Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Buchanan
Lanark and Renfrew Scottish

Give them our best wishes and tell them that this famous old Regiment has been revived again in a new blaze of glory and every time we look at the new shoulder flash we will think of the wonderful example of courage they showed. Everybody has heard of the Lanark and Renfrews now and are greatly interested in the new flash because of the way the boys put it right on the map of the world again.”

(Buchanan quoted by Padre C.M. MacLean, 15 Jan 1945)

In July 1944, Allied military leaders in Italy had decided to add a new infantry brigade to the 5th Armoured Division in addition to the 11th Infantry Brigade. The 1st Canadian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment converted from artillery to infantry as part of the newly formed 12th Infantry Brigade under Major-General Dan Spry. At the end of August 1944, Major William Herbert Buchanan transferred from the Seaforth Highlanders to become second-in-command to Lieutenant-Colonel W.C. Dick, the officer assigned to reorganize the anti-aircraft unit. Born on 5 August 1913 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Buchanan was a fireman who had originally joined the Calgary Highlanders.

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