- The Princess Louise Fusiliers
The Princess Louise Fusiliers is a
Primary Reserve infantry regiment of theCanadian Forces .History
Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, this infantry regiment traces its local roots as a Halifax unit of Militia back to
June 18 ,1798 when Sir Edward Cornwalis formed a local Militia under his own command. Ten companies were formed at the Grand Parade in the city and were made a collectivebattalion .As an officially constituted unit of Canada, The Princess Louise Fusiliers were authorized in 1867. During the unit's history, it has undergone several name changes. On
November 5 ,1869 , the regiment was named the 66th The Halifax Battalion of Infantry. Originally consisting of six companies, it later gained two more.Ten years later, on
November 14 ,1879 , the regiment was once again renamed, this time to the 66th Battalion 'Princess Louise Fusiliers', named for Princess Louise, wife of theGovernor General at the time. It was shortly after this point in which the regiment received its firstbattle honour , when they helped suppress theNorthwest Rebellion of 1885. Soldiers of the unit served in North West Canada with theHalifax Provisional Battalion . Fourteen years later, in 1899, the regiment provided some of its soldiers to a company raised in Nova Scotia for the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion ofThe Royal Canadian Regiment , which was raised for service in South Africa during theSecond Boer War .May 8 ,1900 brought about another name change, this time to 66th Regiment 'Princess Louise Fusiliers'.During the
First World War the 66th Regiment provided soldiers to the locally raised battalions of theCanadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). At the end of the war, as a result of the Otter Commission headed by General William Otter, the regiment perpetuated the 64th Canadian Infantry Battalion of the CEF. As a result of the unit's contributions of soldiers and this perpetuation, the regiment holds five battle honours of theFirst World War . In May of 1915 the regiment was renamed to its current name, the Princess Louise Fusiliers. The onset ofWorld War II saw more action for the Fusiliers, when they were sent toFrance to help defeatGermany and her allies. The regiment fielded twomachine gun companies during the war, and afterwards reverted back to a light infantry unit. During the conflict, the regiment received nine more battle honours, bringing their total count to 16. Their most recent battle honour, received in 1999 following a lengthy struggle by unit officers to discover the necessary supporting documents, was for the unit's actions at Arnhem in 1945.In
Afghanistan , on Easter Sunday,April 8 ,2007 , Master Corporal Chris Stannix was killed along with five other Canadian soldiers when their vehicle was hit by an explosive device. Corporal Shaun Fevens was injured in the explosion and transported to a military hospital in Germany.Battle Honours
The Princess Louise Fusiliers have received 16 battle honours since the unit's inception in 1869. They are:
Early History
*North-West Canada, 1885
*South Africa, 1899-1900World War One
*Somme, 1916
*Ypres, 1917
*Amiens, 1917
*Arras, 1917
*Hill 70, 1917World War Two
*Liri Valley
*Melfa Crossing, 1944
*Italy, 1944-1945
*Gothic Line, 1944
*Coriano
*Lamone Crossing
*Delfzijl Pocket
*North-West Europe, 1945
*Arnhem, 1945Alliances
*GBR -
The Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment) ee also
*
The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces External links
* [http://regimentalrogue.com/battlehonours/bathnrinf/24-plf.htm Battle Honours of the Princess Louise Fusiliers]
Order of precedence
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