1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery

Lineage

This Regular Force regiment originated in Kingston, Ontario and Quebec City, Quebec on 1 December 1898, when the 'Royal Canadian Artillery (Field Division)' of The Royal Canadian Artillery was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} It was redesignated: 'Royal Canadian Field Artillery' on 1 June 1901;^{Footnote 2} 'Royal Canadian Horse Artillery' on 1 September 1905;^{Footnote 3} '71st Regiment (Royal Canadian Horse Artillery)' on 16 October 1946;^{Footnote 4} '1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery' on 7 July 1949;^{Footnote 5} and '1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery' on 18 June 1951.^{Footnote 6}

Headquarters Location

Shilo, Manitoba

Allocated Batteries

• 'A' Battery, RCHA
• 'B' Battery, RCHA
• 'C' Battery, RCHA

Alliance

British Army

1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery

Operational history

The North West Rebellion

The service of 'A' and 'B' Batteries of the Regiment during the Rebellion pre-date the formation of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. See the branch chart for further details.

South African War

The Royal Canadian Artillery (Field Division) mobilized the 'Brigade Division, Royal Canadian Artillery' for active service on 20 December 1899.^{Footnote 10} The brigade embarked for Africa on 21 February 1900,^{Footnote 11} where its batteries provided field artillery support to the Imperial forces in the eastern Transvaal, north Cape Colony, Griqualand West and with the Rhodesian Field Force.^{Footnote 12} The active service brigade was disbanded on 21 January 1901.^{Footnote 13}

The First World War

The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery was placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for instructional and camp administration duties.^{Footnote 14} On 26 August 1914 it mobilized the 'Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Brigade, CEF',^{Footnote 15} which embarked for England on 30 September 1914.^{Footnote 16} The regiment disembarked in France on 20 July 1915,^{Footnote 17} where it provided mobile field artillery support as part of the 'Canadian Cavalry Brigade, CEF' in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 18} The brigade was disbanded on 23 October 1920.^{Footnote 19}

The Second World War

The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery mobilized for active service as the '1st Field Brigade, RCA, CASF' on 1 September 1939.^{Footnote 20} It was redesignated '1st Field Regiment, RCA, CASF' on 21 December 1939.^{Footnote 21} The regiment embarked for England in December 1939 and in June 1940 it went to France as part of the Second British Expeditionary Force, reaching a point west of Le Mans before being ordered back.^{Footnote 22} It was redesignated '1st Field Regiment, RCHA, CASF' on 1 January 1941.^{Footnote 23} The regiment landed in Sicily in July 1943 and in Italy in September 1943, providing field artillery support for the 1st Canadian Infantry Division. In March 1945 the regiment moved with the 1st Canadian Corps to North West Europe where it served until the end of the war.^{Footnote 24} The overseas regiment was disbanded on 25 August 1945.^{Footnote 25}

On 1 June 1945 a second Active Force component of the regiment was mobilized for service in the Pacific theatre of operations under the designation '1st Canadian Field Artillery Battalion, RCA, CASF'.^{Footnote 26} It was redesignated: '2nd/1st Field Regiment, RCHA, CASF' on 1 September 1945;^{Footnote 27} and '71st Regiment, RCHA, CASF' on 1 March 1946.^{Footnote 28} On 27 June 1946 it was embodied in the Permanent Force.^{Footnote 29}

United Nations Operations - Korea

The regiment served in theatre from May 1952 to April 1953 as part of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group, 1st Commonwealth Division.^{Footnote 30}

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