The Saskatoon Light Infantry 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 ...
). The regiment was formed in 1924, when
The North Saskatchewan Regiment (1920–1924)
, garrison = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
, battles = North-West RebellionFirst World WarSecond World WarWar in Afghanistan
, battle_honours = See #Battle hon ...
was reorganized into four separate regiments. In 1955, the regiment was Amalgamated with The Prince Albert and Battleford Volunteers to form
The North Saskatchewan Regiment
, garrison = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
, battles = North-West RebellionFirst World WarSecond World WarWar in Afghanistan
, battle_honours = See #Battle hon ...
.
Lineage
* Originated on 1 April 1912, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, as the 105th Regiment.
* Redesignated on 16 September 1912, as the 105th Regiment Fusiliers.
* Redesignated on 15 April 1914, as the 105th Regiment (Saskatoon Fusiliers).
* Amalgamated on 15 March 1920, with the 52nd Regiment Prince Albert Volunteers and Redesignated as The North Saskatchewan Regiment.
* Reorganized on 15 May 1924, as four separate regiments:
The Yorkton Regiment
The Yorkton Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). It was formed in 1924, when The North Saskatchewan Regiment (1920–1924) was reorganized into four separate regiment ...
(now the
64th Field Battery,
10th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
The 10th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA is an artillery regiment of the Canadian Army Primary Reserve. Based in Regina, Saskatchewan, the regiment forms part of the 38 Canadian Brigade Group of the 3rd Canadian Division.
Allocated batteries
* 1 ...
), The Battleford Light Infantry,
The Prince Albert Volunteers
The Prince Albert Volunteers (PAV) is the name of two historical infantry units headquartered in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The unit was first raised in 1885 during the North-West Rebellion and disbanded after hostilities ceased. In the 20th cen ...
, and The Saskatoon Light Infantry.
* Amalgamated on 15 December 1936, with C Company of the 12th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (now
The Royal Regina Rifles
, colours = Rifle green with scarlet facings (full dress and mess dress)
, march = Quick March: " Lützow's Wild Hunt"Double Past: "Keel Row"
, battles = First World WarSecond W ...
) and Redesignated as The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun).
* Redesignated on 7 November 1940, as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun).
* Redesignated on 1 November 1945, as The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun).
* Amalgamated on 17 February 1955, with The Prince Albert and Battleford Volunteers (Machine Gun) to form the 2nd Battalion, The North Saskatchewan Regiment (The Saskatoon Light Infantry) (Machine Gun).
* Amalgamated on 1 September 1970, with the 1st Battalion, The North Saskatchewan Regiment (The Prince Albert and Battleford Volunteers) to form a single battalion unit, The North Saskatchewan Regiment.
Perpetuations
*
5th Battalion (Western Cavalry), CEF
*
65th Battalion (Saskatchewan), CEF
History
Early History
On 15 May 1924,
The North Saskatchewan Regiment
, garrison = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
, battles = North-West RebellionFirst World WarSecond World WarWar in Afghanistan
, battle_honours = See #Battle hon ...
was split up and reorganized into 4 separate regiments: The Saskatoon Light Infantry,
The Yorkton Regiment
The Yorkton Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). It was formed in 1924, when The North Saskatchewan Regiment (1920–1924) was reorganized into four separate regiment ...
(now the
64th Field Battery, RCA
The 64th Field Battery, RCA (french: links=no, 64e Batterie de campagne, ARC) is a sub-unit of the Canadian Army. It is a reserve artillery battery, currently under command of the 38 Canadian Brigade Group Artillery Tactical Group, and a componen ...
),
The Prince Albert Volunteers
The Prince Albert Volunteers (PAV) is the name of two historical infantry units headquartered in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The unit was first raised in 1885 during the North-West Rebellion and disbanded after hostilities ceased. In the 20th cen ...
and The Battleford Light Infantry.
On 15 December 1936, as a result of the 1936 Canadian Militia Reorganization, The Saskatoon Light Infantry was Amalgamated with C Company, 12th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC and Reorganized as an Infantry Battalion (Machine Gun). As a result, the regiment was Redesignated as The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun).
Second World War
Home Front
On 26 August 1939, details of The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun) were called out for service and on 1 September 1939, were placed on active service under the designation as The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun), CASF for local protection duties. On 31 December 1940, those details on active service were disbanded.
Europe
On 1 September 1939, the regiment subsequently mobilized The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun), CASF for active service, and on 8 December 1939, the battalion embarked for Great Britain as part of the
1st Canadian Infantry 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 ...
. On 7 November 1940, the battalion was again Redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun), CASF. On 25 August 1941, the battalion participated in the
expedition to Spitzbergen, Norway. On 1 May 1943, the battalion was Redesignated as the 1st Infantry Division Support Battalion (The Saskatoon Light Infantry), CIC, CASF. On 10 July 1943, the battalion as part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division landed in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
as part of
Operation Husky
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. On 3 September 1943, the battalion and the rest of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division as part of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
's
V Corps landed in Italy where it fought as part of the
Italian Campaign, later joining with the rest of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division as part of the
I Canadian Corps
I Canadian Corps was one of the two corps fielded by the Canadian Army during the Second World War.
History
From December 24, 1940, until the formation of the First Canadian Army in April 1942, there was a single unnumbered Canadian Corps. I C ...
. On 1 July 1944, the battalion was again Redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun), CASF. On 4 March 1945, the battalion landed in France and upon arrival in the North West Europe theatre of operations with the rest of the
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army (french: 1reArmée canadienne) was a field army and a formation of the Canadian Army in World War II in which most Canadian elements serving in North-West Europe were assigned. It served on the Western Front from July 1944 ...
, it served until the end of the war. On 15 October 1945, the overseas battalion was disbanded.
Pacific
On 1 June 1945, The Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun) mobilized three “cannon” companies for active service with the 6th Canadian Infantry Division (Canadian Army Pacific Force). On 1 November 1945, these companies were disbanded.
Organization
The Saskatoon Light Infantry (M.G.) (15 December 1936)
* Regimental HQ (
Saskatoon, SK
Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
)
* A Company (Saskatoon, SK)
* B Company (Saskatoon, SK)
* C Company (
Melfort, SK)
* D Company (Saskatoon, SK)
Alliances
-
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. In 1968, the regiment was amalgamated with the Somerset and Cornwall ...
(1925-1955)
Uniform
Scarlet tunic with blue facings
Tartan: Mackenzie (pipers' kilts, 1942-1955, with permission of
)
Battle Honours
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 ...
,
'17
*
Gravenstafel
*
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
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 ...
*
Thiepval
Thiepval (; pcd, Tièbvo) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Thiepval is located north of Albert at the crossroads of the D73 and D151 and approximately northeast of Amiens.
Population
First World ...
*
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
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
*
Vimy, 1917
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...
*
Arleux
Arleux () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Geography
The river Sensée joins the Canal du Nord at Arleux.
Population
Heraldry
See also
*Communes of the Nord department
The following is a list of the 648 communes o ...
*
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 ...
*
Passchendaele
*
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 ...
*
Scarpe, 1918
*
Drocourt-Quéant
*
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 ...
*
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
Pursuit may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Films
* ''Pursuit'' (1935 film), a 1935 American action film
* ''Pursuit'' (1972 American film), a made-for-TV film directed by Michael Crichton
* ''Pursuit'' (1972 Hong Kong film), a Shaw Brot ...
*
France and Flanders, 1915–18
The Western Front was one of the main theatres of war during the First World War. Following the outbreak of war in August 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of import ...
Second World War
*
Landing in Sicily
Landing is the last part of a flight, where a flying animal, aircraft, or spacecraft returns to the ground. When the flying object returns to water, the process is called alighting, although it is commonly called "landing", "touchdown" or ...
* Valguarnera
* Agira
* Adrano
*
Sicily, 1943
* The Gully
*
Ortona
Ortona (Neapolitan language, Abruzzese: '; grc, Ὄρτων, Órtōn) is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italy, Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.
In 1943 Ortona was the site of a Battle o ...
*
Cassino II
*
Gustav Line
The Winter Line was a series of German and Italian military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt and commanded by Albert Kesselring. The series of three lines was designed to defend a western section of ...
*
Liri Valley
{{refimprove, date=December 2020
The Valle del Liri (''Liri valley'') is a valley and a geographical region of southern Lazio and part of the larger Latin Valley, located in the province of Frosinone, crossed by the Liri river (as well as the Val ...
*
Hitler Line
The Hitler Line was a German defensive line in central Italy during the Second World War. The strong points of the line were at Piedmonte, Pontecorvo and Aquino. In May 1944, the line was renamed the Senger Line, after General von Senger und E ...
*
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...
* Lamone Crossing
*
Rimini Line
The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence along the summits of the northern part of t ...
* Cesena
* Savio Bridgehead
* Naviglio Canal
* Fosso Vecchio
* Fosso Munio
*
Italy, 1943-1945
*
Apeldoorn
Apeldoorn (; Dutch Low Saxon: ) is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland in the centre of the Netherlands. It is located about 60 km east of Utrecht, 60 km west of Enschede, 25 km north of Arnhem and 35 km south of Zwolle. The ...
*
North-West Europe, 1945
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 ...
Notes and references
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saskatoon_Light_Infantry
Saskatoon Light Infantry
North Saskatchewan Regiment
Former infantry regiments of Canada
Light Infantry regiments of Canada
Military units and formations of Saskatchewan
Infantry regiments of Canada in World War II