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Question of the Hour

The cap badge answer:

"Official amalgamation between the Royal Rifles of Canada and the 7/XI Hussars never occurred. However, after the war, the 7/XI Hussars received the distinction of having the cap badge of the Royal Rifles of Canada with the year "1941" emblazoned on its Guidon as a reminder of the men of the regiment who had given their all for Canada."
(http://www.army.dnd.ca/SHERBROOKE_HUSSARS/history_e.htm )

 
The Regiment has the added distinction of being one of the only, if not the only, unit to perpetuate fighting units from both theaters of battle during the Second World War: the European Theater (through the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment) and the Pacific Theater (through the Royal Rifles of Canada).

THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Immediately on the outbreak of war, the units of the Eastern Townships were mobilized as the No. 1 General Base Depot C.A.S.F. They embarked for England where they were disbanded as reinforcements on July 6, 1940. The 117th Eastern Townships Battalion Association, along with members of the Sherbrooke Regiment including its Commanding Officer, Lt-Col W.M. McA'Nulty, pressured the Canadian Government for the formation of an Eastern Townships unit for overseas duties. These pressures finally paid off when, as an effort to create an anglophone unit within Militia District No 5 and to create an Eastern Townships unit, both the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment and the Royal Rifles of Canada were formed.
Honourary Distinction

Hong Kong 1941
Click to expand...
There is quite a distance between Quebec City - where the Royal Rifles were raised and existed AND Sherbrooke where the Sherbrooke Regiment and the Fusiliers de Sherbrooke existed.

I think it is a matter that a large number of members of the Sherbrooke Regiment were sent up to Quebec City to fill in the holes in the Royals ranks - prior to shipping out to HK....
 
Well both regiments took alot of people from the Eastern Townships. They had alot of English speakers (which would be pretty rare in Quebec city) and English was the first language of the Regiment.
I think it was one of those things where two regiments were allowed to take people from the same area and it was realised to late that there would only be enough people for one regiment so they brought them togeather.
They specifically talk about this is as book,  "The royal rifles of Canada in Hong Kong". It was published by the veterans and goes into detail about how the Rifles were formed etc.
I think the Lt Col of the /XI Hussars (Price?) became a major just so he could serve in the unit.
The RRofC were very well served by having many officers with ww1 experince.

So whats the new ?
 
Fl... in the 1930s and 40s, there were, lots of english speaking canadians living in the Quebec city area.  Mostly Irish.  Sillery is currently their last outpost but, thru to the late 60s, anglos were a force to be ceckoned in Quebec city.

Royal Rifles is not a regiment that was raised in Quebec City esp for WW2.  Both the Voltigeurs & the Royal Rifles lived side by side in Quebec... representing the two halves of the two solitudes :)

In order to fill the ranks of the Bn in short order for the mission to HK, they reached as far down as Sherbrooke to raise the Bn. 
 
Both The WG and the RRofC had their 1st reinforcements added before they left as it was considered unlikely they could be reinforced at a later date. The consequence for the RRofC was that each Company had an extra platoon (I think the WG's did the same thing but I do not know). In most cases these soldiers were taken from the training centres and not from pre-existing units, some even came from Ontario I think.
The RRofC existed before but had to be brought up to strength.
I am almost certain the RRofC and 7/XI Hussars joined well before they shipped out to HK.  I think they joined before the RR's were sent to Newfoundland for guard duty.

And geo thanks for the info about Quebec City, I was not aware that they had a large english speaking population.  My parents left during the quiet revolution.  I do know that alot of people from the RRofC were from the Eastern Townships but I have no idea of the %'s.
 
Alright here is what I have been able to find out

From Brerenton Greehous "C" Force to Hong Kong a Canadian Catastrophe 1941-1945
pp22
35-40% of the Rifles were French Canadians
The working language of the battalion was english
In the summer of 1940 the amalgation took place to bring the Rifles up to strength.
pp27
Canada got the request for 2 battalions on October 11th 1941
pp28
The RRofC started to Hong Kong on Oct. 23rd 1941.

From Carl Vincent's No Reason Why.
pp50-51
RR's mobolized in Quebec City then moved to Valcartier in Sept of 1940 (he says 1941 on pp 50 then 1940 on pp51, 1941 but is almost certainly an error as they would be doing guard duty by this point).
The amalgation took place in June (i would assume 1940 but he does not give a date)
He gives the figure of 25% French Canadians.
 
475801 Pte H.A. Cochran was awarded the Barvarian Cross of Military Merit, 3rd class.  The Citation reads: 

    "To the English Prisoner of War, Cochran Harry Adolf, from Prisoner Camp Bayreuth:  We express herewith for the rescue done with courage,and resoluteness of the 3 year old child named Gugel, saving her from drowning in the Birnbaum Pond in Feilsbrom, District of Auch Gusbach, the acknowledgement of the War Office."
    Munich, 20th of June 1918
    M. Henningrath
    General Of the Cavalry
    Minister of War

Pte Cochran was released from POW camp shortly after the armistice but died 28 Dec 1918 in a military hospital in France, caused by injuries sustained during the Battle Of Sanctuary Wood.

It is believed that he is the only Allied soldier to be decorated by the enemy.

Attached is a picture of his medals, currently on display at the PPCLI Museum.



Sgt Graham, BA
PPCLI Archives
The Military Museums
4520 Crowchild Trail SW
Calgary AB
T2T 5J4
403 974-2867
e-mail: archives@ppcli.com

 
4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division ?

http://cefresearch.com/matrix/Army%20Corps/Divisions/1st%20Division/1st%20Infantry%20Brigade/4th%20Battalion.htm
 
old medic said:
4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division ?

http://cefresearch.com/matrix/Army%20Corps/Divisions/1st%20Division/1st%20Infantry%20Brigade/4th%20Battalion.htm
Click to expand...

Bang on Old Medic
 
Something for the old jumpers out there
          Where is DZ Gorvad and why was it so named?.
                              Regards
 
Might it be at CFB Borden? and named after Lieutenant Colonel Gorvad .

Source: http://www.12thcav.us/stories_212_History%20of%20DZ%20Gorvad.htm

I'll admit that I used google to get the answer.
 
Newfi Sapper,right on I must admit I cheated a bit on this one I knew it was Borden as I just found my"jump book" but I was not sure of the significance of the name Gorvad.After seeing the name
and rank in print it came back to me,I believe Lt. Col. Gorvad was a US Army(Marine)exchange officer
with the Airborne Regt.who was later killed in Vietnam.Thanks for jogging my memory.
                                              Regards
                 


                             
 
No problem. BTW he was with the US Army.

Ok my question.

What memorial was designed by Canadian sculptor and architect Walter Seymour Allward. He once told friends the form of the design came to him in a dream.

(might be an easy one)
 
Hmmm....
How about... which regiment had it's 1st two stands of colours presented in on conquered soil?
 
In November 1918, after the Armistice, the Regiment marched 82 kilometres to cross the Rhine at the head of the 1st Canadian Division. At Unter Eschbach, Germany, on January 4th, 1919, the first King’s Colour and Regimental Colour were presented to the 14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment) C.E.F.. The RMR was the first regiment of the British Empire to be awarded its Colours on conquered soil after a successful campaign
http://www.royalmontrealregiment.com/ww1.php
 
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