The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa - History

History

The 1st Volunteer Militia Rifle Company of Ottawa was formed on April 3, 1856. At that time, the bulk of Canada's militia existed as small, independent companies scattered throughout the provinces. In 1866, the 43rd Battalion of Infantry (otherwise known as the Carleton Blazers) was formed in Bells Corners (now part of Ottawa) with companies in many of the surrounding communities and absorbed Ottawa's volunteer rifle company. This company is perpetuated to this day as "A" Company of The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa.

The 43rd Battalion's first call to service came in 1870 when they were deployed to the Prescott area to defend Canada against Fenian raids. They saw no action there and quickly returned to Ottawa. Because they were so spread out, maintaining troop strength was difficult and in 1875, the regiment was disbanded.

In 1881, the unit was stood up again but this time as the 43rd "Ottawa and Carleton" Battalion of Rifles with the Ottawa volunteer rifle company and a number of other companies located in Hull, Fitzroy, Vernon, Metcalfe, Aylwin, Eardley, and Wakefield. No 2 Company, 43rd "Ottawa and Carleton" Battalion of Rifles, which was garrisoned in Hull is currently perpetuated by Le Régiment de Hull.

Over the next 20 years, its members would see action in the North-West (Riel) Rebellion and in the Second Boer War. However, the battalion sent only volunteers and never formed units. It was in the Boer War that Private R.R. Thompson won a Queen's Scarf (a scarf knitted by Queen Victoria for bravery) for his actions saving wounded soldiers.

In 1902, the regiment so impressed the Duke of Cornwall (later King George V) that he became the Camerons' first honorary colonel and allowed the regiment to bear his name. The new name for the regiment was the 43rd Regiment, Duke of Cornwall's Own Rifles.

In 1914, when World War I began, the unit was mobilized for action. However, once again, the unit did not go overseas as a unit. Instead, the unit was used to recruit and train soldiers mostly for the 2nd, 38th, and 207th battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The Camerons perpetuate the 38th and 207th battalions. The 38th saw action in France from 1916 to 1918 and received many battle honours. The members who served were also well decorated. The 207th left in June 1917 for France and were used as a reserve force for many units.

During the interwar years the 43rd Regiment was reorganized and renamed on several occasions. In March 1920 it was converted from regular infantry to a highland regiment and renamed The Ottawa Regiment (The Duke of Cornwall's Own). The regiment was also provided with two battalions, the 1st Battalion (38th Battalion, CEF) and the 2nd Battalion (207th Battalion, CEF) (the 2nd Battalion existed only on paper), as a means of retaining the history and honours of the wartime Canadian Expeditionary Force battalions. Two years later, in 1922, the regiment was renamed The Ottawa Highlanders, a title it would keep for the next eleven years. Then, in 1933, it was renamed The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa with "(M.G.)" (for machine gun) being added to the regimental title in 1936. The common thread throughout the history of the unit since 1881 is the presence of the motto "Advance" on the cap badge...the motto of The City of Ottawa.

In July 1940, the unit (as the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa) left for garrison duty in Iceland, which ended in April 1941 when they sailed to England. On 6 June 1944, the Camerons were the only Ottawa regiment to land on D-Day. The 1st Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa consisted of three machine gun companies and one mortar company. Following the landing on D-Day, the regiment fought in almost every battle in the northwestern Europe campaign. However, the soldiers were often attached as platoons and companies in support of other units, so the regiment never fought as an entire entity. During this time, the 2nd Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa recruited and trained soldiers in Canada for overseas duty. The 3rd Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa was formed in July 1945 as a part of the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany.

Since World War II, the regiment has remained in Ottawa. It is now a light infantry regiment. Starting in 1985, the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa have sent soldiers on many UN and NATO missions such as those in Cyprus, Croatia, Israel, Lebanon, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Congo, Somalia, Afghanistan and Sudan.

In 2005 the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa were authorized, as part of the Canadian Forces Land Force Reserve Restructuring (LFRR) to stand up a second rifle company (about 100 soldiers). LFRR further directed this new rifle company train in the western part of Ottawa to be more readily accessible to a growing population base in west Ottawa. The regiment now has two line companies, A Company in the Cartier Square Drill Hall, B Company in Bells Corners is now responsible for all training in co-operation with the NCR Battle School, and Administration Company, a combined Combat Service Support and Administrative Support company located in Cartier Square Drill Hall. In addition, the Regimental Headquarters is also located at Cartier Square Drill hall.