First organized as the 42nd Brockville Battalion of Infantry in 1866, the regiment was later relocated to Pembroke, Ontario, and redesignated as the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Battalion of Infantry and became a Scottish regiment in 1927. The regiment was first converted to an air defence artillery regiment in 1946 but converted back to an infantry regiment in 1959. In 1992, the regiment was again converted to artillery as the 1st Air Defence Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA. It was renamed to its current title in 2011.[1][2][3][4]
Lineage
The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment
Originated on 5 October 1866, in Brockville, Ontario, as the 42nd Brockville Battalion of Infantry.
Redesignated on 1 December 1897, as the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Battalion of Infantry.
Redesignated on 8 May 1900, as the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Regiment.
Redesignated on 12 March 1920, as The Lanark and Renfrew Regiment.
Redesignated on 15 July 1927, as TheLanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment.
Redesignated on 7 November 1940, as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment.
Redesignated on 15 September 1944, as The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment (Reserve).
Converted to air defence artillery on 1 April 1946, and redesignated as the 59th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA.
Converted to infantry on 1 December 1959, and redesignated as The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment.
Converted to air defence artillery on 10 November 1992, and redesignated as the 1st Air Defence Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA.[2]
Converted to field artillery in 2011 and redesignated 42nd Field Artillery Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA.
On 5 October 1866, the 42nd Brockville Battalion of Infantry was authorized. Its headquarters was at Brockville and had companies at Almonte, Brockville, Perth, Fitzroy (Kinburn), Lansdowne and Falls.[1]
On 24 May 1870, the battalion was called out on active service in response to the Fenian Raids. After serving on the St. Lawrence River frontier, the battalion was removed from active service on 2 June 1870.[2]
Battalion headquarters was moved to Pembroke, Ontario, on 1 December 1897. The battalion was then redesignated as the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Battalion of Infantry.[1][2]
On 8 May 1900, the battalion was redesignated as the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Regiment.[1]
On 22 December 1915, the 130th Battalion (Lanark and Renfrew), CEF was authorized for service and on 27 September 1916, the battalion embarked for Great Britain. After its arrival in the UK, on 6 October 1916, the battalion's personnel were absorbed by the 12th Reserve Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. On 21 May 1917, the 130th Battalion was disbanded.[2]
On 15 July 1916, the 240th Battalion, CEF was authorized for service and on 3 May 1917, the battalion embarked for Great Britain. After its arrival in the UK, on 4 June 1917, the battalion's personnel were absorbed by the 7th Reserve Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. On 1 September 1917, the 240th Battalion was disbanded.[2]
1920s-1930s
On 12 March 1920, as a result of the Otter Commission and the following post-war reorganization of the militia, the 42nd Lanark and Renfrew Regiment was redesignated as The Lanark and Renfrew Regiment and was reorganized. From this point it had two battalions (one of them a paper-only reserve battalion) to perpetuate the assigned war-raised battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.[1][2][5]
On 15 July 1927, the regiment was reorganized as a Scottish unit and was redesignated as The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment. The regiment adopted the Government (Black Watch) tartan as part of its regimental uniform.[1][4]
The regiment had three mottos incorporated into its badges: Latin: Fac et spera, lit. 'Work and hope'; German: Ich dien, lit. 'I serve'; and Latin: Nemo me impune lacessit, lit. 'No one provokes me with impunity'.
In 1930 the regiment was granted the following battle honours for the Great War.[6] These honours became dormant when the regiment converted to artillery, being replaced by the RCA's honorary distinction Ubique.
The regiment did not initially mobilize for the Second World War during the general activation of units beginning in August 1939.
The 1st Battalion, The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment, CASF was mobilized on 5 March 1942, and served as part of the Army's Atlantic Command in a home defence role.[1] On 15 October 1943, The 1st Battalion was disbanded.[1]
Italy and Northwest Europe
In July 1944, the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division realized that it was short of infantry. The 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade was created out of units already in existence.[1][7] One unit of the new brigade was the motor battalion of the division, a second was a re-equipped reconnaissance battalion from the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, and a third unit was created from anti-aircraft units, as the Allies had air superiority. This unit petitioned The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish for permission to use their name and regimental insignia, feeling it was more appropriate for an infantry battalion. Permission was granted, and The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish served in the 12th Brigade until March 1945. After all Canadian forces in Italy were transferred to the command of First Canadian Army in Northwest Europe (Operation Goldflake), the brigade was dissolved, the units therein returned to their former roles, and the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish battalion was returned to its former duties and designation.
The regiment was awarded these battle honours for the Second World War. Again, these honours were subsumed under ubique when the regiment converted to artillery.
