British Columbia Dragoons: Difference between revisions

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==Battle honours==
==Battle honours==
Those battle honours in '''bold type''' are emblazoned on the regiment's guidon.
*Great War: [[Mount Sorrel]], [[Somme, 1916]]; [[Flers-Courcelette]]; [[Ancre Heights]]; [[Arras, 1917]], [[Arras 1918|'18]]; [[Vimy, 1917]]; [[Hill 70]]; [[Ypres, 1917]]; [[Battle of Passchendaele|Passchendaele]]; Amiens; [[Scarpe, 1918]]; [[Hindenburg Line]]; [[Canal du Nord]]; [[Cambrai, 1918]]; [[Pursuit to Mons]]; [[France and Flanders, 1915-18]].
===The Great War===
*Second World War: [[Liri Valley]]; [[Melfa Crossing]]; [[Gothic Line]]; [[Pozzo Alto Ridge]]; [[Lamone Crossing]]; [[Naviglio Canal]]; [[Fosso Munio]]; [[Conventello-Comacchio]]; [[Italy 1944–45]]; [[IJsselmeer]]; [[Delfzijl Pocket]]; [[North-West Europe, 1945]].
'''[[Battle of Mont Sorrel|MOUNT SORREL]]'''
⚫
*War in Afghanistan: Afghanistan.
*'''[[Battle of the Somme|SOMME, 1916]]'''
*'''[[Battle of Flers-Courcelette|Flers-Courcelette]]'''
*[[Battle of Ancre Heights|Ancre Heights]]
*[[Battle of Arras (1917)|ARRAS, 1917]], [[Battle of Arras (1918)|'18]]
*'''[[Battle of Vimy Ridge|Vimy, 1917]]'''
*[[Battle of Hill 70|HILL 70]]
*[[Battle of Passchendaele|Ypres 1917]]
*'''[[Battle of Passchendaele|Passchendaele]]'''
*'''[[Battle of Amiens (1918)|AMIENS]]'''
*[[Battle of the Scarpe (1918)|Scarpe, 1918]]
*'''[[Hindenburg Line|HINDENBURG LINE]]'''
*[[Battle of the Canal du Nord|Canal du Nord]]
*'''[[Battle of Cambrai (1918)|Cambrai, 1918]]'''
*'''[[Battle of Mons|PURSUIT TO MONS]]'''
*'''[[Western Front (World War I)|FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915-18]]'''

===Second World War===
*'''[[Operation Diadem|LIRI VALLEY]]'''
*'''[[Italian Campaign (World War II)#Allied advance to Rome|Melfa Crossing]]'''
*'''[[Gothic Line]]'''
*'''[[Gothic Line|Pozzo Alto Ridge]]'''
*'''[[Gothic Line|LAMONE CROSSING]]'''
*[[Gothic Line|Naviglio Canal]]
*[[Gothic Line|Fosso Munio]]
*'''[[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Conventello-Comacchio]]'''
*'''[[Italian Campaign (World War II)|ITALY, 1944-1945]]'''
*'''[[Western Allied invasion of Germany|IJsselmeer]]'''
*'''[[Western Allied invasion of Germany|Delfzijl Pocket]]'''
*'''[[Western Front (World War II)|NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1945]]'''

⚫
===War in Afghanistan===
*AFGHANISTAN


==Recognition==
==Recognition==

Revision as of 15:02, 20 May 2014

The British Columbia Dragoons
Active1908–present
CountryCanada
BranchPrimary Reserve (Militia)
TypeLine Cavalry
RoleArmoured reconnaissance
SizeTwo squadrons
Part ofRoyal Canadian Armoured Corps
Garrison/HQRHQ: (Kelowna)

A Squadron: (Vernon)

B Squadron: (Kelowna)
Motto(s)Chinook Jargon: [Quansem ilep] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (always first)
MarchQuick: "Fare Ye Well Inniskilling (5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards)"
Pipe bands: "Scotland the Brave"
AbbreviationBCD

The British Columbia Dragoons (BCD) is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Forces. It is based in Kelowna and Vernon, British Columbia. The British Columbia Dragoons are part of 3rd Canadian Division's 39 Canadian Brigade Group.

The British Columbia Dragoons perpetuate the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles and the 11th Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.[1]

Detachments

History

The British Columbia Dragoons trace their origins to the formation of the Canadian Mounted Rifles, two independent squadrons of horse in Kamloops and Vernon in 1908. In 1910 two additional squadrons were raised and the regiment was renamed the British Columbia Horse. In 1912 the unit was renamed again as the 30th Regiment, British Columbia Horse. 1914 saw the formation of the Victoria Independent Squadron on Vancouver Island.

  • World War I graves of 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles in Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff
  • Grave of Sgt W Tremain, died 19 November 1917
    Grave of Sgt W Tremain, died 19 November 1917
  • Grave of Pte JW White, died 24 December 1917
    Grave of Pte JW White, died 24 December 1917

In the First World War the regiment was not mobilized, but in December 1914 many volunteers from the regiment joined the newly formed 2nd Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles. After some limited service in France as cavalry, the unit was reroled to infantry as 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion on January 1, 1916.[2] The battalion became part of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, and fought with great luck and success on the Western Front. Despite being trained as cavalry but deployed as infantry, the regiment managed the war well. Captain "Jock" MacGregor was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions taken in the battle at Cambrai on September 29, 1918. The actions and awards of the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles are perpetuated today by the British Columbia Dragoons, their direct descendants.

In the post war reorganization, the regiment was renamed The British Columbia Mounted Rifles in 1920, and then to the name still carried today, The British Columbia Dragoons in 1929. Part of the reason for the change was to forever divorce the regiment from infantry duties. When the Second World War loomed, the regiment once again stepped forward.

The distinguishing patch of the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF, while serving as part of the 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division.

The regiment was designated the 5th Motorcycle Regiment (BCD), and later an armoured car unit. Finally made into an armoured regiment, the 9th Armoured Regiment (BCD), they were deployed to Italy as part of the 2nd Armoured Brigade, 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division. The regiment saw heavy action in the Liri Valley, were the first unit to break through the Gustav Line in Italy, 1944, and helped smash the Gothic Line, holding Point 204 right in the centre of the line. Part of the "Spaghetti League", a term used by soldiers fighting in Italy after D-Day, they continued to fight until orders were given to move the regiment to the northwest Europe area. They served with distinction until the end of the war, at which point the regiment was demobilized and returned to Militia service.

The regiment has since seen many ups and downs, with losses of manpower and funding, hostile popular attitudes, and the ever changing nature of Canada. The 1970s and 1980s saw the deployment of individual members to Cyprus as part of the UN operations there as part of larger Canadian formations. The 1990s and the new century has seen numerous members deploy to Bosnia as part of NATO operations with IFOR and SFOR. With the Global War on Terror, members are now serving overseas as part of NATO operations with ISAF in Afghanistan.

Lineage of the British Columbia Dragoons:[3]

1908Independent cav. sqns
19111st Regt, "British Columbia Horse"
191230th Regt, British Columbia Horse
19142nd Regt, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF11th Regt, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEFVictoria Independent Sqn
19162nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Bn, CEF11th "Overseas" Canadian Mounted Rifles Bn, CEF
1917Absorbed by 24th Reserve Bn, CEF
1918Disbanded
1920DisbandedThe British Columbia Mounted Rifles
1929The British Columbia Dragoons
19405th Canadian Motorcycle Regt, CASF (BCD)
1941The British Columbia Dragoons, CASF2nd (Reserve) Regt, The British Columbia Dragoons
19419th Armd Regt (The British Columbia Dragoons), CASF9th (Reserve) Armd Regt, (The British Columbia Dragoons)
19439th Armd Regt (The British Columbia Dragoons) CAC, CASF
19459th Armd Regt (The British Columbia Dragoons) RCAC, CASF
1946Disbanded9th Recce Regt (The British Columbia Dragoons), RCAC
1949The British Columbia Dragoons (9th Recce Regt)
1958The British Columbia Dragoons
2024
Abbreviations used in the chart
Abbreviation Phrase
Armd Armoured
Bn Battalion
CAC Canadian Armoured Corps
CASF Canadian Active Service Force
Cav. Cavalry
CEF Canadian Expeditionary Force
RCAC Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
Recce Reconnaissance
Regt Regiment
Sqn Squadron

Battle honours

Those battle honours in bold type are emblazoned on the regiment's guidon.

The Great War

MOUNT SORREL

Second World War

War in Afghanistan

  • AFGHANISTAN

Recognition

The Freedom of the City was granted by the City of Kelowna on February 11, 1963. [4] The Freedom of the City was exercised by The British Columbia Dragoons in Vernon, British Columbia on 10 May 2008.[5]

Cadet units

There are several Royal Canadian Army Cadets units spread across British Columbia which are affiliated to the British Columbia Dragoons. Cadets are not soldiers; they are part of an organization dedicated to developing citizenship and leadership among young men and women aged 12 to 18 years of age with a military flavour, and are not required to join the Canadian Forces.

Corps Location
788 RCACC Penticton
903 RCACC Kelowna
1705 RCACC Vernon

Cadet units affiliated to the British Columbia Dragoons receive support from the regiment and also are given permission to wear traditional regimental accoutrements on their uniforms.

Alliances

References

  1. ^ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003/AF-001 -- Part One: Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments
  2. ^ "2nd CMR". Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group. Retrieved 2009-12-08.
  3. ^ "The British Columbia Dragoons". Official Lineages, Volume 3, Part 1: Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments – Armour Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. June 11, 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ Freedom of the City

Order of precedence

Preceded by The British Columbia Dragoons Succeeded by
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