031 - Back in the late 50's I was part of an exercise with the Princess Pats.

Did your intergration eleminate the history and traditions of those proud old regiments. I was shocked when the Brits started combining the old Scots Regiments, but they did retain there kilts and hyphenated the combined units titles.

Canada could do much worse than building the new foreces on the Marine Corps pattern. Look deep and copy the Navy Medical Service and Chaplin's seconded to the Marine Divisions to provide comfort and solace.

The US Navy Corpsmen who serve with the Marines are held in awe by the Marines and those sailors who have not served in the Fleet Marine Forces.

Rifleman - The south did fairly well with the 1:3 ratio. They did a fair amount of recruiting Irish from the "Ald Sod" and fielded Irish Brigades of their own. Savannah GA was a large port of entry for the Irish and today boasts the second largest St. Patricks Day Parade in the world. And New Orleans, drew many Irish immigrents from a section of the City called Algeirs situated across "The Irish Channel" for City of New Orleans Regiments. I had a great, great uncle who wore a Fez and Pantaloons for the City of New Orleans and a great, great grandfather who was with the 88th NY Infantry Vol. Regt. ("The Devils Own") from lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY of the Irish Brigade formed by the State of New York. A lot of that Regiments first soldiers were veterans of and Irish Light Infantry Regiment of the British Army The 88th Connaught Rangers. Rifleman - It is all in the gene pool. Good Stock, as a gentleman from Atlanta, GA said, once upon a time.

I've heard of an Irish Brigade Regiment from Georgia who's knickname was "The Jaspers". It might be time for someone to write a history of the Irish contribution to the Southern side of the War between the States.