The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)

The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) Museum
The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) Museum
Location	Fort York Armoury, 660 Fleet Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1A9 Canada
Type	Regimental Museum

The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) R.C.A.C.
Active	1756 - Present
Country	Canada
Branch	Primary Reserve
Type	Reconnaissance
Role	Armoured Reconnaissance
Size	One Regiment, including Band, Cadets
Part of	Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
Garrison/HQ	Fort York Armoury, Toronto, Ontario
Motto(s)	Latin language: Pristinae Virtutis Memor; (Remembering their glories in former days); Celer et Audax (Latin language: Swift And Bold)
Colors	Green and Amethyst Blue
March	March - Braganza
Commanders
Current; commander	LCol Phil Halton, CD
Colonel-in-Chief	HRH The Duke of York

The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) R.C.A.C. is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve regiment based in Toronto and Aurora. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment consists of two reconnaissance squadrons, A Sqn in Aurora and B Sqn in Toronto, and a Headquarters Service Support Squadron in Toronto. The Regimental family also includes The Queen's York Rangers Band along with two Royal Canadian Army Cadets corps. The unit motto is Pristinae Virtutis Memor – Remembering their glories in former days. Among its own members and those of other regiments, the unit is referred to as the Rangers. The name is abbreviated as QY RANG.

Lineage[]

First raised in 1756 by Robert Rogers as a force of light infantry during the French and Indian War, the Rangers were intended to fight in the same manner as the French Canadian militia and their First Nations Allies.^[1] The Rangers were stood down in 1763, but were raised again by Rogers in 1775 to fight for the British Crown during the American Revolution. Under Colonel John Graves Simcoe, who took command in 1777, the Regiment particularly distinguished itself at the Battle of Brandywine, and still commemorates this battle today. It was also designated as the '1st American Regiment' on the British Army List in 1779.^[2]

Following the end of the Revolutionary War, most of the regiment settled in New Brunswick, but were reactivated by Simcoe in 1792 as he took up his appointment as the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. They were instrumental in the establishment of the city of York (now known as Toronto) and many of the city's oldest street names bear the names of Ranger's Officers such as Jarvis and Shaw. Rangers also first laid out Yonge Street and other major roads. They were stood down in 1802, although most still served in the York Militia.^[3]^[4]

Activated by Samuel Peter Jarvis for the War of 1812, the York Militia fought at the capture of Detroit, the Battle of Queenston Heights and in the unsuccessful defence of York itself in the American raid of 1813. Jarvis activated them again in 1837 during the Rebellion of Upper Canada, where the Regiment achieved some notoriety for the 'Caroline Affair' in early 1838—capturing a supply ship used by the last rebels on the American side of the Niagara river and sending it aflame over Niagara Falls. Thereafter they were stood down and returned to the informal annual musters of the York Militia.^[5]^[6]

The Rangers were activated again out of the York Militia by another member of the Jarvis family in Aurora, Ontario on 14 September 1866 as the 12th "York Battalion of Infantry". It was redesignated as the 12th Battalion of Infantry or "York Rangers" on 10 May 1872, as the 12th Regiment "York Rangers" on 8 May 1900 and, following the Great War, as The York Rangers on 1 May 1920. On 15 December 1936, it was amalgamated with The Queen's Rangers, 1st American Regiment and redesignated The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (MG). It was redesignated as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) on 5 March 1942, as The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (Reserve) on 15 September 1944, as The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) on 30 November 1945, as the 25th Armoured Regiment (Queen's York Rangers), RCAC on 19 June 1947, The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (25th Armoured Regiment) on 4 February 1949, The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) on 19 May 1958, The Queen's York Rangers (RCAC) on 3 September 1985 and The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) on 12 November 2004.^[7]

The Queen's Rangers, 1st American Regiment was formed in Toronto, Ontario on 15 January 1921 as The West Toronto Regiment. On 1 August 1925, it was amalgamated with the 2nd Battalion (35th Battalion, CEF), The York Rangers and redesignated The Queen's Rangers. It was redesignated The Queen's Rangers, 1st American Regiment on 1 December 1927. On 15 December 1936, it was amalgamated with The York Rangers.^[8]

Perpetuations[]

War of 1812: The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) perpetuate the Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada and the 1st and 3rd Regiments of the York Militia.

First World War: The Regiment perpetuates the 20th Battalion (Central Ontario), CEF, the 35th Battalion, CEF, 127th Battalion (12th York Rangers), CEF and the 220th Battalion (12th Regiment York Rangers), CEF.^[9]

Operational history[]

North West Rebellion[]

The 12th Battalion of Infantry (York Rangers) mobilized four companies for active service on 10 April 1885. The companies served with the York and Simcoe Provisional Battalion in the Alberta Column of the North West Field Force. The companies were removed from active service on 24 July 1885.^[10]

The Great War[]

The 20th Battalion (Central Ontario), CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 15 May 1915. It disembarked in France on 15 September 1915, where it fought as part of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. For much of the war, the commanding officer of the battalion was LCol C.H. Rogers, a descendant of Robert Rogers. The battalion performed particularly well at the Battle of the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele, and at Amiens and Canal du Nord in 1918. Two of its members, Lt Wallace Lloyd Algie and Sergeant Frederick Hobson, were posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

The 20th battalion was disbanded on 30 August 1920. Altogether, 4,310 officers and men had served in the Battalion; 843 were killed in action or died of wounds (often having been wounded earlier) and 1,855 were wounded—often several times. Some 22 members of the battalion had been taken prisoner during the war with the largest haul being when nine were taken when evacuating casualties at Passchendaele.

The 35th Battalion, CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 16 October 1915. The battalion was redesignated the 35th Reserve Battalion, CEF on 9 February 1915, and it provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 4 January 1917 when its personnel were absorbed by the 4th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 8 December 1917.

The 127th Battalion (12th York Rangers), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 21 August 1916. It provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 20 November 1916 when it was reorganized as a railway battalion. It disembarked in France on 13 January 1917, and was redesignated the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, CEF on 3 February 1917, where it provided special engineering services to the British Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders until the end of the war.

In April 1918 as the second great German offensive of the year rolled back over the old Somme Battlefield, the 127th was pressed into service as infantry near Amiens. Although initially trained as infantry, the battalion had not been employed as such but the men were apparently eager to show they could fight even if they were only armed with rifles. Combing through the chaos of Amiens, a large number of 'surplus' Lewis guns were 'acquired' and the battalion entered the line with considerably more firepower than might have been expected. At any rate, the German advance was being slowed up by exhausted troops and the usual logistical problems created in moving over WW1 Battlefields. The attempt to dislodge the 127th was not a determined one and the battalion's inordinate firepower debarred further attempts. The position they secured remained the Allied front line until the Amiens Offensive of August 8, 1918. Once relieved, the 127th returned to its previous duties. The battalion was disbanded on 23 October 1920.

The 220th Battalion (12th Regiment York Rangers), CEF was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Britain on 26 January 1917, where its personnel were absorbed by the 3rd Reserve Battalion, CEF on 7 May 1917 to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 1 September 1917.

The Second World War[]

Details from the regiment were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and placed on active service on 1 September 1939 for local protection duties until disbanded on 31 December 1940. The regiment subsequently mobilized the 1st Battalion, The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment), CASF on 5 March 1942.40 It served in Canada in a home defence role as part of Military District No. 2, until disbanded on 15 October 1943. Altogether, over 2,000 Rangers served in the Second World but those who went overseas did so in other regiments.

Battle honours[]

The following list are the battle honours won by the battalions perpetuated by the Rangers. They are organized by the campaign, Those battle honours in 'bold type are emblazoned on the regiment's guidon.

The War of 1812[]

North West Rebellion[]

NORTH WEST CANADA, 1885

The Great War[]

Alliances[]

United Kingdom - The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
United Kingdom - The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot)

Order of precedence[]

Preceded by The Ontario Regiment (RCAC)	The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) R.C.A.C.	Succeeded by Sherbrooke Hussars