THIS DAY IN RMR HISTORY, 06 August 1914 – On this date the Minister of Militia had the Adjutant-General send a night lettergram to 226 unit commanders of the Canadian Militia instructing the units “to prepare and forward direct to Militia Headquarters not later than 12 August ‘descriptive rolls’ of volunteers, between the ages of 18 and 45, who could meet the prescribed physical standards.”[1]
On August 6th 1914 each of the three founding regiments, the Guards, the Vics, and the Carabiniers, started active recruiting in their own armouries.
The new battalion was to be commanded by Lieut.-Colonel F. S. Meighen, who had risen to command the 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment Royal Highlanders of Canada in 1906, and had later transferred to, and served with, the 1st Regiment, Canadian Grenadier Guards. The post of Second-in Command of the new Regiment was awarded to Lieut.-Col. W.W. Burland, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Regiment, Victoria Rifles of Canada, and Lieut. A.P. Holt, of the Grenadier Guards, was appointed Battalion Adjutant. Under the organization arrangements recruiting of Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Companies of the Regiment was carried on by the Grenadier Guards; Nos. 4, 5 and 6 Companies were recruited by the Victoria Rifles; and Nos. 7 and 8 Companies were raised by the Carabiniers de Mont Royal.[2]
[1] The Montreal Daily Mail, Thursday, August 6, 1914, pg. 1
[2] Nicholson, Col. G.W.L., CD., Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919, Duhamel, Queens Printer, Ottawa, pg.18.
[3] Featherstonhaugh, R.C., The Royal Montreal Regiment 14th Battalion C.E.F. 1914-1925, pg. 5.