The King’s Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC)

Colonel-in-Chief: Vacant

Badge

Description

On a shield Argent a cross Gules surmounted by a maple leaf in autumnal tints charged with a bison statant on a mound, on a chief the local landscape at sunset all proper, the shield ensigned by the Royal Crown, supported dexter by a horse, sinister by a steer, adorned beneath with a rose between shamrocks and thistles all proper, the whole set upon three scrolls Or, the upper one inscribed with the motto ONWARD and the two below inscribed KING'S OWN CALGARY REGIMENT in letters Azure.

Symbolism

The Crown represents service to the Sovereign. The badge, incorporates the shield, the horse, the steer and the roses, thistles and shamrocks, as adopted by the City of Calgary in 1902. "KING'S OWN CALGARY REGIMENT" is a form of the regimental title and "ONWARD" is the motto of the regiment.

Motto

ONWARD

March

Colonel Bogey

Alliance

British Army

The King’s Own Royal Border Regiment

Guidon

Camp flag

Battle honours

The First World War

YPRES, 1915, '17; FESTUBERT, 1915; MOUNT SORREL; SOMME, 1916; Ancre Heights; Ancre, 1916; ARRAS, 1917, '18; Vimy, 1917; HILL 70; Passchendaele; AMIENS; Scarpe, 1918; Drocourt-Quéant; HINDENBURG LINE; Canal du Nord; VALENCIENNES; FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915-18.

The Second World War

Dieppe; SICILY, 1943; Motta Montecorvino; San Leonardo; The Gully; CASSINO II; Gustav Line; Pignataro; LIRI VALLEY; Aquino; TRASIMENE LINE; AREZZO; ADVANCE TO FLORENCE; Cerrone; ITALY, 1943-1945; NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1942, 1945.

South-West Asia

AFGHANISTAN

Lineage

This Reserve Force regiment originated on 1 April 1910 and incorporates the following regiment and machine gun battalion.

The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC) originated in Calgary, Alberta on 1 April 1910, when the '103rd Regiment "Calgary Rifles"' was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} On 15 March 1920 it was reorganized as two separate regiments, designated 'The Alberta Regiment' (now 'The South Alberta Light Horse') and 'The Calgary Regiment'.^{Footnote 2} On 15 May 1924 it was again reorganized as two separate regiments, designated 'The Calgary Highlanders' and 'The Calgary Regiment'.^{Footnote 3} On 1 April 1936, it was amalgamated with the 'Headquarters' and 'B Company' of the '13th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC' (see below) retaining its designation.^{Footnote 4} It was redesignated: 'The Calgary Regiment (Tank)' on 15 December 1936;^{Footnote 5} '14th (Reserve) Army Tank Battalion, (The Calgary Regiment (Tank))' on 1 April 1941;^{Footnote 6} '14th (Reserve) Army Tank Regiment, (The Calgary Regiment (Tank))' on 15 August 1942;^{Footnote 7} '14th Armoured Regiment (Calgary Regiment), RCAC' on 1 April 1946;^{Footnote 8}

'14th Armoured Regiment (King's Own Calgary Regiment)' on 22 July 1946;^{Footnote 9} 'The King's Own Calgary Regiment (14th Armoured Regiment)' on 4 February 1949;^{Footnote 10} and 'The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC)' on 19 May 1958.^{Footnote 11}

Perpetuations

'50th', '89th', and '137th "Overseas" Battalion(s), CEF'

Headquarters Location

Calgary, Alberta

Operational history

The First World War

Details of the 103rd Regiment "Calgary Rifles" were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.^{Footnote 14}

The 50th Battalion, which was authorized on 7 November 1914 as the '50th Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 15} embarked for Britain on 27 October 1915.^{Footnote 16} The battalion disembarked in France on 11 August 1916,^{Footnote 17} where it fought as part of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 18} The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.^{Footnote 19}

The 89th Battalion, which was authorized on 22 December 1915 as the '89th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 20} embarked for Britain on 2 June 1916.^{Footnote 21} Its personnel were absorbed by the '9th Reserve Battalion, CEF' to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field.^{Footnote 22} The battalion was disbanded on 21 May 1917.^{Footnote 23}

The 137th Battalion, which was authorized on 22 December 1915 as the '137th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 24} embarked for Britain on 21 August 1916.^{Footnote 25} It was amalgamated with the '175th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF' to form the '21st Reserve Battalion, CEF' on 10 January 1917, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field.^{Footnote 26} The battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.^{Footnote 27}

The Second World War

Details from the regiment were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939, under the designation 'The Calgary Regiment (Tank), CASF (Details)', for local protection duties.^{Footnote 28} The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.^{Footnote 29} The regiment subsequently mobilized an armour regiment designated the '14th Army Tank Battalion (The Calgary Regiment (Tank)), CAC, CASF' on 11 February 1941.^{Footnote 30} It was redesignated: '14th Army Tank Regiment (The Calgary Regiment (Tank)), CAC, CASF' on 15 May 1942;^{Footnote 31} '14th Armoured Regiment (The Calgary Regiment), CAC, CASF' on 26 August 1943;^{Footnote 32} and '14th Armoured Regiment (The Calgary Regiment), RCAC, CASF' on 2 August 1945.^{Footnote 33} This unit embarked for Britain on 20 June 1941.^{Footnote 34} The regiment took part in the raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942 as the first unit of the Canadian Armoured Corps to go into action.^{Footnote 35} The regiment landed in Sicily on 13 July 1943 as part of the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade, and in Italy on 3 September 1943.^{Footnote 36} On 9 March 1945 the regiment moved with the 1st Canadian Corps to North-West Europe, where it fought as part of the 1st Armoured Brigade until the end of the war.^{Footnote 37} The overseas regiment was disbanded on 15 December 1945.^{Footnote 38}

South-West Asia

From 2002 to 2014, The King’s Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC) reinforced various CAF units deployed to Afghanistan.^{Footnote 39}