The Fort Garry Horse is a Canadian Army Reserve

armoured Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

based in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

, Canada. It is part of

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 t ...

38 Canadian Brigade Group 38 Canadian Brigade Group (38 CBG) (french: links=no, 38e Groupe-brigade du Canada) is a formation of the Canadian Forces and Canadian Army's 3rd Canadian Division. The brigade group is composed of Primary Reserve units in Manitoba, Saskatchewan an ...

. It traces its history to a cavalry regiment first formed in 1912 that first took up the name "Fort Garry" a year afterwards. Since that time the regiment has served in the

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, ...

, sending men to 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 divisi ...

, and as an armoured regiment in the

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 ...

Lineage

Boulton's Mounted Infantry

A unit name Boulton's Mounted Infantry was established in 1885. It was mobilised for active service on 10 April 1885 in the

North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (french: Rébellion du Nord-Ouest), also known as the North-West Resistance, was a Resistance movement, resistance by the Métis people (Canada), Métis people under Louis Riel and an associated uprising by First Natio ...

, and served with Middleton's Column of the

North West Field Force North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north' ...

until it was disbanded on 18 September 1885. In 1932, The Manitoba Horse Horse was granted the status of perpetuating Boulton's Mounted Infantry (see below).

The Fort Garry Horse

The Fort Garry Horse itself originated in Winnipeg on 15 April 1912, as the 34th Regiment of Cavalry. The following year it was re-designated the 34th Fort Garry Horse on 2 January 1913 and The Fort Garry Horse following the First World War on 15 March 1920. Winnipeg had originally been established as the expansionary outpost

Fort Garry Fort Garry, also known as Upper Fort Garry, was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in what is now downtown Winnipeg. It was established in 1822 on or near the site of the North West Company' ...

. On 15 December 1936, it was amalgamated with The Manitoba Horse. During the Second World War it was mobilised in the Canadian Active Service Force as a reconnaissance unit for the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. The Fort Garry Horse, C.A.S.F., was later removed from the 2nd Division and converted to an armoured unit with the designation 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse). The Non-Permanent Active Militia component remaining in Canada was re-designated the 2nd Regiment, the Fort Garry Horse on 13 August 1940 and the 10th (Reserve) Armoured Regiment, (The Fort Garry Horse), on 1 April 1941. After the Second World War it was re-designated as the 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse), on 31 January 1946, as The Fort Garry Horse (10th Armoured Regiment), on 4 February 1949; The Fort Garry Horse on 19 May 1958, the 2nd Fort Garry Horse on 11 October 1958, The Fort Garry Horse (Militia) on 1 January 1960 and finally The Fort Garry Horse on 16 June 1970, following the reduction to nil strength of the

Regular Force In the Canadian Armed Forces, a Regular Force unit or person is part of the full-time military, as opposed to being part of the Primary Reserve which has more flexibility. There are many bases and wings across Canada, and factors like trade, career ...

regiment.

The Manitoba Horse

The Manitoba Horse originated in Roblin, Manitoba on 1 April 1912, as the 32nd Light Horse. It was re-designated the 32nd Manitoba Horse on 2 November 1912 and, following the Great War as The Manitoba Horse on 15 March 1920. On 15 December 1936, it was amalgamated with the Fort Garry Horse.

Post-War

On 11 October 1958, a Regular Force component was authorized as the 1st Fort Garry Horse. On 1 January 1960, it was re-designated The Fort Garry Horse. The regiment served in Canada, on NATO duty in West Germany and on United Nations duty in the Sinai and Cyprus. The Regular Force regiment 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 ...

on 16 June 1970.Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments. In 2003, the regiment began hosting personnel to help create a new unit of the

Canadian Military Engineers The Canadian Military Engineers (CME; french: links=no, Génie militaire canadien) is the military engineering personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces. The members of the branch that wear army uniform comprise the Corps of Royal Canadian Engi ...

. On 14 April 2012, during the 100th anniversary celebrations of the FGH, the Engineer Squadron was stood up as 31 Engineer Squadron, part of 38 Combat Engineer Regiment. During their time as a sub-unit of the FGH, the engineers had the distinction of being the only reservists in Canada to wear the black beret of the

Armoured Corps An armoured corps (also mechanized corps or tank corps) is a specialized military organization whose role is to conduct armoured warfare. The units belonging to an armoured corps include military staff, and are equipped with tanks and other armou ...

with the cap badge of the Canadian Military Engineers. , they wear the green beret in common with other engineer units. The unit uses Mercedes Benz G-Wagon LUVW scout cars for reconnaissance vehicles and the Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV).

Lineage Chart

Lineage of the Fort Garry Horse:

Operational history

The Great War

Details from the 32nd Manitoba Horse and the 34th Fort Garry Horse were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties. The 6th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, was organised in Winnipeg in August 1914. 10 officers and 224 men of the 34th FGH joined the battalion as well as members of the 20th Border Horse, 18th Mounted Rifles, 32nd Manitoba Horse,

15th Canadian Light Horse The 15th Canadian Light Horse was a light cavalry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). First formed in 1905 as the 15th Light Horse, the regiment was redesignated in 1920 as the 15th Canadi ...

, and 22nd Saskatchewan Light Horse. The 6th battalion proceeded to England with the First Contingent in October 1914 and was part of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, CEF. In March 1915, the 6th Battalion was removed from the

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 ...

and re-roled to form the Canadian Cavalry Depot, to support the Canadian Cavalry Brigade in France. The Canadian Cavalry Depot would provide the officers and men for the Fort Garry Horse CEF. Despite its connection with the 34th FGH, and FGH (CEF), the 6th Battalion was not perpetuated by the unit after the war. The perpetuation went to The Border Horse and is held by the XII Manitoba Dragoons, now on the

. The Fort Garry Horse, CEF, was organised in England on 21 January 1916. It disembarked in France on 25 February 1916, where it fought in France and Flanders as part of the

Canadian Cavalry Brigade The Canadian Cavalry Brigade was raised in December 1914, under its first commanding officer Brigadier-General J.E.B. Seely. It was originally composed of two Canadian and one British regiments and an attached artillery battery. The Canadian uni ...

until the end of the war. The regiment was disbanded on 6 November 1920.

Harcus Strachan Henry Mareus "Harcus" Strachan (; 7 November 1884 – 1 May 1982) was a Scottish born Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for valour in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Co ...

of the regiment was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

for his actions at the battle of Cambrai on November 20, 1917, in France. The regiment also mobilised the 34th Fort Garry Horse Overseas Training Depot, CEF, on 15 June 1917. It was re-designated the 34th Fort Garry Horse, Depot Squadron, CEF, on 1 January 1917 and embarked for Britain on 21 May 1917, where it provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field. The squadron was disbanded on 6 November 1920. The

226th Battalion (Men of the North), CEF The 226th Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. History Based in Dauphin, Manitoba, the unit began recruiting in March 1916 in the area of Dauphin and Minnedosa, Manitoba. After sailing to E ...

, was authorised on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Britain on 16 December 1916, where its personnel were absorbed by the 14th Reserve Battalion, CEF on 7 April 1917 to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 27 July 1917. The Fort Garry Horse perpetuates both Boulton's Mounted Infantry of 1885 and the 226th Battalion.

The Second World War

The regiment mobilised The Fort Garry Horse, CASF, on 1 September 1939. It was re-designated as the 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse), CASF, on 11 February 1941, the 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse), CAC, CASF, on 15 October 1943 and the 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse), RCAC, CASF, on 2 August 1945. The regiment embarked for Britain in November 1941. The regiment landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944, as a part of the

2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade The 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade was an armoured brigade of the Canadian Army that saw active service during World War II. The brigade was composed of the 6th, 10th and 27th Canadian Armoured regiments and saw service in northwest Europe, lan ...

, in support of the

8th Canadian Infantry Brigade The 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Canadian Army that saw active service during World War I and World War II as part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. The brigade fought on the Western Front during World Wa ...

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 ...

, and fought in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas regiment was disbanded on 31 January 1946.

Alliances

* -

The Royal Dragoon Guards The Royal Dragoon Guards (RDG) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of two other regiments: The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Based in Battlesbury B ...

Battle honours

In the list below, battle honours in small capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles. Battle honours in bold type are emblazoned on the guidon. The battle honours , , , , , and , are by amalgamation with the Manitoba Horse in 1936. ;North West Rebellion ;The Great War ;The Second World War ;War in Afghanistan *

Other information

* Facings: yellow * Colours: regimental guidon, presented to the 2nd Fort Garry Horse (Militia) in 1963 and 1st Fort Garry Horse (Regular) in 1964. When the regular force unit was disbanded, their Guidon was presented to the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba for safekeeping. It remains on display in the Manitoba Legislative Building. The Guidon presented in 1963 is kept and still used by the unit.

Armoury

The Fort Garry Horse and the regimental museum are located in Lieutenant-Colonel Harcus Strachan, VC, MC Armoury (formerly called McGregor Armoury) at 551 Machray Avenue,

Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,60 ...

. Designed by Herbert E. Matthews it is

drill hall A drill hall is a place such as a building or a hangar where soldiers practise and perform military drills. Description In the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the term was used for the whole headquarters building of a military reserve unit, ...

with Tudor-Revival façades built in 1914–5 The building was recognised in the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings in 1994.

Memorial Wall

Dedicated on 12 November 1995 to members of the Fort Garry Horse who have died on active service, a memorial wall incorporates the battle honours, the names of the deceased members (with the date of their death), an inscription, the regimental Guidon (Fort Garry gate and the regimental motto), and the cap badges used in 1914 and 1939. A wall hanging in the Warrant Officer's and Sergeant's Mess incorporates two lances; the regimental cap badge; the regimental motto and the battle honours won during the North West Rebellion and the First and Second World Wars.

Monument at Masnières, France

On June 11, 2004, during a visit by Fort Garry Horse, a monumental stone was unveiled at Masnières, Northern France, to commemorate the charge by 'B' Squadron on 20 November 1917, the opening day of the Battle of Cambrai, and the actions of Lieut. Harcus Strachan during the charge, which earned him the Victoria Cross.

Plaques

Donated in May 1970, a plaque is dedicated to the members of the Fort Garry Horse who participated in the liberation of The Netherlands in 1944–45. A plaque was dedicated to the members of the regiment who participated in the Normandy landings and the liberation of

Bernières-sur-Mer Bernières-sur-Mer (, literally ''Bernières on Sea''), in the arrondissement of Caen, is a commune in the Calvados department of Normandy, in northwestern France. It is part of the canton of Courseulles-sur-Mer. It lies on the English Channel ...

in France. A replica of a cairn at Saint Aubin-sur-Mer, dedicated to members of The Fort Garry Horse who landed on the beaches of Normandy on 6 June 1944 was constructed for the regiment in 1965.

Windows

Stained glass windows were removed from the Regimental Church in Hemer, West Germany and transported to Winnipeg as a memorial to the regiment's service in Europe from 1962 to 1966.

Vehicles

A Lynx reconnaissance vehicle, which was used in the Canadian military as an armoured reconnaissance and command vehicle, is on the grounds. A Sherman M4A2, 76mm (W) HVSS tank which was used by Fort Garry Horse from 1946 to 1969 is on the grounds of the Armoury.

Order of Precedence

References

;Notes ;Bibliography *''The Gate: A History of The Fort Garry Horse'' by Captain G. T. And Captain J. K. Marteinson Service (1971) *''Facta Non Verba, A History of The Fort Garry Horse '' by Michael R. McNorgan and Gordon T. Crossley (2012) *''Vanguard : The Fort Garry Horse in the Second World War'' (1945, with reprints in 1972 and 1995) *''The Fort Garry Horse C.A.S.F. (Allied with 4th/7th Dragoon Guards) Battle Honors'' by Anonymous (1939) *''Standing Orders, Fort Garry Horse 1st. Canadian Contingent'' by Fort Garry Horse (1915)

External links

*
The Fort Garry Horse Regimental Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fort Garry Horse Fort Garry Horse Armoured regiments of Canada Cavalry regiments of Canada Military units and formations established in 1913 Museums in Winnipeg Organizations based in Winnipeg 1913 establishments in Manitoba Military units and formations of Manitoba Military units and formations of Canada in World War II Mounted Regiments of the Canadian Expeditionary Force