The Royal Regiment of Canada

• Originated 21 December 1861 in Toronto, Ontario as The Toronto Engineers and Mechanics Rifle Corps
• First official designation 14 March 1862 as the 10th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada
• Redesignated 21 November 1862 as the 10th Battalion Volunteer Militia (Infantry), Canada
• Redesignated 10 April 1863 as the Tenth or "Royal Regiment of Toronto Volunteers"
• Reorganized 5 November 1880 with the appointment of Colonel Grasett and retirement of Colonel Shaw
• Redesignated 5 August 1881 as the 10th Battalion "Royal Grenadiers"
• Redesignated 8 May 1900 as the 10th Regiment "Royal Grenadiers"
• Served in the Great War as the 123rd Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, and supplied trained hundreds of infantry officers and men to several Canadian Battalions
• Redesignated 1 May 1920 as the Royal Grenadiers

• Originated 1 May 1920 in Toronto, Ontario
• Formed principally from the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion of the Great War
• Amalgamated 15 December 1936 with the Royal Grenadiers.[2]

• Amalgamated 15 December 1936 the Royal Grenadiers with the Toronto Regiment and redesignated as The Royal Regiment of Toronto Grenadiers
• Redesignated 11 February 1939 as the Royal Regiment of Canada
• Supplemented 7 November 1940 by the formation of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Canada for home service[2]

• 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF
• 58th Battalion, CEF
• 123rd Battalion (Royal Grenadiers), CEF
• 124th Battalion (Governor General's Body Guard), CEF
• 170th Battalion (Mississauga Horse), CEF
• 204th Battalion (Beavers), CEF[2]

The 10th or Royal Regiment of Toronto Volunteers was called out on active service from 8 to 31 March and from 1 to 22 June 1866. The battalion served on the Niagara frontier.[2]

The 10th Regiment, Royal Grenadiers was Called to Arms on 27 March 1885 and mobilized detachments for active service on 10 April 1885. These served with Middleton's column of the North West Field Force, until they returned from active service on 24 July 1885.[2]

The 10th Battalion Royal Grenadiers contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents during the South African War.[2]

The distinguishing patch of the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF.

The distinguishing patch of the 58th Battalion, CEF.

Details of the 10th Regiment Royal Grenadiers were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.[2]

The 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 26 September 1914. It disembarked in France on 11 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

The 58th Battalion, CEF, was authorized on 20 April 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 22 November 1915. It disembarked in France on 22 February 1916, where it fought as part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920. Its battalion history is captured in the book, "Second to None" by Kevin Shackleton.

The 123rd Battalion (Royal Grenadiers), CEF, was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 7 and 8 August 1916. It was converted to pioneers and redesignated the 123rd Canadian Pioneer Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF on 17 January 1917. It disembarked in France on 10 March 1917, where it served as the Pioneer Battalion of the 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until 25 May 1918, when it was reorganized to form three new Engineering Battalions; the 7th, 8th and 9th Canadian Engineer Battalions, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920. Its battalion history is chronicled in the book, "One-Two-Three - The Story of the 123rd Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF" by Dan Mowat.

The 124th Battalion (Governor General's Body Guard), CEF, was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 7 August 1916. It was redesignated the 124th Canadian Pioneer Battalion, CEF, on 17 January 1917. It disembarked in France on 11 March 1917, where it served as part of the 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until 26 May 1918, when it was reorganized to form three new Engineering Battalions; the 10th, 11th and 12th Canadian Engineer Battalions, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

The 170th Battalion (Mississauga Horse), CEF, was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on 25 October 1916. On 8 December 1916, its personnel were absorbed by the 169th Battalion (109th Regiment), CEF, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.

The 204th Battalion (Beavers), CEF, was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on 28 March 1917. On 4 May 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 2nd Reserve Battalion, CEF, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.

The camp flag of the Royal Regiment of Canada.

The regiment mobilised the Royal Regiment of Canada, CASF (Canadian Active Service Force), for active service on 1 September 1939. It embarked for garrison duty in Iceland with "Z" Force on 10 June 1940, and on 31 October 1940 it was transferred to Great Britain. It was redesignated the 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Canada, CASF, on 7 November 1940 when a 2nd Battalion was formed to provide reinforcements to the Regiment in Europe. The 1st battalion took part in the raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942. It landed again in France on 7 July 1944, as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, and continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The 1st battalion was disbanded on 31 December 1945 when it amalgamated with the 2nd Battalion back home.

Royals dead on Blue Beach at Puys. The height of the seawall can be clearly seen, the machine gun position above the sentry's head is well placed to fire along the wall

Tombstone of an unknown Lance Corporal of the Royal Regiment of Canada at the Sai Wan War Cemetery, which has been inscribed in error (actually a soldier from the Royal Rifles of Canada).

The naval engagement between the small German convoy and the craft carrying No. 3 Commando had alerted the German defenders at Blue Beach.[3] The Royal Regiment of Canada landed near Puys along with three platoons from the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada and an artillery detachment who were tasked to neutralize machine gun and artillery batteries protecting the Dieppe beach.[3] They were delayed by 20 minutes and the smoke screens that should have hidden their assault had lifted, eliminating the advantage of surprise and darkness lost. The Germans manned their defensive positions in preparation for the landings.[3] The well emplaced German forces stopped the Canadian forces that did land on the beach. As soon as they reached the shore, the Canadians found themselves pinned against the seawall, unable to advance and having murderous rifle and machine-gun fire rain down from the cliffs above.[3] The Royals suffered severe casualties: of the 556 men in the regiment 200 were killed and 264 captured.[3]

The regiment evolved from the 10th Royal Grenadiers and thus inherited British traditions. The regiment was authorized to wear the distinctive scarlet uniform of the "Guards" on all ceremonial occasions by decree of Queen Victoria. It is also sixth in the order of precedence.

• Law, Richard M (2018). Flowers of the Forest - The Pride of Our Land. Tellwell Talent.—Historical/Fiction novel about the 58th Battalion, CEF in Ypres, Belgium.