Supplementary Order of Battle


In Canada, a regiment is placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle when the need for the regiment's existence is no longer relevant. When placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle, a regiment is considered "virtually disbanded", and is re-formed only when the Department of National Defence deems the unit is required again. The Supplementary Order of Battle was instituted as an alternative to outright disbandment during the army rationalizations of the 1960s. If a regiment is re-manned and moved from the Supplementary Order of Battle, it takes its old place in the order of precedence and its colours, traditions and battle honours remain as if there had been no interruption of service.
In the aftermath of the Somalia Affair in 1993, The Canadian Airborne Regiment was completely disbanded and not placed on the Supplementary Order of Battle.
On September 5, 2008, the Defence Minister, Peter MacKay, announced that The Halifax Rifles would be reorganized as an active unit. This was the first and so far only regiment to be reactivated to the Primary Reserve from the Supplementary Order of Battle. Two other regiments have been removed from the Supplementary Reserve by amalgamating them with Primary Reserve units: the Irish Fusiliers of Canada merged into the British Columbia Regiment in 2002 and the 19th Alberta Dragoons merged into the South Alberta Light Horse in 2006.

Regiments on the Supplementary Order of Battle

Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

RegimentFormedTo SOBHeadquarters
4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards18751965Ottawa
12th Manitoba Dragoons19031964Winnipeg
14th Canadian Hussars19101968Swift Current

Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery

RegimentFormedTo SOBHeadquarters
3rd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery19511992Shilo, Manitoba
4th Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery19521970Petawawa, Ontario
8th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19121970Hamilton, Ontario
12th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19051965Fredericton, New Brunswick
14th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19121968Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
18th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19201970Lethbridge, Alberta
21st Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19361970Wingham, Ontario
24th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery19141965Trail, British Columbia
27th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19101970Farnham, Quebec
29th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA18981965Sarnia, Ontario
34th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19421965Montreal, Quebec
37th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19051965Montreal, Quebec
39th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19141965Winnipeg, Manitoba
40th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19361981Kenora, Ontario
44th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19461965St. Catharines, Ontario
46th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19361968Drummondville, Quebec
50th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA18661970Peterborough, Ontario
53rd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19461968Yorkton, Saskatchewan
57th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA18721970Niagara Falls, Ontario
19th Medium Artillery Regiment, RCA19201965Calgary, Alberta
33rd Medium Artillery Regiment, RCA19461965Cobourg, Ontario
42nd Medium Artillery Regiment, RCA19311965Toronto, Ontario
1st Artillery Locating Regiment, RCA19461965Toronto, Ontario

Royal Canadian Infantry Corps

RegimentFormedTo SOBHeadquarters
The Canadian Guards19511970Petawawa
Victoria Rifles of Canada18621965Montreal
The Royal Rifles of Canada18621966Quebec City
Le Régiment de Joliette18711964Joliette
The Perth Regiment18861965Stratford, Ontario
The South Saskatchewan Regiment19051968Estevan
The Winnipeg Grenadiers19081965Winnipeg
The Yukon Regiment19621968Whitehorse, Yukon