The Royal Montreal Regiment

Badge

Description

Argent an autumnal maple leaf proper inscribed ROYAL MONTREAL REGT in letters Or within a belt Azure edged, buckled and inscribed HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE in letters Or ensigned by the Royal Crown proper and set above a scroll Azure edged and inscribed CANADA in letters Or.

Symbolism

The maple leaf and scroll bearing the word "CANADA" represent service to Canada, and the Crown, service to the Sovereign. The belt, with motto, is the insignia of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. "ROYAL MONTREAL REGT" is a form of the regimental title and "HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE" is the motto of the Regiment.

Motto

HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE (Shame on him who thinks ill of it)

March

"Ça ira"

Alliance

British Army

The Yorkshire Regiment

Regimental colour

Camp flag

Battle honours

The First World War

YPRES, 1915, '17; Gravenstafel; St. Julien; FESTUBERT, 1915; MOUNT SORREL; SOMME, 1916; Pozières; Thiepval; Ancre Heights; 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

Calais, 1944; THE SCHELDT; Leopold Canal; NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1944-1945.

Honorary Distinction

The Second World War badge of the Canadian Armoured Corps borne on the regimental Colour and appointments, for service with that arm.

South-West Asia

AFGHANISTAN

Lineage

This Reserve Force regiment originated in Westmount, Quebec on 2 November 1914, when an "8 company regiment of infantry" was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} The regiment was designated the '58th Westmount Rifles' on 1 December 1914.^{Footnote 2} It was redesignated: 'The Royal Montreal Regiment' on 29 March 1920;^{Footnote 3} 'The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun)' on 15 December 1936;^{Footnote 4} '2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun)' on 7 November 1940;^{Footnote 5} 'The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun)' on 16 October 1945;^{Footnote 6} and 'The Royal Montreal Regiment' on 1 September 1954.^{Footnote 7}

Perpetuations

'14th' and '23rd "Overseas" Battalion(s), CEF'

Headquarters Location

Montreal, Quebec

Operational history

The First World War

The 14th Battalion, which was authorized on 1 September 1914 as the '14th Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 8} embarked for Britain on 27 and 29 September 1914.^{Footnote 9} It disembarked in France on 15 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 10} The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.^{Footnote 11}

The 23rd Battalion, which was authorized on 21 October 1914 as the '23rd Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 12} embarked for Britain on 23 February 1915.^{Footnote 13} It was redesignated '23rd Reserve Battalion, CEF' on 18 April 1915, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field.^{Footnote 14} The battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920.^{Footnote 15}

The Second World War

The regiment mobilized the 'The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF' for active service on 1 September 1939.^{Footnote 16} It was redesignated '1st Battalion, The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF' on 7 November 1940,^{Footnote 17} and converted to armour and redesignated '32nd Reconnaissance Regiment (Royal Montreal Regiment), CAC, CASF' on 25 January 1943.^{Footnote 18} It was converted to infantry and redesignated: 'First Army Headquarters Defence Company (Royal Montreal Regiment), CASF' on 12 April 1944;^{Footnote 19} and 'First Canadian Army Headquarters Defence Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment), CASF' on 5 April 1945.^{Footnote 20} This unit embarked for the Britain on 7 December 1939.^{Footnote 21} On 28 July 1944, the company landed in France as a unit of First Canadian Army Troops, and it continued to serve in North West Europe until the end of the war.^{Footnote 22} The overseas battalion was disbanded on 30 September 1945.^{Footnote 23} On 24 May 1944, a sub-unit of the regiment, designated 'No. 9 Defence and Employment Platoon (Royal Montreal Regiment), CIC, CASF', was mobilized in England.^{Footnote 24} On 27 June 1944, it landed in France as a unit of First Canadian Army Troops, and it continued to serve in North West Europe until the end of the war.^{Footnote 25} The overseas platoon was disbanded on 16 October 1945.^{Footnote 26}

On 1 June 1945, a second Active Force component of the regiment was mobilized for service in the Pacific theatre of operations under the designation '6th Canadian Infantry Division Reconnaissance Troop (The Royal Montreal Regiment), CAC, CASF.^{Footnote 27} It was redesignated the '6th Canadian Infantry Division Reconnaissance Troop (The Royal Montreal Regiment), RCAC, CASF' on 2 August 1945.^{Footnote 28} The troop was disbanded on 1 November 1945.^{Footnote 29}

South-West Asia

From 2002 to 2014, the Royal Montreal Regiment reinforced various CAF units deployed to Afghanistan.^{Footnote 30}