Lincoln and Welland Regiment

The Lincoln & Welland Regiment is based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The Lincoln & Welland Regiment is our “family regiment” as both my Grandfather and Father served in it. 

Photo of two men in black tie formal wear. Captain (?) A.H. Stevens with his father W.A.Stevens in the Officers' Mess at Lake Street Armoury in St. Catharines, Ontario. Late 1950s?

Captain (?) A.H. Stevens with his father W.A.Stevens in the Officers’ Mess at Lake Street Armoury in St. Catharines, Ontario. Late 1950s?

Old lady and soldiers at doorway.
Captain W. A. STEVENS with his mother, Minnie (nee MacGREGOR about 1915, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

In 1906 my Grandfather (William Arnott Stevens) joined the 19th St. Catharines Regiment , which became the 19th Lincoln Regiment, and later still, the Lincoln & Welland Regiment (named after the counties it recruited from). He served with the Lincs & Wincs until the 1950s. I have his uniforms, sword etc. from circa 1907. 

Lincoln and Welland Regiment's brief history cover p 1
Lincoln and Welland Regiment’s brief history cover p 1

 

Lincoln and Welland Regiment's brief history p 2
Lincoln and Welland Regiment’s brief history p 2

 

Lincoln and Welland Regiment's brief history p 3
Lincoln and Welland Regiment’s brief history p 3

 

Lincoln and Welland Regiment's brief history p 4
Lincoln and Welland Regiment’s brief history p 4

     

19th St. Catharines Regimental plate Capt. W A Stevens
19th St. Catharines Regimental plate Capt. W A Stevens. Donated to the regimental museum.

Plate marked with the crest of the 19 St. Catharines Regiment c. 1906. Marked on back: 

BISHOP & STONIER

HANLEY ENGLAND

HARD ROCK

Rd. 11562 (?)

Souvenir of Captain William Arnott Stevens. Donated by Colin Stevens to the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum.

 

19th Regiment Canal Guard cane presented to Capt W A Stevens 1915. Now in the regimental museum.
19th Regiment Canal Guard cane presented to Capt W A Stevens 1915. Now in the regimental museum.

Cane presented to my grandfather. It is engraved:Capt. W. A. Stevens From

“The Boys” No 1 Section

“CANAL GUARD”

1915

The handle is gold over a plaster core. Unfortunately the head was broken off by children playing with it. Donated by Colin Stevens to the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum.

A variety of buttons worn in 19th Regiment by Capt W A Stevens 1907 onwards.
A variety of buttons worn in 19th Regiment by Capt W A Stevens 1907 onwards.

Buttons from Captain William Arnott Stevens of the 19th Regiment. 

Top row, left to right:

  • 19 ST CATHARINES REGIMENT, King’s Crown. Mfg: J. R. GAUNT & SON LTD MONTREAL
  • 19 LINCOLN REGIMENT, King’s crown. Mfg J. R. GAUNT & SON LONDON ENGD
  • THE LINCOLN REGIMENT, King’s crown. Mfg J. R. GAUNT & SON LONDON ENGD
  • THE LINCOLN REGIMENT, King’s crown, painted brown, presumably for field uniform in 1920s. Mfg J. R. GAUNT & SON LONDON  MADE IN ENGLAND.

Bottom row, left to right:

  • CANADA MILITIA with crown in centre, King’s crown. Mfg: THOMAS CARLYLE ASTON BIRMINGHAM ENGLAND
  • CANADA MILITIA with beaver in centre, King’s crown. Mfg J. R. GAUNT & SON LONDON 

Owned by Colin Stevens.

 

9th Lincoln Regiment collar & shoulder badges of Capt W A Stevens.
19th Lincoln Regiment collar & shoulder badges of Capt W A Stevens.

19th Lincoln Regiment collar badge made by J. R. GAUNT, MONTREAL and LINCOLN shoulder title marked on back “ELLIS & CO LTD 1922” – Ex-Captain W. A. Stevens. Owned by Colin Stevens.

His Sam Browne belt was worn by three generations. My paternal grandfather wore it in WWI, my father wore it in WWII (the leather was replaced in the UK during the war), and I wore it in the 1970s in the Militia. I would have worn the family sword as well, except that the highlanders carry a different pattern sword – the Claybeg i.e. a small sword which is incorrectly called a Claymore by most people. The claymore was a ‘great sword’ – a two handed monster.

White pith helmet with large gold coloured badge on front with number 19 in the centre.
Pre-WWI pith helmet of Captain W.A. Stevens, 19th Regiment

The helmet and helmet plate that were given to me by Albert Earl O’Loughlin, formerly of the  Lincoln & Welland Regiment.  He could not remember if it was his or my grandfather’s (who was his brother-in-law).  Neither of their names is in it however. Pencilled inside are initials (probably of a solider) “MOL”  and “AW”. Maker’s stamp is CHRISTY’S LONDON (circular rubber stamp). Red “21” on white paper glued inside above capital letter “R” inside a circle. Inside sweatband is the number 4 over an X. The helmet plate is still held on as it was originally by matchsticks! The helmet is missing the chinstrap, thought strangely enough, my Grandfather saved his chinstrap (Officer’s with golden linked chain over leather) and two helmet spikes! I have these also. 

 

W. A. Stevens’ brother-in-law (Eric Gardner) also served in the unit and commanded one of the battalions.  I had a 19th Regiment pre-WWI greatcoat that I donated to the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum.

Lincoln & Welland Regiment jacket crest c1940. Lieut A. H. Stevens.
Lincoln & Welland Regiment jacket crest c1940. Lieut A. H. Stevens.

Jacket crest for the Lincoln & Welland Regiment, from the effects of Lieutenant Arnott Hume Stevens. Probably dates from 1939-1942. Owned by Colin Stevens.

WWII Canadian Army officer leaning against his mopotorcycle. Lieutenant A. H. (Pete) STEVENS Lincoln and Welland Regiment. 1942 in Newfoundland with his new Harley-Davidson WLC motorcycle DND number 42-1-5561
Lieutenant A. H. (Pete) STEVENS Lincoln and Welland Regiment. 1942 in Newfoundland with his new Harley-Davidson WLC motorcycle DND number 42-1-5561

Lieutenant A H Stevens, Lincoln & Welland Regt. in Newfoundland circa 1942 with his Harley-Davidson WLC. 

My father Lieut.  Arnott Hume (“Pete”) Stevens (1919-1985) joined up with them in the 1930s as a drummer boy and in September 1939 was Adjutant, and he swore in many of the soldiers. He did not have a bible handy as I recall him saying so he used another book for the swearing in ceremony, and later joked with some of the veterans that they were not ‘legally’ ever sworn into the army! 

Lieutenant A. H "Pete" Stevens on the docks at Nanaimo in 1942. Lincoln & Welland Regoiment had been transferred there from Niagara-on-the-lake. Their next stop was Newfoundland.
Lieutenant A. H “Pete” Stevens on the docks at Nanaimo in 1942. Lincoln & Welland Regoiment had been transferred there from Niagara-on-the-lake. Their next stop was Newfoundland.

Dad also went with the Lincoln & Welland Regiment to Nanaimo, BC and later overseas with them to Newfoundland. In Newfoundland he was appointed as Aide de camp to General Page, the General Officer Commanding the Canadian Army in Newfoundland. Interestingly, Dad’s future wife’s uncle, Air Vice Marshall F. Vernon Heakes, was the Air Officer Commanding in Newfoundland about this time.  

In 1943 Dad transferred to the Essex Scottish after the Dieppe Raid (Aug 42) as they had lost their officers in the attack and Dad wanted to see action. He was later wounded in action while attached to No. 4 Commando in late 1943.

Lieutenant Colonel A. H. Stevens in mess kit in Vancouver BC in the early 1970s
Lieutenant Colonel A. H. Stevens in mess kit in Vancouver BC in the early 1970s

 

After the war he became a doctor and rejoined the Militia and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, though he retained his loyalty to the L&W as you can see by the collar dogs on his mess kit. 

The L&W Regiment opened a new museum in 2000 in Butler’s Barracks, King St. & Mary St., Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. It may be closed in the winters. Please check with them for hours and season of operation before going.  Phone (905) 329-8220