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2nd Dragoons
A change to dragoon format in 1887 led to the regiment's designation as 2nd Dragoons. No. 2 and No. 3 Troop shifted to the command of the Governor General's Body Guard in Toronto in 1889, No. 7 Troop was removed from the strength of the regiment, and No. 4 Troop moved from Grimsby to Saint Ann's. The remaining troops adopted letter designations, and as the century drew to a close, reorganized into three squadrons as follows:
"C" Squadron was detached from the regiment in 1909 to form a cadre for the 25th Brant Dragoons, with a new "C" Squadron forming in Hamilton, and "D" Squadron in Welland. It was during this year that the regimental cap badge and matching collar badges, a bi-metal badge depicting Brock's Monument in Queenston, Ontario. The regimental motto in Latin translated as For King and Empire.
At the start of the First World War, "A" and "D" Squadron were called out to assist in guarding the Welland Canal, and maintained security duties there until 1916. The 2nd Dragoons are reported to have sent over a thousand volunteers to various elements of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, including the 4th, 75th and 84th Battalions, and 4th and 8th Canadian Mounted Rifles. The 176th Battalion was also raised in St. Catharines, and though later officially perpetuated by The Lincoln Regiment, the 2nd Dragoons participated materially in the raising of the battalion.
Following the war, the regiment reorganized into three squadrons in 1921, with "A" Squadron based in St. Catharines, "B" Squadron in Hamilton and "C" Squadron in Welland, where Regimental HQ was also located. The authorized strength of the unit declined to 100 officers and men, though larger numbers of volunteers paraded, without pay.
In 1936, the unit amalgamated with the 10th Brant Dragoons.
Allied Regiment
The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons)
Insignia
A helmet plate is illustrated in Mazeas depicting a round disc surrounded by maple leaf wreath, with the numeral "2" superimposed.
In 1909, as described above, General Order 2 approved a cap badge depicting the monument to General Brock, with smaller collar dogs. Mazeas illustrates both a helmet plate and a cap badge of this pattern, with matching collar dogs. A "2" numeral was worn on the shoulder strap according to both Mazeas and Hampson.
References
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The
regiment sent a draft of 1 officer and 15 men to serve with the 1st
Canadian Mounted Rifles in the Boer War. Lieutenant John Edgar Burch
(pictured at right) died on 16 July 1900 at Pretoria at the age of
26.