Канадский бронеразведывательный полк "Le Régiment de Hull": История и современность

Le Régiment de Hull (RCAC) is a Primary Reserve armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Canadian Army. The regiment is based in the Hull sector of Gatineau, Quebec, near Ottawa, Ontario. Active in all aspects of the day to day life of Outaouais residents, the unit is the only francophone military presence in the area.

Currently, the regiment is organised into two distinct squadrons: C/S Squadron (Commandement et Services) is made up of the logistical and administrative support staff as well as a holding platoon for new recruits and, D Squadron is the reconnaissance squadron, to which most of the members of the unit belong.

After being repatriated in February 1944, the Regiment embarked at Halifax for the United Kingdom on 25 May 1944. Its new barracks were at Camp Gandale in Yorkshire. The soldiers were expecting to take part in the eagerly awaited invasion of occupied Europe. Shortly after its arrival, however, the regiment was temporarily renamed the "4th Training Battalion" and assigned to training until their release on 18 September 1945. Many members of the 1st battalion of Le Régiment de Hull were nonetheless involved in fighting on the continent of Europe as reinforcements for other Canadian regiments, an honour for which some paid with their lives. During this time, a 2nd Battalion served in the Reserve Army. Members of the 2nd battalion contributed to the Army's recruiting efforts, guarded locations considered to be of strategic importance, took part in guarding prisoners of war and subscribed to numerous campaigns to sell Victory Bonds, in which they set records.

After the Armistice, a new life began for the regiment. It was at this time that Le Régiment de Hull changed corps, moving from the infantry to armour. This new calling was officially confirmed on 1 April 1946, when the Regiment's name officially became the 21st Armoured Regiment (Le Régiment de Hull). Twelve years later, on 19 May 1958, the regiment adopted its current name: Le Régiment de Hull (RCAC). The Regiment should thenceforth have rallied around a cavalry guidon, but continued to serve under its old white regimental colours from infantry days, in the form of the flag it had received in 1924. During the years that followed the end of World War II, the Regiment took part in training exercises for a war in Europe against the Soviet Union. This was the start of the Cold War and relations between East and West were tense. It was against this background that, when Communist North Korea invaded South Korea, Canada agreed to send a contingent to be part of the UN Forces. More than 60 members of the regiment volunteered to serve in the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade. At almost the same time, the Regiment formed the "Y" Troop to reinforce the armoured squadron of the 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Europe. This Brigade, the first Canadian force sent overseas in peacetime, was stationed near Hanover, in the Federal Republic of Germany. In the late 1950s, the role of the Militia changed; this was the era of civil defence. The members of the regiment took part in rescue exercises and emergency measures in the event of a nuclear war. The unit subsequently resumed its armoured training. With the reorganisation of the Canadian Army into the Canadian Forces, several units were put onto the Supplementary Order of Battle. The National Capital Region's armoured reconnaissance unit IV Princess Louise's Dragoon Guards was transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle, along with many other units. To compensate for the closure of the reconnaissance unit the Regiment's heavy armour role was gradually modified to that of a light armoured formation. The unit was equipped with machine gun mounted jeeps for the purpose. This is why, since 1974, the regiment has acted as a reconnaissance unit in the Eastern Area, which has now become 2nd Canadian Division. In 1979, the Regiment won the Worthington Trophy for the best Militia armoured unit. This was the crowning achievement after a series of trophies won in various military competitions, including the prestigious Buchanan Trophy, which is awarded to the best Quebec unit.

Since 1948, Canada has taken part in many peacekeeping operations, either with the UN or other international organizations. Over 100,000 members of the Canadian Forces have served in these operations. As of January 1, 2000, 107 Canadian soldiers have died in the course of these missions. Canadian soldiers have developed an unusual degree of expertise and are now highly sought after for such missions. Members of Le Régiment de Hull are no exception to the rule: many of them have had an opportunity to participate in missions in Cyprus, Israel, Haiti and the former Yugoslavia. Members most recently served in the former Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Israel, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti. Alongside their colleagues in the Regular Force, the members of the regiment in 1988 shared the honour of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to "blue helmets" throughout the world.

Le Régiment de Hull was awarded its first battle honour on May 9, 2014, when it was announced that the regiment would receive the theatre honour AFGHANISTAN. The battle honour was presented to the unit on October 14, 2017, during a ceremony presided by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, J. Michel Doyon.

Like most infantry unit, the regiment followed the tradition of parading with their colours. In 1924, the Governor General, Baron Byng of Vimy, presented the unit with its regimental colour and royal colour, a gift from Honorary Lieutenant Colonel J. E. Gravelle. This ceremony took place on the square in front of City Hall in Hull with thousands of onlookers. The colours were all white and fringed in gold, bearing the regiment's badge in gold and silver thread, with the tower against a pale blue background. The colours were unique in the Canadian military in that they were all white, as the unit had not yet spilled blood under its own banners. On October 16, 1982, the colours were paraded for the last time and laid to rest, displayed to the public at la Maison du Citoyen, in Hull, Quebec. On that same day, the Governor General, Edward Schreyer, presented the regiment with its first guidon. The new guidon is painstakingly embroidered on red damask and fringed in gold. The regiment's badge figures prominently and incorporates two rams, recalling the unit's service in the infantry, and two fleurs de lys, symbolizing its francophone status.

Upon being stood up, the regiment was initially authorized to use the motto non retrorsum, which is Latin for "We will not retreat". This motto was used until 1923, when the unit's name was changed to Le Régiment de Hull. On ne passe pas, French for "They shall not pass" appears to have been inspired by the words of General Robert Nivelle at the Battle of Verdun in 1916. During a staff meeting, he spat "On ne passe pas!" when speaking of the German forces seeking to take Verdun.

The official drink of Le Régiment de Hull is calvados. This traditions comes from members of the regiment who returned from the war after serving as reinforcements to the Régiment de Maisonneuve, Régiment de la Chaudière and Le Fusiliers Mont Royal during the Normandy Campaign of 1944. The drink was offered (and sometimes "liberated") to Canadian soldiers while passing through Normandy and the drink became popular with the troops.

The unit's official March is "La Marche de la Victoire" (French: The March of Victory). It was composed during the Second World War by Joseph Beaulieu, a musical composer with close ties to the regiment's band at the time. The Regiment does not have a slow march.

As early as 1923, the Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Rodolphe Girard, had dreamed of a proper armoury. This was to be a lengthy undertaking requiring the devotion of successive Commanding Officers. Finally, thanks to the perseverance of Régiment de Hull Commanding Officers and to the combined efforts of the civilian, religious, political and military authorities of the day, the first subsidies for what was to become the Salaberry Armoury were voted by Parliament on 18 February 1937, in large measure due to the efforts of the MP for Hull, Alphonses Fournier, QC. The Salaberry Armoury stands at the intersection of Taché and Saint Joseph Boulevards, on an enormous lot donated by Lieutenant Colonel W. F. Hadley, VD, the Commanding Officer of Le Régiment de Hull from 1927 to 1931. Since then, almost half the land along Saint Joseph Blvd has been converted into a park. The laying of the cornerstone and christening of the new armoury took place on July 21, 1938. The plans had been drawn by a local architect, Lucien Sarra Bournet, presumably based upon the 2 year old plans for the Seaforth Armoury. Six months later, on 28 January 1939, less than a year before the declaration of hostilities with the Third Reich, His Excellency Lord Tweedsmuir, presided over the official opening of Salaberry Armoury. Sixty years on, these two armouries remains some of Canada's most impressive military buildings. The Salaberry Armoury was named in honour of Colonel Charles Michel de Salaberry, celebrated as "the saviour of our country" following his victory at Châteauguay, one of the most important battles of the War of 1812.

1914–21 WO1 W. (William) Paquette
1921–31 WO1 L. G. (Louis Georges) Séguin
1931–42 WO1 M. (Maurice) Doran
1943–45 WO1 A. Handy
1942–52 WO1 G. (George) Doran (RSM for the 2nd Battalion, Le Régiment de Hull)
1953–59 WO1 E. (Emmanuel) Blakeney
1959–66 WO1 R. (Roland) Nault, CD
1966–67 WO1 F. (Fred) Gordon, EM, CD
1967–71 CWO J. (Jacques) Labelle, CD
1971–73 CWO P. P. (Pierre Paul) Séguin, CD
1973–76 CWO Y. (Yvon) Chénier, CD
1976–77 CWO P. (Pierre) Monette, CD
1977–84 CWO J. A. (Arthur) Barratt, CD
1984–85 CWO A. E. Allard, CD
1985–88 CWO G. (Gilles) Sabourin, CD
1988–89 CWO N. (Normand) Bouvier, CD
1990–93 CWO R. (Raymond) Lessard, CD
1993–98 CWO R. (Réginald) Guilbert, CD
1999–99 CWO N. (Normand) Roberge, MMM, CD (acting)
1999–03 CWO D. (Denis) Morin, CD
2003–08 CWO R. (René) Riopel, MMM, CD
2008–11 CWO G. H (Gilles) Bergeron, CD
2011–13 CWO J. R. R. (Réjean) Picotin, CD (acting)
2013–19 CWO J. D. (Daniel) Heppell, CD
2019–20 CWO A. G. J. (André) Tremblay, CD (acting)
2020–23 CWO M. (Michel) Boivin, CD
2023–present CWO J. (Janique) Larivière, CD