Regimental nicknames of the Canadian Forces

Many regiments have over the years earned nicknames; some laudatory, some derogatory, but all colourful. Sometimes, the nicknames themselves have overshadowed the actual regimental title, e.g. the "Van Doos" for the Royal 22e Régiment. In some cases the nickname actually replaced it: in 1881, the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot became officially known by its nickname, The Black Watch.

What follows is a list of nicknames of Canadian regiments, arranged alphabetically by regimental title. A brief explanation of the origin of the nickname, where known, is included.

Regimental nicknames

#

Regiment Nickname(s)
1st Hussars
5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
  • Five Tribe[1]
  • 5 People Regiment: Derogatory. In reference to the Regiment's lack of soldiers.
7th Toronto Regiment
  • 7 Guns[1]
  • 7 Tor
  • The Black Hand
8th Canadian Hussars
  • Crazy 8s:[2] after the card game.[1]
  • The Hussies: a general military slang for Hussar Regiments
  • Eight C.H.

Channel 8

12e Régiment blindé du Canada
  • 12th Rubber Boot Company[1]
48th Highlanders of Canada
  • The Glamour Boys
  • The Dirty Four Dozen[1]

A-G

Regiment Nickname(s)
The Algonquin Regiment (Northern Pioneers)
  • The Algoons (from World War II)
  • The Gonks[3]
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's)
The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)
  • Big Chinese Restaurant
  • Billion Chinese Regiment: Derogatory. In reference to the large Asian population to inhabit Vancouver.
  • BCR's
  • The Dukes
The Brockville Rifles
  • The Brocks
  • The Broken Rifles[3]
The Calgary Highlanders
  • Calgary Highgranders[3]
  • The Cal Highs
The Canadian Grenadier Guards
  • The Guards
  • Canadian Girl Guides
  • Can’t Get Girls[3]
  • Can't Goddam Graduate
The Essex and Kent Scottish
  • Eeks and Squeaks[3]
The Fort Garry Horse
  • The Garry’s[3]
Governor General's Foot Guards
  • GooGooFooGoos[3] / Gugga Fuggas
  • Gustav Gone For Good
The Governor General's Horse Guards
  • Gugga Huggas[3]
The Grey and Simcoe Foresters
  • Farmer Johns
  • The Gay and Simple Farmers[3]

H-Q

Regiment Nickname(s)
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
  • Plough Jockeys: from World War II, bestowed because of the regiment's rural roots[4]
  • Hasty P's: a play on their name and the short 'bathroom breaks' during wartime[3]
  • Hasty Pasties: another play on their name.
  • Hasty Preedies[3]
The King’s Own Calgary Regiment
The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
  • The Lake Sups / The Lake Soups[5]
The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
  • The Lincs
  • The Lincoln Welders
  • The Lincs and Winks[3]
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
  • Lady Strathcona’s Riding Club[6]
  • Strathcona's
  • Strats
  • Straths (WWII era)
The Lorne Scots Regiment
  • The Forlorn Scots[6]
  • Horny Lornies: Derogatory. this likely originated from an urban legend regarding their yellow hackles, thought to be a battle disgrace (I can't find any record of such a disgrace).
The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
  • The Loyal Eds
  • The Loyal Eddies[6]
  • The Eddies
Ontario Regiment
  • On Tars
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
  • Ping Pong Champions of Long Island[6]
  • The Patricias[6][7]
  • The Princess Pats[6]
  • The Pats[1]
  • Dirty Cowboy:[8] likely referring to the region their primary HQ resides in.
  • The Picklies. Derogatory, in reference to the unit acronym "PPCLI" being pronounced as one word.[6]
  • The Vicious Patricias.
  • The PPCNR, a play on words from the initials of the regiment and one of the railroads to their western HQ
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada

R-Z

Regiment Nickname(s)
Royal 22nd Regiment
  • The Vandoos
  • Les Vingt-Deux[6]
The Royal Canadian Dragoons
  • The RCD’s [6]
  • Dragoon
The Royal Canadian Regiment
  • The RCR: the official short title of the regiment
  • The Royals[6]
  • The Junior Royals
  • Rocking Chair Rangers[6]
  • Shino Boys: a First World War nickname given to The RCR by soldiers of other units, noting the regiment's high standards of dress and deportment [10]
  • Run Chicken Run: Derogatory, a play on words deriving from the regiment's acronym and the purported illegal activity of a soldier[6]
The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)
  • The Riley’s[6]
Royal Newfoundland Regiment
  • The Blue Puttees[11]
The Royal Regiment of Canada
  • The Royals
Royal Regina Rifles
  • The Regina’s[6]
  • The John's: from the Second World War most members were from Saskatchewan farming backgrounds ie "Farm John"
Royal Westminster Regiment
Royal Winnipeg Rifles
  • The Little Black Devils[6]
The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
  • The Seaforth’s
  • The Bullwinkles[6]
South Alberta Light Horse
  • The Sally Horse
  • Sally Ho[6]
  • Sally H.
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders
  • Then Glens
  • Sand, Dust & Gravel[6]
The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)
  • The Tor Scots
  • The Trot Scots[6]
The Sherbrooke Hussars
  • Sher H
  • The Sherbie Herbies
Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke
  • Fuzz de Sher
  • The Fuzzy Wuzzies
West Nova Scotia Regiment
  • The West Novas[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Montague, Art (2011). Canadian Forces: An Historical Salute To Those On The Front Line. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc. pp. 115–116. ISBN 978-1-926916-09-5.
  2. ^ Wiktionary Appendix:Canadian English military slang
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Montague, Art (2011). Canadian Forces: An Historical Salute To Those On The Front Line. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-926916-09-5.
  4. ^ Regimental website: The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
  5. ^ "The Lake Superior Regiment, A History". Thunder Bay Museum. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Montague, Art (2011). Canadian Forces: An Historical Salute To Those On The Front Line. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-926916-09-5.
  7. ^ "Chapter 1", Regimental Manual (PDF), pp. 1–3/13, archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2011, retrieved February 23, 2011
  8. ^ Wiktionary Appendix:Canadian English military slang
  9. ^ Wiktionary Appendix:Canadian English military slang
  10. ^ Cited in Fighting the Hun From Saddle and Trench by Sgt. William R. Jones
  11. ^ "The Royal Newfoundland Regiment". 2007-10-16. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2022-08-15.

References

  • Montague, Art (2011). Canadian Forces: An Historical Salute To Those On The Front Line. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc.
  • Mowat, Farley (1955). The Regiment. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.