Standing Orders - Appendix 1, Annex A, Chapter 10
49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
Sault Ste. Marie, ON

In 1802, a detachment of the 49th Regiment of Foot was stationed at Fort St. Joseph. The number designation of today’s unit is derived from the original Regiment of Foot. In 1862 one rifle company consisting of 3 officers and 81 other ranks was formed under Captain John Davidson in Sault Ste. Marie. At that time, Sault Ste. Marie was the western end of Upper Canada. In 1865, the first active militia infantry company was formed under Captain Joseph Wilson. Later, in 1879, this infantry company was divided with 21 men being formed into a half battery of mountain artillery armed with two 7-pound mountain guns. The remaining 34 men were grouped together into a half company of infantry.

In 1889, the half company of infantry was raised to company strength becoming No. 6 Company of the 96th District of Algome Rifles, the RHQ being located in Port Arthur. In 1892, the company of infantry became independent and at the end of 1892, the half battery of artillery was disbanded.

In 1900, a new Regiment called the 97th Regiment Algonquin Rifles was formed with RHQ in Sault Ste. Marie. Captain T. H. Elliot was promoted to LCol to command the regiment. The regiment sent volunteers to the South African War and also furnished aid to the civilian government by quelling a riot in the town of Paper Mill. The regiment had companies in Thessalon, Sudbury and Sturgeon Falls.

In 1913, the 51st Regiment known as Soo Rifles was formed under LCol S. L. Penhorwood. In October 1914, one company, 125 all ranks, under Captain J. Johnston preceded to England with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion.

Later in 1915, a second company of 125 men under Captain F. J. Buchanan went overseas with the 19th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Forces. This was followed in 1916 by a third detachment from Sault Ste. Marie under Captain A. G. Tweedie of 150 men joining the 37th Battalion.

Previously, in November 1915, the 119th Battalion was organized under LCol P. T. Rowland. This was followed in March 1916 by the organization of 227th Battalion organized under LCol C. H. L. Jones. Upon arrival in England, these battalions were broken up and the men were sent as replacements to other units.

Between the years 1922 and 1936, the Sault Ste. Marie Regiment was formed. In 1936, an alliance was formed with the Sudbury Regiment to form the Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury Regiment. On the 24th of May 1932, the Sault Ste. Marie Regiment formed an affiliation with the Royal Hampshire Regiment in England. This affiliation continues to this day, through the Princess of Wale’s Royal Regiment (Queen’s and Royal Hampshires).

49th Field Regiment was authorized on 1 April 1946 as ‘58th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury Regiment), RCA’ through the conversion of the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury Regiment. In 1947 the regiment was renumbered as the 49th going through a number of name changes. From 1947 to 1952, it was designated the ‘49th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Sault Ste. Marie Regiment), RCA’ and consisted of three batteries: No’s 30; 148; and 153. The designation was then changed to the 49th (Sault Ste Marie) Medium Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA, then 49th (Sault Ste. Marie) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA in 1962, and redesignated ‘49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA’ on 22 December 1998.

The regiment was granted the Freedom of the City of Sault Ste. Marie on the 1st of July 1967. On the 1st of April 1970, 153 Battery was transferred to the supplementary order of battle.