The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada

Colonel-in-Chief: His Royal Highness King Charles III

Badge

Description

Azure the figure of St. Andrew proper standing on a mount Vert holding his cross Argent all within an annulus Azure fimbriated and inscribed "NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT" in letters Or, ensigned by the Royal crown and environed by a wreath of thistles proper all between a scroll on either side of the Crown inscribed THE BLACK WATCH and two scrolls Or in base inscribed ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT and OF CANADA in letters sable, the whole set on the diamond-cut star of the Order of the Thistle Argent.

Symbolism

The Crown represents service to the Sovereign. The badge of the regiment is styled on that of their former British allied regiment The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) - now, through amalgamation, The Royal Regiment of Scotland - whose badge, in turn, was based on that of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the highest order of chivalry in Scotland. The diamond-cut star, the thistles (the national flower of Scotland) and the representation of St. Andrew (the patron saint of the Order and of Scotland) and the cross appear on the Order's badge. The scrolls bearing the words "THE BLACK WATCH", "ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT" and "OF CANADA" are a form of the regimental title and "NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT" is the motto of the regiment and the Order of the Thistle.

Motto

NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT (No one shall touch me with impunity)

Quick March

"The Highland Laddie"

Slow March

"The Red Hackle"

Alliance

British Army

The Royal Regiment of Scotland

Regimental colour

Camp flag

Battle honours

The War of 1812

DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812-1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA; CHÂTEAUGUAY

South African War

SOUTH AFRICA, 1899-1900.

The First World War

YPRES, 1915, '17; Gravenstafel; St. Julien; FESTUBERT, 1915; MOUNT SORREL; SOMME, 1916; Pozières; Flers-Courcelette; Thiepval; Ancre Heights; Ancre, 1916; ARRAS, 1917, '18; Vimy, 1917; Arleux; Scarpe, 1917, '18; HILL 70; Passchendaele; AMIENS; Drocourt-Quéant; HINDENBURG LINE; Canal du Nord; PURSUIT TO MONS; FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915-18.

The Second World War

BOURGUÉBUS RIDGE; Faubourg de Vaucelles; Verrières Ridge-Tilly-la-Campagne; FALAISE; Clair Tizon; Forêt de la Londe; Dunkirk, 1944; Antwerp-Turnhout Canal; THE SCHELDT; Woensdrecht; South Beveland; Walcheren Causeway; THE RHINELAND; The Hochwald; Xanten; THE RHINE; Groningen; Oldenburg; NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1944-1945.

South-West Asia

AFGHANISTAN

Lineage

This Reserve Force regiment originated on 31 January 1862 and incorporates the following regiment and battalions.

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada originated in Montreal, Quebec on 31 January 1862, when the '5th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada' was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} It was redesignated: '5th Battalion, "The Royal Light Infantry of Montreal"' on 7 November 1862;^{Footnote 2} '5th Battalion, "Royal Fusiliers"' on 19 November 1875;^{Footnote 3} '5th Battalion, "Royal Scots Fusiliers"' on 27 February 1880;^{Footnote 4} '5th Battalion, "Royal Scots of Canada"' on 29 February 1884;^{Footnote 5} '5th Regiment "Royal Scots of Canada"' on 8 May 1900;^{Footnote 6} '5th Regiment "Royal Scots of Canada, Highlanders"' on 2 May 1904;^{Footnote 7} '5th Regiment "Royal Highlanders of Canada"' on 1 October 1906;^{Footnote 8} 'The Royal Highlanders of Canada' on 29 March 1920;^{Footnote 9} 'The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) of Canada' on 1 January 1930;^{Footnote 10} and 'The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada' on 1 July 1935.^{Footnote 11} On 16 October 1953, it was amalgamated with the '1st Canadian Highland Battalion' and the '2nd Canadian Highland Battalion' (see below), retaining the same designation.^{Footnote 12}

Perpetuations

'5th Battalion, Select Embodied Militia', '13th', '42nd' and '73rd "Overseas" Battalion(s), CEF'

Headquarters Location

Montreal, Quebec

Operational history

The Fenian Raids

The 5th Battalion, "The Royal Light Infantry of Canada" was called out on active service on 8 March 1866. The battalion, which served on the South-eastern frontier, was removed from active service on 31 March 1866.^{Footnote 15}

The battalion was called out on active service on 24 May 1870. It served on the South-eastern frontier and was removed from active service on 31 May 1870.^{Footnote 16}

South African War

The regiment contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents, mainly to the '2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry'.^{Footnote 17}

The First World War

Details of the regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protective duty.^{Footnote 18}

The 13th Battalion, which was authorized on 1 September 1914 as the '13th Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 19} embarked for Great Britain on 26 September 1914.^{Footnote 20} It disembarked in France on 16 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 21} The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.^{Footnote 22}

The 42nd Battalion, which was authorized on 7 November 1914 as the '42nd Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 23} embarked for Great Britain on 10 June 1915.^{Footnote 24} It disembarked in France on 9 October 1915, where it fought as part of the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 25} The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.^{Footnote 26}

The 73rd Battalion, which was authorized on 10 July 1915 as the '73rd "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 27} embarked for Great Britain on 31 March 1916.^{Footnote 28} It disembarked in France on 13 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division until 9 April 1917 when it was withdrawn from the line after Vimy and broken up to provide reinforcements.^{Footnote 29} The battalion was disbanded on 19 April 1917.^{Footnote 30}

The Second World War

The 2nd Battalion was called out on service on 26 August 1939 and details of the battalion were placed on active service on 1 September 1939, under the designation '2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, CASF (Details), for local protection duties.^{Footnote 31} The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.^{Footnote 32}

The regiment mobilized the '1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, CASF' for active service on 1 September 1939.^{Footnote 33} This unit, which served in Newfoundland from 22 June to 11 August 1940, embarked for Great Britain on 25 August 1940.^{Footnote 34} On 6 July 1944, the battalion landed in France as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North West Europe until the end of the war.^{Footnote 35} The overseas battalion was disbanded on 30 November 1945.^{Footnote 36}

South-West Asia

From 2002 to 2014, the Black Watch of Canada reinforced various CAF units deployed to Afghanistan^{Footnote 40}