The Patricias

The Proud History of a Fighting Regiment Special Edition
by Dr. D.J. Bercuson

In the early days of World War l, Hamilton Gault of Montreal funded the raising of a new infantry regiment. Named after Princess Patricia of Connaught, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry fought valiantly over the course of the war and suffered great loss. From the blood soaked trenches of the Ypres Salient to the hard fought battles of Passchendaele and Canal; du Nord, the Patricias earned the respect of friend and foe alike and started a tradition that would carry them into the next century.

In World War ll, the Patricias were victors in Sicily and at the Hitler and Gothic Line Battles in Italy, and participated in the liberation of Holland. Later the Regiment battled proudly in the Korean War, bringing further honour and distinction to its record. More recently, the Patricias, as peacekeepers in Yugoslavia, held firm against heavy fire from superior Serbian forces and were cited by the United Nations for their determined stand.

David Bercuson, with the assistance of veterans who fought in some of the Regiment’s most difficult battles and soldiers who took part in peacekeeping operations, has captured the indomitable spirit of the fighting soldier in this new historical work. From the battlefields of World War l to recent operations in the Balkans, THE PATRICIAS is a wonderful tribute to our nations fighting soldiers.

The - Special Edition of THE PATRICIAS -The Proud History of a Fighting Regiment is available only through the PPCLI Kitshop at a retail price of $34.95 (plus GST and Handling). To order this Special Edition, contact the PPCLI Regimental Kitship (Edmonton, AB) by phone (780) 973-4011 ext 5508, by fax (780) 973-1613 or by e-mail kitshop@nucleus.com (not security encrypted). Visit the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry web site at www.ppcli.com.

David J. Bercuson is professor of history and director of the Strategic Studies program at the University of Calgary. He is the author of more than thirty books, including Maple Leaf Against the Axis: Canada's Second World War and Blood on the Hills: The Canadian Army in the Korean War.