, colors = , march = Quick march " I'm Ninety Five", double past " Money Musk" , mascot = , battles =

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 South ...

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, notable_commanders = Brigadier John K. Lawson , anniversaries =

Battle of Hong Kong The Battle of Hong Kong (8–25 December 1941), also known as the Defence of Hong Kong and the Fall of Hong Kong, was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the ...

, battle_honours = See #Battle Honours , identification_symbol_4 = , identification_symbol_4_label = Abbreviation The Royal Rifles of Canada was a

rifle regiment A rifle regiment is a military unit consisting of a regiment of infantry troops armed with rifles and known as riflemen. While all infantry units in modern armies are typically armed with rifled weapons the term is still used to denote regiments t ...

in 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 ...

and fought alongside

The Winnipeg Grenadiers , colors = , colors_label = , march = "British Grenadiers" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label = Equipment ...

in the

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. In November 1966, it was reduced to nil strength and placed on the

Supplementary Order of Battle In the Canadian Army, a regiment is placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle when the need for the regiment's existence is no longer relevant. When placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle, a regiment is considered "virtually disbanded", an ...

Lineage

The Royal Rifles of Canada

The Royal Rifles of Canada originated in Quebec City, Canada East, on 28 February 1862, when The 8th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada was authorized. It was redesignated the 8th or Stadacona Volunteer Militia Rifles on 28 March 1862; the 8th Battalion "Royal Rifles" on 6 April 1877; the 8th Regiment "Royal Rifles" on 8 May 1900; The Royal Rifles of Canada on 29 March 1920; the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Royal Rifles of Canada on 7 November 1940 and The Royal Rifles of Canada on 1 June 1945. On 22 February 1965, it was amalgamated with Les Voltigeurs de Québec. On 1 November 1966, these two regiments ceased to be amalgamated and the regiment was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle.

The Sherbrooke Hussars The Sherbrooke Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured warfare, armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces and perpetuates the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment of the Second World War. Lineage The Sherbrooke Regiment The Sherbrooke Regiment was initiall ...

, a present-day Canadian Army Primary Reserve armoured regiment, has the honorary distinction of placing the Royal Rifles' badge and the date 1941 on its guidon. This distinction is not a battle honour, but an acknowledgement that one of its predecessor units, the 7th/XIth Hussars, provided about half its effective strength to the Royal Rifles while it was preparing for overseas.

Lineage Chart

, - , style="text-align: left;", class="wikitable" + Abbreviations used in the chart - ! Abbreviation !! Phrase - Bn Battalion - CASF

Canadian Active Service Force Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

- CEF

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 divisi ...

- Coys Companies - Infy Infantry - Regt Regiment , - , style="text-align: left;", Notes: *

Perpetuations

The Royal Rifles of Canada perpetuate the

12th Battalion, CEF The 12th Battalion, CEF was an infantry battalion of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force. History It was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Britain on 30 September 1914, where it was redesignated the 12th Reserve Infantr ...

and the

171st Battalion (Quebec Rifles), CEF The 171st (Quebec Rifles) Battalion, CEF was a unit in 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 declara ...

Operational history

The Fenian Raids

The 8th Volunteer Militia Rifles were called out on active service on 8 March 1866 in response to the Fenian raids. The battalion, which served in Quebec City, was removed from active service on 31 March 1866.

South African War

The regiment contributed volunteers for the Canadian contingents in the field, mainly the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion,

Royal Canadian Regiment , 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 ...

of Infantry.

The Great War

Details of the regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties. The

was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 30 September 1914. It was redesignated as the 12th Reserve Infantry Battalion, CEF on 29 April 1915, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920. The

was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on 24 November 1916. Its personnel were absorbed by the 20th Reserve Battalion, CEF on 8 January 1917 to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps. The battalion was disbanded on 27 July 1917.

The Second World War

Details from the regiment were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939, as The Royal Rifles of Canada, Canadian Active Service Force (Details), for local protection duties. The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940. Details of the regiment were again called out on service on 1 January 1941, under the designation Details of 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Royal Rifles of Canada. The details were removed from active service on 30 September 1941. The regiment subsequently mobilized The Royal Rifles of Canada, CASF for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Royal Rifles of Canada, CASF on 7 November 1940. The battalion served in Newfoundland on garrison duty from early November 1940 to August 1941. On 27 October 1941 it embarked for

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...

as a part of C Force, where it was destroyed while fighting in defence of the colony. The unit was reconstituted on 10 January 1942. It served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the Vancouver Defences of Pacific Command. On 2 January 1945 it embarked for Great Britain, where it was disbanded on 10 January 1945 to provide reinforcements to the Canadian army in the field.Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments. File:Royal Rifles of Canada recruitment poster.jpg, Royal Rifles of Canada recruitment poster in World War II

Battle Honours

Those battle honours in bold type are emblazoned on the regimental accoutrements. The

7th/11th Hussars The 7th/11th Hussars was a light cavalry regiment and later light armoured regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). The regiment was formed in 1936 by the amalgamation of the 7th Hussars an ...

contributed about 400 officers and men to the Royal Rifles in 1940 for their operation in Hong Kong. The Sherbrooke Hussars, who incorporate the 7th/11th Hussars, bear the honorary distinction of the badge of the Royal Rifles of Canada, with the year-date 1941, on their guidon.

Notable Members

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Sir David Watson * Chaplain

Frederick George Scott Frederick George Scott (7 April 1861 – 19 January 1944) was for the first part of his life an Anglican priest and a Canadian poet to whom the Canadian literary establishment gave the epithet "Poet of the Laurentians." He was associated with ...

* Gander,

Newfoundland (dog) The Newfoundland is a large working dog. They can be black, brown, or black and white. However, in the Dominion of Newfoundland, before it became part of the confederation of Canada, only black and Landseer (white-and-black) coloured dogs wer ...

canine mascot of the regiment and hero who carried away a

hand grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade ...

from wounded members of the unit and later posthumously awarded the

Dickin Medal The PDSA Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in World War II. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried on ...

References

Royal Rifles of Canada heritage lost in Armoury fire

Books

*Hong Kong Veterans' Association of Canada. Quebec-Maritimes Branch "The Royal Rifles of Canada in Hong Kong, 1941-1945" (Canada: The Association, ©1980) {{Reflist Rifle regiments of Canada Military units and formations of Quebec Infantry regiments of Canada in World War II Military units and formations established in 1862 1862 establishments in Canada Military units and formations disestablished in 1966 Battle of Hong Kong Supplementary Order of Battle