The Devil's Brigade - The Canadians Arrive

Believe it or not,but there really was a Devil's Brigade and that force still exists today.

great film and wonderful bit of little known Canadian history...

Its called the 1st Special Service Force, it was disbanded in 1944. It did however, pave the way for special forces in Canada and the USA.

Thats totally my most favorite part of that great movie!

My pottery Prof was a member of the original Devil's Brigade.

A fine example of how intimidating proper dress and deportment, a solid cadence, and bagpipes can be fucking badass as hell and incredibly intimidating.

I love Bagpipe and Drum bands. I agree totally Canadian_Mind. There was a reason why the Germans hated fighting us, I'd have to think this is one of the reasons.

CSOR has been made the descendant IIRC.

Yep, guys like Piper Richardson VC signalled the Germans that they'd soon have a 17 inch bayonet stuck in their guts at the Somme and nothing was going to change it.

I love the pipes.

I've had the opportunity to meet with Peter Cottingham a number of times. He wrote a book called "Once Upon a Wartime - A Canadian Who Survived the Devil's Brigade" He served with the Regina Rifles before he was with the 1st Special Service Force. All he would say about the movie was that it "took liberties with the truth" but that they were VERY tough.

The Maids of War

Dad was a 'Red Patch Devil.( so named by the Germans), Out of Edmonton. He joined up with a fellow that he went all the way through school with, 'Les McCairn', 42-44. He never talked much about those years. I do remember one story they told. " We had just landed . Hell, we were still wet from coming ashore. We were ordered to 'TAKE THAT HILL'! So 'we took that hill!' The only casualty was Les here, He got shot in the ass! Later we found out that 'The American Troops' had been trying to 'take that hill for almost 3 months. The casualties were high". ( Les attended Dad's funeral) and last I heard he is still alive.

I don't really have much history about Dad's experiences. Only 'a bit here and a bit there'. If this 'rings a bell' with anyone I would sure appreciate learning some back ground details.

Grandpa Mac was in 'the Black watch' in Scotland. The only stories I heard about that was 'aboot a wee dram of whiskey or two', and a few 'donny-brooks'!

Oh,but Grandpa played 'a mean set of pipes'. I do have fond memories of that.

Lol at 0.54 punch in the face.

My dad was also a member of the RDB, recruited from the Wpg Rifles! Mostly he was on "night patrol", when he wasn't in the brig for scoring a German rifle, that didn't jam at inopportune moments! He told me how they moved tanks past enemy lines after midnight, by running 500' of perforated hose, pumping air through the hose, then moving the tanks at low speed 500' and start again. In the early morning, the tanks would open fire from behind the enemy as the infantry fired from in front! He told me war stories like you'd tell a child bedtime stories! I fired his Lee Enfield 303, loud & kicked like a mule. He taught me how to shoot at 5 yrs old, about the same time he started downloading his war stories! I've never researched the RDB., until tonight. With all the Canadians dying on foreign soil, and the condition Canada finds itself in, for the first time, I thought I should know more about what my father fought for! Will/bassicwill

I'm not sure if they marched all the from Canada to Helenea Montana but it's a pretty film.