Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)

The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) (RHLI) is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, based at John Weir Foote VC Armoury in Hamilton, Ontario. The RHLI is part of 31 Canadian Brigade Group, which is part of 2nd Canadian Division. The unit, formed in 1862 as "13th Battalion Volunteer Militia (Infantry), Canada", mobilized to repel a Fenian Raid in 1866, contributed volunteers for the Second Boer War, First World War and War in Afghanistan, and mobilized an overseas battalion in 1939 that fought in the Dieppe Raid and several other campaigns in northwestern Europe. On 24 May 2026 the regiment formed a tactical grouping with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) as part of the Canadian Army modernization.

Badge

Description "On an autumnal maple leaf proper a bugle Argent stringed Vert enclosing the letters RHLI Or and ensigned by the Royal Crown proper, the base of the leaf surmounted by two scrolls Azure edged and inscribed 'Wentworth Regiment' and '' in letters Or."Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.

Symbolism The maple leaf represents service to Canada, and the Crown, service to the Sovereign. The regiment's light infantry heritage is symbolized by the bugle. Combined, "RHLI" and "Wentworth Regiment" are a form of the regimental title, and "" is the motto of the regiment.

Lineage

The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry

The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry originated in Hamilton, Ontario on 11 December 1862 as the 13th Battalion Volunteer Militia (Infantry), Canada. It was redesignated as the 13th Regiment on 8 May 1900; as the 13th "Royal Regiment" on 3 January 1910; and as the Royal Hamilton Regiment on 1 May 1920. It was organized as a four battalion regiment with the 1st Battalion (perpetuating the 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF) on the Non Permanent Active Militia order of battle, and the 2nd Battalion (perpetuating the 86th Battalion (Machine Gun), CEF), 3rd Battalion (perpetuating the 120th Battalion (City of Hamilton) CEF), and 4th Battalion (perpetuating the 205th Battalion (Hamilton), CEF)) on the Reserve order of battle. On 15 June 1926, the 1st Battalion was redesignated the 1st Battalion (perpetuating the 4th Battalion (Central Ontario), CEF). The reserve units were disbanded on 14 December 1936. The regiment was redesignated as the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry on 15 March 1927. On 15 December 1936, it amalgamated with the headquarters and three companies of the Wentworth Regiment and was redesignated as the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment). It was redesignated as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) on 7 November 1940 and as the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) on 31 December 1945. On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F" Company. "E" Company was reduced to nil strength upon its personnel being incorporated into the 1st Canadian Rifle Battalion (later the 1st Battalion, the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada) for service in Germany with NATO. 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 newly formed 2nd Canadian Rifle Battalion (later the 2nd Battalion, the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada) for service with the United Nations in Korea.

The Wentworth Regiment

The Wentworth Regiment originated in Dundas, Ontario on 23 May 1872 as the 77th "Wentworth" Battalion of Infantry. It was redesignated as the 77th Wentworth Regiment on 8 May 1900; and as the Wentworth Regiment on 1 May 1920. On 15 December 1936, it was amalgamated with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.

Lineage chart

Perpetuations

War of 1812 perpetuations 2nd Regiment of York Militia

Great War perpetuations 4th Battalion (Central Ontario), CEF 86th Battalion (Machine Gun), CEF 120th Battalion (City of Hamilton) CEF 129th Battalion (Wentworth), CEF 205th Battalion (Hamilton), CEF)

Alliances – The Rifles

Operational history Fenian raids The 13th Battalion Volunteer Militia (Infantry), Canada was called out on active service from 8 to 31 March and from 1 to 22 June 1866 and fought on the Niagara frontier before being removed from active service on 22 June 1866.

South African War The 13th Regiment contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents, principally the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry.

Great War

Details of the 77th Wentworth Regiment were called out on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.

The 4th Battalion (Central Ontario), CEF was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Britain on 3 October 1914. It disembarked in France on 12 February 1915, and fought as part of the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division¸ in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on 30 August 1920.

The 86th Battalion (Machine Gun), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 19 May 1916 where it provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 22 June 1916, when it was reorganized in Britain as the 'Canadian Machine Gun Depot, CEF'. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on 1 September 1917.

The 120th Battalion (City of Hamilton) CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 14 August 1916 where it provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 20 January 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the '2nd Reserve Battalion, CEF'. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on 17 July 1917.

The 129th Battalion (Wentworth), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Britain on 24 August 1916 where its personnel were absorbed by the 123rd Battalion (Royal Grenadiers), CEF and 124th Battalion (Governor General's Body Guard), CEF on 18 October 1916 to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on 21 May 1917.

The 205th Battalion (Hamilton), CEF) was authorized on 15 July 1916 and sent two reinforcing drafts overseas on 28 March and 29 April 1917. On 20 December 1916, it was reorganized in Canada as a draft-giving depot machine gun battalion, and on 31 October 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 'Machine Gun Corps, CEF, Military District No. 2'. The battalion was subsequently disbanded on 12 July 1918.

Second World War The regiment mobilized the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, CASF for active service on 1 September 1939. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, CASF on 7 November 1940. It embarked for Britain on 22 July 1940. The battalion took part in Operation Jubilee on 19 August 1942. (General Denis Whitaker, who fought as a captain with the RHLI at Dieppe, in a 1989 interview stated, “The defeat cleared out all the dead weight. It was the best thing that ever happed to the regiment.”)

The RHLI returned to France on 5 July 1944 as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, and continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion was subsequently disbanded on 31 December 1945.

Post-war On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F" Company for service on NATO duty in Germany and United Nations duty in Korea respectively. "E" Company was reduced to nil strength upon its personnel being incorporated into the '1st Canadian Rifle Battalion'. "F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company until 15 May 1952 when it was reduced to nil strength, upon its personnel being absorbed by the newly formed '2nd Canadian Rifle Battalion'.

War in Afghanistan The regiment contributed an aggregate of more than 20% of its authorized strength to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014.

History The regiment has a long history, which includes perpetuating the 2nd Regiment of York Militia from the War of 1812. Its formal lineage descends from the 13th Regiment, formed 11 December 1862, on a general order issued by the Governor General. It has earned thirty-nine battle honours in the two world wars. Most recently, members from the regiment deployed to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). They suffered their greatest single day of losses at Dieppe, France, on 19 August 1942.RhLI website

The anniversary of Dieppe is recognized each year by the regiment.

History 1862–1913 The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry has a rich history in Hamilton and Wentworth County. The regiment has two direct antecedents, and indirect antecedents include the 1st and 2nd Companies of Volunteer Rifles (Hamilton), formed in 1855, and the Volunteer Highland Company (No. 3 Company) formed in 1856.

The RHLI's earliest direct ancestor is the 13th Battalion of Volunteer Militia established in 1862, which along with the 2nd Battalion the Queen's Own Rifles are modern Canada's oldest fighting regiments, having first seen combat in June 1866 at the Battle of Ridgeway against an invading Irish American Fenian insurgent army composed of better armed and more experienced recent civil war veterans. The regimental cap badge still bears the supposedly unlucky number from its oldest official antecedent. When the 13th Battalion first saw action at the Battle of Ridgeway it took heavy casualties and was forced to fall back along with the Queen's Own Rifles. The 13th Battalion commanding officer Lt. Colonel Alfred Booker who was in command of the brigade deployed in the battle was blamed for the disaster.Peter Vronsky, Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada, Toronto: Penguin Books, 2011.

In 1870, another contingent from the battalion served in Manitoba during the Red River Rebellion. The regiment also traces ancestry to the 77th (Wentworth) Battalion of Volunteer Militia. Founded under that name in 1872, it was renamed the 77th Wentworth Regiment in 1900.

Between 1899 and 1902, during the Boer War, many members of the 13th served in South Africa as members of the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment and the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles. Not asked to mobilize for the war, the 13th Battalion remained in Canada and was redesignated 13th Regiment in 1900 and 13th Royal Regiment in 1910.

History 1914–1938