Creation
The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders.
The regiment was composed of two separate units, officially designated as the 1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North), and 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton), both of which were part of 5th Canadian Division's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The 1st Battalion was headquartered in Truro with individual companies located in Amherst, Pictou, New Glasgow, Springhill, and Truro. The 2nd Battalion was headquartered in Sydney, and in 2011 it was renamed back to its pre-1954 designation, the Cape Breton Highlanders.[1][2] This leaves The Nova Scotia Highlanders as a one-battalion regiment.
Headdress
Although the 2nd Battalion continued the proud tradition of wearing balmorals, the traditional headdress of the regiment, the 1st Battalion did not. There was a strong movement within the unit by the majority of the troops to replace the beret with the balmoral once again as it marked out the highland unit as distinctive and showed the ties with the unit's heritage that contributed to its ésprit de corps. As of January 1, 2011, the balmoral once again became the official headdress of the 1st Battalion as well.
Lineage
The Nova Scotia Highlanders originated in Truro, Nova Scotia on 6 April 1871, when the Colchester and Hants Provisional Battalion of Infantry was authorized. It was subsequently redesignated the 78th Colchester and Hants, or Highlanders Battalion of Infantry on 1 September 1871; the 78th "Colchester, Hants and Pictou" Battalion of Infantry or "Highlanders" on 5 September 1879; the 78th Colchester, Hants and Pictou Regiment "Highlanders" on 8 May 1900; the 78th Pictou Regiment "Highlanders" on 1 March 1910; The Pictou Regiment on 29 March 1920; The Pictou Highlanders on 2 July 1920; the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Pictou Highlanders on 7 November 1940 and The Pictou Highlanders (Motor) on 1 April 1946. On 12 November 1954, it was amalgamated with The North Nova Scotia Highlanders and the 189th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA and redesignated the 1st Battalion' of 'The Nova Scotia Highlanders. On 9 December 2010 the 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton) was organized as a separate regiment and redesignated The Cape Breton Highlanders, leaving the 1st Battalion as the single unit within The Nova Scotia Highlanders.
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders originated in Amherst, Nova Scotia on 6 April 1871 when the Cumberland Provisional Battalion of Infantry was authorized. It was redesignated as the 93rd Cumberland Battalion of Infantry on 12 June 1885; the 93rd Cumberland Regiment on 8 May 1900; the The Cumberland Regiment on 29 March 1920 and The Cumberland Highlanders on 15 June 1927. On 1 December 1936, it was amalgamated with The Colchester and Hants Regiment (less 'C Company') and 'C Company' of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (now The Princess Louise Fusiliers) and redesignated as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Machine Gun). It was redesignated the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Machine Gun) on 7 November 1940; the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders on 7 March 1941 and The North Nova Scotia Highlanders on 1 May 1946. On 12 November 1954, it was amalgamated with The Pictou Highlanders (Motor) and the 189th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA.
The Colchester and Hants Regiment originated in Truro, Nova Scotia on 1 April 1910, when the '70th Colchester and Hants Regiment' was authorized to be formed.21 It was redesignated the '76th Colchester and Hants Rifles' on 2 May 1910.22 On 15 May 1920, it was amalgamated with the '81st "Hants" Regiment' (see below) and redesignated 'The Colchester and Hants Regiment'.23 On 1 December 1936, it was amalgamated, less "C" Company, with 'The Cumberland Highlanders' and 'C Company' of the '6th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC', as above.
The 81st "Hants" Regiment originated in Windsor, Nova Scotia on 16 February 1914 when an "8 company Regiment of Infantry in Hants County" was authorized. It was redesignated the 68th Regiment on 1 May 1914 and as the 81st "Hants" Regiment on 1 June 1914. On 15 May 1920, it was amalgamated with the 76th Colchester and Hants Rifles.
The 189th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA originated in Stellarton, Nova Scotia on 1 April 1946. On 12 November 1954, it was amalgamated with The Pictou Highlanders (Motor) and The North Nova Scotia Highlanders.
Operational History
South African War
The 193rd Cumberland Battalion of Infantry contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents during the South African War. .[3]
The Great War
Details of the 76th Colchester and Hants Rifles were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.
Details of the 78th Pictou Regiment "Highlanders" were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.
Details of the 93rd Cumberland Regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.
The 17th Battalion, CEF was authorized on 19 September 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 29 September 1914 where it was redesignated as the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF on 29 April 1915, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps. The battalion was disbanded on 21 May 1917.
The 25th Battalion, CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 20 May 1915. It disembarked in France on 16 September 1916, where it fought as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.
The 106th Battalion, CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 15 July 1916 where it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps until 5 October 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 40th Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 8 December 1917.
The 193rd Battalion, CEF was authorized on 15 July 1916 and embarked for Great Britain on 12 October 1916 where it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 20 January 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 18 February 1918.
The 246th Battalion, CEF was authorized on 1 May 1917 and embarked for Great Britain on 2 June 1917. On 9 June 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 11 April 1918.
The Second World War
Details of The Pictou Highlanders were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The Pictou Highlanders, Canadian Active Service Force (Details), for local protection duties. The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.
The regiment mobilized the 1st Battalion, The Pictou Highlanders, CASF for active service on 1 January 1941. It served in Newfoundland from March to August 1943 in a home defence role as part of Atlantic Command. In September 1943, one company was despatched to the Bahamas, where it performed garrison duty until 28 March 1946. The battalion was disbanded on 30 April 1946.
On 10 September 1942, a sub-component of the regiment, designated Special Infantry Company (Pictou Highlanders), CASF, was mobilized for active service. It served in Bermuda on garrison duty from 12 November 1942 to 1 April 1946. The company was disbanded on 30 April 1946.
Details of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Machine Gun), CASF (Details) , for local protection duties. The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.
The regiment subsequently mobilized The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, CASF for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated the 1st Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, CASF on 7 November 1940. It embarked for Great Britain on 18 July 1941. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, it landed in Normandy as part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division , and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion was disbanded on 15 January 1946.
On 1 June 1945, the regiment mobilized the 3rd Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, Canadian Infantry Corps, Canadian Army Occupation Force' for service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany. The battalion was disbanded on 1 May 1946.
Post-War
On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F".
"E" Company was reduced to nil strength upon its personnel being incorporated into the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Germany with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and was disbanded on 29 July 1953. On 16 October 1953 the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion was redesignated the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
"F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company. On 15 May 1952, it was reduced to nil strength, upon its personnel being absorbed by the newly formed 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company was disbanded on 29 July 1953. On 16 October 1953 the 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion was redesignated the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
