33 Service Battalion
33 Service Battalion Unit Crest
Active	1965–2010 (as 26 and 28 Service Battalion) 2010 – present (as 33 Service Battalion)
Country	Canada
Branch	(Canadian Army) Primary Reserve
Part of	4th Canadian Division
Garrison/HQ	Ottawa, Ontario
Motto(s)	DEVOIR AVANT TOUT
Colors	Marine Corps Scarlet, Oriental Blue, Gold
March	"Duty Above All"
Website	army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/33-service-battalion/index.page
Commanders
Commanding Officer	Lieutenant Colonel N.B. Marshall, CD
Regimental Sergeant Major	Chief Warrant Officer K.D. Carter, CD
Colonel of the Regiment	Honorary Colonel (BGen, ret'd) Peter Holt, OMM, CD
Insignia
Abbreviation	33 Svc Bn / 33 Bon Svc

33 Service Battalion is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve unit with three companies located in northern and eastern Ontario - at the M.L. Troy Armoury in North Bay, Pine Street Armoury in Sault Ste Marie, and the Major Holland Armoury in Ottawa. The battalion is under command of 33 Canadian Brigade Group, itself commanded by the 4th Canadian Division. The battalion is made up of officers and soldiers primarily from the Royal Canadian Logistics Service and the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers providing Combat Service Support to 33 Canadian Brigade Group and other military organizations in eastern and northern Ontario - by means of transportation, supply, administration, food services, and mechanical repair and recovery activities.

History

The first reserve service support unit was organized in Ottawa on 1 July 1903 when a 1st Class Stores Section of the Ordnance Corps was established in the Military Stores Building behind Cartier Square Drill Hall. The unit was composed of members of the Permanent Force and transfers from both the Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) and the 43rd Regiment, Duke of Cornwall’s Own Rifles (perpetuated by The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh’s Own). The battalion's lineage from this point forward is complicated, with many changes in organizational structure and nomenclature occurring from pre-WWI and the eventual move from a horse-based military to the modern mechanized force of today. The complexity of military equipment and ever changing tactics and operations led to changes to the ideology of Combat Service Support including the formation of new corps such as the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) to maintain the complex equipment, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (providing Transportation Services) and the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (managing the control of all material required by the Canadian Army). The latter two Corps eventually combined under the Royal Canadian Logistics Service title.

During the First World War, units of No. 4 Militia District (Ottawa) supplied men to the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). In 1914, No. 5 Company (Ottawa) of the Canadian Army Service Corps moved to Valcartier where it provided transport and support for the CEF preparing for overseas service. It supplied men for the 1st Divisional Train (see references) when the CEF moved to England and France.

During the Second World War, 1st Corps Troops, RCASC mobilized at Landsdowne Park and formed No.1 Petrol Park and No. 1 Ordnance Company. On arrival in England they were reorganized into 54 and 55 General Transport Companies, RCASC, and served in the Italian and European campaigns.

On the outbreak of the Korean War, 1st Corps Troops provided personnel and command staff to form 54 General Transport Company, RCASC which served the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade of the Commonwealth Division. In recognition of its contribution to the Division, the unit was presented the Commonwealth Shield trophy which was then competed for annually and awarded to the best reserve Transportation Coy in Canada up to and including 1982.

In 1965 the Ottawa Service Battalion was created to test a new service support concept - amalgamating several corps into one organization - which was then adopted nationally in 1968. The Ottawa Service Battalion was first composed of personnel from 130 Transport Coy, 3 Ordnance Coy, 28 Technical Sqn, 13 Personnel Depot, 113 Manning Depot, 10 Medical Coy and 54 Dental Unit. These units were disbanded to form the Battalion which had a single transport unit and a training wing. This was later expanded into a Headquarters group, Transport Company, Supply Company, Maintenance Company, a Medical Inspection capability, and Military Police detachment.

In 1975 all service battalions were numbered geographically, Sault Ste Marie and North Bay becoming 26 Service Battalion and Ottawa becoming 28 Service Battalion. In 2009 the two units were amalgamated and in 2010 were renumbered as 33 Service Battalion in the re-organization of the Service Battalions nationally.

The Battalion has won many awards and trophies through the years, including the Commonwealth Shield three times. Battalion members have served on domestic and international missions including Operation (Op) RECUPERATION (January 1998 North American ice storm), Op LENTUS 17-03 (flood relief support in the Outaouais region of Quebec) and 19-03 (flood relief in the Ottawa valley area in Ontario), Op LASER 20-1 (Canadian Armed Forces response to the global COVID-19 pandemic) and combat missions in Bosnia, Croatia, and Afghanistan. Additionally the Battalion has a long history of participation on United Nations mission including UNEF II, UNDOF, UNFICYP, UNIFIL, UNTAG, UNPROFOR, and UNMISS.

28 Service Battalion received the Freedom of the City of Ottawa in 1981. In 1987 on successive weekends (27 September and 3 October) 26 Service Battalion was awarded the Freedom of the City in Sault Ste Marie and North Bay respectively. Following amalgamation in 2010, 33 Service Battalion exercised its right to march the streets of Ottawa for the first time as a formed body consisting of members of the unit from all three geographic locations.

The Unit Today

Although Canadian service battalions were a product of the Cold War and were expected to operate as complete units in support of Canadian Army brigades and brigade groups in the field, since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the non-linear battlefield has meant a shift towards the provision of service support to ongoing operations, e.g. in Afghanistan being provided by National Support Elements concept, tailored to the task at hand and not necessarily formed of just one service battalion. Service battalions are now thus largely force-generation units, and provide essential support in garrison.

33 Service Battalion continues to force generate personnel and provide individual officers and trades personnel to meet mission specific needs. The current unit establishment recruits and trains the following jobs:

- Logistics Officers providing the various means of transportation, equipment and supplies for the movement of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and all types and sizes of cargo throughout the world;

- Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Officers who maintain and support all Army equipment, and the land-based equipment of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force;

- Mobile Support Equipment Operators who operate military vehicles ranging in size from standard automobiles to snow removal equipment and all-terrain vehicles;

- Materiel Management Technicians ensure that all of the supplies and services necessary for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations are available when and where they are required;

- Vehicle Technicians maintain, repair, and overhaul land vehicles and related equipment to keep them in top condition;

- Weapons Technicians maintain and repair weapons, weapons systems and ancillary equipment;

- Cooks prepare nutritious food items and meals for Canadian Armed Forces members in both kitchen and field environments;

- Financial Services Administrators provide financial assistance and budget resources support to all military activities; and

- Human Resources Administrators provide administrative and general human resources support to all military activities.

Leadership

Commanding officers:

• 2010–2012: Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Playfair, CD
• 2012–2015: Lieutenant Colonel Sheila K. Chapman, CD
• 2015–2019: Lieutenant Colonel David A. Paterson, CD
• 2020-2023: Lieutenant Colonel Richard D. Gallant, CD
• 2023–Present: Lieutenant Colonel Neil B. Marshall, CD

Regimental Sergeants Major:

• 2010–2013: Chief Warrant Officer Robert Winfield, CD
• 2013–2017: Chief Warrant Officer Denis Lessard, CD
• 2017–2020: Chief Warrant Officer Marc Richard, CD
• 2020–Present: Chief Warrant Officer Kriston D. Carter, CD

Athletics

Since the inception of 33 Service Battalion in 2010 there has been a large emphasis placed on sport and fitness. The battalion hockey team competes annually in the Sgt. Rick Foldek Memorial tournament hosted by hosted the Brockville Rifles - winning the 'B' pool in 2011, 'C' pool in 2014 and 2015, and finishing runner-up overall in 2016. The battalion Iron Warrior team have been the winners of the 33 CBG unit award a record five times with four consecutive wins from 2016 to 2019 and again in 2023. In 2018 the battalion was awarded a team to participate in the 102nd Annual International Four Days Marches Nijmegen, a first for a reserve service battalion. Additionally, there have been individual accolades from unit members including Sgt. Erin Carter winning the women's category of the 2018 2 CMBG Iron Warrior (Day 1 edition), and Lt. Steven Jackson finished second place in the 6633 Arctic Ultra race in February 2020.

Honours and Awards

2018 Iron Warrior - 2 CMBG Championship Team

• Commonwealth Shield won 3 times, the latest in 1982
• Freedom of the City of Ottawa: 1981 (as 28 Service Battalion)
• Freedom of the City of North Bay: 3 October 1987 (as 26 Service Battalion)
• Freedom of the City of Sault Ste Marie: 27 September 1987 (as 26 Service Battalion)
• 33 CBG Iron Warrior Champions 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023

Unit Insignia

The 33 Service Battalion flag.^[1]

The 33 Service Battalion Unit flag is steeped with the traditions of the founding corps. The flag is a tri-color with the top and bottom equaling 2/5ths of the height each and the centre equaling 1/5th of the height. The official colours of the unit flag are Oriental blue (top) and marine corps scarlet (bottom) with an intervening gold stripe. Then it has a large white numerals representing the number of the service battalion emblazoned on both sides in the flag's centre. These regal colours have a long history of association with army services. The Oriental blue colour of the flag is reminiscent of the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC) flag while the gold colour can be found on the former banners of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC), the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers Corps (RCEME), and the Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps (RCAPC). The scarlet colour refers to the scarlet accoutrements on the RCOC and RCEME dress uniforms earned through its close association with the Royal Canadian Artillery in the early 1900s. This flag was designed by Chief Warrant Officer Phil Raven during his time as Regimental Sergeant Major of 2 Service Battalion in the 1970s.^[2]

Cadet corps

Active:

• 2310 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps – Sault Ste Marie
• 2332 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps – Ottawa

References

External links

• The Ottawa Service Battalion Association, a voluntary association of current and past unit members
• 33 Service Battalion on the Canadian Armed Forces website
• 33 Service Battalion, Unit badge, per the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges
• 1st Divisional Train C.A.S.C., transportation and supply during the Great War
• 6633 Arctic Ultra - Roll of Honour 2020, list of finishers and a link for additional information to one of the most difficult ultra marathons on Earth