77th Battalion Regimental Colours
Municipality/Province: Ottawa, ON
Memorial number: 35059-151
Type: Regimental Colour
Address: 414 Sparks Street
Location: Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa
GPS coordinates: Lat: 45.4181437 Long: -75.7082616
Submitted by: Richard Turcotte
Erected by the Governor General's Foot Guards, this memorial is dedicated to the 77th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Inscription found on memorial
[explanatory note/note explicative]
The 1916 Regimental Colour of the 77th Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Mobilized as the 77th Ottawa Overseas Battalion on 16 July, 1915 from across the
Ottawa Valley, this regiment trained in Ottawa, attended church here (see plaque at
west side of nave) and rescued effects when Parliament burned in 1916. Thomas
Ahearn, Ottawa Electric Company and Ottawa Gas Company directors, officers and
staffs sponsored Mrs. C. Malone making this Colour. General Sir Sam Hughes
formally presented it to the regiment on 8 June 1916 at a special parade on
Parliament Hill. The Colours went overseas, but when this regiments was broken
up, the flags were deposited on Wolfe's Monument in Westminster Abbey on 23
September 1916, hence no "battle honours" were emblazoned on this Regimental
Colour. It was brought back to Canada and "laid up" with full military honours
here on 26 October 1919. The regiment was disbanded and absorbed into the
Governor General's Foot Guards. The design features a Crown above a large 77
surrounded by four maple leaves, beneath which is printed "Ottawa Overseas
Battalion C.E.F.". The King's Colour for the 77th Regiment has not survived.
(note: While the write-up above uses the name 77th Regiment, the correct name should be 77th Battalion as this is the name of the unit that was raised in 1915 for overseas duty)
Street view
Note
This information is provided by contributors and Veterans Affairs Canada makes it available as a service to the public. Veterans Affairs Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, currency or reliability of the information.
- Date modified: