West Nova Scotia Regiment

The West Nova Scotia Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces, twenty fourth in the order of precedence. It has seen active service in both the Great War and World War II. The regiment recruits volunteers from all over the province of Nova Scotia and has its headquarters at LFAATC Aldershot, near the community of Aldershot, Nova Scotia. In 19 months of combat during WWII, the West Novas won 25 battle honors, more than any other infantry regiment from Canada.

Early history
The regiment was formed in 1936 by a merger of the 69th (Annapolis) Regiment, formed in 1717, and the 75th (Lunenburg) Regiment, formed in 1870. Both of these descend from the 40th Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales Volunteers), raised in 1717 at Fort Anne, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.

It also perpetuates the 112th and 219th Battalions of Infantry of the World War I Canadian Expeditionary Force. It can claim to be one of the oldest elements of the Canadian Forces.

The Second World War
The regiment was mobilized for service immediately at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. It had however virtually no equipment or transport, and though numerous volunteers rallied to its colours, it was some time before it was an effective fighting unit. Although the regiment soon transferred to Gourock in Scotland and then to Aldershot in England, it did not see active service until the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, Operation Husky.

It was then involved in the battle for Italy for most of the rest of the war, until February 9, 1945, when they received orders informing them that the 1st Canadian Corps would be transferred from Italy to Northwest Europe. The regiment moved to Marseilles, France, by sea and arrived in the Netherlands where they remained until the German surrender on May 5, 1945.

Post war
The regiment has not been on active service since the Second World War, though units of it have served in United Nations peacekeeping forces, in countries such as the former Yugoslavia, Cyprus and the Middle East.

Battle honours
First World War Second World War
 * Arras, 1917, '18
 * Amiens
 * Hill 70
 * Hindenburg Line
 * Ypres, 1917
 * Pursuit to Mons
 * Landing in Sicili
 * Gustav Line
 * Valguarnera
 * Liri Valley
 * Adrano
 * Hitler Line
 * Catenanuova
 * Melfa Crossing
 * Centuripe
 * Gothic Line
 * Sicily, 1943
 * Lamone Crossing
 * Landing at Reggio
 * Rimini Line
 * Potenza
 * San Martino-San Lorenzo
 * Ganbatesa
 * San Fortunato
 * The Sangro
 * Savio Bridgehead
 * Castel di Sangro
 * Italy 1943-1945
 * The Gully
 * Apeldoorn
 * Cassino II
 * North-West Europe 1945

Alliances

 * 🇬🇧 — The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border)