The Grey and Simcoe Foresters

While many regiments of fusiliers, grenadiers and highlanders may be found in the armies of the Commonwealth, only one regiment of foresters exist – The Grey and Simcoe Foresters of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Foresters have had a unique history that has lived up to its rural versatility and spirit. The Foresters have enjoyed one of the most diverse roles in the Canadian Army, serving as infantry, armoured and artillery. Previously, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters of the British Army also held this title, however, due to restructuring into The Mercian Regiment, only one holder of this name now exists.

Foresters are a very old form of infantry finding its antecedents in Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest. The Grey and Simcoe Foresters were formed from the 1936 amalgamation of the 31st Grey Regiment and the 35th Simcoe Foresters both originally gazetted on September 14, 1866. Following the 1837 Rebellion, the Government of Upper Canada retained in January 1838 one troop of cavalry and three militia battalions on active service along the Niagara River and in Toronto. One of these battalions was a composite made up of soldiers from the two Simcoe County battalions of that era. This composite battalion, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Carthew, was known as the 1st Simcoe Incorporated Militia (Royal Foresters). This is the earliest known reference to the Simcoe County militia as "Foresters."

In the list below, battle honours in small 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.[2]

The now-retired colours presented in 1932 and 1978 do not include Hill 70 despite its being authorized. The regimental colour presented on May 20, 2016, includes all nine battle honours (with Arras, 1917, and Arras, 1918, combined on one scroll) and is a darker Lincoln green than its predecessors.[4][5]

Regimental Headquarters, 4 and 5 Platoons "B" Company

The Armoury, 37 Parkside Drive, Barrie, Ontario

1 and 2 Platoons "A" Company

Tommy Holmes, VC, Memorial Armoury, 858 10th Street East, Owen Sound, Ontario

Site	Date(s) & Architect	Designated	Location	Province	Description	Image
Barrie Armoury	1913-14 David Ewart	1997 Recognized - Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings	Barrie 37 Parkside Dr at High Street 44.38884°N 79.69634°W / 44.38884; -79.69634	Ontario	Housing 4 and 5 Platoons in "B" Company of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, this large, mansard roofed Baronial style structure with sturdy projecting towers and a three-arched entrance is in a residential area near the centre of the city.
Tommy Holmes VC Memorial Armoury			Owen Sound 858 10th Street East 44.56996°N 80.93045°W / 44.56996; -80.93045	Ontario	Houses 1 and 2 Platoons in "A" Company of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters. Tommy Holmes was Canada's youngest Victoria Cross winner

The unit deploys as "C" Company or combined Companies.

The Governor General of Canada, David Johnston, presented new colours to the regiment on 20 May 2016.[6] The old colours were laid up in St. George's Anglican Church in Owen Sound in November 2017.[5]

The Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, Pauline McGibbon, presented the previous stand of colours to the regiment on 28 May 1978.[5] The regiment had been without colours since the colours of the Simcoe Foresters, presented in 1932, were laid-up in St. Thomas Anglican Church at Shanty Bay, Ontario, near Barrie, on 17 November 1946, when the regiment was converted to Royal Canadian Artillery. In 1968, a decade after reverting to armour as the 28th Armoured Regiment, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, a guidon was approved but never produced. Two years later, The Grey and Simcoe Foresters reverted to infantry, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. On 3 September 1983, the colours were trooped in the presence of His Excellency The Right Honourable Edward Schreyer, Governor General of Canada. In 1986, the colours were paraded with the guard of honour for Anne, Princess Royal, during her official opening of Queen's Quay, Toronto, Ontario.

The first colour of the 31st Grey Battalion was presented and consecrated 22 March 1867 at Annan, Ontario.[5] It had first been produced following the Fenian Raids for the Leith Rifles, which became No. 3 Company, 31st Grey Battalion. This colour was entrusted to the Telford family, which presented it to the regiment in 1962, which laid it up in the Owen Sound Officers' Mess.

The 147th Grey (Overseas) Battalion received its colours on 22 August 1916 at Camp Borden. These were laid-up for safekeeping in St. Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, on 26 May 1917. They were reclaimed on 3 March 1919 and returned to Canada where they were deposited in the Owen Sound Public Library on 16 September. Eventually, they were encased in the Owen Sound Officers' Mess. In a rather unorthodox approach, a duplicate stand of 147th colours was produced in 1948 by the Grey Council Council and deposited in the old County Courthouse by the association on 13 April 1949. The 248th Grey (Overseas) Battalion did not receive colours before embarking for England in 1916 and was later disbanded for reinforcements.

The 35th Simcoe Foresters received its first stand of colours on 25 May 1868, one year after Canada's Confederation, during the reign of Queen Victoria. The second stand of colours was presented on 8 July 1909 (during the reign of King Edward VII) and later laid-up in All Saints Anglican Church Collingwood, Ontario on 15 October 1932, (during the reign of King George V), following the presentation of the third stand of colours.[5] On 17 September 2000, the 1909 colours were reclaimed by the regiment and laid-up in the regimental museum at Barrie, Ontario.

The 157th Overseas Battalion (Simcoe Foresters) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force received its colours on 12 October 1916 at Camp Borden. Following the First World War this stand of colours was laid-up in St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Barrie, Ontario, on 10 October 1919 and subsequently moved to the Simcoe County Archives on 21 July 1968 and then to the Simcoe County Museum in December 1979. On 18 June 1982, the regiment reclaimed this stand of colours and laid them up in its Barrie Officers' Mess. The 177th Overseas Battalion (Simcoe Foresters) did not receive a stand of colours during its short existence.

Major-General Sir Sam Steele, 35th Simcoe Foresters, 31st Grey, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), North-West Mounted Police, South African Constabulary,
Lieutenant-Colonel W.E. O'Brien, 35th Simcoe Foresters, Commanding Officer York-Simcoe Battalion, Riel Rebellion,
Captain the Honourable Leslie Frost, 157th Battalion (Simcoe Foresters), CEF, 20th Battalion CEF, Premier of Ontario,
Major the Honourable Sir Daniel Hunter McMillan, 35th Simcoe Foresters, 95th Battalion, Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba,
Private Thomas William Holmes, VC 147th (Grey) Battalion, CEF, 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles,
Brigadier Thomas Rutherford, CBE, ED, 147th (Grey) Battalion, CEF, 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, The Grey and Simcoe Foresters,
Colonel the Honourable Mr. Justice Robert C. Rutherford, MBE, CD, The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, Governor General's Horse Guards,
Colonel Jason Adair, CD, Commander 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regimental Museum is located on Mulcaster Street, Barrie, Ontario. The museum perpetuates the history of the Grey & Simcoe Foresters as a means of instilling pride of Regiment & Country in new recruits and to enable the public at large to better appreciate the role of the military in the development of the area.[7] The museum is affiliated with: CMA, CHIN, OMMC and Virtual Museum of Canada.

The museum offers a variety of artifacts from the 19th century and from both world wars. Most of the artifacts in the museum have been donated by various Simcoe and Grey Regiment members. The museum is operated and maintained by Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regiment volunteers. Hours: May – November: Wednesday – Saturday 10am – 3pm; ....December–April: By appointment.

The Badge of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters is armorially described as, resting on a scroll Vert inscribed "FORESTERS" Argent Maltese Cross Argent charged with a pomme bearing a stag couchant upon a mount proper encircled wreath of autumnal maple leaves on the sinister arm of the Cross and extending to the wreath a demi scroll Vert inscribed "GREY &" Argent on the dexter arm of the Cross and extending to the wreath a demi scroll Vert inscribed "SIMCOE" Argent the ensigned with the Crown.

The Badge was adopted upon the amalgamation of the Grey Regiment and the Simcoe Foresters in December 1936, and is based upon the former badge of the allied regiment, the Sherwood Foresters, perpetuated by the present-day 2nd Battalion (Worcesters and Foresters), Mercian Regiment

The regimental camp flag is Lincoln green over hunting scarlet on the diagonal and bears the badge in silver and gold in the upper left.

• 4th Canadian Division
• Uniforms of the Canadian Forces
• Regimental nicknames of the Canadian Forces
• List of armouries in Canada

• Chajkowsky, William E. "The History of Camp Borden, 1916–18, Land of Sand, Sin and Sorrow." Vineland: Station Press, 1983.
  Fisher, Major J.R. and Captain E.J. Fuller. "The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, A Concise Regimental History." Barrie: The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, 2008 ISBN 0-9683546-1-0
  Frost, Honourable Leslie. "Fighting Men" Toronto: Clarke, Irwin, 1967
• Rutherford, Brigadier Tom, ed. "An Unofficial History of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regiment 1866 to 1973." Owen Sound: The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, 1974
• Telford, Major Murray M. "Scarlet to Green, the colours, uniforms and insignia of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters." Erin: The Boston Mills Press, 1987 ISBN 0-919783-82-1

• Official website
• The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Website
• Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regimental Association Website
• 31 Brigade

•  United Kingdom – The Mercian Regiment