The Royal Regina Rifles

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= The Royal Regina Rifles


caption=Badge of the Royal Regina Rifles
dates= 15 May 1924 - Present
country= Canada
allegiance=
branch= Militia
type=Rifles
role=Light infantry
size=
command_structure=Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
current_commander=
garrison=Regina
ceremonial_chief=HRH The Princess Royal
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
nickname=
motto="Celer et Audax"
Latin: "Swift and Bold"
colors=
march="Bonnie Dundee"
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
identification_symbol_4=RRR
identification_symbol_4_label=Abbreviation

The Royal Regina Rifles is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Prior to 1982 the regiment was known as The Regina Rifle Regiment. The Royal Regina Rifles are part of Land Force Western Area's 38 Canadian Brigade Group.

The regiment, nicknamed "The Johns" during World War II because of the high proportion of "Farmer Johns" in its ranks, perpetuates the 28th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Origins

The Regina Rifle Regiment was created from the 1st and 6th Battalions of the South Saskatchewan Regiment on 15 May 1924 following extensive reorganizations of the Canadian Militia. The Regina Rifle Regiment existed as a single battalion militia regiment until 1939.

During the Second World War it received 14 Military Medals with one bar to that award, seven Distinguished Service Orders, seven Military Cross awards, a British Empire Medal, an Africa Star, three French Croix de Guerre, and a Netherlands Bronze Lion. Many more were Mentioned in Dispatches.

The regiment suffered 356 fatal casualties by 7 May, 1945.

Its first taste of combat came in Normandy, landing on Juno Beach on D-Day. It later faced the 12th S.S. 'Hitler Jugend' Division which was almost completely annihilated by the British and Canadian forces. The regiment later entered Caen.

Four battalions were raised during World War II:
*1st Battalion, Canadian Active Service Force, mobilized 24 May 1940, moved to the UK in August 1941 as part the Third Canadian Division, fought in Northwest Europe from June 1944 to May 1945. Disbanded 15 Jan 1946.
*2nd (Reserve) Battalion, did not mobilize.
*3rd (Active) Battalion, mobilized 12 May 1942. Did not leave Canada. Redesignated "2nd Airfield Defence Battalion (The Regina Rifle Regiment)" 19 July 1943. Disbanded 15 November 1943.
*4th Battalion, Canadian Army Occupation Force, raised 1 June 1945, Disbanded 4 April 1946.

In 1946, the regiment reverted to a single battalion militia regiment.

Battle honours

During World War I

* Mount Sorrel
* Ypres, 1917
* somme, 1916-18
* Passchendaele
* Flers - Courcelette
* Amiens
* Thiepval
* Drocout - Queant
* Ancre Heights
* Hindenburg Line
* Arras
* Canal du Nord
* Vimy
* Cambrai
* Scarpe
* Pursuit to Mons
* Hill 70
* France and Flanders

During World War II

* Normandy Landing
* The Scheldt
* Bretteville-L'Orgevulleuse
* Leopold Canal
* Caen
* Breskens Pocket
* Theorne
* The Rhineland
* Bourguebus Ridge
* Waal Flats
* Fauboug de Vaucelles
* Moylandwood
* Falaise
* The Rhine
* The Laison
* Emmerich-Hoch Elten
* The Seine, 1944
* Deventer
* Calais, 1944
* North-West Europe

Alliances

*GBR - The Rifles

ee also

* List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage
* The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces

References

* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/na-canada/volmil/sk-inf/095Regina.htm www.regiments.org - The Royal Regina Rifles]
* [http://www.reginarifles.ca www.reginarifles.ca - The Regina Rifles in WW II]
* [http://www.members.shaw.ca/junobeach/juno-4-4.htm Juno Beach - The Regina Rifles on D-Day]
* Mein, Stewart A.G. Up The Johns! : The story of the Royal Regina Rifles. [Regina] : Senate of The Royal Regina Rifles, 1992.

Order of precedence