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The Royal Regina Rifles
File:RoyalReginaRifles.jpg
Badge of the Royal Regina Rifles
Active 15 May 1924 – present
Country Canada
Branch Militia
Type Rifles
Role Light infantry
Part of Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Garrison/HQ Regina
March "Lutzow's Wild Hunt"
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief Anne, Princess Royal
Abbreviation RRR
Anne, Princess Royal

Anne, Princess Royal, is colonel-in-chief of the Royal Regina Rifles and visited her regiment in 1982, 2004 and 2007

The Royal Regina Rifles is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Prior to 1982 the regiment was known as The Regina Rifle Regiment. The Royal Regina Rifles are part of 3rd Canadian Division's 38 Canadian Brigade Group.

The regiment was nicknamed "The Johns" during World War II because of the high proportion of "Farmer Johns" in its ranks.

History[]

The regiment traces its lineage to 3 July 1905, when an infantry regiment was authorized in the District of Assiniboia and the District of Saskatchewan, which later that year became the province of Saskatchewan. The regiment was eventually organized as the 95th Saskatchewan Rifles, in Regina. After the Great War the 95th merged with the 60th Rifles of Canada (in Moose Jaw) to become the South Saskatchewan Regiment, which expanded to five battalions with the creation of units in Weyburn (3rd Battalion), Moosomin (4th Battalion) and Estevan (5th Battalion).

The Great War[]

28 Bn CEF

The distinguishing patch of the 28th Battalion (Northwest), CEF.

Details of the 95th Saskatchewan Rifles were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protective duty.

The 28th Battalion (Northwest), CEF, was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 29 May 1915 and arrived in France on 18 September 1915. The 28th Battalion fought as part of the 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The 28th Battalion disbanded on 30 August 1920.

The 68th Battalion (Regina), CEF, was authorized on 20 April 1915 and embarked for Britain on 28 April 1916, where it provided reinforcements for units in the field until 6 July 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 32nd Reserve Battalion, CEF. The 195th Battalion (City of Regina), CEF, was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Britain on 31 October 1916, where its personnel were absorbed by the 32nd Reserve Battalion, CEF, on 12 November 1916, to provide reinforcements for units the field.[1]

Between the Wars[]

On 15 May 1924, following extensive reorganizations of the Canadian Militia, each of the South Saskatchewan Regiment's battalions became a distinct regiment, and the Regina Rifle Regiment was created from the 1st Battalion. In the 1936 reorganization of the Militia, the Headquarters and A Company of the 12th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC, merged into the Regina Rifles, which existed as a single battalion militia regiment until 1939.

The Second World War[]

Details from the regiment were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The Regina Rifle Regiment, CASF (Details), for local protection duties. The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940. The regiment subsequently mobilized The Regina Rifle Regiment, CASF, for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated the 1st Battalion, The Regina Rifle Regiment, CASF, on 7 November 1940 and embarked for Britain on 24 August 1941. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, it landed in Normandy, France as part of the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The 1st Battalion was disbanded on 15 January 1946.

The regiment mobilized the 3rd Battalion, The Regina Rifle Regiment, CASF, for active service on 12 May 1942. It was subsequently redesignated the 2nd Airfield Defence Battalion (The Regina Rifle Regiment), CASF, on 19 July 1943 and served in Canada in a home defence role as part of Pacific Command. It was disbanded on 15 November 1943. On 1 June 1945, a third Active Force component of the regiment, the 4th Battalion, The Regina Rifle Regiment, CIC, CAOF, was mobilized for service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany. The 4th Battalion was disbanded on 4 April 1946. The 2nd (Reserve) Battalion did not mobilize.[1]

During the Second World War members of the regiment received 14 Military Medals with one bar to that award, seven Distinguished Service Orders, seven Military Cross awards, a British Empire Medal, an Africa Star, three French Croix de Guerre, and a Netherlands Bronze Lion. Many more were Mentioned in Dispatches.

The regiment suffered 356 fatal casualties by 7 May 1945.

Its first taste of combat came in Normandy, landing on Juno Beach on D-Day, during which it was the first Canadian regiment to successfully secure a beachhead. It later faced the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, which was almost completely annihilated by the British and Canadian forces. The regiment later entered Caen.

Post War[]

In 1946, the regiment reverted to a single-battalion militia regiment.

On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F" Company. "E" Company was reduced to nil strength upon its personnel being incorporated into the 1st Canadian Rifle Battalion for service in Germany as part of the 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade on North Atlantic Treaty Organization duty in Germany. "F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company. On 15 May 1952, it was reduced to nil strength, upon its personnel being absorbed by the newly formed 2nd Canadian Rifle Battalion for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company was disbanded on 29 July 1953. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Rifle Battalions which became the Regular Force 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada.[1]

Royal was added to the regimental title on 5 July 1982, and the name was shortened to the Royal Regina Rifles on 24 October 1984.

The Freedom of the City was exercised by the Royal Regina Rifles Regiment in Regina, Saskatchewan on June 4, 2007.[2]

File:RRR Camp Flag.jpg

The camp flag of The Royal Regina Rifles.

Perpetuations[]

The Royal Regina Rifles perpetuate the 28th Battalion (Northwest), CEF, the 68th Battalion (Regina), CEF and 195th (City of Regina) Battalion, CEF.[1]

Battle honours[]

The battle honours in small capitals are battles and theatre honours; the others are engagements within larger battles.

The Great War

Mount Sorrel; Somme, 1916, '18; Flers-Courcelette; Thiepval; Ancre Heights; Arras, 1917, '18; Vimy, 1917; Scarpe, 1917, '18; Hill 70; Ypres, 1917; Passchendaele; Amiens; Drocourt-Quéant; Hindenburg Line; Canal du Nord; Cambrai, 1918; Pursuit to Mons; France and Flanders, 1915–'18.

The Second World War

Normandy Landing; Bretteville-l'Orgeuilleuse; Caen; The Orne; Bourguébus Ridge; Faubourg de Vaucelles; Falaise; The Laison; The Seine, 1944; Calais, 1944; The Scheldt; Leopold Canal; Breskens Pocket; The Rhineland; Waal Flats; Moyland Wood; The Rhine; Emmerich-Hoch Elten; Deventer; North-West Europe, 1944–'45.

Alliances[]

Regimental lineage[]

Lineage of the Royal Regina Rifles:[3]

1905
Regt authorized
1907
95th Regt
1908
Became a rifle regt
1909
95th Saskatchewan Rifles
1912
95th Regt
105th Regt
1913
95th "Saskatchewan Rifles"
60th Rifles of Canada
1914
28th Bn, CEF
1919
12th Machine Gun Bde, CMGC
1920
Disbanded
1st Bn, The South Saskatchewan Regt
2nd Bn, The South Saskatchewan Regt
3rd Bn, The South Saskatchewan Regt
4th Bn, The South Saskatchewan Regt
5th Bn, The South Saskatchewan Regt
1924
The Regina Rifle Regt
The South Saskatchewan Regt
The Weyburn Regt
The Assiniboia Regt
The Saskatchewan Border Regt
12th Machine Gun Bn, CMGC
 
1936
The Regina Rifle Regt
1940
1st Bn, The Regina Rifle Regt, CASF
2nd Bn, The Regina Rifle Regt
1942
3rd Bn, The Regina Rifle Regt, CASF
1943
2nd Airfield Defence Bn (The Regina Rifle Regt), CASF
1943
Disbanded
 
1945
4th Bn, The Regina Rifle Regt, CIC, CAOF
1946
Disbanded
Disbanded
The Regina Rifle Regt
 
1951
"E" Coy, The Regina Rifle Regt
"F" Coy, The Regina Rifle Regt
1951
Absorbed by 1st Canadian Rifle Bn
1952
Absorbed by 2nd Canadian Rifle Bn
1982
The Royal Regina Rifle Regt
1984
The Royal Regina Rifles
2024

See also[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  2. Freedom of the City
  3. "The Royal Regina Rifles". Official Lineages: Volume 3, Part 2: Infantry Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. October 2010. http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/ol-lo/vol-tom-3/par2/rrr-eng.asp. Retrieved November 24, 2011. 

Order of precedence[]

Preceded by
North Saskatchewan Regiment
The Royal Regina Rifles Succeeded by
The Rocky Mountain Rangers
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