RSM John Alexander Fraser
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John Alexander Fraser, one of the most colourful RSMs that the Regiment has had in recent times.
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Rangers on the Somme - One Hundred Years Later
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The British Army that started the great Somme Offensive of 1916 was enthusiastic, amateurish, and the disaster of the first day was --until the surrender of Singapore in 1942 -- the worst catastrophe in the history of the British Army. With 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 dead, to the British 4th Army alone on July 1st, it was certainly the bloodiest day in the history of British arms.
While many people regard this -- rightly -- as a debacle, they forget that the Somme Offensive continued until early November; even then this is widely regarded as an exercise in bloody-minded futility by a set of out-dated Generals incapable of understanding modern war. This opinion is dead wrong.
Read MoreCaptain Alexander George Edwin Smith, MC
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Did you know that Canada's most highly decorated aboriginal soldier from WWI was a Ranger? Read more about Capt Smith of the 20th Bn in this blog posting.
Read MoreThe Regiment's Commanding Officers - Between Rogers and Simcoe (Part Two)
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John Graves Simcoe’s deeds are well documented, and while he deserves much credit, it is doubtful that the Regiment he commanded would have been as successful as it was without the efforts of Christopher French and James Wemyss. It was Wemyss after all who commanded at Brandywine.
Read MoreThe Regiment's Commanding Officers From Rogers to Simcoe (Part One)
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Most people with a passing familiarity with the Queen’s York Rangers know that the first Commanding Officer was Robert Rogers. The next most famous commander of the Regiment is John Graves Simcoe. And while both men commanded the Regiment during the American Revolution, Simcoe did not succeed Rogers directly – there were two other Commanding Officers between their tenures. These two men, Christopher French and James Wemyss, are little known officers whose history deserves to be shared
Read MoreRangers' Honorary Colonels: Sir Harold Cecil Aubrey Harmsworth 1939 - 1944
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Most members of the Regiment have at least a passing familiarity with the names of some of the famous men who have commanded it – Rogers and Simcoe chief among them. But alongside this list of famous commanders, we should also be aware of the history of our honorary colonels.
Read MoreRangers Remembered
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Travelling in the United States about ten years ago was the first time I received a “Thank you for your service”. I was at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, FL and I was about to receive four free tickets for admission to the park as a retired member of a foreign military. All I had to do was show my NDI 75 Record of Service Identification Card and I was IN, saving about $150 on tickets. At that time there was not much in the way of discounts in Canada for serving military, and even less for retired reservists, and the generosity of the Anheuser-Busch company was very much appreciated, as was the free beer at their “Beer School”, unfortunately now discontinued.
Learn more about deals for former veterans -
Read MoreTinker, Tailor, Soldier ......
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My grandfather was a tinker and my mom was a seamstress so it just seemed natural for me to become a soldier. I’ll bet that you had no idea that John le Carré got his idea for his blockbuster novel from me . . . but I digress. Today we look at an ancient democratic tradition: the citizen soldier.
Read MoreRegimental Dining
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The Fine Art of Regimental Dining - For the uninitiated, the term “mess dinner” may be confusing. Why would anyone choose to eat in a mess? Do people not clean up after themselves anymore? Are military people that untidy? The mystery lies in the word “mess”. In military circles, a mess is a group, which dines together, a club. The word “mess” comes to us through Old French from the Latin missus, – a course of a meal.
Read MoreText of the Outgoing CO's Address
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Text of the speech by LCol Phil Halton, the outgoing Commanding Officer, as he hands over command to LCol Eric Thorson on 24 Apr, 2016.
Read MoreFading Away? Not if we can help it!
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What happens when a Ranger leaves the Regiment? It does happen you know and it’s generally called life. Yes, there IS a life outside the Regiment and sometimes it gets in the way of even the most loyal Ranger: finishing school and moving on, moving out of town, getting a new job, a full time job or a more demanding role, getting married, starting a family, growing old, reaching the Compulsory Retirement Age …. Everyone eventually gets caught up in “life”.
Read MoreMove Fast .... Fight Dirty
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We now know why the QYR are “Warriors of the Crescent Moon”. As I recall, it has something to do with owls riding fiery steeds while shooting arrows during the Battle of Brandywine; but let’s move on. What is this nonsense about moving fast and fighting dirty? Another good question!
Remember the last blog? We had a tie (no, not that kind of tie!) in our “Quotes for Tees” contest so the CO declared two winners. Well the other winner was Julian Forbes with his submission of the “move fast” motto. You can certainly see why the CO could not decide; this motto describes us today and reminds us of our past. This takes a bit of explanation.
Read MoreWarriors of the Crescent Moon
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Like all military units, the Queen’s York Rangers (1st Americans) proudly continues a heritage from days gone by. Traditionally, Rangers were intrepid souls who were wanderers and protectors of certain territories, of “ranges”. They lived off the land, were loyal to their lords and could appear out of nowhere be it forest, mountain or meadow. Such was the reputation of rangers already in the early 18th century when Major Robert Rogers, our first CO, formed his Rangers in the 1750s and then later led them against those unruly colonists who opted to leave His Majesty and form their own republic. Just as all Rangers before and since, they have had a symbolic attachment to the crescent moon; we are all “warriors of the crescent moon”. But why? Good question!
Read MoreLeaving Command, Lingering Feelings: LCol Phil Halton on the Rangers
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He spent a satisfying stretch with the regular forces, even winning special praise for peacekeeping duties in Bosnia but for LCol Phil Halton, his experience with the Queen’s York Rangers stands above.
“It’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life,” said LCol Halton.
Read MoreRanger's Stories
/We are looking for the Regiment's stories - your stories - to share with the larger community through blogs on our web site. The goal is to share news, experiences and the history of the longest-serving and most storied unit in the Canadian Army.
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Change of Command
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The Queen’s York Rangers (1st Americans) April 24 Change of Command ceremony is a big deal for the Regiment. It is part of its legacy, the formal recognition given to a departing comrade, a welcome to a new one and there is usually cake.
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