Topic: The RCR
General Orders — 1900
Headquarters
Ottawa, 1st April, 1900
General Order 28
Provisional Battalion to Garrison Halifax, N.S.
It is believed that these one-piece versions of the 1894 pattern cap badge of The Royal Canadian Regiment were worn by the 3rd (Special Service) Battalion.
1. The formation of a provisional Battalion from the Active Militia (the Permanent Corps, Cavalry and Field Artillery, and the Active Militia of the City of Halifax, which is already allotted to the defence of Halifax in the Imperial Defence Scheme excepted), is authorized to replace temporarily, the 1st Battalion Prince of Wales Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians), at Halifax, N.S.
2. This Battalion will be designated the 3rd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry.
3. The establishment of this Battalion is as follows:—
- 1 – Lieutenant Colonel
- 2 – Majors
- 1 – Adjutant
- 8 – Captains
- 8 – Lieutenants
- 8 – 2nd Lieutenants
- 1 – Quartermaster
- 29 – Total Officers
- 1 – Regimental Sergeant-Major
- 1 – Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
- 5 – Staff Sergeants
- 8 – Colour Sergeants
- 32 – Sergeants
- 47 – Total Sergeants of Regimental Staff and Sergeants
- 40 – Corporals
- 16 – Drummers and Buglers
- 872 – Privates
- 928 – Total Rank and File
- 1004 – Total all Ranks
- 928 – Total Rank and File
- 4 – Officers' Horses
4. Officers, non-commissioned officers and men serving in this Corps will be paid the rates of pay and allowances provided for the Active Militia, which they will draw, in the case of officers, from the date upon which they report for duty, and in the case of non-commissioned officers and men, from the date of enlistment.
General Order 7, of 1 January, 1901
Establishment of 3rd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry.
General Order 28, or April 1st 1900, is amended as follows:—
- For 32 Sergeants, read 33.
- For 40 Corporals, read 41.
The 3rd (Special Service) Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, was disbanded in late 1902, with the return of a British battalion to the Halifax garrison. Only a few short years later, in 1905, the last British Army garrisons in Canada would be withdrawn. At that time, The RCR would expand to a ten-company organization (from four) and Regimental headquarters and six new companies would occupy barracks in Halifax as the garrison battalion.
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