The Irish Fusiliers of Canada was an infantry regiment of the
Non-Permanent Active Militia
The Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) was the name of Canada's part-time volunteer military force from 1855 to 1940. The NPAM (also called "the Militia" though that term could also encompass the full-time standing army known as the Permanent A ...
of the
Canadian Militia (now the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
). In 1936, the regiment was amalgamated with
The Vancouver Regiment
The Vancouver Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). The regiment was formed in 1924 when the 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) was Reorganized i ...
to form
, which today forms part of
.
Lineage
The Irish Fusiliers of Canada
* Originated on 15 August 1913, in Vancouver, British Columbia, as the ''11th Regiment Irish Fusiliers of Canada''.
* Redesignated on 12 March 1920, as ''The Irish Fusiliers of Canada''.
* Amalgamated on 1 June 1936, with ''The Vancouver Regiment'' and redesignated as the ''Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment)''.
Perpetuations
*
121st Battalion (Western Irish), CEF
The 121st (Western Irish) Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in New Westminster, British Columbia, the unit was authorized on 22 December 1915 and began recruiting in that city. After ...
History
Early history
On 15 August 1913, the 11th Regiment Irish Fusiliers of Canada was authorized for service. The regiment had its headquarters and companies in Vancouver.
Great War
On 6 August 1914, the 11th Regiment Irish Fusiliers of Canada was placed on active service for local protection duties.
On 22 December 1915, the ''121st Battalion (Western Irish), CEF'', was authorized for service, and on 14 November 1916 the battalion embarked for Great Britain. After its arrival in the UK, the battalion provided reinforcements for the
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December ...
in the field. On 10 January 1917, the battalion’s personnel were absorbed by the 16th Reserve Battalion, CEF. Finally on 17 July 1917, the 121st Battalion, CEF, was disbanded.
1920s–1930s
On 15 March 1920, as a result of the
Otter Commission The Otter Commission, or Otter Committee, was established after the First World War to tackle a problem created by the chaotic mobilization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In 1919 units of the CEF, intended as a wartime expeditionary force, ret ...
and the following post-war reorganization of the Canadian Militia, the ''11th Regiment Irish Fusiliers of Canada'' was redesignated as ''The Irish Fusiliers of Canada'' and was reorganized with 2 battalions (1 of them a paper-only reserve battalion) to perpetuate the assigned war-raised battalions of the
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...
.
As a result of the 1936 Canadian Militia reorganization, on 1 June 1936, ''The Irish Fusiliers of Canada'' were amalgamated with ''
The Vancouver Regiment
The Vancouver Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). The regiment was formed in 1924 when the 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) was Reorganized i ...
'' to form the ''Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver Regiment)'' later redesignated as ''
''.
Organization
11th Regiment, Irish Fusiliers of Canada (15 August 1913)
* Regimental Headquarters (
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
)
* No. 1 Company
* No. 2 Company
* No. 3 Company
* No. 4 Company
* No. 5 Company
* No. 6 Company
* No. 7 Company
* No. 8 Company
The Irish Fusiliers of Canada (02 July, 1920)
* 1st Battalion (perpetuating the 121st Battalion, CEF)
* 2nd (Reserve) Battalion
Battle Honours
*
Ypres, 1915
During the First World War, the Second Battle of Ypres was fought from for control of the tactically important high ground to the east and south of the Flemish town of Ypres in western Belgium. The First Battle of Ypres had been fought the pre ...
,
'17
*
Festubert, 1915
The Battle of Festubert (15–25 May 1915) was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. The offensive formed part of a series of attacks by the French Tenth Army and the British ...
*
Somme, 1916
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 ...
*
Arras, 1917
The Battle of Arras (also known as the Second Battle of Arras) was a British offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the W ...
,
'18
*
Hill 70
The Battle of Hill 70 took place in the First World War between the Canadian Corps and five divisions of the German 6th Army. The battle took place along the Western Front on the outskirts of Lens in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France b ...
*
Amiens
Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
*
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (German: , Siegfried Position) was a German defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 191 ...
*
Valenciennes
Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a s ...
Notable members
*
Sherwood Lett
Sherwood Lett, (August 1,1895 – July 24,1964) was a Canadian soldier, lawyer, diplomat, and jurist.
Early life
Sherwood Lett was born in Iroquois, Ontario, but the family then moved to British Columbia.
His university studies occurred a ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irish_Fusiliers_of_Canada
Irish regiments in Canada
Fusilier regiments of Canada
Irish Fusiliers of Canada (The Vancouver Regiment)
Military units and formations of British Columbia
Military units and formations established in 1913
Military units and formations disestablished in 1936