On This Day ... in 1879 & Others
On the Asmai Heights in Afghanistan, three Victoria Crosses were won: Captain Hammond held off the enemy whilst British troops retired down the hill;
Captain Vousden led a cavalry charge which repeatedly cut through the enemy's ranks, inflicting heavy casualties; and Lance-Corporal Sellar was badly wounded whilst distinguishing himself in fierce close-quarter combat.
1914: In France, Private Robson, of the Royal Scots, ventured into No Man's Land to rescue a wounded man. He then went out a second time to try to bring another casualty in, but himself fell wounded. He received the Victoria Cross.
1939: A dozen Wellington bombers attempted to attack German shipping in the Schillig Roads off Wilhelmshaven. Bad visibility and weather hampered their efforts, and fierce fighter attacks shot down five of the Wellingtons.
1943: In Italy, Captain Paul Triquet, of the French-Canadian Le Royal 22e Regiment, took command of a company which had suffered very heavy losses in an attack, and managed to break through the enemy positions.
Less than twenty men of the company remained under his command by this time, but under his leadership they held the newly-won ground against German counter-attacks until reinforced the following day. Triquet received the Victoria Cross.
Comments
"French-Canadian Le Royal 22e Regiment"
Please, they are always referred to as the "Van Doos"
("Vingt-Dieu")
Col Beausaber
Posted by: Beausaber | December 13, 2009 11:56 PM
Vingt-Deux, please!
Although the unit's name is "Le Royal Vingt-Deuzieme Regiment"
http://www.r22er.com/
Cheers
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs | December 14, 2009 1:06 AM
Curiously, the Vandoos were an Irish regiment, the 22nd Foot, during the French and Indian War aka the War of Empires. The veterans were granted land in 1763 in Lower Canada (now Quebec), thus you have Irish named French speakers such as the late Premier Claude Ryan. Their successors are one of the three permanent regiments in the Canadian Forces.
Posted by: Al_in_Cornwall(Canada) | December 15, 2009 4:35 AM
No, the Van-Doos have no actual link to the 22nd Foot. The name originated as 22nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, being retained after the Great War.
Cheers
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs | December 15, 2009 6:06 AM