The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North) | |
---|---|
The badge of The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North).
|
|
Active | 1871–present |
Country | Canada |
Branch | Primary Reserve |
Type | Light infantry |
Role | Light role |
Size | One battalion |
Part of | Royal Canadian Infantry Corps |
Garrison/HQ | Truro, Nova Scotia |
Motto(s) | Siol Na Fear Fearail (Breed of Manly Men) |
March | The Sweet Maid of Glendaruel (Regiment) The Atholl Highlanders (1Bn) |
Abbreviation | NS Highrs (as seen on rank slip on) Official-NSH |
The Nova Scotia Highlanders (also known as North Novies, North Novas) is a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. It is part of 36 Canadian Brigade Group, 5th Canadian Division.
The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, The Cape Breton Highlanders, and The Pictou Highlanders.
The regiment was composed of two separate units, officially designated as the 1st Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North), and 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton), both of which were part of 5th Canadian Division's 36 Canadian Brigade Group. The 1st Battalion was headquartered in Truro with individual companies located in Amherst, Pictou, New Glasgow, Springhill, and Truro. The 2nd Battalion was headquartered in Sydney, and in 2011 it was renamed back to its pre-1954 designation, the Cape Breton Highlanders. This leaves The Nova Scotia Highlanders as a one-battalion regiment.
Although the 2nd Battalion continued the proud tradition of wearing balmorals, the traditional headdress of the regiment, the 1st Battalion did not. There was a strong movement within the unit by the majority of the troops to replace the beret with the balmoral once again as it marked out the highland unit as distinctive and showed the ties with the unit's heritage that contributed to its ésprit de corps. As of January 1, 2011, the balmoral once again became the official headdress of the 1st Battalion as well.