28 officers and 321 other ranks severing with The Carleton York Regiment gave their lives in the service of their country while serving in the United Kingdom, Central Mediterranean Theatre and Northwest Europe in World War II.
The motto of the Carleton York is invicta meaning invincible.
In 1937 an amalgamation of the York Regiment, headquarters in Fredericton, York County, and the Carleton Light Infantry, headquarters in Woodstock, Carleton County took place. The Carleton York Regiment was formed. The York Regiment perpetuated the 12th and 140th Canadian Light Infantry Battalions, and the Carleton Light Infantry the 44th and 104th Battalions, Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1918. The Regiment is affiliated with the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment and the East Yorkshire Regiment in England, the principal features of whose badges are incorporated in the badge of the Carleton York, 'The White Horse Superimposed on the Star of Brunswick'. The Regiment's colours display this noble insignia and 18 battle honours up to the end of World War One. The colours were presented by King George VI July 1st, 1941 at Caterham, Surrey, England and were the gift of the then Lieut. Governor of the Province of New Brunswick, The Hon. Murray MacLaran.
When World War II began the Carleton York was mobilized in Woodstock, September 1st, 1939 as a unit of the Third Brigade, First Canadian Division. This consisted of: "A" Company from Fredericton, men drawn from York and Sunbury Counties; "B" Company from Woodstock, men drawn from Carleton and Victoria Counties; "C" Company from St. Stephen and Milltown, in Charlotte County; "D" Company from Edmundston, men drawn from Madawaska County; plus an H.Q. Company. They all moved into an established camp on Island Park to begin training.
On November 11th, 1939, with veterans from WWI the Carleton York paraded to the Cenotaph on Main Street.
December 7th 1939 they marched to the old CPR station for the train trip to Halifax. The 1st Battalion embarked on The Monarch of Bermuda from Halifax December 10th arriving in Greenock, Scotland, December 17th 1939. Three years and seven months in England, "training".
June 28th, 1943 they set sail from Grenock to Sicily, arriving July 10th, 1943. They ended the war at Amersfort, Holland on May 5, 1945 when Germany surrendered.
On Nov 31, 1954 the Carleton York Regiment and the New Brunswick Scotish were joined under a new name. It became known as the 1st New Brunswick Regiment (Carleton York).
In 1981 the regiment and its colours were retired at the Legislature Buildings in Fredericton.