Joining the Royal 22nd Regiment

Heroes Remember

Joining the Royal 22nd Regiment

Transcript

And then they invaded Africa. It's then that I was sent, I was sent from the Brigade as a reserve for the Royal 22nd because they were going into action, you see. And I was sent to Africa, North Africa I would say, Phillippeville and from Phillippeville we went when they needed reserve. I joined the 22nd, Royal 22nd Regiment in Sicily at the foot of Mount Etna, the volcanic mountain. I joined the Van Doos there and I stayed there during the whole war with them. I think when I joined Sicily the campaign of Sicily was almost finished. I think it was only a day or two, then it finished. Then we started to, we were stationed there in Sicily. We used to go on maneuverer, we used to be bombed by the German too right there, and then we were preparing for the invasion of the mainland, Italy.

Description

Mr. Clavel describes joining the Royal 22nd as a reinforcement at Philippeville, Algeria. His first front line action occurs at Mount Etna, Sicily.

Roger Clavel

Roger Clavel was born in Sainte-Scholastique, Quebec on February 15, 1919. He was the sixth of eight children. After finishing grade eight, he sold donuts door-to-door. Mr. Clavel enlisted three days after the war started, on September 13, 1939. He went overseas as a Fusilier de Montreal, and while in England he was married. Mr. Clavel then joined the Royal 22nd Regiment in North Africa. During the Italian campaign, Mr. Clavel eventually ended up driving a medical supply truck. The Royal 22nd Regiment then rejoined the Canadian army in Belgium, but Mr. Clavel saw limited action. After returning to Canada, Mr. Clavel had to wait exactly one year for the arrival of his war bride.

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