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South Alberta Light Horse

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The South Alberta Light Horse (SALH) is a Canadian Army armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Army Reserve. It traces its complicated lineage to the Rocky Mountain Rangers, and claims its direct ancestry to the 15th Light Horse, along with various other Alberta based cavalry units. The "Light Horse" designation comes from its light cavalry and mounted infantry origins.

The South Alberta Light Horse
Regimental cap badge
Active1885, 1905–present
CountryCanada
Branch
TypeOriginally light cavalry/mounted infantry, then armoured, then Armoured reconnaissance
RoleArmoured reconnaissance
Size2 squadrons
Part of
Garrison/HQMedicine Hat (A Squadron) and Edmonton (B Squadron); 3 Troop, A Sqn detached to Lethbridge
Nickname(s)Sally Horse / Alberta's Regiment
Motto(s)Semper alacer (Latin for 'Always brisk')
Colours
  • Red, yellow and blue (camp flag)
  • Scarlet with yellow facings (full dress)
  • Scarlet with black facings (mess dress)
March"A Southerly Wind and a Cloudy Sky"
Mascot(s)Heine the Pony
AnniversariesOfficial birthday 3 July 1905
Engagements
Battle honoursSee #Battle honours
Websitecanada.ca/en/army/corporate/3-canadian-division/the-south-alberta-light-horse.html Edit this at Wikidata
Commanders
Current
commander		LCol Thomas Bradley
Colonel-in-ChiefSophie, Duchess of Edinburgh
Honorary colonelRalph Young
Honorary lieutenant-colonelCatherine M. Roozen
Regimental sergeant-majorCWO Marcel A.R. Chenier
Notable
commanders
  • LCol A.H. Bell (31st Bn) 1914
  • LCol G.D. Wotherspoon (SAR) 1943
  • Col James Walker (15th Light Horse) 1905
  • BGen Tom Putt 2003-2005
Insignia
NATO Map Symbol
AbbreviationSALH

The SALH is part of 41 Canadian Brigade Group of the 3rd Canadian Division, and is based in Medicine Hat, Edmonton and Lethbridge, Alberta.

History

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Early history

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The South Alberta Light Horse traces its beginnings to the period of the Riel Rebellion of 1885. During this conflict the Rocky Mountain Rangers (RMR) of Fort Macleod, which comprised 150 officers and men, were tasked with the protection of the area ranging from the U.S. border to the High River and from the Rockies to Medicine Hat. The RMR saw no action during their three months of existence during the rebellion, and the SALH carries the battle honour "North West Canada, 1885" on their colours.

This irregular light cavalry unit is seen as the true genesis of the regiment. The 15th Light Horse, the official direct ancestor of the SALH, was raised in Calgary on July 3, 1905. It consisted of four newly organized cavalry squadrons: Calgary (A Squadron), Fort MacLeod (B Squadron), High River (C Squadron), and Cochrane (D Squadron). From this point until the mid-1950s the regiment's history can be described as a series of complicated amalgamations and redesignations of Alberta army reserve units of all arms until the regiment as it is now was formed in Calgary in 1954. At the beginning of the First World War, the Alberta militia units destined to become part of SALH were four cavalry regiments – 15th Light Horse in Calgary, 19th Alberta Dragoons in Edmonton, 21st Alberta Hussars in Medicine Hat and 23rd Alberta Rangers in Fort Macleod – and two infantry regiments (101st Regiment "Edmonton Fusiliers" and 103rd Regiment "Calgary Rifles").[1]

WWI and interregnum

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The camp flag of the South Alberta Light Horse.

In the First World War, instead of mobilising the Canadian militia to send overseas, new units were formed from volunteers of the militia and general public. The militia units generally became organizations for recruiting, induction and preliminary training for the new units. The 19th Alberta Dragoons recruited the 1st Divisional Cavalry Squadron, CEF, which landed in France in February 1915. After other divisions joined the 1st Canadian Division in France and the Canadian Corps was formed, the squadron was attached to the corps and became A Squadron, Canadian Light Horse, CEF.[1] The troopers of this squadron wore 19th Alberta Dragoon badges throughout the war.[2]

 
Part of 'B' Sqn, 19th AB Dragoons in front of the Connaught Armoury in Edmonton, Nov. 1914

Also recruited by SALH's predecessors were three regiments of Canadian Mounted Rifles (CMR): the 3rd, 12th and 13th.

 
Signals troops of 13th Canadian Mounted Rifles with soldiers of the PPCLI at Camp Sarcee near Calgary AB, 1915

The 3rd Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF, was mobilized at Medicine Hat and landed in France in September 1915 as part of the 1st CMR Brigade. At the end of 1915, the CMR units in France were converted from two cavalry brigades (six regiments) into one infantry brigade (four battalions). The troopers of the 3rd Regiment were split up, half going to the 1st CMR Battalion and half to the 2nd CMR Battalion; both these battalions fought in the 3rd Canadian Division.[3] The 12th and 13th Regiments CMR were broken up for reinforcements in England.[1]

The SALH also counts a First World War artillery unit as an ancestor: 22nd (Howitzer) Battery, CFA, CEF. The battery landed in France on 19 January 1916, where it served as part of the 6th Brigade, 2nd Canadian Divisional Artillery until the end of the war.[1] The battery was demobilized at Hamilton, 25 May 1919, and was disbanded on 1 November 1920. The battery is perpetuated by the 22nd Field Battery, RCA, Gleichen Alberta.[4]

 
"G" Company, 31st Battalion CEF in Calgary, 1914

Of the eight infantry battalions recruited by the SALH's predecessors, only one entered combat as a unit. The 31st Battalion, CEF, landed in France in September 1915 with the 2nd Canadian Division. It was awarded 22 battle honours, including such notable actions as Vimy and Passchendaele. The other seven battalions – 9th, 66th (Edmonton Guards), 113th Battalion (Lethbridge Highlanders), CEF, 138th (Edmonton), 175th (Medicine Hat), 187th (Central Alberta) and 202nd (Sportsman's) – were broken up for reinforcements in England.[1]

 
113th Battalion portrait, Lethbridge exhibition grounds, Lethbridge AB

The 31st Battalion (part of the 6th Infantry Brigade) participated in the first tank attack in history at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on 15 September 1916,[5] while A Squadron, Canadian Light Horse, made the last cavalry charge in Canadian history at the battle of Iwuy on 10 October 1918.[6] This means that among the predecessor units of the SALH, one participated in the first military operation involving the tank and another mounted the last cavalry charge in Canadian history.

The period between the world wars saw two major reorganizations of the Canadian Militia, the first from 1920 to 1924 and the second from 1935 to 1936. By the outbreak of the Second World War, the ancestors of the SALH were two cavalry regiments (15th Alberta Light Horse in Calgary and 19th Alberta Dragoons in Edmonton) an independent artillery battery (22nd Field Battery, RCA, in Gleichen) and two infantry battalions (The Edmonton Fusiliers and the South Alberta Regiment in Medicine Hat).[1]

Second World War

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Group photo of the R.H.Q. staff of the South Alberta Regiment at Wakesiah Camp, Nanaimo, B.C.
See also: South Alberta Regiment

The 15th Alberta Light Horse contributed to several active service units, including the 31st (Alberta) Reconnaissance Regiment which remained in the Calgary area until the last year of the war. The South Alberta Regiment, recruited an active service battalion in the Medicine Hat area in the summer of 1940. This infantry unit trained in Canada until 1942 when it was reorganized as the 29th Armoured Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment) and moved to England in August.[1] The SAR was granted 15 battle honours for its service overseas, redesignated the 29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment) in 1944. The unit was selected by Major-General F. F. Worthington to be the reconnaissance regiment of the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division because he wanted "keen-eyed prairie men" as his scouts. The 29th was again converted, with all armoured reconnaissance regiments, to the war establishment of a regular armoured regiment in 1944 and sent to France in July of that year. It fought through Normandy, Belgium, the Scheldt, the Rhineland, the Netherlands and Germany until the end of the war in Europe in May 1945.[citation needed]

 
Currie (left of centre, holding a revolver) accepting the surrender of German troops at St. Lambert-sur-Dives, France, 19 August 1944. This photo captures the actions that would lead to him being awarded the Victoria Cross.

The 22nd Field Battery became part of the 13th Field Regiment, which landed with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division on D-Day at Juno Beach.[1]

The Edmonton Fusiliers raised two active battalions, one for the 6th Canadian Infantry Division and one for the 8th Canadian Infantry Division. Both these divisions were home defence formations that did not go overseas.[1]

Meanwhile, the 31st (Alberta) Reconnaissance Regiment had served in the Calgary area until January 1945 when it was shipped to England. It was disbanded a month later and broken up for reinforcements.[1]

Postwar

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The end of the war saw the re-emergence of The South Alberta Regiment (infantry) in Medicine Hat and the 15th Alberta Light Horse (armoured) in Calgary. The 15th however, was not to keep its name, and it was united with the 22nd Field Battery and renamed 68th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA. This remained until 1954 when it united with The South Alberta Regiment of Medicine Hat and the 41st Anti-Tank Regiment out of Calgary to become The South Alberta Light Horse (29th Armoured Regiment) out of Calgary. In 1958 "29th Armoured Regiment" was dropped from the name, and two years later, in 1960, the regiment was moved back to its old headquarters in Medicine Hat. The regiment remained an army reserve armoured unit until 1968 when it lost its tanks and was retasked as an armoured reconnaissance unit.

 
Warrant Officers' & Sergeants' Mess, 19th Alberta Dragoons, RCAC (M), 1953

The two Edmonton units (19th Alberta Dragoons and The Edmonton Fusiliers) merged in 1946 as the 19th (Alberta) Armoured Car Regiment, RCAC. This regiment was renamed back to 19th Alberta Dragoons in 1958, but in the 1965 reorganization of the Reserves it was transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle: it still legally existed, but had no personnel assigned to it.[1]

Recent history (1970–present)

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In 1978 the SALH established an independent B Squadron in Edmonton to train out of Griesbach Barracks, and was originally organized as a reconnaissance unit. Though later, B Squadron transitioned to AVGP and was redesignated as armoured squadron in the early 1980s. In line with this change, the rest of the regiment followed suit and by 1985 the entire regiment returned to being an armoured regiment.[citation needed]

In 2005, the AVGP Cougar was retired from service,[7] and the SALH reroled back to Armoured Reconnaissance, equipped with the Mercedes-Benz G Wagon - Light Utility Vehicle Wheeled (LUVW). [citation needed]

The regiment exercised its Freedom of the City of Medicine Hat[8] In 2006, the SALH formally amalgamated with the nil-strength 19th Alberta Dragoons,[1][9][10] a regiment that had been on the Supplementary Order of Battle since 1965,[11] and now officially maintains the battle honours and traditions of its Edmonton predecessors.

In the Spring of 2015, the regiment sought and received permission to detach 3 Troop, A Squadron from Medicine Hat to Lethbridge, as recruiting in the Lethbridge region had been successful enough to support several troopers travelling to Medicine Hat on a weekly basis for training. As this group grew, it became possible to detach 3 Troop to its own lines co-located with the 20th Independent Field Battery, RCA, at the Vimy Ridge Armoury in Lethbridge.[citation needed][neutrality is disputed]

The regiment is presently training with the new Textron Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle, which was delivered to 3rd Canadian Division units in the Spring to Summer of 2017.[12][13]

Lineage

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1885–1914

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Lineage of the South Alberta Light Horse, 1885–1914
1885Rocky Mountain Rangers
1885Disbanded
1901D Sqn, Canadian Mounted Rifles
190515th Light HorseIndependent sqns of Canadian Mounted Rifles
1906The Alberta Rangers
190823rd Alberta Rangers21st Alberta Hussars19th The Alberta Mounted Rifles101st Regt
1909101st Regt "Edmonton Fusiliers"
1910103rd Regt "Calgary Rifles"
191119th Alberta Dragoons
1914

1914-1939

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CEF units perpetuated by The South Alberta Light Horse[1]
Unit Formed Arrived France Disbanded
or Absorbed 		Notes Perpetuation
1914: 1st Divisional Cavalry Squadron, CEF
1916: A Squadron, Canadian Corps Cavalry Regiment, CEF
1917: A Squadron, Canadian Light Horse, CEF 		August 10, 1914 February 12, 1915 November 6, 1920 Part of the Canadian Corps 19th Alberta Dragoons
1914: 22nd Battery, CEF
1915: 30th (Howitzer) Battery, CFA, CEF
1915: 22nd (Howitzer) Battery, CFA, CEF 		August 10, 1914 January 19, 1916 October 23, 1920 In March 1915, absorbed by the Canadian Reserve Artillery Brigade, CEF, then re-formed in September. Part of 6th (Howitzer) Brigade, CFA, CEF 22nd Battery, CFA
1914: 9th Battalion, CEF
1915: 9th Reserve Infantry Battalion, CEF 		August 10, 1914 N/A September 15, 1917 The Edmonton Fusiliers
3rd Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF November 7, 1914 September 22, 1915 December 31, 1915 Part of the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Brigade. Absorbed by the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF 1st Regiment, The Alberta Mounted Rifles
31st Battalion, CEF November 7, 1914 September 18, 1915 August 30, 1920 Part of 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division The Alberta Regiment
12th Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF March 15, 1915 N/A February 3, 1916 Absorbed by the Canadian Cavalry Depot, CEF 15th Canadian Light Horse
1915: 13th Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF
1916: 13th "Overseas" Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, CEF 		March 15, 1915 N/A July 19, 1916 Absorbed by various units 2nd Regiment, The Alberta Mounted Rifles
66th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF April 20, 1915 N/A July 7, 1916 Absorbed by the 9th Reserve Battalion, CEF The Edmonton Fusiliers
113th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF December 22, 1915 N/A October 8, 1916 Absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF The South Alberta Regiment
138th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF December 22, 1915 N/A December 8, 1916 Absorbed by the 128th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF The Edmonton Fusiliers
175th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF July 15, 1916 N/A January 10, 1917 Absorbed by the 21st Reserve Battalion, CEF The South Alberta Regiment
187th "Overseas" Battalion, CEF July 15, 1916 N/A January 20, 1917 Absorbed by the 21st Reserve Battalion, CEF The South Alberta Regiment
202nd "Overseas" Battalion, CEF July 15, 1916 N/A May 27, 1917 Absorbed by the 9th Reserve Battalion, CEF The Edmonton Fusiliers
Lineage of the South Alberta Light Horse, 1918–1939
1918103rd Regt "Calgary Rifles"15th Light Horse23rd Alberta Rangers21st Alberta Hussars19th Alberta Dragoons101st Regt "Edmonton Fusiliers"
1920The Calgary RegtThe Alberta Regt22nd Bty, CFA15th Canadian Light HorseThe Alberta Mounted Rifles1st Bn, The Edmonton Regt2nd Bn (Edmonton Fusiliers), The Edmonton Regt
19211st Bn, The Alberta Regt2nd Bn, The Alberta Regt
19222nd Regt, The Alberta Mounted Rifles1st Regt, The Alberta Mounted Rifles
1924"The South Alberta Regt"The North Alberta RegtThe Edmonton RegtThe Edmonton Fusiliers
192522nd Field Bty, CA
1931The South Alberta HorseThe Alberta Mounted Rifles
193522nd Field Bty, RCA
193615th Alberta Light Horse19th Alberta DragoonsThe Edmonton Fusiliers (MG)
1939

1945-present

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Lineage of the South Alberta Light Horse, 1945–present
19452nd (Reserve) Bn, The South Alberta Regt (MG)41st (Reserve) Field Regt, RCA22nd Field Bty, RCA15th (Reserve) Alberta Light Horse19th (Reserve) Alberta Dragoons2nd (Reserve) Bn, The Edmonton Fusiliers
1946The South Alberta Regt41st Anti-Tank Regt (Self Propelled), RCA68th Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, RCA19th (Alberta) Armoured Car Regt, RCAC
194919th Alberta Armoured Car Regt
1954The South Alberta Light Horse (29th Armoured Regt)19th Alberta Dragoons (19th Armoured Car Regt)
1958The South Alberta Light Horse19th Alberta Dragoons
1965Supplementary Order of Battle
1985The South Alberta Light Horse (RCAC)
1997The South Alberta Light Horse
2006The South Alberta Light Horse
2024

Battle honours

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North West Rebellion

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  • North West Canada, 1885

The Great War

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Second World War

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War in Afghanistan

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Alliances

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Regimental organization

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The regiment has soldiers in Edmonton, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge. With the advent of the Land Force Reserve Restructuring project, The South Alberta Light Horse was organized as an armoured reconnaissance regiment on September 1, 2004.[citation needed]

The commanding officer of the SALH is Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Bradley. The regimental sergeant-major is Chief Warrant Officer Marcel A.R. Chenier.[15]

Cadet units

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There are several Royal Canadian Army Cadets units spread across Alberta that are affiliated to the South Alberta Light Horse.

Corps Location
2051 RCACC Edmonton
2313 RCACC Medicine Hat
3068 RCACC Camrose
3053 RCACC Lac Ste. Anne (Onoway)

Cadet units affiliated to the South Alberta Light Horse receive support and also are entitled to wear traditional regimental accoutrements on their uniforms.

Order of precedence

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Preceded by South Alberta Light Horse Succeeded by

References

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  • Century of Service: The History of the South Alberta Light Horse by Donald E. Graves, ISBN 1-896941-43-5
  • South Albertas: A Canadian Regiment at War by Donald E. Graves
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "DHH - Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments - Armour Regiments - The South Alberta Light Horse". Official Lineages. Directorate of History and Heritage. 11 June 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  2. ^ Chartrand, René (2007). The Canadian Corps in World War I. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-84603-186-1.
  3. ^ Nicholson, G.W.L. (1964). Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919 (2nd ed.). Ottawa: Duhamel, Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery. pp. 134, 545, 550. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  4. ^ http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/Documents/artillery.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  5. ^ Nicholson, G.W.L. (1964). Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919 (2nd ed.). Ottawa: Duhamel, Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery. p. 169. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  6. ^ Nicholson, G.W.L. (1964). Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919 (2nd ed.). Ottawa: Duhamel, Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery. p. 458. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  7. ^ "AVGP Cougar". South Alberta Regimental Association. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-03.
  8. ^ Freedom of the City Archived 2013-06-15 at archive.today
  9. ^ "Amalgamation of the 19th Alberta Dragoons". Retrieved 2009-04-07.
  10. ^ "Ministerial Organization Order 2006009". Retrieved 2009-04-07.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ "Unit Listings - 1965". Retrieved 2009-04-07.
  12. ^ "Fielding of the Canadian Army's Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle is just around the corner". Canadian Army. 8 April 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Canadian Army conducts its first training on the new Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle". Government of Canada. 18 August 2021. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  14. ^ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  15. ^ "The SALH - The Command Team". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2022-01-26.

Media

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  • Century of Service: The History of the South Alberta Light Horse by Donald E. Graves (May 15, 2005)
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Alberta Light Horse.
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