Championing the Connection of Community & Regiment

The Honorary Colonels of The Queen's York Rangers

In the Canadian Army, several honorary appointments may be granted: Colonel-in-Chief, Colonel of the Regiment, Honorary Colonel and Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel. Most Reserve regiments have two: an Honorary Colonel and an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel.

The first honorary appointment in Canada was that of Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable J.M. Gibson, a Provincial Secretary in the Ontario Government. In 1895, he was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 13th Battalion of Infantry, now The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.

The Queen's York Rangers have had both an Honorary Colonel and an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel for many years. In 2011, the Canadian Minister of National Defence approved the appointment of Ontario's Lieutenant Governor as Colonel of the Regiment in perpetuity. This appointment recognizes the historic connection between the office of the Lieutenant Governor and The Queen's York Rangers, dating back to John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada and the commanding officer of the Queen's Rangers during the American Revolution. Simcoe was also instrumental in bringing former members of his regiment to the Town of York, now Toronto in the 1780s.

In the early 1900s, Sir Robert Borden described the practice of appointing Honoraries as being “of greatest advantage to the Militia to be able to enlist the interest and sympathy of gentlemen of position and wealth by connecting them to Regiments.” That sentiment remains true today.

Units, in conjunction with their superior formation, select individuals, sometimes former serving members, whom they believe will best promote the unit's interests. The proposed appointment proceeds through the Chain of Command for approval and ultimately to the Minister of National Defence.

Honorary Colonels and Honorary Lieutenant-Colonels form an important link between the serving members of a Reserve unit, its veterans and the wider community. They are not part of the military operational Chain of Command. Rather, they serve in a ceremonial and advisory capacity, often acting as guests of honour or reviewing officers at regimental parades, mess dinners, Remembrance Day ceremonies, the Toronto Garrison Officers' Ball and other occasions that sustain the regiment's identity and esprit de corps.

An honorary appointment helps uphold regimental traditions and history, promote the regiment's identity and ethos, and provides advice to the Commanding Officer. Honorary Colonels share their experience, perspective and community connections rather than ‘direct’ through formal authority. Their advice is generally non-operational and may cover regimental traditions, morale, public engagement, charities, associations, heritage and the unit's long-term identity.

This series explores the Honorary Colonels of The Queen's York Rangers and the different ways they have contributed to the regiment's heritage and community. Rangers Roads shares the story of the Rangers' path from the Regiment's earliest days to the present.