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Algonquin Regiment The Algonquin Regiment was mobilized for active service on May 24, 1940. It was re-designated 1st Battalion, The Algonquin Regiment on November 7, 1940. The Regiment served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 20th Infantry Brigade, 7th Canadian Division and in Newfoundland from February 7, 1942 to February 6, 1943. The Regiment embarked for Great Britain in June 1943 and landed in Normandy, France as part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division. Soldiers of the Regiment fought as vanguard infantry through Falaise, fighting to secure many bridgeheads over canals in Holland and into Germany, earning the following battle honours: Falaise Falaise Road The Laison Chambois The Seine, 1944 Moerkerke The Scheldt Breskens Pocket The Lower Maas The Rhineland The Hochwald Veen Küsten Canal Bad Zwischenahn North-West Europe, 1944-1945 The overseas Battalion was disbanded on February 15, 1946.
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Algonquin Regiment
372 members of the Algonquin Regiment lost their lives in the Second World War. On the Parry Sound’s waterfront trail a monument now recognizes members of the Algonquin Regiment who lost their lives in the Second World War. Unveiled September 23, 2012 “Stand easy boys, you are back home at last … Carved in stone are the names of 372 young Canadian boys who voluntarily stepped up to the plate and joined up to fight and destroy the insidious Nazi tyranny that threatened to destroy our motherland, our country and our freedom … Whatever their reason for enlisting underlying, was the thought that there could be a price to pay, a sacrifice to make and a determination to pay that price for a principle of ridding our world of evil, of protecting our country, family and friends.” Words spoken at the unveiling by Algonquin Veteran Jack Patterson of Parry Sound
Harvey Benjamin Henry - Algonquin Regiment WWII A Veteran of World War I, Harvey Benjamin Henry, at the start of WWII, returned as a Sergeant and was commissioned reaching the rank of Major in the Algonquin Regiment. During World War I, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He was born in York, Ontario on February 21, 1894 and enlisted on November 9, 1916 with the 256th Railway Construction Battalion transferring from the University of Toronto Training Corp. Prior to active service enlistment, he served with the 109th Regiment for seven months. He went overseas arriving in Liverpool, England on April 7, 1917. He served in France from June 19, 1917 and on December 7, 1917 he was promoted in the rank of Lieutenant serving with the 10th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops. He was wounded on May 26, 1918 while serving in France. He served in Canada, England, and France with the 256th Railway Construction Battalion, the 10th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops, the Canadian Railway Troops Pool, the Canadian Railway Troops Depot and District Depot No.2. He was discharged on demobilization on April 7, 1919. Two nephews, Harvey Benjamin Henry and Jack Henry both born in Canada but raised in Los Angeles, California returned to Ontario as the Canadian Army was mobilizing in World War II. They enlisted in the Ontario Regiment, RCAC and both saw action in Sicily and Italy. Major Henry’s nephew, Harvey Benjamin Henry was severely wounded on July 1, 1944.
Background photo: ‘D’ Company Algonquin Regiment, Timmons, Ontario September 4, 1940
Harvey Henry - WWI
Information provided by Mike Henry, grand nephew of Major Harvey Henry. Library and Archives Canada
Algonquin Regiment - A Photo Collection Photos from a wartime collection of Sherry Garvin. Her father, Private Gilbert Bell, served in “D” Company of the Algonquin Regiment and the Bugle Band of the Regiment. The photos are for the most part from his training time in Port Arthur, Ontario and Shilo, Manitoba.
Date of Death: July 16, 1958 Brandford, Ontario Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto