The Canadian Army in Montreal: the Régiment de Maisonneuve

At 691 Cathcart Street, in the heart of downtown Montreal, just a few steps from McGill Station, you’ll find the Régiment de Maisonneuve armoury. The regiment takes its name from one of Montreal’s two founders, Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve. For the regiment, however, Maisonneuve’s legacy goes even further. In the early years of the colony, Maisonneuve was the leader of the small militia, protecting the first Montrealers from potential Haudenosaunee attacks. Over the centuries, European armies came and went, but the presence of the Canadian militia remained. In 1871, the British army left Canada, leaving the young country to form its own army. It was against this backdrop that the 85th Battalion of Infantry was founded on June 4, 1880.

When it was founded, the battalion was a field unit, and mainly carried out military exercises outside of the city. During this period, the 85th’s reservists distinguished themselves among the province’s authorities, winning several awards – which are still on display in their armoury. On the other hand, despite its status as a rural battalion, officer meetings were very often held in Montreal: in city hall offices, in senior officers’ residences, or wherever was convenient! Still, the 85th grew over the years, first achieving regimental status on May 8, 1900, then finally adopting its present name on March 29, 1920.

It was during the Second World War that the regiment’s soldiers saw the most action. Unlike during the Great War, the regiment’s volunteers did not have to be transferred among other units in order to be sent to Europe. Indeed, on September 1, 1939, the Régiment de Maisonneuve mobilized its first battalion of volunteers, who arrived in Great Britain the following year. At the same time, it also founded a second battalion, which remained in reserve in Canada. However, at this point in the war, the vast majority of Canadian troops were garrisoned in Great Britain, where they had to carry out various exercises and duties… all the while fighting boredom.

Indirectly, on August 19, 1943, the Régiment de Maisonneuve took part in the now infamous Dieppe Raid. Fortunately for the men mobilized, because they were assigned as reserve troops, they were able to avoid the terrible massacre on the beaches. Certainly, however, they sympathized with their comrades from the other regiments, especially their rival, the Fusiliers Mont-Royal. It was not until two years later that Maisonneuve was mobilized again. On July 6, 1944, the men of Le Maisonneuve landed in Normandy and helped American troops liberate northeastern France, Belgium and the Netherlands until the end of the war – alongside, in particular, the Fusiliers Mont-Royal.

As mentioned above, the regiment originally had no armouries. During its early years, the upper floors of the Marché Bonsecours in Old Montreal served as a warehouse for the regiment’s uniforms, equipment and weapons. In 1888, due to a lack of space, several militia units were invited to use the Armoury Arsenal training room at 175 Craig Street East in Montreal. Over the next few decades, the regiment used the training hall and various other temporary locations for its regional activities.

The question of a permanent location remained, however, a major preoccupation for several officers. At a meeting held on September 21, 1927, the intention was raised to acquire an armoury to center the regiment’s activities. It would seem that having to share the training hall on Craig Street was the subject of many complaints among the members, as Lieutenant-Colonel N.-A. Millette wrote in May 1928: “…we are not yet on an equal footing with the other Montreal units and, naturally, this is a subject of sometimes bitter complaints…”.

Finding a place to house several hundred soldiers, officers and musicians remained a complicated task. In 1929, the city of Outremont offered the regiment a plot of land at the corner of Rockland and North streets, but nothing was built on it due to organizational problems. Five years later, in 1934, plans were made to build an arsenal for the regiment on Chapleau and Rachel streets. However, a citizens’ demonstration organized by the local church put the brakes on the project. The final attempt came in 1937, when the federal government granted a $100,000 budget for the construction of a new armoury, which was to include a drill hall, shooting gallery, classrooms, bowling lanes, swimming pool and separate quarters for officers and non-commissioned officers. This project also failed, however, when the next federal budget eliminated the planned subsidy.

In the meantime, the regiment still shares the Craig Street training hall. The outbreak of war in Europe, in September 1939, at least increased the regiment’s recruitment, which was now at full capacity. Things then accelerated rapidly, and in October 1939, it was decided to move to a warehouse on Ontario Street, owned by the Baillargeon company and previously renovated as an arsenal. From here, the regiment carried out the majority of its activities. Drill Hall, however, remained the regiment’s principal residence until the move to the Cathcart Armoury.

In parallel with the Régiment de Maisonneuve’s search for a new armoury, the Victoria Rifles (founded in 1862) finally succeeded in building their own armouries, between 1933 and 1934. Designed by Montreal architect David Jerome Spencer, the armoury’s exterior façade was built in a Tudor style consciously reminiscent of a medieval castle. Completely at odds with the surrounding buildings, the armoury features three turrets, a balcony and a portcullis door.

Unlike many other armouries on the island of Montreal, Cathcart’s armoury was built high up to fit in with the urban layout of the downtown area. The building’s first floor contains offices for employees and a rest room for soldiers, while the second floor is mainly reserved for officers’ messes and reception rooms. Finally, on the upper floor we find the main training hall, where regimental members practice team sports or take part in amateur wrestling competitions.

The Victoria Rifles occupied the arena until their disbandment in 1965. At that time, the Canadian Army was reorganizing its regiments, and it was decided to disband them in favor of the Régiment de Maisonneuve. The Régiment de Maisonneuve finally won an armoury, but only on condition that the Victoria Rifles line continue for the next years to come.

Left: A few photos from our visit to the Régiment de Maisonneuve armoury, showing in turn the gymnasium, the soldiers’ hall and the various officers’ messes.