The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a Primary Reserve regiment of the

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

, based in Toronto. The regiment is part of

4th Canadian Division The 4th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army. The division was first created as a formation of the Canadian Corps during the First World War. During the Second World War the division was reactivated as the 4th Canadian Infantr ...

32 Canadian Brigade Group 32 Canadian Brigade Group (32CBG) of the Canadian Army is part of the 4th Canadian Division. It is centred on the Greater Toronto Area, as well as Niagara Region and Brantford. It is headquartered at LCol George Taylor Denison III Armoury in T ...

. It is the only reserve regiment in Canada to currently have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve battalion, the Regimental Association, and the Regimental Band and Bugles. The official abbreviation is The QOR of C, but the name is often abbreviated to QOR. The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada parade out of Moss Park Armoury in downtown Toronto. The unit motto is : in peace prepared.

Regimental structure

The Reserve battalion is made up of the following companies: * Battalion Headquarters & Signals Company * 60th Company ( Moss Park Armoury) * Buffs Company ( Moss Park Armoury) * Parachute Company (airborne infantry) * Victoria Company (combat support and combat service support) * Normandy Company (training depot and battle school staff) * Regimental Band & Bugles

Lineage

*April 26, 1860 – ''Second Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada'' *March 18, 1863 – ''Second Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada or Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto'' *January 13, 1882 – ''2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada'' *May 8, 1900 – ''2nd Regiment Queen's Own Rifles of Canada'' *May 1, 1920 – ''The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada'' *November 7, 1941 – ''2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada'' *May 14, 1946 – ''The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada''Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments. On October 16, 1953, it was amalgamated with the Regular Army ''1st Canadian Rifle Battalion'' and ''2nd Canadian Rifle Battalion.'' The 1st Canadian Rifle Battalion and 2nd Canadian Rifle Battalion became the 1st and 2nd Battalions, respectively, of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, while the Reserve component was designated as the 3rd Battalion. On September 15, 1968, the 2nd Battalion was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle. On April 27, 1970, the 1st Battalion was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle, with most of the unit's personnel and equipment transferred to the newly formed 3rd Battalion,

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...

(PPCLI), and the Reserve Force battalion automatically became the new home station of the Regiment.

Lineage Chart

Role

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada are the only Primary Reserve unit in Canada with a parachute tasking. The unit has qualified Parachute Instructors, Drop Zone/Landing Zone Controllers and Jumpmasters. Members also take courses in helicopter operations, aerial delivery, and as Recce and Advanced Mountain Operations Instructors. Members of The QOR have also been sent on the Patrol Pathfinder Course. Qualified personnel in jump positions are allowed the honour of wearing the maroon beret. Trained soldiers are addressed as Riflemen. The Queen's Own Rifles have a long-standing support role with the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre, where QOR parachute instructors and other personnel on staff instruct on and support parachuting courses. The unit currently supplies a company(-) of paratroopers to the 3 RCR parachute company when required. The battalion deploys by parachute on numerous Field Training Exercises during the year and during divisional exercises during the summer. The Canadian Forces SkyHawks Parachute Demonstration Team has also had support from The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, with several members joining the elite demonstration team.

History

Queen's Own Rifles at Toronto Armories (HS85-10-12532)

Queen's Own Rifles in armouries, Toronto (HS85-10-22382)

The ''2nd Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada'' was formed on April 26, 1860, predating the Confederation of Canada. Its first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel William Smith Durie. During the

Trent Affair The ''Trent'' Affair was a International incident, diplomatic incident in 1861 during the American Civil War that threatened a war between the United States and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain. The United States Navy, ...

of 1862, William Mulock asked

John McCaul John McCaul (March 7, 1807 – April 16, 1887) was an Irish-born Canadian educator, theologian, and the second president of the University of Toronto from 1848 to 1853. McCaul was born in Dublin, Ireland and earned Bachelor of Arts, Master ...

, the head of University College (part of the University of Toronto), to call a student meeting that led to the formation of the University Rifle Company of volunteers, 9 Company of The Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto, later K Company of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. University of Toronto professor

Henry Holmes Croft Henry Holmes Croft (March 6, 1820 in London – March 1, 1883 in San Diego, Texas) was a British scientist and educator in Canada. Croft was invited to join the faculty at King's College (now University of Toronto) in Toronto, arriving in 184 ...

was a member and served as captain. It was re-designated as the ''Second Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada'' or ''Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto'' on March 18, 1863. The name was chosen to honour Queen Victoria.

The Fenian Raids

The Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto were called out on active service from March 8 to 31 and from June 1 to 22, 1866. The battalion fought on the Niagara frontier. The Queen's Own Rifles first saw combat and sustained nine killed in action during the Battle of Ridgeway in 1866, where they and the 13th Volunteer Infantry Battalion ( The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry) fell back when charged by a massive force of better armed and highly experienced Fenian insurgents composed of recent Irish American Civil War veterans. It was renamed as ''2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada'' on January 13, 1882.

North-West Rebellion

The 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada mobilized detachments for active service on April 10, 1885, that served with the Battleford Column of the North-West Field Force, and were removed from active service on July 24, 1885.

South African War

It was named the 2nd Regiment Queen's Own Rifles of Canada on 8 May 1900. The regiment contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents, mainly the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry. The Second Boer War was the first time that soldiers from the regiment fought on foreign soil. They were recognized for their service and earned a battle honour for the regiment, even though they were not allowed to wear the QOR cap badge in South Africa.

The Great War

Details of the Regiment were placed on active service on August 6, 1914, for local protection duties. In the First World War, none of the existing militia infantry regiments in Canada were formally mobilized. In 1914 The Queen's Own formed the

3rd Canadian Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF The 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), Canadian Expeditionary Force was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force that saw service in the First World War. It was created on 2 September 1914 with recruits from Toronto, primarily fro ...

. The 3rd Battalion, CEF was authorized on August 10, 1914, and embarked for Britain on September 26, 1914. It disembarked in France on February 11, 1915, and fought as part of the 1st Infantry Brigade,

1st Canadian Division The 1st Canadian Division (French: ''1re Division du Canada'' ) is a joint operational command and control formation based at CFB Kingston, and falls under Canadian Joint Operations Command. It is a high-readiness unit, able to move on very short ...

, in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on August 30, 1920. Later in the war, The Queen's Own Rifles recruited for additional

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 ...

battalions, which did not enter combat as units, but supplied reinforcements to 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 ...

. The 83rd Battalion (Queen's Own Rifles of Canada) was authorized on July 10, 1915, and embarked for Britain on April 28, 1916. It provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until July 7, 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 12th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on May 21, 1917. The 95th Battalion (Queen's Own Rifles of Canada) was authorized on December 22, 1915, and embarked for Britain on May 31, 1916. It provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until January 24, 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 5th Reserve Battalion, CEF, and was disbanded on July 17, 1917. The 166th Battalion (Queen's Own Rifles of Canada) was authorized on December 22, 1915, and embarked for Britain on October 12 and 17, 1916. It provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until January 8, 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 12th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on September 15, 1917. The 198th Battalion (Canadian Buffs) was authorized on July 15, 1916, and embarked for Britain on March 28, 1917. It provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until March 9, 1918, when its personnel were absorbed by the 3rd Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was then disbanded on November 29, 1918. The 255th Battalion (Queen's Own Rifles of Canada) was authorized on May 1, 1917, and embarked for Britain on June 6, 1917. On June 12, 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 12th Reserve Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on September 1, 1917. The Queen's Own Rifles have perpetuated the traditions and battle honours of the 3rd Battalion, 83rd Battalion, 95th Battalion, 166th Battalion, 198th Battalion, and 255th Battalion, CEF. Both the QOR and The Royal Regiment of Canada perpetuate the 3rd Battalion.

Between the wars

It was designated "The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada" on May 1, 1920.

The Second World War

The regiment mobilized for active service on May 24, 1940. It was then redesignated as the ''1st Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CASF'' on November 7, 1940. The unit served in Newfoundland (at the time a separate Dominion) in the defence of two strategic airfields at Botwood and Gander in Newfoundland from August 10 to December 15, 1940. After a build-up and training period, the unit embarked for Britain on July 19, 1941. The regiment mobilized the ''3rd Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CASF'' for active service on May 12, 1942. It served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 20th Infantry Brigade, 7th Canadian Infantry Division. The battalion was disbanded on August 15, 1943. For the

Invasion of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...

, the regiment landed in Normandy, France, as part of the 8th Infantry Brigade,

3rd Canadian Infantry Division The 3rd Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of all army units in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as all units extending westwards from th ...

. The first major combat operations were on D-day June 6, 1944. The Queen's Own Rifles landed on "Nan" sector of

Juno Beach Juno or Juno Beach was one of five beaches of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944 during the Second World War. The beach spanned from Courseulles, a village just east of the British beach Gold ...

and with the support of tanks of the

Fort Garry Horse The Fort Garry Horse is a Canadian Army Reserve armoured regiment based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is part of 3rd Canadian Division's 38 Canadian Brigade Group. It traces its history to a cavalry regiment first formed in 1912 that first took ...

captured the strategic seaside resort town of

Bernières-sur-Mer Bernières-sur-Mer (, literally ''Bernières on Sea''), in the arrondissement of Caen, is a Communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados Departments of France, department of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy, in no ...

. The battalion fought its way to its D-Day objective – the village of Anisy inland, the only Regiment to reach its assigned objective that day. The QOR had the highest casualties amongst the Canadian regiments, with 143 killed, wounded or captured. As well as losses in the initial landing, the reserve companies' landing craft struck mines as they approached the beach. In the battle for Caen, the QOR – as part of the 8th Infantry Brigade – participated in Operation Windsor to capture the airfield at Carpiquet which was defended by a detachment from the ''12th SS Panzer-Division Hitler Jugend''. The Germans inflicted heavy casualties and Panzer-grenadiers attempted to recapture the village. During the war, 463 riflemen were killed in action and almost 900 were wounded as they fought through Normandy, Northern France, and into Belgium and the Netherlands, where they liberated the crucial Channel ports. Sixty more members of the regiment were killed while serving with other units in Hong Kong, Italy and northwest Europe. The overseas battalion was disbanded on November 30, 1945. On June 1, 1945, a third Active Force battalion, designated the ''4th Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CIC, CAOF'', was mobilized for service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany. The battalion was disbanded on May 14, 1946. In October 1953, the status of the regiment was upgraded, and it was made a part of the Regular Force. The regiment consisted of two Regular Force battalions and the Reserve (Third) battalion in Toronto until 1968. There was also a regimental depot in Calgary.

Korea

The 2nd Battalion, commanded by LCol W.H.V. Matthews, served in Korea following the armistice from 26 March 54 to April 6, 1955. The following members of the 2nd Battalion died in Korea: *Rifleman Norman Philip Ferland, March 31, 1954. *Lt Neil MacDonald Anderson, August 25, 1954. *Sgt Gerald Walter Koch, August 4, 1954. *Lt Milton Cameron Vipond March 18, 1955. *Rifleman George Peter Reid, June 11, 1955. Maj. Philip Edwin Gower, MC, died on December 9, 1956, while serving with the United Nations Command Military Assistance Commission. As part of the Regular Force, the unit was involved in the Korean War.

Cold War

The Regular Force battalions served on NATO duty in Germany and served on UN duty in Cyprus. In 1963, the 1st Battalion QOR of C was relocated from Currie Barracks in

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

to Work Point Barracks at Esquimalt Garrison, replacing the 1st Battalion

, which was deployed to West Germany. In 1970, with the downsizing of the Canadian Forces, the 1st Battalion of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada was rebadged as the 3rd Battalion

. From 1983 to 1995, the regiment was operationally tasked to provide an airborne company to the

Canadian Airborne Regiment The Canadian Airborne Regiment (french: links=, Régiment aéroporté canadien) was a Canadian Forces formation created on April 8, 1968. It was not an administrative regiment in the commonly accepted British Commonwealth sense, but rather a tactic ...

. Members of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada have served on recent overseas deployments including: UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group) Namibia 1989–1990, Cambodia, Cyprus, Somalia (for Operation Deliverance 1992–1993 members were attached to 1, 2 and 3 Commando of the

), Sierra Leone,

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 ...

, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Darfur and Sudan. The unit played a large role in the purchase of the Victoria Cross of Corporal

Frederick George Topham Frederick George Topham, VC (10 August 1917 – 31 May 1974) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Early life and Se ...

in 2005 and its subsequent donation to the Canadian War Museum. On April 22, 2006, The QOR of C opened Dalton Armoury in Scarborough as part of the Land Force Reserve Restructure expansion. Buffs Company parades out of Dalton Armoury. In September 1910, the QOR went on a route march with

The Buffs (East Kent) Regiment The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army traditionally raised in the English county of Kent and garrisoned at Canterbury. It had a history dating back to 1572 and ...

of the British Army. It was noted that the Buffs and QOR used the same regimental march, a tune known as "The Regimental Quick Step of the Buffs" composed for The Buffs by

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

. A regimental alliance was made official in 1914.

Alliances

*United Kingdom – The Rifles (2007–present) *United Kingdom – The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1994–present) *United Kingdom –

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (or PWRR, also known as 'The Tigers') is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, second in the line infantry order of precedence to the Royal Regiment of Scotland and part of the Qu ...

(1992–present)

Historical Alliances

*United Kingdom – The Brigade of Gurkhas (1982–1994) *United Kingdom –

The Royal Green Jackets The Royal Green Jackets (RGJ) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two large regiment, "large regiments" within the Light Division#The Light Division reformed, Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry). History The Royal ...

(1966–2007) *United Kingdom – The Queen's Regiment (1966–1992) *United Kingdom – The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment (1961–1966) *United Kingdom – The King's Royal Rifle Corps (1956–1966) *United Kingdom – The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) (1935–1961) *United Kingdom –

The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army traditionally raised in the English county of Kent and garrisoned at Canterbury. It had a history dating back to 1572 and ...

(1914–1935)

Battle honours

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada has earned 47 battle honours during its history, which are emblazoned on the Regimental drums (Rifle Regiments do not carry "colours").

North West Rebellion

* North West Canada 1885‡

The South African War

South Africa 1899–1900 The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

‡

The Great War

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 ...

* Gravenstafel Ridge * St. Julien‡ *

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 ...

Mount Sorrel The Battle of Mont Sorrel (''Battle of Mount Sorrel'', ''Battle of Hill 62'') was a local operation in World War I by three divisions of the British Second Army and three divisions of the German 4th Army in the Ypres Salient, near Ypres, Bel ...

* Somme, 1916‡ * Pozières Ridge * Flers-Courcelette‡ *

Ancre Heights The Ancre (; ) is a river of Picardy, France. Rising at Miraumont, a hamlet near the town of Albert, it flows into the Somme at Corbie. It is long. For most of its length it flows through the department of Somme. For a short stretch near P ...

* Arras, 1917 * Vimy, 1917‡ * Arleux *

Scarpe 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 ...

* Hill 70‡ * Ypres, 1917 * Passchendaele‡ * Amiens‡ * Arras, 1918 * Scarpe 1918 * Drocourt-Quéant * Hindenburg Line *

Canal du Nord The Canal du Nord (, literally ''Canal of the North'') is a long canal in northern France. The canal connects the Canal latéral à l'Oise at Pont-l'Évêque to the Sensée Canal at Arleux. The French government, in partnership with coal-min ...

‡ * Pursuit to Mons‡ * France and Flanders, 1915–18

Second World War

Normandy Landing The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...

‡ *

Le Mesnil-Patry Le Mesnil-Patry () is a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Thue et Mue.Caen Caen (, ; nrf, Kaem) is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inhabitants (), while its functional urban area has 470,000,Carpiquet Carpiquet () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Caen – Carpiquet Airport is located in Carpiquet. Geography Carpiquet is on the western side of the Caen metropolitan area. The town is divided ...

* Bourguébus Ridge‡ *Faubourg de Vaucelles *

Falaise Falaise may refer to: Places * Falaise, Ardennes, France * Falaise, Calvados, France ** The Falaise pocket was the site of a battle in the Second World War * La Falaise, in the Yvelines ''département'', France * The Falaise escarpment in Quebec ...

‡ *Quesnay Wood * The Laison * Boulogne, 1944‡ * Calais, 1944 * The Scheldt‡ * Breskens Pocket * The Rhineland‡ * Waal Flats *The Hochwald‡ *The Rhine‡ *Emmerich – Hoch Elten *Deventer *

North-West Europe, 1944–45 The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

War in Afghanistan

*Afghanistan ‡

Important engagements

* Battle of Ridgeway, Fenian Raids, 1866 * Battle of Cut Knife,

North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (french: Rébellion du Nord-Ouest), also known as the North-West Resistance, was a resistance by the Métis people under Louis Riel and an associated uprising by First Nations Cree and Assiniboine of the District of S ...

, 1885 * First World War **St Julien ** Hill 70 ** Passchendaele **

** Amiens **

Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), a ...

, 1916 ** Flers-Courcelette **

** Pursuit to Mons ** Vimy, 1917 * Second World War **

**Le Mesnil-Patry **The Scheldt **

**The Rhine **

Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer (; pcd, Boulonne-su-Mér; nl, Bonen; la, Gesoriacum or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. Boulogne lies on the ...

, 1944

Victoria Cross recipients

Seven members of the Regiment have been awarded the Victoria Cross, Canada's highest military award: *Capt

Thain Wendell MacDowell Thain Wendell MacDowell, VC, DSO (September 16, 1890 – March 28, 1960), was a Canadian soldier. MacDowell was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be award ...

, VC, DSO (April 9, 1917) *Cpl

Colin Fraser Barron Colin Fraser Barron (20 September 1893 – 15 August 1958) was a Canadian 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 and Commonwealth forces. He w ...

, VC (November 6, 1917) *2Lt

Edmund De Wind Edmund De Wind, (11 December 1883 – 21 March 1918) was a British Army officer during the First World War, and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ...

, VC, (Killed in action March 21, 1918) *Lt

Charles Smith Rutherford Charles Smith Rutherford (9 February 1892 – 11 June 1989) was a Canadian 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 and Commonwealth force ...

, VC, MC, MM (August 26, 1918) *Lt Wallace Lloyd Algie, VC (Killed in action October 11, 1918) *Lt

George Fraser Kerr George Fraser Kerr VC, MC & Bar, MM, (8 June 1895 – 8 December 1929) was a soldier in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British ...

, VC, MC & Bar, MM (September 27, 1918) *Sgt Aubrey Cosens, VC (Killed in action February 25/26, 1945)

Colonels-in-Chief

* Queen Mary (1928–1953) *

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel; born 25 December 1936) is a member of the British royal family. Queen Elizabeth II and Alexandra were first cousins through their fathers, King George ...

(1960–2010) * The Duchess of Cornwall (2010–present)

Notable members

* Vincent Massey was appointed Governor General of Canada in 1952. He was the first Canadian appointed to the post, and since then the governor general has always been a Canadian citizen. Massey Hall in Toronto was donated by his family. *

Donald Ethell Donald Stewart Ethell (born July 23, 1937) is a retired Canadian Army colonel and was the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from 2010 to 2015. Career Ethell was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1937, the son of a nurse and a navy chie ...

Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta The lieutenant governor of Alberta () is the Viceroy, viceregal representative in Alberta of the . The lieutenant governor is appointed in the same manner as Lieutenant governor (Canada), the other provincial viceroys in Canada and is similarly ...

2010–2015. *Sir

John Morison Gibson Sir John Morison Gibson (January 1, 1842 – June 3, 1929) was a Canadians, Canadian politician and the List of lieutenant governors of Ontario#Lieutenant Governors of Ontario, 1867-present, tenth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Biography ...

(January 1, 1842 – June 3, 1929) was a Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. He was a lieutenant during the Fenian Raids, and fought at the Battle of Ridgeway. *Sir

Hugh John Macdonald Sir Hugh John Macdonald, (March 13, 1850 – March 29, 1929) was the only surviving son of the first prime minister of Canada, John A. Macdonald. He too was a politician, serving as a member of the House of Commons of Canada and a federal cabine ...

was the son of John A. Macdonald, served as a member of the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

, a federal

cabinet minister A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, � ...

, and as the eighth Premier of Manitoba. * Lieutenant-Colonel Barney Danson, PC, CC, served with the regiment in Normandy and later served as Minister of National Defence. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour. *General Sir William Dillon Otter (December 3, 1843 – May 6, 1929) was the first Canadian-born chief of the general staff, the head of the Canadian Army. In 1890, Otter founded the

Royal Canadian Military Institute The Royal Canadian Military Institute (RCMI) is a private members’ organization located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded as the Canadian Military Institute on January 14, 1890. General Sir William Dillon Otter set the founding princ ...

as a body for "the promotion and fostering of military art, science and literature in Canada." He was appointed as the first commanding officer of the

Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry , colors = , identification_symbol_2 = Maple Leaf (2nd Bn pipes and drums) , identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan , identification_symbol_4 = The RCR , identification_symbol_4_label = Abbreviation , mar ...

in 1893. *

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Charles H. Belzile Lieutenant General Charles Henri Belzile CM, CMM, CD (March 12, 1933 – December 5, 2016) was a Canadian army officer who served as head of the Canadian Army. He is an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada student #H22547. ...

was a former head of the Canadian Army. * Major-General Lewis MacKenzie (born April 30, 1940) is a Canadian retired general and writer. MacKenzie established and commanded Sector Sarajevo as part of the United Nations Protection Force or UNPROFOR in Yugoslavia in 1992. *Major-General Malcolm Mercer was a barrister and art patron who practised law in Toronto. He led the

3rd Canadian Division The 3rd Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of all army units in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as all units extending westwards from th ...

during the first two years of the First World War before he was killed in action at

in Belgium. He remains the most senior Canadian officer to die in combat. *Major-General Sir Henry Pellatt (January 6, 1859, Kingston, Ontario, Canada – March 8, 1939) was a well-known Canadian financier and soldier who built Casa Loma. *Brigadier General John "Jock" Spragge, DSO,

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, ED joined as a rifleman in 1925 and rose to become commanding officer of the Queen's Own Rifles on

D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...

and in August 1944, Officer Commanding

7th Canadian Infantry Brigade The 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Canadian Army that fought during World War I and World War II. The brigade, along with the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade and the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, formed the 3rd Can ...

. *Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae is remembered for his poem '' In Flanders Fields''. He was a member of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada while studying at the University of Toronto, during which time he was promoted to captain. *Lieutenant-Colonel

Arthur Godfrey Peuchen Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Godfrey Peuchen (April 18, 1859 – December 7, 1929) was a Canadian businessman and RMS ''Titanic'' survivor. Early life Born in Montreal, Quebec, Peuchen was the son of a railroad contractor; his maternal grandfath ...

was a businessman and RMS ''Titanic'' survivor. He commanded the Home Battalion of the QOR during the First World War. *Major

John Hasek John Henry George Hasek, Canadian Forces' Decoration, CD (January 28, 1938 – January 1, 1994) was a Czech-born Canadian soldier, journalist and author. Biography After fleeing post-Second World War Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, communist Cz ...

was a journalist and author of ''The Disarming of Canada''. He was the first commander of the SkyHawks Parachute Team, and also served in Ghana, Vietnam and Cyprus. Hasek was injured and killed while reporting on the war in Yugoslavia in 1994. *Major Ben Dunkelman – Promoted through the ranks from private to major during the Second World War. Saw action at

Caen Caen (, ; nrf, Kaem) is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inhabitants (), while its functional urban area has 470,000,Falaise Falaise may refer to: Places * Falaise, Ardennes, France * Falaise, Calvados, France ** The Falaise pocket was the site of a battle in the Second World War * La Falaise, in the Yvelines ''département'', France * The Falaise escarpment in Quebec ...

, and the Battle of the Scheldt. His father was

David Dunkelman David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

, the founder of Tip Top Tailors. *Major Edward Arunah Dunlop, Jr. was an MPP and first president of the

Toronto Sun The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices is located at Postmedia Place i ...

. He was blinded during the Second World War while trying to save a soldier from a grenade. *Surgeon-Major James Thorburn was a medical doctor and a professor of pharmacology and therapeutics at the University of Toronto *Captain and Assistant Surgeon

Norman Bethune, Sr. Norman Bethune (13 August 1822 – 12 October 1892) was the son of Angus Bethune (fur trader), Angus Bethune who was a fur trader. Norman was born in Moose Factory, Ontario. Because of his father's family connections, such as his brother, Donald Be ...

, MD was a physician and medical educator who served with the Queen's Own from 1877 to 1879. His grandson was Henry

Norman Bethune Henry Norman Bethune (; March 4, 1890 – November 12, 1939; zh, t=亨利·諾爾曼·白求恩, p=Hēnglì Nuò'ěrmàn Báiqiú'ēn) was a Canadian thoracic surgeon, early advocate of socialized medicine, and member of the Communist Party ...

, MD, the internationally known physician who doctored in the Spanish Civil War and in China during the Communist Revolution. *Lieutenant Norm Gardner, former Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. *Bugle Major Charles Swift served as Bugle Major of The Queen's Own Rifles Bugle Band from 1876 to 1923 – a total of 47 years. *

Herbert L. Clarke Herbert Lincoln Clarke (September 12, 1867 – January 30, 1945) was an American cornetist, feature soloist, bandmaster, and composer. He is considered the most prominent cornetist of his time. Clarke's legacy includes composing a portion of th ...

was a well-known American cornet player, feature soloist, bandmaster, and composer who joined The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Band as a cornetist in 1882. *

Frederick J. Conboy Frederick Joseph Conboy (January 1, 1883 – March 29, 1949) was a Canadians, Canadian politician, who served as List of mayors of Toronto, mayor of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario from 1941 to 1944. He was also a member of the Orange Order in C ...

served as Mayor of Toronto from 1941 to 1944. He joined the unit as a Rifleman during the World War II in response to a government appeal for more volunteers. *Rifleman John Andrew Forin, served in the

where he kept a diary of his experience, later moved to British Columbia where he practised law before serving as a County Judge. *

Alexander Muir Alexander Muir (5 April 1830 – 26 June 1906) was a Canadian songwriter, poet, soldier, and school headmaster. He was the composer of ''The Maple Leaf Forever'', which he wrote in October 1867 to celebrate the Confederation of Canada. Early l ...

—author of " The Maple Leaf Forever", fought at the Battle of Ridgeway * John Bayley served as the bandmaster of the Regimental band from 1879 to 1901. * K. Dock Yip, reservist during World War II, first Chinese Canadian to practice law and local activist. *Lance corporal Albert Tilson, hockey player and namesake of the Red Tilson Trophy.

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archives

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archives is located on the third floor of the historic Casa Loma château in Toronto. Sir Henry Pellatt, who built Casa Loma, was an ardent supporter of the Regiment, and was knighted in 1905 for his service with the unit. Three non-functioning firearms – a Sten submachine gun, Bren light machine gun and a Bock bolt-action rifle – were stolen during a 2008 break-in. They were later recovered and returned. Two suspects were arrested after police used DNA analysis, fingerprints, and tips from the public to identify them.

Regimental church

St. Paul's, Bloor Street St. Paul's, Bloor Street, is an Anglican church located at 227 Bloor Street East in Toronto, Ontario. The present church building, completed in 1913, was designed by E. J. Lennox in the Gothic Revival style. At , it is the largest church in the ...

, Anglican Church in Toronto has been the regimental church of the QOR since 1910. It is located at 227 Bloor Street between Church Street and Ted Rogers Way (which connects to Jarvis Street which is further south). The Cross of Sacrifice located outside the church is dedicated to the members of the QOR that have died in combat. It was built and dedicated after the First World War. The Books of Remembrance are a list of the names of the QOR fallen, and are located in the interior of the church. The books are paraded annually on Remembrance Day Sunday, when the regiment parades to St. Paul's to attend services.

Memorials

The most recent is the regimental badge carved on the back of one of the pews of the Royal Memorial Chapel at

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of ...

. The oldest memorial is the Ridgeway tablet at the Memorial United Church in Ridgeway, Ontario. Ridgeway is also commemorated in a stained glass window at University College, a tablet in the

Ontario Provincial Parliament The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA, french: Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by ...

buildings, the Canadian Volunteers Monument in Queen's Park (west side of Queen's Park Crescent) and a cairn at Ridgeway. A sandstone monument with Italian marble figures and bronze plaques erected on the University of Toronto Campus was dedicated to those of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada regiment who were killed in action or who died from wounds defending her frontier in June 1866. The monument was erected by the Canadian Volunteer Monument Campaign of 1866, Committee of Toronto citizens and its chairman, Dr. McCaul, then President of the University of Toronto. The

of 1885 is remembered by the North-West Rebellion Monument in Queen's Park (east side of Queen's park Crescent), the Battleford Column tablet inside Moss Park Armoury and a cairn at Battleford, Saskatchewan. The

South African War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

memorial is on University Avenue. An additional tablet is inside Denison Armoury. The First World War is commemorated by the Cross of Sacrifice and the shrine containing the Book of Remembrance at St Paul's Anglican Church. In addition, a tablet is mounted at Moss Park Armoury. The QOR fallen are also remembered in The Buffs Memorial window, Warrior's Chapel, of

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

. A plaque was erected to the fallen in the Second World War at the site of the D-Day landing, Bernières-sur-Mer, Normandy, France. A tablet was also placed on a farm building at Mooshof, Germany, where Sergeant Aubrey Cosens, VC, earned his decoration. There are also significant memorials at Le Mesnil-Patry, Anguerny, Anisy (France) and Wons, Rha, Sneek, Doorn, Oostburg, Zutphen (Netherlands). Other lesser memorials also exist.

Order of precedence

References

Bibliography

* * ''Illustrated Historical Album of the 2nd Battalion, the Queens Own Rifles of Canada, 1856–1894'' by H. Bruce Brough (August 1, 2007) * ''The Powder Horn 1963 : Chronicle of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada'' by Col. JGK et al. Strathy (1966) * ''At Duty's Call: Captain William Henry Victor Van Der Smissen, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, and 3rd Battalion'' by Anonymous (September 7, 2010)

External links

*
Canadian Army QORC pageThe Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archives
* ttp://www.members.shaw.ca/junobeach/juno-4-1.htm Juno Beach—The Queens Own Rifles on D-Day {{DEFAULTSORT:Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Rifle regiments of Canada Airborne units and formations of Canada Military units and formations of Ontario Infantry regiments of Canada in World War II Military units and formations of Canada in World War II Military units and formations established in 1860 British colonial regiments Museums in Toronto Regimental museums in Canada 1860 establishments in Canada

Regimental structure

Lineage

Lineage Chart

Role

History

The Fenian Raids

North-West Rebellion

South African War

The Great War

Between the wars

The Second World War

Korea

Cold War

Alliances

Historical Alliances

Battle honours

North West Rebellion

The South African War

The Great War

Second World War

War in Afghanistan

Important engagements

Victoria Cross recipients

Colonels-in-Chief

Notable members

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archives

Regimental church

Memorials

Order of precedence

See also

References

Bibliography

External links