The History of The South Saskatchewan Regiment

The March of the Prairie Men is meant to be a recording of the sequence of events in the History of the South Saskatchewn Regiment (S.Sask.R.). It includes a few human interest stories and incidents in the hope that forgotten incidents in the memory of the S.Sask.R. reader will be remembered and allow him to spend some enjoyable moments in the telling of them.

The early history of the Regiment was compiled by Lt.-Col. H. T. Kempton and Major Ron Wilkinson. The remainder was compiled form the actual War Diary, my personal diary, and from the letters received form the S.Sask.R. men across the Dominion. Much time was saved by the use of the War Diary Synopsis made by Major Fraser Lee and credit is due Sergeant Stan Fisher for the excellent manner in which he recorded events in the War Diary itself.

Statistical data, Honour Rolls and Casualty Records, etc. were offered by the Historical section of the Canadian Army General Staff. Colonel C.P. Stacey, O.B.E., in command of this section, contributed many pages of advice and detail corrections all of which have been appreciated.

The pictures are from the files of the Directorate of Public Relations, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, and the sketcheswere made by Dunny Powell formerly of the Scout Platoon. Use of abbreviations has been made and an index of their meanings is included. Full initials, rank, and honours have been used only at the first time of mention, with the object being of keeping the story simple and unencumbered by the repeated printing of title letters and honour letters after all the Senior Officers' names.

The compiling of this book has indeed been a pleasure and has brought back to me many memories of associations with a good compnay of men. Those of us who gained privileges of command, be it as N.C.O. or Officer, were indeed honoured. The responsibilities of leadership where men's lives are at stake is a great one but the spirit of the S.Sask.R. was such that the load was shared all down the line of command from C.O. to newest N.C.O.

I respectfully submit for your pleasure the story of the SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN REGIMENT - The March of the Prairie Men.

G.B. "Buck" BUCHANAN