A HISTORY OF THE SOUTH ALBERTA REGIMENT

A HISTORY OF THE SOUTH ALBERTA REGIMENT
(29TH CDN. ARM'D RECCE REGT.)

The Alberta Regiment was organized on 15 March 1920. The 1st Battalion was a militia

unit with headquarters at Medicine Hat. Official perpetuation of the 31st, 175th, 113th and

187th Battalions of World War I was granted at this time.

On 15 May 1924, the 1st Battalion of the Alberta Regiment was redesignated as the South

Alberta Regiment. The unit was officially allied to the East Surrey Regiment (now the

Princess of Wales Royal Regiment) in January 1934.

In May 1940, the South Alberta Regiment CASF was formed from volunteers of several

Alberta militia units: the South Alberta Regiment providing A Company, the 19th Alberta

Dragoons - B Company, the Edmonton Fusiliers - C Company, the 15th Alberta Light Horse

- D Company, and the Calgary Regiment - HQ Company. Initially infantry, the SAR served

in Canada at Edmonton, Dundum, Nanaimo and Niagara before converting to the 29th

Armoured Regiment (South Alberta Regiment) and moving to Debert in January 1942, then

to England in August 1942.

The Regiment landed in France on 24 July 1944 as part of the 4th Canadian Armoured

Division. The South Albertas soon proved themselves equal to any task and developed a

reputation. In August 1944, Major David Currie of C Squadron was awarded the Victoria

Cross for the action fought at St. Lambert sur Dives during the Battle of Falaise Gap. This

VC was the only one awarded to a member of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. The

advance continued through France, Belgium and Holland. The cease-fire on 5 May 1945

found the SAR at Oldenberg, Germany.

Throughout the war, the 2nd Battalion SAR remained in reserve, supporting the active

unit. In postwar years, the South Alberta Regiment reverted to a militia infantry unit until 28

September 1954. Denied retention of its original name by higher command, the SAR

amalgamated with the 41st Anti-Tank Regiment and the 68th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

to form a new militia armoured regiment: the South Alberta Light Horse (29th Armoured

Regiment) with headquarters at Calgary and with A Squadron at Medicine Hat. In May 1958,

it was redesignated the South Alberta Light Horse and in 1959 headquarters was transferred

to Medicine Hat making the Regiment complete at Patterson Armoury.

In 1978, B Squadron was detached from Medicine Hat and moved to Griesbach Barracks,

Edmonton.

In September 1995, the Veterans of the South Alberta Regiment were presented with their

Regimental Colours which carry their World War II Battle Honours and the World War I

Battle Honours of the 31st Bn. C.E.F. The Ceremony was carried out on the grounds of the

Alberta Legislature by The Honourable Gordon Towers, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.

Following the Presentation Ceremony, the Colours were permanently laid up in their place

of Honour in the Alberta Legislature Building along with Colours and Battle Honours of

other Alberta Regiments.

The soldiers of the South Alberta Light Horse and the wartime veterans of the South

Alberta Regiment were then integrated under the Colours of the South Alberta Light Horse

who now perpetuate the South Alberta Regiment and carry their Battle Honours.

SAR- Predecessors and Successors – by dates

1885 – Rocky Mountain Rangers

1901 – Canadian Mounted Rifles

1906 – Alberta Rangers

1907 – 15^th Light Horse (Calgary)

1908 – 23^rd. Mounted Rifles

1908 – 21^st. Alberta Hussars

1915 – 31^st. Battalion C.E.F.

1915 – 113^th. Battalion C.E.F.

1915 – 175^th Battalion C.E.F.

1915 – 187^th Battalion C.E.F.

1915 – 12^th Regiment – Canadian Mounted Rifles – C.E.F.

1915 – 13^th Regiment – Canadian Mounted Rifles – C.E.F.

1919 – 13^th Machine Gun Battalion (1919-36 Medicine Hat)

1920 – Alberta Regiment (Medicine Hat)

1920 – Alberta Mounted Rifles

1920 – 15^th Canadian Light Horse

1924 – South Alberta Regiment (1924 –1954 Medicine Hat)

1924 – North Alberta Regiment (1924 – Ponoka – disbanded in 1936)

1931 – South Alberta Horse – Pincher Creek

1936 – South Alberta Horse – H.Q. – Calgary

1940 – 19^th Edmonton dragoons

1940 – Edmonton Fusiliers

1940 – 15^th Alberta Light Horse (D Company Calgary)

1940 – South Alberta Regiment (A company Medicine Hat)

1940 – Calgary Regiment ( H.Q. Company – Calgary) Tanks

1941 – 13^th Field Artillery (1941 – 45)

1941 – 22^nd Field Artillery (Gleichen)

1942 – 41^st. Field Regiment (Calgary)

1942 – 41^st. Anti-tank Regiment- RCA

1946 – 68^th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

1954 – South Alberta light Horse (29^th Armoured Regiment)

1958 – South Alberta Light Horse



	"A" Company June 1940	SAR Postings
	Click to enlarge

Letter dated 7th of May 1945 from H/Capt. A Phillips-Silcox to Lt. R.E.Crawford updating him on events after he was released as a POW

Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo

Citation for H/Capt. Albert Phillipe Silcox - Padre (P)

Padre Silcox Tells A Story: From the book "In the Sign" by Walter T. Stevens

Letter from the East Surrey Regiment - 24th of January 1945

SOUTH ALBERTA REGIMENT - AWARDS AND DECORATIONS.

VICTORIA CROSS

CURRIE, MAJOR D.V.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER

COFFIN, LT.COL. ALBERT FRANKNASH, MAJOR THOMAS BOYD WOTHERSPOON,LT.COL. G.D.

MILITARY CROSS

BOWICK, LT. SMITH FREEMONT

CASELEY, LT. LEAMAN

McLeod, LT. WILLIAM JOHN (DAN)

SUMMERS CAPT. JOHN LESLIE

DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL

BROADBENT,TPR. ALBERT G.

MILNER, SGT. THOMAS EDWARD

MILITARY MEDAL

DEVREKER.TPR. ALBERT (Tony)

FORBES, TPR. JAMES F.

FREEMAN, SGT. LAWRENCE FRED.

FREER, SGT. FRANK ELSWORTH

HADDOW, CPL. ARTHUR

HALKYARD, SGT. ALBERT EDWARD

KROESING, SGT. JAMES E

OTTENBREIT, CPL. MICHAEL

ROULSTON, SGT. HERBERT

WOOLF. SGT. GARTH LEAVITT(PETE)

MEMBER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

H/CAPT (Padre) SILCOX, ALBERT Phillips

BRONZE STAR U.S.A.

HUGHES CAPT.F.N.

CROIX DEGUERRE W/SILVER STAR (FRANCE)

IRVING CAPT G.E.

CROIX DEGUERRE W/BRONZE STAR(FRANCE

PRENEVOST, SGT D.S.

KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF LEOPOLD II (BELGIUM)

LAVOIE, MAJOR ARNOLD J

BELGIUM WAR CROSS (CROIX DE GUERRE)

LAVOIE, MAJOR ARNOLD J

BRONZE LION (NETHERLANDS)
WOTHERSPOON, LT.COL. G.D.

BRONZE CROSS (NETHERLANDS)

PENNEY, SGT W.G.W.

Stewart, Capt D.E.

MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES *

BOWICK,LT. S.M.

BERQUIST, TPR. M.A.

BUNDY,SSM (WOII) E.F.

CHANEY, TPR VINCENT

IRVING, CAPT. G.E.

LAVOIE, MAJOR A.J.

NICHOLS, TPR. E.P.

PRENEVOST,SGT. D.S.

ROSE, CPL. S.T. ( 2 MID’S)

RITCO. TPR. N

WOTHERSPOON, LT.COL. G.D.

COMMANDER IN CHIEF’S CERTIFICATE*

GOVE, SGT. J.K.

PORTER, SGT. J.A.

ROBERTS, LT. J.M.

ROBINSON,MAJOR R.

ROLLINSON, SGT. J.E.

MACKENZIE, RSM (WO1) John

SMITH, SGT. J.C.

WEBB,SGT G.W.

*The paper work for the award Mentioned in Dispatches and Commander in Chief’s Certificatewas not complete when the Regiment stopped keeping records in Dec.1945. As a result the names of some South Albertas who received these Awards may not be listed.

PRE-WORLD WAR 11 PICTURES

HISTORY OF SAR 1920 -1932

Major Horace E. Whiffin, 2 1/C in 1931, South Alberta Reg't

and who served in the 175th Battalion in WW1

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