The Halifax Rifles (RCAC)

The Halifax Rifles (RCAC) is a Canadian Army regiment that served between the years of 1860 and 1965 before being reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle. The regiment was reactivated on May 10, 2009,[1] as a reserve force unit performing the role of armoured reconnaissance. It is the first and only regiment since the 1960s to be reactivated from the Supplementary Order of Battle.

The Halifax Rifles (RCAC)
Active1860–1965, 2009–present
Country Canada
BranchCanadian Forces Primary Reserve
TypeArmour
RoleArmoured reconnaissance
Part ofRoyal Canadian Armoured Corps
Garrison/HQCanadian Forces Base Willow Park, Halifax, NS
Motto(s)Cede nullis ("Yield To None")
MarchDismounted: "Lutzow's Wild Hunt"
Part of a series on the
Military history of Nova Scotia

Lineage

The Halifax Rifles (RCAC)
  • Originated 14 May 1860 in Halifax, Nova Scotia as the Halifax Volunteer Battalion
  • Redesignated 28 May 1869 as the Halifax Volunteer Battalion of Rifles
  • Redesignated 5 November 1869 as the 63rd The Halifax Volunteer Battalion of Rifles
  • Redesignated 13 May 1870 as the 63rd The Halifax Battalion of Rifles
  • Redesignated 8 May 1900 as the 63rd Regiment "Halifax Rifles"
  • Redesignated 15 May 1920 as The Halifax Rifles
  • Redesignated 1 January 1941 as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Halifax Rifles
  • Redesignated 15 September 1944 as The Halifax Rifles (Reserve)
  • Redesignated 30 November 1945 as The Halifax Rifles
  • 1 April 1946 converted to armour and redesignated as the 23rd Armoured Regiment (Halifax Rifles), RCAC'
  • Redesignated 4 February 1949 as The Halifax Rifles (23rd Armoured Regiment)
  • Redesignated 19 May 1958 The Halifax Rifles (RCAC)
  • Reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle on 31 January 1965
  • Removed from the Supplementary Order of Battle and reactivated as a Canadian Army Reserve Force regiment on 28 July 2009[2]

Perpetuations

The Great War

Operational history

Fenian Raids
The camp flag of The Halifax Rifles (RCAC).

The Halifax Volunteer Battalion was called out on active service on 6 June 1866. The battalion, which guarded the Halifax Dockyard, was removed from active service on 31 July 1866.[4]

The North West Rebellion

The 63rd The Halifax Battalion of Rifles mobilized three companies for active service on 10 April 1885 which served with the Halifax Provisional Battalion in the Alberta Column of the North-West Field Force. The companies were removed from active service on 24 July 1885.[5]

The South African War

The 63rd The Halifax Battalion of Rifles contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents during the South African War.[6]

The Great War
The uniform ans drums of a bugler with the regimental band of the Halifax Rifles in the Army Museum of the Halifax Citadel.

Details of the 63rd Regiment "Halifax Rifles" were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protective duty.[7]

The 40th Battalion (Nova Scotia), CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Britain on 18 October 1915. The battalion provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 4 January 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 26th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 17 July 1917.[8]

The Second World War

Details from the regiment were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The Halifax Rifles, CASF (Details), for local protection duties. which were disbanded on 31 December 1940. The regiment mobilized the 1st Battalion, The Halifax Rifles, CASF for active service on 1 January 1941. It was converted to armour and redesignated as the 23rd Army Tank Battalion (The Halifax Rifles), CAC, CASF on 26 January 1942 and the 23rd Army Tank Regiment (The Halifax Rifles), CAC, CASF on 15 May 1942. It embarked for Britain on 17 June 1943 as a unit of the 2nd Army Tank Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, where it provided reinforcements to units of the Canadian Corps in the field. The overseas regiment was disbanded on 1 November 1943.[9]

War In Afghanistan

The regiment contributed personnel to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2014.[10]

Battle honours
The guidon of The Halifax Rifles (RCAC).

In the list below, battle honours in capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles. Those battle honours followed by a "+" are emblazoned on the regimental guidon.[11]

The War of 1812
  • Honorary Distinction: The non-emblazonable honorary distinction DEFENCE OF CANADA - 1812-1815 - DÉFENSE DU CANADA (awarded in commemoration of the Nova Scotia Fencible Infantry).[12]

North West Rebellion.
  • NORTH WEST CANADA, 1885+[13]

The South African War

The Great War
gollark: *has a kind of varied scroll but drowns in that?*
gollark: 📜
gollark: Where does one find orange ones?
gollark: * how many times it's teleported
gollark: Whyyy wyrm:* different alts depending on when it's teleported, time of day, ID of scroll

See also

Media
  • A Century of Rifles 1860 - 1960. The Halifax Rifles (R.C.A.C) (M) 'Cede Nullis' by John Gordon Quigley (Jan 1 1960)

Order of precedence
Preceded by
The Governor General's Horse Guards		 The Halifax Rifles (RCAC) Succeeded by
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's)

Notes
  1. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090510/halifax_rifles_090510/20090510?hub=TopStories
  2. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  3. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  4. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  5. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  6. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  7. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  8. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  9. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  12. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  13. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  14. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  15. http://www.canadiansoldiers.com CanadianSoldiers.com accessed 12 August 2014
  16. Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
  17. http://www.canadiansoldiers.com CanadianSoldiers.com accessed 12 August 2014
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