- Reaction score
- 1,714
- Points
- 1,260
Today, 17 March as everyone knows (or should know) the PPCLI celebrate Regimental Day. There is some confusion among people not in the Regiment on what Regimental Day is and why we celebrate it, they sometime think that it is our Regiment’s birthday which of course is 10 August. No, Regimental Day is to honour the birthday of our unit’s first Colonel-in-Chief and the units namesake: Princess Patricia of Connaught.
Lady Patricia as she was known in the Regiment was born Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth on 17 March 1888 in Buckingham Palace, London, England. Her father was Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught the third son of Queen Victoria and her mother was Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia.
In 1911 her father was appointed the Governor General of Canada and she joined him in Canada where she became very popular with Canadians ( her picture is on the one dollar bill of the Dominion of Canada issued on 17 March 1917).
When the PPCLI was being formed LCol Farquhar (the first CO) was the Military Secretary to Prince Arthur the Governor General and he requested to the Princess the honour of her name for the Regiment. She accepted the proposal and designed and made by hand the “Ric-A-Dam-Doo”. During WWI she followed the units accomplishments during there fighting in the trench and grieved for their losses. At the end of the war she presented the unit with the wreath of Laurel commemorating their losses.
On 27 February 1919, she married Commander, The Hon. Alexander Ramsay in Westminster Abbey. The Regiment provided a guard of 3 Officers and 100 men and every officer attended and 40 NCOs lined the aisles. As she was marrying a “commoner” rather than royal blood she voluntarily relinquished the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and became known as Lady Patricia Ramsay. They had one son Alexander Ramsay of Mar born 21 December 1919.
Lady Patricia remained involved with the Regiment throughout her entire life and was appointed the Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment on 22 February 1918. In addition to being associated with the PPCLI, Lady Patricia was also an accomplished artist who specialized in Watercolours. She was made an honour member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water.
Lady Patricia passed away on 12 January 1974 at the age of 87. As she wanted a simple funeral the Regiment was represented by MGen C.B. Ware, a bearer party and two buglers. During her lifetime she was accorded the following honours: Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India, member of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert, Dame of justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and in recognition of her service to the Canadian Army the Canadian Forces Decoration.
This is a quick synopsis of the life of this great lady whose influence still affects us to this day. So if people don’t know why we celebrate 17 March or think it is just a day in honour of some guys that chased away snakes please share this with them.
Mark Adkins
Lady Patricia as she was known in the Regiment was born Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth on 17 March 1888 in Buckingham Palace, London, England. Her father was Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught the third son of Queen Victoria and her mother was Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia.
In 1911 her father was appointed the Governor General of Canada and she joined him in Canada where she became very popular with Canadians ( her picture is on the one dollar bill of the Dominion of Canada issued on 17 March 1917).
When the PPCLI was being formed LCol Farquhar (the first CO) was the Military Secretary to Prince Arthur the Governor General and he requested to the Princess the honour of her name for the Regiment. She accepted the proposal and designed and made by hand the “Ric-A-Dam-Doo”. During WWI she followed the units accomplishments during there fighting in the trench and grieved for their losses. At the end of the war she presented the unit with the wreath of Laurel commemorating their losses.
On 27 February 1919, she married Commander, The Hon. Alexander Ramsay in Westminster Abbey. The Regiment provided a guard of 3 Officers and 100 men and every officer attended and 40 NCOs lined the aisles. As she was marrying a “commoner” rather than royal blood she voluntarily relinquished the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and became known as Lady Patricia Ramsay. They had one son Alexander Ramsay of Mar born 21 December 1919.
Lady Patricia remained involved with the Regiment throughout her entire life and was appointed the Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment on 22 February 1918. In addition to being associated with the PPCLI, Lady Patricia was also an accomplished artist who specialized in Watercolours. She was made an honour member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water.
Lady Patricia passed away on 12 January 1974 at the age of 87. As she wanted a simple funeral the Regiment was represented by MGen C.B. Ware, a bearer party and two buglers. During her lifetime she was accorded the following honours: Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India, member of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert, Dame of justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and in recognition of her service to the Canadian Army the Canadian Forces Decoration.
This is a quick synopsis of the life of this great lady whose influence still affects us to this day. So if people don’t know why we celebrate 17 March or think it is just a day in honour of some guys that chased away snakes please share this with them.
Mark Adkins
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