The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North)

The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North)

The badge of The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North).
Active 1871–present
Country Canada Canada
Branch Primary Reserve
Type Light infantry
Role Light role
Size One battalion
Part of Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Garrison/HQ Truro, Nova Scotia
Motto(s) Siol Na Fear Fearail (Breed of Manly Men)
March The Sweet Maid of Glendaruel (Regiment)
The Atholl Highlanders (1Bn)
Abbreviation NS Highrs (as seen on rank slip on)
Official-NSH

The Nova Scotia Highlanders (also known as North Novies, North Novas) is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of 36 Canadian Brigade Group, 5th Canadian Division.

Creation

Part of a series on the
Military history of
Nova Scotia
Events
Battle of Port Royal 1690
Siege of Port Royal 1710
Battle of Jeddore Harbour 1722
Northeast Coast Campaign 1745
Battle of Grand Pré 1747
Dartmouth Massacre 1751
Bay of Fundy Campaign 1755
Fall of Louisbourg 1758
Headquarters established for Royal Navy's North American Station 1758
Burying the Hatchet ceremony 1761
Battle of Fort Cumberland 1776
Raid on Lunenburg 1782
Halifax Impressment Riot 1805
Establishment of New Ireland 1812
Capture of USS Chesapeake 1813
Battle at the Great Redan 1855
Siege of Lucknow 1857
CSS Tallahassee Escape 1861
Departing Halifax for Northwest Rebellion 1885
Departing Halifax for the Boer War 1899
Imprisonment of Leon Trotsky 1917
Jewish Legion formed 1917
Sinking of HMHS Llandovery Castle 1918
Battle of the St. Lawrence 1942–44
Sinking of SS Point Pleasant Park 1945
Halifax VE-Day Riot 1945
Walter Callow Wheelchair Bus established 1947
Notable military regiments
Mi'kmaq militias 1677-1779
Acadian militias 1689-1761
40th Regiment 1717-57
Troupes de la marine 1717-58
Gorham's Rangers 1744-62
Danks' Rangers 1756-62
84th Regiment of Foot 1775-84
Royal Fencible American 1775-83
Royal Nova Scotia Volunteers 1775-83
King's Orange Rangers 1776-83
1st Field Artillery 1791-present
Royal Nova Scotia 1793-1802
Nova Scotia Fencibles 1803-16
The Halifax Rifles (RCAC) 1860-present
The Princess Louise Fusiliers 1867-present
78th Highlanders 1869-71
Cape Breton Highlanders 1871-present
Nova Scotia Rifles 1914-19
No. 2 Construction Battalion 1916-19
West Nova Scotia 1916-present
The Nova Scotia Highlanders 1954-present
Other

Nova Scotia portal

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The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders.

The regiment was composed of two separate units, officially designated as the 1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North), and 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton), both of which were part of 5th Canadian Division's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The 1st Battalion was headquartered in Truro with individual companies located in Amherst, Pictou, New Glasgow, Springhill, and Truro. The 2nd Battalion was headquartered in Sydney, and in 2011 it was renamed back to its pre-1954 designation, the Cape Breton Highlanders.[1][2] This leaves The Nova Scotia Highlanders as a one-battalion regiment.

Headdress

Although the 2nd Battalion continued the proud tradition of wearing balmorals, the traditional headdress of the regiment, the 1st Battalion did not. There was a strong movement within the unit by the majority of the troops to replace the beret with the balmoral once again as it marked out the highland unit as distinctive and showed the ties with the unit's heritage that contributed to its ésprit de corps. As of January 1, 2011, the balmoral once again became the official headdress of the 1st Battalion as well.

Lineage

1st Battalion, Nova Scotia highlanders (North)

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders

The Colchester and Hants Regiment

The 81st "Hants" Regiment

189th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA

Perpetuations

War of 1812

The Great War

Operational History

South African War

The 193rd Cumberland Battalion of Infantry contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents during the South African War.[3]

World War One

Details of the 76th Colchester and Hants Rifles, the 78th Pictou Regiment "Highlanders" and the 93rd Cumberland Regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.[3]

The 17th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), CEF was authorized on 19 September 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 29 September 1914 where it was redesignated as the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF on 29 April 1915, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps. The battalion was disbanded on 21 May 1917.[3]

The 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles), CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 20 May 1915. It disembarked in France on 16 September 1916, where it fought as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.[3]

The 106th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 15 July 1916 where it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps until 5 October 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 40th Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 8 December 1917.[3]

The 193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), CEF was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on 12 October 1916 where it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 20 January 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 18 February 1918.[3]

The 246th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), CEF was authorized on 1 May 1917 and embarked for Great Britain on 2 June 1917. On 9 June 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 11 April 1918.[3]

The Second World War

Details of The Pictou Highlanders were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The Pictou Highlanders, Canadian Active Service Force (Details), for local protection duties. The details called out on active service disbanded on 31 December 1940.[3]

The regiment mobilized the 1st Battalion, The Pictou Highlanders, CASF for active service on 1 January 1941. It served in Newfoundland from March to August 1943 in a home defence role as part of Atlantic Command. In September 1943, one company was despatched to the Bahamas, where it performed garrison duty until 28 March 1946. The battalion was disbanded on 30 April 1946.[3]

On 10 September 1942, a sub-component of the regiment, designated Special Infantry Company (Pictou Highlanders), CASF, was mobilized for active service. It served in Bermuda on garrison duty from 12 November 1942 to 1 April 1946. The company disbanded on 30 April 1946.[3]

Details of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Machine Gun), CASF (Details), for local protection duties. The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.[3]

The regiment subsequently mobilized The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, CASF for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, CASF on 7 November 1940. It embarked for Great Britain on 18 July 1941. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, it landed in Normandy as part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 15 January 1946.[3]

On 1 June 1945, the regiment mobilized the 3rd Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, Canadian Infantry Corps, Canadian Army Occupation Force for service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany. The battalion disbanded on 1 May 1946.[3]

Post-War

Jesse Mackenzie, from 1st Battalion, Nova Scotia Highlanders (North), adjusts the sights, on his C9, machine gun, at the range

On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F".[3]

"E" Company was reduced to nil strength upon its personnel being incorporated into the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Germany with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and was disbanded on 29 July 1953. On 16 October 1953 the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion was redesignated the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.[3]

"F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company. On 15 May 1952, it was reduced to nil strength, upon its personnel being absorbed by the newly formed 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company was disbanded on 29 July 1953. On 16 October 1953 the 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion was redesignated the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.[3]

War In Afghanistan

The regiment contributed an aggregate of more than 20% of its authorized strength to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014.[4]

Battle honours

The Nova Scotia Highlanders have received 47 battle honours and 1 honorary distinction since the unit's inception. In the list below, battle honours in small capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles.[3]

War of 1812

Non-emblazonable honorary distinction Defence of Canada – 1812–1815 – Défense du Canada[3]

South African War

South Africa, 1899–1900

First World War
Second World War
South-West Asia

Afghanistan[5]

Armouries

Site Date(s) Designated Location Description Image
Colonel Welsford MacDonald Armoury 31 Union Street, Pictou, Nova Scotia *Housing The Nova Scotia Highlanders, this centrally located building has a flat roof
New Glasgow Armoury 1940s 10 Riverside Parkway, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia *Acquired in 1960s and housing The Nova Scotia Highlanders, this centrally located building has a flat roof. Being replaced by a new building to be built.
Colonel James Layton Ralston Armoury 1914-1915 David Ewart Canada's Register of Historic Places; Recognized - 1990 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings 36 Acadia Street, Amherst, Nova Scotia **Housing The Nova Scotia Highlanders, this large, centrally-located stone and brick Baronial style building features two sturdy towers, a triple arched entrance way and a large drill hall
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel J Murray Armoury 72 North Street, Springhill, Nova Scotia *Housing The Nova Scotia Highlanders, this centrally located building has a flat roof
Truro Armoury 1874 Thomas Seaton Scott Canada's Register of Historic Places; Recognized - 1991 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings 126 Willow Street, Truro, Nova Scotia *Housing 1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders, this centrally located box-like Dominion style Neo-Gothic style building with a flat roof was designed with classical inspiration.

Alliances

See also

Media

References

  1. Ministry of National Defence (January 16, 2011). "Minister of National Defence Peter Mackay Announces the Return of the Cape Breton Highlanders". Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  2. Ken MacLeod (September 8, 2011). "Cape Breton Highlanders on parade Saturday for first time in more than 50 years". Cape Breton Post. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  4. http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2014/05/09/south-west-asia-theatre-honours
  5. "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Retrieved 11 May 2014.

Order of precedence

Preceded by
The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
The Nova Scotia Highlanders Succeeded by
Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
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