The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, 2nd Canadian Division. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Phare, CD. The regiment's armoury was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2008. They are the Senior Canadian-Scottish Regiment.

History
Volunteers have served since the regiment's inception in Montreal on January 31, 1862, as the 5th Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada. The rise of American military strength during the Civil War concerned Canada. The government authorized formation of militia regiments. Each of six Montreal Scottish chieftains responded by raising an infantry company for the 5th Battalion. Eventually, eight companies were raised. Since then, thousands of Canadian citizens have served in the Black Watch. In addition to service during the Fenian raids, they have fought in the Great War and the Second World War; bolstered NATO operations in Europe and UN peacekeeping worldwide; and helped their fellow Canadians at home during the 1998 Ice Storm (Operation ASSISTANCE) and 2011 flooding in Quebec (Operation LOTUS).

The Black Watch is the oldest highland regiment in Canada. The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada originated in Montreal, Quebec on 31 January 1862 as the 5th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles, Canada. It was redesignated as the 5th Battalion, The Royal Light Infantry of Montreal on 7 November 1862, as the 5th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers on 19 November 1875. The Regiment officially became a Scottish Regiment when it was redesignated as the 5th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers on 27 February 1880. It was subsequently redesignated the 5th Battalion, Royal Scots of Canada on 29 February 1884, the 5th Regiment Royal Scots of Canada on 8 May 1900, the 5th Regiment, Royal Scots of Canada, Highlanders, on 2 May 1904, the 5th Regiment, Royal Highlanders of Canada, on 1 October 1906, the The Royal Highlanders of Canada on 29 March 1920, The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) of Canada on 1 January 1930, finally assuming its current name, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada on 1 July 1935. On 16 October 1953, it was amalgamated with the 1st and 2nd Canadian Highland Battalions.

Perpetuations
War of 1812: The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada perpetuates the 5th Battalion, Select Embodied Militia.

First World War: The regiment perpetuates the 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF, 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF and 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF.

The Fenian Raids
The 5th Battalion, The Royal Light Infantry of Canada, was called out on active service on 8 March 1866 and served on the South-Eastern frontier until it was removed from active service on 31 March 1866. The battalion was again called out on active service on 24 May 1870, again serving on the South-Eastern frontier until it was removed from active service on 31 May 1870.

South African War
The regiment did not fight in the Boer War in South Africa, but contributed volunteers for the various Canadian Contingents, mainly to the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry.

The Great War
Details of the 5th Regiment, Royal Highlanders of Canada, were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protective duty. The 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF, was authorized on 1 September 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 26 September 1914, disembarking in France on 16 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The 13th Battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

The 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF, was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 10 June 1915, disembarking in France on 9 October 1915, where it fought as part of the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.

The 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF, was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 31 March 1916, disembarking in France on 13 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division until 9 April 1917 when it was withdrawn from the line after Vimy and broken up to provide reinforcements. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on 19 April 1917.

Second World War
The 2nd Battalion was called out on service on 26 August 1939 and details of the battalion were placed on active service on 1 September 1939, as the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, CASF (Details), for local protection duties. These details were disbanded on 31 December 1940.

The regiment mobilized the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, CASF, on 1 September 1939. This unit, which served in Newfoundland from 22 June to 11 August 1940, embarked for Great Britain on 25 August 1940. Three platoons took part on the raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942. On 6 July 1944, the battalion landed in France as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion was disbanded on 30 November 1945.

The regiment subsequently mobilized the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, CASF, on 18 March 1942. This unit served in Canada in a home defence role as part of Atlantic Command until it was disbanded on 15 August 1943.

The 1st Battalion, Black Watch was brigaded with Le Régiment de Maisonneuve and Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal of the Second Canadian Division, however the FMR were replaced with the Calgary Highlanders in the 5th Brigade in 1940.

The 1st Battalion suffered more casualties than any other Canadian infantry battalion in Northwest Europe according to figures published in The Long Left Flank by Jeffrey Williams. Disaster seemed to follow the unit;


 * On the voyage to France on the day of the Dieppe Raid, casualties were suffered by the unit during a grenade priming accident onboard their ship, the HMS Duke of Wellington.


 * During the Battle of Verrières Ridge on July 25, 1944, 325 men left the start line and only 15 made it back to friendly lines, the others being killed or wounded by well entrenched Waffen SS soldiers and tanks.


 * On 13 October 1944 - known as Black Friday by the Black Watch - the regiment put in an assault near Hoogerheide during the Battle of the Scheldt in which all four company commanders were killed, and one company of 90 men was reduced to just four survivors.

Post-war
On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated, "E" and "F" Companies. "E" Company was reduced to nil strength upon its personnel being incorporated into the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Germany with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It was disbanded on 29 July 1953. "F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company. On 15 May 1952, it was reduced to nil strength, upon its personnel being absorbed by the 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company was disbanded on 29 July 1953.

The 1st Canadian Highland Battalion originated in Valcartier, Quebec on 4 May 1951. On 16 October 1953, it was redesignated the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.

The 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion originated in Aldershot, Nova Scotia on 10 April 1952. On 16 October 1953, it was redesignated the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.

Regular Force soldiers of the 2nd Battalion served on NATO duty in West Germany from 1962 to 1965. Three Regular Force Black Watch soldiers lost their lives while serving with the United Nations Force in Cyprus:


 * Cpl V.J. Perkin, Black Watch (RHR) of C, 18 Oct 1965
 * Pte J.P.E. Bernard, 2 Black Watch (RHR) of C, UNFICYP, 09 Jul 1966
 * Pte J.A. Lerue, 2 Black Watch (RHR) of C, UNFICYP, 09 Feb 1970

On 1 July 1970, when the 1st and 2nd Battalions were reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle, the Reserve Force battalion automatically relinquished its numerical designation.

Battle honours
Those battle honours in bold type are emblazoned on the regimental colour.

War of 1812

 * Châteauguay, Defence of Canada – 1812–1815

South African War

 * SOUTH AFRICA, 1899–1900

The Great War

 * YPRES, 1915, '17
 * Gravenstafel
 * St. Julien
 * FESTUBERT, 1915
 * MOUNT SORREL
 * SOMME, 1916
 * Pozières
 * Flers-Courcelette
 * Thiepval
 * Ancre Heights
 * Ancre, 1916
 * ARRAS, 1917, '18
 * Vimy, 1917
 * Arleux
 * Scarpe, 1917, '18
 * HILL 70
 * Passchendaele
 * AMIENS
 * Drocourt-Quéant
 * HINDENBURG LINE
 * Canal du Nord
 * PURSUIT TO MONS
 * FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915–18

The Second World War

 * BOURGUÉBUS RIDGE
 * Faubourg de Vaucelles
 * Verrières Ridge–Tilly-la-Campagne
 * FALAISE
 * Clair Tizon
 * Forêt de la Londe
 * Dunkirk, 1944
 * Antwerp–Turnhout Canal
 * THE SCHELDT
 * Woensdrecht
 * South Beveland
 * Walcheren Causeway
 * THE RHINELAND
 * The Hochwald
 * Xanten
 * THE RHINE
 * Groningen
 * Oldenburg
 * NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1944–1945

Victoria Cross recipients

 * Lance Corporal Frederick Fisher †
 * 13th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
 * St. Julien, Belgium
 * April 23, 1915


 * Corporal Herman James Good
 * 13th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
 * near Amiens, France
 * August 8, 1918


 * Private John Bernard Croak †
 * 13th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
 * Amiens, France
 * August 8, 1918


 * Private Thomas Dinesen
 * 42nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
 * Parvillers (near Amiens), France
 * August 12, 1918

† - Awarded posthumously

Alliances

 * 🇬🇧 - Black Watch

Music
Gallant Black Watch, a Scotch style march and two-step, was composed by Bert L. Billings and published in Toronto by Whaley, Royce & Co., circa 1906.

Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Museum
Opened in 1949, the regiment's museum includes uniforms, weapons, musical instruments, maps, medals, photographs and documents that focus on the history of the regiment, the city and the Canadian armed forces. The museum is open to members of the Regimental family as well as to the public on Tuesdays and by appointment. The museum and archives are located at the regiment's headquarters on rue de Bleury in Montreal. The museum portrays the history of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) through a collection of regimental uniforms, accoutrements, trophies of war, and mementos.