The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)


caption=
dates=* 1755 - 1763 (as Roger's Rangers)
* 1779 - 1783 (as Queens Rangers, 1st American Regiment)
* 1791 - 1802
* 1812 - 1815
* 1837 - 1843
* 1866 - Present
country=Canada
branch=Primary Reserve
type=Reconnaissance
role=Armoured Reconnaissance
size=One Regiment, including Band, Cadets
command_structure=Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
garrison=Toronto, Ontario, Aurora, Ontario
current_commander=LCol Bruce R. McCullough, CD
ceremonial_chief=HRH Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, KCVO, ADC
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
honorary_colonel=Dr Neville G. Poy, OC
nickname=
motto="Pristinae Virtutis Memor"
(Latin: Mindful of former virtue)
Celer et Audax (Latin: Swift And Bold)
colors=Green and Purple
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
march=March - "Braganza"
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=Battle of Brandywine (11 Sep. 1777)

The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) is a Canadian Forces reserve regiment based in Toronto and Aurora The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment consists of a reconnaissance squadron (with troops based at Fort York and Aurora armouries), a headquarters squadron and Regimental Headquarters. The Regimental family also includes The Queen's York Rangers Band along with two Royal Canadian Army Cadets corps. The unit motto is Pristinae Virtutis Memor - Mindful of former virtue. Their second motto is Celer et Audax.

History

The Queen's York Rangers directly trace the Regiment's roots back to the Robert Roger's Rogers' Rangers during the Seven Years' War. They were re-raised by Rogers in 1776 as "Queen's Rangers" to battle the rebellious American colonists during the American Revolution. Rogers was replaced as the unit's commander by John Graves Simcoe in 1777 with the Rangers consisting of eleven companies: eight line companies, and a grenadier, light, and Highland company as well as one squadron of hussars and three squadrons of light dragoons and a cannon. The Rangers retained their green uniform when other Loyalist forces changed to the red coats of British regulars. They served in various battles until the capitulation at Yorktown. [www.uppercanadahistory.com] They were subsequently disbanded in 1783 with the bulk of the regiment settling as Loyalist refugees in New Brunswick. John Graves Simcoe, who had commanded the regiment through much of the Revolutionary War, later reformed the Rangers in 1791 and brought them to Upper Canada where they founded York (modern day Toronto).

In establishing what is now Toronto, the Rangers usually spent two days on regimental duties, two days on construction work and two days on their own enterprises until their disbandment in 1802. They laid out much of the city (many streets are named for Ranger officers and their family members), and built Yonge St and Dundas Street. The regiment would be revived for the the War of 1812. In 1837 the Queen's Rangers were reformed under Lt Colonel Samuel Peters Jarvis (the son of William Jarvis who served under Simcoe) to fight in the Rebellions of 1837. The modern regiment would date to 1866 during the Fenian Raids and has maintained a continuous history since. Rangers contributed to several battalions of the CEF during the First World War (particularly the 20th Battalion), and some 1,500 Rangers served in the Second World War after re-badging to other units as the Rangers were not mobilized for overseas service. Today they are part of the Canadian Army as The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC). They are a reconnaissance unit, that is, a unit whose goal is to gather battlefield intelligence on the enemy.

In 1805, disbanded African members of the York Rangers became part of the Royal African Corps which later evolved into the 3rd West India Regiment [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/westindies/regts/wi-wir03.htm] .

Alliances

*GBR - The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
*GBR - The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot)

Order of precedence

ee also

* U.S. Army Rangers - and 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery (United States)-Also claim descent from Rogers' Rangers.
* Queen's Rangers
* Robert Rogers (soldier)
* James Rogers (soldier)

References

External links

* [http://qyrang.org/ Regimental website]
* [http://www.army.dnd.ca/Queens_Own_York_Rangers/ Department of National Defence website]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/na-canada/volmil/on-inf/936qyran.htm regiments.org]