("In peace prepared") , colours = None (Rifle regiments have no colours) , march = , mascot = , battle_honours = See #Battle honours , website = , notable_commanders = , anniversaries = 150th Anniversary on 26 April 2010 , battles = Fenian Raids

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 ...

Second Boer 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 ...

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

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 opposin ...

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see al ...

, identification_symbol = QOR of C , identification_symbol_label = Abbreviation The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a

Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Première réserve des Forces canadiennes) is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the ...

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 Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only reserve regiment in Canada to currently have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

, 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 Moss Park Armoury is a Canadian Forces facility located at 130 Queen Street East in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is at the northeast corner of Jarvis Street and Queen Street East, in the neighbourhood of Moss Park. It currently hosts several un ...

in downtown

. 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 (

) * Buffs Company (

) * 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 (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

unit in Canada with a parachute tasking. The unit has qualified Parachute Instructors, Drop Zone/Landing Zone Controllers and

Jumpmasters Jumpmasters are the expert paratroopers in an Airborne forces, airborne unit who train and teach the military techniques for jumping from airplanes. They are responsible for training soldiers who enter Army Airborne School into paratroopers and man ...

. 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 The maroon beret in a military configuration has been an international symbol of airborne forces since the Second World War. It was first officially introduced by the British Army in 1942, at the direction of Major-General Frederick "Boy" B ...

. Trained soldiers are addressed as

Riflemen A rifleman is an infantry soldier armed with a rifled long gun. Although the rifleman role had its origin with 16th century hand cannoneers and 17th century musketeers, the term originated in the 18th century with the introduction of the ri ...

. The Queen's Own Rifles have a long-standing support role with the

Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre The Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre (CAAWC, french: links=no, Centre d'instruction supérieure de l'Armée canadienne), formerly Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre (CFLAWC), Canadian Parachute Centre (CPC), and Canadian Airborne Cen ...

, 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 Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Dominion of ...

. Its first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel William Smith Durie. During the

Trent Affair The ''Trent'' Affair was a diplomatic incident in 1861 during the American Civil War that threatened a war between the United States and Great Britain. The U.S. Navy captured two Confederate envoys from a British Royal Mail steamer; the Brit ...

of 1862,

William Mulock Sir William Mulock (January 19, 1843 – October 1, 1944) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, educator, farmer, politician, judge, and philanthropist. He served as vice-chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1881 to 1900, negotiating th ...

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 In a number of countries, a university college is a college institution that provides tertiary education but does not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies ...

(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 Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

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 The Battle of Ridgeway (sometimes the Battle of Lime Ridge or Limestone Ridge) was fought in the vicinity of the town of Fort Erie across the Niagara River from Buffalo, New York, near the village of Ridgeway, Canada West, currently Ontario, Ca ...

in 1866, where they and the 13th Volunteer Infantry Battalion (

The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) (RHLI) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, based at John Weir Foote VC Armoury in Hamilton, Ontario. The RHLI is part of 31 Canadian Brigade Group, which is part o ...

) 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

was the first time that soldiers from the regiment fought on foreign soil. They were recognized for their service and earned a

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 operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...

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 , battle_honours = See #Battle honours , website = , identification_symbol = , identification_symbol_label = Tactical recognition flash , nickname = Royals , battles ...

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 7th Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army, mobilized in the spring of 1942 and assigned for home defence within Atlantic Command, during World War II. At the time it was assumed it would consist of volunte ...

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

. 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 The Channel Ports are seaports in southern England and the facing continent, which allow for short crossings of the English Channel. There is no formal definition, but there is a general understanding of the term. Some ferry companies divide thei ...

. 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 , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

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 Currie ( gd, Currach, IPA: �kʰuːᵲəx is a village and suburb on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland, situated south west of the city centre. Formerly within the County of Midlothian, it now falls within the jurisdiction of the City of Edi ...

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 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, which was deployed to

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...

. In 1970, with the downsizing of the

Canadian 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. ...

, the 1st Battalion of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada was rebadged as the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. 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 The United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) was a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force deployed from April 1989 to March 1990 in Namibia, known at the time as South West Africa, to monitor the peace process and elections there. Na ...

(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 Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, Darfur and Sudan. The unit played a large role in the purchase of 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 previously ...

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 The Canadian War Museum (french: link=no, Musée canadien de la guerre; CWM) is a national museum on the country's military history in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum serves as both an educational facility on Canadian military history, in a ...

. On April 22, 2006, The QOR of C opened

Dalton Armoury Dalton Armoury is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve facility located at 20 Scarsdale Road in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. It was opened on April 22, 2006. The building was leased primarily to house Buffs Company, of The Queen's Own Rifles of Ca ...

Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, su ...

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 The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerly ...

(2007–present) *United Kingdom –

The Royal Gurkha Rifles The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR) is a rifle regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. Unlike other regiments in the British Army, RGR soldiers are recruited from Nepal, which is neither a dependent territory of the Unite ...

(1994–present) *United Kingdom – The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) (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 regiments" within the Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry). History The Royal Green Jackets was formed on 1 January 1966 by the amalgama ...

(1966–2007) *United Kingdom –

The Queen's Regiment The Queen's Regiment (QUEENS) was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1966 through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the Home Counties Brigade. Then, until 1971 the regiment remained one of the largest regiments in the arm ...

(1966–1992) *United Kingdom –

The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1961 to 1966. Its lineage is continued by the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires). History The regiment was formed ...

(1961–1966) *United Kingdom –

The King's Royal Rifle Corps The King's Royal Rifle Corps was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army that was originally raised in British North America as the Royal American Regiment during the phase of the Seven Years' War in North America known in the United St ...

(1956–1966) *United Kingdom –

The Buffs (Royal 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 ...

(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 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 operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...

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 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 *

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 be ...

‡ * 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 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 ...

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 o ...

‡ *

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 of ...

* Scarpe 1917 *

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 ...

‡ *

Ypres, 1917 The Third Battle of Ypres (german: link=no, Dritte Flandernschlacht; french: link=no, Troisième Bataille des Flandres; nl, Derde Slag om Ieper), also known as the Battle of Passchendaele (), was a campaign of the First World War, fought by t ...

* 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 ...

‡ *

Arras, 1918 Arras 1918 was a battle honour awarded to units of the British and Imperial Armies that took part in one or more of the following engagements in World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one ...

Scarpe 1918 Scarpe may refer to: *Scarpe river, in France *Battle of the Scarpe (disambiguation), four Battles of the Scarpe were fought during World War I *USS Scarpe (SP-713), a United States Navy ship *Scarpe Mountain Scarpe may refer to: * Scarpe river, i ...

* 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 1916 ...

* Canal du Nord‡ *

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 impor ...

Second World War

*Normandy Landings, Normandy Landing‡ *Battle of Le Mesnil-Patry, Le Mesnil-Patry‡ *Battle for Caen, Caen‡ *Battle for Caen#Operation Windsor, Carpiquet *Operation Goodwood, Bourguébus Ridge‡ *Faubourg de Vaucelles *Falaise pocket, Falaise‡ *Quesnay Wood *The Laison *Operation Wellhit, Boulogne, 1944‡ *Operation Undergo, Calais, 1944 *Battle of the Scheldt, The Scheldt‡ *Breskens Pocket *Rhineland#1918–1945, The Rhineland‡ *Operation Veritable, Waal Flats *The Hochwald‡ *The Rhine‡ *Emmerich – Hoch Elten *Deventer *North-West Europe, 1944–45

War in Afghanistan

*Afghanistan ‡

Important engagements

, Fenian Raids, 1866 * Battle of Cut Knife,

, 1885 *

**St Julien **Hill 70 ** Passchendaele ** Mount Sorrel **Amiens **Battle of the Somme (1916), Somme, 1916 **Flers-Courcelette ** Canal du Nord **

**Battle of Vimy Ridge, Vimy, 1917 *

**Normandy Landings, Normandy Landing **Le Mesnil-Patry **The Scheldt **Caen **The Rhineland **Bourguebus Ridge **The Operation Blockbuster, Hochwald **Chambois pocket, Falaise **The Rhine **Boulogne-sur-Mer, Boulogne, 1944

Victoria Cross recipients

Seven members of the Regiment have been awarded the

, Canada's highest military award: *Capt Thain Wendell MacDowell, VC, DSO (April 9, 1917) *Cpl Colin Fraser Barron, VC (November 6, 1917) *2Lt Edmund De Wind, VC, (Killed in action March 21, 1918) *Lt Charles Smith Rutherford, VC, MC, MM (August 26, 1918) *Lt Wallace Lloyd Algie, VC (Killed in action October 11, 1918) *Lt George Fraser Kerr, VC, MC & Bar, MM (September 27, 1918) *Sgt Aubrey Cosens, VC (Killed in action February 25/26, 1945)

Colonels-in-Chief

* Mary of Teck, Queen Mary (1928–1953) * Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (1960–2010) * The Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 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, Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta 2010–2015. *Sir John Morison Gibson (January 1, 1842 – June 3, 1929) was a Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. He was a lieutenant during the Fenian Raids, and fought at the

. *Sir Hugh John Macdonald was the son of John A. Macdonald, served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada, a federal cabinet minister, and as the List of premiers of Manitoba, eighth Premier of Manitoba. *Lieutenant-colonel (Canada), Lieutenant-Colonel Barney Danson, Queen's Privy Council for Canada, PC, Order of Canada, CC, served with the regiment in Normandy and later served as Minister of National Defence (Canada), Minister of National Defence. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour. *General Order of the Bath, 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 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 The Royal Canadian Regiment, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry in 1893. *Lieutenant-general (Canada), Lieutenant-General Charles H. Belzile was a former head of the Canadian Forces Land Force Command, Canadian Army. *Major-General (Canada), 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

. He led the 3rd Canadian Division during the first two years of the

before he was killed in action at Mount Sorrel 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, Distinguished Service Order, DSO, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, OBE, Canadian Efficiency Decoration, ED joined as a rifleman in 1925 and rose to become commanding officer of the Queen's Own Rifles on Normandy Landings, D-Day and in August 1944, Officer Commanding 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade. *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 was a businessman and RMS Titanic, RMS ''Titanic'' survivor. He commanded the Home Battalion of the QOR during the

. *Major John Hasek 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, Falaise pocket, Falaise, and the Battle of the Scheldt. His father was David Dunkelman, the founder of Dylex, Tip Top Tailors. *Major Edward Arunah Dunlop, Jr. was an Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario), MPP and first president of the Toronto Sun. He was blinded during the

while trying to save a soldier from a grenade. *Surgeon-Major James Thorburn (Canadian physician), 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., MD was a physician and medical educator who served with the Queen's Own from 1877 to 1879. His grandson was Henry Norman Bethune, 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 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 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—author of "The Maple Leaf Forever", fought at the

*John Bayley (musician), 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, Anglican Church in Toronto has been the regimental church of the QOR since 1910. It is located at 227 Bloor Street between Church Street (Toronto), 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 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 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 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. 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
*[http://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 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