Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Department of National Defence was created in 1923 by the National Defence Act which established one civil department in place of the previous Department of Militia and Defence, the Department of the Naval Service and the Air Board. The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act in 1968 unified the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force into a single service called the Canadian Armed Forces. The Department is responsible for the control and management of the Canadian Armed Forces, and all matters related to national defence establishments and the defence of Canada.
The militia regiment, the Calgary Highlanders, of Calgary, Alberta, originated on April 1, 1910 when the 103rd Regiment "Calgary Rifles" was authorized. It was redesignated the Calgary Regiment in 1920, and in 1921 the 1st Battalion was redesignated 1st Battalion, Calgary Highlanders, the Calgary Regiment. The regiment was reorganized in May 1924 as two separate regiments designated the Calgary Regiment, which would later become the King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC), and the Calgary Highlanders.
The Calgary Highlanders contributed to the 10th Battalion, CEF, in September 1914. The Battalion served in France and Belgium with the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. The regiment mobilized in September 1939, and embarked for the UK in August 1940. A detachment participated in the Dieppe raid in August 1942, and in July 1944 the unit landed in Normandy as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. The active unit was disbanded December 1945, and the 2nd Battalion served in the reserve army. In 1982 the Queen became the regiment's colonel-in-chief.
For further information see Battalion of Heroes : The Calgary Highlanders in World War II / David Jay Bercuson. - Calgary : Calgary Highlanders Regimental Funds Foundation, 1994.