Le Régiment de la Chaudière

The '''Régiment de la Chaudière''' is a [[Primary Reserve]] [[infantry]] [[regiment]] of the [[Canadian Forces]]. ==Insignia== The regimental insignia consists of two crossed machine guns, surmounted by a beaver supporting a fleur-de-lys. Under this is a scroll inscribed with the device ''Aere perennius'' meaning 'Stronger than bronze', with a small maple leaf on each end. ==History== Le Régiment de la Chaudière was formed following the amalgamation of the regiments of "Dorchester et Beauce" and the "Megantic Machine Guns" on 15 December 1936. The regiment mobilized a battalion for the Canadian Active Service Force in 1939. Initially organized as a machine gun battalion, the battalion was sent to [[England]] in August 1941. The unit was assigned to the [[3rd Canadian Infantry Division]] as a standard rifle battalion and was designated as a reserve battalion during the [[D-Day]] landings in June 1944. Le Régiment de la Chaudière came ashore at [[Bernières-sur-Mer]] along with [[The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada]], surprising the locals who hadn't expected to find francophone troops in the liberating forces. It was the only French-Canadian regiment to participate in [[Operation Overlord]], along with the [[Commando Kieffer]]. The regiment participated in the [[Battle for Caen]], suffering several casualties in the fight at Carpiquet airfield on 4 July 1944. [[File:Pierre tombale de Léo Major.jpg|right|thumb|200px|grave of Sgt Léo Major]] With the rest of the division, the regiment fought in the [[Battle of the Scheldt]], notably in actions in the [[Breskens Pocket]] between 6 October and 3 November 1944. The unit wintered in the Nijmegen Salient and was again active in the Rhineland fighting in February 1945, and finished the war on German soil in May. A 2nd Battalion served in the Reserve Army. A 3rd Battalion was raised for the [[Canadian Army Occupation Force]]. ==Name== Citizens in Normandy were surprised to find that soldiers of the Chaudière spoke a dialect of French very close to that spoken in Normandy, but were puzzled by the regiment's name. In French, ''chaudière'' is the word for a [[water heater]] or [[boiler]]. The regiment was named for the [[Chaudière River]], itself named for the "boiling" of a waterfall on the river. ==Régiment de la Chaudière museum== {{infobox Museum |name= Régiment de la Chaudière museum |image= |established= |location= Lévis Armoury, 10 Arsenal Street, Lévis, QC G6V 4P7 [[Canada]] |type = Regimental Museum |director = |curator = |visitors = |website = }} The museum researches, collects, preserves and interprets as many artifacts as possible which illustrate the military life, particularly during the war in Europe, 1944-1945. The museum displays and describes arms, uniforms, equipment and customs of Le Régiment de la Chaudière from its founding and that of its antecedents. ==External links== *[http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/rdechaud/qg-hq/index-eng.aspx Web site of Le Régiment de la Chaudière] *[http://www.members.shaw.ca/junobeach/juno-4-3.htm Juno Beach - Le Régiment de la Chaudière on D-Day] {{Canadian Army Infantry Regiments}} {{Canadian Forces Land Force Command}} {{canada-mil-stub}} {{Commons}} {{coord missing|Canada}}