A Short History of the Elgin Regiment
In the first days of the Talbot Settlement, military forces
consisted of British soldiers augmented by local settlers and
natives. The first locally organized unit was the 1st Volunteer
Rifle Company, formed in St. Thomas in 1856. This was followed in
1862 by units in Port Stanley and Vienna, and in 1866 these were
consolidated into 25th Battalion of Infantry - the Elgin County
Regiment.
While the regiment did not see service in the Boer War, several of
its members did join the forces sent to South Africa, and served
with distinction.
In 1903, the 25th Elgin Regiment, as it had become in 1900,
moved into the just completed armouries on Wilson Avenue in St.
Thomas, only to disband the unit in August of that year. However,
by May of 1904, it was reformed.
In 1915, members of the Regiment answered the call of King and
Empire. The
91st Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force consisted
primarily of the members of the Elgin Regiment with over 75% of the
Regiment's members volunteering for service.
As is customary in the Canadian military, the Elgin Regiment
developed an affiliation with a British unit, and in 1929, approval
was received to officially authorize the affiliation of the Elgin
Regiment with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, a very
distinguished regiment of the British Army. This was followed in
1931 with authorization for the Elgin Regiment to incorporate the
image of St. George and the Dragon, Patron Saint of the Fusiliers,
into their cap badge.
The "Elgins" as they were known, became active with the outbreak
of World War II, and in 1940, was brought up to strength as a
member of the Canadian Active Service Force with the addition of
companies from the Middlesex and Huron Regiment and the Oxford
Rifles. In July 1941, the Second Battalion of the Elgin Regiment
was formed in St. Thomas to act as a training unit preparing men
for overseas service.
During 1942, the 1st Battalion (CASF) was changed from an
infantry unit to a member of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, and
went overseas as the 25th Armoured Regiment. In 1943, they were
retasked again as the 25th Canadian Tank Delivery Regiment, and
then the 27th Armoured Delivery Regiment. This was a role they
would continue until the end of the war, although always known by
their contemporaries as the "Elgins." For information about the
Regiment's intriguing connection to Kangaroo's
- the first armoured personnel carriers - click Kangaroo.
The 1st Battalion returned to Canada in 1946, and was disbanded,
and the 2nd Battalion was reorganized as an Infantry Regiment.
In September, 1954, the regiment was again reorganized as the
27th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, a role it continued for many
years.
In 1997, the Regiment became a unit of the Canadian Engineers,
designated as "
31 Combat Engineer Regiment." However, in recognition of the
long and distinguished service of the regiment, special allowances
were made, and the Regiment continues to be known throughout the
Canadian military as "The
Elgins."