The Canadian Army Journal

142
STANISLAS TOUGAS (1896-1917)—UN DES PLUS GRANDS
COEURS DU 22E BATTALION
TOUGAS, Remi (Cahiers du Septentrion, 2005) paper, 221 pages, ISBN 2-89448-413-5.
Reviewed by Lieutenant-Colonel R.S. Williams, MSM CD
This excellent French language volume traces the path
of Stanislas Tougas and the other members of the extended
Tougas family through their service in the First World War.
The author’s style and use of official documentation, letters
and media of the period provides an outstanding example for
any family genealogists looking to chronicle the experiences
of family members who served in the Great War.
Very well described is the little known initial reaction to a
French-speaking battalion in the rural Nova Scotia town of
Amherst; favourable and equally surprising to the members
of the battalion and to the inhabitants of this small maritime
town. After an initial period of getting acquainted, and as
initial wariness and preconceived ideas were forgotten or
disproved, a friendship was formed that the Amherst Daily
News commented very favourably upon in May 1915 on the
battalion’s departure for overseas service.
The early chapters detail how young Stanislas Tougas, working in Montreal when
the First World War broke out, went about joining the army and his initial impressions of
military life. This part of the book includes the timeless anecdotes that typify the training
experiences of young men preparing to go off to war. His letters deal with homesickness,
and dealings with both officers and senior non-commissioned officers who were not
always understanding towards the young recruit. As the short biography of Soldat
Stanislas Tougas, one of the original “Van Doos”, unfolds, extracts from his letters and
war diaries reveal profound war weariness, as the number of fellow “originals” dwindles.
This book is especially timely given the recent 90th anniversary commemoration of
the Battle of Vimy Ridge, coupled with the fact that no Canadian combat veterans of the
First World War remain alive. The fact that Stanislas Tougas’ life was cut short during
what initially was termed “the great adventure, not to be missed” makes this short
volume even more poignant.
I highly recommend this book to all interested in the experiences of young men
caught up in the time when the Great War to End All Wars was the show that many did
not want to miss. This book is a must for any one interested in a short version of the
history of Canada’s Royal 22nd Regiment. It can be read in one sitting and will provide
many avenues for subsequent research.
Canadian Army Journal Vol. 11.1 Spring 2008