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Rocky Mountain Rangers
In March 1885, the Hon. A.P. Caron, Canadian Minister of the Militia, wired Captain John Stewart, a rancher from Pincher Creek. “Violence has erupted. Please raise four troops of Rocky Mountain Rangers to keep things under control.”
Rocky Mountain Rangers
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Soon afterwards three of the troops were renamed and placed under Major General T. Bland Strange, a retired officer who ranched in the Calgary area. These units were the Alberta Mounted Rifles, 'Steele’s Scouts' and a 'home guard' at Calgary. The fourth troop, The Rocky Mountain Rangers, was raised at Fort Macleod under Captain Stewart.
The Rangers were officially gazetted on April 10th to serve as a ‘provisional cavalry force’ with a strength of 150 officers, non-commissioned officers and troopers.
Headquarters for the new force was Fort Macleod. On April 29th, 1885, a force of Rangers left Fort Macleod to protect workers of a narrow-gauge railway working to complete track between Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. The Blood Nation was openly protesting the construction near their reserve and the workers demanded protection. The Rangers traveled east and after leaving detachments at Lethbridge, Taber, and Cherry Coulee, 40 remaining men pushed on to Medicine Hat, arriving on 3rd May. A few went on to the Cypress Hills while the remainder patrolled the district.
On 8th July after three months on the trail the Rocky Mountain Rangers returned home to Fort Macleod. The next day they were paraded into town and lined up for an official reception. Ten days later the Rangers were paid off and disbanded. Perpetuation of this unit is indicated on the Regimental Guidon of the South Alberta Light Horse by the Battle Honour “North West Canada 1885”. The Battle Honour was granted to the South Alberta Horse, which ultimately became the South Alberta Light Horse
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