21st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
Early History and Organization.—The Regiment originated as an artillery
unit on 1st July, 1936, when the Headquarters and the 97th (Bruce), 98th
(Bruce) and 99th Field Batteries of 21st Field Brigade, R.C.A., were organized
from The Wellington Regiment and The Bruce Regiment. These Regiments were
originally organ-ized on 14th September, 1866, as the 30th Battalion of
Wellington Rifles and the 32nd Bruce Battalion of Infantry respectively,
and became the 30th Regiment "Wellington Rifles" and the 32nd Bruce Regiment
on 8th May, 1900. They were reorganized and redesignated The Wellington
Regiment and The Bruce Regiment in 1920. On 15th December, 1936, a fourth
battery, the 100th Field Battery, was organized, and on 15th May, 1943,
the unit was redesignated 21st Field Regiment. The present title was adopted
upon reorganization and conversion to an anti-tank role on 1st April, 1946.
The four batteries served in four different
units during the Second World War. The 97th was mobilized on 1st September,
1939, as a sub-unit of the 5th Army Field Brigade, an Army Troops unit
later designated 21st Army Field Regiment and disbanded in the United Kingdom
on 21st November, 1943. The 98th (Bruce) Battery was mobilized on 24th
May, 1940, as the 98th (Bruce) Anti-Tank Battery, a sub-unit of the 4th
Anti-Tank Regiment, 5th Canadian Armoured Division, with which it served
in Italy and North-West Europe. It was disbanded on 28th November, 1945.
The 99th Field Battery was mobilized on 29th July, 1941, and served with
the 19th Army Field Regiment in North-West Europe from 0 Day to VE Day.
It was disbanded on 16th November, 1945. The 100th Field Battery was mobilized
on 1st September, 1939, was converted and redesignated 100th Light Anti-Aircraft
Battery, a sub-unit of the 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 3rd Canadian
Infantry Division, with which it served in North-West Europe. It was disbanded
on 13th November, 1945.
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