Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (LdSH [RC]) is a regular armouredregiment of the Canadian Forces. Currently based in Edmonton, Alberta, the regiment is part of Land Force Western Area's 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. When deployed overseas, however, the regiment is placed in ad hoc formations that report directly to National Defence Headquarters and not to 1 CMBG. Members of the regiment are commonly called Strathconas or Strats as a short form.
The regiment is currently composed of a regimental headquarters, four primary squadrons (A,B, RECCE, Headquarters. The squadron that distinguishes it self with the highest efficiantcy rating earns the title "Prince of Wales Squadron" for the year), E Company (composed of a company of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry members trained in an anti-armour role), and Family Support (not a combat unit). In addition, there are seven affiliated cadet corps in Alberta and British Columbia.
Some of the salaried members of the regiment volunteer to form the Mounted Troop, a ceremonial cavalry troop equipped with scarlet tunics, brass helmets, lances, and swords.
Supposedly General Kitchener was astonished at the size of the newly arrived Canadian soldiers. Their commander, Sam Steele, is said to have replied "My apologies, sir. I combed all of Canada and these are the smallest I could find."
After the war, the regiment boarded ship at Cape Town on 20 January1901 and arrived in London on 14 February. Here they met Lord Strathcona for the first time and were presented their medals by King Edward VII personally. On its return to Canada on 9 March1901, the regiment was disbanded. The regiment was recreated as regiment of the Permanent Force in 1909.
In the First World War, the regiment served dismounted during the long static portion of the war, but when the front lines began to move back and forth in 1918, it fought as cavalry again and was one of key units involved in halting Germany's Operation Michael in late March.
One of the many dramatic changes World War 1 introduced into military organization and technology was the introduction of the tank, and in the 1930s the regiment followed suit with the rest of the world's modern militaries and was converted from cavalry to armoured.
During the Second World War, the regiment mobilized an armoured regiment for overseas service, which joined the First Canadian Armoured Division (renamed the 5th Canadian Armoured Division). During an inspection in England, King George VI noticed that the divisional patches on the sleeves of the troopers bore the legend "LSH". He remarked to a Strathcona's officer that he had always thought the proper abbreviation of "Lord" was "Ld". The regiment promptly changed its formation patches and have used the correct designation ever since. The regiment fought first in Italy in 1944, and then later in the Netherlands and Germany after the division moved to NW Europe in early 1945.
During the Cold War, the regiment was deployed on several rotations to West Germany, and three squadrons fought in rotation in the Korean War as part of the 1st Commonwealth Division. Originally intended to be equipped with M-10 tank destroyers, the Strathconas in Korea went into action with M4A2E8 Sherman tanks.
