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31st Grey Regiment |
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Prior to the First World war, the local Grey militia was known as the 31st Grey Regiment. The history of this militia group, with description of their uniform, is present in Major Murray Telford's book, FROM SCARLET TO GREEN: THE COLOURS, UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA OF THE GREY AND SIMCOE FORESTERS, 1987. Men from the 31st Grey Regiment used to travel to Niagara for summer training camps. Their badge insignia had a version of the Grey County crest and motto "DE BON VOULOIR SERVIR LE ROY", along with the number 31. This badge was in use from 1900-1920. James Pattison Telford (d. 1933) served continuously in the Canadian Militia for 38 years. He was Lt.-Colonel of the 31st Grey Regiment from 1894 to 1900. His service had began in 1863 when he was commissioned as a Lieutenant with the Leith Rifles (which became No. 3 company of the 31st Grey Battalion). In 1893, No. 8 Company was formed at Owen Sound, under Capt. C. K. Grigg, who was succeeded in 1896 by Capt. A. G. MacKay. Colonel Brodie retired in 1894 and was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel J. P. Telford, who held command until 1900, and was followed by Lt.-Col. Campbell of Collingwood, and he in turn was succeeded by Lt.-Col. Rorke. Melba Morris Croft, provided some names of the 31st Grey Regiment on page 84 of her book GROWTH OF A COUNTY TOWN (1906 section). At that time there were four companies quartered at Owen Sound. Company 1 was under Captain A. J. Frost Company 3 was under Captain J. M. Telford Company 5 was under Captain Jaffray Eaton Company 8 was under Captain (Hon.) A. MacKay Staff officers at Owen Sound were W. Chisholm, the Chaplain was Reverend J. Ardill, and the Quartermaster was Capt. H. Wright Jr. Company Locations of the 31st Grey Regiment: Over the years, organizational changes occurred within the regiment, and companies were given letters as identifiers, in place of the old numerical ones. So, at the outbreak of the "European War", the Regiment's eight companies, as seen in the Quarterly Militia List of April, 1914, were as follows: A Company = Owen Sound B Company = Meaford C Company = Owen Sound D Company = Hanover E Company = Owen Sound F Company = Markdale G Company = Clarksburg H Company = Owen Sound Images of the 31st Grey Regiment: 1980.419.001 is a reproduction image of the 31st Grey Regiment Band (of 1913) Norman Bethune served briefly with the 31st, as did Tom Thomson. Richard Henry Neath served for a year (he later served in the First World War from 1915-1918) Thomas Edward Hyslop (b. 1885) of Sullivan Township participated in the Quebec Tercentenary celebrations as a member of the 31st., but unfortunately died in an accident at Owen Sound harbour in 190_. Sources: Auer, George, SOLDIERS OF THE SOIL, 2015 (provides a lot of details about the militia history of Grey County) Rutherford, Thomas J., et al, AN UNOFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE GREY & SIMCOE FORESTERS Telford, Murray M., SCARLET TO GREEN: THE COLOURS, UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA OF THE GREY & SIMCOE FORESTERS, 1987 |
