73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF

73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada)
Unit/Brigade/Division Patch
Active	10 July 1915 to 19 April 1917
Country	Canada
Branch	4th Canadian Division
Type	12th Brigade
Role	Infantry
Size	Battalion (Highlander)
Part of	Canadian Expeditionary Force
Motto(s)	Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (No one shall touch me with impunity)
March	Quick - Hielan' Laddie Slow - The Red Hackle
Commanders
First Officer Commanding	Lt-Col Peers Davidson ( _ )
Regimental Sergeant Major	Sgt-Major _ ( _ )
Insignia
Hackle	Red

The 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. The 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) organized in June 1915, initially commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Peers Davidson, was placed on ‘Active Service’ as an ‘Overseas Battalion, on 10 July 1915, as authorized in Militia General Orders.

The 73rd Battalion was mobilized in Montreal, with recruiting beginning on 3 September 1915, in Montreal and in parts of Eastern Ontario and Quebec. After initial training in Valcartier and wintering in Montreal, it was deemed ready for overseas in spring 1916. The Battalion embarked at Halifax, NS on 31 March 1916, aboard RMS ADRIATIC, disembarking in Liverpool on 9 April 1916, with a strength of 36 officers and 1033 other ranks.

Facing initially an uncertain future, on 5 May 1916, it was advised of assignment to 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade. After extended training in England, and losing a replacement draft of 250 men to the 13th Bn, the Battalion arrived at Le Havre, France on 13 August 1916, on HMTS Copenhagen, becoming part of the new 4th Canadian Division. The Battalion’s orientation to Belgium and Flanders began, doing rotating tours or brigade reserve duties, first in Ypres, in August 1916, and through September, to the south, in Kemmel.

Then moving, in October, for training prior to operations during The Third Battle of The Somme in the Battle of Ancre Heights, and at the Battle of Ancre, into November 1916, it conducted four tours, at Regina Trench and into Desire, Sugar, and Switch Trenches.

In December 1916, it was to move to the Arras sector, finding itself at Vimy, first as 4th Division Reserve before engagements in January / February 1917, with tours in and out on four or five day rotations. After time, also as 12th Bde Reserve, it participated in the March Raid on the 1st and followed up with two tours in The Zouave Valley.

The Battalion’s status as being sustainable first came into question in February 1917, as the England-based 20th Canadian Reserve Battalion noted fewer replacements coming through from their 1st Depot Battalion in Canada. In Montreal, through Militia District No. 4, the 1st Quebec Regiment, then having to sustain eight infantry CEF battalions was running out of volunteers, and The 73rd became the subject of discussion as a source of replacements, for two earlier recruited Montreal Highland service units: The 13th and The 42nd Battalions (RHC).