The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) (abbreviated as RCH) is an armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Primary Reserve in the Canadian Armed Forces. It is one of the oldest cavalry regiments in North America, tracing a direct history to the Montreal Volunteer Cavalry formed in the late eighteenth century. Its Colonel-in-Chief is Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, and its allied regiment is the Queen's Royal Hussars. Its mission consists of supporting the Regular Force in operational deployments, peacetime tasks, and supporting the civilian authorities.

Lineage

thumb|Armoury of The Royal Canadian Hussars<br />It is also home to the [[2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery |305x305px]]

The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal) derives from the Montreal Volunteer Cavalry (formed in the late eighteenth century). The present regiment perpetuates five cavalry units and one armoured unit: the Royal Montreal Cavalry, the 5th Dragoons, the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars (6th DCRCH), the 11th Argenteuil Rangers, the 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars (17th DYRCH),

The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)

  • Originated on 14 November, 1879, in Montréal, Quebec, as the 6th Provisional Regiment of Cavalry.
  • Redesignated on 18 September, 1885, as the 6th Regiment of Cavalry.
  • Redesignated on 20 June, 1890, as the 6th Regiment of Cavalry “Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars”.
  • Redesignated on 1 January, 1893, as the 6th “Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars”.
  • Amalgamated on 1 June, 1901, with the 5th Dragoons and redesignated as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars.
  • Amalgamated on 15 December, 1936, with the 1st Armoured Car Regiment and redesignated as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars (Armoured Car).
  • Redesignated on 27 February, 1941, as the 2nd (Reserve) Regiment, 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars (Armoured Car).
  • Redesignated on 1 April, 1941, as the 15th (Reserve) Armoured Regiment, (6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars).
  • Redesignated on 4 February, 1949, as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars (15th Armoured Regiment).
  • Redesignated on 19 May, 1958, as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars.
  • Amalgamated on 16 September, 1958, with the 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars and redesignated as The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal).

Perpetuations

War of 1812

  • Canadian Light Dragoons
  • Company of Guides
  • Royal Montreal Troop of Volunteer Cavalry
  • Argenteuil and Vaudreuil Divisions (1812-15) as well as domestic operations such as Operation Recuperation during the Ice Storm of 1998.

The regiment received its second guidon on December 3, 1974, the 100th anniversary of regimental status and its 135th year as a Canadian cavalry unit.

In 2007 seven members of the RCH were deployed to Afghanistan as part of Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF AFG) Rotation 4, which included approximately 2330 Canadian Forces members from the Quebec region.

From November 2010 to July 2011, six members of the RCH were again deployed in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan as part of the Joint Task Force Afghanistan Rotation 10.

Alliances

  • - The Queen's Royal Hussars
  • - The Light Dragoons

South African War

  • South Africa, 1900
  • Caen
  • Falaise
  • The Laison
  • The Scheldt
  • Breskens Pocket
  • The Rhineland
  • The Rhine
  • Emmerich–Hoch Elten
  • Zutphen
  • Deventer
  • North-West Europe 1944–1945

Notable members

  • James Angus Ogilvy, retail store magnate. Donor of the Ogilvy sword, a trophy given yearly to the officer of the year.
  • James Ross (Canadian businessman), notable for his role in the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway; appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars in 1900; was also a governor of McGill University and president of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
  • Ben Weider, businessman, bodybuilder and Napoleonic historian.
  • LGen ELM "Tommy" Burns, served in the regiment. He was Canada's military representative at the UN on disarmament for many years.
  • Lieutenant-Colonel (Retd) Roman Jarymowycz, O.M.M., C.D., Dean and Director of the Militia Command and Staff Course, serving as an instructor for 15 years.
  • Eric Barry

See also

  • The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces
  • List of Armouries in Canada

Order of precedence

Notes and references

  • The Royal Canadian Hussars Association Website