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Royal 22e Régiment.

marc

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As the web site of the Governor General has been modified to respect the French name of the Royal 22e Régiment, I am told that several French-English translators do not know that only the French name is official. The English name creates an historical confusion as Wolfe has a Royal 22nd Regiment under his command at the battle of the plains of Abraham.
 
Can you provide any examples where the R22eR was confused with Wolfe's Royal 22nd Regt?
 
Marc,

I don't know anything about the Governor General's website but you are correct in your assertion about the title of the R22eR.  The designation of the R22eR was changed by the Canadian Army some 44 years ago.  I refer you to Staff Duty Letter 63/39 dated 31 Dec 1963.  This order stated that the approved redesignation for the regiment's battalions would be 1er, 2e, 3e, 4e and 6e Bataillon.  The order also changed the designation of the regimental depot from 'The R22eR Depot' to 'Le Depot du R22eR' and changed the spelling of Regiment from English to French (sorry for the absence of appropriate accents).  All of this became effective on 9 Nov 1963.

As a matter of fact, while the Regiment was raised in the Permanent Force as the 22nd Regiment in 1920 and was given the title 'Royal' in 1921, it was renamed the Royal 22e Regiment in 1928.  So there really has never been a Royal 22nd Regiment which could cause any historians confusion.

I must say however that I don't think anyone who has served in the Army or the Land Forces have any questions as to the Regiment's proper designation.  As well I have never heard of anyone asking if the Vandoos served on the Plains of Abraham and I don't foresee that ever becoming a major historical problem.

Dan.

PS:  Marc, please fill in your profile.  That will allow you to introduce yourself to the rest of the gang.
 
I don't know any case of historical confusion. But I know many people in Quebec province who still think that the regiment at the Citadelle is English speaking. I have been in contact recently with various people hosting a web site with "Royal 22nd Regiment". When I told them that they were wrong, they started discussing my competences. For me, writing Royal 22nd is like writing Infanterie Princesse Patricia.
 
So, are you saying the core problem is one of linguistic confusion over the Regiment's name, or one of education about the military in Quebec?

If you perceive the problem to be one of regional or national awareness of a regiment, I suspect nearly every regiment in the Army (Reg F and Res, Anglo and Franco) has similar complaints.  Certainly, no Regiment's name has been spread around the news like that of the "famed Vandoos" since their recent deployment to Afghanistan.  If anything it has been an embarrassment of riches, with DND having to remind the media that not every French Canadian soldier is a "Vandoo".
 
There never has been a "Royal 22nd Regiment" in the British Service.  There was a "22nd Regiment" which became the Cheshire Regiment in 1881, and on August 24th of this year it became the 1st Bn. The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire).

The Cheshires, for all their great and loyal history, were never a Royal Regiment....and wore Buff Facings to prove it.  They did indeed fight on the Plains of Abraham, but only their grenadier and light companies attended that party.  Another interesting fact is that General Wolfe died in the arms of Ensign Henry Browne of the 22nd Regiment.

I would hazard a guess that there is likely to be more confusion in this country between the original Canadian 22nd Regiment and the current Royal 22e Regiment.  The "22nd Regiment The Oxford Rifles", who amalgamated with the The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (M.G.) in 1954 and now form the 4th Bn. The RCR.









 
That you for the information on the 22nd (British and Canadian). As Michael is pointing out, there are two issues, one of military literacy, and one of name recognition. My first battle is on the name recognition, for historical purposes. The R22eR was for many years the only regiment of the Canadian Army where French was recognized. Fortunately, things have changed in the CF. The R22eR is also an important symbol for me, as they guard the Canadian flag on the top of Quebec City Citadelle, which protects the Vimy cross.
 
marc said:
The R22eR was for many years the only regiment of the Canadian Army where French was recognized

Point of order

The 22e Bn CEF was only formed in August 1914, as part of the Expeditionary force.
Prior to their arrival on the scene, there were the regiments of the Canadian militia & there were (are) many French canadian units.  Amongst others and in no particular order....
Les Carabiniers Mont-Royal
Les Voltigeurs de Québec
Le Régiment de Chateauguay
Le Régiment de Joliette
Le Régiment de Ste Hyacinthe
There were also infantry regiments in Trois Rivières & Sherbrooke.

French was recognized in the rank and file of Quebec militia units a long time before the R22eR arrived on the scene....
 
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