Overview of Lumby

BRITISH COLUMBIA DRAGOONS

The BCD, one of the interior's finest regiments, traces its background to April 1st, 1908 when a squadron of Canadian Mounted Rifles, approximately fifty strong, was organised in Vernon, under command of Major H.A. Perry.

There was no regimental formation at this time and the squadron continued as an independent until 1911 when the 30th B.C. Horse Regiment was organised under Lt.-Col. C.L. Bott, formerly of the 20th Hussars. Vernon was headquarters with squadrons at Lumby, Enderby and Kelowna, each consisting of approximately fifty men.

Soon after the outbreak of the World War, on August 10th, 1914 orders to recruit for overseas service were relieved and in four days the unit was up to war establishment. From then on an intensive training period was carried out, during which a number of escorts and guards were furnished for enemy aliens.

November 6th, 1914, was an important date in the regiment's history as a large proportion of the personnel was accepted for overseas service to form the main part of the 2nd regiment of Canadian Mounted Rifles, CEF. On December 4th, 1914 headquarters and two squadrons of the 30th B.C. Horse moved to Victoria, where they establishment of the 2nd CMR was competed by the addition of the Victoria Independent Squadron of Horse.

The remaining personnel, continued (approximately 180) until August of 1918 to perform duty in Vernon, chiefly the guarding of aliens in the interment camp. Recruiting for the CEF was still carried on, though, and a number of men were drafted to various battalions.

After six month of intensive training at Victoria, the second CMR left for England on June 4th, 1915.

At Shorncliffe the CMR became brigaded with the first and third Regiments of CMR. A further three month were spent in England, during which time horses and saddles were turned in and on September 2nd, 1915 - an historic date in the regiment's annals - the landing was made in France.

Actual service was first encountered on September 26th when the regiment relieved a battalion of the Royal West Kents on the Messines front, and thus commenced three and a half years of service in France and Belgium.

In January, 1919 the second CMR battalion, under Lt.-Col. G. Chalmers Johnston, DSO MC who had taken over from Lt.-Col. C.L. Bott in December, 1916, returned to England and then to Canada, where it was demobilised at Victoria on April 3rd.

On October 15th, 1920 the 30th B.C. was reorganised as a non-permanent active militia under Lt.Col. G. Chalmers Johnston and was designated as the British Columbia Mounted Rifles, with regimental headquarters and "A" Squadron at Vernon; "B" Squadron at Lumby; "C" Squadron at Penticton; the approximate strength being two hundred all ranks.

Lt.-Col. Johnston, being time expired, was transferred to the reserve regiment on September 30th, 1924, and Lt.-Col. R. Fitzmaurice assumed command, during whose term of office "B" Squadron was moved from Lumby to Kelowna.

In 1929 the regiment was redesigned as the British Columbia Dragoons, and four years later Lt.-Col. Barber transferred to the reserve and Lt.Col. G.C. Oswell assumed command.

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