Use of French Language ...
Thank you very much, John, for replying so comprehensively to my query.
I had heard of the book by Terry Copp, but this is the first time I’ve seen an excerpt from it. Could you please tell me the publisher and the date of publication?
Before picking up the thrust of my original inquiry about the use of French, I can tell you that the 5th Brigade was based in the Eastbourne (Sussex) area of the UK and that I have various spot dates. I understand they moved into our area in Dec 41; I have references to their presence here in Jul 42, but am not sure when they left. Does TC devote much space to their presence here?
The information about the proposed ‘Francophone Brigade’ is new to me and most interesting.
With regard to what is said about the raising of the Black Watch:
"A limit was placed on the number of French Canadians enrolled, in ‘fairness to the French units in the city."
Is there a suggestion here that French Canadians might have preferred to join the BW, perhaps because it was already a well-established regiment in Montreal? Certainly the conditions at the Maisonneuves’ Barracks left much to be desired! Lieut.-Colonel Bourassa comes across very well in the excerpt.
TC says: -
"Historians have no ready explanation for the large scale enlistment of French-Canadian volunteers in 1939. Most have either pretended it did not happen or suggested that the volunteers were all, like Florentine's father in The Tin Flute [50] (Bonheur d'Occasion), made desperate by unemployment. Canada's entry into the war, we have been told, was opposed by French Canadians and only the promise of no conscription for overseas service prevented a major disruption."
I realise this could be a touchy subject, but elsewhere I have read:-
"We can conclude from limited studies that French speakers outside Quebec volunteered at about the same rate as their English-speaking counterparts, while the number of Quebec Francophones who enlisted was not at all commensurate with their presence in the 18-to-45 age group in Canada as a whole. "
(French Canadians in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1944 by Serge Bernier, Acting Director History Department of National Defence)
Anyway, it seems a pity that a Francophone Brigade was never created. How about the Le Régiment de la Chaudière? I wonder why they were not called upon to make up a Francophone Brigade – or were they already part of the 3rd Division by that time?
As far as the practicalities of inter-unit co-operation are concerned, no one has posted regarding difficulties encountered. I suppose there was a sufficiently high level of bi-lingualism among officers and NCOs to overcome this problem.
However, I’m looking forward to getting sight of some WDs in order to find out whether they were written in French or in English. And I’ll post when I have something to report.
Renewed thanks for your help …
Mike
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