History
Elements of the Regiment were placed on Active Service on 01 September 1939 for local protective duties in Canada. On 24 May 1940, the Regiment mobilized the 3rd Canadian Motorcycle Regiment, C.A.S.F. (17 H.). It was converted to armour and redesignated as the 17th (Active) Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars on 01 February 1941. Shortly thereafter, it was redesignated as 7th Reconnaissance Battalion (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) on 11 February 1941. It embarked for the United Kingdom as a part of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division on 23 August 1941. On 08 June 1942, it was redesignated as 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars). Detachments of the Regiment landed in Normandy on 06 June 1944 as part of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. The remainder of the Regiment landed during the rest of June and July 1944. It fought as the reconnaissance regiment of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division throughout North-West Europe.
As with its sister reconnaissance units in Normandy, the 12th Manitoba Dragoons and the 8th Recce, the 17th Duke of York's RCH was tasked with obtaining information of the ground and the enemy for its formation commander. Unlike the two armoured reconnaissance regiments in First Canadian Army, the South Albertas and the 10th (Polish) Mounted Rifles, it was not expected to have to fight to obtain its information although many times recce soldiers were forced to shoot their way out of trouble.
The 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) landed in England on September 7, 1941. In 1941 the 6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars were called upon to furnish the Headquarters Squadron of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division and were designated 15th Armoured Regiment (6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars). In October 1943 the 5th Canadian Armoured Division landed in Italy going into action in mid-January 1944. The 15th Armoured Regiment (6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars) later moved to France in February 1945.On June 6, 1944 the 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) participated in D-Day when members of B Squadron tasked as Beach Exit Parties and Brigade Contact Detachments landed on Juno Beach in Normandy. By July 17, 1944 the entire regiment was functioning as a Unit and continued to do so until the German surrender in 1945.
In 1945 a reconnaissance regiment was required for the occupation troops remaining in Europe. This unit was designated as the Second 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) and consisted of volunteers from several other units. The original 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) returned to Montreal. The Second 7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) remained on occupation duty in Germany until relieved and sent home beginning in May 1946.
Battle honours:
Caen, Falaise, The Laison, The Scheldt, Breskens Pocket, The Rhineland, The Rhine, Emmerich-Hoch Elten, Zutphen, Deventer, North-West Europe 1944-1945.Relevant websites and books
AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment by Capt. Walter G. Pavey
Casualties of the 17th Hussars buried in the Netherlands, or KIA in the Netherlands and buried elsewhere.
Number of known casualties: 29
(this list was compiled with the help ofGeoff's Search Engine is an excellent tool to help you search through the CWGC database)
