Prince Edward Island Light Horse

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Prince Edward Island Light Horse
Active1901–1946
CountryCanada
Branch
TypeLine cavalry
Role
  • Cavalry
  • Armoured Reconnaissance
SizeOne regiment
Part of
Garrison/HQ
Second World War
Battle honoursSee #Battle honours

The Prince Edward Island Light Horse was a cavalry regiment of the

The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC).[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Lineage

History

Early history

The Prince Edward Island Light Horse was first authorized on 1 June 1901, as an independent squadron in the

Summerside, PEI. A few months later on 1 April 1914, the regiment was redesignated as the 36th Prince Edward Island Light Horse.[5][6][7]

On 15 March 1920, as a result of the Canadian Militia reforms following the Otter Commission, the regiment was simply redesignated as The Prince Edward Island Light Horse.[1][2][8][7]

Second World War

During the Second World War, the PEI Light Horse on 27 February 1941 mobilized an armoured squadron which formed the Headquarters Squadron of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade. They would later on 1 November 1943 be reorganized as the 2nd Canadian Corps Defence Company (The Prince Edward Island Light Horse). On 6 July 1944, the PEI Light Horse landed in France and served as part of the II Canadian Corps until the end of the war in Europe in May 1945.[1][2]

The youngest Canadian soldier to die in the Second World War, 14-year-old

Robert Cyril Claude Brooks was a member of the 17th (Reserve) Armoured Regiment (Prince Edward Island Light Horse). He was killed in a training accident near Coleman, Prince Edward Island, at approximately 7:30 pm on 23 September 1944, when a Universal Carrier was driven through a guard rail on a bridge, overturning into the water below. He was trapped beneath the overturned vehicle and drowned, along with two fellow members of the regiment, Sergeant D.C. Ramsay and Trooper W.N. Dennis.[9]

Postwar

On 1 April, 1946, The Prince Edward Island Light Horse was amalgamated with

Sub-units

The Prince Edward Island Light Horse (3 March 1920)

Alliances

Uniform

The officers of the 36th PEI Light Horse in full dress wore a scarlet dragoon tunic with yellow facings and piping, and dark blue trousers with a broad yellow stripe. For regimental headdress, instead of the more expensive metal cavalry helmets, they wore white Canadian-pattern pith helmets with gilt regimental badge, chin strap and spike surmounted by a red over white hair plume.[5][10]

The non-commissioned officers and other ranks of the regiment in full dress on the other hand wore scarlet serge frock with yellow facings and dark blue trousers with a broad yellow stripe. For regimental headdress, they wore peaked caps of dark blue with yellow bands and piping.[5]

Battle honours

Great War

Second World War

  • North-West Europe, 1944–1945

Battle honour awarded to regiment's successor, Prince Edward Island Regiment, after the regiment was amalgamated, but for service and actions of the 2nd Canadian Corps Defence Company (The Prince Edward Island Light Horse).

Notable members

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ "Arras, 1918" selected to be borne on colours and appointments
  2. ^ a b Selected to be borne on colours and appointments
  1. ^ a b c d e "Guide to Sources Relating to the Canadian Militia (Infantry, Cavalry, Armored)" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada.
  2. ^ a b c d e Defence, National (2018-11-29). "The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  3. ^ "36th Regiment Prince Edward Island Light Horse". www.canadiansoldiers.com. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  4. ^ a b c d "The Prince Edward Island Light Horse". 2007-10-16. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
  5. ^ a b c d "Eastern Canada Volunteer Cavalry, 1896-1914". MilArt. 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  6. ^ a b Luscombe, Stephen. "Canadian Cavalry". www.britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
  7. ^ a b c d "The Cavalry Regiments of the Canadian Forces: The Volunteer Militia from 1872 -1920" (PDF).
  8. ^ a b "www.canadiansoldiers.com". www.canadiansoldiers.com. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  9. ^ "Canada, World War II Records and Service Files of War Dead, 1939–1947".
  10. ^ "Officer, The Prince Edward Island Light Horse, circa 1912". Canadian Military Heritage Gateway. June 2017.
  11. ^ Defence, National (2019-07-22). "WWI - Arras, 1917". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  12. ^ Defence, National (2019-07-22). "WWI - Arras, 1918". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  13. ^ Defence, National (2019-07-23). "WWI - Ypres, 1917". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  14. ^ Defence, National (2019-07-22). "WWI - Amiens". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  15. ^ Defence, National (2019-07-22). "WWI - Hindenburg Line". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  16. ^ Defence, National (2019-07-22). "WWI - Pursuit to Mons". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  17. ^ "The Regimental Rogue". www.regimentalrogue.com. Retrieved 2021-12-29.