The Ontario Regiment (RCAC)Durham’s Very Own Military Regiment for

150 Years

The Birth of a Nation and its Military

• Prior to Confederation (1867), Canada is known as “British North America” and is divided into Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec)

• British military provided vast majority of colonial protection

• British military support required elsewhere in world by 1850s, requires Canada to form its own military

• “Militia Act” introduced in 1855

Extent of Canada, 1860s

The Canadian Militia: Our First Soldiers

• Canadian militia soldiers were volunteer colonial citizens who enlisted to fight alongside British regulars

• Required to purchase own uniforms, weapons, six musket shots, gunpowder

• Participated in periodic training drills, but otherwise maintained common lives and jobs until called to active service

First Action: The Fenian Raids

• Fenians: Irish-American raiders, veterans of Civil War

• Sought to take Canada and ransom back to UK for freedom of Ireland

• Made incursions along Niagara, in Quebec, and even into York (Toronto) and surrounding counties

• Leads to Oshawa, Whitby and other Ontario County (Durham) rifle companies being combined into the 34th Ontario Regiment of Infantry in 1866

• Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870 stopped with little difficulty, but reminded colonial citizens of threats to borders with US

Fenian Raid Example: The Battle of Ridgeway

The First March to War: The South African War

• Britain enters South African (Second Boer) War in 1899 fighting for control of South Africa and Orange Free State

• Sought to acquire vast amounts of precious resources, including diamond mines

• Canadians allowed to enlist in limited amounts: soldiers’ names entered into lottery, one name per company drawn for deployment

• Ontario Regiment sends total of nine soldiers to South Africa under Royal Canadian Regiment force

• Some remain in South Africa beyond war’s end in 1902 as part of South African Constabulary

Southern Africa, 1899

World War I: Canada’s First Major Conflict

• Canada called to active service as member of British Empire, sends Canadian Expeditionary Force made up of numbered battalions overseas

• Ontario County sends some select smaller contingents early in war, such as portions of 20th

Battalion, 2nd Overseas Contingent in 1914

• Sends its first own fully locally amassed battalion, the 116th Battalion, in 1916, with companies made up of men from Uxbridge, Beaverton, Whitby and Oshawa

• Remained together as a unit throughout war thanks to Lcol Samuel S. Sharpe

• Sends second battalion, the 182nd Battalion, in 1917 (later broken up in England)

• Toll: 490 Killed, over 1000 wounded

World War I Example: Battle of Vimy Ridge

Return Home and Transition to Armour

• Ontario Regiment returns home on reserve, becomes “Ontario Regiment (Tank)” in 1936

• Begins training with Vickers 6-ton tanks, transitions later on to FT-17 Renaults, then Churchills, and finally Shermans

World War II: Canada Returns to War

• World War II begins in 1939 with British and French declaration of war after German invasion of Poland

• Ontario Regiment begins amassing strength again, designated “11th

Canadian Tank Regiment” in 1941, becomes part of 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade

• Shipped to UK in 1941 for war training, first Canadians to use Churchill tanks

• Finally deployed in 1943 in Operation Husky (invasion of Sicily)

Two Years to Victory

• Ontario Regiment completes campaign in Sicily with 12th (Three Rivers) and 14th (Calgary) Canadian Tank Regiments under 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, continues up Italian peninsula

• Contributes to several major Canadian battles, including Ortona, Florence, Monte Cassino, Sanfatucchio, the Gothic Line, and the Hitler Line

• Sole regiment to hold “Battle of Aquino” battle honour, responsible for taking of an airfield from Germans alone with no infantry support

• Transferred to Holland with rest of 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade in 1945

• Toll: 69 killed

Ontario Regiment Battle Honours

Second Return Home and Postwar Duties

• Ontario Regiment returns home in December 1945, remains “11th

Armoured Regiment” until 1958, when it is designated “The Ontario Regiment (RCAC)”

• Ontario Regiment has since remained a primary reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment as a unit, though some troops have elected to go overseas

• Several Ontario Regiment troops have served in United Nations peacekeeping missions such as those in Cyprus and Bosnia

• Others have served in more recent missions, such as war in Afghanistan

The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) Museum

• Group of Ontario Regiment reservists form “Ferret Club” in 1980, with objective of restoring and maintaining historical armoured vehicles (named after first vehicle in collection, Ferret Scout Car)

• Museum collection begins growing in Col. R.S. McLaughlin Armoury and Parkwood before moving to 1000 Stevenson Road North on Oshawa Airport South Field in 1993

• Ferret Club and Museum collection join under “The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) Museum,” which commemorates the history of the Ontario Regiment and its cultural and historical contributions to Durham Region and the world

Tank Saturdays: Our Pride and Joy

• The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) Museum prides itself on maintaining its entire collection of over 80 armoured vehicles fully operational

• Once a month, vehicles are brought out for live display in a drive arena for “Tank Saturdays,” bringing vehicle displays to life and giving visitors ability to experience their presence as in a conflict setting

• Rides in vehicles newly offered as of 2016

Legacies

The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) Museum is proud to perpetuate and honour the legacies of those who served and continue to

serve in:

The Ontario County Rifle Companies

The 34th Ontario Regiment of Infantry

The 116th and 182nd Battalions, CEF

The Ontario Regiment (Tank)

The 11th Canadian Tank Regiment

The Ontario Regiment (RCAC)

Thank you!Please feel free to visit the museum anytime at the following address:

1000 Stevenson Road North

Oshawa Airport South Field

Oshawa, ON

L1J 5P5

Museum Hours: 12:00 PM to

4:00 PM, seven days a week

905-728-6199

sam@ontrmuseum.ca