The Canadian Guards (officially known as the Regiment of Canadian Guards) was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army that served in the same role as the five regiments of foot guards in the British Army. The regiment was formed on 16 October 1953, by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds, the Chief of the General Staff of the Canadian Army, with the redesignation of four separate battalions: 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment – 1st Battalion 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry – 2nd Battalion 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion – 3rd Battalion 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion – 4th Battalion On 25 November 1953, the following reserve units affiliated with the Canadian Guards but remained separate regiments (see ): The Governor General's Foot Guards – 5th Battalion The Canadian Grenadier Guards – 6th Battalion The Canadian Guards not only served as the Household Division of Canada, but was also the country's first national military regiment. The regiment was reduced to nil strength and assigned to the supplementary order of battle in 1970. History The regiment was created when it was decided that the composite 1st and 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalions that were created for the 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade should not be given a specific territorial identity. The Guards would be able to recruit nationally, and the chief of staff of the Canadian Army, Lieutenant General Guy Simonds, said there was nothing wrong with infusing the standard of the Household Brigade into the Canadian Army. Despite political divisions in the government over the concept, the plan received support from the Royal House with the Queen writing to Simonds on 19 October 1954 and counselling him to "not allow any criticism of this sort to depress you unduly." Several weeks later, reserve or militia affiliations were added, when the Governor General's Foot Guards and Canadian Grenadier Guards were designated the 5th and 6th Battalions. Despite the battalion numbers, they remained distinct regiments (see ). The 3rd and 4th Battalions were disbanded in 1957 to make way for the formation of Regular Army armoured regiments, the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) and The Fort Garry Horse, leaving the 1st and 2nd Battalions and the Regimental Depot in the Regular Force. In October 1957, the 1st Battalion received its first stand of colours, while the 2nd Battalion was deployed to Germany as part of 4 CIBG. Two years later, the 1st Battalion replaced the 2nd