The Royal Regina Rifles
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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 regiment, nicknamed "The Johns" during the Second World War because of the high proportion of "Farmer Johns" in its ranks, perpetuates the 28th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
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[edit] 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. Four battalions were raised during the Second World War.
During the Second World War it received 14 Military Medals with 1 Bar to that award, 7 Distinguished Service Orders, 7 Military Cross awards, 1 British Empire Medal, 1 Africa Star, 3 French Croix de Guerre, 1 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 anniliated by the British and Canadian forces. The regiment later entered Caen.
- 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.
[edit] See also
List of Canadian organizations with royal patronage
[edit] Battle Honors
[edit] during WWI
- 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
[edit] during WWII
- Normandy Landing
- Thescheldt
- 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
[edit] Alliances
[edit] References
- www.regiments.org - The Royal Regina Rifles
- www.reginarifles.ca - The Regina Rifles in WW II
- 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.
[edit] Order of precedence
| Preceded by: North Saskatchewan Regiment |
The Royal Regina Rifles | Succeeded by: The Rocky Mountain Rangers |
Land Force Areas: LFAA • LFQA • LFCA • LFWA
Canadian Mechanize Brigade Groups: 1 CMBG • 2 CMBG • 5 CMBG
Canadian Brigade Groups: 31 CBG • 32 CBG • 33 CBG • 34 CBG • 35 CBG • 36 CBG • 37 CBG • 38 CBG • 39 CBG • 41 CBG
Soldier Weapons: • C9 machine-gun • C7A1 rifle/C8A1 carbine/C-7A2 rifle • C6 machine-gun • Browning .50 calibre heavy machine-gun • Browning-HP 9 mm pistol •P225, 226 •Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW) • C3A1 sniper rifle • C13 fragmentation grenade •M203 grenade launcher • M72 SRAAW(L)
Crewed Weapons: • Carl Gustav SRAAW(M) •ERYX SRAAW(H) • TOW LRAAW(H) • 81 mm mortar •60 mm mortar • Javelin short-range air defence missile •Skyguard • C1 close support howitzer • C3 close support howitzer • LG1 Mark II 105 mm towed howitzer • M777 lightweight 155mm howitzer
Armoured Fighting Vehicles: LAV III • Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle • ADATS • Leopard C2 • M109 howitzer • Bison APC • M113A3 and MTVL • RG-31
