The first comprehensive examination of one of Canada’s most storied militia units, whose history spans more than three centuries. From their origins as the first militia organizations in what is now Ontario to the present, the units of Essex and Kent counties have loomed large in the history of their province and nation.

Sandy Antal begins the story by tracing the evolution of the Essex and Kent militia units from the earliest times until 1840. Circumstances
repeatedly called on them to serve, not only in defence of their counties, but also on far-flung campaigns in Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky. Sandy’s research on the War of 1812 challenges simplistic assertions that marginalize their role. During the Patriot War of 1838, the local militia stepped forward, twice unaided by regular troops, to repel four attempted invasions and affirm, once again, their loyalty to the British Crown.

Kevin R. Shackleton continues the account with the descendents of the colonial defenders as they endured the horrors ofthe First World War. Beginning as patriotic amateurs and growing into seasoned professional soldiers, they took their place among the best troops on the Western Front. During the Second World War, the Regiment gained prominence as the most bloodied unit in the Canadian Army, having experienced the disaster at Dieppe and then a second one, almost as serious, in the Battle of Normandy. They carried on to the final victory over Nazi Germany.This history also highlights the recent past, during which members ofthe Regiment maintain their proud traditions of service through peacekeeping and combat roles ofthe modern Canadian Army.

This book goes beyond the “drums and bugles” events and considers the human cost, on and offthe battlefield. Duty Nobly Done bespeaks the contributions and sacrifices of generations of citizen soldiers who did their duty and their part in forging this Canada.

“This is a painstakingly researched history which is destined to be prized not only as a source of information for any past or present members of the Regiment, but also as an excellent read.”
His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent
Colonel-in-Chief

“This fine history of a great regiment is well-researched and clearly written. Duty Nobly Done is the blunt, honest recounting of the great battles fought by soldiers from southwestern Ontario.”
Jack Granatstein
Distinguished Research Professor of History Emeritus
York University

"Canadian military historians have done themselves proud recently in the compilation of unit histories, both in terms of the content and the presentation. Robert Fraser's Black Yesterdays (the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada) and Gordon Brown and Terry Copp's Look To Your Front (the Regina Rifles) are two examples of chronicles that combine solid scholarship with high-quality production. Duty Nobly Done, the new history of the Essex Scottish, follows in that tradition.

Sandy Antal, author of the award-winning A Wampum Denied: Procter's War of 1812, and Kevin
Shackleton, whose most recent work is the history of the 58th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, have joined forces to tell the story of the regiment from its earliest roots as a French militia unit in 1749 to its current incarnation as The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment, the name it took in 1954.

Antal handles the regiment's early years, from the French regime through the War of 1812 and after. Both of these themes have been well covered by other historians, but Antal adds a fascinating chapter on the Patriot War of 1838, when rebels launched four separate attacks on south-western Ontario (at Amherstburg, Fighting Island, Pelee Island, and Windsor). Overshadowed by the more well known incidents at York and in Lower Canada, the Patriot War is a fascinating yet little known episode in which the Essex and Kent militia, "despite their wretched state of preparedness" (137), Antal notes, beat back the invaders. Just as interesting as the actual engagements is his account of the aftermath of the Battle of Windsor, when a number of the rebels were summarily executed, an action that caused considerable controversy in the area.

Kevin Shackleton takes care of the rest of the unit's history, from the Union of the Canadas to the present day. In this, he covers all the ground that one would expect him to (the 18th Battalion in the First World War, the Dieppe raid, the campaign in north-west Europe), but also finds some new angles to address. There is an excellent chapter on the First World War reinforcement battalions linked to the Essex Scottish (the 99th, 186th, and 241st Battalions), and another that deals with the militia unit's work on the home front during the Second World War. In all cases, Shackleton has taken the standard unit narrative and enlivened it with compelling and illuminating accounts from the sharp end.
This fine book is also notable for its quality; heavy paper stock, excellent illustrations, and a full-colour map section make for a substantial, durable, and valuable volume. Perhaps even more surprising is the very reasonable price for such a book. It definitely belongs on the shelf of every serious student of Canadian military history."
SL (Susan Lee)
Canadian Military History Book Review Supplement, Spring 2007

864 pages, featuring fold-out maps, and over 220 photos and illustrations

$59.00 (CDN)
Available for pick up in Windsor. Add $16 for shipping anywhere in Canada. Payment by cheque or money order.

Order by phone: 519-254-2535 ext. 4604
Mail order form - Order via e.mail

All proceeds to The Scottish Borderers Foundation for the benefit of The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment.

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