Written by: Ronald Kelland
On Remembrance Day, Canadians honour those who gave their lives in military service. While honouring all Canadian service personnel, RETROactive highlights a few geographical features named to commemorate casualties of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry – Formation and First World War
Of all the regiments in the Canadian Army, past and present, one of the most storied with a long association with Alberta is the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). The regiment was formed in Ontario at the start of the First World War. Andrew Hamilton Gault of Montreal, a successful businessman, adventurer and veteran of the South African (Boer) War, used his own funds to raise and equip an infantry regiment. It came into being in August 1914. Major Gault was second in command, and Lieutenant Colonel Francis Farquhar, military secretary to the Duke of Connaught, Governor General of Canada, was the regiment’s commander. Farquhar requested that the regiment be named for Princess Patricia, the Governor General’s daughter. Princess Patricia presented the regiment with its colours and standard on August 23, 1914. The standard became affectionately known as the “Ric-a-Dam-Doo.” It is not known how the standard acquired the name, but it is believed that it may be a play on Freicedan Dubh, the Gaelic motto of the historic Scottish Black Watch regiment. Major Gault, at one time, had served with the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada, also known as the Black Watch.
Although based in Ottawa, the regiment recruited soldiers from across Canada, with a substantial number coming from the prairie provinces. The aggressive recruitment campaign resulted in a full regiment being signed up within days. Most were British-born Canadians and had seen prior military service, notably in the South African (Boer) War. The regiment’s first battalion sailed for Europe on September 27 and, following additional training in England, was deployed to France on December 20, 1914, the first Canadian infantry regiment to enter the war.
The Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry would see action throughout the war, receiving 20 Battle Honours and suffering 4,076 casualties, including 1,272 killed in action. Some of those casualties have been commemorated through the naming of geographical features in Alberta.
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