Active 1885–1954 Branch Militia Role Infantry | Country Canada Type Line Infantry Size One battalion | |
The Essex Scottish was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army until 1954.
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Founded in 1885 as the 21st Essex Battalion of Infantry, it went through several name changes including: 1887 - 21st Battalion, Essex Fusiliers; 1900 - 21st Regiment, Essex Fusiliers; 1920 - The Essex Fusiliers, acquiring its present title in 1927.
During World War II the regiment was among the first Canadian units to see combat in the European theatre during the invasion of Dieppe. By the end of The Dieppe Raid, the Essex Scottish Regiment had suffered 121 fatal casualties, with many others wounded and captured. The Essex Scottish later participated in Operation Atlantic and was slaughtered attempting to take Verrières Ridge on July 21. By the war's end, the Essex Scottish Regiment had suffered over 550 war dead; its 2,500 casualties were the most of any unit in the Canadian army during the Second World War.
In 1954, as a result of the Kennedy Report on the Reserve Army, this regiment was amalgamated with The Kent Regiment to form The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment.
Kit
The Essex Scottish were allied to The Essex Regiment and were kitted with a balmoral c/w red & white diced border, scarlet doublet, white sporran with two black points, red & black hose, spats c/w black buttons, blue shoulder straps c/w white cross stripes and piping with full dress only for pipers and drummers who also wore a feather bonnet c/w white hackle. They wore the red and green tartan of Clan Gregor File:MacGregor Red and Green tartan.png.
The regiment perpetuated the 18th (Western Ontario) Battalion, 99th (Essex) Battalion and 241st (Canadian Scottish Borderers) Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and held its final Order of Precedence as 40.