The Battalion War Diarist wrote nothing for this day.<\/p>\n
\n
\u00a0\u201c\u2026the portentous events of the French Revolution brought Europe once again to arms.\u00a0 The desperate rising of the French people in reply to the attempt by the European monarchs of the ancien r\u00e9gime \u2018<\/em>to smother the Revolution in blood\u2019 and the victory of the new France in the Valmy campaign, had resulted in a militant French Republicanism.\u00a0 The armies of the Revolution invaded Savoy, the Rhineland, and the Austrian Netherlands, declared the Scheldt free to all navigation, and offered assistance to all countries desirous of overthrowing their old governments.\u00a0 The ambitions of Louis XIV were revived with an added revolutionary fervour.\u00a0 The French attack on the Netherlands drew England into the war in 1793; the preservation of the balance of power on the Continent was our [the British] aim.\u00a0 The Fourteenth Foot was the first British line regiment to arrive at the scene of war, and in April 1793 landed on the island of Voorn.<\/p>\n The first action fought by the Regiment in this campaign was the capture of the great fortified camp of Famars, near Valenciennes, May 22, 1793.\u00a0 The entrenched camp of Famars consisted of two broad parallel plateaux divided by the little river Rhonelle.\u00a0 Two passages over the river were defended by entrenchments and batteries, and all approaches to the camp except from the east were protected by redoubts.\u00a0 The French forces consisted of about twenty-five thousand man, whereas the allied forces under Prince Frederick Josias of Coburg-Saalfeld numbered about eighty thousand.\u00a0 The Austrian general drew up a complicated plan of battle, dividing his force into nine columns, with an elaborate \u2018order of going in.\u2019 \u2018The scheme was typically Austrian: that is to say, too full of science to leave room for sense.\u2019<\/p>\n But a foggy dawn favoured the British troops, and the camp was captured.\u00a0 Five weeks later Valenciennes fell.\u00a0 The Fourteenth Foot distinguished itself during the Famars battle in a vigorous counter-attack , by which , with the 53rd<\/sup> Regiment, they captured seven canon and two hundred prisoners.\u00a0 The French revolutionary tune \u00c7a Ira<\/em> became the regimental quick-step as a result of this engagement.<\/p>\n The incident is described as follows: \u2018The French attacked so fiercely that the Fourteenth wavered for a moment.\u00a0 The revolutionary fever, in truth, blazed out as a new element in war, and everywhere the discipline learned under average drill-sergeants was at a loss how to meet it.\u00a0 Colonel Doyle, however, was not at a loss, for, dashing to the front, he called out in a loud voice, \u2018Come along, my lads; let\u2019s break the scoundrels to their own damned tune.\u00a0 Drummers, strike up \u00c7a Ira.\u2019\u00a0 <\/em>The effect was irresistible.\u2019<\/p>\n At the battle of Tournay in the following year, the regiment found itself towards evening hemmed in by French troops, and the Colonel directed the band to whistle the tune till the men were familiar with it.\u00a0 When night came, the Fourteenth, with colours flying and the band playing \u2018the accursed tune,\u2019 passed safely through their foes and regained their own lines.\u00a0 Like the Marseillaise and the Carmagnole, the air \u00c7a Ira<\/em> had become popular with the revolutionary armies.\u00a0 It was first sung by 200,000 workmen on the Champ-de-Mars in Paris in 1790 during the July 14th<\/sup> celebrations.\u00a0 The original words were comparatively mild:-<\/p>\n \u2018Ah! ca ira!<\/p>\n La Libert\u00e9 s\u2019\u00e9tablira<\/p>\n Malgr\u00e9 les tyrans, tout r\u00e9ussira.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018All will be well!\u00a0 Liberty shall be established.\u00a0 Despite tyrants, success will be ours.\u2019\u00a0 But in 1793, under the Terror, the more savage and familiar version, probably the one shouted by the French at Famars, was:-<\/p>\n \u2018Ah! ca ira!<\/p>\n Les aristocrats a la lantern<\/p>\n Ah! ca ira<\/p>\n Les aristocrats on les pendra.<\/p>\n Si on n\u2019les pend pas, on les romp\u2019ra,<\/p>\n Si on n\u2019les rompt pas on les br\u00fblra.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018The aristocrats to the lamp post\u2026 We will hang them \u2026 If not hung, they will be smashed: if not smashed, they will be burnt.\u2019<\/p>\n The music is a dance tune called the Carillon National, composed by B\u00e9court.\u00a0 It was not always popular as the regimental quick-step, though it has magnificent swing and dash.\u00a0 One Fourteenth man said \u2018I have often seen other regiments in brigade with us thrown out of step at once on the striking up of \u00c7a Ira<\/em>.\u00a0 And in 1795, when the Regimental band played the tune in marching through the streets of Dartford, the Regiment was stoned by the populace, \u2018eager to express their detestation of republican doctrines.\u2019\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 [2]<\/a><\/p>\n We have read above how at the 1793 Battle of Famars<\/a>, the 14th Regiment of Foot, The West Yorkshire Regiment<\/a> earned its new Regimental March, \u00c7a Ira while in battle against the French.\u00a0 In 1880 the 14th Regiment of Foot became The Prince of Wales Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) (14th Foot).\u00a0 \u00a0During World War I, it fought as The West Yorkshire Regiment, and at its peak numbered 37 battalions. Sixty-six Battle Honours were bestowed and four Victoria Crosses were awarded.\u00a0 In 1958 it amalgamated with The East Yorkshire Regiment<\/a> (15th Foot) to form The Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire<\/a> (14th<\/sup>\/15th<\/sup> Foot). \u00a0On 6 June 2006 the regiment was amalgamated with The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regiment)(19th Foot)\u00a0and The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding)(33rd\/76th Foot)\u00a0plus their affiliated Army Reserve (formerly Territorial\u00a0Army)\u00a0units to form the Yorkshire Regiment (14th\/15th, 19th and 33rd\/76th Foot)<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the Canadian Militia was reorganized in 1920, the combined 14th<\/sup> Battalion, Royal Montreal Regiment, and the [58th]<\/sup> Westmount Rifles were given a place in the Militia list under the title \u201cThe Royal Montreal Regiment\u201d with headquarters at Westmount, P.Q.\u00a0 Two battalions were authorized, the first an \u201cactive\u201d unit, and the second a \u2018reserve\u201d formation, with personnel to be called up only in the event of an emergency, or national peril.\u00a0 Under the Militia unit was composed as follows:<\/p>\n The Royal Montreal Regiment<\/strong><\/p>\n 1st<\/sup>\u00a0 (Westmount) Battalion (14th<\/sup> Battalion, C.E.F.)<\/p>\n 2nd<\/sup> (Reserve) Battalion (23rd<\/sup> Battalion, C.E.F.)\u00a0\u00a0 [3]<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhen the Royal Montreal Regiment\u2019s place on the Canadian Militia List had been assured, officers considered the question of affiliation with a unit of the Imperial Army. To strengthen the ties which bind Canada in loyalty to the Throne, such association seemed desirable to officers, who felt that affiliation with the Prince of Wales\u2019s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) the old 14th<\/sup> Foot of the British Army, would be singularly appropriate.\u00a0 Informal enquiry as to whether, or not, the West Yorkshire Regiment would welcome affiliation brought a cordial affirmative from the Commanding Officer.\u00a0 Accordingly, a formal request for affiliation was fyled [filed] and, with the approval of His Majesty, King George V, granted.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 [4]<\/a><\/p>\n Ever since then The Royal Montreal Regiment has proudly cherished its association with the West Yorkshire Regiment and its successor regiments, and it is extremely proud to use the march \u00c7a Ira <\/em>as its own regimental march in recognition of this long standing relationship.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sunday, May 23, 1915 In billets, Le Hamel The Battalion War Diarist wrote nothing for this day. THIS DAY IN RMR HISTORY:\u00a0May 23, 1915 \u2013 222nd Anniversary of the Battle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-history","category-this-day-in-rmr-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11298"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11298\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"23](\"http:\/\/www.royalmontrealregiment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/23-May-15.png\")
<\/a>THIS DAY IN RMR HISTORY:\u00a0May 23, 1915 \u2013 222nd Anniversary of the Battle of Famars<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>[1]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 War Diary, 14th<\/sup> Canadian Battalion, The Royal Montreal Regiment<\/em>, May 23, 1915.\u00a0 Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa,\u00a0http:\/\/data2.collectionscanada.ca\/e\/e044\/e001089733.jpg<\/a><\/pre>\n
[2]\u00a0\u00a0 Capt. E.V. Tempest, D.S.O., M.C., \u201cHistory of the West Yorkshire Regiment,\u201d<\/em> Bradford, Yorkshire, Henry Walker, Ltd., 1941, pp. 13-15.<\/pre>\n
[3]\u00a0 R.C. Featherstonhaugh, The Royal Montreal Regiment 14th<\/sup> Battalion C.E.F. 1914-1925<\/em>, Montreal, The Gazette Printing Co., Ltd., 1927, pg. 288.<\/pre>\n
[4]\u00a0\u00a0 Ibid. pg. 290.<\/pre>\n
![http:\/\/data2.collectionscanada.ca\/e\/e044\/e001089733.jpg<\/a><\/pre>\n[2]\u00a0\u00a0 Capt. E.V. Tempest, D.S.O., M.C., \u201cHistory of the West Yorkshire Regiment,\u201d<\/em> Bradford, Yorkshire, Henry Walker, Ltd., 1941, pp. 13-15.<\/pre>\n[3]\u00a0 R.C. Featherstonhaugh, The Royal Montreal Regiment 14th<\/sup> Battalion C.E.F. 1914-1925<\/em>, Montreal, The Gazette Printing Co., Ltd., 1927, pg. 288.<\/pre>\n[4]\u00a0\u00a0 Ibid. pg. 290.<\/pre>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sunday, May 23, 1915 In billets, Le Hamel The Battalion War Diarist wrote nothing for this day. THIS DAY IN RMR HISTORY:\u00a0May 23, 1915 \u2013 222nd Anniversary of the Battle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-history","category-this-day-in-rmr-history"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11298"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11298\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rmrmuseum.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}](\"http:\/\/data2.collectionscanada.ca\/e\/e044\/e001089733.jpg\"){kind=link}