RMR Association visits Canadian War Museum
Westmount, Quebec – 05 August 2018: 4o members of the RMR Association and their families visited the Canadian War Museum on Saturday 04 August 2018. Using train tickets provided by the RMR Foundation through a Via Rail sponsorship package from the Regiment’s centennial in 2014, the RMR Association members were lucky to travel in style and not have to deal with traffic!
Their eagle eyes detected a mannequin dressed as a RMR soldier at the start of the First World War exhibition. Of particular note are the blue epaulettes on the uniform, as coloured shoulder straps were only permitted to be worn by warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the original 1st Canadian Contingent (September 1914), including who were returned to Canada from overseas and remained on active duty throughout the war.
The 1st Contingent which landed in the UK in the fall of 1914, and had their baptism of fire at 2nd Battle of Ypres in 1915, wore service dress tunics that had the corps identified by coloured epaulettes (blue being Infantry). The coloured straps were phased out over the first year of the war, being replaced with plain straps, however the Routine Orders created a dress distinction awarded to those surviving members of the Contingent. For those that retained them, the coloured straps remained a prized sign that the wearer had belonged to the First Contingent.
The RMR Association is always looking for new members, email info@royalmontrealregiment.com for information on joining.