The Governor General's Body Guard was a Canadian Army, militia, Household Cavalry regiment.
The regiment dates as far back as 1822 in York, Upper Canada (now Toronto). For the remainder of the 19th century this troop was recognized as the cavalry of the city of Toronto. It has links to the 1st York Light Dragoons formed in 1810 by Captain (later Major) John Button or Button's Troop (commanded until 1831). Also known as 'Denison's Troop', it began as the York Dragoons under the command of Captain George Taylor Denison I.
The special designation of Governor-General's Body Guard had first been bestowed upon the Royal Guides of Montreal. The York troop in 1866 made special claim to the title as being the oldest troop continuously maintained in Canada, with the request admitted on 27 Apr 1866, where the Montreal troop designation amended to "The Governor General's Body Guard for Lower Canada," and the 1st Troop of York Cavalry would bear the title of "Governor General's Body Guard of Upper Canada."
The GGBG was mobilized as a full squadron and participated in the Northwest Rebellion in 1885 as rear area security for General Middleton's force. The squadron's task was to protect the main supply route for the force in place with routine patrols from the rail line to Batoche and to secure the only supply depot and telegraph station at Humboldt. A fort was built, consisting of an earthen berm, around the telegraph station and named "Fort Denison". Middelton's force defeated the Metis at Batoche.
The GGBG, as a regiment, supplied some 50 men as augmenties to the small Canadian Regular Army for service in South Africa in 1900. Lt HZ Cockburn earned the Victoria Cross while serving as a volunteer with the Royal Canadian Dragoons during this conflict.
The GGBG, like all of the militia during the First World War, was not activated for duty, but rather assisted in raising numbered battalions for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and recruiting to fill the CEF ranks. Thousands of Toronto's citizens were recruited through the GGBG for service in the trenches. The GGBG supplied soldiers for the 3rd Bn, 2nd Bn, 4th CMR, 216th Bn, 124th Bn to name a few.
In 1936 the regiment was amalgamated with The Mississauga Horse to become The Governor General's Horse Guards.
See:
- Wikipedia - The Governor General's Body Guard
- archive.org:Chambers, Ernest J. (1902). "The Governor-General's Body Guard: A history of the origin, development and services of the senior cavalry regiment in the militia service of the Dominion of Canada". Toronto : E. L. Ruddy. 182 pages.
- The 5th regiment: Royal Scots of Canada Highlanders: a regimental history