CJOC HQ Submitted by Captain Aman Segu CJOC Royal Canadians enable the execution of CDS-led Op LASER ROC Drill in April 2020 Translating strategic intent into tactical effects, interfacing with numerous Federal Agencies, and enabling force projection of CAF assets on Continental and Expeditionary operations: all effects achieved by Canadian Joint Operations Command Headquarters. By overseeing various operational effects on deployed operations to planning efforts in reaction to a pandemic not seen in over a century and its subsequent vaccine rollout, Royal Canadians continued to provide the backbone required at the heart of CAF’s operational institution. LCol Greg Vander Kloet conducted future operational planning for CAF missions in Europe. LCol Eric Pellicano and Major Thomas Lehman carried out future operational planning for expeditionary operations in Africa and supported UN initiatives. LCol Paul Simpson and Major Matt Allen continued leading planning efforts for Latin America and the Caribbean. LCol Joe Hartson was responsible for developing CAF Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) programs, the National Defence Secure Campus (NDSC), the National Defence Operations and Intelligence Center (NDOIC), and developing a Canadian Intelligence Surveillance and Target Acquisition Reconnaissance (ISTAR) network and new capabilities. Keeping the watch and maintaining situational awareness on all named Continental and Expeditionary operations in the Canadian Forces Integrated Command Centre (CFICC) were Captains Adam Gourlie and Matt Hogg. As Executive Assistant to Director-General Operations, Captain Stephen Jacques enabled the timely and accurate management of information. Sgt David Kumar, employed in the Tasks and Training Cell, brought credibility and professionalism expected of RCR NCOs to CJOC HQ. Major Brant [ 101 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Enta and Capt Aman Segu continued their work in Operational Assessments which assisted with deeper analyses of Continental and Expeditionary operations. Major Sam Pengelly was also employed in a key staff position within Joint Readiness Delivery. This was a challenging year, with unprecedented hurdles to overcome. The ‘Mission First’ resolve expected of Royal Canadians continued to enable success at all levels of CAF Operations and mission management. Pro Patria! 3 RCR SUPPORT TO JOINT TASK FORCE-IMPACT Numerous members of 3 RCR deployed on Operation IMPACT, Canada’s commitment to addressing the threat stemming from violent extremist organizations such as DAESH. The mission further seeks to enhance regional stability by building capacity of regional partner forces and integrating with allied coalitions in order to enable the Canadian Armed Force’s enduring influence and access in the Middle East. KUWAIT 3 RCR’s contribution was first and foremost to the National Command Elements and National Support Elements which are based out of Ali Al Salem Airbase in Kuwait and included the following personnel: Maj Steve Tremaine, Capt Charles Bowes, Capt Ken Bunting, Capt Mitchell Forgie, Capt Hugo Hazledine, Capt Andrej Korajlija, Capt Paul Mayne, Lt Will Hoskins, Lt Zoe Price, MWO Jesse Stiles, MWO Mike Lisk, WO Jonathon Shaw, Sgt David Miller, Sgt Shad Nketiah, Sgt Robin Walker, Sgt James White, Cpl Danick Angers-Thomas, Cpl Thomas Blanchard, and Cpl Thomas Cail Coombes. RCR members deployed on OP Impact in Kuwait [ 102 PRO PATRIA 2019 ]
3 RCR members at Union III in Baghdad, Iraq including WO Russell Morgan , Cpl Brandon Juch, MCpl Michael Petit and WO Matthew Christensen IRAQ 3 RCR members also augmented NATO Mission Iraq which works in a multinational coalition to advise, mentor, train and build capacity with Iraqi Security Forces. These individuals were based out of Union III in Baghdad, within The Republic of Iraq and included WO Matthew Christensen, WO Russell Morgan, MCpl Evan Cabanaw, MCpl Robert Laroque, MCpl Nathan Ly, MCpl Michael Petit, and Cpl Brandon Juch. Additionally Capt Adam Snook deployed to Erbil in The Republic of Iraq as part of the US led headquarters for the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation INHERENT RESOLVE which focused on the destruction of remnants of DAESH. JORDAN Lastly, 3 RCR deployed MWO Kevin White and Cpl Andrew Lennon to Amman in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as part of the Canadian Training Assistance Team Jordan which focuses on building the capacity of the Jordanian Armed Forces to promote stability. [ 103 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
3 RCR members following completion of Desert Warrior, a 21 KM Ruck Run at Ali Al Salem Airbase in Kuwait 3 RCR members at Ali Al Salem Airbase in Kuwait [ 104 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE – OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE On 21 December 2020, three Royal Canadians and invited guests gathered in Northern Iraq to observe the Ortona Toast. For most, it was their first time celebrating the Regimental Birthday while serving on deployed operations. The security environment at the time underscored the historical significance behind the tradition. Throughout 2020, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation INHERENT RESOLVE (CJTF- OIR) was challenged by the growing influence of Iranian Aligned Militia Groups (IAMGs). In contrast to Da’esh stagnation since 2018, these malign actors continue to gain strength and notoriety throughout Iraq and the region. Reinforced by political backing and state- sponsored capability they have become the main obstacle to stability in the region. Fueled by the elimination of their leader, Qassem Soleimani, in early January 2020, their actions have grown increasingly violent and bold. Throughout the year, their clandestine methods manifested into increasingly public anti-coalition rhetoric, influence over mass civil demonstrations and deliberate rocket, missile and drone attacks against the International Zone (IZ) and coalition bases. As we gathered to celebrate the Regimental Birthday, the history of the Ortona Toast was highlighted by the fact that Forward Operating Base Union III had been attacked the night prior by a barrage of twenty-one katusha rockets. This was the largest attack on Coalition Forces in Baghdad since 2010. Although different from the experience of Royal Canadians in December 1943, the circumstances of the evening shared many similarities with the original Ortona Toast. Like then, the senior Canadian Officer in the battlespace was invited forward to mark the occasion of the Regiment’s Birthday. In our case, this invitation was extended to Brigadier General Paul Peyton as the Canadian Senior National Representative to CJTF-OIR. Having spent the previous night in a bunker in Baghdad, BGen Peyton arrived at Erbil Airbase with his Executive Assistant, Maj Cullen Downey (1 RCR) and was received by Capt Adam Snook (3 RCR) and Capt Erik Altermann (1 RCR). It was decided that all Canadians would gather that evening to enjoy a Christmas dinner and commemorate the Regimental Birthday by observing the Ortona Toast. Tasked with preparation, Capt Snook demonstrated exceptional scavenging skills to procure the necessary items. Though the finer details are vague, it widely accepted that he bartered with a foreign officer for a bottle of premium (Captain Morgan) dark rum and successfully secured a pound of Kurdish Coarse Brown Sugar from a local merchant. Unwilling to concede on even the smallest details of tradition, he borrowed a set of fine white china mugs (reserved for official state visits) from the office of a senior Kurdish diplomat. With the appropriate ingredients in-hand, he proceeded to mix the concoction with boiled water within the confines a refurbished sea-container, as Silent Night gently played off a Bluetooth speaker in the background. Truly the exploits of a dedicated and professional RCR officer paying the appropriate respects to his Regiment on its birthday. In that same professional manner, Capt Altermann, as the junior RCR officer present, rose to the task and provided a comprehensive account of the circumstances behind the original Ortona Toast. Demonstrating exceptional knowledge of Regimental history, Capt Altermann expertly guided our way through the historical context of the Ortona Crossroads of 1943, the Battle of Panjwayi in 2006, and closed with the significance of our shared deployed in [ 105 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Iraq. Maj Downey, as the senior Royal Canadian present, then toasted to the heath of the Regiment. Thus, the Regimental Birthday was commemorated; not within direct sight of the enemy but while maintaining contact nonetheless. The frozen observation posts of the Moro River Valley replaced by the tireless sentry of integrated Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms. The relentless barrage of enemy artillery substituted with the persistent threat of indiscriminant katusha rockets and explosive-equipped drones. Fires in support of infantry maneuver augmented by information operations in support of Coalition air strikes. Our experience in Iraq was shaped by two distinct efforts, (1) supporting our partner force to ensure the enduring defeat of Da’esh; and (2) below the threshold, grey zone warfare against IAMGs operating as non-attributable actors at the behest of their foreign masters. The great power competition to gain the support of a population, playing out in real-time across both ISR feeds and open-source social media channels. As the battlefield continues to evolve, our traditions have remained a consistent and poignant reminder that the human element of warfare remains decisive. These traditions connect us to our past and as we celebrate those who served before us we also mark our place in Regimental History. It was an honor to observe the Ortona Toast in Iraq on 21 December 2020. Major Cullen Downey, Executive Assistant to the Director of Strategic Communications Captain Adam Snook, Kurdistan Coordination Centre Operations Officer Captain Erik Altermann, Kurdistan Coordination Centre Battle Captain (L-R) Maj Cullen Downey, Capt Adam Snook, and Capt Erik Altermann with the Ortona Toast on 21 December 2020. [ 106 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Capt Adam Snook and Capt Erik Altermann with their KCC comrades after receiving their General Campaign Stars, 23 December 2020. Capt Adam Snook (Left) with his UK and US brothers in Kurdistan, Iraq. Right: Maj Cullen Downey moving between coalition bases courtesy of US Army Aviation, August 2020. [ 107 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Maj Cullen Downey and BGen Paul Peyton on the roof of the bombed-out former Ba’ath Party Headquarters. [ 108 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
3 DIVTC The RCR was well represented in the North and West during 2020, numbering 10 officers and 17 NCOs. CMTC The irony of the pandemic is that many places are now more like Wainwright than not. The isolation felt by neighbours is felt everywhere across the country, but in a small community, it seems more bearable. Because of that, the Royal Canadians flowing into CMTC over the last year have had the occasion to reconnect. Spouses and children are reconnecting again through Regimental ties in a place that is somewhat secluded from the lockdowns taking place in the bigger centres. Big sky, the room to social distance, and close cohorts have provided us with the ability to stay close and support each other in more ways than perhaps a lot of other places in the country. One of the benefits of location, but made only possible by a network of similarly minded and familiar group of Royal Canadians. One of the sometimes undervalued benefits of an association that is more than the sum of its pieces. Still, at CMTC, Royal Canadians are on the move, supporting both 3 RCR & 3 PPCLI though JRTC rotations in Ft Polk LA, and as far away as Adazi, Latvia, supporting the eFP BG on Integrated Capstone Exercises. In many ways, we have travelled as much as ever, and then quickly transitioned into smaller cohorts, sometimes from windowless unfinished basements, with our families above us stomping around like they are on a parade square, and ambushing MS Teams calls. All the Best from CMTC: LCol Ross Bonnell, Maj Travis Hanes, Maj Jon Herbert, Maj Nick Gallagher, Maj Darren Jenkins, Sgt Dan Baker, MCpl Matt Campbell, and Cpl Steven Best. 3 CDTC The 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre (3 CDTC) Wainwright has had a handful of outstanding Royal Canadians over the past few years. July 2020 saw LCol Greg Vander Kloet take command of the unit, as well as the appointment of CWO Ian Bennett as the RSM. Sgt Jesse- Leigh Kezar continued as an instructor within B Coy and Sgt Michael Stacey began working as one of the unit’s Standards NCOs. 2020 turned out to be another busy year, as the tempo remained constant throughout the COVID-19 Royal Canadians at 3 CDTC from L-R: LCol Vander Kloet, Sgt pandemic. After a brief pause in March, basic Kezar, Sgt Stacey, and CWO Bennett. Note – This picture was and leadership courses continued for both the Primary Reserve and the Regular Force, which taken individually and electronically modified. included Developmental Period 1 Infantry (DP1 Infantry), Close Quarter Combat Basic and Instructor, Primary Leadership Qualification, Army Junior Leadership Course, Infantry Section Commander Course, and the Rifle Section Commander Course. 3 CDTC conducted its first Decentralized-Basic Military Qualification in recent memory, where instructors were entrusted with training civilians to become successful [ 109 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Most of the new recruits subsequently attended the DP1 Infantry, rounding out their initial training as infantry soldiers. Sgts Kezar and Stacey had a direct impact in over 2500 candidates receiving qualifications. THE NORTH Members of the Royal Canadian Regiment serving as a part of “Team North” experience a posting that few others can match. Members of the Regiment are found in Joint Task Force North Headquarters (JTFN), and 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1 CRPG). Covering an AOR of approximately 4 million square km, 40% of Canada’s land area, and 75% of Canada’s coastline, members of the Regiment are exposed to unique challenges imposed by Canada’s arctic and subarctic regions. Senior NCO’s present in the North throughout 2020 include; WO Chetwynd (Pl WO, A Coy, 1 CRPG), Sgt Barteaux, Sgt Goodfellow, (Ranger Instructors, A Coy, 1 CRPG), and Sgt Spencer (Junior Canadian Rangers, C Coy, 1 CRPG). Officers present include; Capt Ed Vermeersch (1 CRPG), Capt Alexander Gawel (JTFN J93), and Capt Rob Hendry (JTFN J35). As a result of decisive territorial health protection measures enacted, operations and training occurred throughout the AOR despite the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Op NANOOK is a yearlong operation with multiple distinct facets to provide presence and surveillance in the North while engaging Canada’s Northern partners across all levels of government. Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT (Op NA-NU 20) occurring from 24 Feb - 27 Mar 20, had exhaustive Royal Canadian participation. Canadian Rangers were a vital element in providing security, escorts, navigation, and liaison between the air, land, and maritime task forces that participated. Support to the operation with austere landing strips for ski-equipped CC-138 aircraft in simulated CASEVAC extraction are one of the many tasks Royal Canadians enabled. Op NANOOK-TUUGAALIK, 4-24 Aug 20, a major contribution to the CAF’s maritime domain awareness in the Eastern Arctic, had extensive Royal Canadians participation in planning. Throughout the year members of 1 CRPG were extremely active in the AOR, completing Left: Fleet Dive Unit Atlantic’s Dive Site at Rankin Inlet, Nunavut during Op NA-NU 20 taken on March 14, 2020. Upper Right: Sgt Goodfellow mentors members of FDU(A) on proper knot usage prior to diving. Lower Right: 440 Tpt Sqn support to Op NA-NU 20. [ 110 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Members of the Land Task Force for Op NA-NU 20 set up camp IVO Crystal City in Resolute Bay, Nunavut. patrols in multiple communities across all territories. The conduct of these patrols are vital in understanding the AOR, and maintaining the extremely positive CAF presence in the region. In support of the COVID-19 response in the territories, Canadian Rangers and other members of Team North stood poised to assist and respond to territorial requests for assistance. Royal Canadians in Team North uphold the creed of Pro Patria, serving Canada and the Regiment proudly in the unique and challenging Canadian North. [ 111 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
CADETS 2647 RCACC Ormocto Submitted by Captain Marge Purdy, CD In September cadets commenced for our 60th year. The corps parades at D57 on 5 CDSG Gagetown. We are very lucky to have an office, a QM, and classroom space available for us provided by our affiliated unit, 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment. We are also very grateful for the many members who chose to volunteer with our unit and offer their specialties to show the cadets what their futures might hold. Every September the CFB Gagetown Base Gym holds a Recspo which offers the community a glimpse of all the activities that take place on the base, our unit as other cadets units show off what it is that we do. The fall is our busiest time of the year as the cadets are participating in activities most weekends in addition to training on Tuesday evenings. The weekly training consists of a variety of leadership, citizenship, and field training with a dash of drill to make it interesting. In addition, we train on Thursday evenings teaching basic Biathlon/Marksmanship skills and Pipe and Drum practices on Sundays. Orienteering competitions, Gold Star Expeditions, fundraising activities, and unit field exercises fill up [ 112 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
weekends until November. Supporting the Poppy Campaign is an essential part of our training as it gives an opportunity for volunteering and assisting members of #93 Oromocto Royal Canadian Legion. Just prior to finishing 2019, our unit held an Instructional Technique Seminar for Silver and Gold star cadets. This seminar offered more one on one discussion and mentoring in the proper techniques for instructing cadets. MWO Dan Koftinoff, an RCR volunteer with our unit, was Chief Instructor. During this past year we had three cadets that completed their Duke of Edinburgh awards: two Gold Award recipients and one Silver Award recipient. These individuals spent a significant amount of time on their awards volunteering, learning new skills in addition to working on their personal fitness goals. Many more cadets are just joining the Duke of Edinburgh Award Program and will soon see results from their personal achievements. [ 113 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
The year 2020 brought new challenges; we had a cadet accepted on the International Expedition which took place at Santa Catalina Island in California. MWO Osmond had a challenging but equally fun 10 days hiking the trails on Santa Catalina Island. We also had cadets attend the Provincial Biathlon Championships in Charlo, NB. In the spring and with the beginning of the pandemic we had to change the way we offered the program to the cadets. Virtual training became a must and for the remainder of the cadet year, we offered weekly challenges for the cadets to participate in which included a best boots challenge, build your own training game, construct an improvised shelter in your own backyard as well as, some games which encouraged cadets to comment based on the alphabet and what could be taken on expedition, plan a meal, etc. Finally, in May we held a virtual Annual Parade with presentation of awards and a few speeches of encouragement. Acer Acerpori Pro Patria Volunteering Fredericton Fall Classic Half Marathon [ 114 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Fall Field Exercises 2019 Fall Field Exercises 2019 [ 115 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
2642 RCACC Petawawa Submitted by Sgt Eve Morneau The 2642 Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps (RCACC) affiliated with 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment (3 RCR) allowing cadets between the age of 12 to 18 to open up to new opportunities, learn new skills, and make friends. The skills and knowledge they gain throughout their cadet experience are very useful in their daily lives. The program allows cadets to train weekly at Korea Hall and it is with pride that they wear the maroon beret with The Royal Canadian Regiment cap badge. The cadet program builds cadets confidence, leadership skills, and abilities that will help them in the future. The program offers a variation of activities that benefit everyone. Trips outside of a cadet establishment, the mud run to help with the Canadian Cancer Society, sports nights, training nights, and competitions that Cadets can attend are a few of the activities provided by 2642 RCACC. Some of the activities the cadet corps offers are air rifle marksmanship, drill competitions, biathlon, and orienteering. These activities allow cadets to qualify themselves either in the regional, provincial, and national level. With the help of the staff committee, cadets have had the opportunity to have longer trips outside the local area. In the past the corps has raised money to travel to New York City. To be able to plan bigger trips cadets must work and help raise money for the corps. The fundraising also benefits the cadets because it counts as volunteer hours that are required to obtain a high school diploma. The 2642 Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps is active in the community by showing up at multiple volunteering events; the poppy campaign, 12 hour fitness challenge, chocolate selling, pepperettes selling, tag day, and many more. The corps also volunteers for the Legion Veteran’s dinner and every year the cadet corps has been present for each Remembrance Day parade. During the fall, winter, and spring exercises the cadets take part in multiple educational activities such as first aid, shelter building, map and compass, survival games and many more. Training exercises assist cadets in developing the leadership skills they will use in the future. During field training exercises (FTX’s) the cadets are to take part within the leadership and are tested on their knowledge and skills determined by their star level. They will accomplish multiple activities and tasks depending on their star level. Prior to the cancellation of in person training 2642 RCACCC completed many good training nights and weekends. During the winter FTX, the last weekend in January, we built improvised shelters, erected artic tents, completed a snowshoe march, and the highlight was THE bonfire. We were fortunate to have NCOs from Mike Company, 3 RCR, to teach us tent routine with the artic tents. We completed a marksmanship weekend where green stars learned the air rifle and all others improved their shooting skills. The drill team continued to practice but unfortunately the competition was cancelled. The biathlon team competed at the regional and provincial levels where several cadets distinguished themselves. One cadet went to the National level as a coach. After in person training was cancelled the cadets attended virtual training nights and activities. [ 116 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
They were given the opportunity to assist at multiple conferences with motivational speakers such as Dr. Wong who generously shared with us her experience as a cadet, a scientist, and a female leader. AKOR is a group of five experienced expedition outdoor fans who explained that they will attempt the longest North-to-South route crossing of Canada. Cadets were able to join as they wanted and participated in problem solving activities like escape rooms, survival simulations in which they had to work as a team to figure out how to survive, trick questions on the History of the Corps and Basic Cadet questions. Building improvised shelters on Winter FTX. Erecting artic tents with the assistance of M-Coy, 3 RCR, NCOs. [ 117 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
The RCR Association CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT ASSOCIATION The year 2020 is one that few of us could describe as ‘Normal.’ The fact is, it was anything but! Despite that, your Association continued its efforts to “Preserve the Bonds of Comradeship.” Sandy McQuarrie, In ‘Normal’ times, each Branch of the Association OMM, CD, (Ret’d) submits an article for Pro Patria describing their activities in the year. This year, not all Branches were Chair, The Board of Directors, comfortable with submitting a ‘Nil Report.’ There are The RCR Association some Branch reports included, but not all choose to do so as they had little or no story to tell. The Vice Chair, Denis Thompson, has written one that presents an overview of the Association’s year. It follows this note. To begin, I wish to acknowledge the current members of the Board who are listed in the article. Their wise counsel and advice were instrumental in the forward moves made this year. Although there were very few opportunities to gather in person, your Association’s Board of Directors continued to meet regularly using Zoom. Copies of the minutes from each meeting were posted on the Regimental website. Other important document like the status of your Association’s finances were also updated, and posted, on a regular base. Last year’s Chair, Jim Cox, stated that the work of your Association is based on three pillars – people, money, and governance. In 2020, we continued to focus on the same three. On the people front, the Board determined that we needed to open membership to all members of the Regimental Family rather than restrict it to former-serving Royal Canadians. Membership is now free and is open to all who identify as part of The Family. As an example, we have registered quite a few widows who have stated that they still wished to be identified with our Regiment. For our finances, two important decisions were made in 2020. The first was one to do away with fees for membership. This was an initiative launched by Bob MacBride in 2016 when he started a review of the Association. The second step was to design an internal tracking mechanism for the Association’s income and expenses. Acceptance of this new method allowed us to do away with bookkeeping fees. [ 118 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Governance issues involved ensuring that we followed the newly approved By-Laws, developing and using SOPs designed to capture process, and reviewing the status of our Branches. In September, a much-anticipated planning session was conducted with all the Board Members. The outcome pointed us towards some new initiatives to be put in place during 2021. Perhaps, the major issue discovered was the need to communicate with all Royal Canadians rather than only members of the Association. As 2020 closed, new communications strategies were being put in place. You are encouraged to visit the Regimental website on a regular basis to keep track of matters within the Regiment In closing, the restrictions imposed by the pandemic crisis did cause some difficulties. Despite that, your Association pressed on! Pro Patria THE RCR ASSOCIATION IN 2020 Submitted by Denis Thompson, Vice Chair Without question 2020 will long be remembered as the year we lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, The RCR Association continued to perform its core mandate of “preserving the bonds of comradeship” amongst all Royal Canadians. The Association was well-served for the first half of the year by the indefatigable Jim Cox who stepped down as the Chair of the Association’s Board of Directors in June 2020. Prior to his departure, Jim had led the Board and represented the Association with his characteristic energy for two years bringing the governance mechanisms into line with federal vice the previous followed provincial legislation. All his endeavours culminated in the federal incorporation of The RCR Association as a not-for-profit corporation on 6 December 2019. In recognition of his herculean efforts, Jim has been awarded the Colonel of the Regiment Commendation, which will be formally presented when conditions permit. Before the pandemic really took hold, the Regiment marked the 120th anniversary of the Battle of Paardeberg with a magnificent, traditional black-tie dinner and ball on 22 February 2020 in the ballroom of the Hotel Hilton Lac-Leamy, Gatineau. Association members were present in large numbers and enjoyed a fine balance of history, dining, and dancing. The Regimental Headquarters, under the steady leadership of Major Tim Robinson, ensured that this well-attended event was a memorable success. Shortly after the ball, nearly all Association business moved to virtual platforms. While some may have been initially skeptical, the conduct of the Annual General Meeting of the Association provided a resounding proof of concept. The AGM was handled in a remote manner over the month of June and was witness to an impressive uptick in [ 119 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
member participation via e-voting. By the end of June 2020, 140 members had voted on the agenda items either electronically or through proxies. By the conclusion of the AGM, the Association had elected its new board consisting of Chair – Sandy McQuarrie, Vice-Chair – Denis Thompson, and board members – Leo Boyd, Eric Christensen, Mark Connolly, Jim Davis, Don Denne, Geordie Elms, Anthony Jones, Bob Near, Rick Reid, and Jim Simms. The Association continued to provide solid support to Regimental initiatives such as The RCR Afghanistan Memorial Project, which by the conclusion of the self-imposed fund-raising period had succeeded in raising sufficient monies to meet its objective. Additionally, several Association members were intimately involved in directing and editing the draft of Vol. III of The RCR Regimental History. Both projects should come to fruition in 2021. Once in place, the renewed Board leaned into an initiative from the Membership Secretary, Rick Reid, to remove fees as a criterion for membership to the Association. Much of the impetus for this commendable idea sprang from the sure knowledge that virtually all Association members had already paid the equivalent of a Paid-Up Membership during their active service through the Voluntary Contribution Programme (VCP). Once the Board had formally removed the requirement for fees, membership in the Association grew from 545 to 841 by 31 December 2020. Doubtless, membership will continue to grow as more of our comrades-in-arms learn of the many good deeds their Association performs for the Regiment. And those good deeds were not inconsequential despite the trials imposed by the pandemic. Calls on the Service and Assistance Fund (SAF) were as numerous as in past years, resulting in the Association providing immediate financial relief to Regimental members in dire financial straights on four occasions over 2020. These calls for emergency assistance were generated from within both the serving and the previously serving elements of the Regiment and were adjudicated by the Board in rapid fashion. While the speed of a grant is significant to those in need, the amount is worthy of note, too. The SAF granted $8,000 in 2020 plus an additional voluntary amount of just under $7,000 raised for one particularly egregious case. Make no mistake, The RCR continues to look after its own! Of similar importance is The RCR Association Bursary, which is adjudicated by a committee internal to the Association. In 2020, six bursaries were granted of $2,000 each to deserving family members of Royal Canadians. This is another programme that the Association is actively examining in conjunction with The RCR Trust to determine if the scope and scale of its bursaries should be modified to reach additional deserving members of the Regimental Family. THE 2020 BURSARY AWARD RECIPIENTS INCLUDED: • Kailey Davenport (daughter of WO Davenport); • Colin Godsell (son of WO Godsell); • Remi Lavoie (daughter of CWO Lavoie); • Emma Olstad (daughter of CWO Olstad); • Carolyn Stensrud (daughter of Cpl (ret’d) Stensrud); and • Joshua Telizyn (grandson of MCpl (ret’d) Telizyn [ 120 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
As the year drew to a close, many informal, electronically distant celebrations of the 137th Regimental birthday, including a virtual Ortona Toast, were conducted on or about 21 December 2020. The Association celebrated these occasions via Zoom sessions that were well attended, including net-ins from Germany, Italy, and Austria. The following branches report that they held events respecting the established Regimental traditions to the extent possible with the impressive participation numbers that follow: • O ttawa and District – 40, including virtual appearances from Italy and Austria; • Kingston – 50 plus, including a dial-in from Germany; • H ome Station and London – Branch members celebrated our Regimental birthday informally in smaller, more intimate groups, or with their spouses, or as individuals enjoying their rum, water and sugar in white china mugs; • Bobby Girouard Branch – Eight; and • Other Branches – nil. In closing, your Association wishes all Royal Canadians everywhere the very best. Pro Patria. HALIFAX RCR ASSOCIATION It has been an emotional year for the retired and current serving Royal Canadians in the Nova Scotia Branch. After a highly successful turnout at the Regimental Birthday celebrations in 2019, the association turned its focus toward Paardeberg Day. Unfortunately just prior to its conduct, COVID 19 struck Canada, effectively shutting down any chance of a gathering due to provincial restrictions, and concerns over the vulnerabilities of some of our members. The members were then rocked with the sad news of the passing of beloved Branch member Cpl (Ret’d) Calvin Patrick “Pat” Embree on the 3rd of March. Pat was a mainstay in the Association, and formerly with 2 RCR and their Pipes and Drums, culminating in his performing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II years ago. Our bugler at Kowang San commemorations, he brought his pith helmet to the birthday and Paardeberg celebrations, and could often be seen proudly in his kilt. He will be sorely missed. Due also to the COVID restrictions, we have been unable to visit Korea Veteran CWO (Ret’d) Ralph Verge in the Camp Hill Hospital for quite some time. As one of the last surviving members of the Korean conflict, we treasure the time we do get to spend with him. We look forward to the year ahead, and invite any retired Royal Canadians, and those who served with the Battalions, to attend our annual celebrations. Given COVID restrictions, we are exploring online options for meetings and commemoration events. Our Facebook page is active with information on all events, and with most of our attendees linked into it. There are also Royal Canadians in the Annapolis Valley that are mirroring what we do in Halifax, so should you know of anyone in Nova Scotia who would like to attend, or join the Association, please contact Maj Gary Boudreau via email at [email protected] or reach out through the Facebook site. Stay safe, and Pro Patria! [ 121 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Above: Korean War veteran CWO (Ret’d) Ralph Verge receiving an award at a Royal Canadian Legion event. Photo by MCpl Brian Watters. Right: Cpl (Ret’d) Calvin Patrick “Pat” Embree, who passed away early this year. Photo by MCpl Brian Watters. HOME STATION LONDON AND DISTRICT BRANCH Submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel Don Denne O.M.M., M.S.M., C.D. Ret’d GENERAL The year 2020 was like no other in the lifetimes of many of us, I’m sure. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which struck in earnest in mid-March and persisted for the balance of the year resulting in varying forms and degrees of restrictions, has yet to be fully appreciated. What it has meant for a large Branch like ours with an aging membership is very little Branch level activity beyond Executive Committee meetings. While the Executive consisting of myself, Mike Stapleton (Secty and Mbrsp), Barry Graham (Treasurer), George Myatte (Events Coord), and Don Riley (Immediate Past President) have gotten together on a couple of occasions only, the Branch has not been able to get together since our Paardeberg celebration on 29 February, other than our members periodically keeping in touch with one another in small groups. We continue to strengthen our ties with 4th Battalion through our active involvement with the 4RCR Council, now meeting with the use of ZOOM. This close and warm relationship with our resident Battalion remains a very high priority for the Branch. AGM AND PAARDEBERG CELEBRATION After a truly outstanding Regimental Birthday gathering in December of 2019, like many Canadians the Branch entered 2020 unaware of the challenges we were going to see over the next 12 months. We first gathered on 29 February to honour those of the 2nd Special Service Battalion who fought at Paardeberg Drift in early 1900. A very nice lunch was preceded by a smooth and uneventful AGM, both held at the Victory Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. [ 122 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Clockwise from top: Paardeberg remembered at London on 29 February 2020. This design and product of this magnificent banner is the work of our very own George Lafond. (Photo credit – Morris McKenzie) With lots of familiar faces in the background, Branch President Don Denne and Past President Don Riley address members and guests at the Regimental Birthday celebration on 21 December 2019. (Photo credit – R.T. Walsh) From left to right, Dickie Howard, Ralph Phillips and Scotty Martin Toast the Regiment at the Paardeberg luncheon on 29 February 2020. (Photo Credit – R.T. Walsh) Lunch is served at the Paardeberg celebration at the Victory Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion in London. Don Riley and Harold Kelly (at centre) discuss the merits of adding gravy. (Photo credit – Morris McKenzie) Scotty Martin (left) and Bud Jardine (right) share a chuckle at the Paardeberg luncheon. (Photo credit – Morris McKenzie) [ 123 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
This year we mustered 43 members and spouses for the event. Little did we know at the time that it would represent the only Branch level meeting of the year. ONGOING CELEBRATIONS AND UNOFFICIAL GATHERINGS Thanks to the initiative and ongoing and very much appreciated support of CWO (Ret’d) Henry Klausnitzer of the Byron Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, a venue for smaller groups was made available and advertised for casual, “COVID-respectful” get-togethers at that location for Pachino, Pashmul and Kowang San. The Regimental Birthday, for us usually a significant annual gathering on 21 December (as the 122 guests from the 2019 event clearly demonstrates), could this year not be celebrated as we would have liked. Rather than a large group get-together, we all recognized this important Regimental milestone in various individual and small group ways. LIFE MEMBERSHIPS AWARDS Left: Scotty Martin, current Branch Patron, is presented with his framed Life Membership certificate by Branch President Don Denne at a private ceremony at London on 20 November 2020. (Photo credit – Gary O’Brien) Right: Barry Graham, current Branch Treasurer, is presented with his framed Life Membership certificate at a Branch Executive meeting at the Byron Legion on 20 November. (Photo credit – Mike Stapleton) In April of 2020, the Association’s Board of Directors awarded LCols (Ret’d) Scotty Martin and Barry Graham, (both of the Home Station London and District Branch), Life Memberships in the Association. After waiting for a considerable period to present the scrolls with the hope that COVID-19 restrictions would ease to the point we could present these at a full Branch gathering, late in the year it became clear that we would be restricted well into 2021. The decision was therefore made to present the awards on 20 November. Receiving the awards was a huge honour for both members who were truly humbled by the selection. Shortly after receiving his award, Scotty, also our Branch Patron and in his 95th year, moved into Parkwood Veterans’ Wing of St. Joseph’s Hospital in South London. We are keeping a close eye on him. [ 124 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
THE PASSING OF OUR ELDEST MEMBER Sadly, with each passing year we lose treasured members. The year 2020 marked the final year for our most aged member, Frank Gaudio, who at 101 years of age passed on 12 August. His life was celebrated by his surviving children, grandchildren and great grandchildren on 17 August. Attending the Church service from the Branch were myself, Mike Stapleton, and Don McKelvay. ANOTHER NOTEWORTHY MILESTONE ACHIEVED Now our eldest member, Dave Adlington turned 101 on 17 September and at the time of writing this article, he continues in good health living in Ilderton (home of figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir) just Northwest of London. His son Dennis lives nearby and his daughter Rosemary lives a few kilometers away in central London so he is never far from his family’s touch. In a recent conversation, Dave stated he was not getting around with the alacrity he once did and only laments that he has finally had to give up driving – though he still golfs. Amazing! We’re really looking forward seeing Dave at Regimental events for many years to come. SUPPORT TO THE REGIMENTAL MUSEUM To the point in time when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of its doors, the Regimental Museum continued to be ably supported through the provision of volunteer service by members of the Branch. These dependable and very knowledgeable greeters and guides form an important part of the Museum team introducing visitors to the rich history of our Regiment. We continue to owe these selfless volunteers our sincere thanks. REQUIESCAT IN PACE Sadly, the passage of time brings us a few blank files. This year in addition to losing Frank Gaudio, we also said farewell to notable local Royal Canadians Stan Wheeler, Gary Mulholland, Wayne Abbott, Bruce Jefferies, and Joe Bolongo - may they rest in peace. I apologize to any family of our fallen who I may have neglected to mention here. LOOKING FORWARD It has been an odd year to say the least. I am reminded by Her Majesty’s use of the Latin term “annus horribilis” when describing her experiences during 1992. I think that term summarizes our Home Station London and District view of 2020 quite nicely. That said, nobody ever navigated to the next way point by looking in the rearview mirror, but rather by taking only short glances to remind us what’s lurking there. I sense our Association and by extension our Branch is getting stronger and stronger. We are helping Royal Canadians in need like never before. We are poised to assist a wider and more diverse range of young and aspiring students who have Regimental connections. We are growing the Association’s membership. We are helping to cement the Regiment’s legacy. Our Branch thanks Jim Cox for his superb work as our past Chair of the Board of Directors, and Sandy McQuarrie for his tireless and ongoing efforts as our current Chair. The team just keeps getting stronger though I know we need more “new blood” coursing through [ 125 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
our Association’s veins. With that in mind, there will likely be a few changes in our Branch leadership through 2021. At the time of the writing of this article, the significant increase in COVID-19 infections and deaths has resulted in severe gathering restrictions in Ontario. However, there is light on the horizon with the production, distribution and administering of vaccines. We hope this will eventually result in a situation that allows us to return to gathering for celebrations, memorials and remembrances. We are contingency planning for various options now in the hope that, in the interest of preserving the bonds of comradeship, we will be able to prepare a more fulsome report regarding the celebratory events we hope we will have had this coming year. Wishing all Royal Canadians and members of our Allied Regiments and their Associations everywhere, a peaceful and productive 2021… WINDSOR-ESSEX COUNTY BRANCH Submitted by LCol (Ret’d) Hardy Wheeler GENERAL Greetings from all Royal Canadians from South West Ontario. The Windsor-Essex County Branch has endured the 2020 COVID pandemic like most Canadians with minimal personal contact among our membership. Our Branch Executive was unchanged in 2020 with Hardy Wheeler as President, Bob Papak as Secretary, and Zane Handysides as Treasurer. As a Branch we operate by consensus with attendance by Association members and non-Association members representing Regular, Reserve, and wives and children of serving members who have passed. We warmly welcome new members to our Branch and it is hoped that the new Association “no fee” option will encourage more to join our little group. GATHERINGS Perhaps a more fitting heading might be “Ungatherings.” Traditionally, we have gathered for dinners in May and December each year but that was not possible this year. In May we cancelled out of an abundance of caution while in December we had a few who wanted to take the chance, but we decided in mid-November to cancel due to small numbers and the potential health risk. Our 137th Regimental Birthday informal dinner was tentatively scheduled for the actual day on Monday, December 21 and as health restrictions played out, we had little choice anyway. By early December Essex County was in an Ontario Public Health ‘Red Zone-Stringent Control’ soon followed by a ‘Grey Zone-Lockdown’ with all restaurants closed except for takeout. The entire province followed with a Grey Zone on December 26. Happy Boxing Day! It would have been ideal to have a photo of our Branch members for the record in our regimental journal but that was not possible this difficult year. The impact of COVID-19 has been felt in many different ways. Two of our members who have age and health issues - Past Branch President Doug Bingeman at home and Korean [ 126 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
War veteran Ray Silvius at a retirement home - have endured the hardship of no visits from their Army friends. The risk of infection was too great. Telephone calls are nice but not a replacement for an in-person visit. The pandemic has been devastating to restaurants along with most small businesses. Lilly Kazzilly’s, a popular Windsor establishment on the Detroit River, had hosted our dinner gatherings for many years but was forced to close in September. BOER WAR MEMORIAL Above: Front of The Boer War Memorial in Windsor. The Memorial was rededicated in 2007 by the regimental associations of The RCD and The RCR. Branch Vice-President Bob Papak represented our Branch at a joint Regimental Birthday celebration on December 17 with local members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons at the Boer War Memorial in Jackson Park, Windsor. The Memorial was designed by Canadian sculptor Walter Allward, who also designed the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France. It has been in various locations in Windsor since erected in 1906 in memory of the men of Essex County who served in the Boer War. The good news is the City of Windsor has undertaken a rejuvenation of the memorial at an Names of residents of Essex County who served in the Boer War. Like the recent practice in Afghanistan and Latvia, soldiers from the Militia augmented The RCR in South Africa and the 18 named here were members of the 21st Battalion Essex Fusiliers [ 127 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
estimated cost of $255,000 with completion expected in 2022. Thank you, Windsor. Like every other Royal Canadian we have soldiered on over the past year despite the challenges of the global pandemic and look forward to 2021 when we can again enjoy the camaraderie of in-person meetings and visits – hopefully by mid-year. OTTAWA AND DISTRICT BRANCH Submitted by Maj (ret’d) Bob Near, OMM, CD, MA OVERVIEW Greetings from Ottawa & District Branch of The RCR Association to all Royal Canadians, serving and retired, wherever you may be! We hope you have kept healthy and well in this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Certainly, the Pearl Harbour-like surprise attack with which the virus struck made for “tough sledding” for our Branch’s activity program, with the many events that we had planned for 2020 having to be cancelled or postponed. Notwithstanding, the Branch Executive kept communications going with members, including offering to assist with grocery shopping and pharmacy pick ups for members whose age, health or other circumstances prevented them from doing so themselves. Fortunately, none of our members required these services, and all remained virus free. For that, we are truly grateful! Ottawa & District Branch Executive L-R: Rick Reid - VP, Dave Johnston - Treasurer, Bob Near – President, Drew Halpenny – Secretary Middle: Maj Jeff Lloyd – Reg Force LO to Branch Right: Joe McNulty – Member at Large BRANCH EVENTS The year 2020 began well enough, with our monthly get-togethers featuring an excellent Branch Speakers Program and accompanying book draws. The Infantry Room of the Army Officers Mess continued to be our meeting venue, providing us with a bar and hearty lunch. Certainly, having a Royal Canadian – LCol Ray Corby – as President of the Mess Committee, made us feel especially welcome, while having an ideal place to gather and tell stories! [ 128 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
SPEAKERS PROGRAM Our “Guest Speakers Program” for our January event featured brother Royal Canadian, Col Kevin Cameron. Col Kevin’s topic was the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Transitions Program, which is a relatively new initiative intended to assist releasing CAF members with their transition to civilian life. The program entails providing fully professional, personalized, and standardized transition services aligned across the CAF, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), and other supporting agencies. Col Kevin emphasised that the service is for all CAF members, veterans, and their families, with special care and attention provided to those who are ill or injured. The topic proved highly interesting to Branch members, generating many questions and comments. In February, our invited speaker was Mr. James Machado from VAC. His talk was a perfect follow-on to Col Kevin’s presentation, providing a strategic level view of what services for releasing CAF members are being developed by VAC. Again, this presentation drew many questions from Branch members and served as a nice bookend to Col Kevin’s presentation. WAR MUSEUM VISIT On 6 February, the Branch conducted its annual visit to the Canadian War Museum, with a dozen or so members and wives, including little Lucy Lloyd—daughter of Maj Jeff Lloyd — enjoying the exhibits. This was followed by lunch in the museum cafeteria, which is free for veterans. We were especially delighted to have our oldest and most venerable member, WW II veteran Jack Commerford and his daughter Joan, come out and join us for this occasion. Overall, our War Museum visits are a great way to take a break from Ottawa’s mid-winter dreariness while appreciating Canada’s military history! REGIMENTAL PAARDEBERG BALL The Branch was well represented at the Paardeberg Ball held 22 February at the Hilton Lac Leamy Hotel. Organized and MC’d by the Regimental Major, Tim Robinson, it was a marvelous event! Sadly, however, little did we know that the ball would be the last social event of the year for Ottawa & District Branch on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a State of Emergency and provincial shut down declared on 17 March. CERTIFICATE OF MERIT TO SANDY MCQUARRIE A particularly noteworthy event took place on 28 May with the awarding to Sandy McQuarrie of The RCR Association Certificate of Merit. This award was initiated by Jim Cox, Chair of the Board of The RCR Association and was unanimously endorsed by all Board members. It was given in recognition of Sandy’s tremendous contributions to both the Ottawa & District Branch and to the national RCR Association where he served as Executive Director, Treasurer, and Regimental Website manager. Indeed, the impressive renewal of The RCR Association to make it relevant and attractive to today’s RCR veterans and serving soldiers is owed very much to Sandy! The presentation was made by Jim Cox and Bob Near, properly masked, right on Sandy’s front doorstep. [ 129 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
RIP GERRY BOWEN (RCN, THE RCR & R22ER): WW II AND KOREAN WAR VETERAN Sadly, on 19 May, the Branch was grieved to learn of the passing of our 2nd last Korean War veteran, Maj Gerry Bowen at the age of 97. Gerry had been residing for the past few years in the Perley-Rideau Veterans Health Centre and had an impressive record of military service. This included convoy duty with the Royal Canadian Navy in World War II, followed by a full career with the Canadian Army during the Cold War. Apart from being loaned to the Van Doos to be their Pioneer Platoon Commander in Korea, all of Gerry’s post WW II service was with The RCR until his retirement in the early 1970s. Gerry was a genuine “happy warrior” and a great comrade. We will miss him! CANCELLED EVENTS DUE TO COVID 19 Sadly, numerous activities Ottawa Branch had planned for 2020 had to be cancelled on account of the COVID pandemic. These included our Korean War commemorative events marking the Battles of Hill 187, Kowang San, and the Song Gok Spur. Notwithstanding, Branch members were e-mailed out historical write ups of these battles including the names of the KIA, while being asked to keep in mind the sacrifices that were made. Also affected by the COVID lockdown was our Pachino Day celebrations, the Fall Meet and Greet, our St. Andrews Day fest with the Black Watch Association, and our Regimental Birthday Gala Dinner, which had been scheduled for 4 December. Also cancelled was the Remembrance Day service at the Chelsea (Quebec) Pioneer Cemetery where we traditionally lay a wreath at the grave of Pte R.R. Thompson, winner of the Queen’s Scarf. Below: In May, notwithstanding the COVID pandemic, Sandy McQuarrie was visited at his home by Jim Cox and Bob Near who presented him with The RCR Association Certificate of Merit in recognition of Sandy’s outstanding work in renewing the national Association. Above: Ottawa and Kingston Branch ladies enjoying the Paardeberg Ball on 22 Feb included Ann Coward, Nancy Reid, JoAnne Walker, Mary Dick, and Vera Near. Right: Sadly, on 19 May, the Branch lost to old age our venerable Gerry Bowen, who was 97. Gerry served in the RCN during WW II, then Korea, and throughout the Cold War. He had a tremendous sense of humour and enjoyed soldiering to the fullest. As per SOP, the Branch made an in memoriam donation of $50 to The RCR Museum. [ 130 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Left: Bob Near congratulates LCol Ray Corby on Ray’s appointment as PMC of the Army Officers Mess. Right: In January Col Kevin Cameron spoke to Branch members on the CAF Transitions Program. … and was followed in February by James Machado of Veterans Affairs Canada who spoke on VAC benefits. Branch members in February also enjoyed a visit to the Canadian War Museum. [ 131 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Left: WW II veteran Jack Comerford, here with Bob Near, in front of one of the War Museum’s prized exhibits – the 1938 open top Mercedes used by Hitler. Right: The youngest and oldest members on Ottawa Branch’s War Museum tour was little Lucy Lloyd age 6 (here with her Dad, Jeff) and 96 years young Jack Commerford. The biggest disappointment, however, was having to stand down on our planned canoe expedition on the Rideau Canal, which was to be the South to North sequel of our 2018 group paddle. Overall, 2020 was a tough year for the Branch, with the COVID pandemic precluding us from commemorating most regimental events and enjoying comradeship. Hopefully, 2021 will see a return to normality! A VIRTUAL ORTONA TOAST One key event the Branch did manage to carry out, in coordination with our Regular Force colleagues, was to celebrate our 137th Regimental Birthday with the Ortona Toast. This was done, virtually using ZOOM and featured welcoming remarks from the Regimental Colonel, Shane Murphy, and myself as Branch President. The story of the first Ortona Toast was told with great dignity by Captain Aman Segu. Several computer screens full of serving and retired Royal Canadians then participated in the toast, including LGen Omer Lavoie, Deputy Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, who “zoomed in” from his office in Italy. So, a new addition to our Regimental history was made by Royal Canadians from multiple locations including overseas, coming together, on-line, with mugs of rum, hot water and sugar, and re-enacting that first Ortona Toast of 21 December 1943! Thanks go to Maj Jeff Lloyd, Ottawa Branch’s Reg Force Liaison Officer, for organizing this pride-inspiring event! [ 132 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 on Branch activities, we none the less still managed to conduct our Annual General Meeting in the last week of October 2020. This was done remotely via e-mail correspondence with all 66 members of the Branch and entailed review and approval of key documents such as financial statements and election of the Executive for the coming year. The only significant changes to the Executive were the retirement of our Vice President, Rick Reid, and his replacement by Drew Halpenny. Drew’s previous position of Secretary was in turn filled by Alex Lileikis, who brings some new blood to the Executive. Our sincere thanks go to Rick for his five years of devoted service to the Branch and the wise advice he always proffered to Executive deliberations! He will continue to serve on the Board of Directors of the national RCR Association. BRANCH DONATIONS AND CHARITABLE SUPPORT In 2020 Ottawa and District Branch, thanks to the generosity of its members, made several financial contributions to worthy Regimental causes. These included $2585 for the Afghanistan War Memorial project, and a donation $245.70 to the Go Fund Me campaign for a 3 RCR soldier and his family who had lost their possessions in a house fire. SUMMARY: The year 2020 and its associated Corona Virus pandemic will certainly be remembered by all Royal Canadians. While it continues to pose a threat to the health and well being of Branch members and limits our ability to enjoy soldierly comradeship, we remain ready to assist and care for our comrades, friends, and neighbours. Pro Patria! THE CWO BOBBY GIROUARD ALBERTA BRANCH Submitted by Leo Boyd, President The CWO Bobby Girouard Branch here in Alberta had a challenging year this year, due primarily to the pandemic. We did, however, have a few occasions where members came out to support one another. Starting on the 12th of January, the Branch held its Annual General meeting where Leo M. Boyd was elected as the new Branch President and Bob Crites took on the mantel of Treasurer. Many thanks go out to Jim Thomson for his dedication during his tenure as President. On the 28th of February, members of the Branch attended the Paardeberg Dinner at Narayannis Restaurant, here in Edmonton. Our members found themselves in deep discussion over the pending world events and catching up on what everyone is doing and what to expect during the coming year! The event also gave members an opportunity to have their spouses attend and, apparently, some enjoyed the occasion more than others! [ 133 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Bruce Given During the year, members of the Branch kept in touch with one another via phone, email and through social media. A group of members gather to celebrate Paardeberg Day. On the 28th of August, eight members of our Branch attended the memorial service for our Brother, Tony Lambert in Calgary, Alberta. We had the opportunity to meet his friends and family and gave a farewell to this well respected Royal Canadian! Pro Patria. Executive Meetings were held by the Branch on the 15th of March, 13th of June, the 12th of September and the 07th of November. On the 11th of November, our members celebrated Remembrance Day in any safe way they could, either through small groups, in solitude or socially distanced at modified services. It is my honour to give special recognition to our Brother, Bruce Given. As a member of our Branch, he has gone above and beyond with helping Royal Canadians and Veterans as a whole through multiple organizations. He is now managing director of the Edmonton Branch of the Veterans Association Food Bank located at 17218 – 107 Avenue here in Edmonton! On the 28th of August, eight members of our Branch attended the memorial service for our Brother, Tony Lambert in Calgary, Alberta. We had the opportunity to meet his friends and family and gave a farewell to this well respected Royal Canadian! Above: On Remembrance Day, the Branch Below: Keith Davis, Branch VP, Leo Boyd, President of the CWO Bobby Girouard President and Sgt at Arms, John Pickett, Branch along with his wife Margo, and Alex Ewan, at the celebration of life for visited Patrick Conlin, in red shirt, while he was Tony Lambert on 28 August 2020 in Calgary. Bruce Given and his wife Kim in the recuperating from surgery background. Bruce Given and his wife Kim [ 134 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
PAARDEBERG 120 AT THE RCRM By Dr. Georgiana Stanciu In February 2020, The RCR marked the 120th anniversary from the Battle of Paardeberg. The museum joined the celebrations not only by participating in an outreach activity for the Paardeberg dinner held in Ottawa, but also by launching a new exhibit dedicated to this important milestone as well as a public lecture in the RCRM Speakers Series. EXHIBITION The Battle of Paardberg was the first significant British victory in the South African War (18-28 Feb 1900). As part of a British Army Division, the 2nd Battalion (Special Service), Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel Otter marched into enemy camp. Royal Canadians received credit for their contribution, providing a boost not only to the confidence of the troops, but also to Canadian nationalism. Later that year they were honoured at Windsor Castle by Queen Victoria, in one of her last public appearances. This victory inspired celebrations View of the section dedicated to the Canadian First across the country, with annual gatherings on 27 Contingent South Africa, RCRM, 21 Feb 2020. February, from 1901 to 1914. A public monument that honours the sacrifices during this conflict still stands in London, ON, at Victoria Park. The 1883 – 1913 section of the permanent gallery has been renewed to include unique artefacts and archival material related to the South African War, but also some other milestones in the RCR history: the creation of the Infantry School Corps in Fredericton (NB), St. Jean (QC) and Toronto in 1883, the Northwest Territories Field Force (1885), construction of Wolseley Barracks in London, ON, between 1886 and 1888, the Yukon Field Force (1898-1900) and the Edwardian era (1902 – 1911). The new exhibition brings forward not only the national reach of the unit that fought in South Africa – 2nd Battalion (Special Service) –, but also a strong [ 135 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
First Contingent South Africa, ca. 1899, RCRM, Archives Collection. local component by featuring the involvement of the local regiment, 7th Fusiliers, now 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. The Battle of Paardeberg, took place between 18 and 28 Feb 1900, during the South African War (or Second Boer War). Britain went to war in South Africa as the imperial aggressor to fight two independent republics of Protestant Dutch origins, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State (known as “Boers”). Using guerilla war tactics, the Boers successfully repulsed British attacks throughout fall 1899. This led to a call to arms in the colonies, which responded after some internal debate in their respective Parliaments. The Battle of Paardeberg is important for Canada for more than one reason. The first reason relates to the Canadian government actions with respect to the young Dominion military: the deployment of troops to fight overseas was approved for the first time in history. There was lively debate, and intense pressure over Wilfried Laurier’s cabinet from Henry Bourassa and other French Canadians, but in the end, a decision was made to raise a force of 1000 men. Also known as the “First Contingent South Africa”, their official designation was the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion. The image depicts the recruits for the Boer War and was taken before their departure from Quebec City. The recruits are wearing their Infantry School Corps outfits, but also an assortment of militia accoutrements. Colonel Otter leads the formation on horseback. The second reason has to do with the successful recruiting effort for the above-mentioned First Contingent. Established in October 1899 under Lieutenant Colonel Otter’s command, the unit was formed of permanent staff (or the regular army of the time), and Canadian militia units located from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Altogether 41 officers, 50 non-commissioned officers and 928 men divided in eight infantry companies, with regimental and battalion adjutants, a machine gun section, one quarter-master, medical officers, nurses, chaplains and one news reporter assigned as historical recorder. Considering that the permanent staff [ 136 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Exhibits featuring artefacts from the South African War and the people who joined First Canadian Contingent South Africa, RCRM, 21 Feb 2020. of Canadian Militia counted almost 1000 permanent staff between Infantry, Artillery and Cavalry, the government managed to raise the First Contingent very quickly and most efficiently, in a striking similarity with the recruiting effort at the outbreak of the First World War, 15 years later, when 35000 enlisted in two months to form the CEF. The third reason is the role of the Canadian troops in the outcome of the combat. The 2nd Special Service Battalion overturned the conflict in favour of a British final victory. This happened between 18 and 27 February 1900, when the Battalion was marching as part of the British 19th Infantry Brigade (IX Division). Canadians managed to advance into Boers strongholds situated on both sides of Modder River, around Paardeberg Drift. The “Royal Canadians” as they were endearingly known, came within 50 yards distance from the Boers, who eventually surrendered. By 9:30am on the 28th of February, Lieutenant-Colonel Otter and his men marched into the Boer camp and accepted surrender from their commander, Arnoldus Cronje. The Battle of Paardberg was the first significant British victory in the South African War and the Royal Canadians received credit for their contribution, which provided a boost not only to the troop’s confidence, but also to Canadian nationalism. This victory inspired artists of the time, but also celebrations across the country, with annual military parades followed by dinners and dance on 28 February, up to 1914. Before 11 November became Remembrance Day in the aftermath of the First World War, Canadian sacrifices and View of the section dedicated to the Infantry School Corps, RCRM, veterans were honoured on the 28th of 21 Feb 2020. February. One hundred and twenty years later, The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum revised the section dedicated to this milestone event in Canadian military history. The storyline focuses on the Frist Contingent and the Battle of Paardeberg, featuring an extraordinary photograph of men and officers crossing the Modder at Paardeberg on 18 Feb 1900. It is a welcome addition to the existing diorama of the battle (which we maintained because it is so popular) and offers then opportunity to establish an immersive approach for our visitors. Rifles issued to men who were at Paardeberg or captured from the Boers, pieces of uniform or headwear, embroidered with assorted souvenirs, medal sets awarded to individuals who served in the campaign, emergency rations to be consumed only upon an officer’s command, photographs, archival film footage and much more. [ 137 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
An odd reality in the infrastructure imposed that our revision overextends to the years prior to the South African War, consequently the entire section dedicated to the period 1883 to 1913 was refurbished. The new exhibit includes a new storyline, and many relevant artifacts, related to the First Contingent South Africa, but also to the other elements that are included in this period, such as the slow administrative process between 1892 and 1906 towards the establishment of the Regiment as a military formation sharing esprit de corps; the Edwardian Era, when military pageantry predominated; or the operations between 1885 and 1900. The narrative of the new exhibition begins as far back as 21 December 1883. On this date, General Order 26 was issued: “The formation of three schools of Infantry having been authorized, the requisite number of Militiamen will be enrolled, and formed into one Corps to be known as the Infantry School Corps”. For many years to come, an interesting dynamic between the local militia and the young Permanent Staff of the Active Militia can be observed. Our refurbished exhibit aims at revealing this dynamic, officers trained in local militia units who take over command role in the Infantry School Corps but remain clearly attached to their origin units. To this respect, a noteworthy example is William Dillon Otter (1943 – 1929), who wears his Queen’s Own Rifles dress in a photograph taken just when the 2nd Special Service Battalion was raised; he was the commander of the Battalion and later would become the first Canadian-born to be Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Militia, he was still wearing dress of his origin unit. The tercentenary of Québec celebrated in July 1908 on the Plains of Abraham at Québec City, is part of the museum storyline, counting as a new addition in the general flow. The festivities in July 1908 at Québec City were the most spectacular show of military pageantry of the decade and definitely the most important one in the history of Canadian military to that point. The Prince of Wales (future King George V) reviewed the troops and there were 15 000 of them, which also represents one of the largest parades of Canadian military. From Vancouver to Halifax, Canadian provinces and communities were represented and our new display brings forward a spectacular image of the event. In addition to the South African War, the operations between 1885 and 1900 include the Northwest Field Force and the Yukon Field Force. View of the section dedicated to the Northwest Field Force and Yukon Field In response to the outbreak Force, RCRM, 21 Feb 2020. of violence between North- West Mounted Police and Aboriginal people in the district of Saskatchewan (March 1885), the Canadian government sent a field force to “meet the emergency.” The British officer commanding the Canadian Militia, General Sir Frederick Dobson Middleton, led the force, a total of 351 officers and 5456 men (“Report upon the Suppression of the Rebellion in the [ 138 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Museum Collections Registrar, Erik Rayment, volunteers Dick Howard Museum Intern, Hope Gresser and Public Programmer, Sarah and Don Riley working on the installation of the firearms display, RCRM, Coates fitting mannequins with the vintage uniforms before 12 Feb 2020. placement in the display case, RCRM, 17 Feb 2020. North-West Territories, and Matters in Connection Therewith, in 1885”, Sessional Papers, 1886). The majority of the troops were militia units from Nova Scotia, Québec and Ontario; 1663 officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks from Alberta joined them. Louis Riel was the leader of the Métis, who surrendered to Middleton at Batoche. He stood trial for treason in Regina, SK. After an eloquent speech dismantling his own lawyers’ defence on grounds of insanity, Riel was found guilty, and eventually hanged. Although he has been recognized as a Father of the Confederation in 1992, his execution remains a contentious issue. The research for the Northwest Field Force has revealed a unique document preserved in the University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections (A.S. Morton fonds, Mss 49 #17): “An account of the advance of the 7th Fusiliers of London. To aid in the suppression of the North West Rebellion, 1885”, by Alexander Campbell. This manuscript includes a series of illustrations, watercolours and pencil, executed by the author, who was a medic in the 7th Fusiliers and a student in medicine at the Western Ontario University. These illustrations depict episodes from the deployment, but more interestingly, portraits of the First Nations leaders of the Northwest Resistance. One of them is Pīhtokahanapiwīyin (Poundmaker) who was the Chief of Plains Cree who joined the North West Resistance in 1885. His efforts to reunite the indigenous communities of central Saskatchewan built his fame as a peacemaker. At the outbreak of the Resistance, his camp grew to include Cree, Stoney, even Métis warriors. During Otter’s Column engagement at Cut Knife (2 May 1885), Pîhtokahanapiwiyin played no part in combat, but he was able to prevent the other warriors from pursuing the government’s forces in retreat. Following the Battle of Batoche, he surrendered, faced trial for treason and was sentenced to prison. On 23 May 2019 he was exonerated by the federal government. The Yukon Field Force was formed by Order-in-Council 1989-0596 (approved on 19 March 1898). Composed of 203 officers and men, cavalry, artillery and infantry, the unit was commanded by Major Evans, a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, who received the rank of temporary Lieutenant Colonel. Three officers plus 130 non-commissioned officers and men came from the Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry. They were all sent to Yukon in support of the civil power to maintain law and order during the Klondike Gold Rush. Based at Fort Selkirk, with a detachment at Dawson City, capital-city of the newly formed [ 139 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Territory (Yukon Territory Act, 13 Jun 1898), their presence also reinforced Canadian sovereignty in the area. The new exhibition was possible with funding from the Directorate of History and Heritage, Historical Collections and Museums – Section 5 (DHH-5), Department of National Defence and the following must be acknowledged for the success of the project: the museum Board of Directors for Launching event with public visiting the exhibition for the first time, RCRM approving the project, Museum 21 Feb 2020. London, and Fanshawe Pioneer Village in London, ON, Fredericton Region Museum, in Fredericton, NB for graciously agreeing to lend their artefacts; City of Toronto Archives and to Library and Archives Canada for facilitating the research and the use of images in their holdings; Elson Studio, Joseph Cannizzaro Studio, Signature Graphics, Build Custom Millwork and Designs, Art Bank, Forest City Painters, PTN Electrical, and Parker Plastics. Last but not least, the following staff and volunteers whose commitment and continued support was outstanding: Collections Registrar, Erik Rayment, Public Programmer, Sarah Coates, volunteer research assistants, Michael O’Leary, and Ray Fleming, the “handy-man club” volunteers Don Riley and Dick Howard. THE REMOTE MUSEUM By Dr. Georgiana Stanciu With the COVID-19 pandemic declared in March 2020, the world came to a halt and so did The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum (RCRM). As expected many world renowned museums have suffered a dramatic loss of public visits. The Louvre Museum recorded 72% less visitors and the British Museum has not reach 2 mil visitors (with an average rate of over 11 mil/year). The RCRM follows a similar pattern, with a loss of visitors in the neighborhood of 78%. The “new reality” forced museums to rapidly switch their operations from the traditional paradigm of the public interacting with the artefacts by coming on site, to delivery only via an intermediary: the digital world of contemporary communications. “Reinvention” seems a more suitable terminology, it comes at a cost and its uniqueness has yet to be assessed. International Council of Museums (ICOM) reports have predicted that at the end of the pandemic, probably 80% of the museums in the world will not be able to reopen their doors or will have to find new ways to survive. Canadian museums partake in this “new reality” and although no numbers are available, small and big museums across the country have been confronted with the same challenges: sharp decline in visitors, need to convert operations and, for those who eventually re-opened to the public, requirement to adjust so as to comply with regional, provincial or national Public Health Measures (PHMs). [ 140 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
The military museums in Canada did not fare differently and they had to work with the added challenge of functioning on military bases, many of them within closed perimeter. As a general rule those who are located outside the fence were able to re-open adhering to regional PHMs. For example, the Military Museums of Calgary have re-opened to visitors in May 2020, but forced back into closing at the end of the year. The National Air Force Museum of Canada (NAFMC) in Trenton and Camp Borden Military Museum, which is actually situated behind a controlled access point, re-opened in August and closed in December when Ontario declared the state of emergency. Despite being closed to the public since March, the RCRM is in a mildly soft spot after one year into the pandemic. The first two months of 2020 were the sign of a great start, with new programs and exhibitions launches that brought a record number of visitors for the month of January – February combined. After March 13th, when the museum closed to the public, the yearly planning required revision fully converting us to an on-line operation. Preparations for re-opening to visitors have been done, PHMs are in place, but the request to re-open to the public has not been approved so far. Maintaining 2019 staff status is by far the most important achievement for the RCRM in 2020. Largely due to a solid financial situation, this allowed for a prompt and speedy transformation of the museum, with new ways of engaging the public, which ultimately has prevented a forced complete closure of the institution. Museum staff is to be commended for their resilience, all have worked long volunteer hours in order to ensure that the museum continues to exist and that our loyal public remains engaged, with new audiences added to the mix. The museum wishes to recognize Jack Peltier, an extremely generous benefactor, who has contributed important financial donations in 2019 thus making 2020 easier to navigate. The museum extends its appreciation to Don Cranston and Megan Hill, who contributed a one- time grant, and The RCR Association and the Ottawa Association Branch who made several In Memoriam financial donations. MUSEUM FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS For the first two months into the pandemic, museum staff observed closely the development of new solutions and strategies to operating the museum…remotely. A time of reinventing the wheel, everyone in the industry had a similar approach and very quickly the hashtag #museumfromhome was born. The RCRM YouTube channel was reactivated and on March 27th, museum staff prepared the first video clip to launch on YouTube, “Museum from Our Home to Yours.” Ever since, we have produced 22 educational videos and gallery tours, in addition to the monthly videos and podcast episodes for the RCRM Speakers Series Season 1. A new social media channel was added (Instagram thercrmuseum), all existent educational activities were converted to a digital format with print-at-home options, resources and lesson plans transferred to various digital learning management systems, and online tours created on Clio app. All of the above are additions to the already existent digital content on the museum website or on Facebook and Twitter. While the museum used its online presence mostly for promotional purposes before the pandemic, the new circumstances required a different approach in order to establish a [ 141 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
footprint in the wildness of the World Wide Web. Converting the museum to a digital format also brought forward the need for rebranding. A very simple reason: the old museum logo was not suitable for the pre-sized icons on the various online platforms. At the price of many hours of self-teaching and acquiring new skills such as video production, camera handling, and even code programming, staff began the transition to a “remote museum” format. The Curator, the Public Programmer, and the Collections Registrar were able to meet the new requirements with support from the museum webmaster, Steve Karpik from Blue Rhino Design. The first important digital project to go online was the collection database. Erik Rayment, the Collections Registrar, had the project in the workings for a long time. RCRM had already commenced an online presence and it was easy to implement new addidtions in the late spring-early summer 2020. The online collection database holds a variety of objects, photographs, and archives related to The Royal Canadian Regiment and its perpetuated units. These collective histories span from 1812 to the present day. The collection covers the activities of the regiment in times of peace and conflict, including both domestic and overseas operations. The online collection does not feature every artefact held by the museum. Many artefacts are now digitized, but making them available online is a gradual and ongoing process for the next few years. The collection database includes 4,829 object records, 1,025 photo records, and 1,329 archival records, for a total of 6,263 records. Approximately 1/6 of these records were uploaded on line, more precisely 1,187 records, split between 700 objects, 186 photos, and 301 archives. The museum uses the PastPerfect software as an automated collections management system, which includes an online option. All records in the online collection are written in English. The software does not have an option for bilingualism. As digitization of the collection progresses, this aspect will be mitigated in order to provide a French version of the online database. The second and equally important digitization project was our education program and activities. A new section was added to the museum website: LEARN. Sarah Coates has created programs in a digital format starting in March 2020 with lessons and various learning resources delivered via Google drive. A full list of programs and activities can be found on the museum website including online or downloadable activity sheets. RCRM DIGITAL RCRM Digital is a free membership for all, designed to engage with our public in London, Ontario, across Canada and world-wide! Everyone, from everywhere is welcome. Subscribers receive a monthly update about the museum activities and its most recent digital content. The project was launched in September 2020 and has almost 170 subscribers. It is intended for our loyal supporters, mostly to keep them informed on the digital content generated every month. This has two important components: the RCRM Speakers Series and the Stories from the Collection. Increasing the number of subscribers to RCRM DIGITAL will be a priority in 2021. The RCRM Speakers Series is a public program initially designed for live-audience and talks recorded live for a podcast release. The goal of the program is to engage with patrons by means [ 142 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
of academic research. Scholars of history or history buffs, well-known authors or museum curators were invited for a talk of their choice. For the inaugural year, two anniversaries were in focus: 120 years since the Battle of Paardeberg, during the South African War and the 75th anniversary from the end of the Second World War. The program was successfully launched on 23 January 2020 with Professor Jonathan Vance and his research “Steve McQueen on a Motorbike. The Great Escape and Popular Culture.” After the second event held on 27 February 2020, the live component was no longer possible. Simply, the talks scheduled until the end of the year were converted to a YouTube production, premiered on the dates already announced, in total 9 presentations. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared only two weeks before the third event, which forced us into a different approach. The third event of the series was postponed to 2021, but the program continued in April 2020 as an audiovisual production streamed on the museum YouTube channel. In parallel, Program Director Mark Vogelsang from Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology recorded the public events; recording continued in a different format once we switched to on-line delivery and ten episodes of the RCRM Speakers Series Season 1 are available on Simplecast. A lifeline during the pandemic, this series continues with a second season in 2021. Stories from the Collection highlights artifacts in our holdings, as well as the fascinating stories they bring to light. The Stories are another way to promote the museum collections, mostly to highlight artefacts that are not included in exhibitions such as the permanent gallery or temporary shows. A Story is the result of staff researching the collection on a chosen topic. Every month, the Curator and the Collections Registrar take turns in preparing the material to be uploaded on the museum website under Collections section. Three such stories were produced in 2020 and more will be made available in 2021. The third and last section of RCRM DIGITAL showcases the museum live. Museum staff has been streaming live on Facebook short walks through the galleries and/or specific topics related to day-to-day activities. It has been popular and definitely raised the presence on this social media channel. Another popular online product are the online guided tours. Our Public Programmer has developed a synchronous visiting experience delivered via Zoom, or other platforms, whereby the patrons join live and they are offered a guided viewing of the galleries. METRICS The beginning of 2020 saw an increase in numbers at the RCRM, which is the result of new programs launched at this time, specifically the RCRM Speakers Series, Season 1. This program was designed as a monthly lecture, the third Thursday of every month. To run [ 143 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
the program, the museum invited scholars of history, amongst whom members of the Board of Directors, PhD candidates, in general historians with an interest in Canadian topics. The first season was focused on anniversaries of events that changed the face of the world, and their impact on our local community. The featured anniversaries: 75 years from the end of the Second World War and 120 years from the Battle of Paardeberg. RCRM Speakers Series, launching event 21 January 2020: Without notice, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the museum was forced Professor Jonathan Vance and Dr. Georgiana Stanciu after successfully into closing to the public as of 14 launching RCRM Speakers Series March 2020, with March 13th the last day opened. It is interesting to note that the last visitors to the museum site in 2020 were two members of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Sgt Nate Blackmore and Cpl Andrew Mullet They are both involved in the PPCLI Museum operation in Calgary, AB and they had travelled to London to visit on a professional development “mission.” As the scope of the museum operations modified drastically at the onset of the pandemic, the numbers post 13 March 2020 are very different and, as expected sharply lower. Over the seven and a half months of closure, only seven visits were recorded on site (6 August 2020). This was a unique occurrence, with a group including the Commander of 4CDSB, Colonel J.D. Vass and Formation Sergeant Major, Chief Warrant Last visitors to the museum before closure on Officer A.J. Durnford. 13 March 2021, from left to right: Erik Rayment Any other physical visitors during this period, have (former Collections Registrar), Cpl Andrew Mullett, attended either outreach activities or online guided (PPCLI), Sgt Nate Blackmore (PPCLI), Dr. Georgiana tours. A total count of 436, divided between 100 for an online guided tour, 58 for an online event, and 278 for Stanciu (Curator), and Sarah Coates (Public outreach activities hosted by sites that were allowed Programmer). to open. The metrics reported and analyzed are from internet users. With two more social media channels added (YouTube and Instagram), a virtual tour on Clio app, podcast episodes collections online, and expanded website, our numbers reflect a much larger digital footprint than in the previous years. It didn’t go unnoticed and on 8 Sept, one of the Twitter followers commented: “Excellent quality of work by the museum staff recently. Truly living up to the ethos of our motto, leading the way for regimental social media, and [ 144 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
Visitors to the museum, 6 August 2020, from left to right: 4 CDSB Formation Sergeant Major CWO Jack Durnford, 4 CDSB Comd Col John Vass, Cpl Jordan Lemay, 4 CDSB Ops Services RSM CWO Eric Green, 4 CDSB Ops Services CO LCol Chris Durant, Personal Assistant to 4 CDSB Comd Lt Aniqa Khan ensuring our nation’s hardest infantry regiment is situated where it belongs – the front. Ducimus, Pro Patria” With many variables to consider, the numbers of digital visits is lower than expected. The website, with higher traffic than ever before, has an increase rate in sessions of only 8% compared to 2019. Although a direct consequence of an increased digital content, and a side effect of “digital consumption” during the lockdowns across the planet, the museum has reached new international audiences. STAFF Staffing is unchanged from 2019, except after September 2020, when Erik Rayment moved to another position. The Collections Registrar position was accepted by Jessica Stevenson. She is an emerging museum professional with three years of experience working in cultural institutions. Originally from Sarnia, she completed a Bachelor of Arts (History) at Carleton University in 2017. After working on a variety of collection-related projects in various museums during her summers, she spent part of her final year in a practicum at the Canadian War Museum. Jessica then attended the University of Toronto where she graduated with a Master of Museum Studies and a Master of Information (Archives and Records Management) in 2020. Right: Jessica was recruited among the four summer students employed under Canada Summer Jobs program. The museum offered two positions in each of Museum Assistant and Museum Cataloguer, for six months from June 2020 to January 2021. These positions were adjusted with Service Canada permission in order to fully comply with the lockdown measures imposed during the pandemic. Jessica Stevenson and Jessica Ly were the incumbents for Museum Cataloguer and Abigail Field and Grace Rosien performed as Museum Assistants. [ 145 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION Some RCR Tales Submitted during the Covid-19 Confinement to Barracks Various Authors from The Regiment A Learning Experience As a very new and young officer, I was assigned the task of Duty Officer in Wolseley barracks in the Fall of 1964 on a Saturday night. Everything was normal until later in the evening when the Duty Corporal came to the Officers’ Mess to tell me that there was a riot in the Junior Ranks Mess and that the Orderly Sergeant wanted me to attend. I quickly buckled on my Sam Brown belt, grabbed my forage cap and my swagger stick and rushed to the Junior Ranks Club. When I got there, I was about to enter when the Orderly Sergeant, in a loud voice, said, “Sir, where are you going?” My reply was “Into the Junior Ranks Mess, Sergeant, there is a riot going on.” To my surprise, he stated quite clearly, “No, you are not!” Then he said, “Here is what is going to happen. You will wait here until the Orderly Corporal come to get you and then you will enter the Mess. When you get in, all you need to say is ‘Close the Bar.’ Is that clear, sir?” Of course, I replied, “Yes, Sergeant!” Then he and the Orderly Corporal went into the Mess. In a few minutes, the Orderly Corporal returned and said to me, “Sir, the Orderly Sergeant wants you to come in.” When I entered the room, there were a number of soldiers standing in various stages of attention against the wall but a few of them had blood flowing from noses and obviously their steadiness was less than ideal. As I looked around to assess the situation, the Orderly Sergeant bellowed, “The Orderly Officer has something to say. Pay attention.” At which point, I said, “Close the bar!” [ 146 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION Immediately, he shouted, “You have heard the officer, get out of here and go to your barracks.” They all left! Once we were outside, I said to the Orderly Sergeant, “I think that there is a lesson here I should know. Can you explain it to me?” His reply is one that I never forgot! “Sir, what would have happened if you rushed in there and a soldier struck you? Striking an officer is a very serious offence,” he said. “This way, I did my job, you did your job, and no-one got into trouble.” I learned three valuable lessons that night. Look after the soldiers, let the NCOs do their job, and always follow the advice of your elders. Sandy McQuarrie True Story Just over thirty years ago, in mid-January 1990, I found myself in a nice restaurant in Vienna just after arriving there to attend a CSCE/OSCE sponsored confidence-building seminar in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. As I entered the jam-packed restaurant, I was summoned to a table by a well turned out couple and their teenage daughter. They introduced themselves as East Germans who were spending their first evening of freedom in the West. Over a long dinner, they told me about their lives behind the iron curtain as reasonably well off doctors, but what impressed me most was their almost rabid curiosity about the life I had led and what they could expect for themselves as new Westerners. Less than a year before, I had left command of a mechanized infantry battalion, culminating 20 years of engagement in the Cold War. So, while it was a shocking turn of events for these Germans, so too was it a surreal experience for me, and it was about to get more so. Before I left for this conference, as a member of the Canadian delegation, for reasons that I can’t recall, I went to a sports store in Ottawa and bought a Calgary Flames hockey jersey. One of the first Russian hockey players to play in the NHL was Sergei Makarov, #42 for the Flames. So, I had his name and # silk-screened on the back of the jersey and took it with me to Vienna. The conference, held in the Hofburg Palace in the same massive hall where the Congress of Vienna had been signed ending the Napoleonic wars, involved all the Warsaw Pact and NATO countries and was supposed to promote the end to Cold War hostilities between the two blocs. But when the delegation that I was part of arrived at the beginning of the 2nd week of the three-week conference, both sides were still glaring at each other describing how they planned to destroy the other, with the Americans and the Russians leading the way with bellicose doctrinal presentations. Anyway, I watched this go on for probably three days. I was a junior member of the Cdn delegation led by a two-star general, and I was new to strategic level discourse. During [ 147 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION a late morning break, I looked across the hall and noticed about half a dozen Russian generals in a huddle with one young Colonel listening in. I had been watching the Col and believed him to be an English speaker. So, I clutched my Flames jersey, strode across the grand hall, through no man’s land to the Russian huddle. I introduced myself to the young Colonel and sure enough, he spoke excellent English. I asked if I could talk to his Generals. They all turned around in a cloud of cigarette smoke. I introduced myself and told them how disappointed I was at the hostile tone of the conference, that the Cold War was over, and we should be looking to the future and not the past; particularly so for Canada and Russia as Nordic brethren (I’m taking certain liberties here). I told them that one of their great Red Army hockey players, Sergei Makarov, played for the Calgary Flames and was much beloved in Canada as a great hockey player and as a great Russian. By this time, ably assisted by the madly translating Colonel, I could see that I was scoring major points. But when I unfolded the jersey with Makarov’s name and number on the back, the bear hugs began. The conference was reconvening as I left the Russians and returned to my 3rd-row seat with the Canadian delegation. I had some explaining to do! The next morning as forty-some countries took their seats around the huge oval table, the senior Russian General walked across the conference hall into the Canadian delegation directly to me, saluted me and presented me a gift box containing a small caviar bowl. The room broke out in applause although very few knew why. I then had a whole bunch of explaining to do! I left the conference a couple of days later, at the end of the second week. I was told after the fact that the tone of the conference in the third week had changed and that invitations began to be extended and accepted by the former adversaries. For my part, I could have and should have got in deep trouble over what I did. But I didn’t. I’ve since told this story many times, usually prefacing it with: ‘Do you want to hear how I ended The Cold War.’ Quite a week in Vienna, 30 years ago. Dennis Thompson How I Became a Royal Canadian I grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and joined the local militia and cadet units of the Saskatoon Light Infantry at ages 13 and 14 respectively. I was a big kid and my father was only too happy to see his shiftless son do something worthwhile so he happily attested that I was sixteen-going-on-seventeen and the militia unit recruiting officer was only too happy to accept the fib. Four years later, when I joined the regular army on my real 18th birthday, it was with the firm intention of joining the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Being a prairie boy already steeped in ‘light infantry’ lore and desirous of remaining in the Army of the West, I [ 148 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION saw my future with the PPCLI home stationed at Griesbach Barracks in Edmonton, Alberta. There were at that time six regular infantry regiments – the Canadian Guards, the Royal Canadian Regiment, the PPCLI, the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada (The Black Watch), the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada and the Royale 22e Regiment du Canada. Each of them had two battalions, except the Van Doos which had a third designated as the army’s armor defence force. I entered the army under the Officer Candidate Programme, a system which provided the army with 2nd lieutenants holding a five-year short-service commission. After the eleven- month training course at the Royal Canadian School of Infantry each of the successful ‘candidates’ was afforded the opportunity to select the regiment with which he wished to be affiliated upon graduation. Wanting to make sure the selection folks would understand how serious I was I wrote “2PPCLI, PPCLI Depot, 1PPCLI” as my three choices. The platoon commander, Lt. Roger MacPherson of the Black Watch, handed the paper back to me and told me to do it properly. I then wrote PPCLI, QOR of C (both stationed in the west) and Black Watch on the form. Notably, none of the other three regiments – the Canadian Guards, the Van Doos or the Royal Canadian Regiment – were among my choices. When the list showing the regimental affiliation each of us was assigned, I found myself in The Regiment of Canadian Guards. There then followed seven years of regimental duty, in both the second battalion and the regimental depot in Camp Petawawa, including excursions with the UN in Cyprus and with NATO on the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (Land) in Denmark. It was in Denmark in September of 1969 that we received the message saying the Canadian Guards, the Queen’s Own Rifles and the Black Watch would be “stricken from the regular force order of battle” -- disbanded. Two months later, I was posted to the Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment in Fort York, Germany. A photo of the battalion’s officer contingent would show that someone wearing the cap badge of the Canadian Guards would not be unusual among the eight-pointed stars. Indeed, my company commander, Major Tud Kaulbach was from the Black Watch and the Company Sergeant Major, MWO Vic Ramsbottom, was from the Queen’s Own Rifles, my platoon warrant officer was Bernie Skeehan of the Guards. At that time the army in Northern Germany was being reorganized and reduced in preparation for the move to its new home in southern Germany where it would join the remnants of I Canadian Air Division in Canadian Forces Europe. As part of the reorganization the two English-speaking battalions of the PPCLI and the RCR were massaged into a new unit – Third Mechanized Commando of the Canadian Airborne Regiment (insert derisive laughter at the incongruity here) – to be made up of those having a year or more remaining in their three-year postings. In the spring of 1970, the infantry career manager sent a letter to each of the Not-RCR and Not-PPCLI officers telling us to make a choice as to which of the remaining three regiments [ 149 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION with which we wanted to henceforth be affiliated. Seeing a chance to rectify an eight-year mistake, I quickly told the career manager I wished to be affiliated with the PPCLI. A few days later I got a message confirming my new regimental affiliation. But then my company commander, Maj. Kaulbach sat me down and in a reasonable tone told me I was making a terrible mistake, that the regiment I was leaving was being absorbed into the Royal Canadian Regiment as its third battalion, that I was an unknown quantity in the Army of the West and would have to familiarizing myself with its ways and culture from the start and that I already had a home in the Brotherhood of the Beaver, I began to sense that I had made a mistake, but I was resigned to lying in the bed I had made. Bummer! But then Karma stepped in. A fellow Guards officer, Captain Chris Wellwood, had selected RCR as his regimental affiliation. But he had been appointed adjutant of 3 Mech Cdo and the commanding officer, Lt.-Col. Chris Snider, was PPCLI and he wanted his adjutant to be affiliated with his regiment. So hmmmmm, what to do. The adjutant suggested that he and I send a joint message to the career manager, Major Gerry Wharton, another Guards officer, requesting that he make a simple switch and assign each of us to the other’s regiment. Apparently, it wasn’t that simple and the reply we got admonished (insert swearwords here) us for being unable to make up our minds, making his job harder and telling us that he would not listen to any further bleats from either of us. But the switch was made. And that’s how I became a Royal Canadian and found a regimental home. Al Ditter My First Lesson I joined the militia in 1955 and rose slowly through the ranks to 2Lt. I was sure that I had learned all the lessons about how to look after my men and as I was having such a good time as Officer in Charge of Milton Armoury with only a caretaker to command I felt that it was time to join the Regular Force. Officer Cadet Plan training was conducted in Camp Borden and I attended Phase One at the Armoured Corps School, too many new subalterns for the Royal Canadian School of Infantry (RCS of I) to absorb. I and a number of others, such as Ike Kennedy, moved to the RCS of I for the remaining phases. I asked to be given Black Watch as my choice of Regiment having come from a reserve highland infantry battalion whose Regular Force advisor was Captain Mountain (RHC), and Roger McPherson and Bill Molnar were my instructors at RCS of I. This is where the story really begins. I arrived in 1963, age 23, in time for concentration in Gagetown with 1 RHC. I was given the responsibility for a platoon of 31 soldiers that included 3 corporals and a sergeant. I realized that young enthusiastic young officers were held with a mixture of curiosity and disdain by the soldiers and that worried me. OC B [ 150 PRO PATRIA 2020 ]
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