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Posted by Wyn van der Schee <vandersw@cadvision.com> on Sat, 8 Apr 2000 20:33:15 -0600
Just to set the record straight, I want to correct a few errors that have
appeared in postings from John Hill and Rhett Lawson. The 3rd Victoria
Rifles did indeed raise a company for 14th Infantry Battalion CEF, but
later raised three battalions on their own, the 24th, 60th and 214th. Both
the 24th and the 60th were combatant battalions, and the 244th was broken
up for reinforcements in England.
As stated by another correspondent, the 58th Westmount Rifles was raised on
2 November 1914 as a Militia unit and was redesignated The Royal Montreal
Regiment on 1 April 1920 it perpetuates 14th Battalion CEF. The reasons
for the perpetuation are baffling, as the 14th Battalion CEF was raised by
1st Canadian Grenadier Guards, 3rd Victoria Rifles of Canada, and 65th
Carabiniers de Montreal, and should have been perpetuated by one or all of
those. The 14th Bn CEF had already arrived in England by the time the 58th
Westmount Rifles was raised.
The point to be made is that the RMR did not replace the Vics in the
militia order of battle, and it does the Vics a disservice to imply that
their battalions did not see active service in the First World War.
Additionally, the 14th Battalion CEF did not amalgamate with the 58th
Westmount Rifles to form The Royal Montreal Regiment. It is a fine
distinction, but the 58th were renamed the RMR and allowed to perpetuate
the 14th Bn CEF. In the larger picture, CEF battalions were not amalgamated
with Militia units, but were disbanded and then perpetuated.
The basic textbook for all of this is still The Regiments and Corps of the
Canadian Army, published in 1965, and if the self-proclaimed experts on
regimental histories would read it first, a great deal less misinformation
would appear in this newsgroup.
Wyn van der Schee
Calgary, Alberta
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
message body.
Just to set the record straight, I want to correct a few errors that have
appeared in postings from John Hill and Rhett Lawson. The 3rd Victoria
Rifles did indeed raise a company for 14th Infantry Battalion CEF, but
later raised three battalions on their own, the 24th, 60th and 214th. Both
the 24th and the 60th were combatant battalions, and the 244th was broken
up for reinforcements in England.
As stated by another correspondent, the 58th Westmount Rifles was raised on
2 November 1914 as a Militia unit and was redesignated The Royal Montreal
Regiment on 1 April 1920 it perpetuates 14th Battalion CEF. The reasons
for the perpetuation are baffling, as the 14th Battalion CEF was raised by
1st Canadian Grenadier Guards, 3rd Victoria Rifles of Canada, and 65th
Carabiniers de Montreal, and should have been perpetuated by one or all of
those. The 14th Bn CEF had already arrived in England by the time the 58th
Westmount Rifles was raised.
The point to be made is that the RMR did not replace the Vics in the
militia order of battle, and it does the Vics a disservice to imply that
their battalions did not see active service in the First World War.
Additionally, the 14th Battalion CEF did not amalgamate with the 58th
Westmount Rifles to form The Royal Montreal Regiment. It is a fine
distinction, but the 58th were renamed the RMR and allowed to perpetuate
the 14th Bn CEF. In the larger picture, CEF battalions were not amalgamated
with Militia units, but were disbanded and then perpetuated.
The basic textbook for all of this is still The Regiments and Corps of the
Canadian Army, published in 1965, and if the self-proclaimed experts on
regimental histories would read it first, a great deal less misinformation
would appear in this newsgroup.
Wyn van der Schee
Calgary, Alberta
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
message body.
