The Calgary Highlanders are a Land Force Reserve Infantry Regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armoury in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The regiment is a part-time reserve unit, under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, itself part of Land Force Western Area (LFWA), one of four land force areas in Canada.

The regiment dates back to 1 April 1910 and the creation of the 103rd Regiment, Calgary Rifles, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel WCG Armstrong. The regiment did not mobilize for the First World War; however, the 103rd Regiment contributed men to several overseas battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force beginning in 1914, including the 10th Battalion.

In 1921, the Canadian Militia was reorganized and the 103rd Regiment became simply "The Calgary Regiment". The 1st Battalion of this new unit became known as the Calgary Highlanders. The regiment was permitted to perpetuate the history of the 10th Battalion, CEF, and inherited that units battle honours (granted in 1929) as well as inheriting the memory of two Victoria Cross holders, Acting Sergeant Arthur Knight and Private Harry Brown, both of whom were awarded the VC posthumously in the last year and a half of the Great War.

In the mid 1920s, the regiment formed an official alliance with The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) of the British Army.

In the late 1930s, a special oakleaf shoulder badge was bestowed to the regiment in honour of the first combat action of the 10th Battalion, at Kitcheners' Wood during the Battle of St. Julien, part of the Second Battle of Ypres fought in April of 1917 in the area of Belgium known as Flanders.

On 1 September 1939, the Calgary Highlanders were ordered to mobilize for the Second World War. The regiment trained in Calgary until the summer of 1940 when it departed for Shilo, Manitoba. The Calgary Highlanders, CASF (Canadian Active Service Force) joined the 2nd Canadian Division there, and the 2nd Battalion was raised in Calgary for part time service.

In September 1940, the 1st Battalion arrived in England. During the Dieppe Raid of August 1942, the mortar platoon was attached to the raiding force but stayed offshore during the raid. Two sergeants were decorated with a Mention in Despatches for their part in shooting down two German aircraft during the raid, and one officer of the regiment was killed while ashore with a brigade headquarters.

The Calgary Highlanders pioneered battle drill for the Canadian Army, which was a realistic system of training infantry for the hardships of modern war. They themselves learned battle drill from the British 47th Division.

On 6 July 1944, one month after the Normandy landings, the regiment landed in France. The unit saw extensive action in Normandy, marched through Dieppe with the 2nd Division in September 1944 as liberators, then moved on to the fighting for the Channel Ports. By the end of September the regiment was in Belgium and forced a crossing of the Albert Canal, northeast of Antwerp.

The regiment saw extensive fighting in Holland in October 1944, opening the way to South Beveland, and then west to the Walcheren Island Causeway where it fought an epic battle beginning on Hallowe'en night.

From November to February 1945 the regiment wintered in the Nijmegen Salient, then was back in action in the Rhineland fighting, clearing the last approaches to the River Rhine itself. Fighting resumed on the far bank in March, and city fighting in Doetinchem and Groningen followed. The regiment ended the war on VE Day on German soil.

The regiment returned home in November 1945, adding 22 more battle honours to their Colours, and reverting to a one-battalion militia unit afterwards.

The Calgary Highlanders have contributed hundreds of soldiers to peacekeeping missions in the years since, and continue to train in an infantry role.

External links

Calgary Highlanders (http://www.calgaryhighlanders.com)