The Brockville Rifles
The official lineage of The Brockville Rifles infantry regiment.
Badge
Description
Gules a bugle stringed Argent all within an annulus Sable edged and inscribed THE BROCKVILLE RIFLES in letters Argent surmounting a Maltese cross Sable and Argent bearing in the upper limb a plaque Sable fimbriated and inscribed AMIENS in letters Argent and in the lower limb a like plaque inscribed PURSUIT TO MONS, the whole ensigned by the Royal Crown proper.
Symbolism
The crown represents service to the Sovereign. The Maltese cross, which is based on the insignia of the Royal Guelphic Order and the bugle are common among badges of light infantry and rifle regiments. "THE BROCKVILLE RIFLES" is the regimental title and "AMIENS" and "PURSUIT TO MONS" are regimental battle honours from the First World War.
Motto
SEMPER PARATUS (Always prepared)
March
"Bonnie Dundee"
Alliance
British Army
The Rifles
Regimental colour
Rifle regiments do not carry Colours. They may emblazon their battle honours on unit appointments such as cap badges.
Camp flag
Battle honours
The War of 1812
DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812-1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA; NIAGARA
Honorary Distinction
The non-emblazonable honorary distinction DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812-1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA
The First World War
AMIENS; ARRAS, 1918; HINDENBURG LINE; PURSUIT TO MONS.
The Second World War
Honorary Distinction
The badge of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, with the year-dates 1944-1945, for jointly mobilizing the unit for service in Europe.
South-West Asia
AFGHANISTAN
Lineage
This Reserve Force regiment originated on 5 October 1866 and incorporates the following regiment and artillery battery.
The Brockville Rifles originated in Brockville, Ontario on 5 October 1866, when the '41st "Brockville Battalion of Rifles"' was authorized to be formed.Footnote 1 It was redesignated: '41st Regiment "Brockville Rifles"' on 8 May 1900;Footnote 2 'The Brockville Rifles' on 12 March 1920;Footnote 3 and '2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Brockville Rifles' on 18 March 1942.Footnote 4 The regiment was converted to artillery and redesignated the '60th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Brockville Rifles), RCA' on 1 April 1946.Footnote 5 On 1 September 1954, it was amalgamated with the '32nd Anti-Tank Battery (Self-Propelled), RCA' (see below) and redesignated the '32nd Locating Battery (Brockville Rifles) RCA'.Footnote 6 On 1 December 1959, it was converted to infantry and redesignated 'The Brockville Rifles'.Footnote 7
Notes:
Upon redesignation as The Brockville Rifles on 12 March 1920 (see above), it was organized as a two battalion regiment with the 1st Battalion (156th Battalion, CEF) on the Non Permanent Active Militia order of battle and the 2nd Battalion (no CEF designation) on the Reserve order of battle. The reserve unit was disbanded on 14 December 1936 (GO 3/37).
The Brockville Rifles were disbanded for the purpose of reorganization on 1 November 1920 and reorganized the same day (GO 253/20). This change was administrative and does not affect the lineage of the regiment.
The 32nd Anti-Tank Battery (Self-Propelled), RCA originated in Kingston, Ontario on 14 November 1855, when the 'Volunteer Militia Company of Foot Artillery of Kingston' was authorized to be formed.Footnote 8 It was redesignated: 'Volunteer Militia Field Battery of Artillery of Kingston' on 29 May 1856;Footnote 9 'No. 5 "Kingston" Field Battery' on 1 July 1894;Footnote 10 '5th "Kingston" Field Battery, CA' on 28 December 1895.Footnote 11 '32nd (Kingston) Battery, CFA' on 2 February 1920;Footnote 12 '32nd (Kingston) Field Battery, CA' on 1 July 1925;Footnote 13 '32nd (Kingston) Field Battery, RCA' on 3 June 1935;Footnote 14 and '32nd (Reserve) (Kingston) Field Battery, RCA' on 7 November 1940;Footnote 15 '3rd/32nd (Reserve) Field Battery, RCA' on 24 June 1942;Footnote 16 '32nd (Reserve) Anti-Aircraft Battery (Type 2H), RCA' on 15 May 1943;Footnote 17 '3rd/32nd (Reserve) Field Battery, RCA' on 1 September 1943;Footnote 18 and '32nd Anti-Tank Battery (Self-Propelled), RCA' on 1 April 1946.Footnote 19 On 1 September 1954, it was amalgamated with the '60th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Brockville Rifles), RCA', as above.
Notes:
The Brockville Rifles' date of origin is not traced to the formation date of the Volunteer Militia Company of Foot Artillery of Kingston as regimental lineage is traced from the formation of unit, not sub-unit sized organizations.
The 5th "Kingston" Field Battery, CFA was disbanded for the purpose of reorganization on 23 March 1914 and reorganized the next day (GO 60/14). This change was administrative and does not affect the lineage of the battery.
The 32nd (Kingston) Battery, CFA was disbanded for the purpose of reorganization on 15 February 1921 and reorganized the same day (GO 92/21). This change was administrative and does not affect the lineage of the battery.
Perpetuations
'Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada', '1st and 2nd Regiments of Leeds Militia (1812-15)', '156th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF'; and '32nd "Overseas" Battery, CFA, CEF'
Headquarters Location
Brockville, Ontario
Operational history
Fenian Raids
The 41st "Brockville Battalion of Rifles" was called out on active service on 24 May 1870. The battalion, which served on the St. Lawrence Rivers frontier, was removed from active service on 1 June 1870.Footnote 20
The First World War
The 156th Battalion, which was authorized on 22 December 1915 as the '156th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',Footnote 21 embarked for Britain on 19 October 1916.Footnote 22 The battalion's personnel were absorbed by the '109th', '119th', '120th', '123rd', and '124th "Overseas" Battalion(s), CEF' on 1 November 1916.Footnote 23 On 27 December 1916, the battalion was reformed to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until absorbed by the '6th Reserve Battalion, CEF' on 15 February 1918.Footnote 24 The battalion was disbanded on 29 November 1918.Footnote 25
The 32nd Battery, which was authorized on 15 August 1915 as the '32nd "Overseas" Battery, CFA, CEF',Footnote 26 embarked for Britain on 5 February 1916.Footnote 27 It disembarked in France on 14 July 1916,Footnote 28 where it provided field artillery support as part of the 9th Brigade, CFA, CEF from 15 July 1916 to 1 July 1917, and with the 8th Army Brigade, CFA from 5 July 1917, in France and Flanders until the end of the war.Footnote 29 The battery was disbanded on 23 October 1920.Footnote 30
The Second World War
The regiment mobilized the '1st Battalion, The Brockville Rifles, CASF' for active service on 18 March 1942.Footnote 31 It served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 13th Infantry Brigade, 6th Canadian Division,Footnote 32 and in Jamaica on garrison duty from 5 August 1944 to 27 March 1946.Footnote 33 The battalion was disbanded on 30 April 1946.Footnote 34
The regiment provided 'No. 2 Company' of 'The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, CASF' for active service on 24 May 1940 (see The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders chart for further details).Footnote 35
The 32nd (Kingston) Field Battery, RCA in conjunction with the '34th Field Battery, RCA' mobilized the '32nd/34th Field Battery, RCA, CASF' for active service on 24 May 1940.Footnote 36 This unit was reorganized as two separate batteries on 1 January 1941, designated the '32nd (Kingston) Field Battery, RCA, CASF' and the '34th Field Battery, RCA, CASF'.Footnote 37 It was redesignated the '32nd (Kingston) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA, CASF' the same day.Footnote 38 It provided light anti-aircraft artillery support as part of the 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA, CASF in North-West Europe until the end of the war.Footnote 39 The overseas battery was disbanded on 13 November 1945.Footnote 40
The battery subsequently mobilized the '2nd 32nd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA, CAOF' on 1 June 1945 for active service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany.Footnote 41 The battery was disbanded on 4 April 1946.Footnote 42
Note:
No lineal connection with the '32nd Anti-Aircraft Troop, Type L, RCA, CASF' authorized on 17 February 1942 (GO 97/42) and redesignated: '32nd Anti-Aircraft Battery, Type 2L, RCA, CASF' on 13 April 1942 (GO 182/42); and '32nd Anti-Aircraft Battery, Type 3L, RCA, CASF' on 15 June 1943 (GO 366/43). This unit was disbanded on 31 January 1945 (GO 208/45).
South-West Asia
From 2002 to 2014, the Brockville Rifles reinforced various CAF units deployed to Afghanistan.Footnote 43
Page details
- Date modified: