The Sherbrooke Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.
The regiment was formed in 1965 by amalgamation of the 7th/11th Hussars with the Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC).
It perpetuates the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment of the Second World War.
History
The Sherbrooke Regiment The Sherbrooke Regiment was initially formed on 21 September 1866 in Melbourne, Quebec, as the Sherbrooke Battalion of Infantry, becoming the 53rd (Sherbrooke) Battalion in 1867. The regiment perpetuates the Frontier Light Infantry as well as the 1st and 4th battalions of the Eastern Township District (1812–1815) from the War of 1812. As a result, the regiment carries the battle honour "Defence of Canada – 1812–1815", in recognition of the service rendered by the Frontier Light Infantry at the Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814).
On 22 March 1867 it was reorganized as two separate battalions designated the 53rd Melbourne Battalion of Infantry and the 54th Sherbrooke Battalion of Infantry. It was redesignated as the 53rd Sherbrooke Battalion of Infantry on 10 May 1867 and then the 53rd Sherbrooke Regiment on 8 May 1900.
The regiment provided volunteers for the 12th Battalion, CEF, in 1914. The following year, it provided men to the 117th (Eastern Townships) Battalion, CEF. After proceeding overseas the 117th was broken up to provide reinforcements for several other Canadian units serving France.
In 1920, the Sherbrooke Regiment was reformed with two battalions – the 1st Battalion perpetuated the traditions of the 117th CEF. Following the Great War, the regiment was renamed The Sherbrooke Regiment on 29 March 1920 and re-roled as a machine gun battalion as The Sherbrooke Regiment (MG) on 15 December 1936.
In 1940, parts of the regiment amalgamated with Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke to form the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment (27th Canadian Armoured Regiment). Initially an infantry regiment, it was converted to an armoured regiment, later part of 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. The Sherbrooke Regiment remained in Canada and trained as infantry.
After the end of the Second World War, The Sherbrooke Regiment re-roled as armour, becoming the 12th Armoured Regiment (Sherbrooke Regiment), The Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC). In 1965, it amalgamated with the 7th/11th Hussars to become The Sherbrooke Hussars.
7th/11th Hussars
The 7th/11th Hussars was formed in 1936 through the amalgamation of the 7th Hussars and 11th Hussars. In 1940, 400 men of the 7th/11th Hussars were mobilized as infantry with the 1st Battalion, Royal Rifles of Canada. It was redesignated the 2nd (Reserve) Regiment, 7th/11th Hussars on 27 February 1941. The regiment itself became the 16th (Reserve) Armoured Regiment, before being disbanded in 1943, with its personnel absorbed by the 5th Canadian Armoured Division of I Canadian Corps.
Brigade Headquarters of 5 Canadian Armoured Brigade was nicknamed "Headquarters Squadron (7th/11th Hussars)", and saw service in the Italian and Northwest Europe campaigns. Two HQ Sqn (7th/11th Hussars) members were made Members of the Order of the British Empire for their wartime service: Captain Robert Rutherford was brigade reconnaissance officer, and Squadron Major Cecil Raven was de facto HQ regimental sergeant major.
In 1946, the regiment was raised again in Canada, as 16th Reconnaissance Regiment (7th/11th Hussars), RCAC, on 1 April 1946, redesignated the 7th/11th Hussars (16th Reconnaissance Regiment) on 4 February 1949. It converted to armour as the 7th/11th Hussars (16th Armoured Regiment) on 1 September 1954 and finally the 7th/11th Hussars on 19 May 1958.
On 15 February 1965 it was amalgamated with The Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC) to form the Sherbrooke Hussars.Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
Lineage chart
Sherbrooke Hussars
The Canadian Army doctrine changed in the 1950s from mobilizing units in Canada for overseas service, to maintaining standing forces in Europe. As a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation signatory, Canada's focus was to support first the 27th Infantry Brigade in Germany and later 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade. The role of reserve units changed to training individual soldiers to augment the regular force.
On 15 February 1965, the 7th/11th Hussars amalgamated with The Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC) to form the current regiment. The Sherbrooke Regiment's Sherman tanks were returned to stores. Regimental headquarters was established in Sherbrooke, with 'A' and 'B' Squadrons. Personnel from outlying areas were encouraged to commute for training.
On 5 July 1967, Queen Elizabeth II presented a new guidon on Parliament Hill in the presence of thousands of spectators. An editorial in The Sherbrooke Daily Record declared it a, "... a proud moment, too, for the people of Sherbrooke whose heritage includes the distinguished exploits of this military unit." Likewise in the spirit of Centennial projects that marked the federation's 100th birthday was the Sherbrooke Hussars' Centennial Guard. Throughout the Eastern Townships in August, a 35-man platoon of soldiers performed 1860s-style Fort Henry Guard-inspired drill with period Snider–Enfield rifles and bayonets.
During the decades that followed, members of the Sherbrooke Hussars deployed on Exercise Reforger 'call-outs' to Germany, including a formed Jeep light armoured reconnaissance troop attached to the 8th Canadian Hussars. Other operational deployment included individuals on United Nations missions in Middle East UNEF and UNDOF as support trades, such as drivers, Cyprus UNFICYP as peacekeepers, and extensively in the Former Yugoslavia UNPROFOR. A member of the regiment, Corporal David Galvin, attached to 12eRBC, was killed when his Cougar armoured car rolled over on 29 November 1993.Accessed 30 March 2023 Several members of the regiment served in Afghanistan, including at least one soldier who was wounded by an improvised explosive device. Although individual contributions were significant, the regiment did not meet the detailed criteria for the Afghanistan theatre honours. Elsewhere, personnel served in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.Olympic moment in Haiti lookoutnewspaper.com March 2010 p. 15
Reserve units in Canada face constant challenges of personnel attraction and retention. Often an employer will be reluctant to allow a reservist to leave their job to attend extended training courses or an operational deployment. One effort to reward cooperative employers has been through public recognition through the Canadian Forces Liaison Council. In 2005, the Most Supportive Employer in Quebec was the federal Department of Citizenship and Immigration on behalf of their employee, Captain Simon Hallé of the Sherbrooke Hussars.CANFORGEN 040/05 VCDS 010/05 221305Z FEB 05 "CFLC NATIONAL RESERVE FORCE EMPLOYER SUPPORT AWARDS" Routine training includes an element of personal risk. While on a reconnaissance exercise in the Bishopton and Bury area in October 1987, Cpl Denis Letellier died instantly in a road accident with his Iltis Jeep. During a road movement taking headquarters personnel to visit troops occupying an observation post screen, his vehicle slid onto the shoulder of the road and overturned. His memory is sustained with an annual trophy for the best Corporal in the unit.Unit journal accessed 9 Apr 2026, https://www.thesherbrookehussars.ca/en/post/trophy-of-cpl-letellier-best-cpl
National Defence budgets have always set the tone for training and recruiting tempo. For example, in April 2010, both the Sherbrooke Hussars and the were required to reduce their operating funds by 40% in the middle of their training year.
Discussion of how to better integrate reserve units with the regular force (Reg F) is not new.Accessed 26 March 2026Accessed 26 March 2026, https://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/cmj-article-en-244page19.html The 2017 Strong, Secure and Engaged (SSE) policy directed the CAF to evolve the Reserves from a mobilization structure into a fully integrated force. This led to the 2019 Strengthening the Army Through the Reserves (StAR) project, which assigned the Sher H a mission task to acquire chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) detection expertise. Other units received tasks across a wide military spectrum, such as force protection, convoy escorts, Arctic response company groups, and territorial battalion groups. Following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, StAR evolved into the 2020 Canadian Army Modernization Strategy (CAMS), then the One Army, which became the 2024 Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence, and then the army's Inflection Point 2025. Each one analysed what the army is and what the army should be. From Inflection Point 2025,Accessed 26 March 2026, https://www.canada.ca/en/army/services/army-modernization/inflection-point-2025.html#wb-cont the 120 Primary Reserve units will be grouped with the Canadian Rangers into a Defence of Canada Division. This is separate from the Regular Force–centred heavy Manoeuvre Division, Support Division and Training Division. , the Sher H's specific role had not been announced.
The Sherbrooke Hussars has used a variety of operational vehicles over the years:
Cougar AVGP (Armoured Vehicle General Purpose); Canadian-made GMC M135 -ton Cargo ("Deuce and a Half"); Canadian-made Dodge M37 -ton truck; M38A1 -ton truck, the M151A2 -ton truck; and the Volkswagen Iltis -ton truck for wheeled reconnaissance training; Canadian-made M35 series -ton 6×6 cargo truck known as the MLVW; Canadian-produced, standard transmission, 12v, 4x4, 1-ton Dodge Power Wagon W200 trucks differing slightly from the American Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle series; various -ton GM commercial vehicles Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle;
The current service vehicle is the Mercedes G-Wagen -ton truck, and the operational support vehicle is the MilCots commercial pattern extended cab 4x4 truck. There are six vehicles assigned for the echelon as fuel can hauler, ammo truck, squadron sergeant major's resupply and canteen, first-line mechanic, and administration sergeant in place of the retired LSVW. Since the fall of 2017, the TAPV has been the main training attraction, 18-ton Textron Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle.
Throughout its existence, the regiment perpetuates its Eastern Township roots as a bilingual unit in the Army Reserves. Since the arrival of the TAPV, training has concentrated on cavalry duties such as mounted reconnaissance, convoy escort and vehicle checkpoint establishment using the TAPV and G-Wagen.
Perpetuations
War of 1812
Frontier Light Infantry and 1st and 4th battalions of the Eastern Township District (1812–1815)
Great War
5th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF is perpetuated by The Sherbrooke Hussars, through the 7th/11th Hussars as explained below 117th (Eastern Townships) Battalion, CEF is perpetuated by The Sherbrooke Hussars 163rd Battalion (French-Canadian), CEF is perpetuated by Les Fusiliers de SherbrookeA AD 267 000 AF 003 The Insignia and Linkages of the Canadian Forces, Vol 3 Part 2, Infantry Regiments.
Eastern Townships' military legacies
The guidon of The Sherbrooke Hussars has, at its centre bottom, the badge of the Royal Rifles of Canada to denote the honorary distinction for reinforcing the Royal Rifles during their operation in Hong Kong.
Formation of Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment