Governor General's Foot Guards

The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada.

"Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is the official motto of the regiment. It can be translated as "Our Care is Queen and Country".

The regiment has an operational role that encompasses both the territorial defence of Canada and supporting regular Canadian forces overseas. In addition to this, it also performs a ceremonial role similar to that of the Guards regiments of the British Army, mounting the guard on Parliament Hill and at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, a task it shares with the Canadian Grenadier Guards. (See Ceremonial Guard) The regimental dress uniform has buttons in pairs similar to the Coldstream Guards with a red plume worn on the left side of their bearskin. The red plume is of different material and lengths, dependent on the rank of the soldier.

The Governor General's Foot Guards were formally allied with the Coldstream Guards of the United Kingdom (General Order 106 of 1929) after being informally allied with them since the formation of the Regiment.

The Governor General's Foot Guards perpetuate the 2nd Canadian Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF, and 77th (Ottawa) Battalion, CEF.

Rank names

 * Ensign : Second Lieutenants in Guard regiments are referred by their former title of ensign (Esgn). The name derives from the task the newest joined officers were entrusted with, carrying the ensign or colours.
 * Colour sergeant : Warrant Officers in Guard regiments are called by their former title of colour sergeant (CSgt). This rank originated from the appointment of specific sergeants to escort and defend the colours.
 * Guardsman : Upon successful completion of recruit training soldiers are to be addressed as guardsman (Gdsm). King George V awarded this honour in 1918 to mark the service of regiments of Foot Guards during the First World War. General Order 138 of 1928 promulgates this honour.
 * Musician : Upon successful completion of recruit training members of the band are addressed as musician (Muscn).

Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental Museum
The museum collects, preserves, studies and exhibits those objects that serve to illustrate the history and traditions of the Regiment. The museum will collect materials that depict the regiment’s past in terms of war, ceremonial, training, sport and other affairs that have influenced the Regiment over the years. The museum will provide for the preservation of such material and for its availability to all those who wish to see and study it. The museum will be a non-profit educational establishment, operated for the Regiment and open to the public, regardless of race, creed, or occupation. The museum will disseminate knowledge and stimulate interest through materials, information services by holding meetings and arranging special programs for the regiment, the association and the public for the furtherance of the purpose of the museum. The museum co-operates with the regiment, association, the National War Museum and other museums as well as the Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, to collect and preserve materials of significance so that these materials may be preserved and aid in the advancement of knowledge of the Regiment. The Guards' museum holds many artifacts from throughout the history of the regiment. Some of the artifacts displayed are a captured German trench periscope, various firearms from past wars including a Second World War–era German MG42, and a copy of Mein Kampf signed by Adolf Hitler. Also on display are several books containing photographs from World War II. The museum is located in the south end of the Cartier Square Drill Hall and is open on parade nights or by appointment.



Battle honours

 * North West Canada, 1885
 * South Africa 1899-1900
 * World War I: Ypres 1915, 1917, Flers-Courcelette, Passchendaele, Gravenstafel, Ancre Heights, Amiens, St. Julien, Arras 1917, 1918, Drocourt-Queant, Festubert, 1915, Vimy 1917, Hindenburg Line, Mount Sorrel, Arleux, Canal du Nord, Somme, 1916, Scarpe, 1917–18, Pursuit to Mons, Pozières, Hill 70, France and Flanders 1915-1918
 * World War II: The Hochwald, The Rhineland, Chambois, Falaise, Veen, The Scheldt, Falaise Road, Bad Zwichenahn, The Lower Maas, The Laison, North West Europe 1944-1945



Victoria Cross recipients

 * (Acting) Corporal Leo Clarke
 * 2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
 * Pozières, France
 * September 9, 1916


 * (Acting) Major Okill Massey Learmonth †
 * 2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
 * Hill 70, France
 * August 18, 1917

† - Awarded posthumously

Alliances

 * 🇬🇧 - Coldstream Guards