Governor General's Foot Guards

Governor General's Foot Guards
Cap badge of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Active	1872-
Country	Canada
Branch	Militia/Canadian Army - Primary Reserves
Type	Foot Guards
Role	Light Role
Size	One battalion
Part of	Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Garrison/HQ	Ottawa
Motto	Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra (Our Care is Queen and Country)
March	Quick: Milanollo Slow: Figaro
Commanders
Current commander	Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Lynam
Colonel-in-Chief	Monarch of Canada
Colonel of the Regiment	Governor General of Canada
Insignia
Plume	Red Left side of bearskin cap
Abbreviation	GGFG
Camp flag

The Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) is one of three Royal Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army (along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards) and the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada. Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra ("Our Care is Queen and Country") is the regiment's motto.

The regiment has an operational role that encompasses both the territorial defence of Canada and supporting regular Canadian forces overseas. It also performs the mounting of the Ceremonial Guard on Parliament Hill and at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, a task it shares with the Canadian Grenadier Guards. This gives the regiment a role similar to that of the guards regiments of the British Army. The GGFG were formally allied with the Coldstream Guards of the United Kingdom after being informally allied with them since the formation of the regiment. The regimental dress uniform has buttons in pairs, similar to the Coldstream Guards, with a red plume (of different material and lengths, dependent on the rank of the soldier) worn on the left side of the bearskin.

The GGFG perpetuate the 2nd Canadian Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF, and 77th (Ottawa) Battalion, CEF.^[1]

Lineage

Governor General's Foot Guards, 1875

The Governor General's Foot Guards originated in Ottawa, Ontario, on 7 June 1872 as the 1st Battalion Governor General's Foot Guards. It was redesignated as the Governor General's Foot Guards on 16 September 1887; as The Governor General's Foot Guards on 1 April 1896; as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Governor General's Foot Guards on 7 November 1941; as The Governor General's Foot Guards on 31 January 1946; as The Governor General's Foot Guards (5th Battalion, The Canadian Guards) on 1 September 1954; as the Governor General's Foot Guards (5th Battalion, The Canadian Guards) on 25 April 1958; and finally returned to the name Governor General's Foot Guards on 1 September 1976.^[1]

Operational history

The 1st Battalion Governor General's Foot Guards mobilized a single company for active service on 10 April 1885. It served in the Battleford Column of the North West Field Force. The company was removed from active service on 24 July 1885.^[1]

The regiment contributed volunteers for the various Canadian Contingents, mainly the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry.^[1]

The Great War

Details of the Governor General's Foot Guards were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.^[1]

The 2nd Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment), CEF was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 26 September 1914. It disembarked in France on 11 February 1915, where it fought as part of the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.^[1]

The 77th Battalion (Ottawa), CEF was authorized on 10 July 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 19 June 1916. It provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 22 September 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 47th Battalion (British Columbia), CEF and 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF and the battalion was disbanded.^[1]

The Second World War

Details from the regiment were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 for local protection duties. The details were disbanded on 31 December 1940.^[1]

The regiment mobilized The Governor General's Foot Guards, CASF, for active service on 24 May 1940. On 26 January 1942, it was converted to armour. It embarked for Great Britain on 23 September 1942. On 24 July 1944, it landed in France as part of the 4th Armoured Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas regiment was disbanded on 31 January 1946.^[1]

Legacy

The No 1 Company Governor Generals Foot Guards and the Ladies Soldiers Aid Association of Ottawa erected a memorial tablet which was unveiled on May 2, 1887; The memorial is dedicated to the memory of Privates J. Rogers and Wm. B. Osgood who fell in action at Cut Knife Hill on May 2, 1885.^[2]

A memorial plaque in the Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental Museum is dedicated to the memory of the 5326 Officers and Men who served in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion Canadian Expeditionary force during the Great War 1914-1918.^[3]

A Second-World War era Sherman tank nicknamed "Forceful III" in the Canadian War Museum, is dedicated to the memory of the member of the Governor General's Foot Guards killed during the Second World War while operating as an armoured regiment. ^[4]

Battle honours

North West Canada, 1885
South Africa 1899–1900
World War I: Ypres 1915, 1917, Flers-Courcelette, Passchendaele, Gravenstafel, Ancre Heights, Amiens, St. Julien, Arras 1917, 1918, Drocourt-Queant, Festubert, 1915, Vimy 1917, Hindenburg Line, Mount Sorrel, Arleux, Canal du Nord, Somme, 1916, Scarpe, 1917–18, Pursuit to Mons, Pozières, Hill 70, France and Flanders 1915–18
World War II: The Hochwald, The Rhineland, Chambois, Falaise, Veen, The Scheldt, Falaise Road, Bad Zwichenahn, The Lower Maas, The Laison, North West Europe 1944-1945
Afghanistan^[5]

Victoria Cross recipients

(Acting) Corporal Leo Clarke

2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Pozières, France

September 9, 1916

(Acting) Major Okill Massey Learmonth †

2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

Hill 70, France

August 18, 1917

† - Awarded posthumously

Rank names

Viscount Willingdon inspecting the Governor General's Foot Guards, 1927

Governor General's Foot Guards, 1944

Ensign: Second Lieutenants in Guard regiments are referred by their former title of ensign (Esgn). The name derives from the task the newest joined officers were entrusted with, carrying the ensign or colours.
Colour sergeant: Warrant Officers in Guard regiments are called by their former title of colour sergeant (CSgt). This rank originated from the appointment of specific sergeants to escort and defend the colours.
Guardsman: Upon successful completion of recruit training soldiers are to be addressed as guardsman (Gdsm). King George V awarded this honour in 1918 to mark the service of regiments of Foot Guards during the First World War. General Order 138 of 1928 promulgates this honour.
Musician: Upon successful completion of recruit training members of the band are addressed as musician (Muscn).

Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental Museum

Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental Museum
Location	Canada
Type	Regimental Museum

The museum collects, preserves, studies and exhibits those objects that serve to illustrate the history and traditions of the Regiment. The museum will collect materials that depict the regiment’s past in terms of war, ceremonial, training, sport and other affairs that have influenced the Regiment over the years. The museum will provide for the preservation of such material and for its availability to all those who wish to see and study it. The museum will be a non-profit educational establishment, operated for the Regiment and open to the public, regardless of race, creed, or occupation. The museum will disseminate knowledge and stimulate interest through materials, information services by holding meetings and arranging special programs for the regiment, the association and the public for the furtherance of the purpose of the museum. The museum co-operates with the regiment, association, the National War Museum and other museums as well as the Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, to collect and preserve materials of significance so that these materials may be preserved and aid in the advancement of knowledge of the Regiment.^[6] The Guards' museum holds many artifacts from throughout the history of the regiment. Some of the artifacts displayed are a captured German trench periscope, various firearms from past wars including a Second World War–era German MG42, and a copy of Mein Kampf signed by Adolf Hitler. Also on display are several books containing photographs from World War II. The museum is located in the south end of the Cartier Square Drill Hall and is open on parade nights or by appointment.

The Regimental Colour of the Governor General's Foot Guards.

Order of precedence

Preceded by Royal 22^e Régiment	The Governor General's Foot Guards	Succeeded by The Canadian Grenadier Guards

Alliances

United Kingdom - Coldstream Guards

Arms

Arms of Governor General's Foot Guards
Motto CIVITAS ET PRINCEPS CURA NOSTRA; Meaning “Our country and ruler are our concern”. Banner Symbolism The badge is based on the star of the Order of the Garter, which is used as the cap star of the Coldstream Guards, an allied regiment whose uniform, with minor differences, is worn by the Governor General’s Foot Guards. “CIVITAS ET PRINCEPS CURA NOSTRA” is the motto of the regiment.

Drill Hall

Site	Date(s)	Designated	Location	Description	Image
Cartier Square Drill Hall	1879	Classified - 1985 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings	Ottawa, Ontario	large centrally located building with a low-pitched gable roof houses The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) and The Governor General's Foot Guards and 2784 RCACC (GGFG) Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Department of National Defence, Insignia and Lineages of the Canadian Forces, 3: Combat Arms Regiments, Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003
↑ National Defence Canada (16 April 2008). "Cut Knife Hill Memorial". National Inventory of Military Memorials. Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
↑ National Defence Canada (16 April 2008). "2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion Canadian Expeditionary force Memorial". National Inventory of Military Memorials. Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
↑ Forceful III
↑ "South-West Asia Theatre Honours". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
↑ A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums – Operations and Administration 2002-04-03

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Governor General's Foot Guards.

Canadian Army infantry regiments in order of precedence

Canadian Forces Regular Force The Royal Canadian Regiment Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Royal 22^e Régiment

Canadian Forces Primary Reserve Governor General's Foot Guards The Canadian Grenadier Guards The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Les Voltigeurs de Québec The Royal Regiment of Canada The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment The Lincoln and Welland Regiment The Royal Canadian Regiment The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada The Grey and Simcoe Foresters The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) The Brockville Rifles The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders Les Fusiliers du S^t-Laurent Le Régiment de la Chaudière Royal 22^e Régiment The Princess Louise Fusiliers Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal The Royal New Brunswick Regiment The West Nova Scotia Regiment The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment The Nova Scotia Highlanders Le Régiment de Maisonneuve The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) The Royal Winnipeg Rifles The Essex and Kent Scottish 48th Highlanders of Canada Le Régiment du Saguenay The Algonquin Regiment The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment The North Saskatchewan Regiment The Royal Regina Rifles The Rocky Mountain Rangers The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Royal Westminster Regiment The Calgary Highlanders Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) The Royal Montreal Regiment The Irish Regiment of Canada The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own) Royal Newfoundland Regiment

Canadian Army

History	History of the Canadian Army Canadian Corps First Canadian Army Military History of Canada Fort Frontenac Library

Structure	Structure of the Canadian Army 2nd Canadian Division 3rd Canadian Division 4th Canadian Division 5th Canadian Division List of Units

Mechanized brigade groups	1 CMBG 2 CMBG 5 CMBG

Brigade groups	31 CBG 32 CBG 33 CBG 34 CBG 35 CBG 36 CBG 37 CBG 38 CBG 39 CBG 41 CBG

Small arms	C9 machine-gun C7A1 rifle/C8A1 carbine/C7A2 rifle C6 machine-gun Browning .50 calibre heavy machine gun Browning-HP 9 mm pistol P225, 226 C15 Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW) C3A1 sniper rifle C14 Timberwolf C13 fragmentation grenade M203 grenade launcher M72 SRAAW(L)

Crewed weapons	Carl Gustav SRAAW(M) ERYX SRAAW(H) TOW LRAAW(H) 81 mm mortar 60 mm mortar Javelin short-range air defence missile Skyguard C1 close support howitzer C3 close support howitzer LG1 Mark II 105 mm towed howitzer M777 lightweight 155mm howitzer C16 CASW

Armoured fighting vehicles	LAV III Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle ADATS Leopard C2 Leopard 2 Bison APC M113A3 and MTVL RG-31 Textron TAPV

Schools	Canadian Army Command and Staff College Peace Support Training Centre Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre

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