LONDON, England – O Canada, you do put on a fine military show.

A piece of Canadian history was reprised Monday when soldiers from the Royal 22nd Regiment stood guard outside two Royal residences in the heart of London.

The men from the Quebec-based unit marched to their posts at Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace respectively to begin six days guarding the British Royal Family, to the cheers of thousands of tourists thronging the capital.

Their task came as recognition of the regiment’s centenary and repeated an assignment last undertaken in April 1940 at the personal request of His Majesty King George VI.

“This is a historic moment for the Royal 22nd Regiment. It is the second time since the regiment’s founding that we have the honour and privilege of performing this important official task,” said Maj.-Gen. (retired) Alain Forand, the unit’s honorary regimental colonel, ahead of Monday’s duties.

“This return to the old world is part of the commemorative activities of the Royal 22nd Regiment highlighting the events that marked the regimental and military history of Canada.”

On a bright London morning, Forand was on hand for the march off along with a host of other serving and former Canadian Forces members.

Known colloquially as the Van Doos (a tortured, anglicized mangling of “vingt-deux,” French for twenty-two), the regiment has 42 battle honours that perfectly encapsulate the military history of Canada through the 20th century and beyond.

How did this exclusively Francophone formation with its distinctive red-plumed bearskin headdress come about?

On Oct. 21, 1914, the Government of Canada authorized the recruiting and formation of a French speaking battalion to fight in Europe.

The 22nd (French-Canadian) Battalion was formed and its efforts in the First World War were deemed so conspicuous that in 1921 it received special recognition from the House of Windsor to become the Royal 22e Regiment (R22eR).

“Wherever they are called upon to serve, the members of the Royal 22nd Regiment make Canadians proud. They are the faithful guardians of freedom and equality: values dear to Canada,” observed Lieut.-Gen. Marquis Hainse, Canadian Army commander.

History proves him right on every count.

The Van Doos fought through the First World War and Second World War. They were then sent to Korea in 1951 and a series of UN peace keeping missions from Bosnia to East Timor followed.

Most recently the regiment could be found in Afghanistan as part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

For Lieut. Karl Brodeur of Magog, Que., the Royal tour of duty is welcomed as a chance for Canada to renew a proud role of primacy on one of the biggest stages of all.

He is one of 70 who have made the trip across the Atlantic as part of the Ceremonial Guard.

“You just have to look at all the thousands and thousands of tourists out there waiting to see us,” Brodeur said, gesturing outside Wellington Barracks as he readied to go on parade, “to realize what a distinction this is both for us and for Canada.

“This is such a great honour, not just for the Van Doos of today, but for all who have ever served over the past century.

“We are proud to honour their sacrifice.”

Mai ouito that.

BOX

* The Royal 22nd Regiment is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Armed Forces.

* As a Francophone Regiment, it has served as a model for the entire Canadian Armed Forces in the use of French as a language of work. In line with the recommendations of a Royal Commission convened by the Government of Canada, the “Van Doos” model spread throughout the Public Service and into the private sector, allowing many French-language speakers to pursue their careers in French.

* During their stay in Europe, the Royal 22nd Regiment delegation will visit the historic sites of the Ypres and Passchendale battlefields in Belgium, the Champs Élysées and the Vimy Ridge battlefield in France.