The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) is a

Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces () is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (f ...

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

of the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), 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 re ...

based in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, Ontario, Canada. The regiment was first formed in 1915 as the 75th (Mississauga) Battalion, CEF, and was later reorganized several times before being officially designated as The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own). The regiment's current mission task is to provide direct fire support (DFS). Members of the regiment are trained in the tactical and strategic employment of various company-level heavy weapon systems, including the

Browning M2 The M2 machine gun or Browning .50-caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed near the end of World War I by John Browning. While similar to Browning's M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chamber ...

heavy machine gun (HMG), the C16 Automatic Grenade Launcher System (AGLS), and the BGM-71 tube-launched optically-tracked wire-guided (TOW) antitank guided missile (ATGM) to provide DFS to a manoeuvring battle group. As a Primary Reserve infantry regiment, The Toronto Scottish Regiment augments 3rd Battalion,

The Royal Canadian Regiment The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the primary reserve. The RCR is ranked first in the order of precedence amongst Canad ...

Petawawa Petawawa ( ) is a town located in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. Situated in the Ottawa Valley, with a population of 18,160 (2021 Census), Petawawa is the most populous municipality in Renfrew County. History The earliest se ...

, Ontario, by providing DFS on exercises and operations.

History

The First World War

The 75th (Mississauga) Battalion, the predecessor to The Toronto Scottish Regiment was raised on July 1, 1915, by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Beckett. Within three weeks more than 1,500 personnel had been recruited. On 29 March 1916 the battalion was fully trained and sailed for Liverpool. Over 5,500 soldiers served in the battalion during the First World War, of whom 1,049 were killed, including Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Beckett. The 75th Battalion CEF was awarded 16

battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...

s, and Captain Bellenden Hutcheson, the medical officer, was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

. In 1921 the regiment was renamed The Toronto Scottish Regiment by the commanding officer of the day, Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Harbottle, CMG, DSO, VD. The

84th Battalion, CEF The 84th Battalion, CEF was a battalion of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force. The battalion was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 18 June 1916. There, on 30 June 1916, its personnel were absorbed by the 73r ...

was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 18 June 1916. There, on 30 June 1916, its personnel were absorbed by the

73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF The 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) organized in June 1915, initially commanded by Lieutenant- ...

75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF The 75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The 75th Battalion was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 29 March 1916. It disembarked in France ...

and other units of the 4th Canadian Division, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion disbanded on 11 April 1918.Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments. File:75th Bn CEF.svg, The Great War distinguishing patch of the 75th Battalion (Mississauga), CEF.

The Second World War

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the regiment initially mobilized a machine gun battalion for the

1st Canadian Infantry Division The 1st Canadian Division (French: ) 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 notice, and is staffed a ...

. Following a reorganization early in 1940, the battalion was reassigned to the

2nd Canadian Infantry Division The 2nd Canadian Division, an infantry Division (military), division of the Canadian Army, was mobilized for war service on 1September 1939 at the outset of World War II. Adopting the designation of the 2nd Canadian Division, it was initially c ...

, where it operated as a support battalion, providing machine-gun detachments for the

Operation Jubilee Operation Jubilee or the Dieppe Raid (19 August 1942) was a disastrous Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, during the Second World War. Over 6,050 infantry, predominantly Canadian, supported by a ...

force at Dieppe in 1942, and then with an additional company of mortars, it operated in support of the rifle battalions of the 2nd Division in northwest Europe from July 1944 to VE Day. In April 1940, the 1st Battalion also mounted the

King's Guard The King's Guard are sentry postings at Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace, organised by the British Army's Household Division. The Household Division also mounts sentry postings at Horse Guards, known as the King's Life Guard. An in ...

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

. The 2nd Battalion served in the reserve army in Canada. During the

, the Regiment mobilized as The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF for active service on 1 September 1939. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF on 7 November 1940; as the 2nd Infantry Division Support Battalion (The Toronto Scottish Regiment), CIC, CASF on 1 May 1943; and as the 1st Battalion, The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Machine Gun), CIC, CASF on 24 February 1944. On 7 December 1939, it embarked for Great Britain. In April 1940, the 1st Battalion also mounted the

. The 2nd Battalion served in the reserve army in Canada. The battalion took part in

on 19 August 1942. It landed again in France on 6 and 7 July 1944, as part of the 2nd Infantry Division. The battalion continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 31 December 1945. File:Torontoscottishkingsguard.jpg, The Toronto Scottish mount the King's Guard in London, 1940

Post War to the Present Day

In 2000, the regiment added a secondary title in recognition of

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...

's long association as colonel-in-chief. She had held the position since 1938. The regiment was now referred to as "The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)." The regiment was part of the escort at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in April 2002. The regimental

tartan Tartan or plaid ( ) is a patterned cloth consisting of crossing horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming repeating symmetrical patterns known as ''setts''. Originating in woven wool, tartan is most strongly associated wi ...

Hodden Hodden is a coarse, undyed cloth made of undyed wool, formerly much worn by the peasantry of Scotland from prehistory. Hodden, with wadmal, represent two similar cultural fabrics in Scottish history. Hodden is an early-modern period name for a pri ...

Grey. On September 12, 2009, the regimental headquarters, A Company and Administration Company moved to the Captain Bellenden Seymour Hutcheson VC Armoury, which is shared with the

Toronto Police Service The Toronto Police Service (TPS) is a municipal police force in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the primary agency responsible for providing law enforcement and policing services in Toronto. Established in 1834, it was the first local police se ...

. The armoury is a green building, earning a

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a Green building certification systems, green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating ...

(LEEDS) silver rating. On May 8, 2012, 75th Company moved from its previous location in Mississauga to a new shared government facility, The Garry W. Morden Centre, with the City of Mississauga Emergency Training Services. The regiment contributed an aggregate of more than 20% of its authorized strength to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014. On 26 October 2015 the Afghanistan battle honour was presented to the regiment and added to the regimental colour by

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964) is a member of the British royal family. He is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the youngest sibling of K ...

. File:Presentation of Colours March Past TSR.JPG, Toronto Scottish Regiment Presentation of Colours March Past File:Presentation of Colours March Off TSR.JPG, Toronto Scottish Regiment Presentation of Colours March Off

Lineage

Perpetuations

The Great War

Alliances

* -

Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Prior to 28 March 2006, the Highlanders was an infantry regiment in its own right; The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons ...

, 4th Battalion,

Royal Regiment of Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS) is the British Army Order of Precedence, senior and only current Scottish regiment, Scottish line infantry Regiment#British Army, regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular (form ...

* - The London Scottish

Battle honours

Battle honours in small capitals are for large operations and campaigns and those in lowercase are for more specific battles. Bold type indicates honours authorized to be emblazoned on regimental colours. File:Tor Scots Colour.jpg, The regimental colour of The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own).

Toronto Scottish Regiment Museum

The regiment's museum was formerly at the

Fort York Armoury Fort York Armoury is a Canadian Forces facility located near the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the intersection of Fleet Street and Fort York Boulevard, close to the historic Old Fort Yor ...

. The museum was opened in 1984 by

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...

. In September 2009, the museum was relocated to the Captain Bellenden Seymore Hutcheson VC Armoury in

Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district and former city within Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west end, Etobicoke is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Humber River (Ontario), Humber River, on the ...

and officially re-opened on 1 May 2010. The museum includes uniforms, weapons, artifacts and military memorabilia. The museum is open by appointment and during regimental events.

Media

*"Carry on". The History of the Toronto Scottish Regiment (M.G.) 1939-1945 by Major D. W. Grant (1949) *"Toronto's Fighting 75th in the Great War 1915 - 1919", by Regimental Historian Timothy J. Stewart CD (2017)

Notes and references

* Barnes, RM, ''The Uniforms and History of the Scottish Regiments'', London, Sphere Books Limited, 1972.

External links

The Toronto Scottish Regiment The Toronto Scottish Regiment Pipes and DrumsProfile at The Canadian Army site

Order of precedence

{{coord missing, Ontario Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)

Toronto Scottish Regiment The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The regiment was first formed in 1915 as the 75th (Mississauga) Battalion, CEF, ...

Military units and formations of Ontario 1920 establishments in Canada