| Unit Name: | 32nd (Reserve) Service Battalion 32 Service Battalion |
| Dates: | 1 November 1901 – present |
| Country: |  Canada |
| Branch: | Primary Reserve |
| Type: | Combat service support |
| Command Structure: | 32 Canadian Brigade Group |
| Garrison: | LCol George Taylor Denison III Armoury Toronto, Ontario |
| Motto: | Latin: Servire cum gloria|lit=To serve with pride[1] |
| March: | Cock o' the North |
| Commander1: | LCol J. Im |
| Commander1 Label: | Commanding Officer |
| Ceremonial Chief: | CWO D. Henley |
| Ceremonial Chief Label: | Regimental Sergeant Major |
| Identification Symbol Label: | NATO Map Symbol[2] |
| Identification Symbol 4: | https://www.canada.ca/en/army/corporate/4-canadian-division/32-service-battalion.html |
| Identification Symbol 4 Label: | Official Website |
32 Service Battalion (32 Svc Bn) is a reserve combat service support (CSS) unit within the Canadian Army.[3] The unit is formed under command of 32 Canadian Brigade Group in the 4th Canadian Division.[4] The Service Battalion is composed of soldiers from the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Royal Canadian Logistics Service to include: vehicle technicians, weapons technicians, cooks, financial service administrators, human resource administrators, material management technicians and mobile support equipment operators.[5] It is located at LCol George Taylor Denison III Armoury in Toronto, Ontario.[6]
32 Service Battalion traces its roots from No. 2 Company Canadian Army Service Corps (CASC), Non-Permanent Active Militia.[7] The Canadian Army Service Corps was formed under General Order 141 on 1 November 1901[8] with four companies No. 1 (London), No. 2 (Toronto), No. 3 (Kingston), and No. 4 (Montreal).[9] A second Toronto Company was formed in February 1907 as No.12 Company (Toronto). After some reorganizations, the companies were reformed as No. 2 Divisional Train CASC (NPAM),[10] later in 1936 reformed as the 2nd Division Column RCASC,[11] and in 1954 as No. 5 Column RCASC.
Furthermore, 32 Service Battalion incorporates elements from Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC), Non-Permanent Active Militia. The Canadian Ordnance Corps (COC) formed on 1 July 1903[12] replacing the Canadian Stores Department and a Non-Permanent Active Militia component formed on 1 April 1912[13] in Toronto as No. 2 Detachment Canadian Ordnance Corps (NPAM). The Corps of the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) was subsequently formed separating from the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps on 1 February 1944.[14] In Toronto, No. 2 Detachment Canadian Ordnance Corps (NPAM) later became No. 2 Army Field Workshop RCOC[15] and eventually 4 Ordnance Battalion RCOC. The RCEME offshoot of the RCOC became No. 2 (Reserve) Armoured Brigade Workshop RCEME and later 4 Technical Regiment RCEME.
On 1 January 1965,[16] No. 5 Column RCASC, 4 Ordnance Battalion RCOC, and 4 Technical Regiment RCEME, along with elements from 2 Provost Company RCPC, 2 Medical Battalion RCAMC, and 56 Dental Unit RCDC among other units were reformed into Service Battalions bringing together several corps into one organization as a new service support concept,[17] which was adopted nationally in 1968. 1st Toronto Service Battalion was lodged at the Denison Armoury in North York, the former home of No. 5 Column RCASC, under the command of LCol Bruce J. Legge. It consisted of 134 Company RCASC, 12 Ordnance Company, 45 Technical Squadron, and 2 Company C Pro C.[18] As part of the 1965 reorganization, a second Service Battalion was also formed as 2nd Toronto Service Battalion under the command of LCol Joe Hansen (originally lodged at Falaise Armoury, but moved to Moss Park Armoury when it first opened in 1966). It consisted of 136 Company RCASC, 13 Ordnance Company, 46 Technical Squadron,[19] and 7 Company C Pro C.[20]
1st Toronto Service Battalion merged with 2nd Toronto Service Battalion on 1 April 1970 to form the Toronto Service Battalion and in 1975 Service Battalions were numbered geographically with Toronto Service Battalion becoming 25 (Toronto) Service Battalion.[21] The unit was later renamed 32 Service Battalion on 13 May 2010.[22]
The role of 32 Service Battalion is to force generate trained soldiers to support Canada's operational requirements domestically and abroad.[23] 32 Service Battalion provides combat service support capabilities to domestics operations such as floods, forest fires, and other domestic crises such as the COVID pandemic.[24] The soldiers of the battalion are part-time soldiers from technical fields plus a small full-time cadre (Regular Force) that facilitates the day-to-day operations of the unit.[25]
32 Service Battalion is a combat service support battalion with 300 soldiers based out of Denison Armouries in Toronto, Ontario. It has an Administration Company, a Maintenance Company (45 Technical Squadron), and a Logistics Company (135 Logistics Company).[26]
| 32 Service Battalion | Branch | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration Company | Toronto, Ontario | ||
| 45 Technical Squadron (Maintenance Company) | Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers | Toronto, Ontario | |
| 135 Logistics Company (Logistics Company) | Royal Canadian Logistics Service | Toronto, Ontario |
The 32 Service Battalion Unit flag has links with the traditions of the founding corps. The official colours of the unit flag are Marine Corps scarlet and oriental blue with an intervening gold stripe and the number 32 emblazoned in the centre. These colours have a history of association with army services.[37] The oriental blue colour of the flag is reminiscent of the old Royal Canadian Ornance Corps (RCOC) flag while the gold colour can be found on the former banners of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC), the RCEME Corps, and the Royal Canadian Army Pays Corps (RCAPC). The red stripe represents the Royal Canadian Engineers.[38]
2754 (32 Service Battalion) Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps[39]