Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) is Canada's Primary Reserve Highland infantry regiment, based in Hamilton, Ontario. It is part of 4th Canadian Division’s 31 Canadian Brigade Group and serves as a single battalion within the Canadian Army.

History and name
- Formed in 1903 as the 91st Regiment Canadian Highlanders. In 1920, the title “Princess Louise’s” was added to honor Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll.
- The regiment began its story in Hamilton with strong involvement from the local Scottish-Canadian community, led by figures like James Chisholm and William Logie, who helped petition Ottawa to create a Highland regiment in the city.
- During the First World War, the Argylls supplied many officers and men to the Canadian Expeditionary Force and fought with several battalions that carried the regiment’s legacy.
- In the Second World War, the regiment served overseas in Europe after a period of garrison duties, earning battle honours for actions in France and the Low Countries.

Role, size and locations
- Role: to close with and destroy the enemy in battle.
- Size: one battalion.
- Garrison: John W. Foote VC Armoury, Hamilton, Ontario.
- Nickname: The Argylls.
- Motto: Albainn gu brath (Scottish Gaelic for “Scotland forever”).
- Marches: Quick: “The Campbells Are Coming”; B Company: “The Black Bear.”

Honours and traditions
- Battle honours include major First World War campaigns (e.g., Somme 1916, Vimy 1917, Passchendaele, Ypres 1917) and Second World War actions (e.g., Falaise, The Scheldt), plus Afghanistan.
- The regiment has a rich tradition of pipe bands, a distinctive Highland dress and a unique glengarry pattern with red and white dicing.
- The colours include the King's Colour (maple leaf design) and the Regimental Colour (yellow with a leopard’s head and crown), reflecting its long history and connections to Princess Louise.
- The Argylls maintain strong community ties in Hamilton, including the 91st Highlanders Athletic Association and the Greater Hamilton Tattoo. In 1972 Hamilton granted the regiment freedom of the city.

Recent history and service
- Since the 1960s, the Argylls have continued to adapt to Canada’s changing defence policy, remaining a ready reserve force that can augment regular forces.
- They have participated in domestic relief efforts (e.g., the 1998 ice storm and Red River flood) and in international missions, including NATO and UN deployments, and especially Afghanistan (2002–2014), contributing a significant portion of its force to operations.
- Notable events include the regimental response to the murder of Corporal Nathan Cirillo in 2014, while on ceremonial guard duty in Ottawa, which highlighted the regiment’s ongoing ceremonial duties and public role.

Symbols and regimental life
- The Argylls’ regimental pipes and drums have represented the unit at major events, including the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
- The regiment’s colours and badges reflect its Highland heritage and its ties to Scotland and the Argyll and Sutherland clans.

In short, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) is a historic, community-rooted Highland regiment that has served Canada from its early 20th-century origins to modern missions, maintaining its traditions while adapting to today’s defence needs.