Canadian 22nd Regiment participates at the Belgian national holiday

When the First World War erupts in 1914, Canada has little military power to lend to the conflict. There are just 3,000 regular soldiers, plus a poorly regarded militia of local volunteers. When the Canadian Expeditionary Force raises thousands of new recruits and sends them to England for training, there are few French-Canadians among them.

On October 20th, 1914, the raising of the 22nd (French-Canadian) Battalion is authorized. Known among English-speaking Canadians as the "Van Doos" after their French battalion number (vingt-deuxième) they would be the first and only Canadian military unit formed on the basis of language and culture.

The 22nd went to France as part of the 5th Canadian Brigade and the 2nd Canadian Division in September 1915 and fought with distinction in every major Canadian engagement until the end of the war.  Two members of the 22nd were awarded the Victoria Cross in that war, Lieutenant Jean Brillant and Corporal Joseph Kaeble.

On September 15th, 1914 the 22nd leaves with the "Princess of Argyll" towards Boulogne, France. Five days later the unit occupies the trenches for the first time near Ypres, which marks the beginning of 38 months of hard fighting.  During the war, the 22nd will fight in the fields of Flanders and France.

The unit which is stationed in Quebec, celebrates its 100th anniversary and will participate at the military defile in Brussels on July, 21st.