The Algonquin Regiment (Northern Pioneers) is a primary reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army comprising two companies. A Company is in North Bay, Ontario, and B Company is in Timmins, Ontario. The regiment falls under the command of the 4th Canadian Division's 33 Canadian Brigade Group.
Lineage
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File:Alq R Colour.jpg|The regimental colour of The Algonquin Regiment.
File:ALQ R Camp Flag.jpg|The camp flag of the Algonquin Regiment.
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The Algonquin Regiment
- Originated 1 July 1900 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario as the 97th Regiment of Rifles. Sub-units were in Thessalon, Sudbury and Sturgeon Falls.
- Redesignated 1 June 1903 as the 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles).
- Redesignated 1 May 1920 as The Algonquin Rifles.
- Redesignated 15 February 1929 as The Algonquin Regiment.
- 15 December 1936, "B", "C" and "D" Companies amalgamated with The Northern Pioneers, retaining the same regimental designation. At the same time, the "Headquarters"' and "A" Companies were amalgamated with The Sault Ste. Marie Regiment to become The Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury Regiment (MG) (currently the 49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA).
- Redesignated 7 November 1940 as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Algonquin Regiment.
- Redesignated 15 February 1946 as The Algonquin Regiment.
- 1 October 1954 converted to armour and redesignated as The Algonquin Regiment (26th Armoured Regiment).
- Redesignated 19 May 1958 as The Algonquin Regiment (RCAC).
- 19 March 1965, converted to infantry and redesignated The Algonquin Regiment.
The Northern Pioneers
- Originated 1 September 1903 in Parry Sound, Ontario as the 23rd Regiment, The Northern Fusiliers.
- Redesignated 1 January 1904 as the 23rd Regiment "The Northern Pioneers".
- Redesignated 1 May 1920 as The Northern Pioneers.
- Amalgamated 15 December 1936 with The Algonquin Regiment.
Perpetuations
Great War
- 122nd Battalion (Muskoka), CEF
- 159th Battalion (1st Algonquins), CEF
- 162nd Battalion (Parry Sound), CEF
- 228th Battalion (Northern Fusiliers), CEF
- 256th Battalion, CEF
Operational history
Great War
Details of the 23rd Regiment "The Northern Pioneers" were called out on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.
The 122nd Battalion (Muskoka), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 2 June 1917. There, its personnel were absorbed by the Canadian Forestry Depot, CEF on 10 June 1917 to provide reinforcements. The battalion disbanded on 1 September 1917.
The 159th Battalion (1st Algonquins), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 31 October 1916. There, its personnel were absorbed by the 8th Reserve Battalion, CEF on 20 January 1917 to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion disbanded on 27 July 1917.
The 162nd Battalion (Parry Sound), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 31 October 1916. There, its personnel were absorbed by the 3rd Reserve Battalion, CEF and the 4th
Reserve Battalion, CEF on 4 January 1917 to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion disbanded on 15 September 1920.
The 228th Battalion (Northern Fusiliers), CEF was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on
16 February 1917. There, it was redesignated as the 6th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, CEF on 8 March 1917. The battalion landed in France on 3 April 1917, where it provided railway construction support on the British sector of the Western Front
until the end of the war. The battalion disbanded on 23 October 1920.
The 256th Battalion, CEF was authorized on 1 May 1917 as the 256th "Overseas" Railway Construction Battalion, CEF, and embarked for Great Britain on 28 March 1917. There, it was redesignated as the 10th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, CEF on
30 May 1917. It disembarked in France 19 June 1917, where it provided railway construction support on the British sector of the
Western Front until the end of the war. The battalion disbanded on 23 October 1920.
Second World War
The regiment mobilized as The Algonquin Regiment, CASF for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Algonquin Regiment, CASF on 7 November 1940. The battalion initially served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 20th Infantry Brigade, 7th Canadian Division and in Newfoundland from 7 February 1942 to 6 February 1943. It embarked for Great Britain on 11 June 1943 and landed in France on 25 July 1944, as part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, [[4th Canadian Division|4th
Canadian Armoured Division]], and continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 15 February 1946.
Post-War: NATO and Korea
On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies, designated "E" and "F" Companies. "E" Company was reduced to nil strength when its personnel were absorbed into the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion (later the 3rd Battalion, The Canadian Guards) for service in Germany with NATO. It disbanded on 29 July 1953. "F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company. On 15 May 1952, it was reduced to nil strength when its personnel were absorbed by the newly formed 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (later the 4th Battalion, The Canadian Guards) for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company disbanded on 29 July 1953.
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.
History
Great War
The 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles) recruited to its full active strength and supplied 12 officers and 251 other ranks to the 15th Battalion, CEF.
Captain E.F. Armstrong began recruiting in Nipissing and Sudbury in late 1915, resulting in the formation of the 159th (First Algonquins) Battalion. The battalion was mobilized on 5 July 1916, trained at Camp Borden in Angus, Ontario, during that summer and fall of 1916, and embarked for England on 1 November 1916, with a strength of 1,004 men. The battalion remained intact until 20 January 1917, when it was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Battalion and used to reinforce units already in France and Flanders. As a result of not having enough men at any particular battle, the unit received only the general "The Great War, 1916–17" battle honour.
1920s-1930s
Following the end of the war the 159th (First Algonquins), 228th (Northern Fusiliers) and 256th (Toronto) were perpetuated in the Algonquin Rifles. In 1929, the unit was renamed The Algonquin Regiment. The regiment decided to keep the bull moose symbol of the 97th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles) on a redesigned cap badge. In 1936, "A" Company in Sudbury was removed from the regiment and amalgamated with The Sault Ste. Marie Regiment to become the Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury Regiment (MG), and The Northern Pioneers were amalgamated into The Algonquin Regiment.
Second World War
Home Defence
When war broke out the Algonquin Regiment was only 250 men strong. Recruitment and training soon became their primary concern. The regiment recruited from an area extending from Bracebridge and Parry Sound to the south and Timmins and Cochrane to the north. It was not until 22 July 1940, that the regiment went into active service. On 4 September 1940, the first battalion loaded up, the Algonquin Regiment (Active Force), and arrived at Camp Borden three days later. On 9 August, the regiment, supporting BCR (28th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own))), jointly formed 'Worthington Force', which was tasked with taking Hill 195. Taking an unfortunate wrong turn at 02:00, they ended up east of Hill 195, closer to Hill 140, deep in German territory. The regiment suffered heavy losses with total casualties of 128 men and 47 tanks. The leader of the force, BCR commander Lieutenant-Colonel Don Worthington, was killed, and the Algonquins' commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Art Hay, was seriously wounded. Regimental Sergeant Major A. J. Primeau was killed by the same mortar bomb that seriously wounded Hay. The period from 31 August to 8 September was a period of rapid movement into Belgium, halted on the 8th at the Ghent–Brugge Canal. The fighting, all day and suffering multiple setbacks resulting in numerous casualties across all the regiments, ended 10 September with the Allies across the Ghent–Brugge Canal after holding back the German counterattacks. A few days later the attempt of the regiment to cross the Leopold Canal was successfully repelled at Moerkerke by the German 245th Infantry Division. The Canadians pulled back after a tremendous covering artillery barrage. The regiment continued with the 4th Division north out of Belgium into the Netherlands in a progression of battles for the north shore of the Scheldt Estuary eventually leading to the liberation of Welberg and Steenbergen. The operation to liberate Welberg was initiated on 31 October; however, with "D" Company resting, all "A", "B" and "C" Companies fell short of their objectives facing massive German counterattacks. Fighting continued on until November 1 when the regiment retreated back to a few kilometres outside of Welberg. On 2 November they launched their second attack, this time along the right side of the town, and fighting continued throughout the night.
By the end of 3 November all four companies had reached their target objectives and succeeded in the liberation of Welberg. From 5 to 8 November the Algonquin Regiment rested in the Steenbergen area; the period proceeding became known as the "winter war" (November 1944–February 1945). Leading into Operation Blockbuster, this dislodgment of the German hinge in Hochwald on 27 February 1945, fighting to close the Hochwald gap began. By midday of 3 March, the allies had completed their objectives. Over the next couple of months, the Algonquin Regiment continued to fight, as they had been the entire war, under the 4th Division, crossing the Rhine with the last round-up (16 April–4 May) and cease-fire called just past Rastede, Germany. As of January 1946, the Algonquin Regiment's final death toll was 65 officers and 1235 other soldiers.
Post war to the present
On 23 June 2016, the regiment's name was changed to The Algonquin Regiment (Northern Pioneers).
Organization
97th Regiment of Rifles (1 July 1900)
- (Sault Ste. Marie)
- (Sault Ste. Marie) (formerly No. 6 Company, 96th District of Algoma Battalion of Rifles, first raised on 27 January 1865 as the )
- (Sudbury) (first raised on 24 August 1896, as the )
- (Thessalon) (first raised on 1 July 1899, as the )
- (Sturgeon Falls)<gallery>
File:Alq R Colour.jpg|The regimental colour of The Algonquin Regiment.
</gallery>
Great War
Second World War
War in Afghanistan
Notable soldiers
- William Merrifield
- Francis Pegahmagabow
Recognition
Freedom of the city was exercised by The Algonquin Regiment in Timmins, Ontario, on September 22, 2012, and on September 22, 1977.
Media
- I’ve Had Good Innings by Paul A. Mayer, OBE, GM, CD. Renfrew, ON: General House Publishing (autobiography of Paul Mayer who served in The Algonquin Regiment during World War Two).
- Sons of the Pioneers: Memories of Veterans of the Algonquin Regiment by John Macfie. Parry Sound, ON: The Hay Press, 2001
- Warpath : The Story of the Algonquin Regiment 1939–1945 by G. L. Cassidy, Cobalt ON: Highway Book Shop (1990)
Music
"Molly" by Honorary Chaplain Edward H. Capp, published in Ottawa by Orme & Son, circa 1906 was dedicated to the 97th Regiment, Canada (Algonquin rifles). First line: "Hear the tramp of soldiers marching" Chorus: "One kiss, Molly e'er I go"
Order of precedence
Notes
References
External links
- The Algonquin Regiment History