Hello, I am seeking information related to French-speaking Canadian soldiers who served in Europe during WW2. My grandfather was a francaphone line officer in the Regiment De Maisoneueve, 5th Brigade, 2nd Canadian Army and I have found information on french speaking units to be extremely limited. Les Fusilers De Montreal and Le Regiment De Chaudiere all performed central roles in NW Europe while the 22nd fought in Italy. The experience of this war had a tremendous effect on the society of Quebec, which was heavily restricted by an overbearing catholic church. In the greater confines of the British Military structure, French speaking troops varied from their english counterparts by working together in order to prove themselves rather than to blindly follow orders. If anyone could help point me in in the direction of any regimental histories or sources on francophone troops, I'd be grateful. I have been able to find many of the english speaking regiments from the 5th Brigade, 2nd Canadian Army as well as that of the Chaudiere. It is my intention to collect information and write about these French speaking soldiers given their ultimate sacrifices and their poor representation in contemporary history. When these veterans returned to Canada, they initiated a velvet-revolution that brought Quebec and the rest of Canada into modernity. Cheers!
Welcome Looks as if you hve started a very interesting project I am one of a small group of amateur military history enthusiasts researching and recording the transition of the 21st Army Group into the British Army of the Rhine.in Summer 1945 post VE Day. This includes the significant contribution made by the Canadian 2nd Corps which included the three Militia Regiments you mention. According to my researches there was a fourth Francophone Militia Infantry Regiment who deployed to Europe in Spring 1944, Regiment de Hull, but they did not fight as an entity but were used to reinforce other Canadian Infantry Regiments (not necessarily Francophone?) Am I correct in thinking that only Infantry Francophone units existed and Armoured and Gunner Regiments recruited in the Province of Quebec were required to use English not French when communicating with other units? I have seen the War Diaries for 7 Reconnaissance Regiment (the Montreal based 17 Duke of York's Canadian Hussars which were written in English (other potential Francophone Regiments were the 12th Armoured Regiment (Three Rivers Regiment) and the 27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbroke Fusiliers). Incidentally The War Diaries for "Les Chauds" are in French. The Department of Defense in Ottawa has digitized many of the WW2 War Diaries, there are a number of Canada based contributors to this site. Hopefully one of them will be able to brief you how to access them direct via the internet when they next drop in
The issue of Francophone Canadian units during World War II is fairly complex, though the majority of these units served in Canada/Newfoundland. There were Francophone units in all branches of the Army so you should not limit yourself just to the infantry regiments. The Canadian Army pre-war and throughout the war was based on Military Districts. There were a total of eleven districts: Military District No. 1 - Based on London, Ontario Military District No. 2 - Based on Toronto, Ontario Military District No. 3 - Based on Kingston, Ontario Military District No. 4 - Based on Montreal, PQ Military District No. 5 - Based on Quebec, PQ Military District No. 6 - Based on Halifax, Nova Scotia (and including Prince Edward Island) Military District No. 7 - Based on Saint John, New Brunswick Military District No. 10 - Based on Winnipeg, Manitoba (and including parts of Northern Ontario) Military District No. 11 - Based on Vancouver, British Columbia Military District No. 12 - Based on Regina, Saskatchewan Military District No. 13 - Based on Calgary, Alberta Any Francophone units would have been mobilized and recruited within Military Districts Nos. 4 and 5, through the original Non-Permanent Active Militia Units that existed in these two districts pre-war. Though in both Districts, the were Anglophone units as well. A prime example of this is the pre-war Cavalry Regiments in MD Nos. 4 and 5. They were as follows: Military District No. 4 3rd Cavalry Brigade: HQ Montreal 6th Duke of Connaught’s Royal Canadian Hussars (Armoured Cars): Montreal 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars: Montreal Military District No. 5 7th/11th Hussars: Bury HQ Squadron: Cookshire A Squadron: Danville B Squadron: Richmond C Squadron: Bishopton In both cases these three Regiments were Anglophone, though I imagine that a fair number of bilingual troops were included. The 17th DOY RCH later became the 7th Reconnaissance Regiment and gained fame serving with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in Northwest Europe. The other two Cavalry regiments were converted to Headquarters Squadrons within the 1st Canadian Armoured Division. The 6th DCO L became the 1st Canadian Armoured Division HQ Squadron through 1 January 1943, when the title was no longer used. Similarly the 7th/11th H became 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade HQ Squadron through 1 January 1943, when the title was dropped. I will add more on the Canadian Infantry Regiments that were Francophone shortly.
From the Canadian War Museum: Francophone Units http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/newspapers/canadawar/francophone_e.shtml with some interesting articles from Le Devoir.
Here is a list of Canadian Army Infantry/Tank Regiment mobilized during the course of WWII. The great majority of these served at home and Newfoundland although the Regiment de Hull served during the Kiska Campaign in the Aleutian Islands. The Royal 22e Regiment was a pre-war Permanent Force unit and the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment was war-raised from both the Sherbrooke Regiment (Anglophone) and Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke (Francophone). The intention was that it was to be 50/50 speaking. All of the others were previous Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) which were mobilized as part of the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF), later the Canadian Army (Active). It cannot be forgotten that the NPAM units also has equivalent units in the Reserve Army as well. Here is the list. I will post more details in the future. Les Voltigeurs de Québec Le Régiment de Montmagny Le Régiment de Québec (Mitrailleuses) Le Régiment de la Chaudière (Mitrailleuses) Le Régiment de Châteauguay Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal 3rd Battalion, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Le Régiment de Joliette Le Régiment de St. Hyacinthe The Three Rivers Regiment (Tank) Le Régiment de Maisonneuve 3rd Battalion, Le Régiment de Maisonneuve Fusiliers du St. Laurent Le Régiment de Lévis Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke Le Régiment de Hull The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment
Here is a summary of the first half of the the Francophone Battalions in the Canadian Army in WWII. You can see that their service was quite diverse and contributed greatly to the defence of Canada both at home and overseas. I will complete the other half shortly and then try to address other branches, particularly RCA and RCE units. Royal 22é Régiment Mobilized in Quebec, PQ 1/9/39 Sailed for UK 10/12/39 on SS Aquitania Served in England, Sicily, Italy & NW Europe in 3rd Infantry Brigade Les Voltigeurs de Québec Mobilized in Quebec, PQ on 20/5/41 Served under 15th Cdn Inf Bde at Camp Valcartier 10/41-2/42 To Camp Borden 2/42 and joined 11th Cdn Inf Bde as 24th Army Tk Bn To Niagara Area on VP duty under 14th Cdn Inf Bde 3/42-6/42 11/6/42 - Retitled as 24th Reece Bn Ret to Camp Borden 6/42-1/43 16/1/43 - Retitled 1st Bn, Les Voltigeurs de Quebec To Sussex, NB 1/43 and under 17th Cdn Inf Bde until 5/43 To Camp Aldershot, NS 5/43-7/43 Sailed for UK on Queen Elizabeth 23/7/43 Disbanded in the UK on 1/11/43 Le Régiment de Montmagny Mobilized at Camp Valcartier, PQ 12/5/42 under 15th Cdn Inf Bde Served with 15th Cdn Inf Bde 5/42-9/43 Moved to Camp Debert, NS in 8/42 Served at Rimouski, PQ 10/43-1/44 Served under St. John’s Defences in Newfoundland 1/44-5/44 At Camp Debert, NS 5/44-7/44 Sailed for UK on Nieuw Amsterdam 21/7/44 Disbanded in UK 15/9/44 Le Régiment de Québec (Mitrailleuses) Mobilized in Quebec, PQ on 5/5/42 without M-G title Joined 15th Cdn Inf Bde at Camp Valcartier 7/42 Served under 15th Cdn Inf Bde 7/42-8/8/43 Moved to Camp Debert, NS in 8/42 Served under Halifax Fortress 8/43-6/44 Located at Camp Sussex, NB 6/44-9/44 Served under St. John’s Defences in Newfoundland 9/443/45 Located at Camp Valcartier, PQ 3/45-8/45 Le Régiment de la Chaudière (Mitrailleuses) Mobilized at Saint Claire, PQ 1/9/39 Moved to Lake Megantic 2/9/39 Moved to the Citadelle, Quebec, PQ 1/40 Moved to Camp Valcartier, PQ 2/40 Dropped M-G from title 24/5/40 on conversion to an infantry bn Moved to Camp Sussex, NB 9/40 Joined 8th Cdn Inf Bde at Camp Sussex 10/40 Sailed for UK 21/7/41 on Strathmore. Served under 8th Cdn Inf Bde in the UK and NW Europe Le Régiment de Châteauguay Mobilized 18/4/42 at Montreal, PQ Moved to Farnham Camp, PQ 5/42 Moved to Saint Johns, PQ 6/42 Moved to Three Rivers, PQ 9/42 Moved to Saint John, NB under Saint John Defences 1/43 Moved to Camp Aldershot, NS 8/43 Reorganized as 1st Airfield Defence Battalion 6/8/43 with Nos. 1 to 6 Coys No. 1 Coy served at Halifax No. 2 Coy served at Shelburne, NS and Goose Bay, Labrador No. 3 Coy served at Arvida, PQ, Sussex, NB, Gaspé, PQ and Sydney/Mulgrave, NS No. 4 Coy served at Goose Bay, Labrador, Shelburne, NS and Saint John, NB No. 5 Coy served at Gander, Newfoundland and Bedford, NS No. 6 Coy served at Torbay/St. John’s, Newfoundland, Bedford, NS and Sydney, NS Moved to Halifax under Halifax Fortress 10/43 Reconverted to 1st Bn, Le Regiment de Chateauguay, CIC 1/9/44 Moved to Sorel, PQ 12/44 Sailed for UK on 11/1/45 on the Mauritania. Disbanded in the UK on 18/1/45 Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Mobilized 1/9/39 at Montreal, PQ Moved to Camp Valcartier, PQ in 5/50 Joined 5th Cdn Inf Bde at Camp Valcartier in 6/40 Sailed for Iceland 1/7/40 on the Empress of Australia Left Iceland for the UK on 31/10/40 Joined 6th Cdn Inf Bde in UK in 11/40 Served in the UK, Dieppe, and NW Europe with 6th Cdn Inf Bde 3rd Battalion, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal Mobilized at Westmount, PQ 2/6/42 Moved to Farnham Camp, PQ 8/42 Moved to Camp Valcartier, PQ 9/42 Joined 21st Cdn Inf Bde at Camp Valcartier, PQ in 1/43 Moved to Camp Debert, NS and join 15th Cdn Inf Bde in 8/43 Disbanded at Camp Debert, NS on 15/10/43 Le Régiment de Joliette Mobilized 26/1/42 at Joliette, PQ Moved to Westmount, PQ in 2/42 Moved to Camp Sussex, NB in 4/42 and attached to 4th Arm Div Support Gp Moved to Sydney, NS under Sydney Fortress in 6/42 Moved briefly to Camp Debert, NS in 1/43 and 20th Cdn Inf Bde Moved to Botwood, Newfoundland in 1/43 under Botwood Defences Moved to St. John’s, Newfoundland in 10/43 under St. John’s Defences Moved to Rimouski, PQ in 2/44 Moved to Sydney, NS in 5/44 under the Defended Port of Sydney Moved to Simcoe, Ont in 8/44 for farm duty Moved to Camp Valcartier, PQ in 11/44 Sailed for the UK on 11/1/45 on the Mauritania Disbanded in the UK 19/1/45
Here are summaries of the rest of the Francophone Infantry units: Le Régiment de St. Hyacinthe Mobilized 5/2/42 at Sherbrooke, PQ To Camp Sussex, NB 4/42 and attached to 4th Arm Div Support Gp To Saint John, NB 6/42 under Saint John Defences To St. John’s, Newfoundland 4/43 under St. John’s Defences To Botwood, Newfoundland 10/43 under Botwood Defences To St. John’s, Newfoundland 5/44 under Defended Port of St. John’s To Camp Sussex, NB 9/44 To Bedford, NS 12/44 with Companies located at Bedford, NS; Dartmouth, NS; Sydney, NS; and Mulgrave, NS. To Camp Valcartier, PQ in 6/45 The Three Rivers Regiment (Tank) Mobilized at Three Rivers, PQ 1/9/39 To Wesmount, PQ in 3/40 To Three Rivers, PQ in 6/40 To Camp Borden, Ont in 8/40 under CAFVTC Joined 1st Cdn Arm Bde 10/40 Joined 1st Cdn Army Tk Bde 2/41 Retitled as 12th Army Tank Battalion 27/2/41 Sailed for UK 21/6/41 on the Windsor Castle Served under 1st Cdn Army Tk Bde in the UK, Sicily, Italy and NW Europe 1st Cdn Army Tk Bde became 1st Cdn Arm Bde on 26/8/43 Le Régiment de Maisonneuve Mobilized 1/9/39 at Montreal, PQ To Camp Valcartier 5/40 Joined 5th Cdn Inf Bde at Camp Valcartier 6/40 Sailed for UK on 27/8/40 on Oronsay Served in the UK and NW Europe under 5th Cdn Inf Bde 3rd Battalion, Le Régiment de Maisonneuve Mobilized 1/7/42 at Montreal, PQ Moved to St. Jerome, PQ in 9/42 Moved to Camp Valcartier, PQ in 11/42 Joined 21st Cdn Inf Bde at Camp Valcartier, PQ in 1/43 Disbanded at Camp Valcartier 15/10/43 Fusiliers du St. Laurent Mobilized 5/1/42 at Rimouski, PQ To Camp Valcartier, PQ in 2/42 To Camp Sussex, NB 8/42 and joined 17th Cdn Inf Bde To Mulgrave, NS 9/42 under Sydney and Canso Defences To Vernon, BC in 7/43 and joined 20th Cdn Inf Bde To Port Alberni, BC on 30/7/43 with 20th Cdn Inf Bde To Patricia Bay, BC 8/43 and joined 18th Cdn Inf Bde To Camp Wainwright, Alberta with 18th Cdn Inf Bde in 9/43 To Prince George, BC in 10/43 and joined 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Camp Nanaimo, BC in 1/44 with 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Port Alberni, BC in 3/44 with 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Courtenay, BC at S-16 Combined Operations Center under 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Camp Nanaimo, BC in 6/44 under 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Camp Wainwright, Alberta in 8/44 under 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Terrace, BC in 10/44 under 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Camp Valcartier, PQ in 12/44 Sailed for the UK on 11/1/45 on the Mauretania Disbanded 18/1/45 in the UK Le Régiment de Lévis Mobilized 8/6/42 at Levis, PQ Moved to Camp St. Bruno, PQ 7/42 Moved to Camp Valcartier, PQ 9/42 Joined 21st Cdn Inf Bde 1/43 at Camp Valcartier Moved to Rimouski, PQ 8/43 Returned to Camp Valcartier and 21st Cdn Inf Bde 10/43 Disbanded at Camp Valcartier 15/10/43 Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke Mobilized at Sherbrooke, PQ 1/5/42 Moved to Farnham Camp, PQ 7/42 Moved to Camp Debert, NS 8/42 and joined 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Camp Nanaimo, BC 10/43 and joined 14th Cdn Inf Bde To Courtenay, BC (S-16 Combined Operations School) 10/43 under Brigade Returned to Camp Nanaimo, BC and the Brigade in 11/43 To Terrace, BC with the Brigade in 1/44 To Prince George with the Brigade in 5/44 To Camp Wainwright, Alberta with the Brigade in 6/44 To Camp Nanaimo, BC with the Brigade in 844 To Courtenay, BC (S-16) under the Brigade in 10/44 To Port Alberni, BC in 10/44 under the Brigade To Tofino, BC in 11/44 with the Brigade To Joliette, PQ in 12/44 Sailed for the UK on 11/1/45 on the Mauretania Disbanded 18/1/45 in the UK Le Régiment de Hull Mobilized at Hull, PQ 27/8/41 Served at Hull under Ottawa Area Command until 12/41 To Camp Valcartier, PQ 12/41 and joined 15th Cdn Inf Bde To Camp Nanaimo, BC 4/42 and joined 13th Cdn Inf Bde To Esquimalt, BC 9/42 and came under Victoria and Esquimalt Fortress Did a stint a S-16 Combined Operations School at Courtenay, BC 2/43-3/43 then back to Esquimalt To Camp Nanaimo, BC 6/43 and re-joined 13th Cdn Inf Bde Left for Kiska, Aleutians 7/43 with the Brigade Served at Kiska 8/43 to 1/44 with the Brigade To Vernon, BC 1/44 with the Brigade To Longueil, PQ 5/44 Sailed for UK with the Brigade 26/5/44 on the Empress of Scotland Served with the Brigade in the UK until 1 November 1944 Converted to 4th Canadian Infantry Training Battalion under 13th Training Brigade on 1/11/44 The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment Raised at Sherbrooke, PQ 28/7/40 as a war-raised unit from the Sherbrooke Regiment and Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke To be formed as a 20% Francophone and 80% Anglophone Battalion To Farnham Camp 6/41 To St. John’s, PQ 6/41 To Mount St. Bruno Camp 6/41 To Connaught Ranges, Ontario 7/41 To St. John’s, Newfoundland under St. John’s Defences 8/41 Retitled 27th Armoured Regiment 12/2/42 To Camp Debert 2/42 and joined 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade Left behind at Camp Debert 8/42 when the Brigade went overseas under Rear HQ 4th Armd Div Came under 7th Cdn Inf Div 9/42 at Camp Debert Sailed for the UK 30/10/42 on the Queen Elizabeth Served in the UK under 4th Cdn Armd Bde 11/42-12/42 Served in the UK under 3rd Cdn Army Tk Bde 1/43-8/43 Served under 2nd Cdn Arm Bde from 8/43 in the UK and NW Europe
I took a look at Francophone units of the Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE). I only have a limited number of War Diaries for these units so I rely on the RCE official history. There are only about 10 RCE companies that were mobilized in Quebec and as far as I can tell there is only one that was a Francophone unit. Here is the full list: 4th Field Company, RCE - Mobilized 1/9/39 in Montreal 15th Field Company, RCE - Mobilized 29/7/41 in Thetford Mines 16th Field Company, RCE - Mobilized 2/7/40 in Montreal 19th Field Company, RCE - Mobilized 15/5/41 in Sorel 27th Field Company, RCE - Mobilized 21/5/42 in Noranda 7th Field Park Company, RCE - Mobilized 17/4/42 in Montreal 5th Army Troops Company, RCE - Mobilized 1/9/39 in Montreal No. 1 Engineer Base Workshop, RCE - Mobilized 1/9/39 in Lachine No. 1 Road Construction Company, RCE - Mobilized 1/9/39 in Victoriaville No. 1 Quarrying Company, RCE - Mobilized 1/9/39 in Thetford The only company that I can ascertain was Francophone was the 19th Field Company. It provided the base for and was absorbed by the 3rd Battalion, RCE on 26/1/42. The Company moved from Sorel to Camp Petawawa, Ont in 8/41 and formed part of the 4th Divisional Engineers, RCE until its conversion. The 3rd Battalion, RCE sailed on the Banfora for the UK on 26/5/42. It served in the UK under HQ RCE 1st Canadian Corps Troops and served in NW Europe from 8/44. I believe that the rest of the units were primarily Anglophone units with some Francophone members. It is interesting that the RCE history does not address this issue.
Some information on Royal Canadian Artillery Units with francophone connections: 59th and 105 Coastal Batteries reported as francophone 82nd (Gaspe) A/T Battery which was part of the 4th A/T Regiment RCA The largest francophone RCA artillery unit that served overseas was the 4th Medium Regiment (part of 2 Cdn AGRA) in NW Europe. There is a history of the unit which can be found in some libraries (Toronto Public Library system has a copy Par la bouche de nos canons : histoire du 4e Régiment d'artillerie moyenne, 4th Cdn Medium Regt, RCA, 1941-1945): Par la bouche de nos canons : histoire du 4e Régiment d'artillerie moyenne/ 4th Cdn Medium Regt RCA/ 1941-1945 by Jacques Gouin The everyday language of much of the unit was French while the administration and interunit communication was done in English.
Orwell1984: I will have more details on the RCA soon. Just let it be said, that quite a few Francophone artillery units served in Canada during the war including a Field Regiment and Anti-Aircraft Regiment. There were also numerous independent AA Batteries particularly in locations like Quebec City, Arvida and Gaspé.
I will start with the Coast Artillery. There were two Francophone Coast Artillery Batteries during the war, as mentioned above, both serving at home. Here are some details on the 59th and 105th Heavy Batteries, RCA: 59th Heavy Battery, RCA Details were called out at Lauzon, PQ on 26/8/39 and mobilized as CASF on 1/9/39 at Fort Martiniere to man 2 7.5” guns Moved to Halifax in 1/40 to train at Fort McNab Returned to Lauzon, PQ in 3/40 to man the two 7.5” guns and two 18-pdr examination guns at Fort St. Jean. (The 18-pdrs were taken over from the 94th Field Battery, RCA) No longer Details from 1/1/41 Rename 59th Coast Battery, RCA on 1/6/42 Put in maintenance in 10/43 and Battery moved to Fort St. Jean and only manned the examination guns From 1/44 to 3/44 a detachment manned two 18-pdrs at Louisbourg Fort Battery ceased operations in 12/44 and moved to the Citadel, Quebec, PQ until disbanded in 2/45 105th Heavy Battery, RCA ‘B’ Troop (4.7”guns) began to form at Quebec, PQ on 5/5/41 ‘C’ Troop (75mm guns) began to form at Bedford, NS along with No. 3 Section, ‘D’ (Searchlight) Troop on 2/6/41 ‘B’ Troop arrived at Fort Peninsula from Quebec City and Halifax on 28/5/41 Two 75mm guns arrived for ‘C’ Troop at Gaspé and one 10” guns for ‘A’ Troop ‘A’ Troop (10” guns) began to form at Bedford, NS on 2/7/41 Two dispersed beam S/Ls arrived at Fort Peninsula for ‘D’ Troop 11/7/41 ‘C’ Troop moved from Fort Prevel to Fort Haldimand 27/7/41 Renamed 105th Coast Battery, RCA 1/6/42 Coast guns (75mm and 10”) and went into maintenance 10/43 Battery moved to Anti-Aircraft Site in Gaspé from Fort Prevel in 12/43 Battery moved to Fort Peninsula in 4/44 Battery cease is operational role in 10/44 and moved to AITC A-13 at Camp Valcartier, PQ Battery disbanded 15/8/45
There were two Anti-Tank Batteries that were Francophone. One started out as a CASF Details Field Battery but was mobilized as an Anti-Tank Battery. 82nd Anti-Tank Battery, RCA Mobilized at Gaspé, PQ on 26/7/40 Moved to Citadel Station, Quebec, PQ in 6/40 Moved to the Immigration Building Barracks, Quebec, PQ in 8/40 Moved to Camp Petawawa, Ontario in 11/40 and joined 4th Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA Retitled 82nd (Gaspé) Anti-Tank Battery, RCA on 1/4/41 Sailed on the Aorangi for the UK on 9/10/41. Battery and Regiment served with 5th Cdn Armd Div in UK, Italy and NW Europe 94th Field Battery, RCA Details called out at Quebec Drill Hall, Quebec, PQ on 26/8/43 and details moved to St. Vallier, PQ Details manned two 18-pounders in a Examination Battery at St. Vallier, PQ Details made CASF on 1/9/39 Details moved to Cove Field Barracks, Quebec, PQ in 12/39 Details moved to Quebec Drill Hall, Quebec, PQ in 3/40 Details moved to St. Jean d’Orleans, PQ in 4/40 to man two 18-pounders in an Examination Battery Mobilized as 94th Anti-Tank Battery, RCA on 24/5/40 and began recruiting at Quebec Drill Hall on 28/5/40 Moved to Immigration Building, Quebec, PQ in 6/40 (50% of Battery only rest remained at St. Jean d’Orleans) Whole Battery moved to Cove Field Barracks in 12/40 Moved to Immigration Building, Quebec in 1/41 Moved to Camp Debert, NS in 2/41 and joined 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA Did gunnery practice in 6/41 at Camp Tracadie, NB then returned to Camp Debert Sailed for UK on Andes on 9/10/41 Battery and Regiment served under 3rd Cdn Inf Div in UK and NW Europe
There were three Medium Batteries and one Medium Regiment that were Francophone. Actually the 57th Medium Battery went through a number of transitions from Medium to Heavy AA then Light AA. The 50th and 58th Medium Batteries started out as Field Batteries but were shortly changed to Medium Batteries and formed part of the 4th Medium Regiment, RCA. 57th Medium Battery, RCA Mobilized at Lévis, PQ on 1/9/39 Moved to Camp Petawawa, Ontario in 5/40 and came u/c 2nd Medium Regiment, RCA Combined with 1st Medium Battery, RCA as 1st/57th Medium Battery, RCA still under 2nd Medium Regiment 9/6/40 1st/57th Medium Battery reorganized as 1st Medium Battery, RCA and 57th Light AA Battery, RCA 24/5/41 Redesigned 57th Heavy AA Battery, RCA 11/6/41 and u/c 2nd Heavy AA Regiment, RCA 57th Heavy AA Battery, RCA renamed 1st Heavy AA Battery, RCA 21/6/41 and on the same date a new 57th Light AA Battery, RCA formed from the French-Canadian personnel of 1st/57th Medium Battery, RCA 57th Light AA Battery came u/c 7th Light AA Regiment, RCA at a Camp Petawawa Sailed for UK on Durban Castle on 13/11/41 Battery and Regiment served under 1st Cdn AA Brigade in UK in 1941 Served in Northern Ireland from 12/41-5/42 when it returned to UK Regiment and Battery disbanded in UK 1/3/44 50th Field Battery, RCA Mobilized at Montreal, PQ in 10/41 Moved to Camp Petawawa, Ontario in 1/42 Converted to 50th Medium Battery, RCA on 26/1/42 Came u/c 4th Medium Regiment, RCA at Camp Petawawa on 11/3/42 Sailed for UK on Capetown Castle on 9/8/42 Battery and Regiment served u/c 2nd Cdn AGRA in UK and NW Europe. 58th Field Battery, RCA Mobilized at Lévis, PQ in 10/41 Moved to Camp Petawawa, Ontario in 1/42 Converted to 58th Medium Battery, RCA on 26/1/42 Came u/c 4th Medium Regiment, RCA at Camp Petawawa on 11/3/42 Sailed for UK on Capetown Castle on 9/8/42 Battery and Regiment served u/c 2nd Cdn AGRA in UK and NW Europe. 4th Medium Regiment, RCA HQ organized at Camp Petawawa, Ontario 11/3/42 with 50th and 58th Medium Batteries See above
