The Royal Montreal Regiment
Cap badge
Active2 November 1914
CountryCanada
BranchCanadian Army
TypeLine infantry
RoleInfantry
SizeOne battalion
Part ofRoyal Canadian Infantry Corps
Garrison/HQWestmount, Quebec
Motto(s)Anglo-Norman: Honi soit qui mal y pense, lit. 'Shame on him who thinks ill of it'
March"Ça Ira"
EngagementsFirst World War
Second World War
War in Afghanistan
Battle honoursSee #Battle honours

The Royal Montreal Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based in Westmount, Quebec. It is part of the 2nd Canadian Division's 34 Canadian Brigade Group.

Lineage

The Royal Montreal Regiment

  • Originated 2 November 1914 in Westmount, Quebec as an "8 company regiment of infantry"
  • Designated 1 December 1914 as the 58th Westmount Rifles
  • Redesignated 29 March 1920 as The Royal Montreal Regiment
  • Redesignated 15 December 1936 as The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun)'
  • Redesignated 7 November 1940 as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun)
  • Redesignated 16 October 1945 as The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun)
  • Redesignated 1 September 1954 as The Royal Montreal Regiment[1]

Lineage chart

Lineage chart[2]
191414th Bn, CEF58th Westmount Rifles23rd Bn, CEF
191523rd Reserve Bn, CEF
1920Disbanded1st Bn (14th Bn, CEF), The Royal Montreal RegtDisbanded2nd Bn,[lower-alpha 1] The Royal Montreal Regt
19201st (Westmount) Bn (14th Bn, CEF), The Royal Montreal Regt2nd Bn (23rd Bn, CEF), The Royal Montreal Regt
1936The Royal Montreal Regt (MG)Disbanded
1939The Royal Montreal Regt (MG), CASF
19401st Bn, The Royal Montreal Regt (MG), CASF2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Royal Montreal Regt (MG)
194332nd Recce Regt (Royal Montreal Regt), CAC, CASF
1944First Army HQ Defence Coy (Royal Montreal Regt), CASFNo. 9 Defence and Employment Pl (Royal Montreal Regt), CIC, CASF
1945First Canadian Army HQ Defence Bn (Royal Montreal Regt), CASF6th Canadian Infy Div. Recce Tp (The Royal Montreal Regt), CAC, CASF
19456th Canadian Infy Div. Recce Tp (The Royal Montreal Regt), RCAC, CASF
1945DisbandedDisbandedDisbandedThe Royal Montreal Regt (MG)
1954The Royal Montreal Regt

Perpetuations

The Great War

Operational history

The Great War

The 14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment), CEF was authorized on 1 September 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 27 and 29 September 1914. It disembarked in France on 15 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion disbanded on 15 September 1920.[1]

The 23rd Reserve Battalion, CEF was authorized on 21 October 1914 as the 23rd Battalion, CEF, and embarked for Great Britain on 23 February 1915 where it was redesignated as the 23rd Reserve Battalion, CEF on 18 April 1915 to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion disbanded on 15 September 1920.[1]

The Second World War

The regiment mobilized as The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF for active service on 1 September 1939. It was redesignated 1st Battalion, The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun), CASF on 7 November 1940. The regiment converted to armour on 25 January 1943 and was redesignated the 32nd Reconnaissance Regiment (Royal Montreal Regiment), CAC, CASF. It was reconverted back to infantry on 12 April 1944 and redesignated as the First Army Headquarters Defence Company (Royal Montreal Regiment), CASF, and on 5 April 1945 as the First Canadian Army Headquarters Defence Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment), CASF.[1]

The Royal Montreal Regiment (Machine Gun) embarked for the Great Britain on 7 December 1939. On 28 July 1944, the First Army Headquarters Defence Company (Royal Montreal Regiment), CASF, landed in France as a unit of First Canadian Army Troops, and it continued to serve in North West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 30 September 1945.[1]

On 24 May 1944, a sub-unit of the regiment, designated as the No. 9 Defence and Employment Platoon (Royal Montreal Regiment), CIC, CASF, was mobilized in England. On 27 June 1944, it landed in France as a unit of First Canadian Army Troops, and it continued to serve in North West Europe until the end of the war. This overseas platoon disbanded on 16 October 1945.[1]

On 1 June 1945, a second Active Force component of the regiment mobilized for service in the Pacific theatre of operations as the 6th Canadian Infantry Division Reconnaissance Troop (The Royal Montreal Regiment), CAC, CASF. It was redesignated the 6th Canadian Infantry 2-2-262 Division Reconnaissance Troop (The Royal Montreal Regiment), RCAC, CASF on 2 August 1945. The

troop disbanded on 1 November 1945.[1]

Afghanistan

The regiment contributed an aggregate of more than 20% of its authorized strength to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014.[3]

Alliances

Battle honours

In the list below, battle honours in small capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase were granted for more specific battles. Those battle honours in bold type are emblazoned on the regimental colour.[1]

First World War
Second World War

Honorary distinction: Second World War badge of the Canadian Armoured Corps borne on the regimental colour and appointments, for service with that arm

South-West Asia
Afghanistan[4]

Victoria crosses

Badge / Insignia

Argent an autumnal maple leaf proper inscribed ROYAL MONTREAL REGT in letters Or within a belt Azure edged, buckled and inscribed HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE in letters Or ensigned by the Royal Crown proper and set above a scroll Azure edged and inscribed CANADA in letters Or

The maple leaf and scroll bearing the word “CANADA” represent service to Canada, and the Crown, service to the Sovereign. The belt, with motto, is the insignia of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. “ROYAL MONTREAL REGT” is a form of the regimental title and “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE” is the motto of the regiment.

Armoury

Site Date(s) Designated Location Description Image
Westmount Armoury 4625 St. Catherine Street West 1925 Canada's Register of Historic Places Westmount, Quebec

Housing The Royal Montreal Regiment, this two-storey, red brick building in a residential neighbourhood is set in landscaped grounds planted with mature trees.
Royal Montreal Regiment Museum
Location4625, Saint Catherine Street, Westmount
TypeRegimental Museum
Website

The mission of the museum is to collect, preserve, research and photograph material relating to the history of the Royal Montreal Regiment, 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 is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, OMMC and Virtual Museum of Canada.

    Media

    • The Royal Montreal Regiment 1925-1945 by R. C. Fetherstonhaugh (1949)
    • The Royal Montreal Regiment 14th Battalion C. E. F. 1914-1925 by R. C. Fetherstonhaugh (1927)

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ Reserve order of battle
    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
    2. ↑ "The Royal Montreal Regiment". www.canada.ca. 2018-11-05. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
    3. ↑ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours | Prime Minister of Canada". Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
    4. ↑ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
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