Canadian Guards History
On 24 December 1953, Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II approved the formation of the Regiment of Canadian Guards and honoured the Regiment by becoming its Colonel-in-Chief. The Regiment was authorized on 16 October, 1953.
The Battalions
The 3rd and 4th Battalions were activated on 16 October 1953.
The 2nd Battalion was activated on 8 January 1954. It was formed from members of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry which had been reduced to nil strength upon return from a tour of duty in Korea.
The 1st Battalion was activated on 15 April 1954. It was formed from members of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment which had been reduced to nil strength upon return from a tour of duty in Korea.
The Regional Depot, based in Petawawa, was activated on 1 September 1954.
In 1954, following a complete reorganization of the Canadian Army (Militia) two old and famous Regiments of Foot Guards of the Militia were incorporated into the Regiment; The Governor General’s Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards became the 5th and 6th Battalions respectively.
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions served with NATO in Germany. The 4th Battalion served a tour of duty in Korea. The 1st and 2nd Battalions have each served a tour of duty as part of the United Nations Peace force in Cyprus.
The 1st and 2nd Battalions provided the Household Guard at Government house and performed the Changing of the Guard ceremonies on Parliament Hill from 1959 until 1970.
The 1st and 2nd Battalions and the Regimental Depot were stationed at Camp Petawawa; the 3rd Battalion at Camp Valcartier; the 4th Battalion at Camp Ipperwash and the Regimental Band at Camp Borden from 1953 to 1957.
On 1 February 1968 the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act came into effect. With the unification of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force, the decision to reduce the Regiment of Canadian Guards to nil strength was made. The 1st Battalion was disbanded on 1 October 1968 and the 2nd Battalion was reduced to nil strength on 6 July 1970.
Canadian Guards Association
The Canadian Guards Association was founded in October 1969. A reunion of former Guards took place in October 2018 to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of the founding of the unit. The Guards and the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment (3RCR) signed a memorandum of understanding that saw the transfer of Guards artifact and archive collection to 3RCR. The collection currently resides at the Garrison Petawawa Military Museum and is cared for by that institution.