1st Newfoundland Regiment
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The Royal Newfoundland Regiment (R NFLD R) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of the
5th Canadian Division The 5th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of most army units in the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador; as well as some unit ...
's
37 Canadian Brigade Group 37 Canadian Brigade Group (french: 37e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is a reserve component brigade of the Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional g ...
. Predecessor units trace their origins to 1795, and since 1949 Royal Newfoundland Regiment has been a unit of the Canadian Army. During the First World War the battalion-sized ''Newfoundland Regiment'' was the only North American unit to fight in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915. Later in the war the regiment was virtually wiped out at
Beaumont Hamel Beaumont-Hamel () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. During the First World War, Beaumont-Hamel was close to the front line, near many attacks, especially during the Battle of the Somme, one of the larg ...
on July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, but was rebuilt and continued to serve throughout France and Belgium until the armistice, serving as part of the British Army of the Rhine in 1919. In December 1917, George V bestowed the regiment with the right to use the prefix royal before its name. It was the only military unit to receive this honour during the First World War. During the Second World War, the Newfoundland Militia was raised for defence and renamed the Newfoundland Regiment in 1943. The regiment remained in a home-defence role and also trained recruits for the two regiments of the Royal Artillery that were recruited in Newfoundland for overseas service. In 1949, Newfoundland joined Canada as the latter's 10th province and part of the Terms of Union required the re-creation of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment as the primary militia unit for the province. The regiment is ranked last in the Canadian Armed Forces order of precedence.


Structure

*1 Battalion **1 Battalion HQ **A company **B company **Band *2 Battalion **2 Battalion HQ **A company **B company **C company


Predecessor units


Militia units

Though the Royal Newfoundland Regiment traces its existence to 1795 and the establishment of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot, its origins are based in the existence of numerous local militia units raised in the colony in the eighteenth century. Prominent Newfoundland militias include Michael Gill's militia in the 1704 defence of Bonavista, the St. Mary's Militia that captured an American privateer during the American Revolution, and the 150 Newfoundland militiamen who served with the
Royal Highland Emigrants The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was a British regiment in the American Revolutionary War that was raised to defend present day Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutiona ...
during the Battle of Quebec.


Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot

As conflict between Revolutionary France and Britain increased in the 1790s, Britain found its overseas colonies threatened from French actions. Facing war on land and lacking the suitable land forces to defend its overseas colonies, in 1795 the British Government ordered Thomas Skinner of the
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
to raise a regiment for local defence purposes. Skinner was the engineering officer responsible for the construction of defensive positions atop Signal Hill in the aftermath of the French and Indian Wars. By the following year, strength for the regiment had reached 35 officers and 615 men, organized into 10
line infantry Line infantry was the type of infantry that composed the basis of European land armies from the late 17th century to the mid-19th century. Maurice of Nassau and Gustavus Adolphus are generally regarded as its pioneers, while Turenne and Monte ...
companies, one
light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
company, and one
grenadier A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word '' grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited fr ...
company. In September 1796, the French Navy was reported to be sailing for St. John's to invade the city; in response, the entirety of the Regiment of Foot erected tents atop Signal Hill and around Fort Amherst to give the appearance of a much larger force defending the city. The ruse was successful, causing the naval force to abandon any attempts to land at St. John's; instead, the navy sailed south for Bay Bulls and burned all of the houses before departing the area. In 1797 the Grenadier Company escorted Governor Waldergrave aboard , which had recently been the site of an unsuccessful mutiny attempt. Conditions in Newfoundland were harsh during this time period, even for the garrison soldiers. Winter food often spoiled, and a fire at Fort William in 1798 destroyed much of the regiment's bedding and medical supplies, making life that much harder for the soldiers. As a result, the desertion rate was high. Matters for the regiment further worsened in April 1800 when 50 soldiers loyal to the United Irish Movement attempt to desert en masse from Signal Hill. The alarm was sounded during their attempt, and 16 mutineers were captured. The newly appointed commanding officer, Brigadier John Skerrett (formerly of the West India Regiment) ordered the five ringleaders hung and the remaining deserters sent by prison ship to Halifax. Questioning the loyalty of his mostly-Irish soldiers, Brigadier Skerrett ordered the regiment's line companies (the bulk of the unit) to Halifax, receiving the
66th Regiment of Foot The 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1756. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Princess Char ...
in its place. The regiment remained in Halifax for a further two years until peace with Revolutionary France came with the Treaty of Amiens. Having no further need for local defence units in North America, Britain disbanded the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot in March 1802.


Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry


Garrison duty

Peace for Britain was short-lived, and in 1803 the country once again found itself at war with Napoleonic France. Brigadier Skerrett was tasked with recruiting an infantry unit consisting of ten companies in Newfoundland for the purposes of local defence. Titled the Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry, the unit consisted of many veterans of the previous Newfoundland Regiment. By 1806 the regiment numbered nearly 700 men and was given the title Royal by King George III. 'Local defence' included all of British North America, and in 1807 the regiment was deployed to Fort Anne in Nova Scotia. The regiment was again transferred in 1808, this time to the Citadel in Quebec City where it remained until the outbreak of war in 1812.


War of 1812

The regiment, called at the time the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of
Fencible The Fencibles (from the word ''defencible'') were British regiments raised in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and in the colonies for defence against the threat of invasion during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the Frenc ...
Infantry, was significantly involved in the War of 1812. In May 1812, weeks before outbreak of the war with the United States, Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, commander of his Majesty's Forces in Upper Canada, deployed the regiment into smaller companies or detachments, combined with other units or regiments in defensive positions all over the province. Some were employed as marines on board naval vessels on the Great Lakes as part of the Provincial Marine. These marines were involved in a number of notable naval actions during the war, including the Battle of Lake Erie and the capture of USS ''Tigress'' and USS ''Scorpion''. Battles in which elements of the regiment took part included: Skirmish at Canard River July 16, 1812, Battle of Detroit Aug 16 1812,
Battle of Matilda The Battle of Matilda, also known as the Battle of Toussaint's Island, was an early skirmish of the War of 1812 fought on September 16, 1812 between American and Canadian militia in the St. Lawrence River near the township of Matilda, in Dundas ...
Sept 16 1812,
Battle of the River Raisin The Battles of Frenchtown, also known as the Battle of the River Raisin and the River Raisin Massacre, were a series of conflicts in Michigan Territory that took place from January 18–23, 1813, during the War of 1812. It was fought between the ...
or Frenchtown, Michigan January 22, 1813, the British raid on Ogdensburg, New York February 22, 1813, the
Battle of York The Battle of York was a War of 1812 battle fought in York, Upper Canada (today's Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on April 27, 1813. An American force supported by a naval flotilla landed on the lakeshore to the west and advanced against the town, whi ...
(Toronto) April 27, 1813 and operations in northwest Ohio, including the siege of Fort Meigs in the spring of 1813 and the
Battle of Fort George The Battle of Fort George was a battle fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured the Fort George in Upper Canada. The troops of the United States Army and vessels of the United States Navy c ...
(Niagara-on-the-Lake) May 25–27, 1813. The regiment was also involved in the British Raid on
Sacket's Harbour The Second Battle of Sacket's Harbor or simply the Battle of Sacket's Harbor, took place on 29 May 1813, during the War of 1812. A British force was transported across Lake Ontario and attempted to capture the town, which was the principal dockya ...
, New York on May 29, 1813 and provided soldiers who served as marines in the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. The regiment's service continued at the Battle of the Thames or Moraviantown on October 5, 1813 and in northern Michigan at the Battle of Michilimackinac or Mackinac Island August 4, 1814 and as part of the capture of American naval vessels ''
Tigress The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on un ...
'' September 3, 1814 and '' Scorpion'' on Upper Lake Huron on September 6, 1814. It was largely distributed throughout the zone as attached sub-units and not as a formed battalion and was disbanded in 1816. A monument depicting a toy soldier of the 1813 Royal Newfoundland Regiment standing over a fallen American toy soldier was unveiled in Toronto in November 2008. The War of 1812 Monument in Ottawa, which is situated across from the National War Memorial, also features a soldier of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment – one of seven bronze figures which stands on top of that monument. In 2012, on the occasion of the bicentennial of the War of 1812, the Government of Canada, responding to recommendations made by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Advisory Council and similar recommendations made by an advisory committee to the Minister of Canadian Heritage for the War of 1812, awarded the Royal Newfoundland Regiment three battle honours. These were for the victory at Detroit in 1812, for the regiment's role at the battle of Maumee in 1813 and a general "theatre honour" ("Defence of Canada 1812–1815"), for the regiment's broader service in successful engagements throughout the War of 1812. Colours emblazoned with these battle honours were presented to the regiment's 2nd battalion in the presence of their Colonel-in-Chief, the Princess Royal, in June 2016. The ceremonies coincided with events marking the 100th anniversary of the
Battle of Beaumont-Hamel The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place be ...
. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry was disbanded in 1816 following the conclusion of hostilities with both America and Napoleonic France. Newfoundland did not see another military unit in the island until 1824 with the establishment of the Royal Newfoundland Veteran Companies. Although similar in name, this unit consisted of Chelsea Pensioners from the United Kingdom and was not recruited locally. The Newfoundland Companies therefore have no relationship with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.


Newfoundland Regiment in the First World War


Outbreak of war

During the First World War Newfoundland was a largely rural Dominion of the British Empire with a population of 240,000 people, and not yet part of Canada. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 led the Government of Newfoundland to recruit a force for service with the British Army. Even though the island had not possessed any formal army organization since 1870, enough men soon volunteered that a whole battalion was formed, and later maintained throughout the war. The first recruits in the regiment were nicknamed the "Blue Puttees" due to the unusual colour of the puttees, chosen to give the Newfoundland Regiment a unique look and due to the unavailability of woollen khakis on the island. The blue puttees were quickly abandoned when the first five hundred reached England in October 1914. The headquarters for recruiting and training was supplied by the
Church Lads' Brigade The Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade is an Anglican youth organisation with branches in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Bermuda, Kenya, South Africa, Barbados, Newfoundland and St Helena. Its origins lie in the formation in 1891 of the C ...
, as was the nucleus of the command structure. In fact, the first man to enlist was also a member of the CLB. Bermudian-born Sir
Joseph Outerbridge Sir Joseph Outerbridge (7 January 1843 – 11 October 1933) was a prominent Bermudian businessman and philanthropist in Newfoundland. Early life Joseph Outerbridge was born in Pembroke, Bermuda, British North America, on 7 January 1843, the son ...
, who had been the Commanding Officer of the CLB from 1890 to 1894, was the Vice President of the Patriotic Association of Newfoundland, which raised and maintained the Newfoundland Regiment, two of his sons serving in the regiment on the Western Front. The regiment trained at various locations in the United Kingdom and increased from an initial contingent of 500 men to full battalion strength of 1,000 men, before being deployed. After a period of acclimatization in Egypt, the regiment was deployed at
Suvla Bay file:Suvla from Battleship Hill.jpg, View of Suvla from Battleship Hill Suvla () is a bay on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey, south of the Gulf of Saros. On 6 August 1915, it was the site for the Landi ...
on the Gallipoli peninsula with the 29th Division in support of the Gallipoli Campaign.


1st Battalion


Gallipoli

On 20 September 1915 the regiment landed at Suvla Bay on the Gallipoli peninsula, where the British VIII Corps, IX Corps and the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) had been attempting to seize control of the Dardanelles Strait from Turkey since the first landings on 25 April. At Gallipoli the 1st Newfoundland Regiment faced
sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...
s, artillery fire and severe cold, as well as the trench warfare hazards of
cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
, dysentery, typhus,
gangrene Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the ga ...
and trench foot. Over the next three months thirty soldiers of the regiment were killed or mortally wounded in action and ten died of disease; 150 were treated for frostbite and exposure. Despite the terrible conditions, the Newfoundlanders stood up well. When the decision was made to evacuate all British Empire forces from the area, the regiment was chosen to be a part of the rearguard, finally withdrawing from Gallipoli with the last of the
British Dardanelles Army The Dardanelles Army was formed in late 1915 and comprised the three corps, army corps of the British Army operating at Battle of Gallipoli, Gallipoli. It was created as a result of the reorganisation of headquarters when the second Mediterranean ...
troops on 9 January 1916. With the close of the Gallipoli Campaign the regiment spent a short period recuperating before being transferred to the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
in March 1916.


Battle of the Somme

In France, the regiment regained battalion strength in preparation for the
Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...
. The regiment, still in the 29th Division, went into the line in April 1916 at Beaumont-Hamel. Beaumont-Hamel was situated near the northern end of the 45-kilometre front being assaulted by the joint French and British force. The attack, originally scheduled for June 29, 1916, was postponed by two days to July 1, 1916, partly on account of inclement weather, and partly to allow more time for the artillery preparation. The 29th Division, with its three infantry brigades, faced defences manned by experienced troops of the 119th (Reserve) Infantry Regiment of the 26th (Württemberg) Reserve Division. The 119th (Reserve) Infantry Regiment had been involved in the invasion of France in August 1914 and had been manning the Beaumont-Hamel section of the line for nearly 20 months prior to the battle. The German troops had been spending a great deal of their time not only training but fortifying their position, including the construction of numerous deep dugouts and at least two tunnels. Sheldon p. 66 '' ontemporary map of the dugouts and tunnels associated directly with Y Ravine in June 1916' The infantry assault by the 29th Division on 1 July 1916 was preceded ten minutes earlier by a mine explosion under the fortified Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt. The explosion of the Hawthorn Mine underneath the German lines destroyed a major enemy strong point but also served to alert the German forces to the imminent attack. Following the explosion, troops of the 119th (Reserve) Infantry Regiment moved from their dugouts into the firing line, even preventing the British from taking control of the crater as they had planned. When the assault finally began, the troops from the 86th and 87th Brigade of the 29th Division were quickly stopped. With the exception of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on the right flank, the initial assault foundered in
No Man's Land No man's land is waste or unowned land or an uninhabited or desolate area that may be under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied out of fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dump ...
at and short of the German
barbed wire A close-up view of a barbed wire Roll of modern agricultural barbed wire Barbed wire, also known as barb wire, is a type of steel fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strands. Its primary use is t ...
. At divisional headquarters, Major-General Beauvoir De Lisle and his staff were trying to unravel the numerous and confusing messages coming back from observation posts, contact aircraft and the two leading brigades. There were indications that some troops had broken into and gone beyond the German first line. In an effort to exploit the perceived break in the German line he ordered the 88th Brigade, which was in reserve, to send forward two battalions to support the attack. At 8:45 a.m. the Newfoundland Regiment and 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment received orders to move forward. The Newfoundland Regiment was situated at St. John's Road, a support trench behind the British forward line and out of sight of the enemy. Movement forward through the communication trenches was not possible because they were congested with dead and wounded men and under shell fire. Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Lovell Hadow, the battalion commander, decided to move immediately into attack formation and advance across the surface, which involved first navigating through the British barbed wire defences. As they breasted the skyline behind the British first line, they were effectively the only troops moving on the battlefield and clearly visible to the German defenders. Subjected to the full force of the 119th (Reserve) Infantry Regiment, most of the Newfoundland Regiment who had started forward were dead, dying or wounded within 15 to 20 minutes of leaving St. John's Road trench. Most reached no further than the
Danger Tree The Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial is a memorial site in France dedicated to the commemoration of Dominion of Newfoundland forces members who were killed during World War I. The preserved battlefield park encompasses the grounds over whic ...
, a skeleton of a tree that lay in No Man's Land that was being utilized as a landmark. So far as can be ascertained, 22 officers and 758 other ranks were directly involved in the advance. Of these, all the officers and slightly under 658 other ranks became casualties. Of the 780 men who went forward only about 110 survived unscathed, of whom only 68 were available for roll call the following day. For all intents and purposes the Newfoundland Regiment had been wiped out, the unit as a whole having suffered a casualty rate of approximately 90 percent. The only unit to suffer greater casualties during the attack was the 10th (Service) Battalion, Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), attacking west of
Fricourt Fricourt () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Fricourt is situated on the D147 and D64 junction, some northeast of Amiens. History Fricourt is about a kilometre from Mametz. It was close to ...
village.


After Beaumont-Hamel

Although significantly under strength, the Newfoundland Regiment continued to see service and after taking on reinforcements was back in the front line on 14 July near Auchonvillers. On 17 July the 88th Brigade was transferred to a quieter portion of the Western Front. In the weeks and months following the attack, the surviving officers wrote letters of condolence to families and relatives in Newfoundland. A period of recovery coupled with additional reinforcements eventually helped the regiment return to full strength. Six weeks later they were beating off a German gas attack in Flanders. Subsequently, they distinguished themselves in a number of battles: back on the Somme at Gueudecourt in October 1916; and on 23 April 1917, at Monchy-le-Preux during the Battle of Arras, where they lost 485 men in a day but checked a German attack. In Flanders during the Third Battle of Ypres the battalion attacked on 16 August at the Battle of Langemarck and on 9 October 1917 the battalion formed the left flank of 29th Division's attack as part of the
Battle of Poelcappelle The Battle of Poelcappelle was fought in Flanders, Belgium, on 9 October 1917 by the British Second Army and Fifth Army against the German 4th Army, during the First World War. The battle marked the end of the string of highly successful Briti ...
. In November 1917 at
Masnières Masnières () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry History Masnières figured into the 1917 Battle of Cambrai during which time it was briefly captured by the British on the first day of the battle, November 20, an ...
- Marcoing during the Battle of Cambrai the regiment stood its ground although outflanked and in April 1918 stemmed a German advance at Bailleul. Following a period out of the line, providing the guard force for General Headquarters at Montreuil, they joined the 28th Brigade of the 9th (Scottish) Division and were in action again at Ledegem and beyond in the advances of the
Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allies of World War I, Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (1918), Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Wester ...
during which
Thomas Ricketts Thomas "Tommy" Ricketts VC (April 15, 1901 – February 10, 1967) was a Newfoundland soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British ...
became the youngest soldier of the war to win the Victoria Cross.


Other battalions

In addition to the 1st Battalion detailed above, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment raised a further two battalions during the war: the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, and the 3rd Battalion. The 2nd Battalion served as the primary overseas training and holding unit for both new recruits prior to deployment with the 1st Battalion and as the holding battalion for soldiers returned to Britain for medical reasons. The 2nd Battalion spent the majority of the war in Scotland, most famously at Ayr. The 3rd Battalion was the title given to the recruiting and training unit based in St. John's, and was the administrative home of new recruits before embarking overseas, as well as being the formation responsible for home defence. Thus, soldiers recruited in Newfoundland and Labrador were be posted first to the 3rd Battalion, then the 2nd, and finally with the 1st. In addition to its three battalions, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment played a part in the administration of the Newfoundland Forestry Corps. Formed in 1917, the corps was a uniformed pioneer unit stationed in Scotland tasked with supporting the British war effort by providing much needed timber for the war effort. Volunteers were clothed in khaki uniform and wore the distinctive
Caribou Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...
cap badge of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. In addition, some wounded officers and enlisted ranks from the 1st Battalion whose wounds prohibited them from combat service were posted to the Forestry Corps in command positions.


First World War honours

Governor Davidson strongly felt that the Newfoundland Regiment deserved special recognition for its actions during the battles of Ypres and
Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department and in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, regio ...
. His request to the British government to add the prefix Royal to the regiment's name was granted and George V bestowed the regiment with the prefix in December 1917. This was the only time during the First World War that this honour was given and only the third time in the history of the British Army that it has been given during a time of war.


Second World War

When the United Kingdom declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, Newfoundland too found itself at war. The presence of the German Navy in Atlantic waters threatened the security of the colony, and in September 1939 it was decided to raise the Newfoundland Militia, a local defence militia unit for the defence of the island. The Newfoundland Militia was tasked with guarding strategic positions on the island, including the dry docks, water supply, and oil reserves in St. John's and the Newfoundland Broadcasting Company's radio station in
Mount Pearl Mount Pearl is the third-largest settlement and second-largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The city is located southwest of St. John's, on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. Mount Pearl is the fo ...
. Later, these guard duties were expanded to include the maintenance of a coastal defence battery on Bell Island to protect the Wabana Iron Ore Mines, and mines and docks throughout the rest of the island. Following the
Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...
, Canada assumed responsibility for the defence of Newfoundland with the establishment of W Force. The Newfoundland Militia was immediately placed under command of W Force. The efforts of the Canadian Army to expand and train the militia to professional standards resulted in the Newfoundland Militia being re-designated the Newfoundland Regiment on March 2, 1943. The regiment stayed in a home-defence role, but in addition to these duties was also tasked with training excess recruits for the two regiments of the Royal Artillery that were recruited in Newfoundland for overseas service: the
166th (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment When the Second World War broke-out, the Dominion of Newfoundland was a Dominion governed directly from the United Kingdom via the Commission of Government. As Newfoundland was being administered by the Commission of Government, and had no function ...
and
59th (Newfoundland) Heavy Artillery Regiment The 59th (Newfoundland) Heavy Artillery Regiment was an artillery regiment of the Dominion of Newfoundland. It was formed in June 1940 during World War II. It fought on the Western Front as part of the Army Group Royal Artillery which itself was ...
. By the end of the Second World War, 1,668 Newfoundlanders had enlisted for service; 820 had deployed overseas with the Royal Artillery while a further 447 trained gunners were in Newfoundland awaiting transport to Europe on VE Day. 17 members of the regiment were killed on December 12, 1942, during the Knights of Columbus Hostel fire in St. John's.


Later history

In 1949, after a pair of referendums, Newfoundland joined Canada as the latter's 10th province. One of the Terms of Union, Term 44, specified the re-creation of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, which became the primary militia unit for the province. The regiment is ranked last in the Canadian Armed Forces order of precedence due to Newfoundland's entry into Canada in 1949, long after other Canadian regiments were recognized in the order of precedence. The
Freedom of the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...
was exercised by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador on July 1, 1963. On March 1, 1961, owing to low numbers in both units the Royal Newfoundland Regiment amalgamated with the 166th (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA inheriting the guns of that unit. Since 1992, soldiers and sub-units of the regiment have served to augment Regular Force units in Cyprus,
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan on peacekeeping and combat missions. On 30 August 2010, Corporal Brian Pinksen died of his wounds eight days after being injured by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, making him the regiment's first combat fatality since the First World War.


Band

The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band is presently the only military band active in Newfoundland and Labrador. Being part of the primary reserve, the band is an composed of volunteer members, many of whom have studied and trained at the Logistics Training Centre Music Division at CFB Borden. The first mention of a bugle and drum band in the regiment during the First World War was made in ''The Fighting Newfoundlander''. Its members were drawn from the regular ranks of infantry on an '' ad hoc'' basis. Many of that band's instruments were destroyed from artillery fire on the beaches of
Gallipoli The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
in September 1915. In 2018, an antique drum from the regiment dating back to that era was brought to the regimental museum for preservation. The basis for the modern band was founded in 1956 as the Loyal Orange Band from Topsail. Under the direction of Edgar Adams, the band was asked to serve as the band of the regiment, amalgamating in 1962 with the 166th Heavy Field Regiment Band and the band relocated from
Buckmaster's Circle The neighbourhood of Buckmaster's Circle is located in central area of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Buckmaster's Circle is one of the oldest public housing communities in the province, having been built in the mid-1960s by Ca ...
to its present headquarters at CFS St. John's. It performs at numerous military and civilian functions such as dinners, public visits and military parades. Among these events was the Trooping of the Colour for
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...
in 1966 and the visit of
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
and Prince Philip in 1978. Other notable events have included the Presentation of Colours in 1983, Pope John Paul II's visit in 1984, the
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by
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Lineage

The government of Canada does not recognize an unbroken lineage of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment to earlier units as there were gaps in existence. However, it recognizes that the regiment commemorates the history and heritage of previous units. In this respect Canada has awarded three battle honours to the regiment to commemorate the services rendered during the War of 1812 by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry and it recognizes battle honours earned by an early iteration of the regiment during the First World War.


Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot 1795–1802

* Originated 25 April 1795 when Captain Thomas Skinner of the Royal Engineers was given permission to raise a fencible infantry company consisting of six hundred men. * Disbanded March 1802 following the signing of the Treaty of Amiens


Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry 1803–1816

* In June 1803, Brigadier General John Skerrett founds the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Fencible Infantry.


Royal Newfoundland Companies

* 1824, the Royal Veteran Companies arrived in St. John's * Redesignated 1842: the Royal Veteran Companies are renamed the Royal Newfoundland Companies * Amalgamated in 1862, the Royal Newfoundland Companies were absorbed into the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment


Royal Newfoundland Regiment 1914–1919

* On 4 September 1914, the 23rd General Assembly of Newfoundland passed an Act authorizing the formation of the Newfoundland Regiment. * July 1915: joined 88th Brigade * 25 January 1918, the regiment is renamed Royal Newfoundland Regiment * 13 September 1918: joined 28th Infantry Brigade * Disbanded on 26 August 1919


Newfoundland Militia/Regiment 1939–1945

* Raised in September 1939 as a home defence unit * Assigned to Canada's W Force in 1940 * Achieved full regimental status in 1943 * Sent 47% of its complement overseas with either Newfoundland Royal Artillery unit


Royal Newfoundland Regiment 1949–present

* Originated 24 October 1949 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, as The Newfoundland Regiment, RCIC * Redesignated 14 December 1949 as Royal Newfoundland Regiment, RCIC'' * Amalgamated 1 March 1961 with the 166th (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA, and redesignated as Royal Newfoundland Regiment * Reorganized 28 March 1974 as a two battalion regiment, consisting of the 1st Battalion with D, E and F companies and the 2nd Battalion with A and B companiesCanadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.


166th (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA 1949–1961

* Originated 24 October 1949 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, on 24 October 1949, as the 166th (Newfoundland) Field Regiment, RCA * Redesignated 12 April 1960 as the 166th (Newfoundland) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA * Amalgamated 1 March 1961 with Royal Newfoundland Regiment, RCIC


Battle honours

In the list below, battle honours in small capitals are for large operations and campaigns and those in lowercase are for more specific battles. Bold type indicates honours authorized to be emblazoned on regimental colours


Alliances

* – The Royal Scots Borderers * – The Royal New South Wales Regiment


Select members of the regiment

* Captain Andrew Bulger * Colonel James Forbes-Robertson, VC, DSO*, MC, DL * Colonel Cluny MacPherson, CMG, FRCS * Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Nangle * Sergeant Thomas Ricketts, VC * Private Francis Lind


See also

* The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces * National War Memorial (Newfoundland) * Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial * List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage *
Canadian units of the War of 1812 When the United States and the United Kingdom went to war against each other in 1812, the major land theatres of war were Upper Canada (broadly the southern portion of the present day province of Ontario), Michigan Territory, Lower Canada (rough ...


Order of precedence


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * * *


External links


The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Museum

The Royal Newfoundland Regiment

Royal Newfoundland Regiment Advisory Council

The Newfoundland Regiment and the Great War


* [https://www.amazon.ca/Defending-Inland-Shores-Newfoundland-1812/dp/1772310441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469718985&sr=8-1&keywords=9781772310443 Defending the Inland Shores: Newfoundland in the War of 1812 – Gordon K. Jones] {{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Newfoundland Regiment Royal Newfoundland Regiment Military units and formations of Newfoundland and Labrador British colonial regiments Infantry regiments of Canada Newfoundland in World War I Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War I Canadian military units and formations of the War of 1812 British military units and formations of the War of 1812 Gallipoli campaign 1795 establishments in Newfoundland Military units and formations established in 1795