The earliest
beginnings of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) can be
traced to 1775 in the Colony of Virginia, where a Captain John
Saunders raised a troop of cavalry (Saunders’ Horse) at his own
expense to fight for the Crown against the colonial rebels. This
unusual troop which included riflemen, grenadiers, artillery and
cavalry never knew defeat until the British surrender at Yorktown in
October 1783. In September 1783, Saunders’ horse as an entity was
dispatched to New Brunswick where a large number of these Loyalist
solders settled in the Saint John and Kennebecasis valleys.
The New
Brunswick Militia Act of 1825 permitted the raising of cavalry
troops by voluntary enlistment for attachment to the various county
infantry battalions. Many amongst those who enlisted in these troops
were the sons and grandsons of those who served with John Saunders
in Virginia. By authority of Militia General Order Number One on 4
April 1848, eleven independent troops were united to from a regiment
entitled the New Brunswick Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry. It is this
date that is officially recognized as the formation of the Regiment.
For a period during thc late 1870s thc Regiment was known
unofficially as the 8th Queen’s Canadian Hussars. This was the first
designation of the unit as Hussars. even though the Regiment had
been uniformed as Hussars since the early 1860s. At least one of the
troops had worn Hussar uniforms prior to 1848.
In 1879, the
Regiment provided a mounted escort for the visit of the Governor
General, the Marquis of Lorne and his wife, Her Royal Highness, The
Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria. Princess Louise so
caught the eye of the Regiment that permission was sought to include
her name in the Regiment’s title. Princess Louise consented and in
July 1884, the Regiment was redesignated the 8th Princess Louise’s
New Brunswick Regiment of Cavalry. In 1889, the Regiment was
officially classified as "Hussars" in the Militia List and in 1892
the Regiment was again redesignated the 8th Princess Louise’s New
Brunswick Hussars, a title which remained until 1957.
On
mobilization for the Great War, the Hussars were dealt a bitter
blow; plans permitted mobilization of only a few existing units for
the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The Hussars did, however provide
one formed squadron and a number of officers to the 6th Canadian
Mounted Rifles (CMR). In July 1915, the 6th CMR sailed for England
and by late October arrived in France for service in the trenches as
infantry. It was almost forty years later that the Hussar
contribution to the Great War was recognized when the Regiment was
granted the perpetuation of the 6th CMR with the bestowment of the
Battle Honours Mount Sorrel, Somme 1916 and France and Flanders
1915-16.
The Second
World War provided the Regiment’s first opportunity for active
service as a formed unit, initially as the 4th Canadian Motor Cycle
Regiment and then as the 5th Armoured Regiment. The Regiment landed
in Italy on 19 December 1943 at Naples and saw action soon and
frequently thereafter. The bloody battles of Cassino and the Liri
Valley, the Metfa Crossing, Ceprano, The Gothic Line, Missano Ridge,
Coriano, the Lamone River Crossing, and Coventello were grim
testimony to the Regiment’s fighting effectiveness. In February
1945, the Hussars sailed from Italy to Southern France, and then
moved by rail to Northwest Europe. After refitting the tanks the
Regiment went into action in Holland, breaking through to Putten in
mid-April. The Regiment then moved north for the final actions of
the war at the Delfzijl Pocket where 3,000 German soldiers
surrendered to the Regiment. On 26 January 1946, the Regiment
arrived in Halifax and the next day reached Sussex, New Brunswick.
where it was demobilized.
In 1950. the
Regiment was again called upon to provide men for service with the
Special Force which was deployed to Korea, and in 1951 "Y" Troop was
organized for service with the 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade in
Germany.
On 29 January
1957, it was decided that a third armoured regiment would be formed
in the Canadian Army (Regular). As a result the Regiment was
honoured with the privilege of providing its name to the new
Regiment. which resulted in the change of the Regiment’s name to the
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s). The Regular Regiment
served in Camp Gagetown, New Brunswick.
In February
1958 the Reconnaissance Squadron of the Regular Regiment departed
Canada for a one year tour of duty with the United Nations Emergency
Force (UNEF) in Egypt. The following year. the regiment sailed to
Germany for service with the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.
Following a three year tour in Germany, the Regular Regiment
returned to Canada and established itself at Camp Petawawa, Ontario.
In February 1964, "U" Squadron was deployed for a one year tour of
duty with UNEF in Egypt.
On 24 June
1972 Her Majesty the Queen announced the appointment of Hcr Royal
Highness, The Princess Anne as Colonel-in-Chief of the 8th Canadian
Hussars (Princess Louise’s). In May 1978, "B" Squadron was formed as
an independent tank squadron at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown
equipped with "Leopard" tanks. In October 1978, the Regiment again
deployed as part of a UN force in Cyprus. Upon returning to Canada
it was equipped with the "Cougar" Wheeled Fire Support Vehicle. In
1987, the Regiment moved from its home of 25 years in Petawawa to
Lahr, Germany. Equipped entirely with "Leopards", it became the
Armoured Regiment of the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group until
1993.
During this
time the Reserve Regiment won no less than eight Worthington
Trophies as the best Reserve Armoured Regiment in Canada. This feat
was unmatched by any of the other 18 Reserve Armoured Regiments in
Canada.
In 1993, the
Regular Regiment returned to Moncton and was amalgamated with the
Reserve Regiment, to become Canada’s first Total Force Armoured
Regiment. Regimental Headquarters, "C" and "HQ" Squadrons were then
co-located in Moncton Garrison, "B" Squadron at the Sussex Armoury
and "A" Squadron at CFB Gagetown.
On 27 June
1998, the Regiment celebrated its 150th Anniversary highlighted by
the presentation of a new guidon in Moncton, New Brunswick by its
Colonel-in-Chief, the Princess Royal. The old Reserve Force Regimental Guidon was laid up at
St. Michael’s Anglican Church in Hampton, New Brunswick in
September, 1998.
In August of
1998, the Regiment’s Regular Force squadron was re-badged, and the
Regiment began its reversion to Reserve Force status. "C" Squadron
in Moncton was to become "A" Squadron, with "B" Squadron remaining
in Sussex. Under the Total Army Establishment, the Regiment was
restructured to be consistent with other Reserve Armoured Regiments,
and "HQ" Squadron was reduced to a Combat Service Support (CSS)
Troop.
The Regiment
has participated in several “Aid to the civil authority” missions in
recent history. In the summer of 1990 the Regiment sent a troop
sized force to the province of Quebec in Cougars to assist in
Canadian Forces Operations in the Oka Crisis. In the 1998 Ice Storm,
the Regiment provided a platoon-sized force to assist in the
maintenance of infrastructure in the community of St Stephen, New
Brunswick. In the fall of 1998, the Regiment provided soldiers to
the recovery effort for the Swiss Air Flight 111
The
8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) is the longest
serving armoured regiment in the Canadian Forces. It had, for a
time, the distinction of being Canada’s only Total Force Armoured
Regiment. A classification it had between 1993 and 1998 when it was
a mixed Regiment of Regulars and Reserve Troops. A Squadron being
Regular Force served in CFB Gagetown and B, C and HQ Squadrons
served in Sussex, Moncton and Sackville. In 1998 again due to budget
reasons the Regular Squadron was disbanded and the Regiment reverted
to reserve status again.
THE REGIMENT TODAY
The Regiment
currently consists of 175 Regular and Reserve soldiers with
squadrons located in Moncton and Sussex. The Regimental family also
includes five Army Cadet Corps which parade 300 youths in Moncton,
Port Elgin, Sussex, Shediac and Dieppe. The Regiment is allied with
the Queen’s Royal Hussars (Queen’s Own and Royal Irish) and
affiliated with the Queen’s York Rangers (1st American
Regiment) (RCAC). Our
Colonel-in-Chief is Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, GVCO,
CD. The Regimental
motto is Regi Patriaeque Fidelis (Loyal to King and Country). The Regiment is currently
commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel P.R. Nielsen, CD. The Regimental Sergeant
Major is Chief Warrant Officer S.L. Jones, CD1.
The 8th
Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) has, through its long and
distinguished service, demonstrated that it will continue to rise to
each challenge in the same tradition the Regiment is known for.
REGIMENTAL APPOINTMENTS
Commanding Officer-
Lieutenant Colonel P.R. Nielsen, CD
Regimental Second-in-Command-
Major J.A.R. Trapé
Honorary Colonel-
Colonel E.R. Nurse
Honorary Lieutenant Colonel-
Lieutenant Colonel J.D. Trueman
Regimental Sergeant Major-
Chief Warrant Officer S.L. Jones, CD1
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