Description
Physical description
An upward curve of black wool with two matching extensions centrally above on which embroidered in white sans serif capitals 17TH above, DUKE OF YORK'S centre and ROYAL CANADIAN HUSSARS below.
Label
Unit history: Militia horsed cavalry unit mobilized 24 May 1940. In September 1940 they became 4th Canadian Motor Cycle Regiment, one of five such units, hastily raised for home defence and to bolster civilian morale during a period of invasion scares. In January 1941 the Regiment transferred to the Canadian Armoured Corps and was eventually assigned as the reconnaissance unit to the 3rd Canadian Division with the title of 7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars). On arrival in the UK in August –September 1941 the Regiment was first given the stop-gap Beaverette. They received the first Canadian Fox armoured cars in April 1942 and the British Humber Light Recce Car as late as April 1944. Meanwhile, in November 1943 they had been the trials unit for an armoured flamethrower regiment which involved them being issued with some 75 carriers fitted with the Ronson flamethrower. The experiment was abandoned after the first exercise but the Regiment appear to have retained sufficient to equip each troop with one of these vehicles. A large part of the Regiment, including Regimental HQ, remained in the UK until some time around the second week of July 1944, but the unit did provide a number of mobile radio-equipped contact detachments for the assault landings. These were to supplement unit and Royal Canadian Corps of Signals communications and had the express task of keeping the Divisional commander appraised of what individual units were doing. Before the Regiment crossed to France, the contact detachments reverted to the reconnaissance role after the landings and acted at least once under command of the British Inns of Court Regiment in the fight for Caen.
The 2nd 7th Reconnaissance Regiment was mobilized for service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force on 1 June 1945 and was disbanded 24 May 1946.
(The 7th (Reserve) Reconnaissance) Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) served in the Reserve Army.)
History note
Associated person: John Tiffin Murray Stewart b. 1917, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. d. 6 August 1964, 47 yrs., heart attack. Service record: Gunner M 4044 RCA. 1942: Reg. H2, HQ RCA, 1st Administration Corps. RCA CASF (Canadian Active Service Force) 1st Division. 1943: Reg. H3, 3rd Field Regt. RCA CASF 1st Division. 1944: 1st A Wing. No. 1 CARU (Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit).
Family history: 11 December 1942, married Elfreda Joan, nee Knight, at Congregational Church West Wickham, Kent. 15 June 1945, returned Canada. 27 June 1946, joined by family (on board 'Letitia'). August 1948, all family return to UK ('Queen Mary'). Moved to family home, Cavendish Way, West Wickham, Kent. Subsequently bought house, Oak Avenue, Shirley, Croydon.
History note
Bibliographical sources: CANADA'S ARMY IN WORLD WAR II: Badges and Histories of the Corps and Regiments. F. R. Tripp. Unitrade Press, Toronto, 1983 FORMATION AND UNIT SIGNS OF THE BRITISH REGULAR ARMY AND TERRITORIAL ARMY. Major John Waring. Identification Pamphlet No. 1. Privately published, no date (c. 1950s) Key to Shapes of Shoulder Titles. THE CANADIAN SOLDIER In North West Europe 1944 –1945. Jean Bouchery. Histoire & Collections, Paris, 2003. Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War. Volume III: THE VICTORY CAMPAIGN, Operations in North West Europe 1944 –1945. Col. C. P. Stacey. Ottawa, 1960.
Inscription
17TH / DUKE OF YORK'S / ROYAL CANADIAN HUSSARS