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The 15th
Regiment "Argyll Light Infantry" was
an infantry regiment of the prewar Canadian Militia in the 20th
Century.
Lineage
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15th Battalion Volunteer
Militia (Infantry) Canada authorized
16 Jan 1863
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Redesignated 15th
Battalion or the Argyll Light Infantry 2 Jun 18711
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Redesignated 15th
Regiment "Argyll Light Infantry" 8 May 1900
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Redesignated The Argyll
Light Infantry 12 Mar 19202
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15th
Regiment Argyll Light Infantry |
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Headquarters:
Belleville, ON
Predecessor: nil
Authorized: 16 January 1863
Redesignated: The Argyll Light Infantry 12
March 1920 |
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History
The 15th Battalion Volunteer Militia
(Infantry) Canada was authorized on 16 January 1863.3 It
was redesignated as the Argyll (sometimes spelled "Argyle") Light
Infantry in 1871, and like all infantry units in Canada, was
redesignated a regiment instead of a battalion in 1900. A number of
individuals from the regiment served in South Africa in the Boer
War. The unit did not activate for the First World War, instead
sending men to various battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary
Force (including the 2nd, 21st, 39th, 77th, 80th, 136th, 155th and
245th Battalions).4 In 1920, as part of the Otter
Commission reorganizations, the unit was redesignated The Argyll
Light Infantry.5
Insignia
Cap Badge
The cap badge worn on Service Dress consisted of an annulus with the
name ARGYLL LIGHT INFANTRY uppermost, and the regimental motto NULLI
SECUNDUS ("Second to None") lowermost. In the centre was a boar's
head and the Roman numeral XV. Pipers wore a simplified version of
the badge, with just the boar's head and the numeral.6
The boar's is a symbol associated with the Duke of Argyll and the
Clan Campbell.
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glengarry badge |
pipers
badge |
| Mazeas
MM.84 |
Mazeas
MM.85 |
Collar Badge
The collar badges were issued in matching pairs, with the same
design as the glengarry badge, surrounded by a wreath of maple
leaves, with the crown surmounting all. Underneath was a banner with
the regimental motto NULLI SECUNDUS, and the whole was flanked by a
pair of flags.
Other
On 7 September 1900, The Duke of Argyll,
who was already honorary-lieutenant colonel of the regiment, was
also appointed colonel of the regiment.7
The regiment apparently adopted a unique
style of forage dress cap, with a red, white and blue diced band,
though without any authority to do so, something that National
Defence Headquarters was apparently oblivious to until the 1930s (by
which time the regiment had reorganized as The Argyll Light
Infantry).8
Notes
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Regiments and Corps of the Canadian Army
uses the designation "15th Battalion or the Argyle Light
Infantry"
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Official lineages DND web page accessed 19 Dec
2020:
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/official-military-history-lineages/lineages/infantry-regiments/hastings-prince-edward-regiment.html
Both this source, and Corps and Regiments include "or" in
the official designation.
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Militia List, 1 Jan 1905 p.137
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Love, David W. A Nation in Making: The
Organization and Administration of the Canadian Military During
the First World War (Service Publications Ltd., Ottawa,
ON, 2012) ISBN 978-1-894581-72-1 Volume I, p.92
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Lineages, Ibid
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Mazeas, Daniel Insignes de la Milice
Canadienne - Canadian Militia Badges Pre 1914 pp.90-92
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Calgary Herald, 7 Sep 1900
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Law, Clive M. MilArt Blog, 27 Aug 2013.
https://milart.blog/2013/08/27/a-dicey-situation-headdress-for-the-argyll-light-infantry/
