Prince Edward Island Regiment

The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Forces, 5th Canadian Division, 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment is based in Charlottetown and Summerside, Prince Edward Island.[1][2][3]

The Prince Edward Island Regiment
Regimental badge
Active1946–present
CountryCanada
BranchCanadian Army
TypeCavalry
RoleArmoured reconnaissance
SizeOne regiment (140 soldiers)
Part of36 Canadian Brigade Group
Garrison/HQJ. David Stewart Armoury, Charlottetown
Motto(s)Parva sub ingenti (Latin for 'The small under the protection of the great')
ColorsGold and black
March"Old Solomon Levi"
Engagements
Battle honoursSee #Battle honours
Websitearmy-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/5-canadian-division/the-prince-edward-island-regiment/index.page Edit this at Wikidata
Commanders
Current
commander
LCol J.P. (Jean-Paul) Pendergast
Colonel-in-chiefPrince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
Insignia
AbbreviationPEIR
NATO Map Symbol

Organization

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The Prince Edward Island Regiment is organized into the following components:

  • Regimental Headquarters
  • Recce Squadron
  • Headquarters Squadron
  • Band

Lineage

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The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)

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  • Originated on 25 June 1875, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, as the Queen's County Provisional Battalion of Infantry.
  • Amalgamated on 30 June 1876, with the Charlottetown Provisional Battalion of Infantry and redesignated as the Queen's County Battalion of Infantry.
  • Redesignated on 4 October 1878, as the 82nd Queen's County Battalion of Infantry.
  • Redesignated on 8 May 1900, as the 82nd Queen's County Regiment.
  • Redesignated on 5 June 1906, as the 82nd Abegweit Light Infantry.
  • Redesignated on 29 March 1920, as The Prince Edward Island Regiment.
  • Redesignated on 15 June 1927, as The Prince Edward Island Highlanders.
  • Redesignated on 1 January 1941, as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Prince Edward Island Highlanders.
  • Redesignated on 1 June 1945, as The Prince Edward Island Highlanders.
  • Converted to armour and amalgamated on 1 April 1946, with the 17th (Reserve) Armoured Regiment (Prince Edward Island Light Horse), RCAC and redesignated as the 17th (Prince Edward Island) Reconnaissance Regiment
  • Redesignated on 4 February 1949, as The Prince Edward Island Regiment (17th Reconnaissance Regiment).
  • Amalgamated 28 February 1955, with the 28th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA.
  • Redesignated on 19 May 1958, as The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC).[1]

The Charlottetown Provisional Battalion of Infantry

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  • Originated on 2 July 1875, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, as the Charlottetown Provisional Battalion of Infantry.
  • Amalgamated on 30 June 1876, with the Queen's County Provisional Battalion of Infantry and redesignated as the Queen's County Battalion of Infantry.[1]

The Prince Edward Island Light Horse

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  • Originated on 1 June 1901, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, as “L” Squadron, Prince Edward Island Mounted Rifles.
  • Redesignated on 1 October 1901, as “L” Squadron, Canadian Mounted Rifles.
  • Redesignated on 1 April 1903, as the Prince Edward Island Light Horse
  • Granted full regimental status on 16 February 1914, with the formation of an additional squadron in Summerside, PEI.
  • Redesignated on 1 April 1914, as the 36th Prince Edward Island Light Horse.
  • Redesignated on 15 March 1920, as The Prince Edward Island Light Horse.
  • Redesignated on 1 April 1941, as the 17th (Reserve) Armoured Regiment (Prince Edward Island Light Horse).
  • Amalgamated on 1 April 1946, with The Prince Edward Island Highlanders to form the 17th (Prince Edward Island) Reconnaissance Regiment.[1]

28th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA

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  • Originated on 31 March 1882, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, as the Prince Edward Island Provisional Brigade of Garrison Artillery.
  • Redesignated on 1 January 1893, as the Prince Edward Island Battalion of Garrison Artillery.
  • Redesignated on 1 January 1895, as the 4th Prince Edward Island Battalion.
  • Redesignated on 28 December 1895, as the 4th Prince Edward Island Regiment of Garrison Artillery.
  • Amalgamated on 1 January 1904, with the Charlottetown Field Company.
  • Redesignated on 1 April 1908, as the 4th Prince Edward Island Regiment (Heavy Brigade).
  • Redesignated on 2 May 1910, as the 4th Prince Edward Island Heavy Brigade, CGA.
  • Redesignated on 1 June 1912, as the Prince Edward Island Heavy Brigade, CGA.
  • Redesignated on 2 February 1920, as the 1st (Prince Edward Island) Heavy Brigade.
  • Redesignated on 15 March 1920, as the 1st (Prince Edward Island) Heavy Brigade, CA.
  • Redesignated on 1 July 1925, as the 1st (Prince Edward Island) Medium Brigade, CA.
  • Redesignated on 3 June 1935, as the 1st (Prince Edward Island) Medium Brigade, RCA.
  • Redesignated on 1 April 1946, as the 28th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA.
  • Amalgamated on 28 February 1955, with The Prince Edward Island Regiment (17th Reconnaissance Regiment).[1]

The Charlottetown Field Company

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  • Originated on 16 August 1878, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, as the Charlottetown Engineer Company.
  • Redesignated on 1 August 1899, as the Charlottetown Field Company.
  • Amalgamated on 1 January 1904, with the 4th Prince Edward Island Regiment of Garrison Artillery.[1]

Lineage chart

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Lineage chart[4]
1875Queen's County Provisional Bn of InfyCharlottetown Provisional Bn of InfyIndependent arty btys
1876Queen's County Bn of Infy
187882nd Queen's County Bn of InfyCharlottetown Engineer Coy
1882PEI Provisional Bde of Garrison Arty
1893PEI Bn of Garrison Arty
18954th "PEI" Bn
18954th PEI Regt of Garrison Arty
1899Charlottetown Field Coy
190082nd Queen's County Regt
1901"L" Sqn, PEI Mounted Rifles
1901"L" Sqn, CMR
1903PEI Light Horse[a]
19044th PEI Regt of Garrison Arty
190682nd "Abegweit Light Infy" Regt
19084th PEI Regt (Heavy Bde)
19104th "PEI" Heavy Bde, CGA
1912"PEI" Heavy Bde, CGA
1914PEI Light Horse[b]
191436th PEI Light Horse
1915No. 2 Heavy Bty Depot, CEF
1915105th "Overseas" Bn, CEF2nd "Overseas" Bty Canadian Siege Arty, CEF
1916Canadian Bde Siege Arty, CEF98th (Canadian) Siege Bty, CEFNo. 5 "Overseas" Bty Siege Arty, CEF
19161st Canadian Heavy Arty Group, CEF272nd (Canadian) Siege Bty, CEF
1917Amalgamated with 104th "Overseas" Bn, CEFNo. 2 Canadian Siege Bty, CEFNo. 8 Canadian Siege Bty, CEF
19181st Bde, Canadian Garrison Arty, CEF
1920DisbandedDisbandedDisbanded1st (PEI) Heavy Bde
19201st Bn (105th Bn, CEF), The PEI Regt1st Regt, The PEI Light Horse1st (PEI) Heavy Bde, CA
19251st (PEI) Medium Bde, CA
19271st Bn (105th Bn, CEF), The PEI Highlanders
19351st (PEI) Medium Bde, RCA
1936The PEI HighlandersThe PEI Light Horse
19411st Bn, The PEI Highlanders, CASF2nd (Reserve) Bn, The PEI Highlanders1st Canadian Armd Bde HQ Sqn (The PEI Light Horse), CASF2nd (Reserve) Regt, The PEI Light Horse
194117th (Reserve) Armd Regt (PEI Light Horse)
19432nd Corps Defence Coy (The PEI Light Horse), CIC, CASF
1945DisbandedThe PEI Highlanders
1946Disbanded28th Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, RCA
1946
194617th (PEI) Recce Regt
1949The PEI Regt (17th Recce Regt)
1955The PEI Regt (17th Recce Regt)
1958The PEI Regt (RCAC)

Perpetuations

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The PEIR perpetuates the following units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force:

History

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In 1946 the amalgamation of The Prince Edward Island Light Horse and The Prince Edward Island Highlanders created The Prince Edward Island Regiment, 17th Reconnaissance Regiment.

The Prince Edward Island Regiment was amalgamated with the 28th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in 1955.[1][2]

Robert Cyril Claude Brooks

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The youngest Canadian soldier to die in the Second World War, 14-year-old Robert Cyril Claude Brooks was a member of the 17th (Reserve) Armoured Regiment (Prince Edward Island Light Horse). He was killed in a training accident near Coleman, Prince Edward Island, at approximately 7:30 p.m. on 23 September 1944, when a Universal Carrier was driven through a guard rail on a bridge, overturning into the water below. He was trapped beneath the overturned vehicle and drowned, along with two fellow members of the regiment, Sergeant D.C. Ramsay and Trooper W.N. Dennis.[6]

Alliances

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Battle honours

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Battle honours in small capitals are for large operations and campaigns and those in lowercase are for more specific battles. Bold type indicates honours emblazoned on the regimental guidon. The Second World War Battle Honour is for the service of the Prince Edward Island Light Horse which was, on 27 February 1941, Headquarters Squadron, 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade and on 1 November 1943 became the 2nd Corps Defence Company.

South African War
South Africa, 1900
First World War
Second World War
North-West Europe, 1944–1945[7]
Honorary distinction: The wartime badge of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders with the year dates "1944–45" in recognition of the role played by the Prince Edward Island Highlanders in the mobilization of the Canadian Active Service Force unit of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders.[8]
South-West Asia
Afghanistan[9]

Equipment

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Model Type Dates Builder Details
Volkswagen/Bombardier Iltis light utility vehicle 1985–2004 Volkswagen, Germany optional M101 trailer unit; replaced by G-Wagen
LUVW C&R (G-Wagen) 4 × 4 light utility vehicle 2004- Mercedes-Benz, Germany replaced the Iltis light trucks in Afghanistan
LUVW MILCOTS (Milverado) - 2003 Silverado Basic model 861 (GM K25943HD) light utility vehicle 2003- Chevrolet, USA replacing the Iltis jeeps in North American operations only
C9 light machine gun
Colt Canada C7 rifle personal weapon 1984- Diemaco/Colt Canada
C6 GPMG

The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) Museum

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Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) Museum
LocationJ. David Stewart Armoury,
3 Haviland Street, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N1
TypeRegimental Museum

The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) Museum collects, preserves, displays and studies the military history of the founding units of The Prince Edward Island Regiment, from the island's formation (founding). The main concentration is on the period 1870 until the present. The RCAC museum is at the J. David Stewart Armoury in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.[10]

Order of precedence

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Preceded by The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) Succeeded by
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Notes and references

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  1. ^ Independent squadron
  2. ^ Regiment
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Defence, National (2018-11-29). "The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  2. ^ a b "Guide to Sources Relating to the Canadian Militia (Infantry, Cavalry, Armored)" (PDF).
  3. ^ "The Prince Edward Island Regiment". 2007-11-09. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  4. ^ "The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)". www.canada.ca. 2018-11-29. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
  5. ^ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003/AF-001 -- Part One: Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments
  6. ^ Canada, WWII Service Files of War Dead, 1939-1947
  7. ^ "The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC)". Official Lineages Volume 3, Part 1: Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments – Armour Regiments. Directorate of History and Heritage. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  8. ^ Canadian Forces General Message 031/15. 2015.
  9. ^ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  10. ^ A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums –Operations and Administration 2002-04-03