The Foresters have enjoyed one of the most diverse roles in the Canadian Army, serving as infantry, armoured and artillery.
Previously, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters of the British Army also held this title, however, due to restructuring into The Mercian Regiment, only one holder of this name now exists.
Following the 1837 Rebellion, the Government of Upper Canada retained in January 1838 one troop of cavalry and three militia battalions on active service along the Niagara River and in Toronto.
Prior to their formal organization into this new battalion structure, these independent companies from Grey and Simcoe counties had deployed from 1864–66 to guard strategic points along the Canada-USA border in response to the Fenian Raids.
In recognition of this contribution, 35th Simcoe Foresters received its first battle honour "North West Canada 1885".
During the Second Boer War the regiments contributed men to the Canadian contingents sent to assist the British Army.
In 1917, Private Thomas William Holmes of the 147th Grey Battalion became Canada's youngest winner of the Victoria Cross, while assigned to the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles.
By war's end, Rutherford had been promoted to Brigadier was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
They embarked for England on June 16, 1943, having served as local protection force in Ontario and Nova Scotia since mobilization.
Following the war the 2nd Battalion was converted to artillery becoming the 45th Anti-Tank Regiment on April 1, 1946, with the designation "(Self -Propelled)" being added on June 19, 1947.
Additionally, many members have served as augmentation from the Korean War onwards, including the Middle East (UNEF II), Golan Heights (UNDOF), Cyprus (UNFICYP), the Former Yugoslavia (Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina) (UNPROFOR, IFOR, and SFOR) and more recently Afghanistan (ISAF) and Sierra Leone (IMATT) .
4 Cdn Div TC's current role not only includes being tasked to provide and maintain ranges, training areas, facilities and equipment for approximately 10,000 reserve soldiers in the Ontario area, but also plays host to a variety of other countries military units and nonmilitary agencies, for training exercises.
[7][8] Housing 4 and 5 Platoons in "B" Company of The Grey and Simcoe Foresters, this large, mansard roofed Baronial style structure with sturdy projecting towers and a three-arched entrance is in a residential area near the centre of the city.
In 1986, the colours were paraded with the guard of honour for Anne, Princess Royal, during her official opening of Queens Quay (Toronto).
This colour was entrusted to the Telford family, which presented it to the regiment in 1962, which laid it up in the Owen Sound Officers' Mess.
The 35th Simcoe Foresters received its first stand of colours on 25 May 1868, one year after Canada's Confederation, during the reign of Queen Victoria.
The 157th Overseas Battalion (Simcoe Foresters) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force received its colours on 12 October 1916 at Camp Borden.
The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regimental Museum is located on Mulcaster Street, Barrie, Ontario.
The museum perpetuates the history of the Grey and Simcoe Foresters as a means of instilling pride of regiment and country in new recruits and to enable the public at large to better appreciate the role of the military in the development of the area.