Канадский пехотный полк "Калгари Хайлендерс"

Canadian infantry regiment

The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The regiment is a part time reserve unit, under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, itself part of 3rd Canadian Division, one of four region based Canadian Army divisions. The regiment is one of only two regiments in the Canadian Forces (with The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)) to wear an honorary distinction on their uniform, commemorating the counterattack at Kitcheners' Wood. On 9 January 2015, the regiment was recognized with the Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation for outstanding contributions to the war in Afghanistan.

The badge is based on that worn by the 10th Battalion, CEF, which the regiment perpetuates. Significantly, a St. Andrew's Cross has been added to the design (this is not a representation of the Roman Numeral ten as is often erroneously reported). The crown is of the reigning monarch; a Tudor Crown was used from the introduction of this badge until 1953, and the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II. The crown was then changed to a St. Edward's Crown. These are sometimes referred to as "King's" and "Queen's" Crowns. The beaver and maple leaves are representative of Canada and the scrolls bearing thistles are representative of Scotland. The City of Calgary grew out of Fort Calgary, established in 1875 and so named by Colonel James Macleod after Calgary, Scotland, a location near his sister's home. The badge appears not only as a cap badge, but is also seen on the regiment's drums, as well as the drum major's sash and regimental pipe banners.

On 1 April 1910 the regiment was raised as the 103rd Regiment "Calgary Rifles". In 1914 the 103rd contributed men to several battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and the Highlanders officially perpetuate the 10th Battalion, CEF, 56th Battalion (Calgary), CEF and 82nd Battalion, CEF. The 103rd Regiment was reorganized on 15 March 1920 as two separate regiments, The Alberta Regiment (now The South Alberta Light Horse) and The Calgary Regiment as part of the Otter Committee reorganizations. On 15 May 1924 The Calgary Regiment was again reorganized and split into two separate regiments, The Calgary Regiment (now The King's Own Calgary Regiment) and The Calgary Highlanders. commanded by Lieutenant FJ Reynolds was attached to the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade but stayed offshore during the raid. Sergeants Lyster and Pittaway were decorated with a Mention in Despatches for their part in shooting down two German aircraft during the raid, and one officer of the regiment was killed while ashore with a brigade headquarters. Sergeant Clarence "Ken" Crockett, DCM, of the 1st Battalion, Calgary Highlanders, was nominated for the Victoria Cross for actions in September 1944 and instead received the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The regiment selected the Battle of Walcheren Causeway for annual commemoration after the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 15 December 1945.

The Calgary Highlanders continued to train infantry soldiers in the late 1940s and into the 1950s. In the 1960s, as nuclear détente between the United States and the Soviet Union mounted, Militia units in Canada moved away from warfighting roles into national disaster training, a role not very well liked. By the 1970s, the Militia had once again focussed its training activities on war fighting. In the 1980s, the regiment trained as mechanized infantry using the Grizzly Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Militiamen and even army cadets were routinely flown to NATO exercises in Germany, Norway and Alaska to participate in realistic training, as the perceived threat of Warsaw Pact military aggression was felt to be high. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, the emphasis on training throughout Force Mobile Command moved away from large scale armoured formations fighting Soviet tank formations in central Europe. The Grizzlies were withdrawn by the mid 1990s and the regiment resumed training in a light infantry role. Most significantly, The Calgary Highlanders have contributed hundreds of soldiers to peacekeeping missions in the years since 1945, including peacekeeping, peace enforcing, and observation missions in Cambodia, the Persian Gulf, the Middle East, the former Yugoslavia, and Sudan. Recently, they have contributed soldiers to the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, including the deployment in early 2008 of 55 soldiers.

On 30 June 1990, Queen Elizabeth II presented the unit with a new queen's colour at a Trooping the Colour ceremony held at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC), who shared the queen with the Calgary Highlanders as colonel in chief, was also on parade and performed a mounted march past with their vehicles. The combined bands of the Calgary Highlanders, the King's Own Calgary Regiment and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were also on parade. The largest peacetime deployment of the regiment occurred during the 2013 Alberta floods when over 100 Calgary Highlanders were mobilized to assist the Calgary Emergency Management Agency with flood relief efforts.

To qualify for a battle honour, CF units were required to contribute an aggregate of more than 20% of authorized strength to the various task forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014. The regiment contributed over 100% of its strength, and was awarded the Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation for this achievement.

Battle honours in bold type indicate honours emblazoned on the regimental colour.

Honorary distinction: Oak leaf shoulder badge for the actions of the 10th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF, at the Battle of Kitcheners' Wood on 22/23 April 1915.

The Calgary Highlanders adopted many dress distinctions of the allied regiment in Scotland in the 1920s and continue to cherish those distinctions into the 21st century, including the red and white diced Glengarry worn by all ranks (except pipers), the badger head sporran worn by officers, warrant officers, and senior NCOs, the six point horsehair sporran worn by junior NCOs (except pipers), and the striped necktie of the 2nd Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, also worn by officers, warrant officers, senior NCOs, pipers and drummers of The Calgary Highlanders. It is unclear if any of these dress distinctions will continue to be worn in Scotland now that The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) have been amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The regiment dates back to 1 April 1910 and the creation of the 103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William Armstrong. The regiment did not mobilize for the First World War; however, the 103rd Regiment contributed men to several overseas battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force beginning in 1914, including the 10th Battalion. In 1921, the Canadian Militia was reorganized and the 103rd Regiment became simply "The Calgary Regiment". The 1st Battalion of this new unit became known as the Calgary Highlanders. The regiment was permitted to perpetuate the history of the 10th Battalion, CEF, and inherited that units battle honours (granted in 1929) as well as inheriting the memory of two Victoria Cross holders, Acting Sergeant Arthur George Knight and Private Harry W. Brown, both of whom were awarded the VC posthumously in the last year and a half of the Great War. The process for awarding battle honours for the First World War took over a decade, and The Calgary Highlanders were first awarded battle honours for the actions of the 10th Battalion, CEF, on 15 September 1929. The official granting of battle honours to the 10th Battalion was not done until 15 October of the same year. There was also one minor change; while the Calgary Highlanders were granted "Arras, 1917, '18" as a battle honour, the 10th Battalion's honour read only "Arras, 1917." While the overall battle of Saint Julien was considered worthy of a battle honour, to the dismay of those regiments perpetuating the units involved, the counter attack at Kitcheners' Wood was not. This counterattack, 22 April 1915, was thrown into the first German gas attack of the war. In recognition of this gallant effort and the persistence of the Winnipeg Light Infantry, the Calgary Highlanders and the Canadian Scottish, a special 'honorary distinction' was granted by Order in Council No. 10, 1934, of a special oak leaf shoulder badge now unique in the Canadian armed forces, and worn only by those three regiments at the time of adoption in 1938, and today by only two units, The Calgary Highlanders and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's).

The regiment observed its centennial in 2010, an anniversary shared with its sister unit, The King's Own Calgary Regiment, as well as fellow unit in the Calgary garrison, 14 (Calgary) Service Battalion, as well as the Canadian Navy (represented in Calgary by ). The centennial was marked by several unique events, including the last ever military parade at Currie Barracks in Calgary, and an overseas pilgrimage to battlefield sites and places of regimental significance which included the dedication of plaques at Hill 67 and Clair Tison. Also originally part of the centennial events was the announcement of a Calgary Soldiers' Memorial, which was later dedicated on the anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in 2011. In May 2014, the regiment was awarded the Battle Honour "Afghanistan." As part of Canada's role in the Afghanistan War, the regiment deployed over 100 soldiers to the theatre as individual augmentees and on other assignments with the Regular Force, to a total of 126 separate tours of duty. One officer of the regiment was Mentioned in Despatches and others were recognized by commendations. The Regiment was awarded the Battle Honour "Afghanistan" on 9 May 2014. The unit received the Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation on 9 January 2015.

The Regimental Birthday is April 1. It was on 1 April 1910 that the 103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles) was officially founded. The regiment toasts the occasion with Black Velvet and raw oysters, homage to the original toasts offered by the founder, Lieutenant Colonel W. C. G. Armstrong and his officers in 1910. The weekend closest to April 22 is when St. Julien's Day is formally recognized, commemorating the role of the 10th Battalion in the Battle of St. Julien in 1915. The parade day closest to October 31 commemorates the role of The Calgary Highlanders in the Battle of Walcheren Causeway.

The 10th Battalion Association was merged with The Calgary Highlanders Association in 1956 to become the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association. During the Second World War, The Glen was the regimental newspaper of the overseas battalion beginning in September 1939, and The Glen continues to be the regimental journal of the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association. The Glen is published semi regularly.

General John de Chastelain, who served two terms as Chief of the Defence Staff, began his military career as a private in the Regimental Pipes and Drums of The Calgary Highlanders. On 30 June 1990, while serving as CDS, he paraded as a piper with the band during the Presentation of Queen's Colour at McMahon Stadium. Brigadier General G. J. P. O'Brien, OMM, MSC, CD, served in the ranks of the Calgary Highlanders from 1976 to 1979, including a tour of duty with UNDOF. He later transferred to 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, where he was commissioned, went on to command the regiment as a lieutenant colonel, then commanded 31 Canadian Brigade Group, and was appointed Director General Land Reserve in 2006. Lieutenant Colonel J. G. McQueen was the first commander of the Canadian contingent of the First Special Service Force (The Devil's Brigade). Lieutenant Colonel Mark Tennant rose from the rank of private in 1939 to the rank of major in 1944, and commanded the peacetime regiment after the Second World War. He was also appointed honorary lieutenant colonel. In civilian life he served for many years as an alderman of the City of Calgary. He was admitted to the Order of Canada following his political service. Lieutenant Carl Nickle, later Member of Parliament and member of the Order of Canada. Four Calgary Highlanders officers served in the CANLOAN project during the Second World War, two were captured at Arnhem, one was killed in Normandy with the Royal Scots, and one became the last CANLOAN to die in action when he was killed with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in April 1945. Sergeants Lyster and Pittaway were mentioned in despatches for their part in shooting down two German aircraft during the Dieppe Raid. Scruffy Wallace was a piper in The Calgary Highlanders before leaving the CF and becoming a member of Dropkick Murphys.

As part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of VE Day, a special celebrations committee in Doetinchem, Netherlands, recommended that the city park be renamed in honour of Lieutenant Colonel Mark Tennant and that a monument for the Calgary Highlanders who were killed in the fighting there be established. Tennant distinguished himself during the battle for Doetinchem where the Highlanders fought to clear the city between 1 and 3 April 1945. As a measure of thanks on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands, the City of Doetinchem named the park "Mark Tennantplantsoen – Een Canadese bevrijder" – "Mark Tennant Park, A Canadian Liberator." Trees in the park still contained shrapnel; mute evidence of the fighting that raged there in April 1945. The Calgary Soldiers' Memorial bears the names of all Calgary area soldiers who died in war from 1914, with separate sections for both the 10th Battalion, CEF and The Calgary Highlanders. Regimental plaques can be found at various sites, including Mewata Armouries, Hill 67, Clair Tizon and Loon Plage in Normandy. A plaque to the predecessor unit, the 10th Battalion, can be found at Villers lès Cagnicourt, commemorating the Victoria Cross action of Sergeant Arthur Knight, VC.

The Devil's Brigade (1968). Two main characters can be seen wearing the insignia of the Calgary Highlanders, Corporal Peacock and Private MacDonald (Richard Dawson). Legends of the Fall (1994). The character of Samuel Ludlow (Henry Thomas) very clearly wears the insignia of the 10th Battalion, CEF. It is presumed that Tristan Ludlow (Brad Pitt) and Alfred Ludlow (Aidan Quinn) also belong to the same battalion, but neither costume nor dialogue confirm this though a voiceover indicates that all three enlisted together in Calgary. Passchendaele (2008). This film project, announced by Paul Gross, filmed in Alberta in the autumn of 2007; Gross depicts a character inspired by his grandfather, Sergeant Michael Dunne, who he claimed served in the 10th Battalion, CEF. The film opened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 4, 2008, and was released in Canada on October 17, 2008. Historical figures are referenced in the film, for example characters named Colonel Ormond and RSM Watchman are named after living historical counterparts that served with the 10th Battalion. The Forgotten Battle (2020). The crossing of the Walcheren Causeway is depicted in this film.