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3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment is a regular force infantry battalion of the Canadian Forces. Though it has served Canada well throughout its history, 3 RCR's most notable service occurred in 2003-2004, when it was the initial Canadian Forces Unit to serve as part of ISAF, deploying to Kabul in August 2003. After seeing the unit in the reconstitution phase of the army training operations framework cycle, it was prepared once again for deployment. It stood up as the core of "Task Force 3-08 Battle Group" (TF 3-08 BG) in January 2008 and assumed duties in Kandahar in September of that year. 3 RCR redeployed to Canada in April and May 2009.
[edit] History[edit] Battalion OriginsThe Royal Canadian Regiment was formed 21 December 1883, under the name of the "Infantry School Corps". The regiment went under various names until "The Royal Canadian Regiment" became official. There have been three occasions when there have been more than one battalion of The RCR. First was during the time of the Boer War, when 2nd (Special Service) battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry constituted Canada's initial involvement in that war. 3rd (Special Service) battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry occupied Wellington Barracks in Halifax, NS and conducted garrison duties there. Second was at the tail end of the Second World War when a second battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment was formed for duty in Japan. Finally, during the Korean War, 3rd battalion was formed on 10 January, 1951. 3 RCR served in Korea from March 1953 until March 1954. During a reorganisation of the Canadian Army in the early 1950s, 3 RCR ceased being on the regular force order of battle. 3 RCR was the designation of the militia battalion of The RCR. 3 RCR was once again a regular force battalion when it assumed duties as a mechanised infantry battalion of 4 CMBG, taking over 3 (Mech) Commando of the Canadian Airborne Regiment. It served in Baden Germany until 1984, when it was replaced by 2nd battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. It then was based in Winnipeg as part of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. It then returned to Germany in 1988, where it stayed until 1993, following the end of the Cold War. It was then designated a so-called "10/90" battalion and was based at CFB Borden. (These battalions were composed of 10% regular force members, and 90% reserve force members, hence the moniker.) 3 RCR was stood up as a full-fledged regular force infantry battalion in 1998, and was designated as a light infantry battalion, consisting of three rifle companies, a combat support company and a combat service support company:
[edit] Service in the Korean War3 RCR replaced 2 RCR in Korea in early 1953. Early in May the Battalion withstood a strong enemy assault on its position about Hill 187. The attack was repulsed, but the engagement cost the Canadians heavy casualties - 26 killed, 27 wounded and seven taken prisoner.[1] [edit] RCR Fallen at Hill 187The battle of 2/3 May, 1953 was by far the deadliest for 3 RCR. The following were killed in Action on that day, with several listed as missing in action at the time:
[edit] 3 RCR as a Reserve BattalionIn 1954 two London, Ontario, Militia regiments, the Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (MG) and The Oxford Rifles were amalgamated and redesignated The London and Oxford Fusiliers (3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment). This unit thus became the Reserve component of The RCR. In 1958, it was renamed 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (London and Oxford Fusiliers). The Militia battalion changed from the 3rd to the 4th Battalion in 1970 when The Canadian Guards were reduced to nil strength and the soldiers of that regiment's 2nd Battalion (at CFB Petawawa) became the restored 3rd Battalion, The RCR, on the Regular Force order of battle. This amalgamation also brought to the regiment the perpetuation of a number of battalions of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force, including the 1st, 33rd, 71st, 142nd and 168th Battalions as well as the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. [edit] Service in the Cold War3 RCR was one of two infantry battalions that formed Canada's commitment to NATO. It assumed duties from 3 Mechanised Commando, Canadian Airborne Regiment in 1977. It was stationed in Baden-Söllingen, Germany as part of 4 CMBG. It remained there until 1984, when it was replaced by 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. 3 RCR was then stationed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1988, 3 RCR was once again rotated to Germany. At this time, it deployed with four rifle companies instead of the usual three rifle companies. It consisted of the following:
3 RCR remained in Germany until 1993, when 4 CMBG was stood down following the end of the Cold War. [edit] Service in Afghanistan3 RCR has served in Afghanistan twice. The first tour was in Kabul in 2003/2004 as "Roto 0" for Operation Athena as part of ISAF, and later as "Roto 6" for Operation Athena in Kandahar in 2008/2009. 1st Platoon, Mike Company of 3 RCR was featured in the Discovery Channel documentary series Combat School while training for their first operational deployment to Afghanistan. [edit] Service in KabulAs part of Canada's commitment to Afghanistan as part of ISAF, 3 RCR deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan in the summer of 2003. It was based out of Camp Julien. The 3 RCR Battlegroup (3 RCR BG) was augmented by "Charles" Company, 1 RCR. 3 RCR BG served in Kabul until early 2004, when it was replaced by a BG of the Royal 22e Regiment. [edit] Service in KandaharIn anticipation of its deployment to Afghanistan in Autumn, 2008, 3 RCR re-rolled into a mechanised infantry battalion. It formed the core of Task Force 3-08 Battle Group (TF 3-08 BG), augmented by:
(A Sqn was augmented by a troop from the Royal Canadian Dragoons) 3 RCR BG served in Kandahar, Afghanistan from 21 Sept 2008 until 15 April, 2009. [edit] Command teamThe Command Team for the deployment to Afghanistan consisted of ten senior officers. The CO was Lieutenant Colonel Roger Barrett, whereas the Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO) was Major Marc Saint-Yves.[2] The Officer Commanding (OC) Administration Company (OC R Coy) was Major Brian Healey, while the Operations Officer (Ops O) was Major Jason Guiney.[2] There were six company-level positions, held by Major Cayle Oberwarth, OC "M" Company; Major Robert McBride, OC "N" Company; Major Ian McDonnell, OC "A" Squadron; Major Dean Tremblay, OC "D" Squadron; Major Stewart Taylor, BC "F" Battery; and, Major Matthew Sandy, OC 24 Field Squadron. [edit] Fallen Soldiers from AfghanistanSeveral soldiers serving with 3 RCR have been killed in action in Afghanistan.
[edit] Commanding OfficerLieutenant Colonel Kevin Cameron is the current Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), a position he took in June 2009. LCol Cameron was born in the Montreal area, and enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1989 in Ottawa. He was commissioned into The Royal Canadian Regiment in 1991 and posted to 3 RCR Germany as a mechanized infantry platoon commander. He spent the majority of his regimental duty in 3 RCR with employment in every company except R Coy. LCol Cameron was promoted to his current rank in 2007 and spent a year in 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters as the Chief of Staff prior to his current appointment.[4] [edit] Regimental Sergeant MajorChief Warrant Officer Wayne Bartlett was appointed to the position of Regimental Sergeant-Major (RSM) of 3 RCR in June 2009 at the same time as LCol Cameron. [edit] The RCR cap badge"An eight-pointed diamond cut star; upon the star a raised circle surmounted by the crown; within the raised circle, the block letters "VRI", the Imperial Cypher of Queen Victoria." (Description of the badge of The RCR as presented in Regiments and Corps of the Canadian Army, published by the Army Historical Section, 1964) The letters VRI on the cap badge of The RCR stand for Victoria Regina Imperatrix, which is Latin for "Victoria, Queen and Empress". The right to wear the imperial cypher and crown was granted to the regiment by Queen Victoria in 1893. When a royal or imperial cypher forms part of the badge of a regiment it is normal for it to change with each succeeding sovereign. During the period 1901 to 1919, the officially authorized versions of the regiment's cap badge were those with Edward VII's and George V's cyphers, although the regiment continued to use the "VRI" ensigned badges throughout this time while petitioning for their formal return. In 1919, George V granted The Royal Canadian Regiment permission to wear "VRI" in perpetuity – a unique privilege. [edit] See also[edit] References
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