CF Forming "Yellowknife Company" of Loyal Edmonton Regiment

[Bruce Monkhouse]

operational

Key word, Mr. Ruhl.

Everything else is window dressing.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I'm paraphrasing the CDS here from a presetnation he gave last week:

"There is no threat to Canada's arctic. If any country invaded our arctic territories right now, my first responsibility would be to rescure them (laughter all round). Having said that, the Arctic Ocean will soon be navigable for a large proportion of the year. Forget about the Northwest passage, it can be blocked easily by windblown ice drifting east or west. There are many countries, like China, who are currently planning to send cargo ship directly across the polar route - across the north pole. Cruise ships, with hundreds of people aboard, will be transiting this area and may need rescuing if they run aground/ hit icebergs.  Because ice and snow no longer cover the ground for much of the year, there are dozens of private mining companies conducting exploration activities in the Mackenzie delta, and elsewhere, who we know nothing about.

Therefore, we must be prepared to show the flag in these areas to a greater degree than we have in the past few years. We must provide additional support to the Canadian Rangers. We must conduct more exercises in arctic Canada. We must build up our naval facilities as Nanisivik. Luckily, we now have the C-17 which will allow us to transport large amounts of materiel and large numbers of troops north in a short period of time. The arctic will be a main focus for the activities of the CF in the near future."

He also noted that we stopped going to the arctic when we started going to Bosnia, largely as a result of all our airlift going across the Atlantic vs. to the north. He said that will change soon.

No doubt the new coy in Yellowknife  (regardless of how modest this effort seems) is a small part of this plan to show the flag in the north to a greater degree than we have in the past, and to provide a firm base for launching other CF ventures into the high arctic. And I keep having to remind myself that Yellowknife is not the high arctic; that's still a few hundred miles further north.

Better dig out those mukluks....

 

[Shec]

Meanwhile, back at the Gold Range Hotel...

 

[Haggis]

And with it the jobs that support a population that can support the SD&G.

THREAD TANGENT ALERT

Less than 10% of the Regiment was drawn from the rolls of the major Cornwall and area industries that are now closed.  Even though the demograhics of Cornwall and SD&G has changed significantly, "The Glens' are not having difficulty recruiting.

[rant]"SD&G" are three counties in eastern Ontario, not the name of a Regiment located in those three counties.  This regiment is known, officially and properly, as the SD&G Highlanders or, more simply, "The Glens". [/rant]

THREAD TANGENT ALERT ENDS

 

[The Bread Guy]

Going back to Tonys first statement, when I was with the Flight 2000-2002 we were averaging 6-8 class As and a few more class Bs, several of them were usually Eddies attached to 440 for the Mission Support Flight (primary taskings GSAR, Crash Guard, setting up mods etc) currently there is a very small presence at the squadron, so it will be interesting to see if the unit develops.

Sounds pretty tiny, and I don't know how helpful having another (at least notional company) in town to recruit.  Thanks for that tidbit.

 

[dapaterson]

Yellowknife: 18 700 population.  Haven't been able to find a detailed breakdown by age range, but that's an awfully small group to draw from - particularly when the whole of the NWT has about 42 000 people - no large population base in the surrounding area to draw on.

I see a platoon at most being sustainable in the long term.

 

[Michael OLeary]

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Yellowknife?t=6.#6.

In Yellowknife, the population is slightly disproportionate in terms of age distribution compared to the national average; the average age is 31.2, compared to a Canada-wide average of 39.5. [57] As of the 2005 survey, 15.2% of residents were 9 or under, 7.8% were from 10 to 14 years old, 16.1% were from 15 to 24, 36.3% were from 25 to 44, 19.5% were from 45 to 59, and 5.1% were 60 or older. From 1996 to 2005, the average annual growth rate was 0.7% for the total population; broken down by age, it was -0.4% for < 15 years, and 7.1% for 60 years and older. [55]

 

[The Bread Guy]

Yellowknife: 18 700 population.  Haven't been able to find a detailed breakdown by age range, but that's an awfully small group to draw from - particularly when the whole of the NWT has about 42 000 people - no large population base in the surrounding area to draw on.

I see a platoon at most being sustainable in the long term.

Here's what Stats Can says is there - just under 10K (~53%) between 20 and (to be generous) 49, just over 6K (~34%) between 20 and 40.

 

[Bruce Williams]

I can't understand the logic of making this company part of the Loyal EDMONTON Regiment. What should of happened was the reactivation of The Yukon Regiment from the Supplementary Order of Battle.

Certainly this company will require some augmentation in the form of an RSS detachment and possibly even an OC, CSM and CQMS. These positions could be filled by regulars or reservists from other units who could re-badge while so employed.

There would be tremendous benefits in local pride and morale not to mention the establishment of a local footprint.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

I can't understand the logic of making this company part of the Loyal EDMONTON Regiment. What should of happened was the reactivation of The Yukon Regiment from the Supplementary Order of Battle.

Certainly this company will require some augmentation in the form of an RSS detachment and possibly even an OC, CSM and CQMS. These positions could be filled by regulars or reservists from other units who could re-badge while so employed.

There would be tremendous benefits in local pride and morale not to mention the establishment of a local footprint.

You do realize that the Loyal Edmonton Regiment is considered to be 4 PPCLI (at least in histroy).

THE LOYAL EDMONTON REGIMENT (4 PPCLI)
CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF SERVICE
On 1 April 2008 the Loyal Edmonton Regiment will
celebrate 100 years of service to Canada. This anniversary
marks the founding of the 101st Regiment in Edmonton. Like
the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, the 101st Regiment was a
Militia unit composed of community members who
voluntarily participated in military training on a part time
basis. At the outbreak of the First World War many of the
soldiers serving in the 101st Regiment (Edmonton Fusiliers)
volunteered to serve in the 9th Battalion, one of the numbered
battalions raised for overseas service at the outbreak of the
war. The 9th Battalion deployed to England, but became a
reinforcement battalion as mounting casualties in France and Belgium led to calls for
replacements for the front line units. One of those units was the 49th Battalion, the
battalion that became the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. The 49th Battalion fought beside
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry at Sanctuary Wood, the Somme, Vimy Ridge,
Passchendaele and the battles that led to the capture of Mons and the end of the First
World War. The 49th Battalion became the Edmonton Regiment in 1920 and was
designated as the Loyal Edmonton Regiment in July 1943 when it was allied with the
Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire), now the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment. The Loyal
Edmonton Regiment and Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry continued their
close relationship in the Second World War fighting side by side through Sicily, Italy and
Northwest Europe. This relationship was formally acknowledged on 19 October 1954
when the Loyal Edmonton Regiment became affiliated with Princess Patricia’s Canadian
Light Infantry, adopting the designation (Third Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian
Light Infantry) this designation was changed to Fourth Battalion in April 1970 when the
First Battalion Queen’s Own Rifle of Canada was re-designated as the third Regular
Force battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

REF: PPCLI WEBPAGE

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

when the
First Battalion Queen’s Own Rifle of Canada was re-designated as the third Regular
Force battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

I've heard of recruitment issues but that's worst I've ever heard of 

 

[dapaterson]

Note that was 1st Bn QoR as vested in the Regular Force who were re-designated as 3 PPCLI, not the Reserve QoR in Toronto.

The Air Force seemingly has the ability to stand up and stand down units to meet requirements.  Pity the Army is too rigid to ever dream of making substantive changes to the Reserves... we'll mess around with Engineers and CSS, but Black Hats and Infanteers are off limits...

 

[Haggis]

Note that was 1st Bn QoR as vested in the Regular Force who were re-designated as 3 PPCLI, not the Reserve QoR in Toronto.

Could that be the reason the Reserve QoR has "2" on their cap badge?

The Air Force seemingly has the ability to stand up and stand down units to meet requirements.

In the last Air Force "re-org" units were created, amalagamated and stood down on the strength of a CANAIRGEN......  CFOO's to follow.

Pity the Army is too rigid to ever dream of making substantive changes to the Reserves... we'll mess around with Engineers and CSS, but Black Hats and Infanteers are off limits...

That may change if BGen O'Brien gets his way.
[/quote]

 

[dapaterson]

Strictly speaking, CFOOs are internal administrative documents.  The only key legal document is the Ministerial Organizational Order, or MOO.

It's a pity how few senior commanders understand the legal framework that governs the CF and its organization.  In my experience, General officers don't like being told they lack the authority to do things... so they try to work around the system, get in too deep, then have staff do remedial work to go back and do things the way they should have been done in the first place, with the related loss of time and extra staff effort.  No names.

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

Could that be the reason the Reserve QoR has "2" on their cap badge?

Unit origin was the Second Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada.

 

[Bruce Williams]

You do realize that the Loyal Edmonton Regiment is considered to be 4 PPCLI (at least in histroy).

REF: PPCLI WEBPAGE

Yes. However, geographically Edmonton is not in the Yukon.

 

[Northern Ranger]

Yes. However, geographically Edmonton is not in the Yukon.

Nor is Yellowknife.

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

The secondary title (4th Bn PPCLI) appended to the Loyal Edmonton Regiment has been explained as an honour granted because the two regiments fought in the same brigade in both big wars.  This does not explain the other pairings that took place at the same time. 

The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was given a secondary title as a battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment and eventually merged with it.  Three Quebec regiments were given secondary titles as battalions of the Van Doos and two eventually merged with them.  The Governor General's Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards were given secondary titles as battalions of The Canadian Guards which they outlived.  The Black Watch, The Queen's Own Rifles, The Fort Garry Horse, and The 8th Canadian Hussars were also paired with same named regular regiments which have been disbanded.  There were also some reserve unit pairings at the time where a degree of identity was retained as in the 2 battalions of the Nova Scotia Highlanders and the Royal New Brunswick Regiment.  There were also many pairings where local identity was lost.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

This whole thread has become so completely convoluted and ridiculous as to be assisnine. I feel mentally deficient for having read it. More of my life I'll never get back, for no good reason.

 

[Bruce Williams]

Nor is Yellowknife.

Congratulations! You are the first to note that error. Just shows how much attention most people pay to Canadian geography.