Governor General's Foot Guards Memorial
Municipality/Province: Ottawa, ON
Memorial number: 35059-142
Type: Queens Colour, Regimental Colour, and description text in frames with transparent cover
Address: 414, Sparks Street
Location: Christ Church Cathedral
GPS coordinates: Lat: 45.4181437 Long: -75.7082616
Submitted by: Richard Turcotte
This memorial, erected by members of the Regiment, was unveiled on 21 May 1933, and is dedicated to the Governor General's Foot Guards.
Inscription found on memorial
[frame with descriptive text/cadre avec texte descriptif]
[text on the left/texte à gauche]
[3]
The original 1874 Regimental Colour of the Governor General's Foot
Guards Regiment. The Governor General's Foot Guards was authorized
on 7 June 1872. The title of Guards was authorized on 15 December 1920.
The Foot Guards' motto reflects its national significance: "Civitas et princeps Cura nostra - Our Country and our Rulers are our Concern."
Battle honours were acquired under this Regimental Colour at Northwest
Canada, 1885; South Africa, 1899-1902, Ypres, 1915, 1917; Graveenstafel,
St Julien, Festubert, 1915;Mount Sorrel, Somme, 1916; Poze'eres, Flers
Courcelette, Ancre Heights, Arras, 1917, 1918, Vimy, 1917, Arleux, Scarpe,
1917, 1918, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, Drocourt-Queant,
Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders,
1915-1918. These Battle honours can be found on the replacement
Regimental and King's Colours [5][6]. The embroidered garlands of
shamrocks, roses, thistles and maple leaves are worth a second glance.
they surround a six-pointed star symbolizing the six provinces of Canada
in 1874: Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, British Columbia and
new Brunswick. The initials of Queen Victoria (Victoria Regina), who
chose Ottawa to be capital, are at the centre of the star. A garland of maple
leaves, a beaver and the Crown complete the complement of Canadian symbols
[text on the right/texte à droite]
[4]
The original 1874 Queen's Colour of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Regiment. On 7 June 1872, Civil Service rifle regiments from Québec
and Ottawa amalgamated to form No. 1 and No. 2 Civil Service Rifle
Companies. This stand of Colours was presented by Her Excellency the
marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, Wife of Governor General Dufferin, on
behalf of her majesty Queen Victoria, on 24 may 1874, after being
dedicated by the Bishop of Ontario, the Right Reverend John Travers Lewis.
under it, the Governor General's Foot Guards marched off the First
World War in 1914. Colours remain perpetually the property of the Crown.
When no longer used, Colours are retired or "laid up," usually in churches,
because of their sacred aspect. In the chancel the Queen's Colour hangs on
the congregation's left and the Regimental Colour on the congregation's
right. Outside the chancel, as is the case here, the Queen's Colour hangs on
the right and the Regimental Colour on the left. After being in use for 60
years, this stand of Colours was "laid up" with stately ceremony in this
Cathedral on 21 May 1933.
Street view
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