Royal 22e Régiment

Colonel-in-Chief: Vacant

Badge

Description

A beaver couchant proper on a log Or bearing the motto JE ME SOUVIENS in letters Sable, overall a pellet charged with the 1868 arms of the province of Quebec (Or on a fess Gules between in chief two fleurs-de-lis Azure and in base a sprig of maple leaves Vert, a lion passant guardant Or) within an annulus Gules edged and inscribed REGIMENT CANADIEN FRANCAIS, surmounted at the base by the number 22 Argent and ensigned by the Royal Crown proper.

Symbolism

The beaver represents service to Canada, and the Crown, service to the Sovereign. The shield is the coat of arms granted to the province of Quebec in 1868. The fleurs-de-lis emphasize the French origin of the population, the lion on a red background recalls Quebec's ties to Great Britain and the sprig of three maple leaves is a symbol of Canada. The number "22" and the words "REGIMENT CANADIEN FRANCAIS" represent the 22nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force of the First World War. "JE ME SOUVIENS" is the motto of the regiment and of the province of Quebec.

Motto

JE ME SOUVIENS (I remember)

Marches

Quick March

"Vive la Canadienne"

Slow March

"Marche Lente du Royal 22e Régiment" (also published under the title "La prière en famille")

Alliance

British Army

The Mercian Regiment and The Royal Welsh

Regimental colour

Camp flag

Battle honours

The War of 1812

DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812-1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA; CHÂTEAUGUAY; CRYSLER’S FARM (the latter honour awarded in commemoration of the Canadian Fencible Infantry)

Honorary Distinction

The non-emblazonable honorary distinction DEFENCE OF CANADA – 1812-1815 – DÉFENSE DU CANADA

The First World War

MOUNT SORREL; SOMME, 1916, '18; Flers-Courcelette; Thiepval; Ancre Heights; ARRAS, 1917, '18; Vimy, 1917; Arleux; Scarpe, 1917, '18; HILL 70; YPRES, 1917; Passchendaele; AMIENS; HINDENBURG LINE; Canal du Nord; Cambrai, 1918; PURSUIT TO MONS; FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1915-18.

The Second World War

LANDING IN SICILY; Valguarnera; ADRANO; Catenuova; SICILY, 1943; Landing at Reggio; Potenza; THE SANGRO; Casa Berardi; Torre Mucchio; CASSINO II; Gustav Line; LIRI VALLEY; Hitler Line; GOTHIC LINE; Borgo Santa Maria; LAMONE CROSSING; RIMINI LINE; San Martino-San Lorenzo; San Fortunato; Cesena; ITALY, 1943-1945; Apeldoorn; NORTH-WEST EUROPE, 1945.

United Nations Operations - Korea

KOREA, 1951-1953

South-West Asia

AFGHANISTAN

Lineage

This regiment originates on 4 June 1869 and incorporates both Regular and Reserve Force components.

The Royal 22e Régiment originated in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec on 7 November 1914, when the '22nd (French Canadian) Battalion, CEF' was authorized to be formed.^{Footnote 1} It was redesignated: '22nd (French Canadian) "Overseas" Battalion, CEF' on 7 June 1915;^{Footnote 2} '22nd Regiment' on 1 April 1920.^{Footnote 3} 'Royal 22nd Regiment' on 1 June 1921;^{Footnote 4} and 'Royal 22e Régiment' on 15 June 1928.^{Footnote 5} On 1 September 1954, it was amalgamated with 'Le Régiment de Châteauguay' (see below), retaining the same designation.^{Footnote 6} On 2 February 1956, it was amalgamated with 'Le Régiment de St. Hyacinthe' (see below), retaining the same designation.^{Footnote 7}

Perpetuations

‘7th Battalion, Select Embodied Militia’, ‘Les Chasseurs’, ‘Beauharnois, Beloeil, Boucherville, Chambly, Isle Jésus, St. Denis, St. Hyacinthe, St. Ours, and Verchères Divisions (1812-15)’

Headquarters Location

1st Battalion: Valcartier, Quebec

2nd Battalion: Quebec City, Quebec

3rd Battalion: Valcartier, Quebec

4th Battalion: Laval, Quebec

6th Battalion: Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec

Operational history

Fenian Raids

The 64th Voltigeurs de Beauharnois were called out on active service from 9 to 29 April and from 24 to 31 May 1870. The battalion served on the Huntingdon frontier.^{Footnote 34}

The First World War

Details of the 64th Châteauguay and Beauharnois Regiment were placed on active service on 6 August 1914 for local protective duty.^{Footnote 35}

The 22nd Battalion, which was authorized on 7 November 1914 as the '22nd (French Canadian) Battalion, CEF',^{Footnote 36} embarked for Great Britain on 20 May 1915.^{Footnote 37} It disembarked in France on 15 September 1915, where it fought as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.^{Footnote 38} The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1920.^{Footnote 39}

The Second World War

The Royal 22e Régiment, which was placed on active service on 1 September 1939 under the designation 'Royal 22e Régiment, CASF',^{Footnote 40} embarked for Great Britain on 9 December 1939.^{Footnote 41} The regiment landed in Sicily on 10 July 1943 and in Italy on 3 September 1943 as part of 3rd Brigade, 1st Canadian Infantry Division. On 16 March 1945, the regiment moved with the 1st Canadian Corps to North-West Europe, where it fought until the end of the war.^{Footnote 42} The overseas regiment was disbanded on 1 March 1946.^{Footnote 43}

On 1 June 1945, a second Active Force component of the regiment was mobilized for service in the Pacific theatre of operations, under the designation '1st Canadian Infantry Battalion (Royal 22e Régiment), CASF'.^{Footnote 44} It was redesignated: '2nd Battalion (Royal 22e Régiment), CIC' on 2 September 1945;^{Footnote 45} and 'Royal 22e Régiment, CIC' on 1 March 1946.^{Footnote 46} On 27 June 1946, it was embodied in the Permanent Force.^{Footnote 47}

Details of Le Régiment de Châteauguay (Mitrailleuses) were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939, under the designation 'Le Régiment de Châteauguay (Mitrailleuses), CASF (Details)', for local protection duties.^{Footnote 48} The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.^{Footnote 49}

The regiment subsequently mobilized the '1st Battalion, Le Régiment de Châteauguay (Mitrailleuses), CASF' for active service on 18 March 1942.^{Footnote 50} It was redesignated: '1st Airfield Defence Battalion (Le Régiment de Châteauguay) (Mitrailleuses), CIC, CASF' on 19 July 1943;^{Footnote 51} '1st Airfield Defence Battalion (Le Régiment de Châteauguay), CIC, CASF' on 1 January 1944;^{Footnote 52} and '1st Battalion, Le Régiment de Châteauguay, CIC, CASF' on 1 September 1944.^{Footnote 53} This unit served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 7th Canadian Division, and three companies of this unit served in Newfoundland.^{Footnote 54} On 10 January 1945, it embarked for Great Britain,^{Footnote 55} where it was disbanded on 18 January 1945 to provide reinforcements to the Canadian Army in the field.^{Footnote 56}

Details from Le Régiment de St. Hyacinthe were called out on service on 26 August 1939 and then placed on active service on 1 September 1939, under the designation 'Le Régiment de St. Hyacinthe, CASF (Details)', for local protection duties.^{Footnote 57} The details called out on active service were disbanded on 31 December 1940.^{Footnote 58}

The regiment subsequently mobilized the '1st Battalion, Le Régiment de St. Hyacinthe, CASF' for active service on 3 January 1942.^{Footnote 59} This unit served in Canada in a home defence role as part of Atlantic Command and in Newfoundland from April 1943 to September 1944.^{Footnote 60} The battalion was disbanded on 14 January 1946.^{Footnote 61}

United Nations Operations - Korea

Three battalions of the Royal 22e Régiment served in the Republic of Korea as part of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group, 1st Commonwealth Division. The 2nd Battalion was the first to arrive in Korea (4 May 1951 to 24 April 1952), followed by the 1st Battalion (20 April 1952 to 21 April 1953) then the 3rd Battalion (16 April 1953 to the Armistice on 27 July 1953).^{Footnote 62}

The Gulf War

'C' Company from the 1st Battalion served in Doha, Qatar providing airfield security from 24 December 1990 to the end of March 1991.^{Footnote 63}

South-West Asia

Several Companies from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions served in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014.^{Footnote 64}

From 2002 to 2014, the 4th and 6th Battalion reinforced various CAF units deployed to Afghanistan.^{Footnote 65}