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Before the First World War
On July 1, 1898, five independent rifle companies were authorized1 in the British Columbia interior towns of Kamloops, Kaslo, Nelson, Revelstoke and Rossland. These units were known by their location (e.g. "Nelson Rifle Company") until January 1, 1900, when the "Rocky Mountain Rangers" were authorized2 as a corps consisting of
numbered, independent companies. There was no 'regimental headquarters' for this unit. The companies were located in:
No. 1 - Rossland
No. 2 - Nelson
No. 3 - Kamloops
No. 4 - Kaslo
No. 5 - Revelstoke
In 1904 the "Kootenay Rifles" were authorized3 with two independent companies (No. 1 and No. 2) - both located in Fernie.
 | MAP: BC Militia Units circa 1905 |
On April 1,1908, the organization of an additional company of infantry in Nelson was authorized and this unit was amalgamated with the three southern independent companies of Rocky Mountain Rangers to form the "102nd Regiment".4 This unit's headquarters was established in Nelson5 and it incorporated the following:
| A Company | Rossland |
| B Company | Nelson |
| C Company | Nelson (this company was created on April 1,1908) |
| D Company | Kaslo |
NOTE: Originally, C Company was to be in Kaslo with D Company in Nelson.6 However, these titles were changed7 as reflected in the sequence listed above
At the same time, the Rocky Mountain Rangers were reduced to the two northern independent companies in Kamloops and Revelstoke; they continued to be respectively known as "C Company" and "E Company".8
On April 1,1908, two independent squadrons of "Canadian Mounted Rifles" were authorized:9 "A" Squadron in Kamloops and "B" Squadron in Vernon.10
On June 1, 1908, an independent "Company of Infantry" was authorized in Armstrong.11
 | MAP: BC Militia Units circa 1908 |
In 1909, the "102nd Regiment, Rocky Mountain Rangers", in addition to this name change12 on June 1, was expanded to six companies.13 The regimental headquarters continued to be in Nelson, and the companies were located in the following towns:
| A Company | Rossland |
| B Company | Nelson |
| C Company | Nelson |
| D Company | Kaslo |
| E Company | Kamloops (formerly C Company, Rocky Mountain Rangers) |
| F Company | Revelstoke (formerly E Company, Rocky Mountain Rangers) |
In 1910 the Canadian Mounted Rifles became the "British Columbia Horse"14 and were later expanded to four independent squadrons.15 The two new squadrons authorized on April 1,1910, "C" and "D", were located in Coldstream and Lower Nicola, respectively.16
In April 1,1911, the British Columbia Horse was authorized an increase to eight independent squadrons, in order to form two four-squadron regiments.17 The regiments were designated on December 1, 1911, as "1st and 2nd Regiments, 'British Columbia Horse'"18 Initially 1st Regiment, 'British Columbia Horse' included the four existing squadrons19 but on March 1, 1912,20 they were divided between the two new units. 1st and 2nd Regiments, 'British Columbia Horse' were re-designated again on April 15, 1912,21 with the following organizations:
30th Regiment, British Columbia Horse
| Regimental Headquarters | Vernon |
| A Squadron | Lumby (org April 1, 1911) |
| B Squadron | Vernon (org April 1, 1908) |
| C Squadron | Armstrong (org April 1, 1910, in Coldstream) |
| D Squadron | Kelowna (org April 1, 1911) |
31st Regiment, British Columbia Horse22
| Regimental Headquarters | Merritt |
| A Squadron | Kamloops (org April 1, 1908) |
| B Squadron | Salmon Arm (org April 1, 1911) |
| C Squadron | Wallachin23 (org April 1, 1911) |
| D Squadron | Merritt (org April 1, 1910, in Lower Nicola) |
On March 1, 1912, the independent Company of Infantry in Armstrong became "G Company, 102nd Regiment, Rocky Mountain Rangers".24 Later that year, on 01 May 1912, five of this regiment's companies were "...disbanded with a view to their re-organization...".25 These companies were "A" (Rossland),
"B", "C" (both in Nelson), "D" (Kaslo) and "F" (Revelstoke). In the end two additional companies were authorized26 and the regimental headquarters was transferred from Nelson to Kamloops.27 There was also a redesignation of companies28 with the end result
being:
| A Company | Kamloops |
| B Company | Kamloops |
| C Company | Armstrong |
| D Company | Revelstoke |
In 1912, the two companies of Kootenay Rifles in Fernie were disbanded.29
On April 1, 1913, an independent "Company of Sharpshooters" was authorized in Grand Forks30 but was included in the Militia Lists as an "Independent Company of Rifles".
On August 5, 1913, C Squadron, 30th Regiment, "British Columbia Horse" was moved from Armstrong to Enderby.31
In 1913, "E" Company of the 102nd Regiment "Rocky Mountain Rangers" was authorized in Kelowna.32 It was followed in 1914 by "F", "G" and "H" companies that were authorized in Salmon Arm,33 Vernon,34 and
Penticton,35 respectively.
Effective May 1, 1914, a new infantry battalion was authorized in the interior of British Columbia.36 This unit would eventually be known as the "107th East Kootenay Regiment"37) may be considered the direct antecedent to the present 44th Field Engineer Squadron. Originally, this eight-company regiment was to be created in the valleys amongst the Selkirk, Purcell and Rocky ranges with battalion headquarters at Fernie. Company headquarters were to be at Fernie, Cranbrook, Elko, Fort Steele, Golden, Hosmer and Michel. However, with Canada's entry into the First World War changes in the unit's organization were inevitable.
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Rocky Mountain Rangers Parading through Nelson BC ca 1908 - 1912 |
 | MAP: BC Militia Units circa 1914 |
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