The Lincoln and Welland Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based in St. Catharines, Ontario.

The regimental colonel-in-chief is Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and the regimental motto is , "Not for us but for our country".

History

Perpetuated units 1794–1863

In 1794, John Butler, who had commanded Butler's Rangers during the American Revolution was appointed Commanding Officer of three battalions of Nassau Militia. Nassau (later Home District) was one of the Districts of Upper Canada, Niagara being only part of the district. By 1791 the battalions had a strength of 835 all ranks.

With the reorganization of the province into sixteen counties in 1792, Lincoln County (with 20 townships) came into existence. The militia was renamed and the Lincoln Militia, with three battalions came into being, some 849 strong. By 1794, Butler was a full colonel with four battalions reporting 976 all ranks. Many of the officers, NCOs and men had served with Butler’s Rangers during the Revolution and had received land grants in Niagara for this service. There is, however, no lineal connection of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment to Butler’s Rangers. Somme, 1916; Arras, 1917; and Hill 70.

thumb|right|A soldier from the 19th Lincoln Regiment on guard at the [[Toronto Power Generating Station in 1914.]]

1920s–1930s

Between the wars, both the Lincoln Regiment and the Lincoln and Welland Regiment were greatly restricted in the training they were able to conduct. For example, the Lincoln Regiment trained 12 days in 1920, 9 days a year between 1922 and 1927, 12 days a year from 1928 to 1931 and 10 days a year from 1932 to 1936. On 15 December 1936, the two units were reorganized into the Lincoln and Welland Regiment with an establishment of 467 all ranks.

Second World War

thumb|Infantrymen of the regiment in a canoe, training for the [[Battle for the Kapelsche Veer|assault on Kapelsche Veer, Netherlands, January 26, 1945]]

The regiment was called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then details were placed on active service on 1 September 1939, designated as The Lincoln and Welland Regiment, CASF (Details), for local protection duties. The details were formed as an active service battalion and designated The Lincoln and Welland Regiment, CASF on 15 August 1940. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Lincoln and Welland Regiment, CASF on 7 November 1940. The unit served in British Columbia, as part of the 13th Canadian Infantry Brigade, and in Newfoundland in a home defence role as part of Atlantic Command. On 16 July 1943 the 1st Battalion embarked for Britain. On 25 July 1944 it landed in France as a part of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion was disbanded on 15 February 1946.

The highest and most distinguished award for valour, the Order of the Bronze Lion was bestowed upon the regiment's Sergeant Wallace Edmond Firlotte.

From Tilly-la-Campagne on 31 July 1944 until Bad Zwischenahn on 1 May 1945, the regiment distinguished itself in many actions. Over 1500 men of the regiment were casualties. Of the original men who enlisted in 1940, only three officers and 22 men were on parade in St. Catharines in 1946 when the 1st Battalion was dismissed.

In late December 1945, the regiment requested authority to ship to Canada its M5A1 Stuart VI reconnaissance tank Serial , manufacturer's number 10778, nicknamed Press-On, to assist in forming a regimental museum collection. This tank was salvaged and repaired by the unit's Pioneer Platoon after being blown up on a mine in the battalion area. The turret was removed, and it served as the commanding officer's command and reconnaissance vehicle through action in Holland and Germany. The request cited its presence on the battlefield signified that the commanding officer was present as an inspiration and confidence to all ranks. Its reputation as a mascot, led all those on strength at the end of hostilities to sign their names on the sides. It is a late production M5A1, with periscope guards on the crew hatches, a large rear storage box, and a not uncommon mix of road wheel types. It now stands in front of the armoury in St. Catharines.

Postwar

In the years since the Second World War, the regiment has busied itself with the many tasks traditionally entrusted to the Canadian Militia during peace time. Ceremonial parades have been attended and guards mounted, most notably the visits of the Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip to Niagara Falls in 1951 and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother to Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1981.

During the Blizzard of 1977 in the Niagara Peninsula the regiment was called out to provide assistance to the civil authority. It rescued over 1500 stranded school children and provided assistance to countless residents during the emergency. For this assistance, the regiment received a vote of thanks from the House of Commons. The regiment provided volunteers to assist during the 1997 Red River flood and the 1998 Ice Storm in Eastern Ontario and Quebec.

The year 1994 marked the 200th anniversary of the regiment and was commemorated in many ways. The trooping the colours, presentation of freedom of the town of Fort Erie and the dedication of the regiment's memorial garden all served to remind the regiment and the community of the service and sacrifice of two centuries.

Due to an administrative oversight, two battle honours earned in north-western Germany during the final weeks of the Second World War were not awarded to the regiment until 1995. In October 1995, at the regiment's annual church parade, scrolls commemorating the battles of Küsten Canal and Bad Zwischenahn were presented by members of the regimental association.

thumb|right|A Lincoln and Welland Regiment NCO attached to a rifle company of the affiliated [[Bermuda Regiment, training in Jamaica, 1996.]]

In 2012, as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour of Canada, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, presented new regimental colours to the regiment which included the battle honour based on the regiment's perpetuation of the Incorporated Militia Battalion of Upper Canada. The regiment also perpetuates the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Regiments of the Lincoln Militia as well as the Coloured Corps from the War of 1812 thus linking the regiment to the Battles of Detroit, Queenston Heights and the Niagara campaign.

War in Afghanistan

thumb|right|The Lincoln and Welland camp flag, Afghan flag and the U.S. flag flying at a base in the vicinity of [[Spin Boldak in February 2009.]]

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.

On 3 March 2009, Warrant Officer Dennis R "Browny" Brown, of St Catharines, deployed on operations, was killed by an improvised explosive device, along with two other Canadian soldiers. Two more soldiers were injured and evacuated for treatment. Their armoured vehicle was in the Arghandab District approximately 10 kms northwest of Kandahar City. They were returning to base after defusing another roadside bomb. Warrant Officer Brown had 20 years service and was on leave from his civilian job of 8 years as a special constable with the Niagara Regional Police.

Perpetuated units

The Lincoln and Welland Regiment perpetuates the Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada, The Coloured Corps (Captain Runchey's Company of Coloured Men), the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Regiments of Lincoln Militia of the War of 1812.

Lineage

<gallery>

File:Linc & Weld Regt Colour.jpg|Regimental colour (pre-2012)

File:Linc & Weld Camp Flag.jpg|Camp flag

</gallery>

Lincoln and Welland Regiment

The Lincoln and Welland Regiment originated in St. Catharines on 18 March 1863 as The 19th Battalion Volunteer Militia (Infantry), Canada. It was redesignated as the 19th "Lincoln Battalion of Infantry" on 28 September 1866; as the 19th St. Catharines Battalion of Infantry on 1 October 1897; as the 19th St. Catharines Regiment on 8 May 1900; as the 19th "Lincoln" Regiment on 2 November 1912; and, following the Great War, as The Lincoln Regiment on 1 May 1920. On 15 December 1936, it was amalgamated with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and redesignated The Lincoln and Welland Regiment. During the Second World War it was redesignated as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Lincoln and Welland Regiment on 7 November 1940, returning to its pre-war designation as the Lincoln and Welland Regiment on 15 February 1946.

thumb|right|Pre-2012 regimental colour

Music

Old Niagara waltzes by Maud Schooley was "dedicated to the 44th Lincoln and Welland Regiment, Canadian Infantry by special permission of Lt. Colonel Cohoe and officers of the Regiment". It was published in Toronto by Canadian-American Music, circa 1905

"19th St. Catharines Regiment" march was not carried over as this regiment changed from 19th and 20th Battalions of Volunteer Militia (Infantry) Canada to: the 19th Lincoln Regiment (1912); Lincoln Regiment (192) and Lincoln and Welland Regiment (1936). Instead the regimental march became "The Lincolnshire Poacher".

Regimental museum

The Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum used to be housed in Butler's Barracks in Niagara-on-the-Lake, featuring the history of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. Exhibits include displays and artifacts from the 18th century through the present, and include uniforms, weapons, medals, photographs, regimental band instruments, and other memorabilia. The displays show the regiment's participation in area military engagements in the 18th and 19th centuries, and overseas in World War I, World War II, for peacekeeping and other operations. The museum is affiliated with: Canadian Museums Association, Canadian Heritage Information Network, Organization of Military Museums of Canada and Virtual Museum of Canada.

However, though affiliated with Virtual Museum of Canada, there is no online exhibit for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.

The museum is now part of the larger Niagara Military Heritage Centre in Niagara Falls.

See also

  • Canadian Forces
  • Captain Runchey's Company of Coloured Men
  • History of the Canadian Army
  • List of armouries in Canada
  • Military history of Canada

References

  • History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment by Major R.L. Rogers (1989)
  • The Lincs: A History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment at War by Geoffrey William Hayes (1986)
  • Presentation of New Colours to the Lincoln and Welland Regiment (M) by John Keiller (Lieutenant Governor of Ontario) Mackay (1959)
  • Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum
  • Lieutenant Charles Pearson: The Lincoln and Welland Regiment's WWII Campaign