The Nova Scotia Highlanders

The Nova Scotia Highlanders (also known as North Novies, North Novas) is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.

Creation
The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders.

The regiment was composed of two separate units, officially designated as the 1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North), and 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton), both of which were part of 5th Canadian Division's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The 1st Battalion was headquartered in Truro with individual companies located in Amherst, Pictou, New Glasgow, Springhill, and Truro. The 2nd Battalion was headquartered in Sydney, and in 2011 it was renamed back to its pre-1954 designation, the Cape Breton Highlanders. This leaves The Nova Scotia Highlanders as a one-battalion regiment.

Headdress
Although the 2nd Battalion continued the proud tradition of wearing balmorals, the traditional headdress of the regiment, the 1st Battalion did not. There was a strong movement within the unit by the majority of the troops to replace the beret with the balmoral once again as it marked out the highland unit as distinctive and showed the ties with the unit's heritage that contributed to its ésprit de corps. As of January 1, 2011, the balmoral once again became the official headdress of the 1st Battalion as well.

History of predecessor regiments
Members of the regiment volunteered for service in the Canadian Contingents that served in South African War (1899–1902) (see South African War Memorial (Halifax)). The regiment's original constituents participated in many operations, including the Vimy, the Hindenburg Line in World War I and the Normandy landing, Boulogne, and the Gothic Line in World War II.

Perpetuations
The Nova Scotia Highlanders perpetuate the following battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force of the First World War:
 * 17th Battalion, CEF
 * 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles), CEF
 * 106th Battalion, CEF
 * 193rd Battalion, CEF
 * 246th Battalion, CEF

Battle honours
The Nova Scotia Highlanders have received 56 battle honours since the unit's inception.

They are:

South Africa, 1899–1900 (South African War Memorial (Halifax))

First World War
 * Ypres, 1915, '17
 * Festubert, 1915
 * Mount Sorrel
 * Somme, 1916, '18
 * Flers-Courcelette
 * Thiepval
 * Ancre Heights
 * Arras, 1917, '18
 * Vimy, 1917
 * Arleux
 * Scarpe, 1917, '18
 * Hill 70
 * Passchendaele
 * Amiens
 * Drocourt-Quéant
 * Hindenburg Line
 * Canal du Nord
 * Cambrai, 1918
 * Valenciennes
 * Sambre
 * France and Flanders, 1915–18

Second World War
 * Liri Valley
 * Melfa Crossing
 * Ceprano
 * Gothic Line
 * Montecchio
 * Coriano
 * Lamone Crossing
 * Fosso Munio
 * Conventello-Comacchio
 * Italy, 1944–1945
 * Normandy Landing
 * Authie
 * Caen
 * The Orne
 * Bourguébus Ridge
 * Faubourg de Vaucelles
 * Verrières Ridge–Tilly-la-Campagne
 * Falaise
 * The Laison
 * Chambois
 * Boulogne, 1944
 * Calais, 1944
 * The Scheldt
 * Savojaards Plaat
 * Breskens Pocket
 * The Rhineland
 * Waal Flats
 * The Hochwald
 * The Rhine
 * Zutphen
 * IJsselmeer
 * Leer
 * Delfzijl Pocket
 * North-West Europe, 1944–1945.

NOTE: The honours in bold appear on the Nova Scotia Highlanders regimental colours.

Alliances

 * 🇬🇧 — 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire)