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Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada

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The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
Cap badge of The Black Watch of Canada
Active31 January 1862-
CountryCanada
BranchMilitia/Canadian Army-Primary Reserves
TypeLine Infantry
RoleLight Role
SizeOne battalion
Part ofRoyal Canadian Infantry Corps
Garrison/HQMontreal
Motto(s)Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (No one Provokes me with Impunity)
MarchQuick - Hielan' Laddie
Slow - The Red Hackle
Commanders
Current commanderLieutenant-Colonel Bruno Plourde, CD, ADC
Honourary Lieutenant-ColonelLieutenant-Colonel Charles N. McCabe, OMM, CD
Colonel-in-ChiefHRH The Prince of Wales
Honourary ColonelLieutenant-Colonel Daniel O'Connor, CD
Insignia
HackleRed
TartanGovernment

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde. The regiment's armoury was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2008.[1][2]

History

As the senior Highland regiment in Canada they were associated with the Black Watch of the British Army, eventually taking the same name and later the red hackle that all Black Watch soldiers wear on their headdress.

The Black Watch is the oldest highland regiment in Canada.[3] Volunteers have served since the regiment's inception in Montreal on January 31st, 1862 as the 5th Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada.[3] The rise of American military strength during the Civil War concerned Canada. The government authorized formation of militia regiments. Each of six Montreal Scottish chieftains responded by raising an infantry company for the 5th Battalion. Eventually, eight companies were raised for border service.[3] Since then, thousands of Canadian citizens have served in the Black Watch. In addition to Canadian border security, they have fought in the Boer War, World War I, World War II, Korean War; bolstered NATO operations in Europe and UN peacekeeping worldwide; and provided aid-to-the-civil-power, most recently during the Quebec and Eastern Ontario ice storm disaster.

Campaigns and battles

The regiment has participated in many campaigns and battles primarily as part of Canada's imperial obligations and post World War II United Nations support.

Early years

  • South Africa

First World War

The regiment contributed many men to several battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, most notably the 13th Battalion (which fought in the First Division), the 42nd Battalion (of the 2nd Division) and the 73rd Battalion.

  • Black Watch, 1925
    Black Watch, 1925
  • Black Watch Pipers 1925
    Black Watch Pipers 1925
  • Black Watch, 1925
    Black Watch, 1925

Second World War

The Black Watch raised several battalions again for the Second World War, only one (the First Battalion) of which went overseas as part of the Canadian Active Service Force/Canadian Army (Overseas). The 1st Battalion, Black Watch was brigaded with Le Régiment de Maisonneuve and Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal of the Second Canadian Division, however the FMR were replaced with the Calgary Highlanders in the 5th Brigade in 1940.

The Black Watch served in Newfoundland from June 1940 to 11 August 1940, after which it traveled to England where it trained for several years. One company of the Black Watch was attached to the Royal Regiment of Canada during the Dieppe Raid. In the first week of July 1944, the battalion landed in Normandy and served in action until VE-Day in May 1945.

The 1st Battalion suffered more casualties than any other Canadian infantry battalion in Northwest Europe according to figures published in The Long Left Flank by Jeffrey Williams. Disaster seemed to follow the unit;

  • During the Battle of Verrières Ridge on July 25, 1944, 325 men left the start line and only 15 made it back to friendly lines, the others being killed or wounded by well entrenched Waffen SS soldiers and tanks.
  • On 13 October 1944 - known as Black Friday by the Black Watch - the regiment put in an assault near Hoogerheide during the Battle of the Scheldt in which all four company commanders were killed, and one company of 90 men was reduced to just four survivors.

Battle honours awarded to the regiment during World War II include:

Korea

As part of the expansion of the Canadian Army after the Korean War, the Black Watch was raised to the status of a regular infantry regiment. The militia element became the 3rd Battalion. This arrangement continued until 1970, and the reduction in the Canadian armed forces, when the two regular battalions were reduced to nil strength.

Victoria Cross recipients

Black Watch tartan, also known as the "Government sett".
13th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
St. Julien, Belgium
April 23, 1915
13th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
near Amiens, France
August 8, 1918
13th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Amiens, France
August 8, 1918
42nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Parvillers (near Amiens), France
August 12, 1918
24th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Wancourt, France
27-28 August 1918
Royal Canadian Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Cambrai, France
27 Sep - 1 Oct 1918

† - Awarded posthumously

Alliances

Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Museum

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Museum
Map
Established1949
Location2067, Bleury Street, Montreal Canada
TypeRegimental Museum
Website[http:\\www.blackwatchcanada.com\en\heritage-and-history\museum-and-archives Black Watch of Canada Museum]

Opened in 1949, the regiment's museum includes uniforms, weapons, musical instruments, maps, medals, photographs and documents that focus on the history of the regiment, the city and the Canadian armed forces. The museum is open to members of the Regimental family as well as to the public on Tuesdays and by appointment. The museum and archives are located at the regiment's headquarters on rue de Bleury in Montreal. The museum portrays the history of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) through a collection of regimental uniforms, accoutrements, trophies of war, and mementos. [4]

See also

Order of precedence

Preceded by The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ "Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Armoury". Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada. Parks Canada. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  2. ^ Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Armoury. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Terry Copp (31 October 2007). The Brigade: The Fifth Canadian Infantry Brigade in World War II. Stackpole Books. pp. 11–. ISBN 9780811734226. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  4. ^ A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums –Operations and Administration 2002-04-03
  • Ducimus, The Regiments of the Canadian Infantry. St. Hubert, Quebec, Canada: Mobile Command Headquarters, Canadian Armed Forces. 1992. p. 248p. ISBN 0-9696421-0-5.
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