Who we are…
On the formation of the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland), six British Army regiments that recruited from the south of Ireland were inevitably disbanded in 1922 – one of them being The Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians).
On disbandment, the original Association was formed by the officers and men of The Leinster Regiment, and continued strongly for over seventy years. Time inevitably took its toil and the Association’s numbers dwindled as the last soldiers who served with the regiment passed away.
That Association was wound up just before the end of the 20th century and its funds distributed to charity. Consequently, The Leinster Regiment became one of only two disbanded Irish infantry regiments not to maintain a regimental association (the other was The Royal Irish Regiment (18th of Foot)).
After a brief interval, the Association was re-formed on 15 February 2003 with an inaugural meeting held in London on 12 April 2003. This has ensured the distinguished history and soul of The Leinster Regiment lives on, and the memory of those who served, especially those who gave their lives, is not forgotten.
The renewed Association’s membership was initially derived from ex-servicemen of the British and Irish armies, as well as a few descendants of those who had served with the regiment.
We have active connections with the appropriate authorities and organisations in our home region of Leinster, particularly around the original Leinster depot at Birr, as well as farther afield in Ireland. We are also members of the Combined Irish Regiments Association.
Membership continues to grow with more members reviving their family links with the Leinsters. We are also a valuable resource for those with a renewed interest in WW1.
We would like to encourage anyone who has the interests of our Association at heart to join us.
The Association is the sum of its members and together we maintain the spiritus intus of The Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians).
We are active both in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Members attending Annual General Meetings elect a General Committee who are charged with administering all the affairs of the Association. There is also a regional Irish committee.
All members of the Association are permitted, and indeed encouraged, to wear regimental insignia: for example, a blazer badge, brooch, tie or headdress, some of which can be purchased from the Secretary.
The Association also produces an entertaining and informative journal – The 40-10 (in both printed and PDF formats) – and this is supplied to all members as part of their annual subscription.
Membership of the Association is for a calendar year and an annual subscription is charged to cover administrative costs only.
Commemoration visits are organised by the Association, with details being published in our journal, on this website and via additional forms of social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc).