Royal Military College Saint-Jean, Military education complex in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Canada
Royal Military College Saint-Jean is a military education institution that trains officer cadets and houses a military museum on its grounds. The campus contains classroom buildings, residence halls for approximately 325 students, training facilities, and several historic structures including the Massey Building, which contains military artifacts and documents.
Fort Saint-Jean was built in 1743 under orders from La Galissonnière; on 31 August 1759 its commander Roquemaure blew it up rather than let it fall to the British, and Carleton rebuilt it in 1775, when it withstood a 45-day siege under Major Charles Preston. The college opened in 1952 as Canada's first bilingual military college, closed in 1995, reopened on 24 May 2008, and regained university status in 2021.
Cadets belong to squadrons named after figures of New France: Cartier, Maisonneuve, Champlain and Jolliet, with Prince added as the fifth in 2026. They compete each year for the Commandants Cup in the college's four pillars. Since winter 2009 the dress of the day has been a white shirt, black sweater or light jacket, black trousers or skirt with a red side stripe, and a black wedge with red piping.
The campus is accessible to visitors interested in exploring the military museum and viewing historical exhibits and collections. It helps to check opening hours beforehand since the museum operates within an active educational environment that follows academic schedules.
The campus occupies the site of Fort Saint-Jean, built in 1743 under orders from administrator La Galissonnière. On 31 August 1759, commander de Roquemaure blew up the fort on Governor Vaudreuil's orders to keep it from the British; Governor Carleton rebuilt it in 1775, and that year it withstood a 45-day siege by General Montgomery's American troops.
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