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30-740: The Royal Grenadiers was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army ). The regiment was unique in its history as it was only one of two regiments in the Canadian Army to be designated as a grenadier regiment (the other unit being The Winnipeg Grenadiers ). In 1936, the regiment was amalgamated with The Toronto Regiment to form The Royal Regiment of Toronto Grenadiers (now The Royal Regiment of Canada ). On 14 March 1862,

60-480: A line infantry unit instead. As a result on 21 November 1862, the regiment was redesignated as the 10th Battalion Volunteer Militia (Infantry) Canada and again on 10 April 1863, as the 10th or Royal Regiment of Toronto Volunteers . The 10th or Royal Regiment of Toronto Volunteers was called out on active service from 8 to 31 March and from 1 to 22 June 1866. The battalion served on the Niagara frontier and took part in

90-472: A result of the 1936 Canadian Militia reorganization, on 15 December 1936, The Royal Grenadiers was amalgamated with The Toronto Regiment to form The Royal Regiment of Toronto Grenadiers (now The Royal Regiment of Canada ). When the 10th Regiment was first raised, it was first intended for it to be organized as a rifle regiment wearing the rifleman’s green uniform similar to that of the King's Royal Rifle Corps ,

120-469: A standing army ready for immediate action, although it did provide the country the ability to mobilize a force should the need arise. In the decade prior to the start of World War I , the nominal strength of NPAM increased from 36,000 to 55,000 soldiers. The NPAM did not mobilize during the First World War , though large drafts of NPAM men went into the field force created in 1914 for that conflict,

150-522: Is still used today by the regiment for ceremonial occasions. Non-Permanent Active Militia The NPAM was established in 1855 by the Militia Act passed by the Province of Canada. After Confederation in 1867, militia units of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were given three months to re-enrol in the militia of the new federation. At the beginning of the 20th century, NPAM did not provide Canada

180-494: The 10th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada was authorized for service in Toronto, Canada West (now Ontario) with its headquarters and line companies in Toronto. As in common with most Canadian Militia infantry regiments being raised at the time, they were a rifle regiment. However around the same time of the regiments founding, the members of the unit requested to the militia department that they be organized and uniformed as

210-558: The Canadian Expeditionary Force was raised, the 10th Royal Grenadiers contributed drafts to help raise the 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), CEF alongside those from The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada and The Governor General's Body Guard . On 20 April 1915, the 58th Battalion, CEF , was authorized for service and on 22 November 1915, the battalion embarked for Great Britain. After its arrival in Europe, on 22 February 1916,

240-510: The Canadian Expeditionary Force . Some CEF units adopted regimental traditions from NPAM units. Following the war, the Otter Committee created a unique set of perpetuations, whereby the reorganized NPAM carried on the traditions of both the CEF and the prewar Militia in the Canadian Militia . On the eve of World War II , NPAM had 5,272 officers, and 41,249 soldiers of all other ranks. In 1940,

270-470: The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) or that of the 2nd Queen’s Own Rifles . However, the new battalion was instead designated as a regiment of infantry. As such, the 10th Royals wore the scarlet uniform of the line infantry. The uniform of the 10th Royals consisted of a scarlet infantry-pattern tunic with dark (royal blue) blue facings and dark blue trousers with a red stripe. The officer’s uniform

300-516: The 10th Battalion Royal Grenadiers contributed volunteers for the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry . As a part of the country-wide reorganization of the Canadian Militia at the start of the 20th century, on 8 May 1900, the regiment was redesignated as the 10th Regiment, Royal Grenadiers . On 6 August 1914, details of the 10th Royal Grenadiers were placed on active service for local protection duties. When

330-469: The 123rd Battalion, CEF was disbanded. On 15 March 1920, as a result of the Otter Commission and the following post-war reorganization of the militia, the 10th Regiment Royal Grenadiers was redesignated as The Royal Grenadiers and was reorganized with two battalions (one of them a paper-only reserve battalion) to perpetuate the assigned war-raised battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force . As

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360-469: The 58th Battalion disembarked in France, where it fought as part of the 9th Canadian Brigade , 3rd Canadian Division , in France and Flanders until the end of the war. On 15 September 1920, the 58th Battalion, CEF was disbanded. On 22 December 1915, the 123rd Battalion (Royal Grenadiers), CEF was authorized for service and from 7 to 8 August 1916, the battalion embarked for Great Britain. On 17 January 1917,

390-694: The CEF in 1914. Permanent additions to the Permanent Active Militia (the Regular Force) were Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the 22nd Battalion (today the Royal 22 Régiment). They joined the Permanent Force's infantry arm along with The Royal Canadian Regiment , which in 1914 had been Canada's only full-time infantry unit. Some academics point to the Otter Commission as part of

420-559: The CEF units were claimed by units of the standing Militia. From a legal standpoint, the existing Militia units had to be disbanded and new ones created. Most of the cavalry and infantry regiments of the Militia had their regimental numbers removed and others were renamed entirely (such as the Eastern Townships Mounted Rifles ). Some were disbanded, such as The Dawson Rifles of Canada and the 109th Regiment. Notable exceptions to

450-486: The Canadian-pattern service helmet until the early 1890s, when they finally changed to the grenadier bearskin cap for full dress. When it was adopted, it was worn with a white plume (later changed to a red-over white plume). After The Royal Grenadiers were amalgamated with The Toronto Regiment in 1936 and became The Royal Regiment of Canada , the grenadier pattern uniform became the regiment’s full dress uniform and

480-578: The NPAM was redesignated the Canadian Army (Reserve); following World War II it was re-designated the Canadian Army Reserve Force, then the Canadian Army (Militia), and finally became the reserve component of Force Mobile Command following Unification on February 1, 1968. However, the historic title "Militia" continued to be applied to the reserve component of Canada's land forces. Otter Commission The Otter Commission , or Otter Committee ,

510-490: The Royal Canadian Regiment, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and Royal 22 Régiment . However, the number of volunteers for the reserve units fell drastically after 1920 and some non-permanent regiments existed only on paper, as they could not find enough men to fill their ranks. In addition, the Otter Commission called for basic training and ignored the inadequate equipment and lack of mechanization within

540-544: The abandonment of regimental numbers included the 1st Hussars and the 48th Highlanders of Canada . Individual battalions of the new units were granted perpetuation of CEF units and received claim to their battle honours when they were granted in the 1930s. In addition to the perpetuation of CEF units by the Non-Permanent Active Militia, the Otter Commission made a major change to the post-war Permanent Force by adding two units that had been raised for service in

570-447: The battalion was converted to a pioneer battalion and redesignated as the 123rd Canadian Pioneer Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF . On 10 March 1917, the battalion disembarked in France where it served as the pioneer battalion of the 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders. On 25 May 1918, the battalion was reorganized to form three new engineering battalions; the 7th, 8th and 9th Canadian Engineer Battalions, CEF. On 15 September 1920,

600-485: The country in the autumn of 1919. The catalysts for the commission were peace and fiscal austerity following the end of the First World War. It dealt with questions of national and military unity in the post-war era; ensuring regionalization in the culture of the armed services; determining the future organization and role of the militia; the economization of military expenditure; the integration of various functions;

630-603: The dark-blue Kilmarnock cap with brass numerals indicating the regimental number. For the officers, they instead wore a peaked forage cap. When the battalion was redesignated as a regiment of grenadiers in 1881, the 10th Grenadiers adopted a full dress uniform similar to that of the Brigade of Guards in London and the Governor General's Foot Guards in Ottawa . This uniform consisted of

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660-578: The following day. The battalion served with General Middleton's column of the North West Field Force, until they returned from active service on 24 July 1885. The 10th Royal Grenadiers saw action at the Battle of Fish Creek (24 April), and the Battle of Batoche (9–12 May), serving with distinction during the campaign and earning the regiment its first battle honours. During the Second Boer War ,

690-719: The grenadier-pattern tunic with royal blue facings worn by the Foot Guards in London and the Governor General’s Foot Guards but with their regimental tunic having its buttons in singles similar to that of the Grenadier Guards (unlike the Governor General’s Foot Guards which have their buttons in pairs similar to that of the Coldstream Guards ). Though redesignated as grenadiers in 1881, the regiment continued to wear

720-410: The mopping-up operations after the disastrous Battle of Ridgeway . On 5 August 1881, the regiment was redesignated as the 10th Battalion Royal Grenadiers . At the time, this unit was the only other regiment of its type in the entire British Empire: the other regiment being The Grenadier Guards . On 27 March 1885, the 10th Battalion Royal Grenadiers was called to arms and turned out in marching order

750-516: The post-war world. The CEF units were proud of their wartime record, while the pre-war Militia had long-standing roots in the community and battle honours dating back as far as the War of 1812. The commission was headed by General Sir William Dillon Otter . Other members were Major General Archibald Cameron Macdonell , Brigadier General E.A. Cruikshank (who served as Secretary) and Brigadier General A.G.L. McNaughton . The commission held hearings across

780-446: The re-emergence and adoption of the last few Otter Commission recommendations that had not yet been put in place. In order to preserve both the pre-war Militia units and the history of the CEF units, a system of perpetuations was created based primarily on geographical connections through the original recruiting areas of the CEF battalions . This provided a basis by which the battle honours of

810-575: The reason that the Canadian Army was not fully prepared for mobilization at the start of the Second World War. Due to little political support, the suggestion of veterans that Canada have a regular army of 30,000 was rejected by the commission. Instead, it recommended a non-permanent force made up of eleven infantry and four cavalry divisions and a smaller permanent force that incorporated the Royal Canadian Dragoons , Lord Strathcona's Horse ,

840-426: The reinvestment of existing resources into future capabilities; as well as the modernization of military equipment, doctrine, and training. The Otter Committee did not submit a formal report to the government or release any information to the press. Most of the adopted recommendations, authored primarily by Gwatkin and McNaughton, were enacted over a long period of time. By 1936, the threat of another conflict prompted

870-434: Was established after the First World War to tackle a problem created by the chaotic mobilization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force . In 1919, units of the CEF, intended as a wartime expeditionary force, returned to Canada where the Canadian Militia had served during the war performing home defence duties, staffing internment camps, and raising recruits for overseas. Both the CEF and the Militia desired to be perpetuated in

900-471: Was of a similar pattern but from better quality materials. For an undress uniform, officers of the 10th Royals wore a dark blue patrol jacket. The regimental headdress consisted of the 1861 pattern "French" shako with a regimental plate on the front and a white-over-red ball tuft. The shako was later replaced in 1879 by the blue home service helmet and later the white Canadian-pattern service helmet. The undress headdress for other ranks and NCO’s consisted of

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