Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
Cap badge
Active	1910–present
Country	Canada
Branch	Canadian Army
Type	Line infantry
Role	Light role
Size	Battalion
Part of	38 Canadian Brigade Group
Garrison/HQ	Winnipeg
Motto(s)	Ullamh (Scottish Gaelic for 'ready')
March	"The Piobaireachd of Donald Dhu" and "March of the Cameron Men"
Anniversaries	Regimental birthday, 1 February 1910 Shankland's VC, 26 October 1917 Dieppe, 19 August 1942
Engagements	First World War Second World War War in Afghanistan
Battle honours	See #Battle honours
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief	Vacant
Insignia
NATO Map Symbol
Tartan	Cameron of Erracht
Abbreviation	Camerons of C

The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada is a special army group in the Canadian Army. It is a Primary Reserve unit, which means its soldiers are part-time and train for when they are needed. This group is part of the 3rd Canadian Division's 38 Canadian Brigade Group. Their main base is the Minto Armoury in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This regiment is the oldest "Highland" unit in Western Canada, known for its Scottish traditions.

How the Regiment Grew Over Time

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  The regimental colour

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  The camp flag

This section shows how the regiment's name changed over the years:

• It started on February 1, 1910, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as The 79th Highlanders of Canada.
• On April 1, 1910, it was renamed The 79th Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
• On March 12, 1920, it became The Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
• On November 1, 1923, it was given the special name The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
• On November 7, 1940, it was called the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
• On November 30, 1945, it went back to being The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
• On October 1, 1954, it was briefly called The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (Motor).
• Finally, on April 11, 1958, it returned to its current name: The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

Regiment's History in Battles

First World War (1914-1918)

When the First World War began, The 79th Cameron Highlanders of Canada helped protect local areas starting August 6, 1914.

The regiment also sent soldiers to other larger Canadian units. One company joined the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), CEF.

Later, the regiment formed its own battle groups:

• The 43rd Battalion (Cameron Highlanders of Canada), CEF was created in November 1914. They went to Great Britain in June 1915 and then to France in February 1916. They fought as part of the 3rd Canadian Division until the war ended. This battalion was officially closed in September 1920.
• The 174th Battalion (Cameron Highlanders of Canada), CEF was formed in July 1916. Its soldiers were later used to reinforce other Canadian units fighting overseas. This battalion closed in September 1917.
• The 179th Battalion (Cameron Highlanders of Canada), CEF was also formed in July 1916. Its members were also sent to reinforce other units. This battalion closed in July 1917.

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  The distinguishing patch of The 43rd Battalion (Cameron Highlanders of Canada), CEF.

Second World War (1939-1945)

The regiment became active for war on September 1, 1939. It was renamed the 1st Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, CASF, in November 1940. They sailed to Great Britain in December 1940.

The Dieppe Raid (1942) On August 19, 1942, the battalion took part in a major raid called Operation Jubilee, on the French port of Dieppe. The plan was for the The South Saskatchewan Regiment to land first, then the Camerons would follow.

The Camerons landed an hour later than planned. Their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Gostling, was killed by a sniper. Major A. T. "Andy" Law took command. Most of the soldiers landed in the wrong place, but they kept fighting.

A US Ranger Sergeant, Marcell G. Swank, remembered the Camerons' piper, Pipe Major Alex Graham, bravely playing his bagpipes as they landed. This was one of the last times Canadian troops were led into battle by a piper.

The Camerons fought hard, making the deepest push into enemy lines that day. But the main attack on Dieppe was not successful. By 9:30 AM, they had to retreat. They fought their way back to the beach, carrying their wounded. Many were killed or wounded trying to get back on the landing crafts.

Out of 503 Camerons on the raid, 346 were casualties. This included 60 killed, 8 who died later from wounds, and 167 who became prisoners of war. Many Camerons received awards for their bravery at Dieppe.

Fighting in North-West Europe (1944-1945) The battalion returned to France on July 7, 1944, landing at Graye-sur-Mer. They fought as part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division.

• Saint-André-sur-Orne: From July 19, the Camerons fought a tough battle at Saint-André-sur-Orne. They faced strong German counter-attacks, including tanks. They held their ground despite heavy losses. Their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel N.H. Ross, received an award for his leadership.
• Fontenay-le-Marmion: In August, the Camerons attacked Fontenay-le-Marmion. This was a very difficult house-to-house fight. They faced fierce resistance and lost two commanding officers to wounds. Despite being down to only 150 men, they fought off many counter-attacks.
• Falaise: In mid-August, the Camerons helped capture the town of Falaise. They faced strong resistance and difficult terrain due to bombing. They took many prisoners.
• Across the Seine: By late August, the Camerons were fighting to cut off German escape routes across the Seine River. They inflicted heavy losses on the retreating Germans. They were welcomed as liberators when they entered Rouen.
• Belgium and the Netherlands: In September, the unit moved into Belgium and the Netherlands, clearing out German resistance and occupying parts of the German West Wall defenses. They fought hard battles at Bray-Dunes and across the Antwerp-Turnhout canal.
• Woensdrecht: In October, they fought a tough battle at Woensdrecht, capturing many German paratroopers.
• Beveland Causeway: They also tried to cross the Zuid-Beveland canal, facing strong enemy fire.
• Mook Area: From November 1944 to February 1945, the Camerons held positions near the Meuse River in the Netherlands. They faced constant shelling and patrols in difficult, flooded conditions.
• Operation Veritable: In February 1945, they were part of Operation Veritable, a huge attack. They took many German prisoners as the enemy surrendered.
• Operation Blockbuster: On February 26, 1945, the Camerons launched Operation Blockbuster. They faced very strong resistance and lost their popular commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel E. P. "Tommy" Thompson, to a sniper. Major David Rodgers was recommended for the Victoria Cross for his bravery in this battle.
• Hochwald Forest: They continued fighting through the Hochwald Forest, facing mines and strong German defenses.
• Rhine Crossing: On March 28, the Camerons led the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade across the Rhine River, starting the push towards the North Sea. They captured many prisoners.
• Netterden: On March 30, "D" Company launched a dawn attack on Netterden, held by German paratroopers. After fierce street fighting, the German commander surrendered. Major Sweeting received an award for this successful attack.
• Veldhunten and Steenderen: They continued their advance, facing resistance but also taking towns like Steenderen with little opposition.
• Schipbeek Canal: In April, they crossed the Schipbeek canal, surprising the enemy. They faced heavy shelling, and two company commanders were wounded.
• Groningen: On April 14, the battalion attacked Haren and then moved to Groningen. They cleared the town, and Lieutenant W. C. McNeill bravely lowered a bridge under fire, allowing his company to cross and capture prisoners.
• Final Push: They continued their advance into Germany, fighting through towns like Kirchhatten. On May 4, 1945, the BBC announced that all German forces in northwest Europe would surrender the next morning. The war was over for the Camerons.

Return Home After the war, the battalion stayed in Germany and the Netherlands for garrison duty until September. They returned to England and then sailed home on the RMS Queen Elizabeth, arriving in Halifax on November 22, 1945. They were met by a huge welcoming party in Winnipeg. The 1st Battalion was officially closed, and the Reserve Army unit, the 2nd Battalion, became The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada again.

After the Wars (1946-Present)

After the Second World War, the army focused more on the full-time Regular Army. The Reserve units like the Camerons focused more on helping with problems at home.

• Red River Flood (1950): In 1950, the Red River flooded Winnipeg badly. The Camerons were called to help on May 8. They worked day and night for 17 days, building dikes and helping people.
• Korean War (1950s): While the regiment wasn't sent as a whole unit, many Camerons volunteered to join new battalions going to fight in Korea.
• Peacekeeping (1970s-1990s): From the 1970s onwards, Camerons began to serve as individual soldiers with Regular Force units on Peacekeeping missions for the United Nations. They went to places like Egypt, the Golan Heights, and Cyprus. They also served with Canadian units in Germany as part of NATO.
• Red River Flood (1979): In 1979, the Red River flooded again. The Camerons quickly helped protect communities south of Winnipeg.
• Total Force Concept (1980s): The idea of "Total Force" meant that Reserve and Regular army units would work more closely together. This led to more opportunities for Reservists to serve overseas.
• Operation Harmony (1992): The Camerons started sending soldiers to support Regular Force units in places like Croatia.
• Anniversaries (1994-1995): The regiment took part in parades to mark the 50th anniversaries of the D-Day invasion and Victory in Europe Day. They also celebrated their 85th birthday.
• "Flood of the Century" (1997): In 1997, Winnipeg faced a massive flood. The Camerons helped fill sandbags and build dikes across Southern Manitoba.
• Operation Abacus (1999): At the end of 1999, the regiment was ready to help if the "Y2K bug" caused problems.
• Bosnia (2002): The Camerons sent soldiers to Bosnia as part of a peacekeeping mission.
• Forest Fires (2003): When forest fires raged in British Columbia, Camerons volunteered to help fight them.
• Afghanistan (2002-2014): The regiment sent more than 20% of its soldiers to serve in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014.

Today, the Camerons continue to train infantry soldiers for the Canadian Forces. They help with overseas missions and respond to emergencies like floods and fires at home.

The regiment trains at Minto Armoury in Winnipeg on Tuesday nights from late August to early June. In the summer, members attend military courses across Canada.

Their motto is: Ullamh (Scottish Gaelic for 'ready'), which means "ready" in Scottish Gaelic.

How the Regiment is Connected to Other Units

Regimental Music

These are the special songs and marches played by the regiment:

• Regimental March Past: The Piobaireachd of Donald Dhu
• Regimental March: The March of the Cameron Men
• A Company March: Blue Bonnets Over the Border
• B Company March: A Hundred Pipers
• C Company March: Glendaurel Highlanders
• D Company March: Bonnie Dundee
• HQ & Support Company March: The Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre
• Administration Company March: Queen Elizabeth

Alliances with Other Regiments

The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada has a special connection with:

•  United Kingdom - The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (from the United Kingdom)

Battle Honours: Awards for Bravery

These are special awards given to the regiment for its bravery in battles. The ones in bold are shown on the regiment's flag (colour).

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  The regimental colour of The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

More Information

• Canadian-Scottish regiment
• The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces
• The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Museum

Order of Importance in the Army