Windsor Regiment Welcomes New Commanding Officer

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Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Quinlan (left) signs over command of the Windsor Regiment to Lieutenant-Colonel Allan Finney (right) with Colonel Joe Robinson (middle) presiding over the ceremony in London, Ontario on June 3, 2021. Photo: Bdr Julia Currie/DND 2021.

The Windsor Regiment  conducted a regimental change of command on Thursday, where the command of the regiment was passed from Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Quinlan to Lieutenant-Colonel Allan Finney.

Colonel Joe Robinson, Commander of 31 Canadian Brigade Group, presided over the event.

The Windsors were formed in 1936 as The Essex Regiment (Tank) before assuming their current name in 1949, and in 2014 were awarded their first battle honour for Afghanistan. Currently the regiment numbers approximately 160 reserve soldiers, and currently has members serving overseas in Latvia and the Middle East.

LCol Quinlan has held the position of Commanding Officer since September of 2019. He is a Regular Force Canadian Army officer who began his career as an Army Reservist in The British Columbia Regiment before joining Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians). In addition to command of The Windsor Regiment, LCol Quinlan commanded all forces in Essex, Kent and Lambton counties ready to assist provincial and local authorities in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. He will next be assigned to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa.

LCol Finney served in the Canadian Army Regular Force as an officer of The Royal Canadian Dragoons before transferring to the Army Reserve. He has commanded the 1st Hussars in London since April 2018, a position which he will relinquish in September 2021.

The change of command was conducted as a small, formal ceremony in lieu of a parade due to COVID-19 restrictions, which do not permit large gatherings for ceremonial purposes. The event was held at 31 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters in London, with minimal participants, physical distancing, and in accordance with other Public Health guidelines and Force Health Protection Measures.