Last Thursday, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall received a number of Officers of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. The Queen's Own Rifles (QOR) are the sixth-most senior regiment of the Canadian Forces on the order of precedence, and were created in 1860; the QOR have the distinction, today, of being the only Canadian Forces regiment with a parachute tasking.
At the creation of The Queen's Own Rifles, they were styled the Second Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada, in 1860. Less than a decade later, they were renamed the 2Bn, The Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto, and it was under this name that they played a major role in the deflection of Fenian raids against British North America. Two decades later, they became the 2Bn, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. When the 2Bn QOR fought in the First World War, they were not able to wear their own regimental insignia; at the end of the war, the name of the regiment changed again, this time to simply, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (despite the fact that "Second Battalion" was dropped, the number "2" continues to be worn to demonstrate the regiment's seniority).
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada also played an instrumental role in the Second World War. First, they were assigned to the defence of New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador; later, though, they were deployed to England, and proceeded to participate in the first-wave assault on D-Day. They made it to northern France, and entered Belgium, then the Netherlands, before at last reaching Germany, shortly before the cease-fire was ordered at the conclusion of the war. Today, the QOR supports the Canadian Parachute Centre.
Previously, the Colonel-in-Chief of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada was Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy L.G., G.C.V.O., C.D.; effective January 1 of this next year, though, The Duchess of Cornwall will take over as Colonel-in-Chief. I'm very excited for a regiment that has played such a key role in Canadian history, to have the privilege of a Colonel-in-Chief who is one day going to be the Queen-consort of Canada. I thank Princess Alexandra for having taken her role so seriously, of course, but I am nonetheless excited for the change. I think it's a fantastic practice for Canadian Forces regiments to have colonels-in-chief who are members of The Royal Family, with Her Majesty The Queen of Canada as Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada (with Her Majesty's role exercised by the Governor General, of course); it gives the Canadian Forces a non-partisan focus. Besides, armed forces are inherently somewhat colonial.
Sources
At the creation of The Queen's Own Rifles, they were styled the Second Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada, in 1860. Less than a decade later, they were renamed the 2Bn, The Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto, and it was under this name that they played a major role in the deflection of Fenian raids against British North America. Two decades later, they became the 2Bn, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. When the 2Bn QOR fought in the First World War, they were not able to wear their own regimental insignia; at the end of the war, the name of the regiment changed again, this time to simply, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (despite the fact that "Second Battalion" was dropped, the number "2" continues to be worn to demonstrate the regiment's seniority).
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada also played an instrumental role in the Second World War. First, they were assigned to the defence of New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador; later, though, they were deployed to England, and proceeded to participate in the first-wave assault on D-Day. They made it to northern France, and entered Belgium, then the Netherlands, before at last reaching Germany, shortly before the cease-fire was ordered at the conclusion of the war. Today, the QOR supports the Canadian Parachute Centre.
Previously, the Colonel-in-Chief of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada was Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy L.G., G.C.V.O., C.D.; effective January 1 of this next year, though, The Duchess of Cornwall will take over as Colonel-in-Chief. I'm very excited for a regiment that has played such a key role in Canadian history, to have the privilege of a Colonel-in-Chief who is one day going to be the Queen-consort of Canada. I thank Princess Alexandra for having taken her role so seriously, of course, but I am nonetheless excited for the change. I think it's a fantastic practice for Canadian Forces regiments to have colonels-in-chief who are members of The Royal Family, with Her Majesty The Queen of Canada as Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada (with Her Majesty's role exercised by the Governor General, of course); it gives the Canadian Forces a non-partisan focus. Besides, armed forces are inherently somewhat colonial.
Sources
- The Royal Family: homepage / The Court Circular
- The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada: homepage / A Brief History