North Shore Regiment
Encyclopedia
The North Shore Regiment was a Canadian army unit that was raised in New Brunswick
.
This unit consisted primarily of soldiers from the northern part of th province of New Brunswick.
There is an active movement to attempt to make it a unit once again by the few emaining veterans of the time.
The book, "Scarlett Dawn", written by the unit's Roman Catholic Priest and Chaplain, provides one of the best and most accurate assessments of the North Shore Regiment. The author, Father Raymond Myles Hickey was awarded the Military Cross for his self sacrifice and bravery.
Several men in the Regiment died at a little known battle in Carpiquet on July 4, 1944, on Normandy, during their participation in D-Day! Planned by British General Bernard Montgomery, its goal was tp to seize the airport and thus make inaccessible the German armour and infantry units in the east by the seizure of the then strategic city of Caen. The event became known as The Battle of Carpiquet Airport and would proove decisive in the war and the significant role of D Day. The title of the chaplain's book is in fact a reference to the tremendous losses (for a small brigade) incurred by the North Shore in this one battle. A total of 132 casualties, 46 deaths, occurred , leading Father Hickey to term Caen's airport "the graveyard of the regimen."
Sadly, in 1987, while accompanying a few veterans of the unit to mark a monument honouring the dead Canadians rom Restigouche and Northumberland Counties and after an emotional speech about that day, the chaplain died there that evening!
It is noteworthy that the North Shore Regiment was among the first wave of the D Day attack on Hitler's evil and they are honoured every year in the small communities of northern New Brunswick. Father Hickey went on to a teaching career at St. Thomas University and also served as a Parish Priest in Campbellton, N.B. and other areas near his home village of Jacquet River, about 45 minutes from Campbellton.
It recruited two battalions (the 132nd and the 165th) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
in the First World War, and saw service itself in Europe in the Second World War. In 1954, it amalgamated with the Carleton and York Regiment and the The New Brunswick Scottish
to form the The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
.
The North Shore Regiment was sent over to England in 1939 with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
.
Its first engagement was Normandy, when it landed on Nan-Red Beach near Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
This unit consisted primarily of soldiers from the northern part of th province of New Brunswick.
There is an active movement to attempt to make it a unit once again by the few emaining veterans of the time.
The book, "Scarlett Dawn", written by the unit's Roman Catholic Priest and Chaplain, provides one of the best and most accurate assessments of the North Shore Regiment. The author, Father Raymond Myles Hickey was awarded the Military Cross for his self sacrifice and bravery.
Several men in the Regiment died at a little known battle in Carpiquet on July 4, 1944, on Normandy, during their participation in D-Day! Planned by British General Bernard Montgomery, its goal was tp to seize the airport and thus make inaccessible the German armour and infantry units in the east by the seizure of the then strategic city of Caen. The event became known as The Battle of Carpiquet Airport and would proove decisive in the war and the significant role of D Day. The title of the chaplain's book is in fact a reference to the tremendous losses (for a small brigade) incurred by the North Shore in this one battle. A total of 132 casualties, 46 deaths, occurred , leading Father Hickey to term Caen's airport "the graveyard of the regimen."
Sadly, in 1987, while accompanying a few veterans of the unit to mark a monument honouring the dead Canadians rom Restigouche and Northumberland Counties and after an emotional speech about that day, the chaplain died there that evening!
It is noteworthy that the North Shore Regiment was among the first wave of the D Day attack on Hitler's evil and they are honoured every year in the small communities of northern New Brunswick. Father Hickey went on to a teaching career at St. Thomas University and also served as a Parish Priest in Campbellton, N.B. and other areas near his home village of Jacquet River, about 45 minutes from Campbellton.
It recruited two battalions (the 132nd and the 165th) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
in the First World War, and saw service itself in Europe in the Second World War. In 1954, it amalgamated with the Carleton and York Regiment and the The New Brunswick Scottish
The New Brunswick Scottish
The New Brunswick Scottish was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army.Originally founded as The South New Brunswick Regiment in 1946 by the amalgamation of The Saint John Fusiliers and The New Brunswick Rangers, the regiment acquired its present title in 1946 shortly after establishment...
to form the The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
The Royal New Brunswick Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in New Brunswick. It consists of two battalions, both of which are part of 37 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment as it is now, was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of the Carleton and York Regiment,...
.
The North Shore Regiment was sent over to England in 1939 with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
.
Its first engagement was Normandy, when it landed on Nan-Red Beach near Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Calvados
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is located at the eastern end of Nan Sector of Juno Beach, one of the landing sites on D-Day, at the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, during World War II...
.