Once a Patricia, Always a Patricia: The Origins and a Brief History of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry tells the remarkable story of one of Canada's most iconic regiments.
Founded in 1914 as the last privately raised regiment in the Commonwealth, the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) has been at the forefront of Canadian military history for more than a century. From the mud of Frezenberg in the First World War to the rubble of Ortona, the desperate stand at Kapyong in Korea, the tense buffer zones of Cyprus, the firefights of Medak Pocket, and the long war in Kandahar, the Patricias have carried their colours-the Ric a Dam Doo-into the crucible of conflict.
This book traces the regiment's origins, traditions, and defining battles, while exploring the human side of service: the nicknames that reflect affection and familiarity, the commemorations and memorials that preserve memory, and the enduring bond between soldiers and the nation they serve.
Richly detailed and deeply respectful, Once a Patricia, Always a Patricia is both a regimental history and a reflection on Canada itself. It reminds us that the legacy of the Patricias is not only found in battle honours, but in the lives they touched, the sacrifices they made, and the enduring spirit they embody.
