Canadian War Museum showcases Kingston’s 150-year-old Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment

Ottawa, Ontario, February 20, 2013 — With a motto of “Never Yield” and a history older than Confederation, the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment commemorates its 150th anniversary this year in a special exhibition at the Canadian War Museum.

 Using historical photographs, The Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment: 150 Years of Service tells the stories of the regiment’s soldiers and the battles they’ve fought — from the 1885 Northwest Resistance, through the two World Wars, to the recent conflict in Afghanistan.

 “The Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment is one of several regiments that have served Canada since before its birth as a nation,” said James Whitham, Director General of the Canadian War Museum. “We are pleased to be able to partner with them to bring their story to Canadians.”

 Visitors will make the acquaintance of Lieutenant-Colonel H.R. Smith, who commanded the Midland Battalion in the 1885 expedition against Louis Riel, and later became Sergeant-of-Arms of the House of Commons. They’ll learn how regimental soldier Alf Jarrett, who enlisted in the First World War as a private and rose to become company sergeant-major, miraculously survived a bullet at the Somme on September 15, 1916. And they’ll read about Lieutenant-Colonel G.H. (Harry) Christiansen, who endured demotion after refusing to send his men on a futile attack against the Nazi army at Tilly-la-Campagne in July, 1944.

Founded on January 16, 1863 as the 14th Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles, the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment was granted royal patronage in 1868, in recognition of its loyal stance against Fenian republican militants. Battalions for the Boer War, First World War and Second World War were raised with soldiers of the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment, which today remains a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.

The Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment: 150 Years of Service was developed in partnership with the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment Foundation. It will be on until May 13, 2013 in the Museum Lobby.

The Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada’s military history in its personal, national, and international dimensions.

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