The Amalgamation of The Essex Scottish and The Kent Regiment

The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment troops in the Regimental Colour at Jackson Park in Windsor, Ontario. Photo taken 5 June 1955.

In 1954, the Canadian military underwent vast reforms since World War II and the recent end of the Korean War. The belief was there was an excess of infantry units. In the end, nine infantry units would be disbanded or amalgamated. The planned reorganization of the Canadian Army was first announced 22 June 1954. It was not until 8 July 1954 that it was revealed that The Essex Scottish and The Kent Regiment would be amalgamated into one regiment. Although the name of the new unit was not revealed it was speculated that it would be named The Essex Scottish Regiment.

The official news of the amalgamation was delivered by Brigadier Thomas G. Gibson, CBE, DSO, while the units of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade were training at Camp Niagara-on-the-Lake. Gibson shared the news with the commanding officers of the four attending regiments in the brigade.

The amalgamation was a controversial decision feared by both the two regiments and the public. Although both regiments were cordial with one another, they were enriched in their own histories and traditions. Moreover, individuals who served in the Kent Regiment believed their service, traditions and efforts would be lost to history. The people of Chatham-Kent protested and wrote letters to the Minister of Defense to have the decision reversed.

After extensive lobbying both within and outside government, The Minister of Defense agreed upon not erasing “Kent” name during the amalgamation. However, the City of Windsor did not agree with the name change. It was stated that “Mayor Arthur Reaume and Controller Lawrence Deziel, a past commanding officer of the Essex Scottish, urged the city council to protest the name change of a regiment that meant so much to the city.”

Combining the two regiments was an extensive process. Lieutenant-Colonel Alf Hodges, Major Ken Kersey and Captain Ernie Wilson of the Essex Scottish met with Lieutenant-Colonel Doug McIntyre, Major Tom Wilcox and Captain Ralph West of the Kent Regiment. The meeting entailed discussion with Major James C. Gardner of the District Headquarter about how to organize the new unit.

The meeting resulted in Windsor having 60% of the unit including Regimental Headquarters, Headquarters Company, A Company, B Company and Support Company plus the crew-served weapons such as mortars and anti-tank guns. Chatham would have C Company and D Company while Wallaceburg would host the remaining E Company. The amalgamation of The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment officially took place on 1 October 1954.

Before the official amalgamation of the new unit, Queen Elizabeth II agreed to have Her Royal Highness Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, succeed her late husband, the Duke of Kent as Colonel-in Chief of The Kent Regiment. This amalgamation also resulted in the Duchess of Kent being appointed as the Colonel-in-Chief of the new regiment in 1954. Upon the Duchess’ appointment, she visited both of the old regiments before the emergence of the new one.

The Essex and Kent Scottish kept the motto of The Essex Scottish of “Semper Paratus”, translated as Always Prepared. The Regimental March is an equally-weighted march to the Essex Scottish’s Highland Laddie, and the Kent’s A Hundred Pipers an’a’.

Currently, The Essex and Kent Scottish is garrisoned in two new armouries: Major F.A. Tilston, VC Armoury and Police Training Centre in Windsor opened in 2004, and the Col. E.M. Ansell, OBE, MC, VD, Armoury in Chatham opened in 2006. The current Colonel-in-Chief is His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, the son of Prince George, the Duke of Kent and the Duchess of Kent, Princess Marina. Prince Michael was appointed the Colonel-in-Chief on 14 November 2001.

Story by Taylor Blackmere, Canada Summer Jobs 2022 participant
with The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment Association.

Sources

• Duty Nobly Done: The Official History of The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment by Sandy Antal and Kevin R. Shackleton, 2006 - Chapter 15.
• The Essex and Kent Scottish: A Concise History by F. Hardy Wheeler, 2020.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent with the officers of the Essex Scottish. The photo was taken August 1954, just before the official amalgamation of the Essex Scottish and Kent Regiments.