Location: Perth County N 43.37154 W -80.98239
Beside the Stratford Cenotaph, on Erie Street, beside the river.
This memorial was dedicated on September 10 1972, in memory of The Perth
Regiment. It was erected by the Citizens of Perth County and the Perth
Regiment Veterans' Association.
History of the Perth Regiment:
The Militia Period 1856-1914
In the early 1800s, military service in Canada was mandatory for men
between the ages of 16 and 60. In the wake of the Militia Act 1855,
which changed Canada’s sedentary army into an active volunteer militia
force, Perth men formed the First Volunteer Rifle Company and the Second
Volunteer Infantry Company in 1862. These battalions joined to become
the 28th(Perth) Battalion of Infantry.
In the 1830s, settlers of Southwestern Ontario were more occupied
with clearing and establishing their land, as the area was not facing
any immediate military threats. Resident British Soldiers were being
recalled from Canada by the 1850s to fight in Eastern Europe and India,
leaving local population to rely on their militia. At the same time,
the pressure of southern hostilities (American Civil War and the threat
of Fenian Brotherhood) began to create a sense of military duty among
the soldiers of Perth County. With the incursion of the Fenian Raids and
the Red River Rebellion, the Perth Militia was deployed.
Throughout this period Canada’s military was undergoing growth and change. The 1793 Militia Act initiated the mandatory service of men in militia, whereas the 1855 Militia Act
allowed for militia men to volunteer for service/duty rather than the
previous compulsory service. The foundation for Canada’s military was
established through these two Militia acts. It was during this
vulnerable time that Perth found its military footing.
Fenian Raids 1866-1870:
When the Irish republican organization called the Fenian Brotherhood
attempted to attack British interests in North America (Canada) in order
to end British rule in Ireland, the 28th Battalion was stationed along the Canadian border to defend against attack.
The Red River Rebellion 1869-1870:
The first major political crisis of the newly formed Canadian
government after its Confederation in 1867. When the Canadian government
purchased Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1869, the
conflict between the English-speaking inhabitants and French-speaking
Metis grew. Under the leadership of Louis Riel, the Red River Colony
established a provisional government and barred any outside authority
from interfering with the colony. Two soldiers from the 28th Battalion were sent to participate in the Red River Expedition.
World War I
Following the outbreak of the First World War, the Canadian Minister
of Militia and Defence discarded the existing mobilization plan.
Therefore men of the 28th Perth Battalion were sent to various other battalions in Ontario.
By estimate, 4,000 men of the Perth County fought during the war. The
110th Regiment was awarded a primary battle honor for their role in the
Battle of Ypres when poison gas was used in a surprise attack.
World War II
On September 1, 1939, the Perth Regiment received orders to mobilize.
The Perth’s trained for two years in Canada before spending two years
in England training and providing costal defence. In January 1943, the
regiment joined with the Irish Regiment of Canada and the Cape Breton
Highlanders of Canada to form the 11th Infantry Brigade.
The Regiment was deployed to Italy under the code name Exercise Timberwolf. The regiment first saw action on January 17th,
1944 at Arielli. This battle was the only time during the war that the
Perths did not reach their objectives. As the allied invasion pushed
through Italy and France, the Perths continued to play a key combat
role. The Perth Regiment was the first regiment of the English Army to
crack the Gothic Line.
After their final action in the Italian Campaign with Operation
Syria, the Perths were withdrawn in order to move through France,
Belgium and into the Netherlands. By March, the Perths were in Nijimegn.
During WWII, 261 Perths lost their lives. The regiment was awarded 10 primary battle honours and 4 secondary battle honours.
Marker text:
Front:
THE PERTH REGIMENT
AUDAX ET CAUTUS
Front left plaque:
THE PERTH REGIMENT 1866 - 1964
VOLUNTEER COMPANIES FROM PERTH COUNTY SERVED ON THE
NIAGARA AND DETROIT FRONTIERS AT THE TIME OF
THE FENIAIN RAIDS 1865 - 1866.
BY GENERAL ORDER DATED SEPTEMBER 14, 1866
A COUNTY REGIMENT WAS FORMED.
THE 28TH BATTALION OF INFANTRY COMPRISING:
STRATFORD RIFLE COMPANY FORMED 1856
STRATFORD INFANTRY COMPANY FORMED 1862
ST. MARYS VOLUNTEER COMPANY FORMED 1863
LISTOWEL VOLUNTEER COMPANY FORMED 1863
LATER THE REGIMENT HAD COMPANIES AT MITCHELL
FULLERTON AND RANNOCH ON MAY 18, 1900.
THE NAME WAS ALTERED TO 28TH PERTH REGIMENT
THE REGIMENT RECRUITED MORETHAN 3,000 MEN FOR SERVICE
IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR, INCLUDING 146 FOR THE FIRST
CONTINGENT WHICH WENT OVERSEAS IN 1914. 93 FOR THE
18TH BATTALION WHICH WENT OVERSEAS IN 1915. 1200 FOR THE
110TH BATTALION "PERTH'S OWN" WHICH WENT OVERSEAS IN 1916.
IN 1920 IT BECAME "THE PERTH REGIMENT" AND IN 1930 WAS
AFFILIATED WITH THE CAMERONIANS (SCOTTISH RIFLES).
THE REGIMENT WAS MOBILIZED SEPTEMBER 1ST 1939 FOR SERVICE
IN WORLD WAR II AND WENT TO ENGLAND IN 1941 TAKING PART
IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN IN 1943 - 1944 AND LATER IN THE
NORTH-WEST EUROPE CAMPAIGN IN 1945 ON RETURN TO CANADA
THE REGIMENT WAS DEMOBILIZED AT STRATFORD, JANUARY 16, 1946.
SCOTTISH DRESS INCLUDING THE DOUGLAS TARTAN
WAS ADOPTED IN 1946. AFTER SERVING AS A MILITIA UNIT
FROM THEN UNTIL 1964 THE REGIMENT WAS DEACTIVATED ON
ST. JAMES CHURCH, STRATFORD ON JANUARY 31, 1965.
AUDAX ET CAUTUS
Front right plaque:
This Garden of Rembrance
and Perth Regiment Memorial
was dedicated on
Sunday, September 10th, 1972,
in Grateful and Honoured
Memory of the Perth Regiment
which served Perth County and
Canada Faithfully and Gallantly
since first formed
on September 14th, 1866
AUDAX ET CAUTUS
Erected by the Citizens of Perth County and the
Perth Regiment Veterans Association
Back left plaque:
The Perth Regiment
BATTLE HONOURS
World War 1
1914-1918
YPRES 1915
Festubert 1915
World War II
1939-1945
LIRI VALLEY
Melfa Crossing
Ceprano
GOTHIC LINE
Montecchio
Point 204
CORIANO
LAMONE CROSSING
FOSSO MUNIO
CONVENTELLO COMACCHIO
ITALY, 1944-1945
IJSSELMEER
DELFZIJL POCKET
NORTHWEST EUROPE
Back right plaque:
To the everlasting
memory of the
members of
The
Perth Regiment
both the living and the dead,
who together with other Canadian
and Allied servicemen participated in
the glorious campaign of 1944 - 1945
that led to the liberation
of The Netherlands
Presented by the
grateful Dutch-Canadians of Stratford
May, 1970
