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(3) 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.
(3) 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.
In 2009 they all became gay


===Battle honours===
===Battle honours===

Revision as of 17:51, 21 February 2010

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
Cap badge of The Black Watch of Canada
Active31 January 1862-
CountryCanada
BranchMilitia/Canadian Forces Land Force Command-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 - Highland Laddie
Slow - The Red Hackle
Commanders
Colonel in ChiefHRH The Prince of Wales
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 Thomas MacKay.

History

The regiment was originally formed as 5th Battalion, Royal Light Infantry, in 1862.

The Real Origins, and History of the Begging of the Black Watch “Royal Highland Regiment” Of Canada. According to the Militia Act of 1855 further amended in 1859.

In the Origins or tracing back the Lineage of the CDN Black Watch many Historians, researchers and Canada’s Red Hackle Magazine { See summer and spring Issue 2007 page 4 the Canadian Connection} have concluded that.

With the threat of an American invasion looming, in 1862 volunteer Militia companies were hastily formed in Canada. One of these units was The 5th Battalion Royal Light Infantry, in Montreal.

In the book “The 5th Regiment Royal Scots of Canada Highlanders” A regimental history written by Captain Ernest J. Chambers in 1904. page 33, paragraph 5 he states "The 5th Battalion Royal Light Infantry" was organized under General Orders of January 31st 1862. Mr. Chambers got the date right but the name of the Regiment wrong. Even Canada’s Red Hackle magazine got the name wrong and the event; there was never a threat of invasion by the U.S.

From the research I've done concerning the TRENT Affair, both Britain & Canada were ready to go to war and attack the U.S. over the "Trent Affair". Britain had sent troops, supplies and munitions to Canada in the event the U.S. did not release the men taken from the Trent, and also submit ample apologies for the insult to the British flag. If not, then Britain would have declared war on the U.S. Note the Links that indicate that Britain was going to use Canada as a platform to invade the U.S. There was never an American invasion looming, we were going to be the invaders. Therefore with the threat of Britain and Canada invading the U.S. looming. I provided only 2 links of so many that I found.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britain_in_the_American_Civil_War

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Affair

As Chambers writes on page 33 paragraph 3, Towards the end of November 1861, word reached Canada of the Trent outrage. The British mail steamer, "Trent" had been stopped on the high seas by the U.S.S. "San Jaeinto," boarded by a party of armed marines, and Messrs. Mason and Sliddell, the Confederate commissioners, .seized, in spite of the protests of the "Trent's" captain, and taken on board the "San Jaeinto." At the news of this wanton outrage upon the British flag, a wave of indignation swept over the British Empire, and Britons everywhere demanded that the Confederate commissioners be restored to the protection of the British flag and full reparation made. Although the question at issue was not one of special Canadian interest, and although it was realized that if war took place the United States would try to make Canada the scene of active operations, in no part of the Empire was there a more set determination that the outraged honour of the Empire be avenged than in Canada. For once the British government took a firm stand against its obstreperous offspring across the Atlantic, amended the restoration of the men taken from the Trent, and also ample apologies for the insult to the flag. Accustomed to receiving absurdly indulgent and invariably requited treatment at the hands of the Mother Country, the people of the United States, who had mistaken British good nature for weakness, insisted that the demands be not complied with. Both countries appeared determined, and both sternly set to work to serious' prepare for the impending conflict. Britain dispatched a large force of regular troops with ample supplies of munitions of war to Canada, and the Canadians, to a man, set themselves to the task of preparing for the contest, which appeared not merely probable but inevitable. How the United States Government eventually surrendered the two commissioners and made amends for the uncalled for action of Captain Wilkes, is well known to every reader of history.

While this keen international tension was at its height, the whole male population of Montreal enrolled themselves into volunteer corps, and exercised themselves in military drill, night and day. Many of the existing military organizations of the city trace their existence back to this stirring time.

Chambers is wrong about the name of the Formed Montreal Militia that was to become The Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment of Canada, but has the Date right. The CDN Black Watch Lineage chart shows 5th Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada January 31 1862. Redesignated 5th Battalion, The Royal Light Infantry of Montreal November 7 1862 No. 10 Company ( authorized 16 October 1856 as “The Montreal Highland Rifle Company”) of the 1st Or “prince of Wales Regiment” Volunteer Militia Rifles and redesignated No.9 Company.

Therefore The History should read! In the threat of War being declared by Britain and Canada on the US Or in the Mergence of War being Declared by Britain on the US concerning the "TRENT" Affair! In 1862 a Volunteer Militia of Scottish citizens of Montreal were organized under General Orders January 31 1862 as "The 5th Battalion, Volunteer Rifles of Canada" Now know as The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders Regiment) of Canada.

And the begging Lineage of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders Regiment) of Canada. According to the Militia Act of 1855 and further amended in 1859. And as Mr Chambers states,{ Many of the existing military organizations of the city trace their existence back to this stirring time.} Therefore started with The 5th Battalion, Volunteer Rifles of Canada. January 31 1862. Not the “ The 5th Battalion, Royal Light Infantry of Montreal” as many have stated.

Lest We Forget Spañiard over and out,,,,,,,………

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 regiment has participated in the following battles:

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.

  • Ypres
  • Vimy
  • Gravenstafel
  • Arleux
  • St. Julien
  • Scarpe
  • Festubert
  • Hill 70
  • Mount Sorrel
  • Passchendaele
  • Somme
  • Amiens
  • Pozières
  • 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;

(1) On the voyage to France on the day of the Dieppe Raid, casualties were suffered by the unit during a grenade priming accident onboard their ship.

(2) 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.

(3) 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. 

In 2009 they all became gay

Battle honours

  • Bourguebus Ridge
  • Woensdrecht
  • Faubourg de Vaucelles
  • South Beveland
  • Verrières Ridge—Tilly-La-Campagne
  • Walcheren Causeway
  • The Rheinland
  • Falaise
  • The Hochwald
  • Clair Tizon
  • Xanten
  • Foret de la Londe
  • The Rhine
  • Dunkirk 1944
  • Groningen
  • Antwerp-Turnhout Canal
  • Oldenburg
  • The Scheldt
  • North-West Europe

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

Order of precedence

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

Alliances

Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) 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.

References

  • 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.

See also

External links

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