The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)


caption=
dates=16 September 1958-
country=Canada
branch=Army
type=Line Cavalry
command_structure=Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
role=Armoured Reconnaissance
size= One regiment
current_commander=
garrison=Montreal
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel in Chief
colonel_of_the_regiment=
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=Colonel Commandant
nickname=
motto= "Non nobis sed patria" (Not for self but for country)
colors=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Unit Colour Patches
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=Tartan
march="Men of Harlech"
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) (RCH) is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces. The unit is based in Montreal.

History

The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) trace a direct lineage from the Montreal Volunteer Cavalry formed in the late eighteenth century. The present regiment perpetuates five cavalry and one armoured units: the Royal Montreal Cavalry, the 5th Dragoons, the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars (6th DCRCH), the 11th Argenteuil Rangers, the 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars (17th DYRCH), and the 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade. [http://www.34gbcrch.ca/histoire/origines/origines.asp?lang=en Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) Regiment origins] ]

During the War of 1812, No. 1 Troop of Montreal Cavalry was raised to augment the regular forces and to perform screening and liaison duties. [http://www.34gbcrch.ca/histoire/origines/1812/1812.asp?lang=en&page=1 Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) Our origins, since 1812] ] Based on its performance, the force was increased and authorized to assume the title The Royal Montreal Cavalry, which it continued to bear until it was absorbed into the newly formed Canadian Militia in 1855 as the Montreal Squadron of Cavalry. The regiment's first guidon (the oldest in Canada) was presented in 1828 by the Earl of Dalhousie and currently resides in the RCH armoury.

After Canadian Confederation, No. 2 Troop and the Royal Guides Troop of the Montreal Squadron were disbanded leaving No. 1 Troop as the sole militia cavalry unit in Montreal. In 1877, the Dominion government grouped the independent troops positioned along the U.S. border. The 5th Dragoons (5th Provisional Regiment of Cavalry) was formed, the first cavalry regiment in Quebec. In 1879, a second regiment, the 6th Regiment of Cavalry (Hussars), which incorporated No. 1 Troop, detached to become an independent squadron, which in 1898 was redesignated the 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars.

The South African War of 1899-1902 saw the 6th and 17th Hussars dispatch volunteer cadres which formed the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, subsequently winning the regiment's first battle honour.

During the Great War, the two cavalry regiments of Montreal incorporated to form the 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles, which saw service in France. Meanwhile, the nature of the Western Front gave rise to the need for motorized machine gun units. Canada's first armoured unit, 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade, was formed and equipped with armoured cars. By the war's end it had earned 21 battle honours. [http://www.34gbcrch.ca/histoire/origines/1812/1914/1914.asp?lang=en&page=1 Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) Our origins, since 1914] ]

In 1926 HRH the Duke of York (later to become King George VI) consented to become the colonel-in-chief of the regiment. In 1934, the present RCH armoury was built for the 17th DYRCH. It was to be the only cavalry armoury in Canada to incorporate both stables and a riding school. In 1936, the Canadian Militia was reorganized. The 6th DCRCH (inactive since 1920) was resurrected and amalgamated with the 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade, to form an armoured car regiment.

In 1939, the 17th DYRCH paid off their horses (the last Canadian cavalry unit to do so) and were mobilized, becoming successively the 3rd Canadian Motorcycle Regiment and the 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th DYRCH) of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. [http://www.34gbcrch.ca/histoire/origines/1812/1914/1939/1939.asp?lang=en&page=1 Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) Our origins, since 1939] ]

In 1941, the 6th DCRCH were called upon to furnish the Headquarters Squadron of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division and were designated 15th Armoured Regiment (6th DCRCH). In October 1943, the 5th Canadian Armoured Division landed in Italy and went into action in mid-January 1944. The 6th later moved to France in February 1945.

In 1944, the 7th Recce participated in D-Day when members of B Squadron, tasked as beach exit parties and brigade contact detachments, landed on the Normandy beaches. The 7th campaigned through Europe earning 11 battle honours.

In 1945, a reconnaissance regiment was required for the occupation troops remaining in Europe. This unit was designated as the Second 7th (17th DYRCH) and consisted of volunteers from several other units. The original 7th Recce returned to Montreal.

An amalgamation of the 6th DCRCH and the 17th DYRCH took place on September 16, 1958, when the newly formed regiment was given the current title of The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal).

Since the amalgamation, the regiment itself has not been involved in any hostilities but has constantly provided individuals to augment the Regular Force in both NATO and United Nations peacekeeping duties as well as domestic operations such as Operation RECUPERATION during the Ice Storm of 1998.

The regiment received its second guidon on December 3 1974, the 100th anniversary of regimental status and its 135th year as a Canadian cavalry unit.

One of the Hussars' former Commanding Officers, Lieutenant-Colonel (Retd) Roman Jarymowycz, O.M.M., C.D., later became Dean and Director of the Militia Command and Staff Course, serving as an instructor for 15 years. [Governor General of Canada, Press Release: "Governor General announces 89 new Appointments to the Order of Military Merit" on June 27, 2001 and Canada Gazette, Vol. 135, No 35 — September 1, 2001]

During the period 1986 to 1990 the regiment won the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps Buchanan Trophy (the best armour unit in the Eastern and Atlantic Areas) a total of five times and the Worthington Trophy (the best armour unit in Canada) a total of three times.

In August 1990 the regiment commanded and formed the headquarters and one complete squadron for the first-of-its-kind Militia brigade-level exercise. Exercise En Guard was held in CFB Gagetown and included the four armoured units of Secteur de l'Est (RBSE). Shortly afterwards, in September 1990 the regiment sent a 21-man contingent to Cyprus augmenting the 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada on its United Nations peacekeeping tour of duty. [http://www.34gbcrch.ca/histoire/origines/1812/1914/1939/aujourdhui/aujourdhui.asp?lang=en&page=1 Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) These days] ]

Since 1990 the regiment has deployed troops on UN missions in both Haiti and Bosnia, as well as providing personnel during the Oka crisis and the ice storm of 1998. The unit has also continued to participate in the Noble Lion exercises as part of Land Force Quebec Area. On April 1, 1997, The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) became the establishment armoured regiment (tank) for the newly formed 34 Canadian Brigade Group.

In late 2003, the mission of the RCH was changed to fit the restructuring plan of the Canadian Forces Land Force Command. The troops were converted back to a role of armoured reconnaissance. The regiment comprises two squadrons; B Squadron (combat troops) and C&S Squadron (command and support). On May 1, 2005 the RCH received its third guidon. [http://www.williamscully.ca/gallery2/v/Royal-Canadian-Hussars/ The Royal Canadian Hussars Change of Guidon and Change of Command May 1st, 2005] ] [http://www.34gbcrch.ca/histoire/guidon/guidon.asp?lang=en Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) Guidon] ]

In 2007 seven members [http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Community/mapleleaf/article_e.asp?id=3798 Solidarity with soldiers in Afghanistan, The Maple Leaf - Vol. 10, No. 30, National Defence and the Canadian Forces] ] of the RCH were deployed to Afghanistan as part of Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF AFG) Rotation 4, which included approximately 2330 Canadian Forces members from the Quebec region. [http://www.5gbmc.ca/spip.php?article557 Composition of Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF AFG) Rotation 4] ]

The regimental song is "Men of Harlech".

Battle honours

*South Africa 1900 [http://www.34gbcrch.ca/histoire/guidon/honneurs/honneurs.asp?lang=en Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) Battle Honors] ]
*The Great War: Mount Sorrel, Somme 1916-18, Flers-Courcelette, Thiepval, Arras 1917-18, Vimy 1917, Hill 70, Ypres 1917, Passchendaele, Bapaume 1918, Rosieres, Avre, Amiens, Scarpe 1918, Docourt-Queant, Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, Cambrai 1918, Valenciennes, Sambre, France and Flanders 1915-1918
*The Second World War: Caen, Falaise, The Laison, The Scheldt, Breskens Pocket, The Rhineland, The Rhine, Emmerich-Hoch Elten, Zutphen, Deventer, Northwest Europe 1944-45

Alliances

*GBR - The Queen's Royal Hussars (Queen's Own and Royal Irish)
*GBR - The Light Dragoons

ee also

* The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces

Order of precedence

References

External links

* [http://www.rch.ca RCH web site]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/na-canada/volmil/qc-cav/958RCH.htm regiments.org]