Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
Encyclopedia
Le Régiment de Maisonneuve is a Primary Reserve infantry
regiment
of the Canadian Forces
.
The regiment is Canada's twenty-sixth most senior reserve infantry regiment, and comprises one battalion
serving as part of the Land Force Reserve.
In 1914 the 85th Infantry Regiment recruited volunteers for the Canadian Expeditionary Force
, including the 41st (French-Canadian) Battalion, CEF, and in 1916 for the 206th (Canadien-Français) Battalion, CEF
. These battalions provided reinforcements to units of the Canadian Corps
, primarily the 22nd (French Canadian) Battalion, CEF. Although the 41st did not enter combat as a unit, enough of its former members fought in certain battles that it qualified for battle honours, which Le Régiment de Maisonneuve perpetuates (see #Battle honours below).
In 1920, as part of the Otter
Committee's reforms, the 85th Infantry Regiment was restructured and renamed the Régiment de Maisonneuve, in memory of the founder of Montreal
, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve
.
. The regiment was sent overseas to England
.
The regiment was not selected to participate in the Dieppe Raid
. The battalion landed in France on 6 July 1944 and fought throughout the Battle of Normandy
with the 5th Brigade. It suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of the Scheldt
, and was notably depleted by the time of the Battle of Walcheren Causeway
. The unit recovered during the winter and was again in action during the Rhineland fighting and the final weeks of the war, taking part in the final campaigns in northern Netherlands, the Battle of Groningen
, and the final attacks on German soil.
The unit returned to Canada in late 1945.
.
In 1962 the city of Montreal accorded the regiment Freedom of the City
as well as the right to bear the coat of arms of Montreal
on its regimental colour.
The unit celebrated its centennial in 1980 and published a history. In 1983, the unit moved from District Number 1 to District Number 2 in Quebec. On 1 September 1991, the regiment transferred to the new district Number 1.
1994: The regiment was affiliated in July to , a new frigate of the Canadian Navy.
1997: The regiment was consolidated under the restructuring of 34 Canadian Brigade Group
.
World War II
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
.
The regiment is Canada's twenty-sixth most senior reserve infantry regiment, and comprises one battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
serving as part of the Land Force Reserve.
History
The regiment was founded in 1880 by Lieutenant-Colonel Julien Brosseau, VD, as the 85th Infantry Battalion. In 1900, the unit was redesignated the 85th Infantry Regiment.In 1914 the 85th Infantry Regiment recruited volunteers for the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
, including the 41st (French-Canadian) Battalion, CEF, and in 1916 for the 206th (Canadien-Français) Battalion, CEF
206th (Canadien-Français) Battalion, CEF
The 206th Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War.Based in Montreal, Quebec, the unit began recruiting during the winter of 1915/16 in the counties of Beauharnois, La Prairie, and Terrebonne....
. These battalions provided reinforcements to units of the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
, primarily the 22nd (French Canadian) Battalion, CEF. Although the 41st did not enter combat as a unit, enough of its former members fought in certain battles that it qualified for battle honours, which Le Régiment de Maisonneuve perpetuates (see #Battle honours below).
In 1920, as part of the Otter
William Dillon Otter
General Sir William Dillon Otter KCB, CVO, VD was a professional Canadian soldier who became the first Canadian-born Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Army.-Military career:...
Committee's reforms, the 85th Infantry Regiment was restructured and renamed the Régiment de Maisonneuve, in memory of the founder of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve
Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve
Paul de Chomedey, sieur de Maisonneuve was a French military officer and the founder of Montreal.- Early career :...
.
Second World War
In 1939, the regiment was mobilized as part of the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division2nd Canadian Infantry Division
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the First Canadian Army, mobilized on 1 September 1939 at the outset of the Second World War. It was initially composed of volunteers within brigades established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of...
. The regiment was sent overseas to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The regiment was not selected to participate in the Dieppe Raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
. The battalion landed in France on 6 July 1944 and fought throughout the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
with the 5th Brigade. It suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of the Scheldt
Battle of the Scheldt
The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
, and was notably depleted by the time of the Battle of Walcheren Causeway
Battle of Walcheren Causeway
The Battle of Walcheren Causeway was an engagement of the Battle of the Scheldt between the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, elements of the British 52nd Infantry Division, notably the Glasgow Highlanders, and troops of the German 15th Army in 1944...
. The unit recovered during the winter and was again in action during the Rhineland fighting and the final weeks of the war, taking part in the final campaigns in northern Netherlands, the Battle of Groningen
Battle of Groningen
The Battle of Groningen took place during the final month of the Second World War, from April 13 to 16, 1945, in the city of Groningen between a mixture of German soldiers, Dutch and Belgian SS troops numbering 7,000 against the entire 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, though the whole division was...
, and the final attacks on German soil.
The unit returned to Canada in late 1945.
Postwar
In 1940 the regiment formed an alliance with The King's Shropshire Light InfantryThe King's Shropshire Light Infantry
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army, formed in 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. The KSLI was amalgamated with three other county light infantry regiments in 1968 to became part of The Light Infantry...
.
In 1962 the city of Montreal accorded the regiment Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
as well as the right to bear the coat of arms of Montreal
Coat of arms of Montreal
The first coat of arms of Montreal was designed by Jacques Viger, the city's first mayor, and adopted in 1833 by the city councillors. Modifications were made some one hundred five years later and adopted on 21 March 1938, resulting in the version currently in use...
on its regimental colour.
The unit celebrated its centennial in 1980 and published a history. In 1983, the unit moved from District Number 1 to District Number 2 in Quebec. On 1 September 1991, the regiment transferred to the new district Number 1.
1994: The regiment was affiliated in July to , a new frigate of the Canadian Navy.
1997: The regiment was consolidated under the restructuring of 34 Canadian Brigade Group
34 Canadian Brigade Group
34 Canadian Brigade Group is part of Land Force Quebec Area, under Land Force Command of the Canadian Forces. It is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec.-Brigade Units:...
.
Battle honours
Great War- Mount Sorrel
- Côte 70
- Somme, 1916
- Ypres, 1917
- Arras, 1917
- Amiens
World War II
- These battles require translation to their anglophone equivalents.
- Crête de Bourguebus
- Woensdrect
- Faubourg De Vaucelles
- Beveland sud MaltotBattle of the ScheldtThe Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
- Chaussée de WalcherenBattle of Walcheren CausewayThe Battle of Walcheren Causeway was an engagement of the Battle of the Scheldt between the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, elements of the British 52nd Infantry Division, notably the Glasgow Highlanders, and troops of the German 15th Army in 1944...
- Crête de Verrières
- Tilly-la-Campagne
- La Rhenanie
- Le Reichswald
- Falaise
- Le Hochwald
- Route de la Falaise
- Xanten
- Forêt De La Londe
- GroningenBattle of GroningenThe Battle of Groningen took place during the final month of the Second World War, from April 13 to 16, 1945, in the city of Groningen between a mixture of German soldiers, Dutch and Belgian SS troops numbering 7,000 against the entire 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, though the whole division was...
- Dunkerque, 1944
- Oldenburg
- Anvers
- Canal De Turnhout
- Nord-Ouest de l'Europe 1944-1945
- L'Escaut
Alliances
: The RiflesThe Rifles
The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
Maritime CommandCanadian Forces Maritime CommandThe Royal Canadian Navy , is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Forces. Operating 33 warships and several auxiliary vessels, the Royal Canadian Navy consists of 8,500 Regular Force and 5,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by...
: HMCS MontréalHMCS Montréal (FFH 336)HMCS Montréal is a that has served in the Canadian Forces since 1993.Montréal is the seventh ship in her class which is based on the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project. She is the second vessel to carry the designation ....