Calgary Highlanders

The Calgary Highlanders is a Land Force reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The regiment is a unit of Land Force Command, a component of the Canadian Forces Reserve, and comes under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, itself part of Land Force Western Area (LFWA), one of four land force areas in Canada.

Regimental badge

The regiment's cap badge was approved by General Order in 1921 and is based on that worn by the 10th Battalion, CEF, whom the Regiment perpetuates. Significantly, a St. Andrew's Cross has been added to the design (this is not a representation of the Roman Numeral ten as is often erroneously reported). The crown is of the reigning monarch; a Tudor Crown was used from the introduction of this badge until 1953, and the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II. The crown was then changed to a St. Edward's pattern Crown. The beaver and maple leaves are representative of Canada and the scrolls bearing thistles are representative of Scotland, appropriate for both a Highland regiment and for a regiment from Calgary, named itself for a location in Scotland.

Lineage

• 1910: Raised as the 103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles)
• 1914: contributed men to several battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, most notably the 10th, whom they perpetuate.
• 1920: 103rd reorganized into The Calgary Regiment
• 1921: The Calgary Regiment divided into six battalions, the 1st Battalion became The Calgary Highlanders and 2nd Battalion became The Calgary Regiment (later King's Own Calgary Regiment).

Battle honours

The Calgary Highlanders were first awarded Battle Honours for the actions of the 10th Battalion, CEF, on 15 September 1929.

Oddly, the official granting of Battle Honours to the 10th Battalion was not done until 15 October of the same year, with one minor change; while the Calgary Highlanders were granted "Arras, 1917, '18" as a Battle Honour, the Tenth Battalion's Honour read only "Arras, 1917."

To the Calgary Highlanders' dismay, while the overall battle of Saint-Julien was considered worthy of a Battle Honour, the counter-attack at Kitcheners' Wood was not. This led to the introduction of a special Oak Leaf shoulder badge unique in the Canadian armed forces, and worn only by three regiments at the time of adoption in 1938, and today by only two units, The Calgary Highlanders and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's).

The Battle Honours for the First World War and Second World War, as granted to The Calgary Highlanders, are listed below.

First World War

Ypres, 1915–17, Gravenstafel, Saint-Julien, Festubert, 1915, Mount Sorrel, Somme, 1916, Thiepval, Ancre Heights, Arras, 1917, '18, Vimy, 1917, Arleux, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, Scarpe, 1918, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders, 1915-18.

Second World War

Bourguebus Ridge, Fauborg de Vaucelles, Verrierres Ridge, Tilly-la-Campagne, Falaise, Falaise Road, Clair Tizon, Foret de la Londe, Dunkirk, 1944, Wyneghem, Antwerp-Turnhout Canal, The Scheldt, Woensdrecht, South Beveland, Walcheren Causeway, The Rhineland, The Reichswald, The Hochwald, Xanten, The Rhine, Groningen, Oldenburg, North-West Europe, 1944-45.

Victoria Cross

Two men of the Regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross, Private Harry Brown and Acting Sergeant Arthur Knight. Three others were nominated but had lesser awards substituted; in the First World War these were Lance Corporal George William Allan, DCM, and Captain Charles Costigan, DSO, MC, both of the 10th Battalion, and in the Second World War Sergeant Clarence "Ken" Crockett, DCM of the 1st Battalion, Calgary Highlanders.