48th Highlanders of Canada
Encyclopedia
The 48th Highlanders of Canada is a Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

 Primary Reserve (i.e., part-time militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...

) infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

 regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

 based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, parading out of Moss Park Armoury
Moss Park Armoury
Moss Park Armoury is a Canadian Forces facility located at 130 Queen Street East, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is at the northeast corner of Jarvis Street and Queen Street East, in the neighbourhood of Moss Park...

. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area
Land Force Central Area
Land Force Central Area is responsible for the administration of the Canadian Army in the province of Ontario, from the Quebec border to the northern Lakehead region...

's 32 Canadian Brigade Group
32 Canadian Brigade Group
32 Canadian Brigade Group is part of Land Force Central Area, under the Canadian Army. It is centered around the Greater Toronto Area, as well as Grey and Simcoe Counties...

.

Ever since its formation in 1891, the 48th Highlanders have had a longstanding tradition of participation in the life of its parent city, Toronto. The regiment has participated in community functions for over 100 years, in addition to fulfilling its operational duties around the world. Since its inception, the men and women of the regiment have been among the first Canadians to step forward and answer their nation's call. Members of the regiment have served on Operation RECUPERATION, in the Golan Heights, Korea, South Africa, Cambodia, Cyprus, Bosnia, and Afghanistan to name only a few and of course, both World Wars and the Boer War.

The regiment is allied with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

 regiment The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.Prior to 28 March 2006, the Highlanders was an infantry regiment in its own right; The Highlanders , part of the Scottish Division...

 (formerly the Gordon Highlanders). The relationship with the Gordon Highlanders represents the oldest officially sanctioned regimental alliance in the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 and small unit exchanges are conducted frequently.

The regiment is nicknamed "The Glamour Boys" or "The Dirty Four Dozen". The name "The Glamour Boys" was coined by the other regiments that served with the 48th Highlanders during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 in the 1st Canadian Infantry Division
1st Canadian Infantry Division
The 1st Canadian Infantry Division was a formation mobilized on 1 September 1939 for service in the Second World War. The division was also reactivated twice during the Cold War....

, 1 Brigade. The brigade was being inspected by King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...

 but there were not enough regulation khaki puttee
Puttee
A puttee, also spelled puttie, is the name, adapted from the Hindi patti, bandage , for a covering for the lower part of the leg from the ankle to the knee, consisting of a long narrow piece of cloth wound tightly and spirally round the leg, and serving both as a support and protection, worn...

s (leg wrappings) for all the soldiers. The 48th had to wear unofficial blue puttees. The King inquired as to why the 48th wore different puttees from the rest of the brigade. He was told that there were not enough khaki ones for all the units. The King replied that he liked the blue puttees better and that they should keep them. The 48th Highlanders continued to wear blue puttees until battledress was eventually phased out. The nickname "Dirty Four Dozen" is a play on The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen is a 1967 film directed by Robert Aldrich and released by MGM. It was filmed in England and features an ensemble cast, including Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, and Robert Webber. The film is based on E. M...

and "48" being equivalent to four dozen.

The regiment provided a Guard of Honour for the G7 summit in 1988
14th G7 summit
The 14th G7 Summit was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between June 19 and 21, 1988. The venue for the summit meetings was the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in central Toronto....

, a full Royal Honour Guard for Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 as well as the Royal Winter Fair, annually. The Regimental Colour Party has marched in events as far afield as Prince Edward Island and the United States, and remains in great demand as a living example of the pageantry and gallantry of the Highland regimental tradition.

The regiment's Military Band and the pipes and drums have played at every Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 home opening game at both Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...

 and the Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....

. The bands were requested by Conn Smythe
Conn Smythe
Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe MC was a Canadian businessman, soldier and sportsman in ice hockey and horse racing. He is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League from 1927 to 1961 and as the builder of Maple Leaf Gardens...

, who had been a major in the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, to play at the opening of the new Maple Leaf Gardens on November 12, 1931.

The regiment's motto is Dileas gu brath, which is Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....

 for "faithful forever". The regimental tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...

 is the Davidson, but pipers wear the Stewart of Fingask. The regiment's Colonel-in-Chief
Colonel-in-Chief
In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...

 is Elizabeth II.

The regiment supports two cadet corps
Royal Canadian Army Cadets
The Royal Canadian Army Cadets is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Forces and the civilian Army Cadet League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, the program is funded through the Department of National Defence with the civilian partner providing support in...

. These are the 48th Highlanders Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, which is based in the same armoury as the regiment itself, and 142 St. Andrew's College Highland Cadet Corps, based in Aurora
Aurora, Ontario
Aurora is an affluent town in York Region, approximately 20 km north of Toronto. It is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine, and is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.Many Aurora residents commute to Toronto and surrounding communities.In the...

 as one of the mandatory activities for students of St. Andrew's College
St. Andrew's College (Aurora, Ontario)
St. Andrew's College, also known as SAC, is an independent school founded in 1899 located in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is a university-preparatory school for boys in grades 6 to 12, with a focus on academic achievement, athletics, and leadership development...

.

Operational History

The 48 Highlanders contributed individual volunteers for the Canadian Contingents to South Africa, mainly the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry
The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Primary Reserve...

.

During the Great War, the 15th Battalion, CEF, was authorized on 1 September 1914 and embarked for Britain on 26 September 1914 and arrived in in France on 15 February 1915. The Battalion fought as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division
1st Canadian Division
Formed in August 1914, the 1st Canadian Division was a formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The division was initially made up from provisional battalions that were named after their province of origin but these titles were dropped before the division arrived in Britain on October 14,...

 in France and Flanders throughout the war. The 15th Battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920. The 92nd Battalion was authorized on 30 July 1915 and embarked for Britain on 20 May 1916, where the battalion provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 24 January 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 5th Reserve Battalion, CEF before being disbanded on 1 September 1917. The 134th Battalion was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 8 August 1916, where it provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 7 March 1918, when its personnel were absorbed by the 12th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was then disbanded on 29 November 1918.

During the Second World War, the regiment mobilized the 48th Highlanders of Canada, CASF, on 1 September 1939. It was subsequently redesignated the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders of Canada, CASF, on 7 November 1940. It departed Canada for for Britain on 16 December 1939, and on 13 June 1940 it went to France as part of the abortive Second British Expeditionary Force. The Battalion reached Sablé-sur-Sarthe before being ordered back to Briatin. It landed in Sicily on 10 July 1943 and in Italy on 3 September 1943 as part of the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division
1st Canadian Infantry Division
The 1st Canadian Infantry Division was a formation mobilized on 1 September 1939 for service in the Second World War. The division was also reactivated twice during the Cold War....

. In March 1945, the regiment moved with the remainder of the 1st Canadian Corps to North West Europe, where it fought until the end of the war. The overseas battalion was disbanded on 31 December 1945. On 1 June 1945, a second battalion of the regiment was mobilized for service in the Pacific theatre of operations, designated as the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada), CASF. This battalion was disbanded on 1 November 1945.

Perpetuations

The 48th Highlanders of Canada perpetuate the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada), CEF, the 92nd Battalion (48th Highlanders), CEF, and the 134th Battalion (48th Highlanders), CEF..

48th Highlanders Museum

The 48th Highlanders Museum is located in downtown Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 in the basement of St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Church (Toronto)
St. Andrew's Church, 73 Simcoe Street, Toronto is a large and historic Romanesque Revival Presbyterian church in downtown Toronto, Canada.-History:...

 at the comer of King and Simcoe. The mission of the Museum is to collect, preserve, research and photograph material relating to the history of the 48th Highlanders of Canada, its former members and its site, and, through the appropriate display of such items, to convey this history to the currently serving members, the broader Canadian Forces community and the public. The museum includes regimental uniforms, medals, photographs, weapons and other artifacts. Founded in 1959, the museum opened in its current location in 1997. The Museum is affiliated with: CMA
Canadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...

, CHIN
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...

, OMMC
Organization of Military Museums of Canada
The Organization of Military Museums of Canada is a national organization for the promotion of military museums in Canada.The OMMC was established in 1967 by a group of military museums, historians, and military history enthusiasts. It has over 40 individual and 60 institutional members including...

 and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...

.

Battle honours (49)

Early History
  • SOUTH AFRICA, 1899–1900
    Second Boer War
    The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...



First World War
  • YPRES, 1915
    Second Battle of Ypres
    The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...

    , '17, Gravenstafel, St. Julien, FESTUBERT, 1915
    Battle of Festubert
    The Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...

    , MOUNT SORREL, SOMME, 1916, Pozières
    Battle of Pozières
    The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...

    , Thiepval, Ancre Heights, Arras 1917,'18, VIMY 1917, Arleux, Scarpe 1917,'18, HILL 70, PASSCHENDAELE, AMIENS, DROCOURT-QUÉANT, Hindenburg Line, CANAL DU NORD, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1915–1918


Second World War
  • LANDING IN SICILY, Valguarnera, ASSORO, Agira, Adrano, Regalbuto, Sicily 1943, Landing at Reggio, CAMPOBASSO, Torella, San Leonardo, The Gully, ORTONA, San Nicola – San Tommaso, Cassino II, Gustav Line, LIRI VALLEY, HITLER LINE, GOTHIC LINE, LAMONE CROSSING, Misano Ridge, RIMINI LINE, San Martino – San Lorenzo, Fosso Vecchio, Italy 1943-1945, APELDOORN, North-West Europe 1945

Order of precedence

External links

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