- Reaction score
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- Points
- 410
I would like to preface my comments by saying that although I've been a Patricia for 21 years, some of the very finest soldiers I have ever worked for have been Royals. When I served as a Res soldier before that, I saw both RCR and PPCLI as RSS (admittedly in the days when we sent some real ringers on RSS instead of kicking them out, but anyway...)
My take is that while there are lots of similarities, the RCR are in general a stricter lot, and have more respect for order, procedure, tradition and discipline. This IMHO is not necessarily a bad thing at all: it probably kept 3 Cdo out of most of the sh*t that hit 1er and 2 Cdos ("most", I said....). When the RCR relieved us in Cyprus in 91 and in Croatia in 94, I noticed this greater formality. In particular, I recall being one of the "last out" on the Roto out of Cyprus: the RCR had already taken over the Mess. They immediately cracked down on our disgraceful and subversive Light Infantry practice of wearing dress shorts in the Mess, forcing us to don trousers. Hideous oppression.
Seriously, I suggest that the RCR have been shaped by two important influences. First, they began life as the School of Infantry and therefore had to set a very high example to impress soldierly virtues upon the nasty rabble in the Militia. This trait probably stayed in the blood. Second, when the RegF Cdn Guards were disbanded (in 1970? '71?) IIRC a large number of them went into the RCR, bringing with them the high standards of "Three D's" characteristic of Guards units. That, IMHO, has lasted too.
Our Founder, on the other hand, stressed that the "Light Infantry" designation best epitomized those soldierly vitrues that he wanted to see: independence of thought and action, innovation, etc. To a certain degree this idea has stayed with us, as some other posters have pointed out.
But all that aside I am proud of the RCR and happy to serve with or alongside them any time. Cheers.
My take is that while there are lots of similarities, the RCR are in general a stricter lot, and have more respect for order, procedure, tradition and discipline. This IMHO is not necessarily a bad thing at all: it probably kept 3 Cdo out of most of the sh*t that hit 1er and 2 Cdos ("most", I said....). When the RCR relieved us in Cyprus in 91 and in Croatia in 94, I noticed this greater formality. In particular, I recall being one of the "last out" on the Roto out of Cyprus: the RCR had already taken over the Mess. They immediately cracked down on our disgraceful and subversive Light Infantry practice of wearing dress shorts in the Mess, forcing us to don trousers. Hideous oppression.
Seriously, I suggest that the RCR have been shaped by two important influences. First, they began life as the School of Infantry and therefore had to set a very high example to impress soldierly virtues upon the nasty rabble in the Militia. This trait probably stayed in the blood. Second, when the RegF Cdn Guards were disbanded (in 1970? '71?) IIRC a large number of them went into the RCR, bringing with them the high standards of "Three D's" characteristic of Guards units. That, IMHO, has lasted too.
Our Founder, on the other hand, stressed that the "Light Infantry" designation best epitomized those soldierly vitrues that he wanted to see: independence of thought and action, innovation, etc. To a certain degree this idea has stayed with us, as some other posters have pointed out.
But all that aside I am proud of the RCR and happy to serve with or alongside them any time. Cheers.
well from a personal level...........i was with 2 RCR 6 years and one thing that was drilled in our heads day and night was PRIDE...........not to say my fellow comrades in arms the PPCLI and VAN DOO's don't have any because they do.............i can remember (at the time) WO Bennett,SGT.Val Hinkey and MCPL Patterson , during in battalion TQ3 training, to "march with a swagger,be proud,be professional because you are RCR!!".....................and when i got out i was told "once a RCR always a RCR"............and i hold that true....................i still walk with a swagger, i still keep my aperance clean, i am proud of who i am today because i was with 2 RCR.........................in the feild we were always training to "a sharp edge" because when i was in (1984-2000) 2 RCR was with the CAST BRIGADE.................we could be called out at a moments notice......the training was hard and the play time was hard ( ever play combat soccer? imagine playing soccer in combat boots and with body checks .............sort of WWE style.............you get the picture) i remember when 2 RCR went to Vermont to do a mountin warfare course with the 10th Mountain Devision...........at the end of the 2 week course,CSM Bentley made a bet with the top of the 10th that we could beat his boys in a forced march through the mountains...........well to make a long storry short we beat them by 45 minutes.............why? because we RAN through the mountains with 1 break................... the course was 20 miles give or take.......and why did we do that? we were professional........we were RCR's.........so to finally end my story..........................with my experiences with PPCLI, yes the are family oriented............and professional................RCR's are professional towards each other..................i would have never thought of calling my SGT. by his first name!!!!!!!!! he would have cut my b***s of and used them for golf balls!!
what it boils down to is PPCLI,VAN DOO's and RCR all have their stregnths and weakness............................it is your choice 
, Would any experienced members be able to elaborate on the Major cultural differences,and traditions of the three batallions. Having spent a year in st.jean sur richelieu attending prep year I had the oppertunity to observe some of the less obvious 22e traditions. Comming from a franco point of veiw, the 22e is some what a figurative hole. For a franco CANADIAN, it is extreamly difficult to adapt to the cultural differences outside of quebec, as well as, the stigma of being a "separatist" or simply having difficulty with english, bar the door for many, therefor many remain in quebec for their entire career. As i have no desire to remain in Quebec and, seeing as Kingston is my First time being outside of Quebec, and a tremendous eye opener, any wisdom would be much appreciated.
