OUR HISTORY

This Corps was formed 1 Mar 1967 as 45 Field Battery RCA Cadet Corps and sponsored and affiliated with same. Effective 14 Jan 1971 the Corps redesignated to Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment (Lindsay) Cadet Corps and changed sponsor and affiliation to same regiment. On 17 Jan 74 (letter 1085-11 (DCOS Pers)) the Corps was placed on probation due to an insufficient number of cadets until 30 Jun 1974. On 6 Aug 1974 (letter 1085-11 (DCOS Pers)) a review of the Corps was made and probation was extended until 31 Jan 1975. According to the 1975 annual inspection probation was further extended until 31 Jan 1976. In 1975 there was a change of sponsor to Sir Sam Hughes Branch 67, Royal Canadian Legion, Lindsay.  

The Lindsay Cadet Corps dates its origin to 1898 with the formation of the Number 44, Lindsay Collegiate Institute Cadet Corps. In 1963, the No. 44 LCI Cadet Corps was disbanded and the 2817, 45th Field Battery, Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps was formed. When the 45th Field Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery was disbanded, the Corps became the 2817 Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps.

This Corps has been sponsored by Branch 67 Royal Canadian Legion since 1974 and has called the Victoria Park Armoury home since 1975. It’s members have won the Strathcona Shield as the best army cadet corps in Eastern Ontario on at least seven occasions, most recently being 1998, and the Colonel John Clary Trophy for the best corps in Ontario in 1990 and 1993.

In 1988, the 2817 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps was awarded the “Freedom of the Town of Lindsay” by the town council in honour of the 90th anniversary of army cadets in Lindsay and the 25th anniversary of the 2817 Cadet Corps. 2817 is one of the very few cadet corps in Canada to enjoy this privilege and honour.

In October 1992, in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Canada’s Confederation, the Corps, along with the 2nd Field Engineer Regiment, C.M.E. (M), built a 44-metre long footbridge across McLaren Creek on the Victoria County Rail Lands Trail (now the Victoria Rail Trail), just north of Lindsay.

In the fall of 1994, the Corps built the “Peter Kristjansen Rappel Tower” at Lindsay’s Frost Campus of Sir Sanford Fleming College. This tower was for use of groups in the area who practice rappelling either as a sport or as part of their occupational training. For safety reasons the tower was removed in 2006.

In 1998, in celebration of 100 years of army cadets in Lindsay, the Corps took on the restoration of the Victoria Street train. The locomotive, two box cars and a caboose were relocated to Memorial Park on Lindsay Street South, and underwent repair and painting at the hands of the cadets and staff of the Corps. This will be an ongoing community service project commemorating the town’s railroad heritage and the dedication of Lindsay’s army cadets in serving their community.

The 2817 Pipes and Drums Band was formed in 1992.