The Essex and Kent Scottish

Colonel-in-Chief: His Royal Highness, Prince Michael of Kent GCVO

Badge

Description

On a shield Gules fimbriated Or three seaxes in pale points to the sinister, in base a horse forcene Argent, all environed by a scroll Gules ensigned by a lion's head erased Or, reversed at the base, binding two thistles slipped proper, and inscribed in chief THE ESSEX AND KENT SCOTTISH and in base SEMPER and PARATUS in letters Or.

Symbolism

The badge is based on the regimental badge of The Essex Scottish, with the addition of the white horse taken from the badge of The Kent Regiment, which were amalgamated in 1954. The three seaxes refer to the arms of Essex County, England, the location of the regiment's former allied regiment The Essex Regiment (now, through amalgamation, The Royal Anglian Regiment). The white horse is from the arms of Kent County, Ontario and its namesake in England, the location of the regiment's former allied regiment The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (now, through amalgamation, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment). The thistles (the national flower of Scotland) and lion are common devices among badges of highland infantry regiment. "THE ESSEX AND KENT SCOTTISH" is the regimental title and "SEMPER PARATUS" is the motto of the regiment.

Motto

SEMPER PARATUS (Always prepared)

Marches

"The Highland Laddie" and "A Hundred Pipers"

Alliances

British Army

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment and The Royal Anglian Regiment

Regimental colour

Camp flag

Battle honours

The War of 1812

DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812-1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA; DETROIT; MAUMEE; NIAGARA

Honorary Distinction

The non-emblazonable honorary distinction DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812-1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA

The First World War

YPRES, 1915, '17; FESTUBERT, 1915; MOUNT SORREL; SOMME, 1916, '18; Flers-Courcelette; Thiepval; Ancre Heights; ARRAS, 1917, '18; Vimy, 1917; HILL 70; Passchendaele; AMIENS; Scarpe, 1918; HINDENBURG LINE; Canal du Nord; Cambrai, 1918; PURSUIT TO MONS; FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915-18.

The Second World War

Dieppe; BOURGUÉBUS RIDGE; St. André-sur-Orne; FALAISE; Falaise Road; Clair Tizon; Forêt de la Londe; THE SCHELDT; Woensdrecht; South Beveland; THE RHINELAND; Goch-Calcar Road; The Hochwald; Xanten; Twente Canal; Groningen; Oldenburg; NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1942, 1944-1945.

South-West Asia

AFGHANISTAN

Lineage

This Reserve Force regiment originated on 12 June 1885 and incorporates the following regiments.

The Essex and Kent Scottish originated in Windsor, Ontario on 12 June 1885, when the '21st "Essex" Battalion of Infantry' was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} It was redesignated: '21st Battalion "Essex Fusiliers"' on 4 February 1887;^{Footnote 2} '21st Regiment "Essex Fusiliers"' on 8 May 1900;^{Footnote 3} 'The Essex Fusiliers' on 29 March 1920;^{Footnote 4} 'The Essex Scottish' on 15 July 1927;^{Footnote 5} '2nd Battalion, The Essex Scottish' on 7 November 1940;^{Footnote 6} and 'The Essex Scottish' on 15 December 1945.^{Footnote 7} On 1 October 1954, it was amalgamated with 'The Kent Regiment' (see below) and redesignated 'The Essex and Kent Scottish'.^{Footnote 8}

Perpetuations

‘The Loyal Essex Volunteers (Essex Rangers)’, ‘The Loyal Kent Volunteers (Kent Rangers)’, ‘The Western Rangers (Caldwell’s Rangers)’, ‘1st and 2nd Regiments of Essex Militia (1812-15)’, ‘1st Regiment of Kent Militia (1812-15)’, '18th', '99th', '186th' and '241st "Overseas" Battalion(s), CEF'

Headquarters Location

Windsor, Ontario

Operational history

The First World War

Details of the 21st Regiment "Essex Fusiliers" were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.^{Footnote 15}

Details of the 24th "Kent" Regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.^{Footnote 16}

The 18th Battalion, which was authorized on 7 November 1914 as the '18th Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 17} embarked for Great Britain on 18 April 1915.^{Footnote 18} It disembarked in France on 15 September 1915, where it fought as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 19} The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.^{Footnote 20}

The 99th Battalion, which was authorized on 22 December 1915 as the '99th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 21} embarked for Great Britain on 31 May 1916.^{Footnote 22} On 6 July 1916, its personnel were absorbed by the '35th Reserve Battalion, CEF' to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field.^{Footnote 23} The battalion was disbanded on 1 September 1917.^{Footnote 24}

The 186th Battalion, which was authorized on 15 July 1916 as the '186th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 25} embarked for Great Britain on 28 March 1917.^{Footnote 26} On 7 April 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the '4th Reserve Battalion, CEF' to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field.^{Footnote 27} The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1917.^{Footnote 28}

The 241st Battalion, which was authorized on 15 July 1916 as the '241st "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 29} embarked for Great Britain on 29 April 1917.^{Footnote 30} On 7 May 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the '5th Reserve Battalion, CEF' to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field.^{Footnote 31} The battalion was disbanded on 1 September 1917.^{Footnote 32}

The Second World War

The Essex Scottish mobilized the 'The Essex Scottish Regiment, CASF' for active service on 1 September 1939.^{Footnote 33} It embarked for Great Britain on 16 July 1940.^{Footnote 34} It was redesignated the '1st Battalion, The Essex Scottish Regiment, CASF' on 7 November 1940.^{Footnote 35} The battalion took part in the raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942.^{Footnote 36} It landed again in France on 5 July 1944, as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war.^{Footnote 37} The overseas battalion was disbanded on 15 December 1945.^{Footnote 38}

The Kent Regiment (Machine Gun) mobilized 'The Kent Regiment, CASF' for active service on 24 May 1940.^{Footnote 39} It was redesignated the '1st Battalion, The Kent Regiment, CASF' on 7 November 1940.^{Footnote 40} It served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 14th Infantry Brigade, 8th Canadian Division and with Pacific Command.^{Footnote 41} The battalion was disbanded on 30 March 1946.^{Footnote 42}

South-West Asia

From 2002 to 2014, The Essex and Kent Scottish reinforced various CAF units deployed to Afghanistan.^{Footnote 43}