Irish Regiment of Canada
The official lineage of the Irish Regiment of Canada infantry regiment.
Badge
Description
An eight-pointed diamond-cut star Or charged with a harp Argent above a scroll Vert fimbriated and inscribed with the Motto in letters Argent, the star's topmost point surmounted by the Royal Crown proper.
Symbolism
The star is a customary infantry badge shape from the 19th century. The Crown represents service to the Sovereign. The harp styled as the Maid of Erin is an emblem of Ireland. "FÍOR GO BÁS" is the motto of the regiment.
Motto
FÍOR GO BÁS (Faithful until death)
March
"Garry Owen"
Alliance
British Army
The Royal Irish Regiment
Regimental colour
Camp flag
Battle honours
The First World War
ARRAS, 1917, '18; HILL 70; YPRES, 1917; AMIENS; Scarpe, 1918; Drocourt-Quéant; HINDENBURG LINE; Canal du Nord; PURSUIT TO MONS; FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1917-18.
The Second World War
LIRI VALLEY; Melfa Crossing; GOTHIC LINE; Montecchio; CORIANO; LAMONE CROSSING; Fosso Munio; Conventello-Comacchio; ITALY, 1943-1945; Ijsselmeer; Delfzijl Pocket; NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1945.
South-West Asia
AFGHANISTAN
Lineage
This Reserve Force regiment originated on 15 October 1915 and incorporates the following regiments and battalion.
The Irish Regiment of Canada originated in Toronto, Ontario on 15 October 1915, when an "infantry regiment" was authorized to be formed.Footnote 1 It was designated the '110th Irish Regiment' on 1 January 1916.Footnote 2 It was redesignated: 'The Irish Regiment' on 1 May 1920;Footnote 3 and 'The Irish Regiment of Canada' on 1 September 1932.Footnote 4 On 15 December 1936, it was amalgamated with the 'Headquarters' and 'A Company' of the '1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC' (see below) and redesignated 'The Irish Regiment of Canada (Machine Gun)'.Footnote 5 It was redesignated: 'The Irish Regiment of Canada' on 12 August 1940;Footnote 6 '2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada' on 7 November 1940;Footnote 7 and 'The Irish Regiment of Canada' on 31 January 1946.Footnote 8 On 10 February 1965, it was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle.Footnote 9 On 15 March 1965, it amalgamated with the '58th (Sudbury) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA' (see below) and the artillery unit was converted to infantry and redesignated the '2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada (Sudbury)', with the unit transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle being automatically redesignated the '1st Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada' (see notes below).Footnote 10 The regiment was redesignated the 'Irish Regiment of Canada' on 20 November 1975.Footnote 11
Notes:
Upon redesignation as The Irish Regiment on 1 May 1920 (see above), it was organized as a two battalion regiment with the 1st Battalion (180th Battalion, CEF) on the Non Permanent Active Militia order of battle, and the 2nd Battalion (208th Battalion, CEF) on the Reserve order of battle. The reserve unit was disbanded on 14 December 1936 (GO 3/37).
The Irish Regiment was disbanded for the purpose of reorganization on 15 November 1920 and reorganized the same day (GO 6/21). This change was administrative and does not affect the lineage of the regiment.
The Irish Regiment of Canada was disbanded for the purpose of amalgamation on 14 December 1936 and reorganized the next day (GO 189/36). This change was administrative and does not affect the lineage of the regiment.
On 20 November 1975, the 2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada (Sudbury) was redesignated '2nd Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada' (CFOO 3.310/75).
On 12 August 1977, all generic titles in the Canadian Forces, such as 'battalion', were made bilingual (Memorandum, DGBB (Director General Bilingualism and Biculturalism), 1901-1/1211-7-4,Footnote 12 Aug 77).
The '1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC' originated in Toronto, Ontario on 1 June 1919, when the '1st Machine Gun Brigade, CMGC' was authorized to be formed.12 It was redesignated the '1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC' on 15 September 1924.Footnote 13 On 15 December 1936 it was amalgamated with 'The Irish Regiment of Canada', as above.
Notes:
The 1st Machine Gun Brigade, CMGC was authorized a Reserve order of battle counterpart on 1 June 1919 (GO 104/20). The reserve unit was disbanded on 14 December 1936 (GO 3/37).
The 1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC was disbanded for the purpose of amalgamation on 14 December 1936 and reorganized the next day (GO 189/36). This change was administrative and does not affect the lineage of the regiment.
On 15 December 1936, 'The Toronto Scottish Regiment' amalgamated with '"B" and '"C" Company'', 1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC' (GO 189/36). The perpetuation of the 1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (1919-1936) was assigned to The Irish Regiment of Canada (Machine Gun) (GO 149/37).
The 58th (Sudbury) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA originated in Sudbury, Ontario on 1 April 1946, when the '49th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA' was authorized to be formed.Footnote 14 It was redesignated: '58th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA' on 3 July 1947;Footnote 15 '58th (Sudbury) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA' on 15 March 1948;Footnote 16 '58th (Sudbury) Light Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, RCA' on 12 April 1960;Footnote 17 and '58th (Sudbury) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA' on 10 December 1962.Footnote 18 On 15 March 1965, it was converted to infantry (along with '173rd Field Battery, RCA' (see below), '174th Field Battery, RCA' (see below) and '175th Field Battery, RCA' (see below)), amalgamated with The Irish Regiment of Canada and redesignated the '2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada (Sudbury)', as above.
The 173rd Field Battery, RCA originated in Sudbury, Ontario on 2 February 1920, when the '30th Battery, CFA' was authorized to be formed.Footnote 19 It was redesignated: '30th Field Battery, CA' on 1 July 1925;Footnote 20 '30th Field Battery, RCA' on 3 June 1935;Footnote 21 '30th (Reserve) Field Battery, RCA' on 7 November 1940;Footnote 22 '30th (Reserve) Anti-Aircraft Battery (Type 2H), RCA' on 15 May 1943;Footnote 23 '30th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA' on 1 April 1946;Footnote 24 '173rd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA' on 3 July 1947;Footnote 25 and '173rd Field Battery, RCA' on 10 December 1962.Footnote 26 On 15 March 1965, it was converted to infantry and amalgamated with 'The Irish Regiment of Canada', as above.
The 174th Field Battery, RCA originated in Sudbury, Ontario on 1 April 1946, when the '148th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA' was authorized to be formed.Footnote 27 It was redesignated: '174th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA' on 3 July 1947;Footnote 28 and '174th Field Battery, RCA' on 10 December 1962.Footnote 29 On 15 March 1965, it was converted to infantry and amalgamated with 'The Irish Regiment of Canada', as above.
The 175th Field Battery, RCA originated in Sudbury, Ontario on 2 February 1920, when the '53rd Battery, CFA' was authorized to be formed.Footnote 30 It was redesignated: '53rd Field Battery, CA' on 1 July 1925;Footnote 31 '53rd Field Battery, RCA' on 3 June 1935;Footnote 32 '53rd (Reserve) Field Battery, RCA' on 7 November 1940;Footnote 33 '53rd (Reserve) Anti-Aircraft Battery (Type 2H), RCA' on 15 May 1943;Footnote 34 '153rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA' on 1 April 1946;Footnote 35 '175th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA' on 3 July 1947;Footnote 36 and '175th Field Battery, RCA' on 10 December 1962.Footnote 37 On 15 March 1965, it was converted to infantry and amalgamated with 'The Irish Regiment of Canada', as above.
Perpetuations
'180th' and '208th "Overseas" Battalion(s), CEF'; '1st Battalion, CMGC, CEF'; '30th' and '53rd "Overseas" Field Battery(s), CFA, CEF'
Headquarters Location
Sudbury, Ontario
Operational history
The First World War
The 180th Battalion, which was authorized on 15 July 1916 as the '180th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',Footnote 38 embarked for Britain on 14 November 1916.Footnote 39 Its personnel were absorbed by the '3rd Reserve Battalion, CEF' on 6 January 1917 to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field.Footnote 40 The battalion was disbanded on 21 May 1917.Footnote 41
The 208th Battalion, which was authorized on 15 July 1916 as the '208th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF',Footnote 42 embarked for Britain on 3 May 1917.Footnote 43 It provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until its personnel were absorbed by the '2nd' and '8th Reserve Battalion, CEF' on 3 January 1918.Footnote 44 The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.Footnote 45
The '1st Battalion, CMGC, CEF', which was organized in France, was authorized on 27 March 1918.Footnote 46 It provided machine gun support to the 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.Footnote 47 The battalion was disbanded on 6 November 1920.Footnote 48
The 30th Battery, which was authorized on 20 April 1915 as the '30th Field Battery, CEF',Footnote 49 embarked for Britain on 5 February 1916.Footnote 50 The battery disembarked in France on 14 July 1916, where it provided field artillery support as part of the '8th Army Brigade, CFA, CEF' in France and Flanders until the end of the war.Footnote 51 The battery was disbanded on 23 October 1920.Footnote 52
The 53rd Battery, which was authorized on 15 July 1916 as the '53rd "Overseas" Depot Battery, CEF',Footnote 53 embarked for Britain on 19 September 1916.Footnote 54 The battery disembarked in France on 21 August 1917, where it provided field artillery support as part of the '13th Brigade, CFA, CEF' in France and Flanders until the end of the war.Footnote 55 The battery was disbanded on 23 October 1920.Footnote 56
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 Irish Regiment of Canada (Machine Gun), CASF (Details)', for local protection duties.Footnote 57 The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.Footnote 58
The regiment subsequently mobilized 'The Irish Regiment of Canada (Machine Gun), CASF' for active service on 24 May 1940.Footnote 59 It was redesignated: 'The Irish Regiment of Canada, CASF' on 12 August 1940;Footnote 60 and '1st Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada, CASF' on 7 November 1940.Footnote 61 It embarked for Britain on 28 October 1942.Footnote 62 It landed in Italy on 10 November 1943, as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Armoured Division.Footnote 63 Between 20 and 27 February 1945, the regiment moved with the 1st Canadian Corps to North West Europe, where it fought until the end of the war.Footnote 64 The overseas battalion was disbanded on 31 January 1946.Footnote 65
The 53rd Field Battery mobilized the ‘53rd Field Battery, RCA, CASF’ on 1 September 1939.Footnote 66 On 1 June 1940 it was amalgamated with the '26th Field Battery, RCA, CASF' and redesignated the ‘26th/53rd Field Battery, RCA, CASF’.Footnote 67 On 1 January 1941 this amalgamation ceased and it was again designated the ‘53rd Field Battery, RCA, CASF’.Footnote 68 It was redesignated the ‘53rd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA, CASF’ the same day.Footnote 69 It provided light anti-aircraft artillery support as part of the 11th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA, CASF, in Great Britain.Footnote 70 The overseas battery was disbanded on 1 March 1944.Footnote 71
South-West Asia
From 2002 to 2014, the 2nd Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada reinforced various CAF units deployed to Afghanistan. Footnote 72
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