Regimental Headquarters

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18th Air Defence Regiment
Lethbridge, Alberta

Lethbridge is the birthplace of all of the artillery batteries currently embodied in the 41st Canadian Brigade Group artillery units. It is also the original home of 33FES (known as 6 Field Park Squadron from May 1941 until 1 Apr 46) and was at one time the home of HQ 8th FER.

On 1 Feb 1908 Militia Orders gave the authority for the formation of 25 Battery, CFA in Lethbridge. The unit was part of MD No. 13, commanded by Col Sam Steele. At the time it had the unique honour of being known as the westernmost battery of horse or field artillery in the British Empire. In 1912 it became part of the 5^th Mounted Brigade.

World War One saw four more batteries of artillery raised in Lethbridge, the 20th Overseas (OS) Battery on 7 Nov 14, the 39th OS Battery on 11 Aug 15, the 78 Overseas Depot Battery on 22 Jan 16 and the 61st OS Battery on 26 Feb 16. All of these saw service overseas except for the 78th which remained in Lethbridge to train replacements.

The 20th and 39th Batteries arrived in France in early 1916 and supported the fighting almost continuously thereafter, most notably in the battles of the Somme 1916, Flers -Courcelette, Vimy 1917, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, and Mons. The 61st Battery joined them from Hill 70 on. Of particular note is that 39th Battery had the honour of being the first field artillery battery to enter Mons.

After the war the batteries returned to Lethbridge in 1919 but shortly thereafter suffered from the first of numerous reorganizations. This reorganization, which took effect on 2 Feb 20 saw 25th Battery re-designated 20th Battery CEF, it also saw the formation of 18th Field Artillery Brigade based in Lethbridge with two batteries, the 20th and 39th.

The 61st and 78th Batteries became part of the 20th Field Artillery Brigade (now 20th Field Regiment) headquartered in Edmonton, with 61st Field Battery in Edmonton and the 78th Field Battery in Red Deer. On 1 Feb 21 93rd Field Battery was formed in Fort Macleod. 39th Battery moved from Lethbridge to Pincher Creek on 15 Feb 36 and returned to Lethbridge 15 Sep 38. 1 Jan 37 saw the formation of the 112th Field Battery also in Lethbridge, which also became part of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade.

Only the 20th and 112th Batteries saw service in the Second World War as formed units. The 20th became an anti-tank battery as part of 2 AT Regiment, 2 Cdn Div. They landed in France in the Banville area on 7 Jul 44. The 112^th Battery was re-designated light anti-aircraft and fought as part of 6 LAA Regiment. Their first service saw them deployed to Prince Rupert in June 42, and shortly thereafter to Annette Island, off the Alaska Coast where they remained until Sep 42. They were shipped overseas on 30 Oct 42 and landed in France on 9 Jul 44 in the area of Banville. Both batteries saw service until the end of the war, with 112th Battery being disbanded on 24 Jun 45.

39th Battery was mobilized in Sep 41 and served with 21st Field Regiment, 6th Div (HD). The regiment moved to Westminster BC in Dec 41 and 39th Battery manned coastal defence positions at Otter River and Jordan Point until May 43. The 21st Regiment was shipped overseas on 26 Aug 43 and disbanded for reinforcements on 11 Oct 43. The 93rd Battery from Fort Macleod was not activated during the war, although a number of their soldiers joined 17th LAA Battery, 3rd LAA Regiment when it was formed in Calgary on 28 Sep 40 and some likely took part in the Dieppe raid in 42.

18th Field Artillery Brigade was stood down in Sep 42 and 2/20th Battery was the only remaining artillery unit in Lethbridge. It fulfilled a role similar to that of the 78th Battery in the previous war, training recruits and officers for service overseas. The 18th Field Bde re-appeared in Lethbridge in Aug 46 as 18th Field Regiment with the 20th and 39th Batterys in Lethbridge, the 93rd Battery in Fort Macleod and later the 107th Battery in Cranbrook, BC. By the 1950s the 93rd Battery had expanded to include F Tp/93rd Battery in Pincher Creek, with strength of 50-60 soldiers.

In 1958 a Militia inspection parade was held in Lethbridge. Some 500 reserve soldiers from several Lethbridge based units paraded under the command of CO 8th FER. As a result of the ensuing confusion over roles for the militia and funding reductions, Lethbridge suffered heavily during the reorganizations which took place between 1964 and 1 Apr 70. So much so that on 1 Apr 70 the only military presence that was left in Lethbridge was 20^th Independent Field Battery, RCA the sole survivor of 18th Field Regiment.

And so it remained until 10 Nov 92, when 20th Independent Field Battery was re-designated 18th AD Regiment, with two batteries the 20th and 39th, the latter which was not manned due to insufficient resources and funding. The official re-roling ceremony took place on 15 May 93. The regiment’s role was also unique in Western Area, since it was given the operational role of providing a VSHORAD Battery to sp 1 CMBG on OP SABRE and that of providing a Tp, (now Sect) in support of the AMF(L) (now IRF(L)) as well as the task of supporting 1 CMBG’s training with a VSHORAD Battery. Since then, the regiment has steadily increased in capability and size, and is working hard to re-establish its ties with the Southern Alberta communities which were its base in the past, as well as the remaining communities surrounding Lethbridge. Our current recruiting and activity basin is bounded in the West by the Community of Crowsnest Pass, to the North by Claresholm and Picture Butte, to the East by Taber and to the South by the Canada-US Border.

Armouries included: Maj Stewart’s (First BC) home at 631 8th St S from 1908 - 1910;
Mr Roy’s barn behind 1212 4th Ave S from 1910 - 1920;
Henderson Garage (corner of 6 Ave S & 6th St S) 1920 - 1946;
Vimy Ridge Armouries 1946 - Present