South Alberta Light Horse
| The South Alberta Light Horse | |
|---|---|
The South Alberta Light Horse cap badge
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| Active | 1885, 1905–present |
| Country | Canada |
| Branch | Primary Reserve (Militia) |
| Type | Originally light cavalry/mounted infantry, now armoured |
| Role | Armoured reconnaissance |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | 41 Canadian Brigade Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Medicine Hat (A Squadron) and Edmonton (B Squadron); 3 Troop, A Sqn detached to Lethbridge |
| Nickname(s) | Sally Horse / Alberta's Regiment |
| Motto(s) | Semper alacer (Always brisk) |
| Colors | Red, yellow and blue |
| March | "A Southerly Wind and a Cloudy Sky" |
| Mascot(s) | Heine the Pony |
| Anniversaries | Official birthday 3 July 1905 |
| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
LCol Troy Steele CD |
| Colonel-in-Chief | HRH the Countess of Wessex |
| Honorary colonel | John Ferguson |
| Honorary lieutenant-colonel | Angus Watt |
| Regimental sergeant-major | CWO Chuck Howie CD |
| Notable commanders |
LCol A.H. Bell CMG DSO (31st Bn) 1914 2003-05 |
| Abbreviation | SALH |
LCol A.H. Bell CMG DSO (31st Bn) 1914
LCol G.D. Wotherspoon DSO ED CD (SAR) 1943
Col James Walker (15th Light Horse) 1905
The South Alberta Light Horse, or SALH, is a Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment unit of the Canadian Army based in Medicine Hat, Edmonton, and Lethbridge, Alberta. The SALH is part of 3rd Canadian Division's 41 Canadian Brigade Group. The "Light Horse" designation comes from its light cavalry and mounted infantry origins.
The South Alberta Light Horse traces its beginnings to the period of the Riel Rebellion of 1885. During this conflict The Rocky Mountain Rangers of Fort Macleod with 150 officers and men were tasked with the protection of the area ranging from the U.S. border to High River and from the Rockies to Medicine Hat. The RMR saw no action during their three months of existence during the rebellion, and the SALH carries the battle honour "North West Canada, 1885" on their colours.
This irregular light cavalry unit is seen as the true genesis of the regiment. The 15th Light Horse, the official direct ancestor of the SALH, was raised in Calgary on July 3, 1905. It consisted of four newly organized cavalry squadrons: Calgary (A Squadron), Fort MacLeod (B Squadron), High River (C Squadron), and Cochrane (D Squadron). From this point until the mid-1950s the regiment's history can be described as a series of complicated amalgamations and redesignations of Alberta army reserve units of all arms until the regiment as it is now was formed in Calgary in 1954. At the beginning of the First World War, the Alberta militia units destined to become part of SALH were four cavalry regiments – 15th Light Horse in Calgary, 19th Alberta Dragoons in Edmonton, 21st Alberta Hussars in Medicine Hat and 23rd Alberta Rangers in Fort Macleod – and two infantry regiments – 101st Regiment "Edmonton Fusiliers" and 103rd Regiment "Calgary Rifles".
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Wikipedia