This article needs additional citations for verification .(March 2013) |
5th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles | |
---|---|
Active | 1914–1919 |
Country | Canada |
Branch | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Type | Mounted infantry |
Size | Battalion |
Part of | 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade |
March | The British Grenadiers |
Insignia | |
Battle patch |
The 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles were a mounted infantry unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during World War I. The unit was raised from volunteers of the 7th and XIth (Canadian) Hussars from the Eastern Townships of Quebec. [1] [2]
Formed in 1915, they were transported to England later that year. In 1916, they converted to an infantry battalion attached to the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, CEF (later the Canadian Corps). The battalion saw action in France and Flanders between 1916 and 1918. [1]
In 1929–31, well after the First World War had ended, Canada assigned battle honours to those units involved in pivotal battles and campaigns during the war. The 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were accorded the following battle honours:
During the Battle of Passchendale, the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles fighting strength was reduced by 60% in a single day.
Two members of the battalion were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for bravery in the British Empire. The citation for George Pearkes, VC, reads as follows:
"During the advance of 30/31 October 1917, as a member of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, Major George Randolph Pearkes of Watford, Hertfordshire, England, participated in the battle at Passchendaele. He led the troops under his command to capture and consolidate considerably more than the objectives allotted to him. Just prior to the advance, Major Pearkes was wounded in the left thigh. Regardless of his wound, he continued to lead his men with the utmost gallantry, despite many obstacles. At a particular stage of the attack, his further advance was threatened by a strong point which was an objective of the battalion on his left, but which they had not succeeded in capturing. Quickly appreciating the situation, he captured and held this point, thus enabling his further advance to be successfully pushed forward."
and for Charles Smith Rutherford, VC [1] [3] during the Hundred Days Offensive:
"On 16 August 1918, as a member of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, Lt. Charles Smith Rutherford of Colbourne, Ontario, participated in the offensive to take Munchy-le-Preux. Once the objective taken, he went forward alone to reconnoiter, some distance ahead of the assaulting party. Entering the outskirts of the village, he walked straight into an enemy machine-gun section, holding a pill-box, but which was not looking for an attack from that quarter. Lt. Rutherford called immediately for their surrender stating that if not his machine-gunners would open fire immediately. After a brief discussion, the German officer decided to surrender. Lt. Rutherford then ordered that the other German machine-gun position located a little ways up the hill also surrendered; which it was so ordered to do. The entire garrison, consisting of 2 officers and 43 men with 3 machine-guns, was thus captured single-handedly by Lt. Rutherford. When his section arrived at his location, he observed that the right assault party was held up by heavy machine-gun fire from another pill-box. This he attacked with a Lewis-gun section and captured a further 35 prisoners with machine-guns, thus enabling the assault party to continue their advance."
Following World War I, the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were perpetuated by the Eastern Townships Mounted Rifles. [4] [5] Following the regiment's conversion to artillery in 1936 [4] [5] [6] the battle honours and lineage was passed onto the 7/XI Hussars which were later merged with the Sherbrooke Regiment to form the Sherbrooke Hussars who perpetuate them today. [4] [7]
The memory of the original unit was also perpetuated by its original members in the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Association. The association met annually from its formation in 1934 until it disbanded in 1969. The records of the association may be found at the Eastern Townships Research Centre at Bishop's University library, Lennoxville, Quebec. [8]
Notable battalion members George Pearkes, VC and Charles Rutherford, VC are commemorated with named locations. The National Defence Headquarters building in Ottawa is named Major-General George R. Pearkes Building, and the Sherbrooke Hussars' local field training area near St-Elie-d'Orford is simply named Rutherford.
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a Primary Reserve regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, based in Toronto. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only reserve regiment in Canada to currently have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve battalion, the Regimental Association, and the Regimental Band and Bugles. The official abbreviation is The QOR of C, but the name is often abbreviated to QOR.
Major-General George Randolph Pearkes was a Canadian politician and soldier. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to British and Imperial forces; and the 20th lieutenant governor of British Columbia.
The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) (RHLI) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, based at John Weir Foote VC Armoury in Hamilton, Ontario. The RHLI is part of 31 Canadian Brigade Group, which is part of 4th Canadian Division.
The Sherbrooke Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces
The North Saskatchewan Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with companies in Saskatoon and Prince Albert. Its current commanding officer is Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Graver, and the Regimental Sergeant-Major is Chief Warrant Officer Jason Balcaen. The N Sask R is part of the 3rd Canadian Division's 38 Canadian Brigade Group, with the regiment's mission task as of 2024 being to provide direct fire support.
The 20th Battalion, CEF was a unit of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force.
The Saskatchewan Dragoons is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Army. The unit is based in Moose Jaw. Their primary job is to assist the Regular Force in meeting Canada's military commitments. Their training and equipment closely follow that of the Regular Force, which the Reserves are called upon to assist increasingly often. The Saskatchewan Dragoons are part of 3rd Canadian Division's 38 Canadian Brigade Group.
The 7th/11th Hussars was a light cavalry regiment and later light armoured regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia. The regiment was formed in 1936 by the amalgamation of the 7th Hussars and the 11th Hussars from the Eastern Townships of Quebec. In 1965, the regiment was amalgamated with The Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC) to form The Sherbrooke Hussars.
The 19th Alberta Dragoons was a cavalry regiment and later an armoured regiment of the Canadian Militia and later the Canadian Army. It was placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle in 1965. In 2006, it was taken off the Supplementary Order of Battle and amalgamated with the South Alberta Light Horse.
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. In November 1966, it was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle.
The 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Army. Raised for service during the First World War as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), it was formed in November 1914, in Brandon, Manitoba. Originally a mounted infantry unit named the 1st Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF, which was expanded, following its rerolling and dismounting as an infantry unit, by absorbing other units of the Canadian Mounted Rifles (CMR).
The 5th Battalion, CEF, known as "Tuxford's Dandys," was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.
The 4th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles was authorized on 7 November 1914 as the 4th Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF and embarked for Britain on 18 July 1915. It disembarked in France on 24 October 1915, where it fought as part of the 2nd Brigade Canadian Mounted Rifles until 31 December 1915, when it was converted to infantry and allocated to the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division. The regiment was redesignated the 4th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF on 1 January 1916 and was disbanded on 6 November 1920.
The 116th Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War.
The 24th Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I.
The 60th Battalion, CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War.
The Eastern Townships Mounted Rifles was a cavalry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia. In 1936, the regiment was converted from cavalry to artillery and became the 27th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.
The 7th Hussars was a light cavalry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia. First raised in 1867 as an infantry regiment in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, in 1903 the regiment was converted to cavalry. In 1936, the 7th Hussars were amalgamated with the 11th Hussars to form the 7th/11th Hussars.
The 11th Hussars was a light cavalry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia. First raised in 1866 as an infantry regiment in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, in 1903 the regiment was converted to cavalry. In 1936, the 11th Hussars were amalgamated with the 7th Hussars to form the 7th/11th Hussars.
The Sherbrooke Regiment was a regiment of the Canadian Militia and later the Canadian Army Reserve that existed from 1866 to 1965. Originally an infantry regiment, during the Second World War the regiment helped form the 27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment) which served as an armoured (tank) unit in the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. In 1946, the regiment itself was converted to an armoured regiment was redesignated as The Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC). In 1965, the regiment was amalgamated with the 7th/11th Hussars to form The Sherbrooke Hussars.