North Nova Scotia Highlanders


The North Nova Scotia Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army founded in 1936. In 1954, it was amalgamated with The Pictou Highlanders and 189 LAA RCA Battery to form 1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders.

History

Founded in 1936 as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders by the amalgamation of The Cumberland Highlanders, The Colchester and Hants Regiment, and 'C' Company, 6th Machine Gun Battalion, it acquired its present title in 1941. The regiment's active service battalion landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, assigned to 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. In 1954, as a result of the Kennedy Report on the Reserve Army, this regiment was amalgamated The Pictou Highlanders and 189 LAA RCA Battery to form 1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders.
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders before amalgamation held its final order of precedence as 34.

Lineage

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders

The Colchester and Hants Regiment

  • Originated on 1 April 1910, in Truro, Nova Scotia as the 70th Colchester and Hants Regiment.
  • Redesignated on 2 May 1910, as the 76th Colchester and Hants Rifles.
  • Amalgamated on 1 April 1920, with the 81st Hants Regiment and Redesignated as The Colchester and Hants Regiment.
  • Amalgamated on 1 December 1936, with The Cumberland Highlanders and “C” Company of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC to form The North Nova Scotia Highlanders .

The 81st Hants Regiment

  • Originated on 16 February 1914, in Windsor, Nova Scotia, as a Regiment of Infantry in Hants County.
  • Redesignated on 1 May 1914, as the 68th Regiment.
  • Redesignated again on 1 June 1914, as the 81st Hants Regiment.
  • Amalgamated on 15 May 1920, with the 76th Colchester and Hants Rifles and Redesignated as The Colchester and Hants Regiment.

Perpetuations

The regiment perpetuated the following units of the Great War:

Alliances and uniform

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were allied to the South Staffordshire Regiment and were kitted with a blue glengarry with diced border, scarlet doublet, white sporran with five black points, scarlet and green hose, green garter flashes with full dress only for pipers and drummers.

Battle honours

Only uppercase honours are displayed on the guidon.
;War of 1812
;Boer War
;First World War
;Second World War

Ardenne Abbey Massacre

During the Second World War, Major General Kurt Meyer of the Waffen SS murdered captured soldiers from the regiment.
After the war he was tried and convicted in Canada. Sentenced to death on 28 December 1945, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment on 14 January 1946. After serving nearly nine years in prison, Meyer was released on 7 September 1954.