The Royal Rifles of Canada was a rifle regiment in the Canadian Army and fought alongside the Winnipeg Grenadiers in the Battle of Hong Kong during World War II.
| The Royal Rifles of Canada | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1862–1966 |
| Country | Canada |
| Type | Rifles |
| Part of | Supplementary Order of Battle |
| Garrison/HQ | Quebec City |
| Motto(s) | Latin language: Volens et valens (Willing and capable) |
| March | Quick march "I'm Ninety Five", double past "Money Musk" |
| Engagements | Battle of Hong Kong |
| Battle honours | South Africa, 1899–1900; Ypres, 1915, '17; Festubert, 1915; Mount Sorrel; Somme, 1916; Arras, 1917; Hill 70; Amiens; Hong Kong; South-East Asia, 1941 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Brigadier J.K. Lawson |
The unit was formed in 1862 as the 8th Battalion and renamed the 8th Regiment in 1900. It was reformed alongside the Les Voltigeurs de Québec in 1920. Its recruiting areas included the Eastern Townships, Quebec City and Gaspé, Quebec, and Northern New Brunswick. The Royal Rifles of Canada fought gallantly in the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941. The survivors surrendered on December 25, 1941, and spent the rest of the war in captivity. The regiment was transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle in 1966, but the regiment's headquarters on the Plains of Abraham, Quebec City, became home to a museum, which was destroyed by a fire in 2008.
The Sherbrooke Hussars, a present-day Canadian Forces Primary Reserve unit, has the honorary distinction of placing the Royal Rifles' badge and the date 1941 on its guidon. This distinction is not a battle honour, but an acknowledgement that one of its predecessor units, the 7th/XI Hussars, provided about half its effective strength to the Royal Rifles while it was preparing for overseas.
Lineage of the Royal Rifles of Canada:[1]
| 1861 | Independent rifle coys | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1862 | The 8th Bn Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1862 | 8th or Stadacona Volunteer Militia Rifles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1877 | 8th Bn "Royal Rifles" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1900 | 8th Regt "Royal Rifles" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1914 | 12th Bn, CEF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1915 | 12th Reserve Infy Bn, CEF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1916 | 171st "Overseas" Bn, CEF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1917 | Absorbed by 20th Reserve Bn, CEF. Disbanded | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1920 | Disbanded | The Royal Rifles of Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1940 | The Royal Rifles of Canada, CASF | 2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Royal Rifles of Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1940 | 1st Bn, The Royal Rifles of Canada, CASF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1941 | Destroyed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1942 | Reconstituted | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1945 | Disbanded | The Royal Rifles of Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1965 | Amalgamates with Les Voltigeurs de Québec | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966 | Amalgamation ceases. Supplementary Order of Battle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abbreviation | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Bn | Battalion |
| CASF | Canadian Active Service Force |
| CEF | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
| Coys | Companies |
| Infy | Infantry |
| Regt | Regiment |
See also[]
- Gander, Newfoundland (dog) canine mascot and hero who carried away a hand grenade from wounded members of the unit
References[]
Books[]
- Hong Kong Veterans' Association of Canada. Quebec-Maritimes Branch "The Royal Rifles of Canada in Hong Kong, 1941-1945" (Canada: The Association, ©1980)
- ↑ "The Royal Rifles of Canada". Official Lineages Volume 3, Part 2: Infantry Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/ol-lo/vol-tom-3/par2/rrc-01-eng.asp. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
The original article can be found at Royal Rifles of Canada and the edit history here.