The Calgary Highlanders | 360 Degree Interactive Tour - Military Museums of Calgary
114I had the pleasure of attending a personal tour of the The Military Museums of Calgary, in Alberta which is the largest tri-service museum in Western Canada and the second largest military museum in the country. The Museum is now OPEN for visitors. This was one of many exhibits the museum had to offer. Alberta proud! 41 Brigade for the win! ;-)
The Calgary Highlanders is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment, headquartered at Mewata Armouries in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The regiment is a part-time reserve unit, under the command of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, itself part of 3rd Canadian Division, one of four region-based Canadian Army divisions. The regiment is one of only two regiments in the Canadian Forces (with The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) to wear an honorary distinction on their uniform, commemorating the counterattack at Kitcheners' Wood. On 9 January 2015, the regiment was recognized with the Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation for outstanding contributions to the war in Afghanistan.
The Calgary Highlanders Regiment can trace their origins back to 1 April 1910, when they were organized as the 103rd Regiment (Calgary Rifles). The Unit was converted to a highland regiment in 1921, and from that day on, became known as the Calgary Highlanders.
Members of the regiment were of volunteer status, and continued on with their civilian occupations while training on evenings and weekends. The Calgary Highlanders were mobilized for the first time on 1 September 1939, when the Second World War was declared and they received a one word telegram simply saying "mobilize".
By 4 October 1939, the Calgary Highlanders had already recruited 20 men over their allotted number. After training for almost one full year, the Regiment sailed on 27 August 1940, from Halifax to Gourouck, Scotland, on the SS Pasteur. They arrived on September 4, only to begin what would be more than three years of training in Great Britain.
On 19 August 1942, 22 of the Calgary Highlanders landed on the shores of Dieppe for this unforgettable Raid. They were to be supported by the Calgary Tanks, but to their surprise, the Calgary Tanks did not arrive. Impressively, however, the Highlanders did not suffer any fatal casualties and all returned safely to England.
After landing at Normandy on D-Day, the Calgary Highlanders moved on to France and later returned to England in 1945. They departed for home on November 24 and paraded triumphantly through the streets of Calgary. The Calgary Highlanders were disbanded on 15 December 1945.