The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance (recce) regiment of the Canadian Army; the regiment is subordinate to 39 Canadian Brigade Group of the 3rd Canadian Division. Established in 1883, it is the oldest military unit in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It parades at the Beatty Street Drill Hall at the corner of Dunsmuir and Beatty in Downtown Vancouver. The regiment has been variously designated as garrison artillery, rifles, infantry, and armoured, but has been reconnaissance since 1965. It has received 41 battle honours, and has been a unit of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps since 1942.
Lineage
The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)
The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) originated in Victoria, British Columbia on 12 October 1883, when the British Columbia Provisional Regiment of Garrison Artillery was formed. It was redesignated as the British Columbia Brigade of Garrison Artillery on 7 May 1886, as the British Columbia Battalion of Garrison Artillery on 1 January 1893, as the 5th British Columbia Battalion of Garrison Artillery on 1 January 1895 and the 5th British Columbia Regiment, Canadian Artillery on 28 December 1895. The regiment was reorganized and split into two battalions on 1 July 1896, designated the 1st Battalion (now the 5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA) and 2nd Battalion, which was detached and converted to infantry and redesignated the 6th Battalion Rifles on 1 August 1899, with headquarters in Vancouver. It was redesignated the 6th Regiment The Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles on 1 May 1900.
Following the Great War on 12 March 1920, the 6th Regiment The Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles was amalgamated with the 104th Regiment (Westminster Fusiliers of Canada), now The Royal Westminster Regiment, and redesignated as the 1st British Columbia Regiment. It was redesignated the 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) on 1 November 1920. On 15 May 1924 it was reorganized into three separate regiments, designated The Vancouver Regiment, The Westminster Regiment and the 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own). The 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) was redesignated The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles) on 15 January 1930 and the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The British Columbia Regiment, (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles) on 7 November 1940. The regiment was converted to armour and redesignated the 13th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment), RCAC, on 1 April 1946, The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (13th Armoured Regiment) on 4 February 1949, The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (RCAC), on 19 May 1958 and finally The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) on 7 October 1985. On 13 June 2002, it was amalgamated with The Irish Fusiliers of Canada (The Vancouver Regiment).
Perpetuations The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaughts' Own) perpetuates the 7th Battalion (1st British Columbia), CEF, the 29th (Vancouver) Battalion, CEF, the 30th Battalion, CEF, the 62nd Battalion (British Columbia), CEF, the 102nd Battalion CEF, the 121st Battalion (Western Irish), CEF, and the 158th Battalion (The Duke of Connaught's Own), CEF.
History
Early history The 6th Battalion Rifles contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents during the South African War.
In 1914 the regiment was involved in the Komagata Maru incident.
The Great War
The 6th Regiment The Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles and the 11th Regiment Irish Fusiliers of Canada were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.
The 7th Battalion (1st British Columbia), CEF was authorized on 10 August 1914 and sailed for Britain on 28 September 1914. The 7th Battalion disembarked in France on 15 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.
The 29th Battalion (Vancouver), CEF, known as "Tobin's Tigers", was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 20 May 1915. It arrived in France on 17 September 1915, where it fought as part of the 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.
The 102nd Battalion, CEF, was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 18 June 1916, arriving in France on 12 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.
The 30th Battalion, CEF, was authorized on 27 October 1914 and embarked for Britain on 23 February 1915. It was redesignated the 30th Reserve Battalion, CEF, on 18 April 1915 to provide reinforcements for units in the field. On 4 January 1917 its personnel were absorbed by the 1st Reserve Battalion, CEF.
The 62nd Battalion (British Columbia), CEF, was authorized on 20 April 1915 and embarked for Britain on 20 March 1916, where it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 6 July 1916 when its personnel were absorbed by the 30th Reserve Battalion, CEF.
The 121st Battalion (Western Irish), CEF, was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 14 November 1916, where it provided reinforcements for Canadian units in the field until 10 January 1917 when its personnel were absorbed by the 16th Reserve Battalion, CEF.
The 158th Battalion (The Duke of Connaught's Own), CEF, was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 14 November 1916 where it provided reinforcements for the units in the field until 4 January 1917 when its personnel were absorbed by the 1st Reserve Battalion, CEF.
The Second World War The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles) was called out on service on 26 August 1939 and details of the regiment were placed on active service on 1 September 1939 for local protection duties under the designation The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles), CASF (Details). Details from the Irish Fusiliers were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then on active service on 1 September 1939, as the Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment), CASF (Details), for local protection duties. The 102nd Battery was called out on service on 26 August 1939 and details of the battery were placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as the 102nd (North British Columbia) Heavy Battery, RCA, CASF (Details), for local protection duties. The details of the three units called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.
The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles), CASF, mobilized for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles), CASF, on 7 November 1940. It was converted to armour and redesignated the 28th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment), CAC, CASF, on 26 January 1942; and then the 28th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment), RCAC, CASF, on 2 August 1945. On 21 August 1942 it embarked for Britain. The regiment landed in France on 28 July 1944 as part of the 4th Armoured Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division and continued to serve in North West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas regiment was disbanded on 15 February 1946.
The 1st Battalion, Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment), CASF, mobilized for active service on 1 January 1941. The battalion served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 18th Infantry Brigade, 6th Canadian Division; and in Jamaica on garrison duty from 18 May 1943 to 6 August 1944. On 10 January 1945 it embarked for Britain, where it was disbanded on 19 January 1945 to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Army in the field. The 3rd Battalion, Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment), CASF, mobilized for active service on 12 May 1942. This unit served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 19th Infantry Brigade of Pacific Command. The 3rd Battalion was disbanded on 15 August 1943.
The 102nd (North British Columbia) Heavy Battery, RCA, CASF, mobilized for active service on 1 January 1941. It was redesignated as the 102nd Coast Battery, RCA, CASF, on 1 May 1942. This unit served in Canada in a home defence role with the 17th (North British Columbia) Coast Regiment, RCA, CASF, as part of Pacific Command. The battery was disbanded on 31 October 1945.
The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles) was called out at 4:15 a.m. on August 26, 1939, two weeks prior to the official declaration of war by the Canadian governor general. Soldiers were dispatched to various vulnerable areas in the city, largely as a precautionary measure in response to Adolf Hitler's increasing aggression towards Poland.History of the BCRs in World War Two The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) Official DND Website. The British Columbia Regiment trained in Canada until January 1942, when it was announced that the 4th Division would become an armoured division. As a result, the unit was re-designated as the 28th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment), and its officers and men were sent to England for training. In August 1943, Lieutenant-Colonel D.G. Worthington became the commanding officer of the regiment. In October, the regiment began to receive the M4 Sherman tanks, gradually replacing the Canadian-made Ram tanks, which had been in use for training.
Following the Allied invasion of Europe on D-Day, the regiment embarked for France on July 23 and landed in Normandy on July 26. The regiment saw its first action in the Second World War during Operation Totalize, on August 8, 1944. The operation was launched under the cover of darkness. To aid in navigation at night, searchlights had been pointed at the cloud cover to provide some illumination. 40 mm Bofors guns were also firing tracers along the line of advance to aid the attack. Despite these precautions, the 28th, accompanied by The Algonquin Regiment, became disoriented and navigated away from Hill 195, which was its objective, and steered instead towards Hill 140, but did not reach the hill before daybreak. As a result, when daylight came, the unit was in an exposed valley with units of the 12th SS Panzer Division concealed in the high ground. The two Canadian regiments were attacked by the 12th SS, who were equipped with 88 mm flak guns and Tiger tanks, among other heavy weapons. Lieutenant-Colonel Worthington was killed during the battle, and the survivors of the regiment managed to break contact with the 12th SS, after suffering 133 casualties and losing 48 out of 52 tanks. The 28th would return to action only a week later, contributing to the closing of the Falaise Pocket during Operation Tractable, which saw the destruction of the German Seventh Army and the capture of a great number of enemy soldiers and equipment.