A military regiment tied to the Windsor area for over two centuries is asking people to open their wallets.
The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment, which has cemented itself in local history due to its participation in the War of 1812, and both World Wars, has embarked on a five-year fundraising project with the ultimate goal of raising $600,000.
John Coleman, a volunteer with the Regiment, told WindsorNewsToday.ca that the money will go toward the Regiment's efforts around the world.
"Because there is so much history, it is going to go toward supporting monuments and things like that. Where there are monuments, they obviously need upkeep," said Coleman. "There are also different things like the pipe-and-drum brigade, different marches, different parades."
The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment in the Netherlands in April 1945. Photo submitted by Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment.
The Regiment's history stretches back to 1793, when troops from the present-day Windsor area began engagement in various conflicts.
"Any kind of confrontation or battle that you could think of, including the Dieppe Raid, which we are approaching the 80th anniversary for," said Coleman. "Members of the Regiment have played a really big part."
The Dieppe Raid was an Allied attack on the French port city of Dieppe, which was occupied by Nazi Germany, on August 19, 1942. Put ashore by the Royal Navy, over 6,000 troops, the majority of those being Canadian, tried and failed to take the city. Over 3,300 Canadian soldiers were killed or taken prisoner, including those from the Regiment, representing the largest loss of Canadian military personnel in the Second World War.
The Regiment has most recently been involved in peacekeeping missions and helped support Operation Laser, a response to the COVID-19 pandemic at long-term care facilities in Ontario and Quebec.
The fundraising campaign will help the Regiment be a presence at commemorative ceremonies, maintain and restore monuments, support travel expenses for the pipe-and-drum corps, and digitize its vast library of historical records.
Complete information about the fundraising campaign, and how to donate, can be found on the campaign's official website.