Quebec in the Great War.

[59165]

Evening all.

Looking at Ed's thread on the fire the other day in Quebec got me thinking,which is always a bad thing but,at the outbreak of the war,& later when troops were coming over from Canada in droves,did the 1st volunteers from Quebec go direct to Europe ,having in mind joining the French Army or were there Quebec regiments that went over with the 1st lot of the CEF?

I cant find anything much from google.fr & the usual sites I visit,dont say much at all.

I must add that I didn't do a Canadian Google search in French or English as I have learned that this road leads to insanity.

Michael,Ed?

Whatever you can add,please

Dave.

[koyli]

Hi Dave,

First all- French speaking regiment to reach the Western Front (Sept 1915) was the 22nd battalion. Out of a total of 1178 members there were 1078 French canadians.

Regards

KOYLI

[59165]

Hello,Mate!

Been a while.

Thanks for the info,I've been doing some research on Dury,Dury Mill & Upton wood cemeteries & the odd French name has popped up but I couldn't tie them into a specific btn.I think if 22nd were the 1st across to France & the Dury region is mainly 1917ish,that is probably why the 22nd hasn't stuck out.

Please say another big 'thankyou' to the guys at the Police house for me.

Dave.

[koyli]

No problem Dave,

Hope the family is keeping wel.

Regards

KOYLI

[Broznitsky]

The only French-speaking battalion to reach France was the 22nd. Another 13 battalions recruited in Canada, some reached England. All fed the 22nd.

French-speakers were also found in many other Québec-based English-speaking battalions, as well as other non-Québec battalions.

"It is impossible to authenticate the various "statistics" concerning French-Canadian enlistments that were bandied about in the press and on the public platform during this period and since. In official military records all Canadian-born were treated alike as "Canadian". When attesting a man on enlistment into the Canadian Expeditionary Force no attempt was made to establish his nationality beyond recording the country of his birth. The only question on the Attestation Form bearing directly on this point read: "In what town, township or parish and in what country were you born?" Thus when Sir Robert Borden gave the House of Commons figures "furnished to me by the Department of Militia and Defence", showing that up to 31 March 1918 there had been despatched overseas, 147,505 Canadians born "of British descent", and 16,268 Canadian-born "of French descent", the accuracy of his information must be questioned. (Nicholson, Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919, 1964:317)"

[59165]

Cheers Broz,

I doubt if anyone could varify those numbers,ever but...you never know.

Would you happen to know of any Québecois who went direct to 'The Motherland' to join up?

I've done a lot of searching on 'Gazette' for French DCM & MM's to Poilu's working as interpreters & I'm trying to do the reverse.Commonwealth troops who worked for the French Army doing the same job.

Its a nightmare....

Dave.

[Broznitsky]

Would you happen to know of any Québecois who went direct to 'The Motherland' to join up?

A long time ago on this forum I remember the question; I think the answer then was a few hundred, probably much less than one thousand. No hard facts or statistics.

Many Québecois had believed for generations that the Motherland had deserted them (back to Montcalm and Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham); so they did not feel a pull to help like the British did for the Queen.

[jhill]

..snip...

Would you happen to know of any Québecois who went direct to 'The Motherland' to join up?

...snip...

There was not much incentive for Canadians of French origin to try to go to France. The relationship with the "old country" was nowhere near the same as that between Canadians of British origin and the UK. (Besides, no one had enough money to buy passage on a steamer!). The adventurous or patriotic types would join up through the Canadian service, regardless of how difficult that was for French speakers.

However, Canada was, and is, a immigrant society. There was a reasonable number of French born men newly in the country. Like their British counterpart, they were anxious to join up, and, as reservists, the French government paid their passage. This is a clip from La Patrie of 4th August, 1914, announcing the departure of the first group of French reservists from Montreal.

There were many other French born men who joined the Canadian service, just like any other Canadians. Perhaps the most famous was Raymond Brutinel, who eventually became a Brigadier General.

[ejcmartin]

I recall reading an article about Quebecois joining the French Army in ``The Beaver Magazine``, but I think it was during the Franco-Prussian War. I don`t normally keep my copies so I can`t confirm.

I cannot speak for them, but I believe JHill is right, the Quebecois saw themselves as Canadiens or Quebecois not French For many it was a European War they wanted nothing to do with.

That being said the Vandoos (22nd) served with distinction and still do to this day, serving presently in Afghanistan.

[Michael Johnson]

Among those immigrants was my grandfather. It was made quite clear that failure to report on general mobilization would be treated as desertion, and the next time you were on French soil you would be shot. Ironically by 1915 the Canadian Government was pleading with the French to send him back to run his metal company, then turning out abou half of the allied ferro-silicate steel. He was attached to the B.E.F. as an interpreter at the time.

[Arras100]

My grandfather (from Quebec) did not fight in the War for he was opposed to it (as were many French Canadians). It's funny how I come from such an anti-war family on my father's side and yet have this passion for it.

P.S. Sorry Dave that I've not answered your question...just thought I'd share my personal story.

[59165]

Many thanks to all of you for your replies

I'm hoping to visit Canada in the next coupla years.My brother went 'west' a few years ago & his photos & stories were superb but,with Chantal in tow/charge,I want to visit Québec & points east.

One place I must visit though is Saskatoon,Cairns ave.school & also the museum where 'my mate' Hugh's medals are in Ottowa.

Check out one of my hero's...

It was more than chance that brought me to this mans resting place,an ex Geordie,like meself,& no doubt an NUFC fan,being from Ashington way,& a great footie player that he became when he moved to Canada.Now,we live in the same ville.

I'm tracing stuff at the mo & will do a thread on him alone.

He more than deserves it.

I have twice or thrice done a pencil/charcoal rubbing of his stone for Cannuck mates,they always look great,but need to visit his town(s).I'll be calling on forum friends from Canada for a few photos,if thats ok.

Lock up yer fridges!

Daves on the way!

[Borden Battery]

There is also a sports field called "Cairn's Field" where I started and ended a short track and field career.

Borden Battery