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This irregular cavalry unit is seen as the first step on the long road to what is now called The South Alberta Light Horse. Despite these early beginnings, the 15th Light Horse, born in Calgary on July 3, 1905. From this point in time until the mid 1950s the regiments history can be described as a series of complicated amalgamations and redesignations of Alberta army reserve units of all arms until the regiment as it is now was formed in Calgary in 1954.
The unit's active participation in World War 1 came with the involvement of the 12th and 13th Regiments of the Canadian Mounted Rifles Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), which were direct descendants of the 15th Light Horse and the 31st, 113th, 175th and the 187th Overseas Battalions CEF, which were created with the advent of the war.
Despite its cavalry beginnings, the regiment fought in the war as infantry, carrying the name 31st Battalion CEF and arrived back in Canada at the war?s end with 19 battle honours to its credit, including such notable actions as Vimy and Ypres. After the war, the Vimy Memorial was unveiled by King Edward VIII. During his speech he spoke of the great sacrifice the nation had made and the accomplishments of the men who won the war for the Empire.
The period between wars saw the re-emergence of the 15th Light Horse, henceforth called the 15th Alberta Light Horse and The Alberta Regiment. The former unit was cavalry out of Calgary and the latter was infantry out of Medicine Hat.
Of interesting note is that the 31st Battalion CEF participated in the first tank attack in history at the battle of Coucelette on 15 September 1916, while the 19th Dragoons (at that time known as C Squadron, Canadian Light Horse) made the last cavalry charge in Canadian history at the battle of Iwuy on 10 October 1918.
This means that among the predecessor units of the SALH, one participated in the first military operation involving the tank in September 1916 and another mounted the last cavalry charge in Canadian history in 1918.
It was under these two main designations that the regiment entered the Second World War in 1939. Though their names were later changed, it was these two units that served to perpetuate the lineage. The 15th Alberta Light Horse had recruited for the 31st Alberta Reconnaissance Battalion for active duty and was later incorporated into the unit in 1942 and remained in the Calgary area until 1945Events January January 5 The Soviet Union recognizes the new pro-Soviet government of Poland. January 7 British General Bernard Montgomery holds a press conference in which he claims credit for victory in the Battle of the Bulge. January 12 World War II:. The Alberta Regiment which had changed to the South Alberta Regiment recruited an active force of the same name in the Medicine Hat area in 1940Events January-February January 5 FM radio is demonstrated to the FCC for the first time. January 6 World War II: Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the Poznan, Warthegau. January 12 World War II: Russia bombs cities in Finland. February 2 F. This infantry unit trained in the area until 1942 when it was redesignated a tank unit and renamed the 29th Armoured Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment). It was moved to England in August of the same year.
The regiment's participation in the war, from which it emerged with 15 more battle honours, can be attributed mainly to the action of the 29th Armoured Regiment. This unit was designated as divisional Reconnaissance ( 29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment) and chosen by Maj-Gen Worthington to be his reconnaissance because he wanted "keen-eyed prairie men" as his scouts. The 29th was again converted to tanks in 1944 and sent to France in July of that year. It fought through Belgium, Netherlands and Germany until May 1945. Of particular note is that Major David Currie was awarded the Commonwealth's highest military award for bravery, the Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross (official post-nominal letters "VC") is the highest award for valour that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces of any rank in any service and civilians under military command. Historical Background The, for his valour in France during the battle of St. Lambert sur Dives .
Meanwhile the 31st Reconnaissance Battalion had served in the Calgary area until January 1945 when it was shipped to England. It was disbanded a month later and fed as reinforcements to different Canadian Units.