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Van Doos

Royal 22^e Régiment

The 22nd Battalion (French Canadian) also known as Royal 22e Régiment, or more familiarly, The Van Doos (English translation of vingt-deux). Organized in October 1914 under the command of Colonel Frédéric-Mondelet Gaudet, CMG. Mobilized at St-Jean, Québec. Recruited throughout the province of Québec.

Colonel Frédéric-Mondelet Gaudet died in Montreal, 12 November 1947. The Montreal Star eulogized, “military service was, as it were, in his blood.”

Second in command, Lt-Col Charles Tarien Tarieu De Lanaudière. Majors Arthur Edoaurd Dubuc, Joseph A Filiatrault, J Jules O L D Gingras, Camille Laviolette, Adolphe V Roy, and Thomas-Louis Tremblay.

Training Deaths

The first death in the Regiment occurs on 13 November 1914. Private Donat Fugere 686 accidentally killed in training at St-Jean, Québec. Son of Jules and Marie Louise Fugere of Montreal, Québec. Private Donat buried at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery in Montreal and commemorated on the Québec Memorial, Pointe-Claire Field of Honour, Québec.

Less than a week later, another death on 19 November 1914. The death of Private Louis Letourneau 966 from typhoid fever. Buried in St.Jean-sur-Richelieu Roman Catholic Cemetery and also commemorated on the Québec Memorial.

Before the end of the year, on 17 December 1914 the Regiment inspected by H.R.H. the Governor General of Canada.

1915

A rather blunt entry in the war diary of 7 January 1915 describing another deceased man of the battalion.

Private Raoul Larin 377, being dead, is Struck-off-Strength “Dead” from the list of Rolls of the Regiment.
War Diary, Royal 22^e Régiment, 7 January 1915.

Private Larin possibly the first member of the Regiment to take his life. Another six months pass before the first confirmed suicide in the unit.

On 12 March 1915 departure for Amherst, Nova Scotia. The men billeted in various hotels. Then, on 16 March, the arrival of Major Thomas-Louis Tremblay, 2nd in Command. Finally, the Regiment moves to Halifax on 20 May 1915, arriving in Halifax at 4 PM. Boarding HMS Saxonia with the 25th Battalion at 6 PM.

England

The 22nd Battalion disembarked in England on 29 May 1915 with a strength of 36 officers, and 1097 other ranks. Left Plymouth harbour, and stationed at East Sandling Camp the following day.

17 July 1915 review by PM Borden.

30 July 1915, the following men being dead are S.o.S., 61584 Private Edouard Drolet (cardiac failure) and 61974 Private Joseph Victor Harvey, son of Ellie and Leocadie Balted Harvey, of Murray Bay, Charlevoix, Quebec. Both men buried at Shorncliffe Military Cemetery. Private Harvey the first confirmed suicide in the unit. Joseph shot himself in the head with his rifle.

4 August 1915 inspection by Sam Hughes, Minister of Militia and Defence of Canada. The Van Doos well-aware of their un-popularity with the minister. The inspection ‘tolerated’ by the men.

2 September 1915 inspection by H.M. the King at Beachborough Park. Unlike the visit of Hughes, the men prepped the day before for the inspection, such was their anticipation for the King.

France

15 September 1915 departure for France with 2nd Canadian Division, 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade. Boulogne to Wallon Cappel on 17 September, arriving in Méteren on 18 September.

First Night in the Trenches

That night, the commanding officers visited the trenches at Hazebrouck. No. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 Platoons enter the trenches for the first time on 20 September 1915.

Private Moise Godin

One man wounded on 21 September 1915, and the first casualty of war in the Regiment occurs on 23 September 1915.

Private Moise Godin 61042 buried at La Laiterie Military Cemetery, Plot VII, Row A, Grave 18. Survived by his wife Rebecca, Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Champlain (now the Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality), Québec.

IMG_0181 Private Moise Godin 61042 CEFRG — Private Moise Godin, 22nd Battalion, 1 May 2019. CEFRG

Private Ernest Moss

Major Adolph V. Roy

The first officer of the Van Doos dies on 6 October 1915. Major Marie Victor Guillaume Adolphe Roy killed in the trenches and buried at La Laiterie Military Cemetery, Plot VII, Row A, Grave 14. General Watson had just left his side, and a bomb tossed into the trench. Major A.V. Roy instinctively attempted to protect his men. Major Roy valiantly attempted to throw the bomb back, but killed while doing so.

Major A.V. Roy only Mentioned in Dispatches (Sir John French), London Gazette No. 29200, 22 June 1916. Sam Hughes still cast a long shadow over the unit, though he did express regret the Van Doos had lost a brave man and a good officer.

No Victoria Cross

Roy’s actions easily merited a Victoria Cross nomination. The Major’s heroism likely witnessed by mere Other Ranks. Alas, to Roy’s detriment, the award often politically motivated. Roy, and the unit, unjustly deprived of their first Victoria Cross. The Van Doos would have to wait until late 1918, when they would earn two VC’s in the field.

IMG_0178 Major Adolph V. Roy CEFRG — Major Adolph V. Roy of the 22nd Battalion, La Laiterie Military Cemetery, 1 May 2019. CEFRG

Major Roy the son of Adolphe Roy (deceased in 1899) and Hermine Hudon (deceased in 1871). Husband of Nathalie Hubrecht, of Montréal, Québec, and Paris, France. Before the Great War, a civil engineer, member of the Montreal Board of Trade and the Chambre de Commerce.

Locre

10 October Church Parade at Locre Church. (photo)

19 October 1915 – Fosse 10 & Bully-Grenay. General Watson tours trenches with Major Thomas-Louis Tremblay. The end of the month is very quiet.

Lt. Col. Thomas-Louis Tremblay commanded the 22nd Battalion from 1915 on, until pomoted to command the 5th Brigade from August 1918. MIKAN No. 3221789 — Lt. Col. Thomas-Louis Tremblay commanded the 22nd Battalion from 1915 on, until promoted to Brigadier-General, commanding the 5th Brigade from August 1918. MIKAN No. 3221789

Major Dubuc wounded by a Whiz-Bang on 1 November 1915 at Vierstraat.

MIKAN No. 3214760 22nd Battalion — Major Debuc [i.e. Dubuc], second in command of 22nd Battalion. Arthur Edouard Dubuc, D.S.O. was second in command of the 22nd Battalion early in the War but, as an acting colonel in charge of the battalion through periods of 1916-1918. He was wounded in action 3 times and received the Distinguished Service Order (later awarded it again) and the 1914-1915 Star. MIKAN No. 3214760

10 November 1915 General Watson and General Turner tour the trenches with Major Thomas-Louis Tremblay.

Surrender

29 November 1915 a patrol delivered a message in the German language to the German lines inviting them to surrender in small parties and that they will be taken good care of, but the invitation appeared not to have been accepted.

24 December 1915 patrol discovers a shack set up in No-Man’s-Land. It’s presence causes a great deal of trouble. Decision made on Christmas Day to leave the shack be. Church Parade at Locre. Nothing unusual today.

Canada corner near Locre, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3329037 22nd Battalion — Canada corner near Locre, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3329037

1916

January 1916

2 January 1916 – Fierstrat. Lt Georges Philias Vanier with a part of four men went to the German wire top investigate what appeared to be a shack containing a Machine Gun emplacement. Using some of the German wire, the unit left some Gun Cotton, and exploded the mine upon their return.

Georges Vanier et son épouse Pauline devant la citadelle de Québec, 13 d’avril 1926,

8 January 1916 – Locre. In rest billets.

15 January 1916 – Vierstraat. Major Dubuc and Lt Larocque wounded by rifle grenade tonight at 5 pm.

29th Infantry Battalion advancing over "No Man's Land" through the German barbed wire and heavy fire during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. This is the retouched version of the original photograph (MIKAN No. 3233066), used in the Canadian War Records Office exhibitions of battle photographs, with added shell bursts and dead soldiers in the foreground. The bodies are believed to have originated from official photograph MIKAN No.. 3233067. Photographer Captain William Ivor Castle MIKAN No. 3192389

23 January 1918 – Vierstraat. Relieving 29th Battalion in the trenches. Col F M Gaudet leaves the Regiment for England. Suffering ill health after six months in the field, Gaudet cedes command of the Van Doos to Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas-Louis Tremblay on 24 January 24 1916.

February 1916

1 February 1916 – H H Farm Vierstraat. Battalion in Brigade Reserve. 24th and 26th Battalions in the trenches. 24th and 26th Battalions in the trenches.

4 February 1916 – Vierstraat. Relieving 26th Battalion in the trenches K-2 to K-7-Left (Vierstraat).

Private Henri Houle

Baptized Joseph-Henri-René Houle. Son of Joseph Houle and Victorine Pépin, of Montréal, Québec. He stated being born in Montréal in 1898 when he enlisted.

Private H Houle 1 May 2019 CEFRG 22nd Battalion — Private Henri Houle 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

Sergeant Georges Laurin

Baptized Joseph-François-George Laurin and he signed Georges. Son of Gédéon Laurin (deceased in 1911) and Joséphine Richard (deceased in 1921), of Montréal, Québec.

Private G Laurin 61497 1 May 2019 CEFRG 22nd Battalion — Private George Laurin 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

7 February 1916 – Vierstraat. Two killed previous day, The Boches are very active today with rifle Grenades and Whizzbangs we are badly shaken up. One killed, six wounded.

10 February 1916 – Vierstraat. In the trenches. Quiet day. One killed and four wounded.

Sergeant Joseph-Maurice-Théodore Levin

Baptized Joseph-Maurice-Théodore Levin. Son of Bernard Levin (deceased in 1915) and Adèle Caron, of Montréal, Québec. He had declared to be born in 1883 when he enlisted.

Sergeant M T Levin 1 May 2019 CEFRG 22nd Battalion — Sergeant M T Levin 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

Private Hector Auger

Baptized Joseph-Hector Auger. Son of Honoré (“Nérée”) Auger and Philomène Pinard, of St-Monique-de-Nicolet, Québec. He stated being born in 1890 when he enlisted.

Private H Auger 1 May 2019 CEFRG 22nd Battalion — Private H Auger 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

20 February 1916 – Vierstraat. In the trenches. Great activity in Machine Gun Fire. Four ranks wounded – they all died shortly afterwards.

Private Édouard Charles Tremblay 61294

Baptized Charles-Joseph Tremblay, son of Charles Tremblay and Madeleine Boivin, of Montréal, Québec.

Private E Tremblay 1 May 2019 CEFRG 22nd Battalion — Private E Tremblay 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

Charles changed his identity when he enlisted. He stated being Édouard Tremblay, born in Baie-St-Paul on May 1, 1875, without listing a next-of-kin. Identified by his parent’s address, found in a later document in his military file, address still current in the 1921 census.

Private Charles Corbin Bartlett

Son of Corbin Bartlett and Sarah Jane Nichols of Newbury, New Hampshire, deceased respectively in 1905 and 1902. Brother of Frank Giles Bartlett, of Bristol, New Hampshire.

Private C C Bartlett 1 May 2019 CEFRG 22nd Battalion — Private C C Bartlett 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

Charles pretended being born in England to enroll.

Private Alphonse Charbonneau

Baptized Sylvain-Alphonse-Eugène Charbonneau. Son of Aimé Charbonneau and Léda Bariteau (deceased in 1897), of Montréal, Québec. His father remarried to Léontine Théorêt in 1899 and lived in Montréal.

Alphonse stated being born in 1895 when he enlisted.

Lance Corporal Omer Dubois

Born 22 March 1893 in Bécancour, Nicolet, Quebec.

Lance Corporal O Dubois 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

Son of Charles Dubois and Hermina Hamel, of Trois-Rivières, Mauricie, Québec.

Private Onésime Nault

Born 8 April 1892 in St-Fortunat-de-Wolfestown, Richmond, Quebec. Son of Moïse Neault and Aimée (alias Emere) Garneau. Baptized Joseph-Onésime NAUD but the family used the spelling NEAULT for the last name. He signed NAULT.

Private O Nault 22nd Battalion 1 May 2019 CEFRG

Onésime declared being born in Biddeford, Maine when he enlisted.

La Laiterie Military Cemetery

The cemetery, named from a dairy farm, begun in November 1914 and used until October 1918 by units holding this sector of the front. The different plots, to a great extent, treated as regimental burial grounds. The majority of the graves in Plots II, III and X, for instance, those of the 26th, 25th and 24th Canadian Infantry Battalions, respectively, and all but one of the graves in Plot VIII are those of the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers.

La Laiterie Military Cemetery in the Great War

On 25 April 1918, the cemetery fell into German hands, but retaken at the beginning of September. After the Armistice, graves brought into the cemetery from the battlefields north and north-east of Kemmel. 751 Commonwealth casualties of the Great War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 180 of the burials unidentified and special memorials commemorate two servicemen whose graves destroyed in later fighting.

Private Wilfrid Dagenais

Baptized 12 May 1878 in St-Venant-de-Paquette, Compton, Québec.

Son of Octave Dagenais (deceased in 1892) and Philomène Martineau (deceased in 1900) of Ste-Rose-de-Laval and Montréal, Québec.

Brother of Octave Dagenais of Montréal, Québec.

Private Arthur Tessier

Canadian War Grave photo — Private Arthur Tessier, Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension

Arthur Tessier 61748 the son of Damase Tessier and his wife Loudwen Frenette, of Valleyfield, Beauharnois, P.Q., Canada.

21 February 1916 – Vierstraat. In the trenches. Troops on our flanks active all day. Four other ranks wounded. For reasons unknown, casualties now buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, rather than La Laiterie Military Cemetery.

Private Auguste Beaupré

Baptized Joseph-Delphis-Auguste Beaupré. Son of Jean-Baptiste Beaupré and Parmélia Perreault, of Montréal and l’Épiphanie, Québec.

Auguste severely wounded to the abdomen in the trenches near Vierstraat, Ypres, Belgium, and he died at n° 8 Casualty Clearing Station in Bailleul, France.

Private Alfred Bellefeuille

Born 25 May 1893 in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Son of Omer Bellefeuille and Flora Duhaime (deceased in 1911), of Trois-Rivières and Grand-Mère, Mauricie, Québec.

Private Adrien LeBlanc

Son of Napoléon Leblanc and Joséphine Gareau, of Montréal, Québec. Husband of Èva Soucy (married in 1909), of Montréal, Québec.

He stated being born in 1889 and being single when he enlisted.

March 1916

Private Kiraval 61576 Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord

Westouter Churchyard and Extension

Private Poirier 61394

5 March 1916 – Locre. In Divisional Reserve. The Battalion attends Divine Service at Locres Church.

8 March 1916 – R. E. Farm. Tonight the Battalion marches to R E Farm and becomes Brigade Reserved. Quite Day. Working parties.

R. E. Farm Cemetery

R. E. Farm Cemetery. Wytschaete (now Wijtschate) in Allied hands until 1 November 1914, then from June 1917 to April 1918, and from 28 September 1918 onwards. The scene of exceptionally severe fighting in November 1914 and April 1918. “R.E. Farm” the military name given to the Ferme des douze Bonniers. This building remained in Allied hands until April 1918.

1 May 2019

In December 1914 the 1st Dorsets began a cemetery (No.1) on the east side of the farm, used by fighting units and field ambulances until April 1916, and occasionally in 1917. In January 1915, the same battalion began another cemetery (No.2) on the west side of the farm. This cemetery little used and after the Armistice, the 23 graves it contained moved into No.1, then renamed. R.E. Farm Cemetery contains 179 Great War burials, 11 of them unidentified.

Private Georges Kéraval

Baptized Joseph-George-Ubald Kéraval. Son of Ernest-Isidore Kéraval and Joséphine-Érica Massé, of St-Vincent-de-Paul, Île-Jésus, Laval, Québec.

Westoutre-Churchyard--Extension_2015 — The village of Westoutre (now Westouter) remained in Allied hands from the early months of the First World War to the Armistice, but in the summer of 1918, after the Battles of the Lys, it was within 2.4 Kms of the front line.
The Churchyard and Extension was used by field ambulances and fighting units at intervals from November 1914 to September 1918. It contains 98 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and three German graves.

Mortally wounded to the abdomen in the first line trenches of Vierstraat, he died the same day at No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance in Westoutre. Buried at Westoutre Churchyard and Extension on 10 March 1916.

Sergeant Edmond Lavoie

Sergeant Lavoie 61448 wounded 11 March 1916 when the Battalion pulled out of the trenches. He died two days later and buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord.

Born 18 July 1871 in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Quebec, son of François Lavoie and Malvina St-Hilaire (deceased in 1893), of Montréal, Québec.

Husband of Rose-de-Lima Royer (married in 1893) of Montréal, Québec. He stated being born in Québec when he enlisted.

April 1916

5 April 1916 – Vlamertinghe. 3 men wounded.

Corporal Joseph Albéric Laramée

Corporal Laramée 61490 the son of Joseph Laramée (deceased in 1915) and Èva Bourcier, of Montréal, Québec. The mother’s family name listed as “Boursier” in several genealogical references from her region of origin.

Brandhoek Military Cemetery

During the Great War, Brandhoek within the area comparatively safe from shell fire which extended beyond Vlamertinghe Church. Field ambulances posted there continuously and the Military Cemetery opened early in May 1915 in a field adjoining the dressing station.

Corporal Joseph Albéric Laramée. Brandhoek Military Cemetery

It closed in July 1917 when the New Military Cemetery opened nearby, to be followed by the New Military Cemetery No 3 in August 1917. Brandhoek Military Cemetery now contains 669 Great War burials.

Private Louis Ratté

Born 25 August 25 1893 in St-Alexandre-d’Iberville, Quebec. Baptized Louis-Athanase Ratté. Son of Malvina Lavoie (deceased 1900) and Louis Ratté (remarried 1902 to Alexina Calvé), of Montreal, Quebec. He attested that he was born on August 5, 1893. Reported missing on 8 April 1916, his body never recovered. Louis became the first member of the Van Doos to be listed on the Menin Gate Memorial.

Menin Gate Memorial

The Menin Gate Memorial situated at the eastern side of the town of Ypres (now Ieper) in the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the Great War.

10 April 1916 – Reninghelst. Two companies moved into SCOTTISH WOOD (St Eloi sector).

October 1916

2 October 1916. Major Charles Tarien Tarieu De Lanaudière attached to HQ 2nd Canadian Division as Claims Officer.

Military Medal Ribbons

9 October 1916 – St Leger. Inspected by GOC 2nd Canadian Division at 3 pm. Sergeants P Drouin and P Tremblay presented with ribbons of Military Medal.

Military Cross Awards

12 October 1916 – On the March. Lt Chabelle, Lt C Fontaine, Lt G E A Dupuis, Lt G Greffard awarded the Military Cross. RSM O Gauthier, Sergeant J R Casgrain awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Finally, L/C S Pinsonneault awarded the Military Medal.

20 October 1916 – Fosse 10 & Bully-Grenay. Awarded Military Medal to Pte J M Dupuis, and Pte F Boutin. The ribbons presented to the men on 30 October 1916.

1917

On 11 April 1917, Pte Eugene Perry shot at 5:30 am for desertion. Perry the first of five men in the 22nd Battalion executed at dawn during the Great War. Perry buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Mont-St. Eloi.

3 July 1917 both Private Joseph Lalancette and Gustave Comte Shot at Dawn and buried side by side in Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension.

Joseph LaLancette Shot at Dawn crop for CVWM 1024 — Joseph Lalancette Shot at Dawn

1918

15 March 1918 – Private Arthur Charles Dagesse Shot at Dawn. Buried in Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, Plot VIII, Row B, Grave 8.

Demobilization

Returned to England 8 April 1919. Disembarked in Canada 16 May 1919. Demobilized 18 May 1919. Disbanded by General Order 149 of 15 September 1920. Colours deposited in Notre-Dame Cathedral, Montreal in 1919. Handed over to Royal 22e Régiment in 1921. Brass band: “Sambre et Meuse”. Perpetuated by Royal 22e Régiment.

22nd Battalion (French Canadian) in the Great War