The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own)

The 1st Volunteer Militia Rifle Company of Ottawa was formed on April 3, 1856. At that time, the bulk of Canada's militia existed as small, independent companies scattered throughout the provinces. In 1866, the 43rd Battalion of Infantry (otherwise known as the Carleton Blazers) was formed in Bells Corners (now part of Ottawa) with companies in many of the surrounding communities and absorbed Ottawa's volunteer rifle company. This company is perpetuated to this day as "A" Company of The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa.

The 43rd Battalion's first call to service came in 1870 when they were deployed to the Prescott area to defend Canada against Fenian raids. They saw no action there and quickly returned to Ottawa. Because they were so spread out, maintaining troop strength was difficult and in 1875, the regiment was disbanded.

In 1881, the unit was stood up again but this time as the 43rd "Ottawa and Carleton" Battalion of Rifles with the Ottawa volunteer rifle company and a number of other companies located in communities on the Ontario and Quebec sides of the Ottawa River. No 2 Company, 43rd "Ottawa and Carleton" Battalion of Rifles, which was garrisoned in Hull is currently perpetuated by Le Régiment de Hull.

Over the next 20 years, the 43rd's soldiers would see action in the North-West (Riel) Rebellion and in the Second Boer War. However, the battalion sent only volunteers to participate in these conflicts and never deployed formed units. During the Boer War, Private R.R. Thompson won a Queen's Scarf, a scarf crocheted by Queen Victoria, for bravery and his actions saving wounded soldiers.

In 1902, the regiment so impressed the Duke of Cornwall (later King George V) that he became the Camerons' first honorary colonel and allowed the regiment to bear his name. The regiment was then known 43rd Regiment, Duke of Cornwall's Own Rifles.

1914, when the First World War began, the unit was mobilized for action. However, once again, the unit did not go overseas as a formed unit. Instead, the unit was used to recruit and train soldiers mostly for the 2nd, 38th, and 207th battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The Camerons perpetuate the 38th and 207th battalions. The 38th saw action in France from 1916 to 1918 and received many battle honours. The members who served were also well decorated. The 207th left in June 1917 for France and were used as a reserve force for many units.

During the interwar years, the 43rd Regiment was reorganized and renamed on several occasions. In March 1920 it was converted from line infantry to a highland regiment and renamed The Ottawa Regiment (The Duke of Cornwall's Own). The regiment was allocated two battalions, the 1st Battalion (38th Battalion, CEF) and the 2nd Battalion (207th Battalion, CEF) (the 2nd Battalion existed only on paper), as a means of retaining the history and honours of the wartime Canadian Expeditionary Force battalions.[2] In 1922, the 43rd Regiment was renamed The Ottawa Highlanders and in 1933, it was renamed The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa. "(M.G.)" (for machine gun) was added to the regimental title in 1936. Since 1881 the unit has shared the City of Ottawa's motto "Advance".

The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa on parade, 16 May 1937

July 1940, the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa's active service battalion left for garrison duty in Iceland, which ended in April 1941 when they sailed to England. On 6 June 1944, the Camerons were the only Ottawa unit to land on D-Day at Juno Beach. The 1st Battalion consisted of three machine gun companies and one mortar company. Following the landing on D-Day, the battalion fought in almost every battle in the northwestern Europe campaign. However, the battalion's soldiers were often attached as platoons and companies in support of other units, so the battalion never fought as an entire entity. During this time, the 2nd Battalion recruited and trained soldiers in Canada for overseas duty. The 3rd Battalion was formed in July 1945 as a part of the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany.

The regimental flag of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa flies above a NATO installation near Tora Bora in Afghanistan

Since the Second World War, the regiment has remained in Ottawa. It is now a light infantry regiment.

Since 1985, the regiment's soldiers have served as deployed members on NATO and United Nations missions across the world and as members of Canadian Forces peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, The Congo, Cyprus, Israel, Somalia, and Syria, among other deployments.

During the deployment of a Canadian troops to Afghanistan, a number of Camerons served as reserve augmentees to the regular force as part of the NATO ISAF force. Camerons served in nearly every element of the task force with an infantry presence. They were involved in a full spectrum of operations, from the intense close combat of Operation Medusa in September 2006 and mentoring and training the Afghan National Army, to less conventional infantry tasks including civil-military cooperation, psychological operations, escort of logistical convoys, and force-protection duties at ISAF installations. The regiment continues to actively encourage members to volunteer for operational deployments, resulting in more Camerons serving overseas in recent years than in any period since the Second World War.

In August 2013, the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa were granted the secondary title of Duke of Edinburgh's Own Regiment after its colonel-in-chief.[3]

• SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1900

• Mount Sorrel
• SOMME 1916
• Ancre
• Ancre Heights
• ARRAS 1917, ‘18
• VIMY 1917
• YPRES, 1917
• PASSCHENDAELE
• AMIENS
• Scarpe 1918
• DROCQUORT-QUĖANT
• HINDENBURG LINE
• CANAL DU NORD
• VALENCIENNES
• Sambre
• France and Flanders 1916-18

↑

• NORMANDY LANDING
• CAEN
• CARPIQUET
• The Orne
• BOURGUĖBUS RIDGE
• Faubourg de Vaucelles
• FALAISE
• Quesnay Wood
• The Liaison
• BOULOGNE 1944
• THE SCHELDT
• Breskens Pocket
• The Rhineland
• Waal Flats
• THE HOCHWALD
• THE RHINE
• Zutphen
• Deventer
• Leer
• NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-1945

• AFGHANISTAN[4]

Claude Nunney, Victoria Cross Recipient

Claude Nunney was a member of the 38th (Ottawa) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force which is perpetuated by the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own). The Cameron Highlanders are a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve light infantry regiment located in the Cartier Square Drill Hall. Nunney was a private in the First World War when the following deeds took place for which he was awarded the VC:

For most conspicuous bravery during the operations against the Drocourt-Quéant Line on Sept. 1st and 2nd, 1918.

On Sept. 1st, when his battalion was in the vicinity of Vis-en-Artois, preparatory to the advance, the enemy laid down a heavy barrage and counter-attacked. Pte. Nunney, who was at this time at company headquarters, immediately on his own initiative proceeded through the barrage to the company outpost lines, going from post to post and encouraging the men by his own fearless example. The enemy were repulsed and a critical situation was saved.

During the attack on Sept. 2nd, his dash continually placed him in advance of his companions, and his fearless example undoubtedly helped greatly to carry the company forward to its objectives. When his battalion which was preparing to advance, was heavily counter-attacked by the enemy, Private Nunney on his own initiative, went forward through the barrage to the company out-post lines, going from post to post and encouraging the men by his own fearless example.

– London Gazette 13 December 1918[5]

He died aged 25, 16 days after receiving what proved to be mortal wounds and was buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, near Aubigny-en-Artois (Grave reference number IV. B. 39).

Thain MacDowell, Victoria Cross Recipient at Vimy Ridge

Thain Wendell MacDowell was one of four soldiers to earn the Victoria Cross in the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

On 9 April 1917 at Vimy Ridge, France, Captain MacDowell, with the assistance of two runners (company orderlies, Pvts. James T. Kobus and Arthur James Hay, both of whom were awarded the DCM for their part) reached the German position ahead of his company. After destroying one machine-gun nest he chased the crew from another. MacDowell then spotted one German going into a tunnel. At the base of the tunnel, MacDowell was able to bluff the Germans to think he was part of a much larger force, resulting in the surrendering of two German officers and 75 German soldiers. He sent the prisoners up out the tunnel in groups of 12 so that Kebus and Hay could take them back to the Canadian line. Seeing that he had been fooled, a German prisoner grabbed a rifle and tried to shoot one of the runners. The German was then shot and killed.

Although wounded in the hand, MacDowell continued for five days to hold the position gained, in spite of heavy shellfire, until eventually relieved by his battalion. He was promoted to the rank of Major following his actions at Vimy Ridge.[6]