Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Canadian military history task force/Canadian Battle Honours

Battle Honours and their History in the Canadian Military
Battle honours are awarded to military units to commemorate their actions in combat.

There are two types of battle honours; campaign honours, which commemorate a campaign or war, such as FRANCE AND FLANDERS, NORTH-WEST EUROPE or KOREA, and individual battle honours which commemorate a  specific action, such as Vimy, 1917, Passchendaele, Ortona, Normandy Landing or Falaise Road.

The Canadian system of battle honours was adapted from the British military, which has awarded distinctions to regiments for service in the field since a standing British Army was formed in 1660.

Originally, battle honours could be granted if a regiment had been "engaged in musketry" with the enemy. Later, eligibility for battle honours was expanded to include units supporting an operation. In both cases, the regiment's headquarters and at least 50 percent of the regiment's members were present, except under alternate conditions as published in the terms for award of battle honours. In addition, other criteria can also be considered.

After a war or conflict, a list of battle honours was created from which regiments would make application for specific battle honours to be awarded for their actions.

The first battle honours awarded to Canadian regiments were for the North West Campaign of 1885.

MOTTO (Honorary Distinction)
UBIQUE (Latin, "everywhere") — Awarded in lieu of all individual battle honours to The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and the Canadian Military Engineers

War of 1812 (1812–1815)
DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812–1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA DETROIT QUEENSTON MAUMEE CHATEAUGUAY CRYSLER'S FARM NIAGARA

Honourary distinctions:

The 30 units that perpetuate the traditions of militia and fencible units on active service during the War of 1812 received the honourary distinction Defence of Canada 1812–1815 Defence du Canada.

Fenian Raids (1866–1870)
ECCLES HILL

TROUT RIVER

Northwest Rebellion (1885)
NORTH WEST CANADA, 1885

SASKATCHEWAN

BATOCHE

FISH CREEK

Second Boer War (1899–1902)
SOUTH AFRICA (with year dates)

PAARDEBERG

World War I (1914–1919)
YPRES, 1915


 * Gravenstafel
 * St. Julien
 * Frezenberg
 * Bellewaarde

FESTUBERT, 1915

MOUNT SORREL

SOMME, 1916


 * Albert (Beaumont Hamel), 1916*
 * Bazentin
 * Pozières
 * Flers-Courcelette
 * Thiepval
 * Le Transloy*
 * Ancre Heights
 * Ancre, 1916

ARRAS, 1917


 * Vimy, 1917

ARLEUX


 * Scarpe, 1917

HILL 70

YPRES, 1917


 * Pilckem
 * Langemarck, 1917
 * Menin Road
 * Polygon Wood
 * Broodseinde
 * Poelcappelle
 * Passchendaele

CAMBRAI, 1917 (First Battle; see also 1918)

SOMME, 1918


 * St. Quentin
 * Bapaume, 1918
 * Rosières
 * Arras, 1918 (First Battle; see below)
 * Avre

LYS*


 * Bailleul*
 * Kemmel*

AMIENS

ARRAS, 1918 (Second Battle; see above)


 * Scarpe, 1918
 * Drocourt-Quéant

HINDENBURG LINE


 * Epéhy
 * Canal du Nord
 * St. Quentin Canal
 * Beaurevoir
 * Battle of Cambrai 1918 (Second Battle, see also 1917)

YPRES, 1918

VALENCIENNES

SAMBRE

PURSUIT TO MONS – this honour cannot be perpetuated by a regiment which already holds either YPRES 1918, COURTRAI, SELLE, VALENCIENNES, or SAMBRE

COURTRAI*

FRANCE AND FLANDERS (with year dates)

GALLIPOLI, 1915–16*

EGYPT, 1915–16*

SIBERIA, 1918–19

THE GREAT WAR (with year dates) – this honour cannot be perpetuated and was awarded to units disbanded in England only.

NOTE: (*) Awarded to The Royal Newfoundland Regiment before Newfoundland entered Confederation.

Honorary Distinctions:

10th and 16th Canadian Infantry Battalions (Canadian Expeditionary Force) – oak leaf shoulder badges commemorating action in Kitchener's Wood April 1915. The Calgary Highlanders and The Royal Winnipeg Rifles perpetuate the 10th Battalion and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) perpetuates the 16th Battalion. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles choose not to wear the distinction.

Naval Campaigns
DUNKIRK, 1940

NORTH SEA, 1940

AEGEAN, 1944

NORMANDY, 1944

BISCAY, 1944

SOUTH FRANCE, 1944

NORWAY (with year dates)

OKINAWA, 1945

ATLANTIC (with year dates)

ENGLISH CHANNEL (with year dates)

MEDITERRANEAN (with year dates)

ARCTIC (with year dates)

GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE, 1942, 1944

ALEUTIANS (with year dates)

Air campaigns
BATTLE OF BRITAIN, 1940

DEFENCE OF BRITAIN (with year dates)

FORTRESS EUROPE (with year dates)

BERLIN (with year dates)

ATLANTIC (with year dates)

BISCAY PORTS (with year dates)

ENGLISH CHANNEL AND THE NORTH SEA (with year dates)

GERMAN PORTS (with year dates)

RUHR (with year dates)

ARCTIC, 1942

DIEPPE, 1942

BISCAY (with year dates)

NORTH WEST ATLANTIC

EGYPT AND LIBYA, 1942-42

BALTIC (with year dates)

NORTH AFRICA, 1943

SICILY, 1943

ITALY, (with year dates)

SALERNO, 1943

ANSIO AND NETTUNO, 1943

GUSTAFF LINE, 1944

GOTHIC LINE, 1944–45

FRANCE AND GERMANY, 1944–45

NORMANDY, 1944

ARNHEM, 1944

WALCHEREN, 1944

RHINE, 1944–45

CEYLON, 1942

EASTERN WATERS, 1942–44

ALEUTIANS, 1942–43

BURMA, 1944–45

PACIFIC COAST, 1941–45.

THE SECOND WORLD WAR, 1939–1945 (LAND)

 * Europe 1939–45

SOUTH-EAST ASIA, 1941
Hong Kong

NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1942
Dieppe

SICILY, 1943
LANDING IN SICILY


 * Grammichele
 * Piazza Armerina
 * Valguarnera
 * Assoro
 * Leonforte
 * Agira

ADRANO


 * Catenanuova
 * Regalbuto
 * Centuripe
 * Troina Valley
 * Pursuit to Messina

ITALY (with year dates)

 * Landing at Reggio
 * Potenza
 * Motta Montecorvino
 * Termoli
 * Monte San Marco
 * Gambatesa
 * Campobasso
 * Baranello
 * Colle d'Anchise
 * Torella

THE SANGRO


 * Castel di Sangro
 * The Moro
 * San Leonardo
 * The Gully
 * Casa Berardi
 * Ortona
 * San Nicola-San Tommaso
 * Point 59 or Torre Mucchia

MONTE CAMINO


 * Monte La Difensa-Monte La Remetanea
 * Monte Majo

ANZIO

CASSINO II


 * Gustav Line
 * Sant' Angelo in Teodice
 * Pignataro

LIRI VALLEY


 * Hitler Line
 * Aquino
 * Melfa Crossing
 * Ceprano
 * Torrice Crossroads

ROME


 * Advance to the Tiber

TRASIMENE LINE


 * Sanfatucchio

AREZZO

ADVANCE TO FLORENCE


 * Cerrone

GOTHIC LINE


 * Monteciccardo
 * Montecchio
 * Point 204 or Pozzo Alto Ridge
 * Monte Luro
 * Borgo Santa Maria
 * Tomba di Pesaro

CORIANO

LAMONE CROSSING


 * Misano Ridge

RIMINI LINE


 * San Martino-San Lorenzo
 * San Fortunato
 * Casale
 * Sant' Angelo in Salute
 * Bulgaria Village
 * Cesena
 * Pisciatello
 * Savio Bridgehead
 * Naviglio Canal
 * Fosso Vecchio
 * Fosso Munio
 * Coventello-Comacchio
 * Granarolo
 * Monte La Pieve
 * Monte Spaduro

NORTH-WEST EUROPE (with year dates)
SOUTHERN FRANCE

NORMANDY LANDING


 * Authie
 * Putot-en-Bessin
 * Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse
 * Le Mesnil-Patry

CAEN


 * Carpiquet
 * The Orne or The Orne (Buron)

BOURGUEBUS RIDGE


 * Faubourg de Vaucelles
 * St. André-sur-Orne
 * Maltot
 * Verrières Ridge – Tilly-la-Campagne

FALAISE


 * Falaise Road
 * Quesnay Wood
 * Clair Tizon
 * The Laison
 * Chambois
 * St. Lambert-sur-Dives
 * Dives Crossing
 * Forêt de la Londe
 * The Seine, 1944
 * Moerbrugge
 * Dunkirk, 1944
 * Le Havre
 * Boulogne, 1944
 * Calais, 1944
 * Moerkerke
 * Wyneghem
 * Antwerp-Turnhout Canal

THE SCHELDT


 * Leopold Canal
 * Woensdrecht
 * Savojaards Plaat
 * Breskens Pocket
 * South Beveland
 * Walcheren Causeway
 * The Lower Maas
 * Kapelsche Veer

ARDENNES
 * The Roer

THE RHINELAND


 * The Reichswald
 * Waal Flats
 * Cleve
 * Moyland Wood
 * Goch-Calcar Road
 * The Hochwald
 * Xanten
 * Veen
 * The Rhine
 * Emmerich-Hoch Elten
 * Twente Canal
 * Zutphen
 * Deventer
 * Apeldoorn
 * Arnhem 1945
 * Groningen
 * Friesoythe
 * Ijsselmeer
 * Küsten Canal
 * Delfzijl Pocket
 * Bad Zwischenahn
 * Oldenburg
 * Leer

Korean War (1950–1953)
KOREA


 * Kapyong

Persian Gulf War (1990–91)
GULF AND KUWAIT

Honourary distinctions:

416 and 437 Squadrons received the Gulf War honourary distinction for significantly reinforcing the Canadian tactical fighter force that fought in the United Nations' action against Iraq.

Balkans (1999)
KOSOVO

South-West Asia (2001-14)
AFGHANISTAN

ARABIAN SEA