The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC)
Encyclopedia
The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC), or KOCR, is an armoured
unit of the Canadian Forces
Primary Reserve based at the Mewata Armoury in Calgary, Alberta.. The KOCR is part of Land Force Western Area
's 41 Canadian Brigade Group
.
area, 'C' Squadron from Red Deer
, and Headquarters from Calgary, High River, and Okotoks district.
In March 1941 the regiment moved to Camp Borden, becoming part of the First Army Tank Brigade and in June 1941 sailed for Great Britain. Matilda tank
s were initially used on the Salisbury Plains, but these were replaced later in the year by the first manufactured Churchill
s.
The overseas unit trained on various vehicles in Canada and the United Kingdom, and in August 1942 took the Churchill tank into battle for the first time at Dieppe
. The unit was rebuilt after the raid, having left large numbers of tanks and crews behind. A notable casualty was Lieutenant Colonel "Johnny" Andrews, who was killed in action.
In the spring of 1943, Lieutenant-Colonel C.H. Neroutsos took command of the regiment. The new unit went to Sicily
in 1943 with the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade, re-equipped with the Sherman tank.
On 3 September 1943 the regiment assaulted the beaches of Reggio Calabria
to little resistance and moved northwards with notable engagements in Potenza
, Motta
and Campobasso
while supporting the 1st Canadian Infantry Division
. On 21 November 1943 the regiment supported the 8th Indian Infantry Division in its assault against fierce German opposition on the Sangro River. In December the regiment met stubborn opposition fighting for the Moro River
and later Vino Ridge and the Ortona
Crossroads.
On 11–12 May 1944 the regiment assaulted across the Gari River supporting the 19th Indian Brigade of the 8th Indian Division. During this operation and the advance towards the Hitler Line
the regiment sustained casualties numbering 16 officers, 40 other ranks, and 60 tank casualties. An innovative use of a modified Sherman tank to carry a bridge across the Gari River is known as Kingsmill bridge by its inventor Captain T. Kingsmill's moniker. Kingsmill was to receive the Military Cross
for the action. At this point Lieutenant-Colonel Neroutsos fell ill, and the regiment was taken over by Lieutenant-Colonel C.A. Richardson.
In June 1944 the Calgaries took part in the Battle of Lake Trasimeno in support of the British 4th Division, after which the Calgaries conducted a pursuit up the Chiani Valley until the Lydia Line was reached south of Arezzo
. By 3 August 1944 the regiment had advanced with the 8th Indian Division to the Arno River through country with remarkably poor tank going.
On 25 August 1944 the Calgaries made an assault crossing of the Arno River, east of Florence
pushing into the Sieve Valley where the Gothic Line
was assaulted in the "Marradi" sector in support of the 1/5 Gurkha Regiment
. Another miserably wet Italian winter was spent in the mountains.
In late February 1945 the regiment was moved to Leghorn and embarked to Marseilles, France, where it moved by rail to the North-West Europe theatre. The regiment moved to the Reichwald Forest and on 12 April 1945 fought in the Second Battle of Arnhem, supporting the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division to Ede
, Holland. The regiment's final actions of the Second World War were in support of the 1st Belgium Brigade in clearing the resistance between the Never Thine and Waal Rivers.
When the overseas unit returned to Canada in 1945, it was disbanded, and the Calgary Regiment continued its service as a reserve armoured unit.
, while part of the coat of arms of the City of Calgary on which the badge was based, was found to violate that principle. The addition of the "King's Own" designation was also made to the cap badge.
The unit trained on Sherman tanks until 1968, when the vehicles were finally retired. In the 1980s, the new AVGP Cougar was introduced into service, mounting a 76 mm main armament with co-axial C6 general purpose machine gun. These vehicles were used for training until the 21st century. In addition to an active Cougar squadron, an armoured reconnaissance squadron also trained on Jeeps and later the Iltis vehicle, usually mounting a C5 GPMG, or later the C6 GPMG.
Bold: emblazoned on the guidon
Soldiers also conduct dismounted reconnaissance tasks and domestic operations (assistance during natural disasters such as floods, forest fires, and ice storms to name a few). Other soldiers conduct recruit training for new members of Calgary-based 41 Canadian Brigade Group
units.
In addition to many soldiers having served on United Nations tours in Bosnia, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Golan Heights and Darfur, members of the regiment have recently returned from operational tours in Afghanistan, while others are training to depart on missions in 2007 and 2008.
Soldiers deploying on missions receive training on the full range of CF Vehicles including the Leopard C2
, the TLAV, Coyote
, the LAV III
, and the Nyala (RG-31)
armoured patrol vehicle.
Besides reconnaissance crewman and officers, soldiers of the regiment are also trained as mechanics, CIMIC operators, musicians (in the regimental brass band), RMS clerks, and storesmen.
Corporal Nathan Hornburg was killed in action in Afghanistan in September 2007 while serving with a regular force battle group near Kandahar.
and the Vimy Memorial
while all Calgary-area soldiers of the regiment who have been killed in the First World War, Second World War and Afghanistan will be listed on the Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
.
The corps was formed again on 1 November 1976 as the King's Own Calgary Regiment Cadet Corps, and continues to parade weekly during the training year. The unit conducting its change of command and 32nd consecutive annual ceremonial review on 24 May 2009. Captain Aaron Libby as outgoing commanding officer and Captain Dolores van Ree, CD, as incoming commanding officer. In November 2009, Lieutenant Shawn Simpson assumed command of 2512 RCACC.
Armoured warfare
Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
unit of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
Primary Reserve based at the Mewata Armoury in Calgary, Alberta.. The KOCR is part of Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area
Land Force Western Area is one of four operational commands of the Canadian Army. LFWA is responsible for all Canadian Army administration and operations in western Canada from the Pacific Ocean to Thunder Bay, Ontario...
's 41 Canadian Brigade Group
41 Canadian Brigade Group
41 Canadian Brigade Group is a brigade group that is part of Land Forces Western Area of the Canadian Army. It is a reserve formation and is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, at the former location of CFB Calgary....
.
History
History 1910–1913
The regiment originated in 1910 with the creation of the 103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles).History 1914–1938
In 1936, The Calgary Regiment was one of six infantry regiments designated to become a tank unit, being renamed Calgary Regiment (Tank).History 1939–1945
On 16 February 1941 the 14th Army Tank Battalion (Calgary Regiment) was mobilized at Mewata Barracks. When the Canadian Armoured Corps was created, the Calgary Regiment lost its status as an infantry regiment and transferred to the new corps. A reserve regiment remained in Calgary. The regiment was composed of 400 members of the reserve battalion, drawing also from reinforcement personnel from the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. The original 'A' Squadron was drawn from Olds and district, 'B' Squadron from StettlerStettler, Alberta
Stettler is a town in Alberta, Canada. It is located east of Red Deer at the junction of Highway 12 and Highway 56. The town is located in the eastern region of central Alberta and nicknamed "The Heart of Alberta."- History :...
area, 'C' Squadron from Red Deer
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
, and Headquarters from Calgary, High River, and Okotoks district.
In March 1941 the regiment moved to Camp Borden, becoming part of the First Army Tank Brigade and in June 1941 sailed for Great Britain. Matilda tank
Matilda tank
The Infantry Tank Mark II known as the Matilda II was a British infantry tank of the Second World War. It was also identified from its General Staff Specification A12....
s were initially used on the Salisbury Plains, but these were replaced later in the year by the first manufactured Churchill
Churchill tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV was a heavy British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war...
s.
The overseas unit trained on various vehicles in Canada and the United Kingdom, and in August 1942 took the Churchill tank into battle for the first time at Dieppe
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
. The unit was rebuilt after the raid, having left large numbers of tanks and crews behind. A notable casualty was Lieutenant Colonel "Johnny" Andrews, who was killed in action.
In the spring of 1943, Lieutenant-Colonel C.H. Neroutsos took command of the regiment. The new unit went to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
in 1943 with the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade, re-equipped with the Sherman tank.
On 3 September 1943 the regiment assaulted the beaches of Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
to little resistance and moved northwards with notable engagements in Potenza
Potenza
-Transportation:Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia; it has also a connection to Altamura, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company...
, Motta
Motta
Motta is a small town in Val Poschiavo, Grisons, Switzerland. It is located on the south side of Lago di Poschiavo....
and Campobasso
Campobasso
-Main sights:The main attraction of Campobasso is the Castello Monforte, built in 1450 by the local ruler Nicola II Monforte, over Lombard or Norman ruins. The castle has Guelph merlons and stands on a commanding point, where traces of ancient settlements have been found...
while supporting the 1st Canadian Infantry Division
1st Canadian Infantry Division
The 1st Canadian Infantry Division was a formation mobilized on 1 September 1939 for service in the Second World War. The division was also reactivated twice during the Cold War....
. On 21 November 1943 the regiment supported the 8th Indian Infantry Division in its assault against fierce German opposition on the Sangro River. In December the regiment met stubborn opposition fighting for the Moro River
The Moro River Campaign
The Moro River Campaign was a military campaign during the Second World War fought between units of the British 8th Army and the LXXVI Panzer Corps of the German Tenth Army . Lasting from 4–26 December 1943, the campaign occurred primarily in the vicinity of the Moro River in eastern Italy...
and later Vino Ridge and the Ortona
Ortona
Ortona is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.Ortona was the site of fierce fighting between German and Canadian forces during the Italian campaign in World War II...
Crossroads.
On 11–12 May 1944 the regiment assaulted across the Gari River supporting the 19th Indian Brigade of the 8th Indian Division. During this operation and the advance towards the Hitler Line
Hitler Line
The Hitler Line was a German defensive line in central Italy during the Second World War. The strong points of the line were at Aquino and Piedimonte. In May 1944, the line was re-named the Senger Line, after General von Senger und Etterlin, one of the generals commanding Axis forces in the area...
the regiment sustained casualties numbering 16 officers, 40 other ranks, and 60 tank casualties. An innovative use of a modified Sherman tank to carry a bridge across the Gari River is known as Kingsmill bridge by its inventor Captain T. Kingsmill's moniker. Kingsmill was to receive the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for the action. At this point Lieutenant-Colonel Neroutsos fell ill, and the regiment was taken over by Lieutenant-Colonel C.A. Richardson.
In June 1944 the Calgaries took part in the Battle of Lake Trasimeno in support of the British 4th Division, after which the Calgaries conducted a pursuit up the Chiani Valley until the Lydia Line was reached south of Arezzo
Arezzo
Arezzo is a city and comune in Central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 km southeast of Florence, at an elevation of 296 m above sea level. In 2011 the population was about 100,000....
. By 3 August 1944 the regiment had advanced with the 8th Indian Division to the Arno River through country with remarkably poor tank going.
On 25 August 1944 the Calgaries made an assault crossing of the Arno River, east of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
pushing into the Sieve Valley where the Gothic Line
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
was assaulted in the "Marradi" sector in support of the 1/5 Gurkha Regiment
Brigade of Gurkhas
The Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective term for units of the current British Army that are composed of Nepalese soldiers. The brigade, which is 3,640 strong, draws its heritage from Gurkha units that originally served in the British Indian Army prior to Indian independence, and prior to that of...
. Another miserably wet Italian winter was spent in the mountains.
In late February 1945 the regiment was moved to Leghorn and embarked to Marseilles, France, where it moved by rail to the North-West Europe theatre. The regiment moved to the Reichwald Forest and on 12 April 1945 fought in the Second Battle of Arnhem, supporting the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division to Ede
Ede, Netherlands
' is a municipality and a town in the center of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.- Population centres :Community :* Bennekom: 14.749* De Klomp: 508* Deelen: 50* Ede : 67.812* Ederveen: 3.167* Harskamp: 3.464...
, Holland. The regiment's final actions of the Second World War were in support of the 1st Belgium Brigade in clearing the resistance between the Never Thine and Waal Rivers.
When the overseas unit returned to Canada in 1945, it was disbanded, and the Calgary Regiment continued its service as a reserve armoured unit.
History 1945–1999
The cap badge was changed immediately after the war, as no badge is permitted to have any heraldic devices over the monarch's Crown. The sunburstSunburst (design)
A Sunburst is a design or figure commonly used in architectural ornaments and design patterns. It consists of rays or "beams" radiating out from a central disk in the manner of sunbeams. Sometimes part of a sunburst, a semicircular or semi-elliptical shape, is used...
, while part of the coat of arms of the City of Calgary on which the badge was based, was found to violate that principle. The addition of the "King's Own" designation was also made to the cap badge.
Regimental lineage
| 1910 | 103rd Regt "Calgary Rifles" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | 50th Bn, CEF 50th Battalion, CEF The 50th Canadian Battalion was a battalion of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force. The battalion was commanded by Colonel E.G. Mason at the beginning of the war. Later in the war, he was put with another battalion and Lieutenant-Colonel Page took over the battalion. The battalion... |
||||
| 1915 | 89th "Overseas" Bn, CEF | 137th "Overseas" Bn, CEF | |||
| 1916 | 175th "Overseas" Bn, CEF | ||||
| 1917 | Absorbed by 9th Reserve Bn, CEF | 21st Reserve Bn, CEF | |||
| 1919 | 13th Machine Gun Bde, CMGC Canadian Machine Gun Corps The Canadian Machine Gun Corps was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade was organized in the Permanent Force on 3 Nov 1919. The Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade was redesignated the Royal Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Brigade on 16 Jun 1921... |
||||
| 1920 | Disbanded | 1st Bn, The Calgary Regt | 2nd Bn, The Calgary Regt | The Alberta Regt | |
| 1921 | 1st Bn, Calgary Highlanders, The Calgary Regt | ||||
| 1924 | The Calgary Highlanders The Calgary Highlanders The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Forces Land Force Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada... |
The Calgary Regt | 13th Machine Gun Bn, CMGC | ||
| 1936 | The Calgary Regt | ||||
| The Calgary Regt (Tank) | |||||
| 1941 | 14th Army Tank Bn (The Calgary Regt (Tank)), CAC, CASF | 14th (Reserve) Army Tank Bn, (The Calgary Regt (Tank)) | |||
| 1942 | 14th Army Tank Regt (The Calgary Regt (Tank)), CAC, CASF | 14th (Reserve) Army Tank Regt, (The Calgary Regt (Tank)) | |||
| 1943 | 14th Armoured Regt (The Calgary Regt), CAC, CASF | ||||
| 1945 | 14th Armoured Regt (The Calgary Regt), RCAC Royal Canadian Armoured Corps The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps is the armoured branch of service of the Canadian Army, including regular force and reserve regiments.-History:... , CASF |
||||
| Disbanded | |||||
| 1946 | 14th Armoured Regt (Calgary Regt), RCAC | ||||
| 14th Armoured Regt (King's Own Calgary Regt) | |||||
| 1949 | The King's Own Calgary Regt (14th Armoured Regt) | ||||
| 1958 | The King's Own Calgary Regt (RCAC) | ||||
First World War
- Ypres, 1915Second Battle of YpresThe Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
22 April–25 May 1915 - Festubert, 1915Battle of FestubertThe Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...
15–25 May 1915 - Mount Sorrel 2–13 June 1916
- Somme, 1916 1 July–18 November 1916
- Ancre HeightsBattle of the Ancre HeightsThe Battle of the Ancre Heights was a prolonged battle of attrition in October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. Lieutenant General Hubert Gough's Reserve Army had finally managed to break out of the positions it had occupied since the start of the Somme fighting and Gough intended to maintain...
1 October–11 November 1916 - Ancre, 1916Battle of the AncreThe Battle of the Ancre was the final act of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Launched on 13 November 1916 by the British Fifth Army of Lieutenant General Hubert Gough, the objective of the battle was as much political as military.-Prelude:The Allied commanders were due to meet at Chantilly on 15...
13–18 November 1916 - Arras, 1917Battle of Arras (1917)The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
9 April–4 May 1917 - Vimy, 1917Battle of Vimy RidgeThe Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
9–14 April 1917 - Hill 70Battle of Hill 70The Battle of Hill 70 was a localized battle of World War I between the Canadian Corps and five divisions of the German Sixth Army. The battle took place along the Western Front on the outskirts of Lens in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France between 15 August 1917 and 25 August 1917.The primary...
15–25 August 1917 - Ypres, 1917 31 July–10 November 1917
- Passchendaele 12 October 1917 and/or 26 October–10 November 1917
- Amiens 8–11 August 1918
- Arras, 1918 26 August–3 September 1918
- ScarpeBattle of the Scarpe (1918)The Battle of the Scarpe was a World War I battle that took place during the Hundred Days Offensive between 26 and 30 August 1918.-26 August:The Canadian Corps advanced over 5 kilometers and captured the towns of Monchy-le-Preux and Wancourt.Lt...
, 1918 26–30 August 1918 - Drocourt-Queant LineDrocourt-QuéantThe Drocourt-Quéant Line was a set of mutually supporting defensive lines constructed by Germany between the French cities of Drocourt and Quéant during World War I...
2–3 September 1918 - Hindenburg Line, Battles of theBattle of the Hindenburg LineThe Battle of St Quentin Canal was a pivotal battle of World War I that began on 29 September 1918 and involved British, Australian and American forces in the spearhead attack and as a single combined force against the German Siegfried Stellung of the Hindenburg Line...
12 September–9 October 1918 - Canal du Nord 27 September–2 October 1918
- ValenciennesValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
1–2 November 1918 - FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915–18Western Front (World War I)Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
Second World War
- DieppeDieppe RaidThe Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
19 August 1942 - North-West Europe 1942North-West EuropeNorth-West Europe is a term that refers to a northern area of Western Europe, although the exact area or countries it comprises varies.-Geographic definition:...
- Sicily 1943Allied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
9 July 1943–17 August 1943 - Motta MontecorvinoMotta MontecorvinoMotta Montecorvino is a town and comune of the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....
1–3 October 1943 - San LeonardoSan Leonardo, ItalySan Leonardo is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 km northwest of Trieste and about 25 km east of Udine. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,215 and an area of 27.0 km²...
8–9 December 1943 - The Gully 10–19 December 1943
- Cassino IIBattle of Monte CassinoThe Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
11–18 May 1944 - Gustav Line 11–18 May 1944
- Pignataro 14–15 May 1944
- Liri Valley 18–30 May 1944
- AquinoAquinoAquino is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, in the Lazio region of Italy, 12 km northwest of Cassino.-History:The ancient Aquinum was a municipium in the time of Cicero, and made a colony by the Triumviri...
18–24 May 1944 - Trasimene LineTrasimene LineThe Trasimene Line was a German defensive line during the Italian Campaign of World War II. It was also sometimes known as the Albert Line...
20–30 June 1944 - ArezzoArezzoArezzo is a city and comune in Central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 km southeast of Florence, at an elevation of 296 m above sea level. In 2011 the population was about 100,000....
4–17 July 1944 - Advance to Florence
- Cerrone 25–31 August 1944
- Italy 1943–45Italian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
3 September 1943–22 April 1945 - North-West Europe 1945North-West EuropeNorth-West Europe is a term that refers to a northern area of Western Europe, although the exact area or countries it comprises varies.-Geographic definition:...
Bold: emblazoned on the guidon
Colours, standards and guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago...
Recent activities
The regiment turned in its Cougar AVGP vehicles in 2006, thus suspending its training as an armoured regiment, and now fulfils the role of armoured reconnaissance. The primary vehicle at the unit is the Mercedes G-Wagen, known in the CF as the LUVW (Light Utility Vehicle Wheeled).Soldiers also conduct dismounted reconnaissance tasks and domestic operations (assistance during natural disasters such as floods, forest fires, and ice storms to name a few). Other soldiers conduct recruit training for new members of Calgary-based 41 Canadian Brigade Group
41 Canadian Brigade Group
41 Canadian Brigade Group is a brigade group that is part of Land Forces Western Area of the Canadian Army. It is a reserve formation and is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, at the former location of CFB Calgary....
units.
In addition to many soldiers having served on United Nations tours in Bosnia, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Golan Heights and Darfur, members of the regiment have recently returned from operational tours in Afghanistan, while others are training to depart on missions in 2007 and 2008.
Soldiers deploying on missions receive training on the full range of CF Vehicles including the Leopard C2
Leopard 2
The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve...
, the TLAV, Coyote
Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle
The Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle is a lightly armoured fighting vehicle built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada for the Canadian Forces, for use in the reconnaissance role....
, the LAV III
LAV III
The LAV III armoured vehicle is the latest in the Generation III Light Armoured Vehicle series built by General Dynamics Land Systems, entering service in 1999. It is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha IIIH 8x8....
, and the Nyala (RG-31)
RG-31
The RG-31 Nyala is a 4×4 multi-purpose mine-protected armoured personnel carrier manufactured in South Africa by Land Systems OMC, a division of BAE Systems. It is based on the Mamba APC of TFM Industries...
armoured patrol vehicle.
Besides reconnaissance crewman and officers, soldiers of the regiment are also trained as mechanics, CIMIC operators, musicians (in the regimental brass band), RMS clerks, and storesmen.
Corporal Nathan Hornburg was killed in action in Afghanistan in September 2007 while serving with a regular force battle group near Kandahar.
Regimental association
The regimental association is named the 50/14 Association — the name reflects the perpetuation of both the 50th Battalion, CEF, and the 14th Armoured Regiment (The Calgary Regiment).Monuments
Soldiers of the 50th Battalion who went missing in action are memorialized on the Menin GateMenin Gate
The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing is a war memorial in Ypres, Belgium dedicated to the commemoration of British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of the First World War and whose graves are unknown...
and the Vimy Memorial
Vimy Memorial
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known...
while all Calgary-area soldiers of the regiment who have been killed in the First World War, Second World War and Afghanistan will be listed on the Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
Calgary Soldiers' Memorial
The Calgary Soldiers' Memorial is a war monument in Calgary, Alberta that was dedicated on April 9, 2011, the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The monument is dedicated to Calgary area soldiers who have given their lives in war and military service overseas...
.
Alliances
—The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border)Cadets
The King's Own Calgary Regiment affiliated cadet corps is based in Cochrane, Alberta, bearing the title 2512 Kings Own Calgary Regiment Cadet Corps. The corps was formed 26 April 1954 as King's Own Calgary Regiment (14th Armoured Regiment). The corps disbanded 1 January 1958.The corps was formed again on 1 November 1976 as the King's Own Calgary Regiment Cadet Corps, and continues to parade weekly during the training year. The unit conducting its change of command and 32nd consecutive annual ceremonial review on 24 May 2009. Captain Aaron Libby as outgoing commanding officer and Captain Dolores van Ree, CD, as incoming commanding officer. In November 2009, Lieutenant Shawn Simpson assumed command of 2512 RCACC.