| Unit Name: | The Nova Scotia Highlanders |
| Dates: | 1871–present |
| Country: | Canada |
| Branch: | Canadian Army |
| Type: | Light infantry |
| Size: | One battalion |
| Garrison: | Truro, Nova Scotia |
| Role: | Light role |
| Command Structure: | 36 Canadian Brigade Group |
| Motto: | gd|Siol na fear fearail|breed of manly men |
| Identification Symbol: | MacDonald, Clan Donald |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Tartan |
| Nickname: | North Novies, North Novas |
| Battles: | |
| Identification Symbol 4 Label: | Abbreviation |
| Battle Honours: | See
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The Nova Scotia Highlanders (also known as North Novies, North Novas) is an infantry regiment in the primary reserve 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 and 189th Light Anti Aircraft Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery.
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 is headquartered in Truro with individual companies in Pictou, 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.[1] [2] 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. The khaki tam o' shanter is worn in combat dress.
See main article: article and The Pictou Highlanders.
See main article: article and The North Nova Scotia Highlanders.
See main article: article and The Colchester and Hants Regiment.
The 193rd Cumberland Battalion of Infantry contributed volunteers for the Canadian Contingents during the South African War.[3]
Details of the 76th Colchester and Hants Rifles, the 78th Pictou Regiment "Highlanders" and the 93rd Cumberland Regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protection duties.[3]
The 17th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), CEF was authorized on 19 September 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 29 September 1914 where it was redesignated as the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF on 29 April 1915, to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps. The battalion was disbanded on 21 May 1917.[3]
The 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles), CEF was authorized on 7 November 1914 and embarked for Great Britain on 20 May 1915. It disembarked in France on 16 September 1916, where it fought as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.[3]
The 106th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles), CEF was authorized on 22 December 1915 and embarked for Great Britain on 15 July 1916 where it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps until 5 October 1916, when its personnel were absorbed by the 40th Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 8 December 1917.[3]
The 193rd Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), CEF, was authorized on 15 July 1916. It was based in Truro, Nova Scotia, and began recruiting during the winter of 1915/16 throughout Nova Scotia, one Cyril Wetmore recruiting more than 100 men "from Parrsboro to Apple River."[4] It embarked for Great Britain on 12 October 1916 where it provided reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field until 20 January 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion. The battalion was disbanded on 18 February 1918.[3]
It had one Officer Commanding: Lieutenant Colonel R. J. S. Langford, later commander of the Royal Canadian Regiment (1929-1935) and co-author of Corporal to Field Officer and Handbook of Canadian Military Law.
The 246th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders), CEF was authorized on 1 May 1917 and embarked for Great Britain on 2 June 1917. On 9 June 1917, its personnel were absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps in the field. The battalion was disbanded on 11 April 1918.[3]
Details of The Pictou Highlanders were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The Pictou Highlanders, Canadian Active Service Force (Details), for local protection duties. The details called out on active service disbanded on 31 December 1940.[3]
The regiment mobilized the 1st Battalion, The Pictou Highlanders, CASF for active service on 1 January 1941. It served in Newfoundland from March to August 1943 in a home defence role as part of Atlantic Command. In September 1943, one company was despatched to the Bahamas, where it performed garrison duty until 28 March 1946. The battalion was disbanded on 30 April 1946.[3]
On 10 September 1942, a sub-component of the regiment, designated Special Infantry Company (Pictou Highlanders), CASF, was mobilized for active service. It served in Bermuda on garrison duty from 12 November 1942 to 1 April 1946. The company disbanded on 30 April 1946.[3]
Details of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939 as The North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Machine Gun), CASF (Details), for local protection duties. The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.[3]
The regiment subsequently mobilized The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, CASF for active service on 24 May 1940. It was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, CASF on 7 November 1940. It embarked for Great Britain on 18 July 1941. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, it landed in Normandy as part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion disbanded on 15 January 1946.[3]
On 1 June 1945, the regiment mobilized the 3rd Battalion, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, Canadian Infantry Corps, Canadian Army Occupation Force for service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany. The battalion disbanded on 1 May 1946.[3]
On 4 May 1951, the regiment mobilized two temporary Active Force companies designated "E" and "F".[3]
"E" Company was reduced to nil strength upon its personnel being incorporated into the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Germany with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and was disbanded on 29 July 1953. On 16 October 1953 the 1st Canadian Highland Battalion was redesignated the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.[3]
"F" Company was initially used as a reinforcement pool for "E" Company. On 15 May 1952, it was reduced to nil strength, upon its personnel being absorbed by the newly formed 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion for service in Korea with the United Nations. "F" Company was disbanded on 29 July 1953. On 16 October 1953 the 2nd Canadian Highland Battalion was redesignated the 2nd Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.[3]
The regiment contributed an aggregate of more than 20% of its authorized strength to the various Task Forces which served in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014.[5]
The Nova Scotia Highlanders have received 47 battle honours and 1 honorary distinction since the unit's inception. In the list below, battle honours in small capitals were awarded for participation in large operations and campaigns, while those in lowercase indicate honours granted for more specific battles.[3]
| scope=col width="21%" | Site | scope=col width="14%" | Date(s) | scope=col width="9%" | Designated | scope=col width="13%" | Location | scope=col width="36%" class="unsortable" | Description | scope=col width="7%" class="unsortable" | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonel Welsford MacDonald Armoury |
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| New Glasgow Armoury | 1940s |
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| Colonel James Layton Ralston Armoury | 1914-1915 David Ewart | Canada's Register of Historic Places; Recognized - 1990 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings |
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| Lieutenant Colonel Daniel J Murray Armoury |
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| Truro Armoury | Canada's Register of Historic Places; Recognized - 1991 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings |
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