Princess of Wales' Own Regiment

The regiment was created on 16 January 1863, as the 14th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada from the amalgamation of Kingston, Ontario’s seven independent rifle companies. Shortly after the wedding of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) to Princess Alexandra of Denmark, the regiment asked for and was given permission to become The Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment.

During the Fenian Raid of 1866, when the Irish extremists attempted to bring Britain to her knees by attacking Canada, the regiment was called to active duty, both to Niagara and later to Cornwall. The band mace presented to the regiment by its officers "In Remembrance of Cornwall" is in the museum.

In 1885, during the Riel Rebellion the PWOR was again activated, but not for field service in the West, as it had hoped. It was destined for garrison duties at Tete-du-Pont Barracks (now Fort Frontenac) and Fort Henry.

The Boer War, in South Africa, in 1899, again brought members of the 14th to the Colours. A number of members served in various units and because of the 14th’s contribution, “South Africa 1900” became the first battle honour. As a matter of interest, a PWOR officer by the name of Major Wallace Bruce Matthews Carruthers, made his own way to South Africa, after being turned down for South Africa service, in Canada. He was "signed-on" as a Lieutenant and distinguished himself sufficiently that he was asked to join the regular force. When he returned to Canada, he was asked to set up the Canadian Signal Corps.

The outbreak of World War I in 1914, resulted in a response by members of the regiment that was quite remarkable. Very quickly a contingent of 80 men was formed under Captain George T. Richardson, (for whom George Richardson Stadium in Kingston is named—he became the PWOR’s first officer fatality) and sent to the 2nd (Eastern Ontario Regiment) Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), of the 1st Canadian Division, which was part of Canada’s First Contingent. At the same time, the 21st Battalion, CEF was formed in Kingston, under the Commanding Officer of the PWOR, Lieutenant-Colonel St Pierre Hughes. The PWOR also contributed officers and men to the 59th, 146th, and 253rd Battalions, CEF.

The history of the 21st Battalion, which the PWOR perpetuates, is far too long to relate here, however, it should be mentioned that the unit earned eighteen Battle Honours were won in three years of frontline service. A great deal of the 21st Battalion history, including its Colours, is found in the regimental museum. There is also a photo tribute to the 21st Battalion . The mascot of the Princess of Wales' Own Regiment during the Great War, a white goat named `Nan`, retired to the Royal Military College of Canada stables from 1918 until her death on September 22, 1924 at 12 years of age. She was buried in the Cataraqui Cemetery[1]

In 1920, in the post war re-organization of the Militia, the 14th Battalion Rifles was re-designated as a line infantry regiment so that it could carry the Battle Honours and Colours of the 21st Battalion, CEF (A rifle regiment carries its Battle Honours on its drums).

The Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment, became allied on 15 July 1926 with the South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales’ Volunteers) who count among their Battle Honours Louisburg and Niagara. In the mid-1960s, the South Lancashire Regiment was amalgamated with other Lancashire regiments to form the present allied regiment - The Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

Princess of Wales Own Regiment war recruitment poster

In the Second World War, the decision was made not to mobilize the regiment, because of the heavy losses suffered in the First World War. Instead, it provided one complete company to the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders (Glens), which went under canvas at the Kingston fairgrounds. The Glens went ashore on D-Day under a PWOR officer, Lieutenant-Colonel GH Christiansen, as part of the 9th (Highland) Brigade, commanded by another PWOR officer, Brigadier-General Douglas Gordon Cunningham.

In June 1942, the 1st battalion PWOR was formed under Lieutenant-Colonel E Cockburn and it served in Sherbrooke, Quebec and Debert, Nova Scotia, where it was deployed for east coast defence. All told, the regiment supplied 1500 men for active service including one Brigadier, four Colonels and eight Lieutenant-Colonels.

In 1963, the PWOR celebrated its Centennial, and was granted freedom of the City of Kingston. It was presented with the new Colours by the Lieutenant Governor, the Honorable Earl Rowe. On the Colours was emblazoned the badge of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, 1939–1945, commemorating the service of PWOR members in that regiment.

The PWOR went through a decline during the 1970s and 1980s, where a measure of a unit’s success was simply the ability to remain active and keep off the increasing list of once proud units now relegated to the supplementary order of battle. The regiment was reduced to a minor unit, with only one authorized company for most of the Seventies, until finally in 1978, it was again elevated to major unit status.

The regiment has always acquitted itself well in competition over the years, whether in sports, shooting or skill at arms. In 1895, the Regimental Quarter Master represented Canada at Bisley. His rifle and some of his winnings are on display in the museum. More recently a member of the unit was part of the 1990 Canadian Forces Bisley Team and a member of the unit's Cadet Corps distinguished herself on the same ranges.

Today, the regiment is composed of men and women from all walks of life including students, policemen and farmers. Members of the regiment have distinguished themselves on recent peacekeeping tours in Cyprus and the former republics of Yugoslavia.

Members of the regiment have also served on combat missions in Afghanistan during Operation Medusa.

The Freedom of the City was exercised by the Princess of Wales' Own Regiment in Kingston 4 May 2013.[2]

Today, the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment continues to maintain itself as an effective component of the ‘Total Force’ army, preparing to fulfill its role, if called upon, as a first rate infantry unit of the Army's Primary Reserve.

•  United Kingdom - The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border)

War of 1812: The Princess of Wales Own Regiment perpetuates the Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada, the 1st Regiment of Addington Militia, the 1st Regiment of Frontenac Militia and the 1st Regiment of Lennox Militia.[8]

The Great War: The Princess of Wales Own Regiment perpetuates the 21st Battalion (Eastern Ontario), CEF, the 59th Battalion (Ontario), CEF and 253rd Battalion (Queen's University Highland), CEF.

The regimental colour of The Princess of Wales Own Regiment.

In the list below, battle honours in capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles. Battle honours in Bold Type are emblazoned on the regimental colour.[9]

Capt. Herbert W. McBride who served with the 21st Battalion wrote two books about his experiences as a member of the unit during the Great War as a sniper and machine gunner: "A Rifleman Went To War" and "The Emma Gees."[15]

The PWOR Band is an all-volunteer, pipe and drum band sponsored by the regiment. The band’s mission statement is to provide a highland tradition to the PWOR. Events the PWOR Band have contributed to include Remembrance Day Parades and the Canada Day Parade.[16]

In May 1917, the officers of the 21st Battalion had a cross built to commemorate their comrades lost in the hard fighting for Vimy Ridge. Private George Williams, a carpenter, salvaged wood from the battlefield to make the cross, ten feet high and three feet across, which was painted white and bore a metal plaque, "In Memory of the Officers, NCOs and Men; 21st Canadian Infantry Battalion Killed in Action April 9th 1917". The cross was originally erected near Thelus, France. The cross was erected in Sanctuary Wood, and than later on the grounds of the Royal Military College of Canada in the early 1920s. In 1992-1994 the cross was refurbished and moved into the West wall, Regimental Armouries, 100 Montreal Street with the 21st Battalion cap badge at its foot and surrounded by the regiment's 19 then current battle honours. During services held by the regiment and Association every April, the name of every 21st Battalion soldier killed at Vimy is read aloud.[17]

The museum collects and conserves military artifacts pertaining to the regiment, its antecedents and other militia or military organizations whose roots are found in Kingston. The museum displays artifacts appropriately to members of the military and community in order to foster a better understanding of the military heritage of Kingston’s citizen soldiers in peace and war. The museum serves as a resource for the teaching of military history both to the members of the Regiment and to the public.[18] The Kingston Armouries is a Classified Federal Heritage Building 1989 on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings.[19]

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  Fred C Palmer marching band World War 1; (East Kent Regiment), which raised nine battalions in World War I. Today the Buffs are amalgamated into the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
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  Fred C Palmer Royal Fusiliers portrait World War 1
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  Fred C Palmer equestrian portrait World War 1
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  Fred C Palmer World War 1 ASC soldiers
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  Fred C Palmer World War 1 horses

The regiment formerly operated a senior ice hockey team which played in the Ontario Hockey Association, and won the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1908.[20] Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Captain George Richardson and Scotty Davidson played on the senior team.[21][22]

• List of armouries in Canada
• Military history of Canada
• History of the Canadian Army
• Canadian Forces
• The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces

• Princess of Wales' Own Regiment
• Information
• The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment on Duty & Valour
• Nan, mascot of the 21st Battalion on Duty & Valour

• A Rifleman Went To War, by Capt. Herbert W. McBride, MM, Small Arms Technical Publishing Company 1935, ISBN 978-1-62358-028-5
• The Emma Gees, by Capt. Herbert W. McBride, MM, The Bobbs-Merrill Company Publishers, 1918, ISBN
• The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment ( M.G. ) by J. D. And Others Mackenzie - Naughton (1946)