The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The regiment is subordinate to 39 Canadian Brigade Group, 3rd Canadian Division. Based at the Seaforth Armoury on Burrard Street in Vancouver, the regiment serves in both times of war and civil emergency, such as disaster relief after earthquakes or floods. It also contributes individual volunteers or "augmentees" to Canadian Forces operations around the world.
The regiment was formed in 1910 and served overseas in both World War I and World War II. Members of the Seaforth Highlanders have deployed on many missions since World War II including Korea, Egypt, Cyprus, Croatia and most recently in Afghanistan.
Lineage
The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Originated 24 November 1910 in Vancouver, British Columbia as the 72nd Highlanders of Canada Redesignated 15 April 1912 as the 72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Redesignated 16 December 1912 as the 72nd Regiment "Seaforth Highlanders of Canada" Redesignated 12 March 1920 as The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Redesignated 7 November 1940 as the 2nd Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Redesignated 1 November 1945 as The Seaforth Highlanders of CanadaCanadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003 Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces. Volume 3: Combat Arms Regiments.
Lineage chart
Perpetuations
The Great War 72nd Battalion (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CEF 231st Battalion (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CEF
Operational history The Great War The 72nd Battalion (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CEF was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Britain on 23 April 1916. It disembarked in France on 13 August 1916, where it fought as part of the 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion disbanded on 30 August 1920.
The 231st Battalion (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CEF was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Britain on 11 April 1917, where, on 22 April 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 24th Reserve Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion disbanded on 11 April 1918.
The Second World War The regiment mobilized The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, CASF for active service on 1 September 1939. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, CASF on 7 November 1940. It embarked for Britain on 20 December 1939. The battalion landed in Sicily on 10 July 1943 and in Italy on 4 September 1943 as part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division. On 14 March 1945, it moved with the I Canadian Corps to North-West Europe as part of Operation Goldflake, where it fought until the end of the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 31 October 1945.
On 1 June 1945, a second Active Force component of the regiment was mobilized for service in the Pacific theatre of operations designated as the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CASF. The battalion disbanded on 1 November 1945.
Post-War:Korea and NATO On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F" Company. "E" Company was reduced to nil strength when its personnel were incorporated into the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion (later the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada) for service in Germany with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It 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 when its personnel were absorbed by the newly formed 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion (later the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada) for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company disbanded on 29 July 1953.
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.
Alliances — The Highlanders
Battle honours
In the list below, battle honours in small capitals are for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles. Those battle honours in bold type are emblazoned on the regimental colour.
History
Foundations In 1909, members of Vancouver's Scottish community sought to raise a highland regiment in Vancouver. The question was first put to the Gaelic societies and the idea was received favourably. A meeting was held on 11 May 1909, in the St. Andrews and Caledonian Societies rooms to discuss the issue.
The topic continued to be discussed in the Scottish circles of the city. The delegates met again on 17 January 1910, and it was reported that an application had been sent to the Minister of Militia to raise a highland regiment in Vancouver. It had been decided to apply for the number 72, that of the Seaforth Highlanders in Scotland, and that number being vacant on the Canadian Militia List.
On 24 November 1910, authorization was received from the Militia Department for the formation of a new regiment in Vancouver bearing the number 72, and wearing the same uniform and tartan as the Seaforth Highlanders of the Imperial service. In a letter dated April 11, 1911, consent to use the name Seaforth Highlanders of Canada was received from the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Imperial Seaforth Highlanders.
On 22 June 1911, the years of hard work culminated in the first parade of the regiment on the parade ground in downtown Vancouver, at Larwill Park, later the bus depot of Pacific Coast Stage Lines and now a parking lot, between the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Beatty Street Drill Hall.
The Seaforths first saw active service the next year in the summer of 1912 when rallies by striking coal miners in the area around Nanaimo led to rioting. The miners were striking because of workplace safety concerns, such as lethal gas explosions that had already killed hundreds."Vancouver Island Coal Strike". The Canadian Encyclopedia, Lynne Bowen, 02/07/2006 A company from the Seaforths was sent to garrison the area and maintain the peace. Though not a shot was ever fired, peace was restored and maintained until the unit was called back to mobilize for war in August 1914.
The Great War Upon hearing of the proclamation of war with Germany on 4 August 1914 Lieutenant Colonel Edwards-Leckie, commanding officer of the Seaforth Highlanders, immediately offered the regiment for overseas service. His request was denied, and instead the regiment provided 25 officers and 514 men for the 16th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, forming almost half the battalion. While awaiting permission for the Seaforths to go overseas the regiment recruited and deployed an additional 41 officers and 1,637 men to numerous battalions.
Finally on 18 July Major J.A. Clark was appointed as the commander of the 72nd Battalion (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CEF and ordered to begin training for overseas service. The regiment travelled east through Ottawa to the United Kingdom and on 18 August 1916, the Seaforths were in France. Receiving the number 72nd Battalion made the Seaforths the only Canadian regiment in World War I to deploy with its traditional regimental number as its CEF battalion number.
The Seaforths were involved in some of the bloodiest battles of the war including Ypres, the Somme, and Vimy Ridge. In the final battle for Vimy Ridge, Lieutenant D.O. Vicars and Private McWhinney (later Lieutenant McWhinney, DCM) with Corporal "Hat" Matthews took, unaided, 400 yards of the German Support Line, nearly the entire battalion front. Later in the battle, the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel J.A. Clark, DSO, with one junior officer, two runners and a Lewis gun crew, pushed up a mile in advance of the battalion where they met Brigadier McBrien and two senior officers armed only with revolvers, and promptly attacked a party of 50 enemy soldiers, driving them off. During the attack on Elev Spur, the retreating enemy were in such disarray the Sergeant W. Brown, MM, stepped into a poker game, which he broke up with his rifle. It is a special tribute that the German communiqué referred to the Seaforths as "specially picked assault troops."
One of the most notable actions in the history of the Seaforths was the capture of Crest Farm during the Battle of Passchendaele on 30 October 1917. A dispatch from the Commander-in-Chief, after the battle, stated in part that "the unit which took Crest Farm had by this action accomplished a feat of arms which would go down in the annals of British history as one of the greatest achievements of a single unit."
At 10:25 a.m. on 11 November 1918, the Seaforths received the following message while resting in Valenciennes. "Canadian Corps 06.45... Hostilities will cease at 11:00 hours on November 11th... Troops will stand fast on the line reached at that time which will be reported to Corps Headquarters... Strictest precautions will be maintained... There will be no intercourse of any description with the enemy... Further instructions follow... Fourth Canadian Division." The Great War was over.
The Seaforths would not leave France for home until May 1919 for there was still much work to be done. While they waited it was decided that the regiment should be presented with its new colours. The presentation was done on April 1, 1919, by Lieutenant General Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps. As the regiment marched off with their new colours flying in a stiff breeze "there was not a man present who did not feel that they focused the romance of the Battalion's history and the memories of the Battalion's dead."McEvoy, B (1920). History of the 72nd Canadian Infantry Battalion Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. Vancouver [BC] : Cowan
World War II In the spring of 1939 it looked as if Canada would soon be at war again. Unlike the First World War this time The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada were among the first to deploy. On September 1, 1939, nine days before the Canadian declaration of war, the Seaforths were ordered to mobilize. In just one week the regiment recruited up to its full war-time strength and filled its first line of reinforcements. By Christmas 1939 they were aboard the UK troopship crossing the Atlantic to Scotland.
After the withdrawal from Dunkirk the Seaforths were one of the few fully equipped regiments in England. During the Battle of Britain they filled a variety of roles including manning anti-air batteries, providing anti-parachute defence and front-line coastal defence. In August 1942 Canada's 2nd Division invaded Dieppe. It was for his actions during this raid that former Seaforth officer Lieutenant Colonel Charles Merritt was awarded his Victoria Cross while commanding The South Saskatchewan Regiment. He was presumed dead but it was discovered later that he was in fact taken prisoner.
The Seaforths however as part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division would not see combat until July 1943 in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. The beach landing was relatively uneventful but the Seaforths would soon see hard battles as they fought veteran German units for hilltop town after hilltop town through Valguarnera, Leonforte, Nissoria, Agira and Regalbuto, to Adrano.
When the Seaforths crossed into Italy on 4 September 1943 they found themselves and the rest of 1st Division pursuing the Germans north. The Germans had decided not to defend the south of Italy but to fight only occasionally, buying time for them to build up their defences further north. By 25 October the Seaforths had fought their way over 300 miles from the landings in Reggio Calabria to the town of Baranello.