Princess Louise Fusiliers
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The Princess Louise Fusiliers (PLF) | |
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Active | 1867–present |
Country | Canada |
Branch | Canadian Army |
Type | Line infantry |
Role | Light infantry |
Size | Battalion |
Garrison/HQ | Halifax Armoury |
Motto(s) | Fideliter (Faithfully) |
Colours | Green, gold, maroon |
March | The British Grenadiers |
Engagements |
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Battle honours | See #Battle honours |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Lt.-Col. Rhonda Matthews |
Colonel of the Regiment | Col Douglas Ruck, Honorary Colonel |
Insignia | |
Hackle | Grey |
Abbreviation | PLF |
The Princess Louise Fusiliers is a Primary Reserve light infantry regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces.[1][2] Formed as 66th The Halifax Battalion of Infantry and then named 66th Battalion (Princess Louise Fusiliers) after Princess Louise in 1879, it took its present name in May 1920. The 6th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC amalgamated with the regiment in 1936
History
Part of a series on the |
Military history of Nova Scotia |
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Early history
Based in
As an officially constituted unit of Canada, The Princess Louise Fusiliers were authorized in 1867. During the unit's history, it has undergone several name changes. On November 5, 1869, the regiment was named the 66th The Halifax Battalion of Infantry. Originally consisting of six companies, it later gained two more.
Ten years later, on November 14, 1879, the regiment was once again renamed, this time to the 66th Battalion "Princess Louise" Fusiliers, named for
First World War
During the
Second World War
The onset of
In February 1945 the 5th Armoured was transferred from Italy to Belgium, and these two companies participated in the liberation of the Netherlands from late March to the German surrender. During the conflict, the regiment received nine more battle honours, bringing their total count to 16.
Post war to the present day
Following World War II, the PLF converted back to a light infantry unit. Their most recent battle honour, received in 1999 following a lengthy struggle by unit officers to discover the necessary supporting documents, was for the unit's actions at Arnhem in 1945.
In
The PLF performed a ceremonial
On May 14, 2014, a new passenger transit harbour ferry was christened the Christopher Stannix as it was brought into service as part of the Halifax Metro Transit Ferry System. The Christopher Stannix ferry is the first of five new ferries introduced to modernize the current fleet. The ceremony in honour of the naming of the ferry in the memory of Master Corporal Stannix was well attended by the public as well as members of the Stannix family, the commanding officer, regimental sergeant major, and a number of serving and former-serving members of the regiment.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the formation of the regiment, the city of Halifax installed two special displays in its honour. The first was a recreation of the regiment's flaming grenade hat badge in the form of a floral display, prominently displayed in the Public Gardens. A second was installed on the Halifax side of the A. Murray MacKay Bridge, this time displaying a large version of the cap badge, framed in a bed of stones and commemorating 150 years of service to Canada.
In June 2019, the regiment celebrated its 150th anniversary with a Freedom of the City parade, with the regiment parading through the city in their distinct scarlet uniforms. Former members of the regiment were also present on parade as a formed contingent of "The Old Guard".
Christopher Stannix transit ferry
In early 2013 Halifax Transit announced that they would be purchasing what would be the first of five new harbour passenger ferries to augment the now-aging fleet currently in service. The vessel will be built by A. F. Theriault Shipyard, for a cost of $3,987,400. To maintain compatibility with the existing ferry terminal facilities, the new vessel will use the same hull design first used in the Halifax III in 1979. However, updates are planned for many of the ship's systems as well as the interior. The name of the vessel was chosen by the people of Halifax after a competition conducted by Halifax Transit. At the end of the competition over 12,800 votes were cast with the name Christopher Stannix winning 61% of the votes. MCpl Christopher Stannix was a local army reservist with The Princess Louise Fusiliers. He was killed in April 2007 by an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan.
In early June 2014, the winner of the competition to name the new ferry was announced. Retired Corporal Darrel MacDonald, a former member of The Princess Louise Fusiliers and a resident of Halifax Regional Municipality, was the first person to submit the Christopher Stannix name for voting. He was awarded a full-year transit pass and reportedly donated it to the IWK Health Centre (Women and Newborn Health Social Work Department). The passes were converted to sheets of single-use transit tickets and will be passed out at the discretion of the staff within the department.
Uniform
As a fusilier regiment, the PLF wear a hackle. In the case of the PLF it is the grey hackle of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. (Affiliated regiment)
Battle honours
The Princess Louise Fusiliers have been awarded 17 battle honours since the unit's inception in 1869.[1][2]
Battle honour | Conflict | Dates | Emblazoned[a] |
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NORTH-WEST CANADA, 1885 | North West Rebellion | 1885 | Yes |
SOUTH AFRICA, 1899-1900 | Second Boer War | 1899-1900 | Yes |
SOMME, 1916 | World War I | 1 July–18 Nov. 1916 | Yes |
ARRAS, 1917 | World War I | 9 Apr.–4 May 1917 | Yes |
Ypres, 1917 | World War I | 31 July–10 Nov. 1917 | No |
AMIENS | World War I | 8-11 August 1918 | Yes |
Hill 70 | World War I | 15-25 August 1917 | No |
LIRI VALLEY | World War II | 18-30 May 1944 | Yes |
MELFA CROSSING | World War II | 24-25 May 1944 | Yes |
GOTHIC LINE | World War II | 25 Aug.-22 Sept. 1944 | Yes |
CORIANO | World War II | 3-15 September 1944 | Yes |
LAMONE CROSSING | World War II | 2-13 December 1944 | Yes |
MISANO RIDGE | World War II | 3-5 Sept. 1944 | Yes |
ITALY, 1944-1945 | World War II | 1944-1945 | Yes |
DELFZIJL POCKET | World War II | 23 Apr.–2 May 1945 | Yes |
NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1945 | World War II | 1945 | Yes |
Arnhem 1945 |
World War II | 12-14 Apr. 1945 | Approved |
On May 9, 2014 it was announced that the Princess Louise Fusiliers would be among the units to be awarded the “Afghanistan” theatre honour to recognize the dedication and sacrifice made by members of the unit who took part in Canada's operations in Afghanistan, the longest armed conflict in Canadian history.
Theatre honours are a type of battle honour given to publicly recognize a Canadian Armed Forces unit for participation in a theatre of armed conflict. Such honours have been awarded after every major conflict in which Canada has been engaged.
Lineage
The Princess Louise Fusiliers
- Originated on 18 June 1869, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as The Halifax Volunteer Battalion of Infantry.
- Redesignated on 5 November 1869, as the 66th The Halifax Volunteer Battalion of Infantry.
- Redesignated on 14 November 1879, as the 66th Battalion (Princess Louise Fusiliers).
- Redesignated on 8 May 1900, as the 66th Regiment (Princess Louise Fusiliers).
- Redesignated on 15 May 1920, as The Princess Louise Fusiliers.
- Amalgamated on 1 December 1936, with the Headquarters and A Company of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC, and redesignated as The Princess Louise Fusiliers (Machine Gun).
- Redesignated on 1 January 1941, as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Princess Louise Fusiliers (Machine Gun).
- Redesignated on 15 February 1946, as The Princess Louise Fusiliers (Machine Gun).
- Redesignated on 11 April 1958, as The Princess Louise Fusiliers.
- Redesignated on 14 May 1985, as The Princess Louise's Fusiliers.
- Redesignated on 5 January 2009, as The Princess Louise Fusiliers.[1]
6th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC
- Originated on 1 June 1919, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the 6th Machine Gun Brigade, CMGC.
- Redesignated on 15 September 1924, as the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC.
- Amalgamated on 1 December 1936, with The Princess Louise Fusiliers and redesignated as The Princess Louise Fusiliers (Machine Gun).[1]
Lineage chart
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Perpetuations
Armoury
The regiment's armoury is the
Alliances
- United Kingdom -
Media
- From Farm Boy to Soldier: Experiences of a World War II Vetern Princess Louise Fusiliers by Gordon P. Hogan (2005)
- Fideliter: The Regimental History of the Princess Louise Fusiliers by Leo J. Deveaux (2020)
See also
- The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces
- Military history of Nova Scotia
- List of armouries in Canada
- Military history of Canada
- History of the Canadian Army
- Canadian Forces
- Halifax–Dartmouth Ferry Service
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f National Defence (2018-10-30). "The Princess Louise Fusiliers". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
- ^ a b c "The Princess Louise Fusiliers". 2007-10-28. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
- ^ "The Royal tour". The Times. No. 36591. London. 21 October 1901. p. 3.
- ^ "www.canadiansoldiers.com". www.canadiansoldiers.com. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ Defence, National (2018-10-30). "The Princess Louise Fusiliers". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2022-03-14.