Definitions and Forms of Address

The Colonel-in-Chief: the Reigning Monarch Colonel of the Regiment (Col of the Regt): the incumbent Governor General.

The Honorary Colonel (Hon Col): a person selected by the Regimental Senate and approved by the Minister of National Defence to hold the appointment. This title is used irrespective of the incumbent’s substantive army rank.

The Honorary Lieutenant Colonel (Hon LCol): a person selected by the Regimental

Senate and approved by the Minister of National Defence to hold the appointment. This title is used irrespective of the incumbent’s substantive army rank.

The Lieutenant Colonel Commanding (LCol Comd): is the Officer Commanding the Regiment and also commands the First Battalion,

The Colonel: the incumbent Lieutenant Colonel Commanding may be referred to as the Colonel.

Commanding Officer of a battalion: In peacetime the Regiment is organized around one infantry battalion, and the Commanding Officer of this battalion is in fact The Colonel. On mobilization if and when additional battalions are raised, each battalion commander is referred to as the Commanding Officer of his battalion.

Second-in-Command (2ic) also known as the Senior Major (Sr Maj): this title is extended to the second-in-command of a battalion. 2ic is an appointment and the incumbent may not in fact necessarily be senior (in terms of service) amongst his peers; he is senior however by virtue of his appointment.

Captain of the Guard: the officer commanding a Guard, irrespective of his rank.

Ensign (Esgn): Infantry Second Lieutenants are referred to by this ancient title.

Picquet Officer: the officer detailed for duty to command the inlying picquet.

Field Officer in Waiting: the Field Officer detailed for attendance on a member of the Royal Family or the Governor General at a specific function.

Director of Music (DMus): the Commissioned Officer commanding the band.

Bandmaster. the Chief Warrant Officer commanding the band when there is no Director of Music on strength. This should not normally apply within the Regiment.

Band Sergeant-Major (BSM): the senior Warrant Officer of the band.

Assistant Band Sergeant-Major (A/BSM): the next senior Warrant Officer of the band.

Drum Major (DMaj): the Warrant or Non-Commissioned Officer designated to hold this appointment is referred to as the Drum Major, irrespective of his rank.

Musician (Musn): Private of the band.

Guardsman (Gdsm): Private soldiers of the Regiment were granted this title by His Majesty King George V on 22 November 1918, in recognition of the services of the Brigade of Guards in the Great War. This title is extended to an infantry soldier of the Regiment, irrespective of sex.

The Sergeant-Major: Chief Warrant officer appointed Regimental Sergeant-Major of a battalion. This title is extended to ex-Regimental Sergeant-Majors, and only the present or former RSMs may be addressed as Sergeant-Major. Chief Warrant officers of the band are addressed as Band Sergeant-Major, and Chief Warrant Officers ERE who have not been an RSM are referred to as Mister.

Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant (RQMS): is addressed by this title, or RQMS, irrespective of his rank. It is not correct to refer to the RQMS as RQ), since RQ stands for Regimental Quarter-master who is a Commissioned Officer.

Drill Sergeant (DSgt): Master Warrant Officer appointed drill instructor and assistant to the Sergeant-Major. The correct form of address is Drill Sergeant.

The appointment is senior amongst all Company Sergeants-Major.

Company Sergeant-major (CSM): the warrant Officer holding this appointment is referred to as Company Sergeant-Major or CSM.

Colour Sergeant (CSgt): Warrant Officers of the Regiment are referred to by this title.

Sergeant-in-Waiting: the Warrant or Non-Commissioned Officer detailed for duty as second-in-command of the inlying picquet.

Corporal-in-Waiting: the Corporal of the inlying picquet.

The Regimental Senate: is composed of serving and past Honorary Lieutenant Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels Commanding, and Commanding Officers.

The Regimental Executive: comprises the Lieutenant Colonel Commanding, Commanding Officers, Seconds-in-Command, Adjutants and Regimental Sergeants-Major presently serving.

Field Officers: Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels and Majors.

Mounted Officers: Although Officers in the Canadian Forces are no longer mounted in the traditional sense, this term is still used in reference to Honorary appointments, the Colonel, Commanding Officers, Seconds-in-Command and Adjutants.

Subalterns: collective term for Officers below the rank of Captain. Subaltern Officers are normally addressed as Mister.

Royal Family: includes only those members of it who are styled Royal Highness.

Vice-Regal Family: includes only the immediate family of His Excellency the Governor General.

Musicians (Musns): Collectively, members of the band are referred to as musicians, not bandsmen.

Senior Warrant Officers: Chief Warrant Officers and Master Warrant Officers. Also included in this class are the Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant and the Drum Major, if they are above the rank of Master Corporal.

Senior Non-Commissioned officers: Colour Sergeants and Sergeants.

Junior Non-Commissioned Officers: Master Corporals and Corporals.

Rank and File: Master Corporals and below.

Inlying Picquet: small body of troops held in readiness in quarters. It includes the Fire Picquet and Security Picquet when in garrison,

Barrack Guard: Regimental appellation of a Quarter Guard.

Visiting Rounds: Visit to a Guard by the Captain of the Guard or Pjcquet Officer.

Grand Rounds: Visit to a Guard by the Commanding Officer or Adjutant.

Sentry: a member of a barrack guard doing duty.

Orders: summary trials or interviews conducted by the Colonel

Memoranda: summary trials or interviews conducted by Company Commanders, Adjutants, or other Delegated Officers.

Large Guard: refers to a 100-person Guard of Honour.

Small Guard: refers to a 50-person Guard of Honour.

Tunic: used only to identify the jacket of Full dress.

Jacket: used in reference to all other uniforms.

Civilian clothes: this term is always to be preferred over expressions such as “Mufti”.

The Stick: the best turned out soldier on Lieutenant Colonel Commanding’s parade is given a small cash award and has the distinction of carrying the Colonel’s Colour up to and including his next parade. This is known as being awarded “the Stick”.