Question of the Hour

[redleafjumper]

According to the book: The 6th Field Company R.C.E., in the Spring of 1910, North Vancouver residents Alexander Phillips and Donald Cameron prepared and circulated a petition that asked the authorities in Ottawa to establish a military unit in North Vancouver.  The first enrolment was held on May 7th 1912 when 30 men were taken on strength. 

As Armyvern wrote Major J.P. Fell was the first CO.  Sgt Kennedy was the acting C.S.M.

 

[geo]

Hmmm.... guess that 1910 was a big year for petitions
two coming out of Vancouver.... oh yeah - only one was billed as being "north" Vancouver.... Doh!!!
And I are an engineer too!... Dang!
Must have something to do with the fact that that field coy number (#6) eventualy got assigned to a Toronto unit...
"From The Rideau To The Rhine and Back: The 6th Field Company, Canadian Engineers in the Great War"

 

[stukirkpatrick]

In the late 1860s, several hundred Canadians volunteered to fight in a European war.   What was the war, and what unit did the Canadians fight with?

 

[armyvern]

In the late 1860s, several hundred Canadians volunteered to fight in a European war.   What was the war, and what unit did the Canadians fight with?

In 1868, Canadians fought in the Spanish Revolution as part of the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion.

 

[larry Strong]

The Spanish Civil War took place from 1936 to 1939, and the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion was not established until July 1937.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

Similar circumstances, different century 

 

[larry Strong]

I think it's the Third Italian War of Unification, or the Austro-Prussian war ( the Seven weeks war) but I can't find at this time any reference to   Canadians, but my dollar would sit on the Canadians being Italians going home to fight.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

Along the right track, but it wasn't necessarily Italians...

 

[larry Strong]

Would they have been members of Giuseppe Garibaldi's "Red Shirt's"?

 

[stukirkpatrick]

I believe thats the wrong side of the conflict

 

[larry Strong]

The only other thing I can think of would be the Swiss Guards of the Papal Army!

It's been a long 2 week hitch at work and I am beat, can't think straight at the momment so I will see you all in the AM

 

[stukirkpatrick]

Final Clue - yes, it was on the side of the Pope, which should help you find where they came from in Canada

 

[armyvern]

OK How about this?
In 1868, 507 volunteers from French Canada served as Pontifical Zouaves until the fall of Rome in 1870.  "It was, until the South African War, the largest military contingent of Canadians to serve overseas.  In Rome, the Canadians were incorporated into the Corps of Pontifical Zouaves that had been organized by French officers since 1860 to embody the mostly French-speaking foreign volunteers.  The unit operated in French and had a then very fashionable Zouave-style uniform of grey trimmed with red (grey-blue trimmed with black for officers).  The Canadians were deployed to chase bandits and guerrillas in the hills, at which they proved quite adept, suffering few deaths (most of which were due to sickness).  Following their repatriation, the veterans formed their own association and para-military groups of Zouaves sprang up in many parishes in French Canada, acting as church guards and providing security escorts in church processions and other formal religious events."
http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/flash/glossary/default-en.asp?RT=&t=1&Num=&SID=&letter=P&page=3

 

[stukirkpatrick]

That would be it! 

 

[redleafjumper]

What future Field Marshal disliked swords due to a confrontation with an enemy soldier on the western front?

 

[geo]

Field Marshals?
Hmmm.... would not have anything to do with WWII (no longer wearing swords)
so we're talking about WWI ( of All quiet on the Western front fame)

Hmmm....
Kitchener - was a FM in WW1... nope
Haig - was a FM in WW1... nope
Wavell - most of time spent in Egypt & Palestine - nope
Allen Brook - Arty, nope
Auchinlek - India, Nope
Slim - nope

So we're down to these two
Montgomery - good bet
Alexander - Inf, Irish guards, good bet

 

[redleafjumper]

Geo, I admire your analytical approach!  The correct answer is Lt. (Later field Marshall) Bernard Law Montgomery.  The future field marshall had landed in an enemy trench and confronted an armed German soldier.  He was holding his sword, but realized that he had never been instructed in how to use it for fighting.  He tossed it aside and grappled with the enemy soldier.  Who won?  Well, the winner did end up becoming a field marshall...

Perhaps this one will be more challenging: Who was the future general officer who was taken prisoner by the Germans in WW I, tried to escape several times and was nearly executed for killing a guard in one of his attempts?

 

[geo]

He tossed it aside and grappled with the enemy soldier.  Who won?  Well, the winner did end up becoming a field marshall.....

Redleaf.... Monty was repatriated back to England after receiving a gunshot to the chest (good MPI). Just a good a chance that the gunshot was the outcome of his confrontation with the sword.

 

[redleafjumper]

It's true that a sucking chest wound isn't the best sign of a victory.  'Monty' was sent to hospital in England.  When returned to the front his injury limited him to staff positions for the rest of the war.  His organizational abilities were noticed and led to bigger things.

 

[redleafjumper]

Any takers on the fellow who was taken prisoner and later became a general?  Come on, give it a go!