Royal Winnipeg Rifles

[Fox]

Hi everybody,

 

I just wanna say a couple of words about the association some friends of mine and I created last year to pay tribute to the Canadian troops who took part in the Battle of Normandy. After the Régiment de la Chaudière and the Regina Rifle Regiment, we now reenact the Royal Winnipeg Rifles (7th Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division).

 

Here are some pics of us.

 

 

 

Courseulles-sur-Mer, JUNO BEACH

 

 

 

 

 

Fox holes, Norman countryside

 

 

 

 

 

'We just got a hard time!'

[Fox]

First Aid Post

 

 

 

 

 

'Think it's over...'

 

 

 

 

 

Firing 2 inches mortar

[Fox]

'Let's move out!'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the size of some photographs.

 

 

The name of the association is Maple Leaf - Souvenir Canadien.

 

 

More pics here : http://www.souvenir-canadien.info/index.php?file=Gallery and here : http://www.meyerphotos.book.fr/photos.htm

[disneydave]

As a Canadian I want to say thanks for taking the time and for picking an outstanding group to represent.

[Fox]

As a Canadian I want to say thanks for taking the time and for picking an outstanding group to represent.

 

Living in Caen area, where very hard combats occured between the 3rd Canadian ID and the 12th SS Pz.Div. in June and July, 1944, we got aware that the Canadian contribution to victory was often forgotten. Reenactment seemed to be quite a good way to keep their memory alive.

 

By now we are about 20 members, dispatched in a HQ section (with 2 inches mortar) and a rifle section (about 10 guys, including the three men of the Bren Light Machine Gun Group). As far as I'm concerned, I stand for the Bren Group Leader (Lance-Corporal).

 

The aim is to be as much realistic as possible, that's why we all look pretty young : during WWII, Canadians were all volunteers and the enlisting age was 19. However, lots of them joined the army before the authorized age -- 16 years old guys were not rare. Most of us are in their early twenties -- I'm just 20.

 

Regards,

 

Fox

[militariacollector]

I would join in a heartbeat, but I'm a little ways away, In fact I currently live in Winnipeg.

It looks like a great group though.

[Fox]

I would join in a heartbeat, but I'm a little ways away, In fact I currently live in Winnipeg.

It looks like a great group though.

 

 

Thanks for the comments.

 

Our group has been growing pretty fast so far, since Canadian reenactors are rather rare ; we're still looking for serious and motivated people who'd like to join up. Most of the pics up there were taken in April, 2007 in Courseulles and Rots -- by that time we were reenacting the Regina Rifle Regiment : that's why insignias are red and black, while the Royal Winnipeg Rifles insignias are green and black.

 

It was kind of hard to have strong and regular contacts with the active Regina Rifles, while we already had some good relationship with the Winnipeg Rifles. Moreover, this elite regiment stands like a symbol, for dozens of Winnipegs (and many men from other units like the North Nova Scotia Highlanders) were murdered by the 12th SS Pz. Div. while being POWs.

 

We already took part in a few official ceremonies and some reenactment meetings in France, and were pictured in some magazines.

 

Now we'd like to make a short movie about the Canadian sacrifice in Normandy, but this is a very hard and very long way...

 

Feel free to have a look on our website and to write us.

 

Fox

 

PS : you can see me on the last three pics, and in the fox hole taking a look at the 'mail from home'.

[Fox]

If anyone interested in more information, please let me know via PM.