In 1886 by decree our name became-63rd Battalion, Halifax Rifles.
It was in 1898 that Lieut-General J. Winburne Laurie, D.C.L., became Honorary Colonel
of the 63rd Regiment, Halifax Rifles. He is a soldier of a family of soldiers. He entered
the Army in 1853 as an Ensign in the Queen's Own, and saw his first service in the
Crimea. He came to Canada in 1861 as Inspecting Officer of Militia. He had served in
the Transvaal and was second in command of the Canadian Forces in the Northwest
Rebellion. He took a great interest in the Militia and particularly rifle shooting, and
today the Laurie Silver Bugle is a most coveted trophy for shooting. Due to his energy
and organizing ability the Militia of Nova Scotia was built up to a very high standard. In
recognition of the great interest taken by General Laurie in the welfare of our citizen
soldiers, the Militia of the Province of Nova Scotia presented him with a Lansdowne
Silver Trophy. The leadership he gave to the Halifax Rifles as their Honorary Colonel
was of great benefit in the progressive development of this unit.
During the Boer War the Regiment furnished sixty one officers, non-commission officers
and men for service abroad.
On several occasions over the years the Rifles have been alerted in aid of the civil
power, which is one of the duties laid down in the Militia Act. In such a serious situation it
is well to realize which so often people not familiar with conditions do not-that when the
soldier is called out in aid of the civil power he is there for the purpose of maintaining law
and order. He represents no faction, clique or union, but the supreme authority of the
state-which is the people. This is where discipline tells and it has always been testimony
to the efficiency of our Militia in Nova Scotia that on occasions when they have had to
assume the onerous tasks of acting in aid of the civil power they have conducted
themselves in such a manner that all sections of the community have been satisfied.
The Halifax Rifles were a very proud unit when in 1906 by kind permission of His
Majesty King Edward VII, the 63rd Battalion, Halifax Rifles, had been made an allied
regiment of the famous King's Royal Rifle Corps. This Regiment traces its beginning
back to the years 1755-56 when it was first organized in America and known as the 62nd
Royal American Regiment,
From the bicentenary edition giving a brief history of The King's Royal Rifle Corps (60th
Rifles) 1755-1955 we quote:
"Lastly the Regiment acknowledges with loyal pride the honour conferred upon it by
association with the ROYAL FAMILY, five members of which served in the Regiment
between 1889 and 1921, two losing their lives on Active Service. Also, for 158 years of its
existence and in unbroken succession for the last 86 years, a member of the Royal
Family has assumed the appointment of Colonel-in-Chief.
"In 1953 HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN graciously succeeded her father and
grandfather as COLONEL-IN-CHIEF."
Such is the proud record of the Regiment, which has honoured the Halifax Rifles by
making them an allied regiment with the gracious consent of the reigning sovereign.
It was in 1898 that Lieut-General J. Winburne Laurie, D.C.L., became Honorary Colonel
of the 63rd Regiment, Halifax Rifles. He is a soldier of a family of soldiers. He entered
the Army in 1853 as an Ensign in the Queen's Own, and saw his first service in the
Crimea. He came to Canada in 1861 as Inspecting Officer of Militia. He had served in
the Transvaal and was second in command of the Canadian Forces in the Northwest
Rebellion. He took a great interest in the Militia and particularly rifle shooting, and
today the Laurie Silver Bugle is a most coveted trophy for shooting. Due to his energy
and organizing ability the Militia of Nova Scotia was built up to a very high standard. In
recognition of the great interest taken by General Laurie in the welfare of our citizen
soldiers, the Militia of the Province of Nova Scotia presented him with a Lansdowne
Silver Trophy. The leadership he gave to the Halifax Rifles as their Honorary Colonel
was of great benefit in the progressive development of this unit.
During the Boer War the Regiment furnished sixty one officers, non-commission officers
and men for service abroad.
On several occasions over the years the Rifles have been alerted in aid of the civil
power, which is one of the duties laid down in the Militia Act. In such a serious situation it
is well to realize which so often people not familiar with conditions do not-that when the
soldier is called out in aid of the civil power he is there for the purpose of maintaining law
and order. He represents no faction, clique or union, but the supreme authority of the
state-which is the people. This is where discipline tells and it has always been testimony
to the efficiency of our Militia in Nova Scotia that on occasions when they have had to
assume the onerous tasks of acting in aid of the civil power they have conducted
themselves in such a manner that all sections of the community have been satisfied.
The Halifax Rifles were a very proud unit when in 1906 by kind permission of His
Majesty King Edward VII, the 63rd Battalion, Halifax Rifles, had been made an allied
regiment of the famous King's Royal Rifle Corps. This Regiment traces its beginning
back to the years 1755-56 when it was first organized in America and known as the 62nd
Royal American Regiment,
From the bicentenary edition giving a brief history of The King's Royal Rifle Corps (60th
Rifles) 1755-1955 we quote:
"Lastly the Regiment acknowledges with loyal pride the honour conferred upon it by
association with the ROYAL FAMILY, five members of which served in the Regiment
between 1889 and 1921, two losing their lives on Active Service. Also, for 158 years of its
existence and in unbroken succession for the last 86 years, a member of the Royal
Family has assumed the appointment of Colonel-in-Chief.
"In 1953 HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN graciously succeeded her father and
grandfather as COLONEL-IN-CHIEF."
Such is the proud record of the Regiment, which has honoured the Halifax Rifles by
making them an allied regiment with the gracious consent of the reigning sovereign.
| Officers of the 63rd Halifax Volunteer Battalion Rifles, 1882. At back centre, with his hands on his hips, is Lt. H. St. C. Silver, who was later a captain and the Regiment's last survivor of the Northwest Rebellion. |
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A Century Of Rifles