The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry)

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
Badge of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment
Active	1908–present
Country	Canada
Branch	Primary Reserve (Militia)
Type	Line infantry
Role	Light infantry
Size	One battalion
Part of	41 Canadian Brigade Group
Garrison/HQ	Edmonton, Alberta
Nickname(s)	Loyal Eddies; Eddies; LERs
Motto(s)	Fears No Foe
March	"Bonnie Dundee"
Mascot(s)	Coyote named Lestock
Engagements	World War I World War II Battle of Ortona
Website	army.gc.ca/en/3-canadian-division/the-loyal-edmonton-regiment/index.page
Commanders
Current commander	LCol Christopher Barr, CD
Colonel-in-Chief	Vacant
Honorary colonel	HCol John Stanton, C.M., CD
Honorary lieutenant-colonel	HLCol Doug Cox
Regimental sergeant-major	CWO Mark Denney, CD
Insignia
NATO Map Symbol
Abbreviation	L Edmn R or LER

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment, or LER, is a Primary Reserve infantry unit of the Canadian Forces based in Edmonton, Alberta. The LER is part of 3rd Canadian Division's 41 Canadian Brigade Group. They are colloquially known as "The Loyal Eddies".^[1]

Armourial description[]

The badge features a coyote, named Lestock, who was adopted by the 49th Infantry Battalion (Edmonton Regiment), CEF, in Lestock, Saskatchewan, on its way east to embark for Europe during the First World War. The coyote is centred in front of a windmill sail surrounded on its sides by maple leaves; above the coyote's head is the red rose of Lancashire, symbolizing the unit's affiliation with The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)^[2] of the British Army; below the coyote's head and resting on a scroll inscribed THE LOYAL EDMONTON REGIMENT, are the numerals 49; the whole is surmounted by the Crown.

Lineage[]

• Originated 1 April 1908 in Edmonton, Alberta as the 101st Regiment
• Redesignated 1 March 1909 as the 101st Regiment "Edmonton Fusiliers"
• Redesignated 15 March 1920 as The Edmonton Regiment
• Reorganized 15 March 1920 to form two separate regiments, The Edmonton Fusiliers and The Edmonton Regiment
• Redesignated 7 November 1940 as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment
• Redesignated 7 July 1943 as the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
• Redesignated 1 November 1945 as The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
• Redesignated 19 October 1954 as The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry)
• Redesignated 1 April 1970 as The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry)^[3]

Lineage chart:^[4]

Perpetuations[]

The Great War[]

• 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment), CEF
• 51st Battalion (Edmonton), CEF
• 63rd Battalion (Edmonton), CEF^[3]

Operational history[]

The camp flag of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.

The Great War[]

The 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment), CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 3 June 1915. It disembarked in France on 9 October 1915, where it fought as part of the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion disbanded on 15 September 1920.^[3]

The 51st Battalion (Edmonton), CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 1 April 1916. There it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 13 November 1916, when it was reorganized as a Garrison Duty Battalion. On 22 June 1916, its personnel were absorbed by the various regimental depots. The battalion disbanded on 15 September 1920.^[3]

The 63rd Battalion (Edmonton), CEF was authorized on 20 April 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 22 April 1916. There it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 7 July 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 9th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion disbanded on 1 September 1917.^[3]

The distinguishing patch of the 49th Battalion (Edmonton Regiment), CEF.

The Second World War[]

Troops of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment enter Modica during the Allied invasion of Sicily (1943)

Infantrymen of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment operating a No. 18 wireless set outside Regimental Headquarters, Ortona, Italy, December 21, 1943

The regiment mobilized The Edmonton Regiment, CASF for active service on 1 September 1939. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The Edmonton Regiment, CASF on 7 November 1940; and as the 1st Battalion, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment on 7 July 1943. On 22 December 1939, it embarked for Great Britain. "D" Company participated in the expedition to the Norwegian island of Spitzbergen on 25 August 1941, and the battalion landed in Sicily on 10 July and Italy on 3 September 1943, as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division. The unit landed in France on 15 March 1945 as part of Operation Goldflake, on its way to the Northwest Europe theatre of operations, in which it fought until the end of the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 15 October 1945.^[3]

• Leonforte, July 1943. According to Mitcham and von Stauffenberg in The Battle of Sicily, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment allegedly killed captured German prisoners.^{[5][page needed]}

On 1 June 1945, a second Active Force component of the regiment was mobilized for service in the Pacific theatre of operations, as under the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion (The Loyal Edmonton Regiment), CASF. The battalion disbanded on 1 November 1945.^[3]

Post-War: Korea and NATO[]

On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F" Companies. "E" Company was reduced to nil strength when its personnel were incorporated into the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion (later the 3rd Battalion, The Canadian Guards) for service in Germany with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It disbanded on 29 July 1953. "F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company. On 15 May 1952, it was reduced to nil strength, when its personnel were absorbed by the newly formed 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion (later the 4th Battalion, The Canadian Guards) for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company disbanded on 29 July 1953.^[3]

Afghanistan[]

The regiment contributed an aggregate of more than 20% of its authorized strength to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014.^[6] It suffered three dead and numerous injured during this war.

Battle honours[]

The Regimental Colour of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.

In the list below, battle honours in capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles. Those battle honours followed by a "+" are emblazoned on the regimental colour.^[3]

The Great War[]

• Mount Sorrel+, 2–13 June 1916
• Somme, 1916+, 1 July–18 November 1916
• Flers–Courcelette+, 15–22 September 1916
• Ancre Heights, 1 October–11 November 1916
• Arras, 1917, 9 April–4 May 1917
• Vimy, 1917+, 9–14 April 1917
• Hill 70+, 15–25 August 1917
• Ypres, 1917, 31 July–10 November 1917
• Passchendaele+, 12 October 1917 or 26 October–10 November 1917
• Amiens+, 8–11 August 1918
• Arras, 1918+, 26 August–3 September 1918
• Scarpe, 1918+, 26–30 August 1918
• Hindenburg Line+, 12 September–9 October 1918
• Canal du Nord, 27 September–2 October 1918
• Pursuit to Mons+, 11 November 1918
• France and Flanders, 1915–18

Second World War[]

• Landing in Sicily+, 9–12 July 1943+
• Piazza Armerina, 16–17 July 1943
• Leonforte, 21–22 July 1943
• Agira, 24–28 July 1943
• Adrano+, 29 July–7 August 1943+
• Troina Valley, 2–6 August 1943
• Sicily, 1943, 9 July 1943 – 17 August 1943
• Colle d'Anchise, 22–24 October 1943
• The Gully, 10–19 December 1943
• Ortona+, 20–28 December 1943+
• Liri Valley+, 18–30 May 1944+
• Hitler Line, 18–24 May 1944
• Gothic Line+, 25 August–22 September 1944+
• Monteciccardo, 27–28 August 1944
• Monte Luro, 1 September 1944
• Rimini Line+, 14–21 September 1944+
• Pisciatello+, 16–19 September 1944+
• San Fortunato, 18–20 September 1944
• Savio Bridgehead+, 20–23 September 1944+
• Naviglio Canal+, 12–15 December 1944+
• Fosso Munio, 19–21 December 1944
• Italy, 1943–1945, 3 September 1943 – 22 April 1945
• Apeldoorn, 11–17 April 1945
• North-West Europe, 1945+

War in Afghanistan[]

• Afghanistan+^[7]

Victoria Cross recipients[]

• Private Cecil John Kinross, VC
• Private John Chipman Kerr, VC

Recent activities[]

The unit continues to carry out individual and small unit training. The unit celebrated its 100th anniversary in April 2008. In September 2011 the Eddies sent a number of soldiers on a decentralised basic parachute course with 3 PPCLI.^[8]

The regiment expanded to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, with the establishment of C Company, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment, in August 2009.^[9]

Alliances[]

•  United Kingdom: The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border)

Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum[]

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum is located in Edmonton in the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre,^[10] the building where the regiment was based from 1920 to 1965. The building also houses the City of Edmonton Archives^[11] and the Telephone Historical Centre. The museum features two galleries and several smaller exhibits, and displays include historic firearms, uniforms, souvenirs, memorabilia, military accoutrements, and photos. The museum features an exhibit on the role of the 49th Battalion, CEF in Canada's Hundred Days Offensive.

Media[]

• A City Goes to War: History of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment (3PPCLI) by Lieut-Colonel G. R. Stevens (1964)

Order of precedence[]

References[]

External links[]

• Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum

• Official website
• list of battle honours