Haller, Oliver
"The Defeat of the 12th SS: 7-10 June 1944" Canadian
Military History Vol. 3 No. 1 (Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and
Disarmament Studies, 1994) Bibliography and Links
This is a collection of links and sources for additional research on the Regina Rifles and members of the unit. Links are notoriously difficult to keep current, so this is by no means an exhaustive list of sources, just some of the more useful ones that are the most likely to be helpful. Further web searches and archival research will undoubtedly identify other sources.
Published Sources
Regimental Histories
Luxton, E.C. with Baird, J.G., Rouatt, C.E. and Tubb, C.S.T. 1st Battalion The Regina Rifle Regiment 1939-1946 (The Regina Rifles Association, 1946).
Published and written by veterans of the Regiment, including the four former Majors listed as authors. Covers the history of the 1st Battalion (three other battalions were raised for service in Canada) from mobilization in June 1940 to disbandment in January 1946. While somewhat difficult to find, the book was distributed to all former members of the Regiment and next of kin, and does occasionally appear on eBay and dedicated book search sites.
Mein, Stewart A.G. Up The Johns! The Story of The Royal Regina Rifles (The Senate of The Royal Regina Rifles, 1992)
Initiated in 1989 to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Regiment's participation in the D-Day landing and to acknowledge the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I and the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II. Draws on the Luxton history, as well as The History of the 28th (Northwest) Battalion, CEF, October 1914 to June 1919, an unpublished (though widely circulated) manuscript by Donald Scott-Calder on the active battalion raised by the regiment in WW I. Scott-Calder later became the Regimental Historian of the Regina Rifles. Provides coverage of the full history of the regiment, from it's militia roots to current operations at the time of writing. Copies are also still frequently found, including at the Regimental Kit Shop, and the full text has been made available on-line at the Our Roots/Nos Racines site.
Brown, D. Gordon DSO, MID, NBL and Copp, Terry Look To Your Front ... Regina Rifles: A Regiment at War 1944-45 (Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies, 2001)
Written primarily by Gordon Brown, a company commander for most of the unit's time in combat and military historian Terry Copp, but augmented by a large number of personal accounts from other veterans. Provides some information on their period of training in Canada and England, but is largely focused on experiences in combat. Still available from the Regimental Kit Shop, and from Wilfrid Laurier University, but now out of print.
Memoirs and other Books and Articles
Proctor, Frank I Was There: An Autobiography (Frank Proctor, 1999)
Frank Proctor was the Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant of the Regina Rifles.
Tansley, Donald T. Growing Up and Going to War: 1925-1945 ((Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies, 2001)
Donald Tansley was a Rifleman with the Regina Rifles.
Shawcross, Ronald G. What was it like? A Rifleman Remembers: The Royal Regina Rifle Regiment "Swift and Bold": Some memories of World War II 1939-1945 (Trafford, 2004)
Ronald Shawcross was a company commander with the Regina Rifles. This title was probably published in very limited numbers, the webmaster would be very interested in a copy if any other researchers have one available.
Recollections of the Regina Rifles: NW Europe World War II, June 6, 1944 - May 8 1945.
A compilation of recollections of veterans of the Regina Rifles, possibly collected by former members in British Columbia. The webmaster would be very interested in a copy of this document if any other researchers have one available.
Portugal, Jean E. We Were There: The Army - A Record for Canada Vol. 2 (The Royal Canadian Military Institute Heritage Society, 1998)
A seven volume set, the result of over 750 interviews with World War II veterans from all services. Volume 2 includes 117 pages of reminiscences of members of the Regina Rifles.
Stafford, David Ten Days to D-Day (Abacus, 2004)
Following the preparations of a variety of people in the lead up to D-Day, including Lt. Glenn Dickin, second in command of one of the assault companies of the Regina Rifles.
Barry, Bill, with Doug Chisholm and Beth Parsons Age Shall Not Weary Them: Saskatchewan Remembers its War Dead (People Places Publishing, 2005)
The stories of 5,000 Saskatchewan men and women who gave their lives in the Second World War, Korea and operations since then.
Haller, Oliver
"The Defeat of the 12th SS: 7-10 June 1944" Canadian
Military History Vol. 3 No. 1 (Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and
Disarmament Studies, 1994)
Brown, D. Gordon
"The Capture of the Abbaye d'Ardenne by the Regina Rifles, 8
July 1944" Canadian Military History Vol. 4 No. 1 (Laurier
Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies, 1995)
Brown, D. Gordon
"The Battle of Moyland Wood: The Regina Rifle Regiment,
16-19 February 1945" Canadian Military History Vol. 6 No. 1 (Laurier
Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies, 1997)
Additional Sources
Archival Material
Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa - Personnel files
A basic starting point for research is the personnel file of the man in question. While a file will typically provide limited information on the specifics of time with the Regina Rifles, it will provide an overview of the complete service career and provide a foundation for further research.
Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa - War Diaries
While one of the objectives of this sight is to make major pieces of the War Diary available to researchers, the original diaries in Ottawa provide much additional detail, including more detailed reports, maps, airphotos, etc.
Saskatchewan Archives, Regina/Saskatoon
Much of the information in the original War Diaries has been replicated at the Saskatchewan Archives. Generally less detailed than what is available in Ottawa, and reorganized in such a way as to remove some context, but much more easily accessed for western Canadians.
General Research
An excellent resource for information Canadian soldiers during the Second World War, including organization, weapons, vehicles, uniforms, etc. An associated discussion forum is also a useful aid to research.
Legion Magazine - Canadian Military History in Perspective
For general information on Canadian actions during the Second World War, a series of articles by Terry Copp (started in 1995 and still ongoing) provide good background information. Details on the Reginas or other units are sparse, but these provide an excellent introduction and context to major events.
Canadian Military History - Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies
A journal exploring all aspects of Canada's military history
28th (Northwest) Battalion, CEF
A website dedicated to the history of 28th Battalion in the First World War, including their unpublished history. The 28th was the predecessor regiment of the Regina Rifles.
Books
Zuehlke, Mark Juno Beach - Canada's D-Day Victory: June 6, 1944 (Douglas & McIntyre, 2004)
Zuehlke, Mark Holding Juno - Canada's Heroic Defence of the D-Day Beaches: June 7-12, 1944 (Douglas & McIntyre, 2005)
A useful introduction to the landings and bridgehead battles, with good coverage of the Regina Rifles.
Copp, Terry and Bechtold, Michael The Canadian Battlefields in Normandy: A Visitor's Guide, 3rd Edition ((Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies, 2008)
Copp, Terry and Bechtold, Michael The Canadian Battlefields in Northwest Europe, 1944-1945: A Visitor's Guide, 3rd Edition ((Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies, 2008)
Indispensible guides to the Canadian Battlefields in Europe for those planning to visit.