Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Algonquin Regiment
copyright © Wartime Heritage Association 2012-2024
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The Algonquin Regiment was mobilized for active service on May 24, 1940. It was re-designated 1st Battalion, The Algonquin
Regiment on November 7, 1940.
The Regiment served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 20th Infantry Brigade, 7th Canadian Division and in
Newfoundland from February 7, 1942 to February 6, 1943.
The Regiment embarked for Great Britain in June 1943 and landed in Normandy, France as part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th
Canadian Armoured Division. Soldiers of the Regiment fought as vanguard infantry through Falaise, fighting to secure many
bridgeheads over canals in Holland and into Germany, earning the following battle honours:
Falaise
Falaise Road
The Laison
Chambois
The Seine, 1944
Moerkerke
The Scheldt
Breskens Pocket
The Lower Maas
The Rhineland
The Hochwald
Veen
Küsten Canal
Bad Zwischenahn
North-West Europe, 1944-1945
The overseas Battalion was disbanded on February 15, 1946.
Algonquin Regiment
Photo Collection
The following photos are from a wartime collection of Sherry Garvin. Her father Private Gilbert Bell served
in “D” Company of the Algonquin Regiment and the Bugle Band of the Regiment. The photos are for the
most part from his training time in Port Arthur, Ontario and Shilo, Manitoba.
Remembering Private Gilbert James Bell (Service No. B55251)
Born
in
Bracebridge,
Ontario
August
31,
1917,
Private
Gilbert
James
Bell
was
the
son
of
Gilbert
Archibald
(Archie)
and
Marie
Marie
Carmel
(Hubbard)
Bell.
Enlisting
in
Timmons,
Ontario
on
August
8,
1940,
he
served
with
“D”
Company
of
the
Algonquin
Regiment
and
was a member of the Bugle Band. He played both drum and bugle.
While
stationed
in
Shilo,
Manitoba
in
1941,
he
met
Winn
Brown
and
they
were
married
shortly
before
Gilbert’s
Company
was
moved
to Port Arthur, Ontario.
Just
as
the
Company
was
to
be
shipped
overseas,
Gilbert
was
in
hospital.
His
kit
went
overseas
with
the
Company,
but
he
remained
in
Canada.
He
was
transferred
to
the
Home
Guard
when
he
was
released from hospital.
Private Gilbert Bell was very proud of his time in the band.
In
the
years
following
the
war
Gilbert
worked
as
a
skilled
carpenter
and building contractor.
He died on September 9, 1991 in Brandon, Manitoba.
Regimental Bugle Band
Port Arthur, Ontario - December 14, 1940
Regimental Mascot
372 members of the Algonquin
Regiment lost their lives in the
Second World War.
On the Parry Sound’s waterfront trail
a monument now recognizes members of the
Algonquin Regiment who lost their lives in
the Second World War.
Unveiled September 23, 2012
“Stand easy boys, you are back home at last
… Carved in stone are the names of 372
young Canadian boys who voluntarily stepped
up to the plate and joined up to fight and
destroy the insidious Nazi tyranny that
threatened to destroy our motherland, our
country and our freedom …
Whatever their reason for enlisting
underlying, was the thought that there could
be a price to pay, a sacrifice to make and a
determination to pay that price for a
principle of ridding our world of evil, of
protecting our country, family and
friends.”
Words spoken at the unveiling
by Algonquin Veteran
Jack Patterson of Parry Sound
Photo: Huntsville Forester
The Algonquin Regiment War Memorial
Algonquin Avenue, North Bay, Ontario.
Unveiled on August 31, 1961
Plaque commemorating The Algonquin
Regiment, Wierden, Netherlands,
July 2, 1945.
Wierden
To the Algonquin Regiment
Commemorating
The Liberation of Our Town
9 April 1945
(Major Robert George Saville standing on left)
Gilbert Bell - 1946
Gilbert Bell - top left bugler
Algonquin Regiment
Various Photos
Private Gilbert James Bell
