melfa Crossing May 25, 1944
• Ceprano May 27, 1944
• Gothic Line August 29 – September 1, 1944
• Montecchio August 30, 1944
• Point 204 September 1, 1944
• Coriano September 13, 1944
• Lamone Crossing December 10–11, 1944
• Fosso Munio December 18–20, 1944
• Conventello–Comacchio January 2–6, 1945
• Italy, 1944–1945
• IJsselmeer April 15–18, 1945
• Delfzijl Pocket April 23 – May 2, 1945
• North-West Europe, 1945

Colours

The first set of colours was presented by the 28th Regiment Chapter IODE, on 15 June 1927 at Queen's Park Stratford, Ontario.

The second set of colours was presented by the Honourable John Keiller MacKay, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on 30 June 1962 at Queen's Park Stratford, Ontario.

Both sets of colours are laid up at St. James' Anglican Church, Stratford, Ontario.

Commanding Officers

Overseas Battalion:

• 1915 - LCol JL Youngs
• 1917 - Disbanded
• 1939 - LCol SH McComb, ED
• 1940 - LCol (later Col) GW Little, MVO, OBE, MC, ED
• 1942 - LCol (later BGen) ISH Lind, DSO, ED
• 1943 - LCol (later Col) HET Doucet, OBE, ED (May - Sep)
• 1943 - LCol (later BGen) WS Rutherford, ED
• 1944 - LCol (later BGen) ISH Lind, DSO, ED (Mar - May)
• 1944 - LCol (later BGen) WW Reid, DSO
• 1944 - LCol MW Andrew, DSO, ED, QC
• 1946 - Disbanded

Reserve Battalion

• 1866 - LCol Robert S Service
• 1872 - LCol WM Smith, VD
• 1881 - LCol D Scot
• 1885 - LColl RS McKnight
• 1898 - LCol AAW Whight
• 1903 - LCol WG Moscrip, VD
• 1908 - LCol GT Cooke
• 1912 - LCol WM Lawrence, VD
• 1920 - LCol JL Youngs, MC
• 1923 - LCol AW Deacon, MC
• 1928 - LCol RM Trow
• 1933 - LCol H Denroche
• 1933 - LCol A Garrod, MC, ED
• 1939 - LCol SH McComb, ED
• 1940 - LCol GDL Rice, ED
• 1944 - Maj TW Orr
• 1946 - LCol John S Whyte, ED
• 1950 - LCol (later B Gen) WH Hempell, CD
• 1954 - LCol EM Hutchinson, CD
• 1959 - LCol FW Savage, CD
• 1962 - LCol EB Burnett, ED
• 1964 - LCol EC Skowby, CD
• 1965 - Assigned to Supplementary Order of battle and reduced to nil strength

Photo Gallery

• Private H.E. Goddard of The Perth Regiment, carrying a Bren gun while advancing through a forest north of Arnhem, Netherlands, April 1945
• Private K.O. Earl of The Perth Regiment resting in the forest north of Arnhem, Netherlands, April 15, 1945
• Audax et Cautus

See also

• Canadian-Scottish regiment

References

1. ^ "The Perth Regiment". Official Lineages Volume 3, Part 2: Infantry Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. 9 November 2004. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
2. ^ Barnes, Major R.M. (1972). The Uniforms and History of the Scottish Regiments. London: Sphere Books Limited.
3. ^ The Commission on the Reorganization of the Canadian Army (Militia). Ottawa: Department of National Defence. 1964.
4. ^ Presentation of new colours to the Perth Regiment by Lt.-Col. the Honourable John Keiller Mackay, DSO, VD, QC, LLD, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, Saturday June 30, 1962 at Queen's Park, Stratford, Ontario and laying up of old colours Sunday July 1, 1962 at St. James' Church, Stratford, Ontario. Department of National Defence.

Bibliography

• Barnes, R. Money (Major) (1972). The Uniforms and History of the Scottish Regiments. London: Sphere Books Limited.
• Johnston, Stafford (1964). The Fighting Perths: The Story of the First Century in the Life of a Canadian County Regiment. Stratford: B-H Press.
• Scislowski, Stanley & Watt, Gavin K. (1997). Not All of Us Were Brave: Perth Regiment, 11th Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Armoured Division. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 978-1550022988.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Media related to Perth Regiment at Wikimedia Commons

• Infantry regiments of Canada
• Scottish regiments of Canada
• Military units and formations of Ontario
• Military units and formations established in 1866
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1965
• 1866 establishments in Canada
• Infantry regiments of Canada in World War II
• Supplementary Order of Battle