Howdy vinnyny-ga,
"Princess Pats" is the nickname for the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry. Even though the following is located on the Regina Pats Hockey
Club web site, this web page has a nice history of the "Patricia's," as
they like to be called these days.
http://www.reginapats.com/pages/ppcli_history.php
"The full title of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Mobile Infantry was
too long for everyday use, and the new unit became known as 'PPCLI', with
'PP's' or 'Pip Pip's', the most common variants.
The Regiment was best known to the public as 'Princess Pats' or merely the
'Pats', but this partial abbreviation is discouraged within the regiment,
which now prefers to be known as the 'Patricia's'."
The Canadian Royal Heritage Trust web site has more.
http://www.crht.ca/LibraryShelf/PrincessPatriciasInfantry.html
"The Patricias were quickly brought up to full strength at the beginning
of World War II, inspected by King George VI, and reviewed by their colonel-
in-chief, who had become Lady Patricia Ramsay following her marriage. They
engraved on Italy a record that was as glorious in accomplishment as it was
tragic in losses, according to Ducimus: The Regiments of the Canadian
Infantry, compiled by Major Michael Mitchell."
A Canadian National Defence web page has "A Short History of 2PPCLI in
Winnipeg."
http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/2ppcli/history/reghistory_e.htm
"Shortly after hostilities broke out at the beginning of World War II, the
Patricia's were mobilized for active service on September 1st, 1939. Soldiers
were recruited in Winnipeg and on Vancouver Island and the Battalion was
brought up to full strength in October of that year."
The same web site has a page on PPCLI "History: World War II" as well.
http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/2ppcli/history/ww2_e.htm
"On 10 July, 1943 the PPCLI, forming part of the 1 st Canadian Infantry
Division and the 8th Army, landed in Sicily. After the short Sicilian
campaign, the Regiment landed and fought in Italy from September, 1943
to March, 1945."
As to your second question, the "ga" stands for "Google Answers" and is
added to all GA users' screen names.
If you need any clarification, feel free to ask.
Search strategy:
Google search on: "Princess Pats"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22Princess+Pats%22
Google search on: "Princess Pats" "World War II"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22Princess+Pats%22+%22World+War+II%22
Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher |
