Pro Patria 2008 - The Royal Canadian Regiment

125
Anniversary Edition
A Year of Celebration
Pro Patria 2008
1 PRO PATRIA 2008
PRO PATRIA 2008
Issue 90
Front cover photo: Silvia Pecota
THE EDITOR’S DESK
The proofing of this edition is underway and it is now time
to put pen to paper. Much has been submitted, for which
I thank you and trust that nothing has been overlooked or
gone astray.
Editor
Capt T.J. Robinson
For information about receiving PRO PATRIA, joining The
RCR Association, or to request
a change of address, please
direct correspondence to:
Regimental Adjutant, RHQ
The RCR
Victoria Barracks
PO Box 9999, Stn Main
Petawawa, ON, K8H 2X3
Phone:
(613) 687-5511, ext 5086
Facsimile:
(519) 660-5344
e-mail:
Timothy.Robinson@forces.gc.ca
Layout & Design: Lisa Twomey
It is my extreme pleasure to have been involved in the production of Pro Patria 2008. From a historical point there are
two notable milestones that deserve mention. This edition
marks both our 125 Anniversary Celebration and the 90th
Edition of our Regimental publication. As a first time editor
of Pro Patria I was somewhat overwhelmed in the beginning
on how to publish a journal worthy of these milestones. The
125 Anniversary Celebrations would prove an easy accomplishment to add to the record as the Regimental celebrations throughout 2008 were fantastic events. There were no
limits to the number of Royals willing to provide comments
or photographs. The celebration of the 90th year of the journal would prove a bit more bothersome until I realized that
our accomplishments in 2008 would speak for themselves.
Rather than follow my original thought to publish a journal of Regimental historical quips, quotes or stories from
past editions of the journal I determined that the way ahead
would be to capture 2008 as we celebrated our Regiment.
It is the pomp and ceremony of parade and the incredible
fortitude of our soldiers at war that was most important to
detail in writing and in photos, for it is our moment in Regimental history that deserves comment. We can always look
up the past.
The move of RHQ from London to Petawawa has provided
some challenges as previous practices in preparing Pro Patria in London would no longer be practical. The search for
a new printer, mail contracts, full colour layouts, modernization and some educational growing pains on behalf of a
first time editor have regretfully caused delays in the release
of this edition. Inside however you will find that Pro Patria
has a fresh look and feel while the professional and familiar forms of content are respected, hopefully worthy of our
125th Anniversary and our 90th publication.
Pro Patria
Captain T.J.E. Robinson, Regimental Adjutant
CONTENTS
Colonel of the Regiment ...................................................... 5
Regimental Chief Warrant Officer ........................................... 7
Chairman of the Regimental Executive Committee ....................... 8
The Regimental Council ......................................................10
Regimental Mentors ...........................................................11
1 RCR............................................................................12
2 RCR............................................................................21
3 RCR ............................................................................33
4 RCR ............................................................................49
ERE ..............................................................................61
The RCR 125th Anniversary - 2008 ..........................................77
The RCR Association ..........................................................83
The RCR Museum ..............................................................92
Cadets ........................................................................ 102
Individual Submissions ...................................................... 111
Departed Comrades and Obituaries ...................................... 128
RHQ ........................................................................... 138
Reference Section ........................................................... 139
Forms ......................................................................... 141
The Last Word................................................................ 145
4 PRO PATRIA 2008
COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT
T
he Regiment’s 125th Anniversary year has been
a resounding success with all components of the
regimental family helping to mark this historic year
with a blend of ceremony, celebration and remembrance. It was indeed an honour and pleasure for my
wife and I to be able to attend the main events.
Our parade on Parliament Hill on the 7th of June with
our sister Regiment, the Royal Canadian Dragoons,
was held under sunny skies with heat and humidity
being a challenge for the soldiers on parade and specta- MGen W.M. Holmes, MBE, CD
tors alike. The soldiers of both Regiments performed
magnificently for a large crowd of serving, former serving, families and friends of the
Regiment, and members of the public who happened by. Our reception that evening at
the Canadian War Museum was equally well attended by a good cross section of the regimental family. The highlight of the evening was the personal accounts of the importance
of Regiment given by four generations of Veterans and the widow of one of our Sergeants
who was killed in Afghanistan. There were few dry eyes in the house after they told their
heart warming and very personal stories of what the Regiment means to them.
Sincere thanks goes to the Regimental leads for the parade and reception, Major Austin
Douglas, the Regimental Major, and Captain Mike O’Leary, the Regimental Adjutant,
and to all four battalions for their professional and enthusiastic support for the day’s
activities.
The regimental reunion was equally successful with approximately 700 members of the
regimental family attending the event in Kingston, Ontario over the August 1st long
weekend. The format for the weekend allowed for maximum time to reconnect with old
friends and comrades and as noted by our Senior Serving Royal Canadian, Major General Peter Devlin, there was an “electric” atmosphere about the reunion with regimental
spirit and pride being very much on display. The finale for the weekend was a church
parade allowing all Veterans an opportunity to demonstrate that they still have a spring
in their step. Jack O’Brien and his reunion committee from the Kingston Branch of the
Regimental Association with support from National Headquarters are to be commended
for a job well done.
The final regimental ceremonial event to mark our 125th Anniversary was a presentation
of new Queen’s and Regimental Colours to our 4th Battalion in London Ontario on the
4th of October. The battalion was blessed with a beautiful Fall day for their outdoor parade which was officiated by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Mr. David Onley. The
soldiers of our Reserve battalion did themselves proud with an excellent performance on
parade and with an equally impressive formal dinner being held the same evening. Lieutenant Colonel Matt MacDonald, RSM Ellyat and their team did a superb job despite the
limited time they had available for preparation and practice.
5 PRO PATRIA 2008
COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT
The operational commitments of the Regiment continued unabated during the year leading to the deployment of a contingent to Afghanistan in September comprising contributions from all four battalions of the Regiment. The highlight of my year was to journey
to the Kandahar region of Afghanistan for the Regimental Birthday. I was honoured and
humbled to be able to join our brave Royal Canadians and their operational colleagues
to offer the Ortona toast in five operational locations on the 20th and 21st of December.
Despite the challenges posed by the insurgent threat, and the tragic and sad loss of nine of
their comrades, seven of those Royal Canadians, with many more injured, our soldiers are
performing with tenacity and determination. Morale is high, they are committed to the
mission and they are contributing to making Afghanistan a better place. Progress is being
made and all Canadians have reason to be proud of our soldier’s efforts and to appreciate
the sacrifices being made by them and their families.
Regimental business affairs, which contribute to the long term health and public profile
of the Regiment, continue to occupy the regimental leadership. The Regiment continues
to raise funds for the expansion of our Regimental Museum with a view to refreshing
existing displays and to include displays of our recent operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan. The first volume of the rewrite of our regimental history was released in time
for the regimental reunion with the second instalment to cover the period from the end
of the Korean War to Afghanistan expected to be completed in the next year or two. The
Regiment thanks Colonel Bernd Horn for his selfless efforts in researching, writing and
producing the two new volumes of our regimental history. Our regimental Association is
actively involved in supporting our soldiers in Afghanistan through the provision of back
packs of regimental kit to our wounded, and where appropriate and able, support our
wounded and the families of our wounded and our fallen, tasks that will become more
challenging as time goes on.
Other regimental milestones of note are the appointment of Major General Peter Devlin
as Senior Serving Royal Canadian, the successful completion of the move of Regimental
Headquarters to Petawawa and the conduct of another successful Regimental Officers’
Indoctrination Course with approximately 40 candidates attending, a very encouraging
number. We are a busy Regiment!
From all perspectives the Royal Canadian Regiment has had an exceptional year. The core
of the Regiment’s strength remains the quality of our people. Whether serving or former
serving, we are blessed with a stable of outstanding Canadians who, through their selfless
service, dedication and determination, and with the support of their families and friends,
are making a contribution to Canada and to others who are less fortunate. I believe we
can quite rightly look back at 2008 with a sense of pride and accomplishment, and look
forward to 2009 in high spirits and with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment.
Pro Patria
6 PRO PATRIA 2008
REGIMENTAL CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER
A
nother amazing year has passed in the life of our Regiment. 125 years is an incredible milestone for us as a
Regiment to have achieved! We continue with great pride
to honour the customs and traditions of our past; all the
while ensuring that we remain current and relevant as we
face the dynamics and challenges of today and the future.
CWO M.R. Hornbrook,
MMM, CD
As I visit our soldiers, whether on deployment in Afghanistan or conducting training in Canada, I am continually
reminded how focussed we as a Regiment are on warfighting and the conduct of the full spectrum of operations, most
specifically within a counter-insurgency environment. Task
Force 3-08 Afghanistan which was formed primarily upon
the 3 RCR Battle Group, was a prime example where all
four battalions including ERE Royals were
represented and performed magnificently. All
ranks continue to bring incredible accolades to
themselves and our Regiment, as evidenced by
the numerous forms of recognition and decorations received. This comes at great cost. We
have lost comrades and many others have been
injured. We will continue to support those
members and extended members of our Regimental Family and we shall never forget the
ultimate sacrifice paid by our fallen.
The celebration of our Regiment’s 125th Birthday was conducted in true RCR fashion. The
Parade on Parliament Hill with the Royal Canadian Dragoons was truly spectacular. Although the operational and personnel tempo
left very little time for rehearsals, the standard
of ceremonial drill displayed was outstanding!
In my opinion; this standard has been continually maintained whether at Change of Command Parades or as demonstrated by 4 RCR
on the 4th of October 2008 at Harris Park in
London, Ontario when they were presented
their new Colours by The Honourable David
C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. It
seems sometimes that in this day and age the
tendency in the CF is to “take the easy way
out” when it comes to ceremonial events such
as conducting Change of Command Parades in
CADPAT vice DEU. I believe it is extremely
important for us as a Regiment to continue to
maintain our standard with all facets of ceremonial parades. The National Reunion in Au-
7 PRO PATRIA 2008
gust 2008 sponsored by the Kingston Branch
of the RCR Association was a resounding
success. The photographs on the Regimental
Web Site of serving and past-serving Royals
gathered in Kingston are a true testament to
the strength of our Regiment.
The Regimental Merit Boards reconfirmed the
wealth of potential we have within the NCM
corps. The Regimental Succession Plan in
conjunction with the Army Succession Plan
has been key to identifying personnel for
CQMS and higher positions within the Regiment, Army and Pan CF. The manning within the Regiment continues to be a challenge.
We continue to meld the succession plan with
the requirement to “spread the wealth” of operational tours all the while ensuring the ERE
positions like training Institutions have the
required NCOs to conduct Individual Training Courses. Although we continually do
our best to match the service’s requirements
with our individuals’ and family’s desires, it
ultimately means people have to be posted
geographically. We all must remember as we
advance in our careers it is vital that we retain
the flexibility to move geographically.
I look forward to the upcoming year with the
activities and challenges that lay ahead. Continue to look after each other as Royal Canadians always do!
CHAIRMAN, THE REGIMENTAL SENATE
Dear Royal Canadians,
I returned to Canada summer 2008 as the Regiment celebrated our 125th Anniversary with the Parade on Parliament Hill on 7 June and the Reunion Weekend in
Kingston, Ontario 1-3 August. I was moved and energized
by the camaraderie and enthusiasm of Royal Canadians –
both serving and former serving. Since then, I have had
the opportunity to visit the Regiment at home and deployed, and have witnessed our enormous power and our
remarkable spirit. Some of what I have seen includes:
• The skilled and disciplined soldiers of 4
RCR celebrated their new Colours with
an exceptional parade.
• A caring and understanding 3 RCR Rear
Party.
• The professional, imaginative and confident training conducted by 1 RCR.
• 2 RCR leading Army initiatives including
Battle Group 2021
• Fit and bold Royal Canadians in the
Canadian Special Operations Regiment.
• Proud and confident soldiers from across
the Regiment engaged in combat and
representing our Regiment and Canada
with great pride.
• Spouses, children and families that hold
the Regiment close to their heart.
• Energetic and skilled young officers at
the Regimental Officers’ Indoctrination
Course.
• The wisdom and experience of our devoted Regimental Executive Committee
and Senate.
• A committed and active Association with
branches across Canada.
• A museum that safeguards and presents
our history and heritage.
Your efforts have greatly enhanced our past 125
years of service to Canada and you have now
become part of our Regimental history. The
permanent Roll of Honour displayed in the
museum chapel guards the names of those who
have made the ultimate sacrifice for Canada
and the Regiment. As we continue to add the
names of our fallen, I ask you to remember
what has defined the Regiment to which we
8 PRO PATRIA 2008
MGen PJ. Devlin,OMM, MSC,CD
so proudly belong. Our power is a force born
from the combined energy, enthusiasm, spirit
and professionalism of thousands of Royal Canadians who have served before us. That force
has always been drawn from within the ranks
of our serving and former serving members. In
our Regimental Prayer we ask “to prove worthy to accept the high ideals and traditions of
the past; to honour and revere the memory of
those who have gone before us; to face our responsibilities in the future, in both peace and
war”. As we continue to live the high ideals of
the Regiment and face our responsibilities, our
Association guards our traditions and reveres
the memory of our fallen. We must support
the Association as they protect our values and
heritage, honour our fallen and as importantly,
foster new traditions that you have created.
Our strength is an earned membership to a
Regimental history forged by you and those before you. Royal Canadians transitioning from
the Canadian Forces have earned the right to
become a member of our Association, and by
becoming a member, the very least that you will
receive is the camaraderie and friendship that
you contributed to as you served – I believe that
you will gain much more.
I am fiercely proud of Our Regiment, its rich
history and powerful tradition, its expert soldiers and unrivalled leadership, and its caring
families. Communicate with pride the wonderful power and great strength that comes from
our Regimental Family.
The Royal Canadian Regiment
BATTLE HONOURS
(The battle honours in bold are entitled to be borne on the Regimental Colour of each
Battalion.)
Saskatchewan
Passchendaele
San Leonardo
North–West Canada, 1885
Amiens
The Gully
Paardeburg
Drocourt–Queant
Ortona
South Africa, 1899-1900
Hindenburg Line
Cassino II
Ypres 1915, ‘17
Canal Du Nord
Gustav Line
Gravenstafel
Cambrai, 1918
Liri Valley
St. Julien
Pursuit to Mons
Hitler Line
Festubert, 1915
France & Flanders
Gothic Line
Mount Sorrel
1915–18
Lamone Crossing
Somme, 1916
Landing in Sicily
Misano Ridge
Pozieres
Valguarnera
Rimini Line
Flers–Courcelette
Agira
San–Martino–San Lorenzo
Ancre Heights
Adrano
Pisciatello
Arras 1917, ‘18
Regalbuto
Fosso Vecchio
Vimy 1917
Sicily 1943
Italy, 1943-1945
Arleux
Landing at Reggio
Apeldoorn
Scarpe 1917, ‘18
Motta Montecorvino
North-West Europe, 1945
Hill 70
Campobasso
Korea, 1951-1953
Torella
Colonel-in-Chief: Field Marshall HRH The Prince Philip
Duke of Edinburgh, KG, PC, KT, OM, GBE, QSD, CD
Colonel of the Regiment: Major General W.M. Holmes, MBE, CD
Allied with: 9 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Rifles
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
The Jamaica Regiment
PRO PATRIA 2008 9
THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT COUNCIL
THE REGIMENTAL SENATE
Chairman
MGen P.J. Devlin, OMM, MMM, CD
Secretary
Regimental Secretary
LCol C.M. Hand, CD
Members
Colonel of the Regiment
MGen W.M. Holmes MBE, CD
Former Colonels of the Regiment
LGen J.E. Vance CMM, CD (Ret’d)
MGen T.F. de Faye, CMM, CD
Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel 4 RCR LCol D,B. Weldon
Serving Reg F RCR General Officers MGen D.C. Tabbernor OMM, CD
BGen G.J.P. O.Brien, MSC, CD
BGen M. P. Jorgensen OMM, MSM, CD
BGen D.W. Thompson, OMM, CD
BGen J.H. Vance, OMM, CD
Regimental Colonel
Col M.J. Pearson, MSC, CD
Chairman of the Association
Capt R.T. Walsh CD (Ret’d)
Chairman of the Advisory Board
(as appointed by Col of the Regt)
RCWO
CWO M. Hornbrook MMM, CD
Immediate Past Chairman of the SenateBGen M.S. Skidmore OMM, CD
Immediate Past RCWO
CWO E. Christensen MMM, CD
Any other members appointed by the Colonel of the Regiment.
THE REGIMENTAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chairman
President
Regimental Secretary
Members
Regimental Colonel
COs of Battalions
Chairman The RCR Trust Fund
Chairman The RCR Association
RCWO
RSMs of Battalions
Treasurer
Regimental Major
Secretary
Regimental Adjutant
Any other person appointed by the Colonel of the Regiment.
BGen M. P. Jorgensen OMM, MSM, CD
LCol C.M. Hand, CD
Col M.J. Pearson, MSC, CD
1 RCR
LCol C.J.J. Mialkowski, CD
2 RCR
LCol G.S. Parker, CD
3 RCR
LCol R.R. Barrett, CD
4 RCR
LCol M.R. McDonald, CD
Col W.J. Pettipas, CD (Ret’d)
Capt R.T. Walsh CD (Ret’d)
CWO M. Hornbrook MMM, CD
1 RCR
CWO S.G. Hartnell, CD
2 RCR
CWO K.V. Burgess, CD
3 RCR
CWO E.J. Hall, CD
4 RCR
CWO D.A.C. Ellyat, CD
Maj A.M. Douglas, CD
Capt T.J.E. Robinson, MMM, CD
NON - GOVERNING BODIES WITHIN THE REGIMENT
The RCR Trust
The RCR Museum Board
Chairman – Col W.J. Pettipas, CD (Ret’d)
BGen P.L. Spencer, OMM, CD (Ret’d)
Vice Chairman – MWO R.S. Fries, CD (Ret’d)
Hon LCol D.B. Weldon
Treasurer – Capt P.C. Bartley CD (Ret’d)
Comd Home Station - LCol M.R. McDonald, CD
Secretary – Capt C.J. Collison CD (Ret’d)
R Sec - LCol C.M. Hand, CD
BGen P.L. Spencer, OMM, CD (Ret’d)
RM - Maj A. M. Douglas, CD
Capt R.T. Walsh CD (Ret’d)
RCWO - CWO M. Hornbrook, MMM, CD
R Sec - LCol C.M. Hand, CD
Chairman Trust - Col W.J. Pettipas, CD (Ret’d)
RM - Maj A. M. Douglas, CD
Chairman Assn - Capt R.T. Walsh CD (Ret’d)
CO 1 RCR (ex officio) LCol C.J.J. Mialkowski, CD LCol A. J. Lawson,CD
CO 2 RCR (ex officio) LCol G.S. Parker, CD
LCol M.E.K. Campbell, CD
LCol M. Hand, CD (ret’d)
CO 3 RCR (ex officio) LCol R.R. Barrett, CD
Capt C.J. Collison CD (Ret’d)
CO 4 RCR (ex officio) LCol M.R. McDonald, CD
Ms J Rodger
Mr C Ivey
Dr. J Hyatt
Maj G. Joice
Secretary; Dir/Curator - Mr. C. Breede
10 PRO PATRIA 2008
REGIMENTAL MENTORS
R
egimental Mentors (typically Lieutenant-Colonels/Majors) and Assistant Mentors (typically Warrant Officer to CWO) will be appointed by the Regimental Colonel and directed
to maintain a system of personal communications with each member of the Regiment on the list
provided to the mentor annually by RHQ. Mentorship will be based on the most logical mix
of geographical and organizational criteria such that all members of the Regiment and especially
those on Extra-Regimental Employment (ERE) have a mentor who is accessible and who understands the particular working environment of the member. Where the workload demands
it, additional Assistant Mentors may be appointed to handle specific geographical areas, units
or circumstances. Unit Mentors will be the Commanding Officer and the Regimental Sergeant
Major.
The Royal Canadian Regiment has mentors located across the Country and Internationally. Visit
our website www.TheRoyalCanadianRegiment.ca to determine who the mentor is in your area.
MENTOR REGIONS and UNITS
1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
4nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
Petawawa and Area
Quebec
New Brunswick (less 2nd Battalion)
Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland
NCR and Environs (incl 33 CBG units)
CANSOFCOM-CSOR & DHTC
Belleville to Cornwall (incl 33 CBG, less CFLAWC)
Canadian Forces Land Advance Warfare Center (CFLAWC)
Toronto and SW Ontario
The Lakehead to the Praries, British Columbia and The North
United States of America
United Kingdom & Europe
Other Internationally posted personnel
11 PRO PATRIA 2008
1st Battalion
The Royal Canadian Regiment
Change of Command Col Shipley & LCol Mialkowski
(RSM Miller-RSM Hartnell) 29 May 2008
LCol Conrad Mialkowski, CD
1 RCR
This past year, the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR), bid “farewell” to many of our soldiers as
they deployed with the Operational, Mentor and Liaison
Team (OMLT) and as members of the 3rd Battalion (3
RCR) on TF 3-08. The Battalion also “welcomed” all the
new riflemen and officers that arrived to start rebuilding
the unit in preparation for the “Road to High Readiness”
for TF 1-10. Although our deployment to Afghanistan is
more than a year away, most soldiers’ thoughts are focused
on the upcoming deployment. Therefore, 2008 was a year
of support and rebuilding resulting in a drastic change in
the chain of command of most Coys from rifleman all
the way up to the Commanding Officer. To prepare for
our mission we started with the basics and worked our
way up.
Winter
(Jan, Feb, Mar)
Many soldiers of 1 RCR returned from Christmas Leave
and started the New Year by immediately launching into
IBTS training which included C7 and C9 PWT Level
3 shoots, grenade and shotgun ranges. While the coffee urns seemed unable to function in the frigid temperatures, the soldiers had no difficulty effectively engaging
their targets at various ranges. With the IBTS requirement checked off for another year, soldiers and officers
alike looked to February for a change of pace and a change
in temperature.
CWO S. G. Hartnell, CD
12 PRO PATRIA 2008
Later in February, members of 1 RCR departed on
commercial airlines for Fort Bliss, Texas to conduct Ex
SOUTHERN BEAR. Ex SOUTHERN
BEAR was a chance for the 3 RCR Battle
Group to conduct live-fire ranges up to
the Combat Team level. Foxtrot Coy was
responsible for the movement of all the
equipment and administrative vehicles
which began with an international rail
move from CFB Petawawa to Fort Bliss,
Texas. They were greeted by what appeared to be balmy +20°C temperatures,
a stark contrast to the near-Arctic like
conditions at CFB Petawawa. The climate was chosen for a reason and soldiers
began to recreate a small slice of Afghanistan in preparation for TF 3-08 Battle Group’s
arrival. 1 RCR, along with several other 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG)
units, was tasked with designing, constructing and conducting the extremely elaborate
and complex ranges in the middle of the New
Mexico desert. Members of the Battalion found
themselves spread across the entire training area
employed as target operators, actors and support staff to name just a few. Specifically, those
Senior NCOs qualified as Range Safety Officers
from all Coys worked very closely with the Officers of Bravo as safety staff and contributed
to the design of the ranges. While members of
Charles Coy also assisted as LAV Drivers and
LAV Crew Commanders.
Ex SOUTHERN BEAR proved to be a great
success and enabled TF 3-08 an opportunity
to experience live-fire training prior to a final
validation at the Canadian Manoeuvre Training
Centre in Wainwright. With the tear down of
the mock Afghan villages complete, members of
1 RCR redeployed from the New Mexico desert
back to Fort Bliss some five-weeks after having
arrived. Things could have been worse- shortly
after returning from Ex SOUTHERN BEAR
the hardworking men and women of 1 RCR began their March Break. Many soldiers opted to
stay in the Ottawa Valley and spend time with
friends and family, while a few travelled abroad.
For everyone in the Battalion though, it was a
welcome reprieve from the training tempo.
WO Chenard (CSM Echo Coy)
cheering on his team
Spring
(Apr, May, June)
The start of spring was marked by a
ceremony held at the Victoria Barracks, Base Petawawa. On Wednesday,
28 May 2008, Corporal Jess Randall
Larochelle of 1 RCR was honoured
for his heroic actions in Afghanistan and presented with the Star of
Military Valour. The ceremony was
conducted by Colonel Joseph Shipley, CD, as one of his last duties as
the Commanding Officer of 1 RCR.
“The presentation of this decoration is
a right normally held by the Queen
of Canada or the Governor General,”
said Colonel Shipley. “It’s a great
honour for 1 RCR to be able to have
that right today.”
The spring also saw 1 RCR preparing for the change of command ceremonies
that would see a new command team take up
the leadership of the Battalion. On 29 May 08
LCol C.J.J. Mialkowski, CD, and CWO S.G.
Hartnell, CD, took over as the command team
for the Battalion and brought with them the
determined vision of leading 1 RCR into Afghanistan for TF 1-10. Their arrival followed
a successful year-long command period of the
outgoing Commanding Officer, Col J.S. Shipley, CD, and the Regimental Sergeant Major,
CWO M.H. Miller, CD. “Since taking over
command of 1 RCR, Colonel Shipley has been
extremely busy on a number of fronts,” said
Colonel Milner, Commander of 2 CMBG.
“His initial focus was the reintegration of his
Battalion as they had returned from Roto 2
in Afghanistan. Care of his soldiers and their
14 PRO PATRIA 2008
families was a main effort as a number of 1 RCR
soldiers were wounded or killed during their
Tour. His Battalion has been responsible for
providing training support for the Task Force
during deployment training and they have done
a tremendous job with their experience from
theatre.”
Prior to the Change of Command ceremony,
Colonel Shipley was promoted to his current
rank and appointed Commander of the OMLT.
He focused his efforts on putting together an
excellent OMLT team for TF 3-08 and is the
first OMLT Commander to create a training
plan that will be institutionalized by the Army
for future OMLT rotations.
Not long after the Change of Command Parade, members of the Battalion began preparing
to celebrate the Regiment’s 125th Anniversary.
With yet more drill practices, soon followed by With many 1 RCR officers and senior NCOs
the sizing and drawing of the regal scarlet tu- preparing for deployment with the OMLT, the
nics and gallant Wolseley helmets, the soldiers rifle Coys found themselves short on leaderof 1 RCR were ready for the 7 Jun 08 parade on ship providing an excellent opportunity for
Capital Hill. The parade would be conducted individuals in the junior ranks to step-up and
with the Royal Canadian Dragoons who origi- show their potential. Charles Coy, in particular,
was reduced to two
nally began as the Cavalry School Corps in 1883, ... drawing of the regal scarlet tunics Captains with two
oversized platoons
the same year the Infan- and gallant Wolseley helmets, the
with Sgts in comtry School Corps was soldiers of 1 RCR were ready
mand. So it was a
formed. It was a beautiful spring day with a clear blue sky and a gentle relief when Charles Coy received the first three
breeze that would provide mild relief from the of 11 new junior officers to arrive in 2008. As
blistering 31o C temperature. The soldiers of new riflemen graduated DP1, they were immethe Battalion stood proudly with their Brothers- diately posted to the Battalions and, through
in-Arms of 3 RCR to the praise and admiration the summer and fall, more and more eager rifleof the public who turned out to show their ap- men filled the rank and file of the rifle Coys.
preciation and to see the Roll Past of vehicles, So many new soldiers arrived eager to cut their
teeth in a rifle platoon that the platoons swelled
both past and present.
in size to nearly 60 all ranks per platoon pre-
Ex Southern Bear
OMLT
senting unique challenges to the chain of command.
system, that signalled a casualty, had almost
become a constant tone. After the successful
exercise, the soldiers of Bravo and Charles Coy
started the summer block leave.
It wasn’t long until these new junior officers and
riflemen were tasked as 1 RCR launched into
the next pre-deployment exercise. Ex SHAD(Jul, Aug, Sep)
OW BEAR was a final confirmation exercise of
the OMLT KANDAK Comds during which The arrival of the summer months saw Pachino
personnel from Bravo and Charles Coy acted Day celebrated with water soccer, spaghetti and
as the KANDAK and OPFOR. To simulate wine. Meanwhile Bravo Coy conducted the
the KANDAK, Cpls from the rifle Coys volun- Brigade RG31 Remote Weapon System course.
teered to role-play as ANA Comds to lead fel- With the courses running until August, soldiers
low 1 RCR soldiers into the Petawawa training would qualify on the RG31, ELAV and Table
area under the tutelage of OMLT officers. They Top with the C6 and the .50 Cal HMG, trainwould then encounter escalating conflicts with ing over 300 soldiers for TF 03-08. The eight
the small opposing force who would harass and day course consisted of four days of theory folambush the KANDAK. Using the Weapons Ef- lowed by three days on the range and one day
fects Simulation system, soldiers quickly learned of administration. The staff and the course had
how effective a small,
the opportunity to work with
mobile enemy could
DLR and provide input into
... soldiers quickly learned
be and OMLT officers
new equipment being tested
how effective a small,
realized how difficult it mobile enemy could be
on the RG31. Several of the
could be to advise instaff had used the RG31 in
experienced and underoperations and were able to brief DLR on what
trained commanders. The exercise finished off needed improvements. Throughout the course
with an assault on the new Urban Operations the staff worked diligently ensuring the soldiers
Village, affectionately called the “seacan” village, were well prepared and confident for their tour.
where the OPFOR had established an IED fac- From 29 July 2008 to 10 August 2008, 1
tory and blended in with the “locals” who had RCR supported the Tactics School in the conbeen maintaining a routine of life for the week, duct of the Infantry Dismounted Company
including a garden and a market. The KAN- Commander (IDCC) Course. The course was
DAK players left the seacan village with a hard conducted over three weeks with the aim of
earned appreciation for the difficulties in at- confirming the students’ ability to command
tacking an urban area. The beeping of the WES
Summer
Recce Course 0801
a dismounted rifle Coy. The IDCC course is
historically attended by Reserve Force Captains
preparing to assume the duty and responsibility
of Officers Commanding a Rifle Coy. However, with the OMLT operating in Afghanistan,
there was a number of Regular Force Officers,
from all Regiments, who attended this course
in order to refresh themselves on dismounted
company level operations prior to deployment.
As Foxtrot Coy was required to house, feed
and support up to 350 personnel, the planning
process within the company began in the early
spring. Construction of the camp took three
days with Transport Pl doing the majority of
the heavy lifting with support from Bravo and
Charles Coy soldiers. After conducting two
weeks preparatory training, Charles Coy was
ready to be commanded by the students as they
executed hasty attacks and ambushes against the
OPFOR Platoon provided by Bravo Coy. The
exercise provided an excellent opportunity for
Charles Coy to hone its dismounted Coy procedures and allowed the corporals and privates
the opportunity to act as Sect Comds due to the
NCO shortage. The course finished in classic
Royal fashion with a beer call and steak dinner
to celebrate the conclusion of the course where
the students and staff expressed their appreciation for the hard work by all 1 RCR personnel.
hone their field craft in an enjoyable and relaxed
setting. The adventure training also provided
many opportunities to work on leadership and
teamwork while fostering cohesion.
In September, 1 RCR assumed the Immediate
Response Unit for Land Forces Central Area
Almost immediately after finishing the IDCC, with Charles Coy forming the Vanguard. For
members of Charles Coy participated in Ex the next four months, Charles Coy was on 24
hours notice to move
RUGGED BEAR, a Briand, to help test its
gade Adventure Trainthe Platoon had the
ing exercise from 17 to opportunity to partake in readiness, they participated in several recalls.
25 August 2008. The
cliff
jumping,
swimming
The first few just inexercise began by travelling by bus to Sudbury and fishing which provid- volved Charles Coy and
then by float plane to a ed a welcome supplement included a Professional
Development trip to the
remote location on the
to the rations.
Canadian War Museum
Spanish River. Over the
for some lectures; the
next five days the soldiers
would travel 100 kilometres down river. Over next involved the entire Battalion and was folthe course of the exercise, the Platoon had the lowed by the first march with the newly issued
opportunity to partake in cliff jumping, swim- rucksack. Along the march many adjustments
ming and fishing which provided a welcome to the straps were made as soldiers tried to find
supplement to the rations. The exercise pro- the best way to carry their load comfortably.
vided a challenge both physically and mentally The last recall involved the entire Brigade and
for the soldiers and allowed the participants to was followed by a 20 km march and shoot and
17 PRO PATRIA 2008
PRO PATRIA 2008 17
a military skills competition.
September saw 1 RCR receive more of its leadership and move into supporting the Brigade
PCF cycle. The majority of the MCpls and
above were tasked and the Battalion started
multiple serials of LAV III Driver, Turret Operator, and PLQ Mods 1-5. Late summer also
saw members of the Battalion participating in
various activities including the first Army Run
in Ottawa and the 2 CMBG Ironman. Three
members of Bravo Coy went to Toronto to participate in the CN Tower Stair Climb, which
raised $660 for the United Way. To assist with
all the courses and activities, 1 RCR saw the last
of the 11 new junior officers arrive as well as
more Sgts and WOs.
Fall (Oct, Nov, Dec)
Throughout the first part of the fall, 1 RCR
continued to concentrate on conducting the
PCF cycle, which now also included LAV III
Crew Comd, the Infantry Platoon Support
Weapons, and Basic Recce Courses. As well, we
supported the Brigade Captains of Industry task
which saw the LAV III Driver course running
a stand that allowed major players in Ontario’s
business circles to drive the LAV III. The crew
commanders were complimented on their professionalism. Bravo also provided support to the
World Juniors Team Canada hockey training
18 PRO PATRIA 2008
camp shaping the team building activities that
led to gold. CFB Petawawa hosted the team
and Bravo provided a platoon of LAVs to act
as OPFOR during a night attack conducted by
Team Canada. The soldiers were rewarded with
a meet and greet with the Team and its coaching staff.
Paying respects to Royals of the past, 1 RCR
celebrated the victory on Hill 355, otherwise
known as Kowang-San, with a Tug-of-War challenge between the Coys. The competition saw
Bravo Coy successfully fending off the other
Coys giving it the deserved reward of first in the
chow line and quick access to the two beers per
person line… plus bragging rights!
As the Immediate Response Unit for CONPLAN RAPTOR, 1 RCR was tasked to participate in Ex TRILLIUM RESPONSE from
17 to 21 Nov 08, a multi-jurisdictional disaster response exercise developed by Emergency
Management Ontario (EMO) and the Canadian Forces designed to test emergency response capabilities for a domestic crisis. The
scenario involved severe weather in the Thunder Bay region culminating in an ice storm that
caused massive blackouts and overwhelmed the
city’s integral emergency response capabilities
prompting them to call upon provincial and
federal resources. Once the call went out, provincial, federal, military and non governmental
assets mobilized and quickly made their way
to Thunder Bay to participate in the exercise.
All told the exercise had more than 1500 participants and more than 40 different organizations including all levels of government, local
emergency services, the Army, the Navy, the Air
Force, the Coast Guard, Emergency Management Ontario, Emergency Medical Assistance
Team and the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue
Team, to name a few. For Charles Coy the exercise involved a number of support tasks to aid
the emergency organizations. One task that the
troops performed was wellness patrols to ensure
the local population was safe and prepared in
the event of a real emergency. Benefits from the
exercise included an opportunity to practice
inter-agency cooperation and coordination, as
well as demonstrating to government and emergency response organizations what capabilities
the military could offer during a crisis. “It was
great working with the EMO and other government agencies as it allows us to learn and test our
relationships with each other,” said LCol Conrad Mialkowski, CO of 1 RCR and Task Force
Commander for Ex TRILLIUM RESPONSE
08. A simple highlight of the exercise that most
enjoyed was the deployment and redeployment
on the Air Force’s new C-177 Globemaster III.
On 5 December 2008, we received the dreaded
news that three of our own had been killed serving with the OMLT in Afghanistan. WO Robert Wilson, Cpl Mark McLaren and Pte Dimetrios Diplaros of Duke’s Coy were killed when
their vehicle detonated an IED. The loss was
heartfelt throughout the Battalion, and a memorial was held on 10 Dec 08 to honour their
sacrifice and to celebrate their lives. Regimental
activities were scaled back as we tended to our
fallen and their loved ones.
Throughout the year many members of the 1
RCR excelled in the art of soldiering and fitness,
the following are just a few:
•
CWO M.H. Miller, CD, and MWO A.J.
Simmons, CD, were appointed as Members
of the Order of Military Merit;
• M
aj J.D. Price, Capt C.T. Strain, MWO D.E.
Fisher and Sgt K.W. Laybolt received Command Commendations;
• Capt Gawel and Cpl Ritch graduated from
the US Army Ranger School in Ft Benning,
Georgia;
• MCpl Hawkyard, Cpl Martin and Cpl Manser attended the Advanced Mountain Operations course and were commended for their
Members of C Coy lead by Lt Brogan,
pose for a group photo on adventure
training during Ex RUGGED BEAR.
PRO PATRIA 2008 19
excellent performance and
representation of 1 RCR;
• Sgt Nisbet attended the Advance Sniper Course;
• MCpl McGlynn, Sgt Lamontagne and Lt Mendyka attended the Advance Reconnaissance Patrolman course
in CTC Gagetown. MCpl
McGlynn was awarded top
candidate on the course;
• The following soldiers of 1
RCR participated as a part
of the 2 CMBG Small Arms
Team in the Canadian Forces
Small Arms Competition
and won the Soldier’s Cup:
Cpl Alexander, Cpl Lupton,
Cpl Miller, Pte Dupre, Pte
Handforth, Pte Ferguson,
Pte Spadavecchia, MCpl Mitic (Coach) and Lt Kidnie
(Team Captain);
•
Cpl Marc Prud’homme, B
Coy, won the gold medal in
the 100-metre mannequin
tow in the pool event during
the 2008 World Beach Lifesaving Competition in Berlin
Germany from 18 July until
2 August 2008 and is currently preparing for
the Lifesaving and Swimming competition to
be held in Canada in 2009;
• On 9 Feb 08, Pte. Michael O’Rourke received
the Peace Through Dialogue Medal in Munich, Germany. The medal was received by
Pte O’Rourke on behalf of all NATO soldiers
and is awarded each year to honour outstanding contributions to peace and security.
The past year has seen 1 RCR deployed south
to the deserts of New Mexico and north to
the biting cold of Thunder Bay, supporting a
Battle Group on the road to war and hosting
industry executives with a LAV IIII familiariza-
tion – 2008 was a busy year! However, all members of 1 RCR know that 2009 will be an even
more fast paced year as the Battalion and Battle
Group begin the “road to high readiness” for
TF 1-10. The unofficial pre-deployment training has been ongoing, but the Battle Group will
officially stand-up in September 2009 with the
deployment in April 2010. To ensure we are
ready for this arduous mission, the soldiers of
1 RCR will attack their training with the determination and vigour that only a Royal can
show, learning and practicing all the skills they
we will need to succeed in Afghanistan. And
succeed we will!
PRO PATRIA!
20 PRO PATRIA 2008
2nd Battalion
The Royal Canadian Regiment
LCol G.S Parker, CD
2 RCR “A Team” Base Champs
2 RCR
CWO K.V. Kirby Burgess, CD
21 PRO PATRIA 2008
2008 will be remembered as one of the most challenging, rewarding and busiest years in the history of the
2nd Battalion given the myriad of battle group activities
that were conducted. Two major battle group exercises
(Ex ROYAL WINTER & Ex ROYAL THUNDER),
support to Task Force 3-08’s Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team Force Protection Company (based
on G Coy) training, EX COOPERATIVE SPIRIT in
Hohenfels, Germany, a robust Primary Combat Function (PCF) cycle, and support to Combat Training Centre (CTC), Land Force Atlantic Area Training Centre
(LFAATC), and Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre
(CMTC), were all given a high level of attention and detail. In addition to these tasks and by no means secondary, the 2nd Battalion supported Op CONNECTION,
opening of the New Brunswick Legislature, Nova Scotia
International Tattoo (NSIT), Nijmegan and the Canadian Forces Small Arms Competition (CFSAC). Ever since
the first deployment of 2 RCR soldiers to Afghanistan,
the 2nd Battalion’s primary focus has been on the preparation of operationally deployed soldiers to Op ATHENA. Of particular note, 2 RCR BG has focused on the
reintegration phase of deployment in this past year to
streamline, reinforce and follow-up on support that has
been provided to soldiers returning from deployment.
Many inconsistencies in support to returning soldiers
have been reported and followed up through the chain
of command as base and area
support agencies deal with
the spike in mental health
and physical injuries. In addition, 2 RCR BG continues to
be the foundation of the CLS
directed Battle Group (BG)
Civilians in the Battlespace in Town of Kanday. Ex
2021 Study (formerly known
COOPERATIVE SPIRIT, Hohenfels, Germany Oct 2008
as the Optimized Battle
Group Experiment). The BG
is assisting the Directorate of
conduct final preparations and pre-deployment
Land Concepts and Design (DLCD) and the leave, Golf Company was ready to deploy in
Army as a whole in moving towards the Army August and September.
of Tomorrow. This included posting a fullyequipped Armoured Recce Troop and FOO/ Although much was learned during pre-deployFAC party to augment an already enhanced 2 ment training, employment with the KPRT was
an eye-opening experience for all members of
RCR BG HQ.
the company. As infantry, we are accustomed
to serving as the main effort, enabled by various other elements on the battlefield in order to
close with and destroy the enemy. As members
of the Force Protection Company however, we
enable the KPRT. This role-reversal took some
The beginning of 2008 saw the preparations
adjustment, but it has been achieved and all solfor the TF 3-08 Force Protection Coy for the
diers in the company have embraced this new
Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team
role, accepting the challenges that this entails.
(KPRT) with Major Joe Hartson and MWO
One such challenge was the integration of the
Kevin Venus at the helm. Many valuable lessons
defence and security platoon. This organizawere learned while deployed to Ex SOUTHtion – made up of reservists from a variety of
ERN BEAR (Fort Bliss Texas) with the rest of
Primary Reserve Regiments across Canada – is
2 CMBG in February and early March and
responsible for maintaining camp defence and
at the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre
some patrolling in Kandahar City. Although
(CMTC) from late April to mid-May, including
we trained together on several occasions prior to
the importance of realism in training, utilizadeployment, true integration did not occur untion of latest Lessons Learned and the importil the company deployed. The platoon is now
tance of company cohesion within the subunit
a bona fide member of Golf Company and their
organization. After returning to Gagetown to
TASK FORCE 3-08
TRAINING
KPRT Force Protection Coy Roto 6, Oct 2008
22 PRO PATRIA 2008
I Coy landing a CASEVAC
helicopter during Ex ROYAL
THUNDER Apr 2008
soldiers are most assuredly part of the team.
The operational tempo in the KPRT is high.
With limited resources, the company patrols
extensively within Kandahar City, as far west as
Maywand, as far north as Shah Wali Kot, and as
far south and east as Spin Boldak. The patrols
serve to provide security for CIMIC, the Specialist Engineer Team (SET) as well as civilian
government partners such as CIVPOL, DFAIT,
CIDA, USAID and USDOS. Elements of
the company maintain a persistent presence in
Zhari and Panjwayi districts, enabling the interagency team in those locations. The company
lives and breaths the interagency framework
that is integral to success in Afghanistan.
Each patrol is a small unit combat mission and
treated as such. Patrol commanders range from
the OC to a section second-in-command and
every rank in between depending on the mission and the resources available. Patrols are often in an escort role, but the company is also
working closely with the Afghan National Security Forces (principally the Afghan National
Army and the Afghan National Police), providing training and operational mentorship to the
ANA QRF for Kandahar City. Patrols are – as
often as possible – conducted with either the
ANA or ANP, and formal training sessions
for both the ANA and ANP have begun,
spearheaded by members of the Force Protection Company.
In addition to the Force Protection Coy, an
additional task to provide the Regional Command South Force Protection platoon (RC
(S) FP Pl) to MGen Lessard began under
the command of Lt Ben Lacey and WO Brian
Bell. While reacting to a short notice deployment put some strain on an already busy battle
group training calendar the task was given to
India Coy to develop a training package similar
to what had been conducted for Golf Coy and
to ensure the RC (S) FP Pl possessed all of the
skills, training and detailed understanding of
the Afghanistan theatre to be able to conduct
tasks throughout the Area of Operations (AO).
They deployed in mid August and arrived back
in Canada mid November after having covered
some 2600 kms of the AO in support of RC
(S) tasks.
PRIMARY COMBAT
FUNCTION AND
LEADERSHIP
TRAINING
The 2nd Battalion’s primary effort was the success of the TF 3-08 PRT Force Protection Coy
training schedule but of significant importance
was the Primary Combat Functions (PCF)
winter serials that were conducted to continu-
Ex ROYAL THUNDER Apr 2008
23 PRO PATRIA 2008
PRO PATRIA 2008 23
India Coy after taking ELBAK Sea Container Village during
Ex ROYAL WINTER Feb 2008
ally feed fresh LAV Drivers, gunners and crew
commanders into the rifle companies. Kilo Coy
commanded by Maj Damon Dyer and MWO
Phil Dornan conducted a recce patrolman serial
and Lima Coy commanded by Maj Jeff Forgrave
and MWO Wayne O’Toole conducted a driver
wheel course. Ensuring that the next batch of
young junior NCO’s is readily available for promotion necessitated the conduct of a serial of
Primary Leadership Qualification (PLQ) Mod
6 from February to early April.
EX ROYAL FROST
The Battle Group quickly transitioned from the
Winter PCF courses into Ex ROYAL FROST
commencing with a basic winter warfare course
at the company level and the conduct of platoon level winter warfare training. The 2nd
Battalion deployed complete for Ex ROYAL
FROST into company and battle group austere patrol bases concentrating initially on the
conduct of platoon level raids and fighting patrols before conducting company level deliberate attacks on Lawfield OP and Day Hill. The
exercise concluded with a BG approach march
and sequenced attack on the sea container village at Knowlton Hill. This was the first battle
group level winter warfare exercise that 2 RCR
has been able to conduct since 2001 and was an
excellent opportunity to practice some winter
24 PRO PATRIA 2008
survival and dismounted platoon and company
fighting skills that may help in setting the battle
group up for success as it prepares for the Op
PODIUM 2010 Winter Olympics task.
EX ROYAL
THUNDER
To ensure the companies kept their LAV III
skills current and up to speed a Platoon and
Company live fire range was constructed in
the Lawfield Impact area simulating a hostile
Afghanistan village under control of insurgent
forces. Hotel and India Companies conducted
platoon live fire attacks on the village focusing
on the integration of LAV III in close support
of the dismounted troops. Phase 2 of the construction plan added additional compounds
and further complexities including the addition
of CAS, Engineer and Artillery and ensured the
company commanders got a full work out. India Coy led by Maj Kim LaPointe and MWO
Hugh Pyke and Hotel Coy led by Maj Eric Pellicano and MWO Jim Young were put through
the paces during Ex ROYAL THUNDER on
battle group run Level 4 Live Fire attacks and
then quickly transitioned into a series of Afghanistan scenarios ranging from Cordon and
Search (C&S) operations to Vehicle Checkpoints (VCP’s) to Deliberate Attacks culminat-
Cpl Schipper and Pte Knight on a G Coy KPRT Force
Protection Coy Joint Foot Patrol with ANA in Kandahar
City October 2008
G Coy KPRT Force Protection Coy Joint Foot Patrol
with ANA in Kandahar City October 2008
ing with a final Battle Group attack
commanded by LCol Geoff Parker
and RSM Mark Baisley on ELBAK,
a sea container village in the vicinity
of Knowlton Hill. The Battle Group
(BG) Engineers (42 Sqn, 4 ESR) under Major Ryan Smith and MWO
Madore integrated their recent bridging camp experience and constructed
a C Span bridge over the Nerepis River to coordinate the night movement
of the battle group across the bridge in
support of the final deliberate attack.
It was excellent example of incorporating BG 2021 enablers into the exercise. BG CIMIC and PsyOps teams
were attached to the rifle companies
throughout to ensure their inclusion
in all company operations and ensuring the Whole of Government (WoG)
approach was included in all kinetic
and non-kinetic operations.
SUMMER
TRAINING
On 27 June 2008 RSM Mark Baisley handed over the 2nd Battalion’s pacestick in a Change of
RSM appointment parade to CWO Kirby Burgess who had returned from a two year posting to
the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA) in Fort Bliss, Texas. Upon returning from the field the Commanding Officer, key Officer’s Commanding (OCs) and Senior NCMs
deployed to Wainwright to support Ex MAPLE GUARDIAN 0801 where 3 RCR BG was going
through its final validation in the first three weeks of May. The summer of 2008 brought something
new to 2 RCR. H Coy was tasked to run IODP 1.2 (Phase 4), exported from the Infantry School.
There were two Platoons in this year’s serial, one being bilingual and the other English. The Infantry
School staff tasked to 2 RCR integrated well and OC H Coy, Maj Eric Pellicano, oversaw the whole
operation. Although the content of the course remained the same there was definitely a different
flavour to this year’s course. The 2 RCR facilities, BG 2021 resources and the provision of a fulltime echelon, all exceeding the minimum requirements of the course, made for a great experience
for the new officers, especially in their impression of battalion life. On the FTX, the addition of
several riflemen allowed H Coy to generate a third platoon, led by students, providing even greater
opportunities for command experience. The course received such great reviews that 2 RCR will
be hosting the DP 1.2 course again this spring and are looking forward to the start of the course.
NINMEGAN
The International Four Days Marches Nijmegen is a prestigious event in which the CF has participated in every year since 1952 to commemorate the liberation of the Netherlands. It consists
PRO PATRIA 2008 25
of four days of marching through
the countryside and crowded villages of the Nijmegen area. Each
military participant marches
about 40 km per day while carrying a rucksack loaded with 10
kg of sand. 2 RCR was given the
task of training the LFAA team
KPRT G Coy conducting a Shura with village elders, Sept 2008
and to represent the Army in
OP NIJMEGAN in Holland in
July 2008. The team consisted
CFSAC which was to be comprised of represenof eight soldiers from 2 RCR including Capt
tation from LFAA and 2 RCR. Rifle team trainChris MacAdam, the team captain, one from 4
ing began in June, 2008 led by Captain GarESR and one from 3 MP Garrison. Work up
rett Hallman and coached by Sgt Rob Smith
training began in the first week of May and the
who had attended past CFSAC competitions
team started off marching 10 kms, building its
and was a member of a past Canadian Forces
way up to 40 kms a day one week before deCombat Shooting Team sent to Bisley, England.
ployment. Throughout the training the team
The 2008 LFAA CFSAC Team was composed
focused on preparing its feet for the gruelling
of members from 2nd Battalion, The Royal
task of marching 40kms four days in a row. As
Canadian Regiment and LFAA units. 2 RCR
most of the team members were in Afghanistan
was selected as the lead unit to form, train and
with TF 1-07, they were used to patrolling in
support the LFAA CFSAC Team. Rifle training
difficult terrain under harsh conditions and
focused on shooting the 12 standard CFSAC
therefore only had to deal with sore feet and the
rifle matches to develop proficiency in multiple
odd blister. On 11 July the team deployed to
firing positions out to 500 meters. This year the
Holland and prepared for the march. Before it
LFAA CFSAC Team won Top Regular Force
started marching, the Canadian contingent had
Rifle Competitor (Sgt R. Smith, RCR, 1 RNBR
the privilege of travelling to France to visit the
ERE), Top Tyro (Bdr Burton, 4 AD Regt), the
Vimy Ridge War Memorial. The team spent the
Snap Aggregate (Sgt G. McKillop, RCR, LFAA
day touring Vimy Ridge as well as walking the
TC ERE) and Top Four Man Rifle Team (Sgt
historic battlefield. The Vimy monument was a
G. McKillop, Sgt R. Smith, Cpl J. Grondin and
truly awesome and powerful display of the suPte J. Clarkson). The LFAA Rifle Team won the
preme sacrifice thousands of Canadian soldiers
coveted Letson Cup as the Top Regular Force
made during the First World War. The team had
12 Member Rifle Team, all team members were
a great sense of pride as it marched the last 5km
awarded a gold rifle badge to wear on the left
back into the city of Nijmegen on day four. The
pocket of their DEUs. The Four Man Rifle
streets were packed with thousands of spectators
Team composed of Sgt G. McKillop (RCR), Sgt
cheering the marchers. As the team marched
R. Smith (RCR), Cpl J. Grondin (4AD) and Pte
pass the crowds the fatigue and pain from achJ. Clarkson ( 2 RCR) won the Daigle Trophy as
ing feet disappeared and an overwhelming feelthe Top Four Man Regular Force Rifle Team and
ing of accomplishment and Canadian pride was
the Falling Plates Match was won by the Four
felt by all. With the march over the Canadian
Man Rifle Team composed of Cpl J. D’Andrea
Contingent celebrated that night and took in
(4 AD Regt), Pte G. Robinson (2 RCR), Pte
the festive atmosphere in downtown Nijmegen.
D. Frizzle (2 RCR) and Spr R. Richardson (4
ESR). The 2008 Canadian Forces Small Arms
Competition and the training period before it
turned out to be an excellent experience for the
India Company was also mission tasked with members of the team. Their marksmanship abil-
CFSAC
26 PRO PATRIA 2008
Recce Sqn from the 2 RCR BG2021 settles into its new home
ity was significantly strengthened by the hours
of practice on the range throughout the summer and they represented their units and LFAA
very well.
BG 2021 RECCE
SQUADRON
The BG2021 Recce Squadron commanded by
Maj Steve Wilson and acting SSM, WO Bennett conducted two serials of recce patrolman
course in support of the LFAATC and with
candidates from all over the Maritime provinces both Regular and Reserve. Recce Squadron also oversaw the Basic Sniper pre-course in
July and selected the brightest and best to man
the Basic Sniper Course which commenced
late July with 15 candidates of which 14 successfully graduated in September. 2RCR Recce
Squadron completed Ex Royal Springbok, a
Squadron-level exercise designed to practice the
capabilities of the Recce Squadron operating as
a complete combined-arms sub-unit. From the
start of manning the Optimized Battle Group
experiment (now known as Battle Group 2021)
construction effort in August 2007, the ISTAR
(Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition
and Reconnaissance) element of the 2 RCR BG
was intended to consist of two Armoured Recce
Troops, a light Recce Platoon, a Sniper Detachment, and a support echelon. As such, Recce
27 PRO PATRIA 2008
Squadron, as it has come to be known, was
conceived from the start to be an Armour-led
sub-unit within the 2 RCR. Each month it has
been steadily filling out its components to have
a near-complete, functional Recce Squadron by
the end of 2008. With the Recce Platoon and
Sniper Detachment largely in place, all that was
left as of November 2008 was the establishment
of a second troop of Coyote Armoured Reconnaissance vehicles, and the Support Echelon
for the Squadron, the latter of which would be
controlled by the Squadron Sgt-Major, MWO
Chris Ward.
With the major parts of the machine coming
into place during early 2008, Major Wilson received BG headquarters direction to plan and
execute a Squadron-level exercise to flex the
muscles of the sub-unit and to also practice
command and control. The Exercise, dubbed
“Royal Springbok” in reference to RCD and
RCR cooperation, was an important first test to
show the battalion leadership that the Squadron
was functional and ready for further development. Upon deployment to the field, the Recce
SHQ was set up in Forward Operating Base
(FOB) El Bak in the south of the Gagetown
Training Area. With the deployment of the
Squadron being directed by SHQ at FOB El
Bak, the respective troops and platoons swung
into action and carried out a number of BG oriented recce tasks styled in accordance with the
current COIN (counter insurgency) operations.
Suspicious vehicle and dismount activity, areas
of interest, and route recces were all carried out
with success. The HQ command post, under
the capable leadership of Capt Paul Hook and
Capt Tim Scantlebury, monitored the inflow
of information and reports to Major Wilson,
who then further directed his ISTAR assets to
develop the situation and provide BG HQ with
actionable intelligence. The 12 Coyotes deployed to the field brought with them all their
arrayed surveillance equipment and with these
assets did an admirable job of keeping call-sign
(CS) 6, (the CP), and CS 69 informed of all the
action as it was taking place.
The Sniper Detachment, CS 66, at nearly full
strength with the attachment of 14 new graduates from the Fall 2 RCR Basic Sniper Course,
deployed into the field under WO Kevin Estabrooks for the exercise. Conducting hidden reconnaissance at varying distances on several exercise named areas of interest (NAIs), the snipers
provided valuable information on the enemy actors and their activities with their uninterrupted
eyes on the target. Action for the Recce Platoon
centered on the village of Spinkala, where several point recces were mounted and operations
manned to monitor traffic in and out of the village and activities of the local inhabitants. With
a solid patrol base built 300 m from the objective and the Mercedes G-Wagons of the Platoon
hidden, shifts headed out on various tasks while
others headed back in a regular rotation.
The final event of the exercise, the Cordon and
Search Operation of the village of Spinkala to
arrest enemy force actors portraying high-value
targets was successfully completed, with Hotel
Company of 2RCR fielding a Platoon, led by
Lt John Miller, which successfully mounted the
search aspect of the Cordon and Search operation.
In conclusion, the Exercise was a success for all
those concerned, most notably the leadership of
BG and SHQ, who both felt the exercise had
accomplished what it set out to do. Lieutenant
Colonel Parker, the CO of 2 RCR, and RSM
Burgess were on hand for the successful final
Cordon and Search Operation and congratulated Major Wilson on the performance of the
newly-established Recce Squadron.
PIPES AND DRUMS
Having kicked off their touring year in late April
and early May with a two week engagement at
the Norfolk International Tattoo in Virginia the
2 RCR Pipes and Drums also played on Parliament Hill on 6 June for the 125th anniversary
of The Royal Canadian Regiment and Royal
Canadian Dragoons in Ottawa. The Battalion
Pipes and Drums had worked themselves into
a very competent organization ready to transition into their annual task with their commitment to the Nova Scotia International Tattoo in
Halifax, Nova Scotia 19 Jun – 11 Jul. The Nova
Scotia International Tattoo is an outstanding
2 RCR Pipes and Drums at Paardeberg Ball Feb 2008
28 PRO PATRIA 2008
2 RCR led, LFAA CFSAC captures the
LETSON trophy and Queens Medal
event that garners much praise for the pipes
and drums every year and although the Pipes
and Drums has been undergoing a new facelift
since the 2 RCR Task Force 1-07 deployment
to Afghanistan they have been slowly but surely
rebuilding under the tutelage of Drum Major,
Sgt Ted Stoneham. The Pipes and Drums will
send soldiers off to the CFSAL School of Music
in Borden early in the New Year to rebuild its
core competencies.
EX COOPERATIVE
SPIRIT
Early in the new fiscal year the BG had conducted recces for the American, British, Canada
and Australia/New Zealand (ABCA) EX COOPERATIVE SPIRIT in Hohenfels, Germany.
Throughout the summer 2nd Battalion had
readied itself for a very busy deployment right
on the heels of a busy summer, battalion summer leave plan and new battalion reorganization. 320 soldiers from 2 RCR BG including
selected BG 2021 Study observers deployed on 8
September and immediately went to work with
low level section and platoon training to cement
together the new command teams. During the
conduct of EX COOPERATIVE SPIRIT the
companies were put through the paces in the
zero template live fire shoot house, convoy ambush lanes as well as IED lanes. When the FTX
29 PRO PATRIA 2008
commenced under Command of Col Funk from
the 3rd US Stryker Brigade from Fort Lewis,
Washington the companies were already starting to gel and all agreed that this was an excellent way to start off the new training year with
brand new command teams. The FTX was extremely challenging and no holds barred in the
villages of NARI and KANDAY. Hotel Company under command of Maj Kyle Keffer and
MWO Greg MacIssac were responsible for the
“hold” town of KANDAY and India Company
under Maj Steve Noel and MWO Bill Fudge
were responsible for the “shape” town of NARI.
The Hohenfels villages were staffed by very well
trained Civilians in the Battlespace (CIB’s) and
Observer Controller Teams (OCTs) by a robust
and very knowledgeable staff from the Joint
Multinational Readiness Centre (JMRC). The
exercise centred around the MIP (Multilateral
Interoperability Programme) which was a gateway infrastructure designed to interface with
the four different national systems. Canada arrived with TAC-NET SR 2.01 and a team of
computer analysts, whose function it was to
keep the system up and running and ensuring
the MIP gateway received and transmitted the
data so that the 3 rd US Stryker Bde HQ could
track our movement and overlays. The TACNET SR 2.01 suite of software was designed to
replace the aging ATS Blue Force Tracker with
BattleView, and has modernized other such sys-
tems as providing a standard chat and e-mail
function within the Battle Group HQ and below. This system is designed to interface with
the new Capability Release 2 (CR 2) which will
push SAM5 into the CP variant of the LAV.
SAM5 will eventually feed all positions from
the companies to the BG HQ, but it is not yet
functional. All information had to be added
manually to BattleView, and then sent out over
the MIP Gateway. The US Bde did have the
ability to feed their system automatically, and
we were able to watch their equipped Stryker
vehicles travel across our AO.
The 2.01 version of software was pushed specifically to 2 RCR ahead of the main release
as it was the only current software that would
communicate with the MIP Gateway. From the
CIS perspective, the MIP gateway was the main
purpose of the exercise. The MIP translates incoming data (be it Blue PA / E-mail / Chat /
SharePoint) from foreign systems into the language that the Canadian system expects. The
biggest challenge with this is the Blue PA, as no
Coalition country uses the same system. The
other functions are much easier to standardize,
as Microsoft Exchange (E-mail) and SharePoint
(web based file sharing) software have become
the industry standard.
One thing that was learned was that Canada is
far ahead of most of our coalition partners as
far as digitizing the HQ. 2 RCR was able to not
only share Blue PA (which all other countries
were successfully able to do) but share e-mail by
directly connection our Exchange Server to the
Bde Exchange Server. The system performed
relatively well for the first time it had ever been
deployed out of the lab in Ottawa and was the
most stable of all systems deployed with the
shortest down time.
EX COOPERATIVE SPIRIT was an excellent
opportunity to learn and benefit from the exchange of ideas with many US OCTs who had
recently returned from duty in Iraq. Many of
the lessons learned for the new soldiers came
with poignant examples from the Iraq and Afghanistan theatres of operations. The Colonel of
the Regiment (COTR), MGen W.M. Holmes,
30 PRO PATRIA 2008
MBE, CD visited the troops 24-27 October
staying out overnight with the companies, sharing a few stories with the troops and increasing
the morale of the companies with his presence.
Administration Company (Lima) was extremely busy supporting all the battalion activities
under Maj Jeff Forgrave and MWO Wayne
O’Toole which included the movement of soldiers and equipment to and from Germany, a
significant feat considering he only had a small
20 man cadre on the ground in Germany with
which to get the task accomplished. The battle
group deployed home on 8 Oct and immediately deployed junior officers and Sr NCMs to
Ex MAPLE GUARDIAN 0802 for the R22eR
serial.
KANDAHAR TOUR
BOOK DEDICATION
Lee Windsor, the deputy director of the Milton
Gregg Centre of the University of New Brunswick dedicated his book, “Kandahar Tour – The
Turning Point in Canada’s Afghan Mission”
in building D57 on 5 November to a distinguished group of university academics, TF 1-07
leadership and the soldiers of 2 RCR BG. LCol
Chris Hand introduced the book and soon after
Lee Windsor took to the podium to dedicate
the book to the soldiers of the 2 RCR Battle
Group. A true friend of the battalion his words
were insightful and very complimentary of the
soldiers and the difficult tasks they had faced
on TF 1-07. LCol Rob Walker wrapped up the
festivities with a few remarks regarding his time
as the commanding officer of the 2 RCR BG
before all moved into the 2 RCR Kit shop to
purchase copies and have them signed by the
three authors.
CHRISTMAS
ACTIVITIES
With the training year at an end, LCol Jeff
Parker ensured that the 13 new junior officers
of the battle group attended the Regimental Officer Indoctrination Course (ROIC) in London
the first week of December. Regimental Activities started early with the Childrens’ Christmas Party
on 6 December followed that evening by the annual Subbie’s Carolling. The ever popular Mufti
Parade was put back on the schedule thanks to the RSM, CWO Kirby Burgess and his ever present Regimental Catechism. The Cpls/Ptes soundly defeated the MCpls, while the Sr NCO’s/WO’s
attempted to make up for the previous two years losses to the Officers and came up woefully short
once again. The WO/Sgts hosted the Officers at the SABOM Mess in traditional style and the following day, the Senior NCOs and Officers served the soldiers their Christmas Dinner. The CO was
able to recognize Pte Turner as the Soldier of the Year. On Thursday 11 Dec, MGen Devlin, Senior
serving Royal was able to visit the battle group for the 125th Regimental Birthday Dinner where the
Officers beavered out Major Roger Shepard, Major Ron Bertin, Captain George Williams, Captain
Troy Pellerine and Lieutenant Brent Whelan. LCol Parker had the pleasure to announce that Capt
Hallman was the recipient of the Mons Box as the top Platoon Commander in the Battalion. The
Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess held their annual dinner with former 2 RCR RSM, CWO Reg
Irvine as the guest speaker on Fri 12 Dec before heading off on Christmas leave. It was announced
at the WO’s and Sgt’s Mess Dinner that Sgt John Towers from the Golf Company Force Protection
Coy deployed on Task Force 3-08 was the recipient of the 2008 Lieutenant-General J.E. Vance
Award for Leadership in the Rank of Sergeant. The award is given annually to formally recognize
the significant role played by leaders at the section commander level.
Sadly the battalion had no sooner gone on leave than it received the terrible news that Cpl Thomas
2 RCR Memorial Service for Fallen Comrades from
G Coy KPRT Force Protection Company Dec 2008
PRO PATRIA 2008 31
James Hamilton, Pte John Michael Curwin and Pte Justin Peter Jones, members of Golf Company,
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Force Protection Coy, 2 RCR, were tragically killed in an
IED Strike WEST of KANDAHAR during a routine patrol on the morning of 13 December 2008.
All three members were laid to rest in their respective hometowns in the Maritimes. A unit Memorial Service was held in the D57 Ortona Building main hallway on 9 January 2009. The Memorial
was a moving tribute to the fallen soldiers with over 700 families and soldiers attending and allowed
family and unit soldiers to try to put closure to the incident.
2 RCR BG has met the challenges of the past year and look forward, with anticipation to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in 2009.
Individual Achievements
in the 2nd Battalion
Major R.J. King – Meritorious Service Medal
Capt G.L. Hallman - Top Platoon Commander. Awarded the Mons Box
Sgt Towers J.F. – Gen Vance Leadership Award in the Rank of Sergeant
Pte Turner J.M. - Miller Trophy – 2 RCR
Soldier of the Year
Maj J.N.E. Pellicano – CEFCOM Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
Capt R.D. Sheppard – CDS Commendation JTF Afghanistan
Capt D.A. Nixon – CEFCOM Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
Capt J.C. Gash – CEFCOM Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
Capt W.M. Archibald – CEFCOM Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
MWO MacIsaac G.A. – CDS Commendation, TF Addis Ababa
MWO Young J.F. – CEFCOM Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
WO Yuskiw R. – CDS Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
Sgt Francis B.W. – CEFCOM Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
MCpl Bouchard F. – CDS Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
MCpl Christie B.A. – CEFCOM Commendation, JTF Afghanistan
32 PRO PATRIA 2008
3rd Battalion
The Royal Canadian Regiment
Fallen
Comrades
LCol R.R. Barrett, CD
3 RCR
CWO E.J. Hall, MMM, CD
33 PRO PATRIA 2008
3 RCR lost three soldiers in
2008. Just before deployment into theatre MCpl Goodrich passed away of illness.
A paratrooper of long service
he has been sorely missed by
all members of the unit. During
deployment on Op ATHENA
the 3 RCR Battle Group (BG)
suffered two soldiers Killed
in Action. Pte Freeman of N
Company was killed on 26
December by an IED strike.
Sgt Kruse was killed on 27
December, also the victim of
an IED. While heavy losses
to bear, the comrades of our
fallen have resolved to continue
to take the fight to the enemy
in their absence. The thoughts
and prayers of the entire BG are
with the families and friends of
our fallen comrades.
Pte Michael Freeman
The beginning of the New Year
saw the 3rd Battalion returning
from leave to form the 3 RCR
BG in preparation for deploySgt Gregory Kruse
ment to Afghanistan. Significant
training had already been completed in 2007 to get the subunits ready for the task; 2008 however would see a large
shift in focus to Combat Team and BG level operations.
The BG participated in two large exercises, Exercise Southern Bear in Fort Bliss, Texas and Exercise Maple Guardian in Wainwright, as part of the Army Mandated work-up
training for deployment as the TF 3-08 BG. By
the end of 2008 the BG was halfway through
its tour in Afghanistan, having passed through
the crucible of work-up training, deployment
and combat operations. With a few months left
in the tour at the time of writing this article the
BG is confident in its ownership of the Area of
Operations and currently conducting aggressive combat operations against a determined
foe.
On 7 January, 2008 3rd Battalion with its attachments from 2 RCHA, 2 CER, the RCD,
Lord Strathcona’s Horse, and others including
Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition
and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) and the Tactical
Air Control Party (TACP) officially formed the
TF 3-08, 3 RCR BG. Demonstrating an early
focus on fitness, 3 RCR BG completed its first
PT run. The remainder of the month focused
on Theatre Mission Specific Training (TMST)
in Petawawa with soldiers and civilians who
had just returned from Afghanistan teaching
the BG skills such as cultural awareness, mine
and IED drills and the most up-to-date medical training.
en route for Texas, the BG soldiers mobilized
and were flown from a snowy Ottawa airport to
a sunny and hot El Paso, Texas airport to take
part in Ex SOUTHERN BEAR (Ex SB) from
February 4th to the 28th at Fort Bliss, a United
States Army base. The 2 CMBG exercise involved roughly 3300 soldiers and served as an
opportunity to conduct full-spectrum operations necessary for the deployment of soldiers to
Afghanistan. During this month long exercise,
soldiers conducted Combat Team attacks, convoy training, IED training and specific training
pertaining to their tasks in Afghanistan. Ex SB
provided an outstanding live fire training environment, the BG conducted several combat
team based live fire attacks by day and night,
synchronizing the effects of all direct fire weapons systems, artillery, aviation and fast air. The
exercise concluded with a BG shake-out exercise directed by Colonel (now BGen) Denis
Thompson. This training was critical to the
success the BG enjoyed in Afghanistan.
Ex Southern Bear
Ex Maple Guardian
Battle Group
Stand-Up
Following the daunting task of loading all of the
BG’s LAV IIIs, Leopard tanks, RG31s, logistical vehicles and seacans of stores on railway cars
The most significant event of April was the
deployment to Canadian Maneuver Train-
Soldiers enter the kill house in Ex SB2, where
their close quarter gun fighter skills are put
to the test.
Soldiers come under
fire while searching the area around
their LAV and take
simulated casualties
during Ex SB2.
34 PRO PATRIA 2008
The end of May saw the BG receive a week
worth of post-ex leave and post-ex drills and
maintenance.
Ex SB2 allowed the BG to practice with
full helo medevac drills. The coarse sand
proved very punishing on the Gryphon’s
carbon fibre rotor blades.
ing Centre (CMTC) Wainwright to participate in Ex MAPLE GUARDIAN 0801, the
final collective training event on the road to
deployment. “CMTC can provide a level of
realism that is not achievable anywhere else in
Canada,” said LCol Roger Barrett, CO 3 RCR
BG. “Incorporating actors, role players and an
extremely advanced Weapons Effects Simulation (WES) system will allow us to test our
ability to operate in a very complex, dynamic
and sometimes chaotic environment.”
Although some stand training was involved, the
main focus of Ex MG was to expose the BG to
as much of a theatre-like atmosphere as possible.
The training area was broken down to resemble
Kandahar Province, including Kandahar City
and the BG’s soon to be area of operations including Panjwayi, Zharey, Arghandab, and
Shah Wali Khot districts, complete with mockups of major towns. The Ex used actors and the
Weapons Effects Simulation (WES) system to
create a realistic and immersed environment.
The exercise lasted until the middle of May, at
which time Task Force 3-08 was deemed ready
to take on the difficult tasks in Afghanistan.
Part of the mock KAF in Wainwright.
Deployment
Upon return from summer leave, the BG conducted refresher training focusing on battle fitness and then began the process of rotating into
Kandahar. Maj Mike Percy along with DSM
John Barnes took official command of 3 RCR
Rear Party on 28 Aug 08, and then there was
a massive 2 CMBG led departure ceremony for
the BG in Petawawa. As well as a family day
for the children to play on rides and ponies, the
soldiers were treated to send-off messages from
several well-known celebrities. The end of the
month saw the first of the 3 RCR BG chalks fly
into theatre, made up of mostly planners, Administration Company personnel, as well as the
first two rifle platoons.
Arrival in
Afghanistan
September was dominated by the deployment
schedule, which included chalks with hundreds
of soldiers departing every two days from Petawawa to Afghanistan. For deploying soldiers
lucky enough to route through Tweed, Ontario, the busses were met by a mini parade put
on by local students, which was an appreciated
touch. Handovers with the 2 PPLCI BG facilitated critical theatre familiarization, prepar-
ing our soldiers for the combat that would lie
ahead. The official transfer of command authority parade occurred on 21 Sep 08. With a
signature from Task Force Kandahar Deputy
Commander Col Jamie Cade’s pen, LCol
Roger Barrett took command from LCol Corbould. The 2 PPCLI BG had been in Afghanistan for the past 7 months. From the new
CO: “The 3 RCR BG will continue working
closely with Afghan National Security Forces
striving to improve the local security situation
and helping to set the conditions for future
development. Canada is working in partnership with our Afghan and other international
partners to establish a secure environment so
reconstruction and development can take place
in Kandahar province”.
The layout of the BG primarily had D Sqn of
the RCD in Shah Wali Koht and Arghandab
districts, November Company in Zharey district, Mike Company in western Panjwayi, and
A Sqn from the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal
Canadians) in eastern Panjwayi. The BHQ and
Romeo Company were stationed primarily in
KAF.
2 CMBG Ironman
On the home front, even with the majority of
the unit deployed, 3 RCR completed a ‘threepete’ performance by once again winning the
2 CMBG Ironman in the major unit category
(06-08 inclusive). The team was put together
and trained by Sgt Roger Duquette, a senior
NCO of tremendous experience with the competition. The top 3 RCR finishers were Pte
Corey Smith (4th overall, 5:59:59), Pte Trevor
Duty Officer Capt Travis Hanes studies the map before
briefing an outgoing convoy commander on the significant incidents of the day and the threat areas.
36 PRO PATRIA 2008
CH47 Chinooks were used throughout
Ex MG for moving cargo and soldiers.
Takach (8th, 6:09), Pte Chris Turk (11th, 6:16),
Pte Jordan Huston (23rd, 6:39), and Pte Ivan
Herbert (34th, 7:05).
The Army Marathon
While the BG was officially taking command
in KAF, a 105mm howitzer shook the streets
of Ottawa Ontario, signaling the start of the
Army 1/2 Marathon where the Rear Party also
participated. Top finishers from 3 RCR were
Capt Kevin Smallshaw (1:49), MCpl Luke Halstead (1:54), and Pte James Vanderveen (2:28).
The sold out venue set a record for the largest
number of entrants for an inaugural running
event in Canada and hundreds of spectators
lined the route. More than 20 injured soldiers
from across the country also took part and were
given special recognition by CDS Gen Walt
Natynczyk, who ran the 5km. Ottawa Mayor,
Larry O’Brien, who also ran, officially proclaimed the day “Army Run Day in Ottawa.”
First Actions in
Theatre
The BG hit the ground running as the first
platoons on the ground from N Coy were involved in combat operations immediately in
ZHAREY district throughout September. The
first major test of deliberate planning and operations in theatre involved Mike Coy and A
Sqn taking part in Op MUTAFIQ TANDAR
5, conducted in order to relieve and resupply
tactical infrastructure at Combat Outpost
(COP) Haji and COP Zangabad. In a showing
of Canadian democracy, it was also a chance
to bring the ballot box to the soldiers not serving in KAF so all voters could take part in the
federal election.
Operation ARAY
A/ Comd TFK Col Cade (centre) signs over
command authority from the outgoing BG Comd
LCol Corbould (signing) to incoming CO LCol
Barrett, as the RSMs stand guard.
Operation ARAY, a major operation that saw 3
RCR BG and 42 Commando, Royal Marines
DISRUPT insurgents for seven days, took
place in the first week of October. Still the
‘new kids on the block’, the BG ventured into
an area where Afghan National Security Forces
and ISAF do not maintain a permanent presence and where the task of security largely falls
onto the shoulders of the local villagers.
As the CO explained, “The purpose of Op
ARAY is to disrupt and dislocate insurgent
operations in Eastern Panjwayi and prevent insurgent influence into Kandahar City. We will
aggressively manoeuvre to define using Recce
Sqn as a forward screen, following with Armour and LAV Infantry”
2008 3 RCR Ironman Team
Top Row: Sgt. Duquette, Pte. Jorgensen, Pte.
Dover, Pte Estridge, Pte. Morganti, Pte. Culver,
Pte. Greenaway, Pte. White, Pte. Nolet, Pte.
Craig, Pte. Huston, Pte. Boivin, Pte. Smith, Pte.
Takasch.
Bottom Row: Pte. Crawford, Pte. Herbert, Pte.
Castel, Pte. Morgan, Pte. Litchfield, Pte. Cieplik,
Pte. Baldry, Pte. Turk, Sgt. Kyle.
The first Army Run in Ottawa kicks off with a
105mm bang.
37 PRO PATRIA 2008
The BG Recce Squadron screened the advance
forward leading the BG into its first battle position for the night. The BG leaguered in its
battle position at the end of the first day, assembled under the protection of tanks and LAVs
they had faced little resistance from an elusive
enemy. The prospect of facing such a large armoured force in direct combat was enough to
deter even the most battle hardened Taliban
fighters.
Through rigorous dismounted patrols and contact with the local population to understand
the pattern of life, information about a possible weapons cache came to light. The BG and
ANA exploited this information and conducted
several detailed searches resulting in substantial finds. These finds yielded IED equipment,
explosives, weaponry, ammunition and an estimated half million dollar cache of medical supplies. The munitions were blown in place and
the medical supplies were carried out.
“Seizing this equipment will have a direct impact on the insurgents’ ability to mount future
operations,” said Lt.-Col Barrett. “We wanted
to disrupt the enemy and learn about the area;
six days later we have a much better understanding of the ground and we certainly disrupted and dislocated the Taliban.”
The 3 RCR BG convoy in LAVIIIs link up with the
42 Cdo convoy in their Jackals and Land Rovers
departing KAF for Op ARAY.
“A benefit of conducting Battle Group level
operations is that the sheer magnitude of the
forces creates the operational space to allow detailed exploitation of ‘Compounds of Interest”
added RSM Ernie Hall
As the sun set on October 11, both the Canadian and British BG let out a collective sign of relief and the most complicated phase, a deliberate withdrawal, had been successfully executed.
The 3 RCR BG created an armoured tunnel,
fighting thru IED’s and ambush attacks, allowing 42 Commando Royal Marines to pass
out of insurgent territory and into the relative
safety of a forward operating base. One notable
engagement against the enemy included a direct fire engagement of an IED emplacer by a
Leopard C2; the IED emplacer lost. Op ARAY
demonstrated that the use of massed forces
against the insurgents prevents them from effectively mounting a defence. It also proved
that the BG is capable of maneuvering through
any terrain, anywhere at any time.
After the operation concluded, LCol Charlie
Strickland, CO 42 Commando, Royal Marines,
presented CO 3 RCR BG with a Commando
Dagger, in appreciation for the BG’s efforts at
successfully extracting the Commando, out of
the AO while under enemy contact. LCol Barrett responded, “An indelible bond, forged in
combat, was created during Op ARAY. I look
The sun sets over the western OP in FMG on
D-1 of Op ARAY as the BG prepares for their
first major operation.
forward to working together again as comrades
in arms.”
Framework
Patrolling
Throughout the tour the BG conducted innumerable patrols at the platoon and subunit level. On 3 October, while conducting
framework patrols M Coy (-) was patrolling
dismounted along parallel axis when a large enemy force initiated a three sided ambush. Initially, 4 Pl and the Coy Tac HQ regrouped and
fought from a consolidated position responding
to enemy direct and indirect fires with M-72,
M-203, small arms, medium machine-gun, and
Coy sniper fire with great effect. The enemy,
sustained multiple casualties early and, at risk
of being defeated, reinforced their positions.
M Coy also reinforced bringing 2 Pl into the
fight to strengthen the Coy’s hastily established
strong point. As the enemy maneuvered in an
attempt to dislodge M Coy, the BG TOC conducted two precision guided air dropped strikes
that effectively disrupted the enemy’s manoeuvre, killing an insurgent mortar team. The
Royal Canadians of M Coy held their ground
through their first Coy level engagement decisively defeating determined enemy resistance to
their patrol.
As with all operations,
patrols are joint with
the ANSF, seen here
with N Coy waiting for
the ANA to “shake out”
so they can remain one
bound behind on their
way toward Nakhonay
The large find of explosives, weapons,
and medical supplies are blown in place.
OC N Coy Maj Rob McBride makes final
preparations with the ANA before a
dismounted patrol into Nakhonay
Operation ARTASH
Still in October, the BG conducted its second
BG level operation Op ARTASH (Juggernaut
in Pashto.) It was a joint-Canadian and Afghan
operation aimed at disrupting an insurgent cell
in the Howz-e-Madad area of Zharey district
responsible for planting IEDs and staging ambushes against ISAF and Afghan forces. It was
successfully completed on 27 Oct, and resulted
in several compounds seized that were suspected to be used by insurgents as a staging ground
for their activities.
Under the cover of darkness, LAV IIIs from
Mike Company began blazing a trail into the
location while ANA and soldiers from Novem-
39 PRO PATRIA 2008
ber Company and the Operational Mentoring
Liaison Team (OMLT) discreetly approached
from a different direction dismounted. N Coy’s
dismounted night maneuver caught the enemy
by surprise and there was no reaction until the
BG initiated contact. At first light the compounds were seized, and the K-9 dog team and
engineers were called to clear the compounds
for any potential threats. The enemy had obviously withdrawn in haste leaving behind
supplies he could not save. Discovered in the
area were many items commonly used to make
IED’s, small arms ammunition, medical supplies as well as a small quantity of uniforms and
cash. The BG was ably supported by “Banshee”
callsigns, Kiowa gunship helicopters from the
US Army. These heavily armed but very nimble
and maneuverable helicopters terrified the enemy, forcing him to take cover whenever they
appeared. N Coy finally withdrew after conducting a difficult night approach and a full day
of combat operations under the protection of
M Coy who provided a firebase onto the main
objective and cleared a combat road through
grapefields and treacherous wadis to effect the
safe extraction of their comrades-in-arms.
Major Rob McBride, Officer Commanding
November Company explained, “the success
of this operation is two-fold. Not only have
“I think the insurgents were
surprised to see such a
powerful response from our
we disrupted a specific group of insurgents responsible for making IEDs, we have also proven
presence on the ground.”
once again that the we are able to work effectively side-by-side the ANA to assert our presence in this area and deny the insurgents the
freedom to carry out their activities. I think the
insurgents were surprised to see such a powerful
response from our presence on the ground. “
Halloween festivities were rumoured to
have taken place in the FOBs on the 31st of
October.
Operation MUTAFIQ
TANDAR 6
The purpose of Op MUTAFIQ TANDAR 6
was to deny Combat Outpost Zangabad and
Combat Outpost Haiji to the enemy while at
the same time completing re-supply operations
for OMLT elements further west in the PANJWAYI district. The operation was conducted
6-20 Nov, 2008.
ing an ANA strong point in order to re-align
our forces. The operation had a large engineering requirement to remove tactical infrastructure and return the localities to their original
state prior to our forces arrival. Our combat
engineers completed this in record time. The
combat team in ensuring the security of the
combat outpost locations, captured mortars
and ammunition from the insurgents and safely
escorted the ANA company to and from their
strong point.” There were a number of combat engagements during the operation two of
which are described below by Maj Cayle Oberwarth, and CSM Kevin Donovan of M Coy:
“On 15 Nov, while COP Zangabad was being
torn down, the tear down force came under
concentrated and accurate indirect fire. The
Coy group launched a quick attack while the
guns out of Patrol Base Sperwan Ghar (PBSG)
suppressed the enemy position with indirect
As Maj Ian McDonnell, the OC of A Squad- fire. Within thirty minutes of the first rounds
ron and the Combat Team Commander for the landing on the COP, M Coy had closed with
operation described the operation, “During Op the enemy, our own guns lifted fire, and we
MUTAFIQ TANDAR 6, A Squadron Combat assaulted the position. Throughout the exploiTeam led an armoured column of 85 vehicles tation of the enemy compounds, the Coy poranging from the Leopard Main Battle Tanks sition came under direct fire numerous times.
to ANA Ford Rangers that breached over 30 The weapons used by the enemy ranged from
km through the Arghandab river bed. The a ground launched rocket to AKs and RPGs.
combat team repelled numerous attacks by in- Two enemy mortar tubes were captured with
surgents with RPGs and Recoilless Rifles while accompanying ammunition as well as IED
removing two Combat Outposts and replenish- making materials. As the Coy was preparing
to move off the position, a tank became
stuck and then threw a track. The recovThe CO gives Frag Orders in the leaguer to cover
ery effort that ensued saw the Coy hold
the complexities of the road move back to the
and fight from their position for nearly 7
FOBs in conjunction with the British vehicles
hours repelling multiple enemy counterattacks with a combination of direct and
indirect fires. At the end of the day, the
enemy left the field battered and broken by their encounter with the Royal
Canadians.”
“On 17 Nov, M Coy launched a quick
attack in response to enemy indirect
fires, this time into COP Mushan. The
40 PRO PATRIA 2008
Members of N Coy Combat Team
hold a shura with village elders
during Operation ARAY.
Above: After the K9s proved their
worth finding hidden caches
during Op ARAY, the SOP was
continued on Op ARTASH.
Left: The BG’s success streak finding
caches in compounds of interest continued.
enemy indirect fire attack resulted in 1 ANA
soldier killed and 6 wounded. M Coy launched
this time with a full tank troop and was able
to close the distance to the target area in forty
minutes. The aggressive suppression of the enemy position with indirect fires coupled with
the aggressive maneuver of the Coy group saw
the enemy flee and once again their mortar tube
was captured. COP Mushan, who had to that
point been subjected to regular indirect fire attacks has not been engaged with indirect fire
since.”
the 11th hour of the 11th month to pay tribute
to fallen comrades, and the BG held a parade
to formally recognize Remembrance Day. As
helicopters and fighter jets flew overhead and
the sounds of explosions and machinegun fire
echoed in the distance, it was not forgotten that
almost 100 Canadian soldiers had lost their
lives in theatre to that point.
The end of the operation saw the successful
closure of the two COPs. The last Regimental
Banner to fly over COP Zangabad has been donated to the Regimental Museum along with a
letter explaining its significance to the soldiers
of the Regiment who fought, were wounded
and persevered in that position.
After a return to platoon and company-sized
framework patrolling operations for most of
the month, Op JANUBI TAPU 2 (Op JT 2),
was conducted in central Zharey, the birthplace
of the Taliban movement, and an area that had
not seen any ISAF forces for a very long time.
It was a bold operation, synchronized with a
special forces operation, to stick in to an area
that the insurgents considered a safe haven.
The CO’s plan was to go in with overwhelming combat power; the BG consisting of four
Remembrance Day
Even in a combat zone, time was still taken on
41 PRO PATRIA 2008
Operation JANUBI
TAPU 2
A soldier from N Coy Combat Team stands
guard as members from the Afghan National
Army take a rest during Operation ARTASH
Combat Team size groupings. BG Recce force
consisting of Recce Pl, Sniper Pl and an Inf pl,
was tasked to isolate and guard West, while L
Coy 42 Cdo (RM) isolated and guarded Southeast. Both elements conducted aviation assault
insertions. Concurrently 9 Tac, M Coy and N
Coy Cbt teams breached up the middle, tanks
leading to seize and clear assigned objectives.
The objective of the operation was to destroy
insurgent command and control nodes, deny
safe havens and destroy IED materials and production facilities. The operation into this insurgent “heart of darkness” was conducted 25-28
November. After the final rehearsal of concept
drills were complete, the CO emphasized the
dynamic of this operation and AO: “let’s be
clear, we will not be welcome in this particular area, they control it, this is where their C2
and IED facilitators are, we are going in heavy
to kill the bad guys…” L Coy’s airmobile assault had a immediate impact; they were able
to capture a significant number of suspected insurgents almost immediately upon hitting the
ground in their first objective. The insurgents
had no chance to mount a defense or to flee.
The rapid movement of the other two combat
teams, M and N, also had the desired effect. In
An OH-58, ‘Banshee’ operates in support of
soldiers during Operation ARTESH.
Soldiers from N Coy Combat Team maneuver
through thick walls of mud and grape fields
during Operation ARTESH
M Coy’s case one group of local nationals was
still having tea as the Badger tore down part
of a wall to gain access to a compound. Maj
McBride, OC N described the operation: “Op
JT-2 does a lot to characterize N Coy operations in Zharey District throughout this tour.
This particular operation saw N Coy Cbt Tm
operating with ANA, ANP, US and CF either
under direct command or in close partnership.
The Cbt team moved mounted and fought dismounted through some of the most contested
areas of the district.”
The projection of a large mass of force into an
area the enemy believed was safe had the shock
effect the CO desired and those enemy who
could flee left as fast as they could get out and
avoid our forces. The insurgents that chose to
return in an attempt to flank the BG on the
second night of the operation were engaged and
destroyed by the BG armed UAV assets. Op JT
2 put the enemy on his back foot in an area that
heretofore had been used as a staging ground.
Op PANCAR
December was a tragic month for TFK with
nine soldiers killed. Six RCR soldiers (three
Superman, AKA Captain Kris Reeves,
surveys and protects his domain at FOB
Wilson. The VCDS felt most protected
during his brief visit.
A soldier at FOB Wilson shows off his costume
during Halloween festivities.
from 1 RCR and three from 2 RCR in two
separate incidents covered elsewhere in this Pro
Patria) were killed on the main Afghanistan
Highway 1 in the vicinity of Senjaray in eastern
Zharey district. The above incidents sparked
BG Op PANCAR, which was conducted
to increase security on frequently traveled
routes. The BG launched M and N Coy Combat Teams into Eastern Zharey and Panjwayi
to hunt down insurgent IED factories. Op
PANCAR was conducted 18-20 Dec and was
synchronized with a Special Forces operation.
The CO’s approach differed on this operation
as instead of massing combat power in one concentrated area, he had two combat teams strike
simultaneously in different districts. The intent
was through disruption, to better define regional linkages between Zharey and Panjwayi in an
effort to better protect the two main travelled
routes in each district. Both combat teams successfully disrupted throughout their objectives,
with the BG snipers providing overwatch in the
North. The few insurgents that stood to fight
were quickly dealt with by M Coy and tanks
from A Sqn. Certainly the BG put the marker
down that ISAF was present and would continue to be present throughout the areas in question. “The soldiers of the Battle Group along
with their ANA partners remained completely
focused throughout the operation,” said RSM
43 PRO PATRIA 2008
Hall, ”Their tenaciousness and will to be successful was a true demonstration of their combat prowess.”
Captain Laudenorio, the 3rd Battalion,
The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group
Padre, addresses a small group of soldiers
in an intimate Remembrance Day ceremony
at the Battle Group Compound at Kandahar
Airfield, Afghanistan, on November 11th,
2008.
“Today, let us remember those Canadians
who fought and continue to fight so that we
can live in freedom. This blood red poppy
is a reminder that the freedoms that define
our country took root in the graves of those
who loved it more dearly than they loved
their own lives. Freedom has a price and
the world harkens to listen to wisdom from
fallen comrades who knew their duty and
had the courage to carry it out.”
Soldiers prepare for a dismounted patrol during
Operation JANUBI TAPU 2.
2 Chinook Helicopters in support of Operation
JANUBI TAPU 2.
The 125th Anniversary of
The Royal Canadian Regiment &
The Royal Canadian Dragoons
Op PANCAR wrapped up just in time for the unit to take part in the 125th birthday of The Royal
Canadian Regiment and the The Royal Canadian Dragoons on 21 Dec 08. The Colonel of The
Regiment, MGen (ret) Holmes was present in theatre to raise a toast throughout Kandahar, and
visited all of the FOBs to ensure everyone in the regimental family received their warm Ortona
Toast on a cold day. The toast at KAF that night was his last for the day, and all Royal Canadians
on base came to the 3 RCR Tactical Operations Centre to enjoy the toast and a BBQ hosted by
the BG.
44 PRO PATRIA 2008
Top left: A Leopard 2 tank with mine
rollers proved to be a valuable tool
during Operation JANUBI TAPU 2.
Right: WO Mike Gopsill (left) and Brigadier General
Thompson (Right) during Operation PANCAR.
Soldiers from the N Coy Combat
Team patrol through a village during
Operation PANCAR
PRO PATRIA 2008 45
Top left: CWO Ernie Hall, BG RSM, hands
out a mixture of rum, water and sugar to
soldiers at the Battle Group Compound for
the Ortona Toast.
Top right: Major-General (Ret’d) Walter M.
Holmes, Colonel of the Regiment for The
Royal Canadian Regiment, address soldiers
in the Battle Group Compound in celebration of the 125th Anniversary of The Royal
Canadian Regiment.
Above: (Left to Right) Major-General
(Ret’d) Walter M. Holmes, Colonel of
the Regiment for The Royal Canadian
Regiment, Major Rob McBride, OC
N Coy, Capt Piers Pappin, BrigadierGeneral Denis Thompson, Commander of Task Force Kanadahar, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Roger Barrett, BG
CO, celebrate the 125th Anniversary
of The Royal Canadian Regiment at
Forward Operating Base Wilson.
Right: The Royal Canadian Regiment,
(left) announces Lieutenant Andrew
Hentz (Right) as the recipient of the
Vance Award for Leadership at PBSG.
Soldiers from N Coy Combat Team
gather outside a compound during
Operation JANUBI TAPU 2.
46 PRO PATRIA 2008
Photo Credit: Silvia Pecota
Silhouetted by the Afghan sky and far away from home and their loved ones, two soldiers
celebrate Christmas by decorating small tree with a traditional star at PBSG
Christmas
Celebrations
25 Dec 08 was relatively quiet, with everyone taking part in the traditional Men’s Christmas Dinner. The Taliban did not rocket the base as they had done over 30 times since the BG had arrived,
and all the soldiers received a large Op SANTA CLAUS care package from Canada with trinkets
and snack food, which ensured everyone had a present to open.
Unfortunately, on Boxing Day, Pte Michael Freeman from 3 RCR was killed when his vehicle hit
an IED in Zharey District. While dozens of soldiers from the BG had been wounded, including
some severely, Pte Freeman was the first fatality of the 3 RCR BG. The next day, another IED
explosion near Bazaar-e-Panjwayi took the life of WO Gaeton Roberge from the R22eR and killed
Sgt Gregory Kruse, a member of 3 RCR BG’s Engr Sqn serving with the BG QRF. A very difficult
few days for all members of the BG would follow. However with deepened resolve and determination the soldiers would persevere.
Conclusion
From Sept to Dec 2008 the 3 RCR BG conducted 5 BG operations, 26 coy operations, over 550
platoon/troop level patrol operations and responded to over 100 Quick Reaction Force calls. As
always the artillery was in high demand, firing over 160 missions, approximately 2000 rounds in
support of troops in contact. In addition the BG HQ conducted 39 strikes utilizing armed UAV,
47 PRO PATRIA 2008
fighter aircraft and attack helicopters resulting in a significant number of confirmed insurgents
killed. Through the use of offensive patrolling and deliberate BG level operations the BG wrested
the initiative from the enemy and prevented him from interfering with our actions. The BG
balanced the application of mass with a tempo the insurgents could not match. The insurgents
reverted to an IED campaign and intimidation tactics during our tour. The BG responded with
innovative tactics, deliberate operations and innumerable daily framework patrols. We operated
against the enemy 24 hours a day, exploiting our superior night fighting skills and equipment. Our
message is clear; fighting season is not dictated by the insurgents. We dictate the tempo, we dictate
the fighting, and we will not let up in the winter months.
The year ahead will see the 3 RCR BG continuing to take the fight to the insurgents on our terms,
in order to maintain the initiative and keep them off balance. We will continue to work primarily
with our Afghan partners who are getting closer to taking the baton by planning and conducting
their own operations, and we will also work with our British partners from 42 Commando of the
Royal Marines and American partners from 2-2 Infantry in Maywand district, and all the enablers
that come with ISAF.
48 PRO PATRIA 2008
4th Battalion
The Royal Canadian Regiment
4RCR 2008 PRO PATRIA
LCol M.R. McDonald, CD
4 RCR
CWO D.A.C. Ellyatt, CD
49 PRO PATRIA 2008
Over the last 12 months 4RCR has continued to operate at
full speed with respect to training, tasking, international and
domestic operations. During 2008 the Battalion deployed
key personnel to serve with TF3-08, accomplished training
and IBTS targets, commanded BG31-08, fulfilled domestic
tasks and exceeded recruiting and retention quotas. 4 RCR
remains one of the strongest units in 31 CBG, consistently
providing the majority of instructors to the Battle School
for training and detaching soldiers for tasks across LFCA.
2008 was a very successful year in which 4RCR is proud of
its achievements.
The year 2008 began with the Battalion conducting Winter
Warfare refresher training. Exercise ROYAL FROST took
place in January with plenty of snow and cold weather in
LFCA TC Meaford. Dozens of new soldiers were introduced to patrolling, tent routine and platoon attacks for the
first time. LCol Brock Millman ensured all of his BHQ staff
were present and participated in the cold winter exercise.
Throughout January and February, Sierra Company conducted a Basic Winter Warfare course that culminated with
a confirmation exercise and graduated 40 candidates.
Individual training continued at the Battle School with
BMQ, SQ, DP2A and PLQ courses while the unit began
the BMQ/SQ Coop. Lt Lesarge, along with WO Graham
and a number of other full and part time staff ran the coop
course out of London and Meaford. A total of 18 Candidates graduated, continuing on to DP1 courses throughout
the summer. The Paardeberg Ball grew in scope this year as
the Battalion opened up the dinner to the general public.
HLCol Douglas Weldon offered much support and linked
the public to the event while Capt Martin Anderson was able
to secure a $5,000 donation from RBC Financial. The Ball
was held this year on 23 February at the Hilton in London.
The dinner was a successful evening with approximately 200
guests in attendance both military and civilian. All the funds
raised this year went towards the Fusilier Fund, a charitable
fund benefiting the soldiers of 4RCR and their families. The
Attack – Members of Sierra Coy manoeuvre
from the line of departure toward the
enemy position on Ex Royal Frost.
dignitaries attending included BGen O’Brien,
local MPs and MPPs from London and Stratford along with several City Councillors. In addition, there were many prominent citizens and
employers from the local area and of course a
large attendance from the Regimental family all
hosted by the CO and the HLCol of 4RCR.
WO Klausnitzer, CSM of S Coy was honoured
to be presented with the Paardeberg award. The
Paardeberg trophy is awarded annually to the
individual who has made the greatest contribution to the unit. Many thanks goes towards the
committee especially the McPhee family, Cpl
Tim McPhee, Cpl Aisha McPhee and her sister
for their extra hours to make the event a success. In March, Cpl Marc Philippon, organizer
and team captain lead the 4RCR hockey team
to Brockville where 33 CBG held their annual
tournament. Making it to the finals, the team
was upset after a goal against broke the tie and
ended their chance at being named the 2008
champions.
Throughout the spring season 4RCR was tasked
to command BG 31-08, the tactical portion of
50 PRO PATRIA 2008
collective training for 31 CBG. The first in a series of exercises was Ex MAPLE CALM on 28-30
March, which was a CPX conducted in London
involving section commanders and above. The
first Brigade FTX, Ex MAPLE STORM I occurred in LFCA TC Meaford on 18 – 20 April.
Along with the BG HQ, 4RCR was also tasked
to provide a platoon to collective training. The
field platoon was lead by Lt Alex Lomasney and
was continually challenged throughout the Ex
with a variety of COIN operations. Sgt Marcus Brants added a valuable Combat Logistics
Patrol range using Simunition within Ortona
Village that exercised the CSS and Armoured
Recce elements. Ex MAPLE STORM II was
a follow on Exercise that occurred 9-11 May.
During this exercise BG HQ and EXCON released a large OPFOR contingent lead by Maj
Don Strang and Capt Dave Mimnagh. Along
with the enemy force were approximately 40
civilian employers that were visiting with the
CFLC and participated in a cordon and search
operation acting as local civilians. 4RCR Padre,
Capt Michael Peterson added some challeng-
ing situations for the platoon and section commanders while attempting to conduct a Shura
(council) with the village elders. The collective training cycle was successful and 31 CBG
achieved its training objectives. In the spring,
4RCR had 2 members deploy on Op ATHENA
with the National Command Element. Capt
Ben Reavely, Provincial Operations Centre and
Sgt Chris Launder, Task Force CQ.
Each year, 4RCR continues to provide support
to our affiliated cadet corps. Over the course of
the first two weekends in June Sgt Tim Irving,
4RCR’s Musketry Officer ran the SAT Trainer
and conducted a C7 shoot at Cedar Springs
Rifle Range for the 6 cadet units. Towards the
middle of June the SQ Coop course graduated
with 12 students who immediately enrolled
in DP1 infantry courses for the summer. Maj
Paul Gauthier inspected the parade and congratulated the high school students and staff
on a job well done. Just before the unit stood
down for summer training 4RCR bid farewell
to LCol Brock Millman and welcomed LCol
Matt McDonald as the official change of command took place in historic A Block of Wolseley Barracks. The parade marched past in the
presence of many friends, family and members
of the Regiment including the Colonel of The
Regiment, MGen Walter Holmes who also participated in the transfer of Commander Home
Station to LCol McDonald. The Reviewing Officer for the parade was Comd of 31 CBG, Col
Chris Judd. Music for the event was provided
by the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Highland
Fusiliers of Canada. In the middle of June, the
unit was pleased to welcome back WO Brian
Burke, our Regular Force Ops WO from Op
SCULPTURE, Sierra Leone.
The unit was quiet for the majority of the
summer with the focus on individual training, providing students and instructors to CFB
Petawawa for leadership courses and to LFCA
TC Meaford for DP1 courses. With most of the
full time unit cadre tasked out, the only activity
Snow Defence – Cpl Torrie Koehler, Cpl Trevor Jones and Sgt Mike
Edwards take time to pose as they construct a snow defence.
51 PRO PATRIA 2008
PRO PATRIA 2008 51
Op SCULPTURE – Combat Marksmanship Coaching
Course with WO Brian Burke at the Arm Forces
Training Center in Bemguma, Sierra Leone.
in the unit lines was the dedicated orderly room
staff and the new S Coy leadership preparing
for the upcoming training year. Incoming S
Coy OC was Capt Martin Anderson with Capt
Dave Mimnagh as 2IC and WO Klausnitzer as
CSM. Many individual accomplishments occurred throughout the summer as well. In June,
Sgt Steve Sheffar was selected to represent LFCA
and the CF at the Interallied Confederation of
Reserve Officers (CIOR) military pentathlon
in Istanbul, Turkey. This year 50 international
teams competed in five different events combining ranges, navigation, water obstacle course
and combat first aid. Sgt Sheffar’s team placed
4th in the 15 team division. Later in September, Sgt Scott Burke and Sgt Cory Nieuwland
put their long summer of training to the test in
Petawawa with the Ironman competition. Returning for a second time, Sgt Burke was able to
shave off some time from his first score coming
in at 8 hours and 7 minutes, placing 95th in his
division. Sgt Nieuwland, who was competing
for the first time placed 62nd and finished with
a time of 7 hours and 38 minutes.
The new training year was very ambitious right
from the start of the first training night in
September after a successful unit AAG run by
the Adjutant, Capt Brian Telfer and the Chief
Clerk, Sgt Cheryl Bomberry. Over the course of
a few weeks running into October members of
4RCR deployed to support TF3-08 within the
National Command Element HQ, the Force
Protection Platoon under the National Support
Element and with 3RCR in the Battle Group.
52 PRO PATRIA 2008
CIOR Ladder – Sgt Steve Sheffar (Left) Inches
past an international competitor at the CIOR
competition in Istanbul, Turkey
Most of the 4RCR personnel deployed under
the leadership of Capt Paul Wiper and WO Jeff
Burke tasked with the Force Protection Platoon,
including: Sgt Bannon, MCpl Arbour, MCpl
Scharf, MCpl Wooley, MCpl Buchner, MCpl
Guzman, Cpl Beach, Cpl Clements, Cpl Cutler,
Cpl Dixon, Cpl Hughes, Cpl McDaniel, Cpl
Trachmann and Cpl Litvinchuck. Additionally
Cpl Bell deployed with the 3RCR BG, N Coy.
On 14 September Maj Strang, who is also OIC
Stratford Armouries lead the local unit members on a rucksack march with the Terry Fox
Run, raising money and providing BFT workup
training. Knowing that the focus of September
would quickly be on the Presentation of new
Colours and drill practice, Sgt Scott Burke organized a Rappelling Exercise. The new soldiers
were introduced to the basics by Rappel Masters
Sgt Tim Terrington, MCpl Mike Edwards and
MCpl Allison Knapp.
Brigade collective training traditionally starts
with a professional development weekend
for the leadership. On 20-21 September, Ex
MAPLE THUNDER was held in London at
the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre where the
framework for upcoming training was laid out.
Platoon commanders and up were presented
with syndicate work based on the Contemporary Operating Environment. The remainder
of September was spent with countless hours of
drill directed by the RSM, CWO Dave Ellyatt
and the DSM, MWO Rob Talach in preparation for the upcoming parade. The Adjt, Capt
Brian Telfer ensured the officer’s drill was in
Top Left: Signing – (from left) LCol Matt McDonald,
MGen Walter Holmes, Col Chris Judd and
LCol Brock Millman gather around the
table for the signing of the scrolls
at 4RCR’s change of command.
Pre-deployment – TF3-08 Force Protection
Platoon on pre-deployment training in Texas
Above: S
gt Scott Burke & Sgt Cory Nieuwland pose
before competing in the 2 CMBG Ironman
good shape. Capt Joe Robinson, who was on AOC training for the past month ensured he made it
out for the parade.
On 4 October 2008, 4 RCR was presented with new Queen’s and Regimental Colours during a
Presentation of Colours ceremony at Harris Park in London. This was a significant event for both
the Battalion and the public. The several events surrounding the ceremony, Ex ROYAL CELEBRATION included the official ceremony Harris Park, a celebration dinner that evening and the Laying
Up of Old Colours at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Reviewing Officer on parade was the Honourable
David C. Onley, The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Also in attendance was Major-General Walter Holmes, Colonel of The Regiment and Major-General Peter Devlin, the Senior Serving Royal
Canadian. Ex ROYAL CELEBRATION was supported by the Canadian Forces Central Band from
Ottawa, with admin and logistical support from other local units. On 9 November the Battalion
marched through the streets of London and gathered at St. Paul’s Cathedral along with family and
Regimental friends where the Colours were guarded one last time before being turned over to the
church where they were to be Laid Up and rest until disintegration.
With the focus shifting to IBTS, the unit conducted Ex AUTUMN MUSKET on 24-26 October
in LFCA TC Meaford. Over 100 personnel fired the PWT3 and threw grenades. The unit also
qualified all the gunners on the support weapons. The following week Sierra Company had an-
53 PRO PATRIA 2008
other great turn out for the fall BFT, qualifying
over 90 soldiers. Ex ROYAL RELAY was a make
up shoot for the remainder of the Battalion on
14-16 Nov. The weather was quite challenging
in Cedar Springs but 2Lt Dan Carter ended
up as the top shot on the 9mm. For the 20082009 training year 4RCR was tasked with the
Domestic Response Company (DRC) for 31
CBG. The Coy HQ, lead by Maj Strang and
4RCR Platoon, lead by Lt Erickson deployed to
Thunder Bay on Ex TRILLIUM RESPONSE,
21-23 November. Under command of 1RCR,
31 DRC assisted in a variety of activities to support the local populace from VCPs to patrols
and door-to-door visits handing out emergency
preparedness information.
The final Battalion gathering of 2008 occurred
M203 Range – MCpl Ryan
Ward instructs Pte Robin
Leonard on the M203
Range during Coy IBTS
training.
Photo credit: Capt O’Leary
with Exercise ROYAL HOOT on 6 December.
The Battalion sports day and Soldier’s Christmas Dinner took place in Stratford Armouries this year despite a raging snow storm that
closed down some of the county roads later in
the evening. The majority of soldiers spent the
morning volunteering their time with the “Toys
for Tots” campaign packing and delivering toys
to families under the direction of 2Lt Pat Blanshard. The ball hockey competition in the afternoon was fierce with all ranks out for revenge
from last year’s tournament. The opening game
saw the Ptes battle and come out on top of the
Cpls and MCpls. After a long back and forth
match between the Officers and Senior NCOs,
the Officers were victorious and advanced to the
finals against the well rested Ptes. In the final
match the Ptes, under the
leadership of Pte Michalski
capitalized on strong talent
and dominated the Officer
team lead by Lt Lomasney
to a large gap, which held
making the Ptes the 2008
Ball Hockey Champions.
The day ended with the
Soldier’s Christmas Dinner taking place in the drill
hall of Stratford Armouries.
A number of promotions
were announced along with
several awards. The Soldier
of the Year Award was presented to MCpl Szupina
with the Top Shot award
going to Cpl Phair. Additionally, the Award for junior officer leadership was
presented to 2Lt Blanshard
and the CO also recognized
the efforts of the Chief
Clerk, Sgt Bomberry and
the Transport Officer, WO
Lucas with Commanding
Officer’s commendations.
The Battalion was please
to have in attendance LCol
Graham (Ret’d), past CO of
4RCR and recently retired
Left: Peace Tower flag – CWO Ellyatt presents
CWO Rennie (Ret’d) with his Peace Tower
flag after over 44 years of service.
Below: P
aardeberg Award – WO Klausnitzer
receives the Paardeberg Award for his
outstanding contribution and commitment to the unit.
CWO Rennie who received a number of departing certificates and spoke
to the soldiers about his 44 years in
the Canadian Forces. MCpl Danielle
Schmidt was recognized for her outstanding work organizing the Stratford Mess Bar staff.
Key Unit
Appointments
as of Dec. 2008
CO – LCol Matt McDonald
DCO – Maj Gary Willaert
Adjt – Capt Brian Telfer
RSM – CWO Dave Ellyatt
DSM – MWO Rob Talach
OC BHQ – Capt Pete Reintjes
Ops O – Capt Matt Prince
Ops WO – WO Brian Burke
RQMS – Sgt Steve Sheffar
TO – WO Curtis Lucas
C Clk – Sgt Cheryl Bomberry
OC T Coy – Maj Don Strang
2IC T Coy – Capt Mike O’Leary
OC S Coy – Capt Martin Anderson
2IC S Coy – Capt Dave Mimnagh
CSM S Coy – MWO Henry Klausnitzer
Trg Sgt London – Sgt Brants
Trg Sgt Stratford – Sgt Turcotte
55 PRO PATRIA 2008
Key Unit
Promotions in 2008
(new rank indicated)
LCol McDonald
Lt Rozic
Lt Lesarge
Lt Lomasney
2Lt Carter
MWO Griffiths
MWO Klausnitzer
Sgt Edwards
MCpl Knapp
MCpl McIntyre
MCpl McWatt
MCpl Harris
IBTS – Lt Lomasney running a 9mm pistol shoot in LFCA TC
Meaford on Ex AUMTUMN MUSKET, a fall IBTS weekend.
Photo credit: Capt O’Leary
Personnel Leaving
the Unit in 2008
Past CO, LCol Millman took up a position
with the Headquarters at 31CBG after turning
command over to the present CO. 4RCR has
felt the void in losing our unit Padre, Captain
Michael Peterson who joined the Regular Force
and was posted to CFB Greenwood. Padre Peterson was a huge boost in morale to the soldiers, ensuring he was on every exercise and undertaking multiple BFTs. On the spiritual side
the Padre played an important role with 4RCR
dealing with several family deaths, officiating at
a wedding and counselling members on a number of issues. 4RCR also said good bye to Major
Paul Gauthier who transferred to the Regular
Force and is now posted to Ottawa with CANCOM. The unit’s previous RQMS, Sgt Craig
Finkenzeller, now 2Lt Finkenzeller also transferred to the Regular Force and is beginning his
Intelligence developmental courses.
Deployed
Personnel
19 Personnel were deployed on Op ATHENA,
Afghanistan with TF3-08: Capt Reavely and Sgt
Launder (NCE HQ), Cpl Bell (3RCR BG, N
Coy). The remainder of 4RCR personnel under
the leadership of Capt Wiper and WO J. Burke
were tasked with the Force Protection Platoon,
including: Sgt Bannon, MCpl Arbour, MCpl
Scharf, MCpl Wooley, MCpl Buchner, MCpl
Guzman, Cpl Beach, Cpl Clement, Cpl Cutler,
Cpl Dixon, Cpl Hughes, Cpl McDaniel, Cpl
Trachmann and Cpl Litvinchuck.
The Commanding Officer and all ranks of 4
RCR send best wishes to all members of The
Regimental family.
56 PRO PATRIA 2008
Presentation of New
4 RCR Colours
Written by Captain B. Telfer
COTR – MGen Walter Holmes,
Colonel of the Regiment receives
a Regimental salute on parade at
Harris Park.
Photo credit: Brian Smith.
57 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Commanding Officer and soldiers of the 4th
Battalion can look back on all of their accomplishments in the 2008 Training Year with much enjoyment and pride. Of all the accomplishments,
however, none will match the significance of that
which was achieved during the Presentation of
the Queen’s and Regimental Colours on the 4th
of October 2008. On that day, the Battalion was
reminded of its connection to a long and distinguished history, of its place within the Regimental
family, and of its privilege and duty to carry on the
work of the Regiment.
Below: Inspection – The Reviewing Officer, The
Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor
of Ontario inspects the Battalion along with LCol
McDonald and MGen Holmes.
PRO PATRIA 2008 57
New Colours –
Maj Willaert and Maj
Strang receive the
new Queen’s and
Regimental Colours
from Colour Sgts, Sgt
Murdy and Sgt Texiera.
The Presentation of Colours took place in Harris Park, a location selected both for its beauty and
its historical military connections. Attendance was high, with large numbers of family and friends
present, Regimental Association members, and the general public who stopped to watch the proceedings.
The Presentation was presided over by The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of
Ontario, The Colonel of the Regiment, Major General Walter M. Holmes, MBE, CD, and the Senior Serving Royal Canadian, Major-General P.J. Devlin, OMM, MSC, CD. In addition to these
honoured guests, other notable attendees included the Commanding Officer of 1RCR, LCol C.
Mialkowski, CD, and the Regimental Sergeant Major, CWO S.G Hartnell, CD. These gentlemen
were joined by a bus load of 1 RCR soldiers who came to show their support, and to participate in
the festivities of the event.
At 1500hrs, The Central Band marched onto the field under the direction of Drum Major. They
were followed closely behind by soldiers from the 4th Battalion, whose numbers totalled just over
130 all ranks. For the next two hours, these two elements performed masterfully, paying appropriate tribute to the outgoing Colours, and welcoming the new Colours with all of the pomp and
ceremony that they deserved. Onlookers were pleased, and the soldiers were justifiably proud. The
day’s events were wrapped up in the evening with a splendid dinner and dance held at the Lamplighter Inn and Conference Center.
Laying Colours – 4RCR Soldiers, Regimental friends and the community
attend the final laying of the Queen’s and Regimental Colours at St
Paul’s Cathedral. Photo credit: Brian Smith.
58 PRO PATRIA 2008
Key Parade Appointments for the
4 RCR Presentation of Colours
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Colonel M.R. McDonald, CD
Deputy Commanding Officer: Major G.P. Willaert, CD
Adjutant: Captain B.L. Telfer
Regimental Sergeant Major: Chief Warrant Officer D.A.C Ellyatt, CD
Escort for The Colour
Escort Commander: Major D.P. Strang, CD
Captain of the Escort: Captain D.J. Mimnagh
Senior Colour Ensign: Captain M.A. Prince
Colour Ensign: Lieutenant J.G. Rozic
Right Guide: Master Warrant Officer R.P.M. Talach, CD
Left Guide: Sergeant S. Burke
No 2 Guard
Guard Commander: Captain M. Anderson, CD
Subaltern: 2nd Lieutenant D.J. Cameron
Subaltern: Officer Cadet D.F. Carter
Right Guide: Warrant Officer H. Klausnitzer, CD
Left Guide: Warrant Officer D. Barron, CD
No 3 Guard
Guard Commander: Captain J.W. Robinson, CD
New Colour Ensign: Lieutenant A.A. Lomasney
Right Guide:
Left Guide: Sergeant T. Turcotte, CD
Colour Escorts
Warrant Officer C. Graham, CD
Warrant Officer J. Kolar, CD
Sergeant T.G. Irving, CD
Sergeant C.J.M. Murdy
Sergeant H. VanGalen, CD
Sergeant J.S. Teixeira
The Central Band of the Canadian Forces
Commanding Officer and Director of Music: Major B. Greenwood, MMM, CD
59 PRO PATRIA 2008
Laying of the Colours – Capt Matt Prince, Sgt Harold Van Galen, WO Jim Kolar, Lt Jerry Rozic and
Stg Tim Irving act as colour party at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Photo credit: Brian Smith.
Laying Up of Old 4 RCR Colours
On 9 November 2008, soldiers of the 4th Battalion participated in a service of Remembrance and
a ceremonial “Laying Up” of the retired Queen’s and Regimental Colours. These events took place
at St. Paul Cathedral in London. St. Paul’s Cathedral was an ideal choice for the final disposition
of the retired Colours as it is a sanctum steeped in tradition and history, with previous connections
to former London Regiments who had deposited their own retired Colours therein.
Both the service of Remembrance and the ceremony for the Laying Up of Colours were presided
over by the Very Reverend Terrance A. Dance. The Commanding Officer of the Battalion, LCol
M.R. McDonald, CD, and the Hon LCol D.B. Weldon gave readings during the service. LCol
McDonald was later joined by the Deputy Commanding Officer, Major G.P. Willaert, CD, to
assist with laying the Colours on the alter during the ceremony. The Colour Party consisted of
the Senior Colour Officer, Capt M.A. Prince and the Junior Colour Officer, Lt J.G. Rozic, both of
whom carried the retired Colours in the Presentation of the new Colours on 4 October 2008. It
also consisted of the Colour WO, WO J.J. Kolar, the Senior Colour Sgt, Sgt T.G. Irving, and the
Junior Colour Sgt, Sgt H. VanGalen.
60 PRO PATRIA 2008
ERE
ROYALS at CEFCOM
Providing the fullest degree of support to our deployed
operations around the globe, from the serving Royals of
Canadian Expeditionary Force Command, Pro Patria!
From left to right: Capt Derek Wessan (J3 Regional Operations
2-6), MGen Peter Devlin (Deputy Comd CEFCOM), LCol Jim
Davis (J3 Regional Operations 2-Branch Head) and Capt Ben
Irvine (J3 Coord).
ERE – RCRs at CF JHQ
By: Capt Dave Johnston
ERE
The CF JHQ constitutes the deployable element of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM) HQ.
Based in CFB Kingston, the CF JHQ’s mission is to provide
the Commander of CEFCOM with a joint, high-readiness,
rapidly deployable operational-level integrated commandand-control capability for assigned tasks in order to achieve
CEFCOM stated military objectives.
The RCR is well represented within the CF JHQ with LCol
Bruce Ewing taking command of the unit from LCol Carl
Turenne (12 RBC) in December 2008 with the senior serving Royal, MGen Peter Devlin, Deputy Commander CEFCOM, presiding over the change of command. Capt Dave
Johnston is in the operations branch as the J3 Plans. Former
RCR, Major Brian Phillips is the unit J2, and has former
RCR, Sgt Justin Sparks, serving within his branch. Chief
Clerk WO Kim Pyke served with the 3rd Battalion in Germany as a clerk, and WO James Locke has served with the
2nd Battalion as a Radio Operator in the past.
61 PRO PATRIA 2008
Captain Dave Johnson upon the
Bridge at the River Kwai.
The CF JHQ consists of a 56 Regular Force deployable core staff, with 9 Reserve Force members
augmenting, located both in Kingston and in the High Readiness Warehouse in CFB Trenton.
The unit can deliver the appropriate level of command and control to any new international CF
operation and is responsible for the following tasks:
• Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEOs). The CF JHQ maintains a Joint Task Force
HQ responsible for the command and control of NEOs conducted to evacuate Canadian Entitled Persons from affected nations at the request of and in support of Foreign Affairs Canada.
This is a no-fail task, and the CF JHQ provides reconnaissance elements on 12 hours NTM.
CF JHQ members form the nucleus of the Forward Command Element and the Forward
Mounting Base, and provide the proper command-and-control resources to successfully accomplish safe evacuation operations;
• Disaster Assistance Response. The CF JHQ maintains the core staff required to initiate the
deployment of the Canadian Forces Disaster Assistance Response Team - better known as
Canada’s DART - on 12 hours NTM;
• Theatre Activation. The CF JHQ leads and conducts theatre activation operations leading to
the handover of a functioning advanced HQ and initial standard camp to the Task Force. The
Theatre Activation Team (TAT) supports the deployment and employment of CF personnel
into a new area of operations. It usually deploys for less than 60 days due to waiver issues,
and prepares for the arrival of a Canadian Task Force. TAT personnel remain on 48 hours
NTM; and
• Operational Reconnaissance. The CF JHQ maintains a Reconnaissance Team on 12 hours
notice to move (NTM) to assist in the conduct of strategic and operational level reconnaissance.
A truly joint organization designed to work at the operational level with expertise in Navy, Army
and Air Force operations, the CF JHQ greatly enhances the CF interoperability and provides the
CF with a significant high readiness operational command-and-control capability.
62 PRO PATRIA 2008
The CF JHQ signing of the
Change of Command scrolls.
L-R LCol Carl Turenne (12
RBC). MGen Peter Devlin,
LCol Bruce Ewing.
The past year has seen
the unit deploy on Op
BURMA, the Canadian
Government response to
Cyclone Nargis in May. The DART Recce Team was deployed to Bangkok, Thailand along with
a Canadian Government contingent, working in the Canadian Embassy in order to determine the
Canadian response. There was also a deployment to Port au Prince, Haiti in September in response
to Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike. JTF - Haiti was employed on Op HORATIO, along with
the HMCS St Johns, to deliver Humanitarian Assistance supplies to those affected. A number of
Consular Planning Assistance Teams (Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and Bolivia, Peru and
Ecuador) and Advisory Teams (Middle East) were also deployed. It has been a busy year, with no
letup anticipated in the upcoming year.
From Kingston, Simil Militamus (We Fight As One) and Pro Patria.
Canadian Forces Land Advance
Warfare Center
By: Major Mike Pennell
Greetings and Salutations from Canadian Forces Land Advance Warfare Centre, CSM Quinton
managed to corral most of the serving Royals in the unit together to get their mugs shot for this
issue. In December I obtained permission from the CO to gather all Royals after the Junior Ranks
Annual Festive Luncheon (as it is called at this Air Force base in Trenton) to conduct the Ortona
Toast in ceramic mugs. After the toast we retired to the Parachute Instructors Lounge to join the
rest of the unit for the traditional “At Home”, where some leftover juice made it into the Prop Blast
helmet and members of the other regiments were allowed to have a taste,” watch out for the back
wash was heard several times”. Capt Sheppard proved to be a fine stud during the jousting event
and the recovering Sgt Hebert could not even laugh without tearing out his stitches from his recent
operation.
2008 has been a satisfying year with our normal production of graduates from our courses. For
those Royals on Regimental duty that want an interesting ERE, I would highly recommend a tour
with CFLAWC. If interested, call one of the Instructors from the photo to get the real goods, but I
promise you that you will find a tour in this unit both challenging and rewarding. There are fewer
and fewer old salts out there from the Airborne days with the result that some members are posted
to the unit without Basic Para, and we are actively seeking personnel with qualifications that will
contribute to our other courses. The unit will train you, but you must possess the characteristics
63 PRO PATRIA 2008
L to R Front Row: MWO Quinton, WO Leclair, Capt Sheppard, Maj Pennell, Capt Nobrega, WO Graham,
WO Thibault
L to R Rear Row: Sgt Adams, Sgt Woodworth, Sgt Martens ( promoted to WO), Sgt Whan, Sgt Dickin, Sgt
KillingBeck, Sgt Lavallee. Missing: Sgt Bechard ( promoted to WO), Cpl McEwan
of a good instructor. A good example of this was Sgt Dickin who completed his JM crse and is
loaded on the PI crse.
The priority of the unit has changed significantly, with Winter Warfare Advanced (Hello Resolute!), Advanced Mountain Operations (under the watchful eye of WO Thibault), Aerial Delivery,
Hel Ops and LZ/DZ courses all coming ahead of our jump courses. That being stated the unit
still conducts more jump courses than any other type of course and still engages in cutting edge
research and design to adapt our parachute courses to present operations. The unit will have a
change of command in 2009 with LCol Rancourt being replaced by LCol Brown. No doubt the
training calendar will remain full, the pace of life swift, but being in the training system will restrict you from deployments.
The Highway of Heroes starts at CFB Trenton, CFLAWC parades for every homecoming, unfortunately we stood on the tarmac far too many times in 2008 but we do it for the members and for
the families of the deceased.
CSOR hones its edge
It has been over two years since the CFB Petawawa-based Canadian Special Operations Regiment
(CSOR) stood up, and during this time the unit has been a hive of activity: processing and training
applicants, building infrastructure and developing capabilities. The Royal Canadian Regiment is
well represented at CSOR and, together with CF members from all elements and components, has
helped to tackle a monumental to-do list. CSOR is now in a position where it can concentrate on
refining and focusing its capabilities.
64 PRO PATRIA 2008
On 25 June 2008, command of CSOR was
handed to Lt.-Col. Greg Smith. Lt.-Col. Smith
has commanded at all three RCR battalions
(including a term as Officer Commanding Para
Coy, 3 RCR) and gained special operations
perspective serving with Joint Task Force Two
(JTF 2). Though his unit is still growing, the
new CO aims to assess and prioritize capabilities in CSOR’s diverse operational arsenal.
“Now is the time to have a look at what we do
well, what we need to work on, and to determine
if there are capabilities we want to move away
from or put on the backburner for a while,” said
Lt.-Col. Smith during a candid exchange with
his new soldiers. As the young unit’s culture is
informed and shaped by its capabilities, refining and focusing capabilities is an important
part of developing unit identity.
CSOR was created to broaden Canadian Special Operations Forces Command’s (CANSOFCOM) operational capability and effectiveness
and bring particular special operations effects
to special operations task forces. Doing this requires the regiment to strike a balance between
high-end conventional force capabilities and the
types of tasks JTF 2 has traditionally handled.
Much of the past two years at CSOR has been
devoted to establishing this niche within the
Canadian Forces “capability spectrum.” Due
to its relatively small size, training at CSOR
focuses on tasks the unit can realistically be expected to perform on operations; “operational
imperative” is a key underlying principle.
CSOR’s capabilities fall into two streams; the
65 PRO PATRIA 2008
first focuses on “green” infantry skills enabled
by weapons training, “hands and feet” agility,
and complex terrain skills; the second includes
support to CANSOFCOM. The first stream
represents the “public face” of the unit’s operations; being highly proficient at these activities
enables activities in the second stream.
By the end of its third year, CSOR should be
trim, focused and even more agile and effective
in order to support other CANSOFCOM and
CF units on operations at home and abroad.
From left to right: LS Finamore (medical), MCpl Miller (2 CMBG HQ and Sigs),Cpl Girouard (1RCR), MCpl
Bonacchi (1RCR),Cpl Pearce (ALQ), BGen Thompson (The RCR) , CWO White (the PPCLI), Cpl Logan
(1RCR), MCpl Hawks (3RCR), Sgt Aston(West NSR) Jawad (LCA), Cpl Trimble(1RCR), WO Murphy (1RCR),
Capt Pappin (The RCR), Cpl Lemiuex (CH of C), Sgt Friars (3RCR), Cpl Pynn (3RCR)
99 Tac deploys to Afghanistan
By Cpl Philip Trimble (99TAC Turret Operator)
BGen Denis Thompson, Commander Task Force Kandahar, had his Tactical Team mustered in
January 2008. The team, known as 99 Tac, was commanded by WO Patrick Murphy and consisted primarily of members from the 1st and 3rd Battalions of The Royal Canadian Regiment.
Augmenting the team was a signaler from 2 CMBG HQ and Sigs Sqn and two reservists from The
Cameron Highlanders of Canada and The Algonquin Regiment. The role of 99 Tac was to provide
transport and security to BGen Thompson on a proposed ten month deployment to Kandahar,
Afghanistan.
In February, 99 Tac deployed with TFK Headquarters on EX SOUTHERN BEAR in Fort Bliss,
Texas. Here the team was able to confirm basic skills and carry out advanced training under desert
conditions similar to what they would encounter in Afghanistan. As it was also the only opportunity to work on mounted drills as a team prior to deployment, it was a very important exercise.
Once 99 Tac was back in Canada, the majority of the team were placed on the Tactical Combat
Casualty Care (TCCC) course. The course is designed to teach advanced first aid specifically
for combat casualties. The skills taught would be used by 99 Tac numerous times in the coming
months. Special thanks should be given to the soldiers of 2 Field Ambulance for running a quality
course; lives were saved as a result of the training, although team members still think that crawling
over 100 meters of gravel with a tourniquet on their leg is excessive.
The team also concentrated on improving their marksmanship. Sgt Darryl Friars, an Urban Operations Instructor, ran the team through numerous ranges. The training included weapon transitions, shooting on the move, tactical considerations, and quick aim shooting. The training quickly
became more advanced, to include working in teams, cover while reloading, weapons stoppages,
and changing to secondary weapons. By the end of training, every 99 Tac soldier was ready to
66 PRO PATRIA 2008
deploy, and the team was sent for a week of disembarkation leave.
The morning of 5 May began with kit turn-in
and final paperwork for the flight out. Having completed the final Departure Assistance
Group (DAG) process, the team made their
way to building Y-101 to board the bus headed
to Ottawa airport. As any soldier who has deployed to Afghanistan knows, this was a time
of mixed emotions for the team. It was the
last chance to see their family and friends for
a long time. It was a hard day for the team,
knowing that some of the team was forced to
leave behind pregnant wives, newborn babies,
and their loving families. Final hugs were given,
goodbyes were said, with that 99 Tac was on
their way to Afghanistan.
Once the team landed in theatre, there was
no time to waste. The first day was filled with
briefings and had 99 Tac finding their way
around KAF. Day Two was the beginning of
the handover with the out-going Tac team.
The new 99 Tac took
over two LAV III’s and a RG-31 Nayala. The
team also conducted a line tour of the Canadian area of operations. The line tour was quickly
dubbed the ‘wine tour’ by members of the team
as it involved quick stops at many locations
over a short period of time. BGen Thompson
assumed command of Task Force Kandahar on
the 14 May 08 at a TOCA ceremony conducted at Kandahar Airfield and this made his Tac
team officially operational.
Once operational, BGen Thompson had the
team take him on a ‘wine tour’ throughout the
entire Canadian Area of Operations. He wanted to see the entire area of operations, from
the Pakistan Border on the East to Helmand
Province on the west. One of the advantages
to being 99 Tac was the ‘big picture’ situational
awareness that came from travelling the entire
AO.
While deployed on OTW, BGen Thompson
was also escorted by a Close Protection (CP)
team. Under ideal circumstances, the team
consisted of a team leader, a bodyguard, and
a shooter. Many times the CP team would
be double-hatted, acting as LAV Crew
Commanders or Gunners. The CP
team quickly fit right in and became
part of 99 Tac. The CP team was often employed on cordons, and other
dismounted operations as 99 Tac
did not have many soldiers available for dismount. The team also
often enlisted the support of other
members of TFK HQ to help while
team members were on leave. MCpl
Captain Piers Pappin
at Dhala Dam July
2008, Afghanistan
67 PRO PATRIA 2008
PRO PATRIA 2008 67
Gary Smith from 2 CMBG HQ and Sigs, Sgt
Jordan Sullivan from The Grey and Simcoe
Foresters and MCpl Emily Ireland from the
Lincoln and Welland Regiment were the regular replacements.
A few months after taking command, BGen
Thompson and the team were faced with a real
time dynamic situation. After a daring prison
break from Sarposa Prison, Insurgent fighters
moved into Arghandab District, north of Kandahar City. The team then spent much time
over the following days conducting road moves
between various security players in the area
while BGen Thompson and the Afghan National Security Forces developed their proposed
course of action. On the morning of 17 June,
99 Tac established a Command Post at the
Arghandab District Centre. From this position
the team could conduct overwatch of the entire
river valley, including enemy positions.
The Afghan National Army led an attack that
day. While moving across the river, the ANA
came under effective enemy fire, sustained casualties and were forced to withdrawal under
contact from insurgent defensive positions. Cpl
Philip Trimble and Sgt Jordan Sullivan treated
wounded ISAF civilian personnel advancing
with the ANA, and had them evacuated to
Kandahar Airfield. Following the failed ANA
attack, Coalition Force aviation and air assets
began a heavy bombardment of the insurgent
defended area. The following morning, 99 Tac
established a fire base across from the enemy
positions on the far side of the Arghandab River. The ANA launched their second attack, and
after fierce fighting, the ANA soldiers managed
to seize their objective. The days that followed
saw the ANSF, supported by their Canadian
mentors, and Battle Group assets retake this
key region.
September saw a Relief-in-Place of the Battle
Group. With the arrival of the 3 RCR Battle
Group, members from all four battalions of The
Royal Canadian Regiment were serving under
the command of BGen Thompson (also a Royal
Canadian). The Task Force welcomed the addition of 2-2 Infantry Battalion (U.S.). Known
68 PRO PATRIA 2008
as both the Second of the Second and as the
Ramrods, this valuable American unit was employed in the Canadian AO in Maywand District. A quick look at the American battalion’s
battle streamers saw Lundy’s Lane, and Canada
as battle honors. Interesting to see this unit was
fighting against us in 1812, and is now under
the command of a Canadian General.
For the first part of the tour, 99 Tac moved
primarily in a three vehicle packet, consisting of two LAV III’s and an RG-31. With a
shortage of RG-31s, the decision was made to
switch RG-31, lovingly nicknamed “Sheniqua“
by MCpl Deni Bonnachi for a Bison command variant vehicle. The Bison allowed BGen
Thompson to maintain command of the entire
Task Force, even when operating in forward areas. This Command Post was used many times
during the next few months, including during
operations on 16 October, when 99 Tac was
based out of Strong Point Lakokhel in Zhari
District.
99 Tac was used in various roles during operations. With Battle Group assets often being tied up in combat roles, 99 Tac conducted
tasks throughout the AOR that were normally
reserved for Battle Group or OMLT call signs.
The team has conducted cordons, assisted in
the exploitation of improvised explosive device
detonation sites as well they completed quick
reaction force duties. They were also used to
establish overt observation posts as part of a
diversion and distraction operation for Afghan
National Security Forces. BGen Thompson
was very adamant throughout the tour at not
putting his soldiers in positions of risk he would
not assume himself and is fond of dismounting
to see the action for himself. Members of the
team, including BGen Thompson, have conducted dismounted ambushes and patrols. 99
Tac has found themselves clearing compounds
following an IED strike, and patrolling Zhari
District with ANA troops. During one such patrol the ANA triggered an IED while on foot.
The explosion resulted in six ANA troops being
wounded and needing to be evacuated by air. In
the aftermath of the explosion the Commander’s Signaller, MCpl Tobias Miller (2 CMBG
The Colonel of The Regiment and LCol Barrett watch as BGen Thompson signs the mug used in the
Ortona Toast.
HQ & Signals Sqn), provided TCCC on the
wounded and arranged the evacuation during
this mass casualty incident. MCpl Miller was
awarded a Commander’s Commendation for
his actions.
99 Tac spent most of their time traveling within the AOR to various installations and tactical infrastructure. Setting records on mileage;
traveling over 17,000 km, and having the opportunity to travel freely thought the AOR the
team earned their nickname “GreyHounds”.
The nickname became even more fitting
throughout the tour as the team often offered
a lift to soldiers who would otherwise wait for
transport between forward operating bases and
Kandahar airfield. Free movement also made
the team able to assist the local Afghan community in more than just providing security.
In some instances they were able to distribute
aid. The family of Private Mark Graham (a 1st
Battalion soldier killed on TF 3-06) provided
sporting and school supplies that 99 Tac happily distributed to local families. The Tac team
has also lent a hand to local farmers, recovering
69 PRO PATRIA 2008
trucks stuck in the sand.
The Weekly Provincial Security Meeting, held
at the Governor’s Palace, allowed 99 Tac to
spend a lot of time at Camp Mario Mercier, the
Operational Coordination center provincial
(OCC-P). The OCC-P is an extremely small
compound inside the Governor’s Palace, consisting of a parking lot and four buildings. As a
camp it was not much to look at, but it was the
home of the best food in the AO. Once a week,
the Tac team would take over the OCC-P, as
more then doubling the population of the camp
when 99 Tac was there. The soldiers at the
OCC-P always made the team feel welcome.
On top of the Weekly Provincial Security meeting, the team would often escort BGen Thompson to local shuras throughout the AOR. These
shuras were usually held in District Centres or
within Canadian Camps. Sometimes meetings were held in local houses of remote villages
and these would cause security headaches for
the team. Some meetings would have the team
conducting route sweeps, searching for roadsides bombs, and checking culverts for IEDS.
The team would then find themselves establishing cordons around compounds to ensure the area
was safe for the Task Force Commander to attend the meetings.
Several weeks into the tour the team began to recognize the usual vehicles and unique individuals
that resided in Kandahar City. Some local inhabitants began to stand out to the team and become
regular sightings. 99 Tac’s local good luck charm was known as “Crazy Charlie”. After an initial
misunderstanding regarding his occupation as a bread vendor, 99 Tac discovered that this elderly
gentleman was, in fact, between jobs. Over time, diplomatic relations between 99 Tac and Crazy
Charlie improved to a point that a “humanitarian campaign” was started. 99 Tac began giving
the man water and food. He responded well to 99 Tac with gestures of gratitude in the form of enthusiastic Soviet salutes. Over time, the team became excited to see “crazy Charlie” as they passed
through the city.
Another place in the city well know to the Team was the “PMQ Patch”. This area of the city was
where the families of Afghan National Army Soldiers lived. It was nicknamed the PMQ patch after
the private married quarters in Petawawa, where many soldiers’ families live back in Canada. The
PMQ patch was used as a secure location in the city for towing vehicles to, or to grab a drink of
water. Moving through the area the team would always be received well by the locals, with thumbs
up from the kids, and salutes from the soldiers. There were also insolent “army brats” in the PMQ
patch as the team occasionally came under attack with rocks while the kids laughed.
The team had the privilege of having BGen Thompson’s Language and Cultural Advisor (LCA) at
their disposal throughout the tour. This asset allowed the team to buy bread from local vendors,
trade for grapes from local kids, or the team’s personal favorite, buying melons from local famers.
The teams LCA was great at finding “Afganalopes” (a local melon similar to cantaloupe) and the
perfect pomegranates. The LCA was also employed in situations where the team had to interact
directly with the locals, like vehicle accidents, or when faced with IED finds to allow the team to
communicate with local authorities. BGen Thompson used the LCA to communicate with local
government officials, security players, village elders, and religious figures at shuras and meetings.
99 TAC was supported by other Royal Canadians within the HQ. Capt Ben Reavy as a duty officer
often assisted the team while traveling the AOR with route sweep updates, SITREPS and other information required by the team. LCol Shawn Luckhurst was the Chief of Ops in JTF-A HQ. Maj
Jim MacInnis was the J1, and would support the team on
the administrative end with everything from occupational
paperwork, memos, and getting beer for BBQs.
The teams LCA was
great at finding
“Afganalopes” (a
local melon similar
to cantaloupe) and
the perfect
pomegranates.
70 PRO PATRIA 2008
99 Tac had a busy tour. In the course of almost ten months,
they visited every piece of Tactical Infrastructure, putting
tens of thousands of kilometers on their LAVs. The ten
months went very quickly for the team, but they’re ready
to return to their families. On 9 February 2009, the team
conducted their medal ceremony. Cpl Robert Girouard,
BGen Thompson’s LAV Driver presented the Commander
with his medal. The team is scheduled to depart Afghanistan at the end of February for decompression in Cyprus.
This will be followed by some well deserved leave and time
to spend with their families.
LAND FORCES CENTRAL AREA
HEADQUARTERS
By Capt T.A. Norton
As the 2009 posting season looms ever closer, it is a nervous time in LFCA HQ with the current
team of Royal Canadians assembled here dwindling. Leading us out the door is the current G3
LCol Bruce Ewing, posted to command the CFJHQ in Kingston. Next in the stack is Maj Phil
Breton, current G3 Resources, who is being posted to LFCATC Meaford as the Chief Instructor.
Aaron Williams, current G3 International Ops, is heading back to 3 RCR as Oscar Coy 2 I/C
and then on to TF 1-10 in the BG HQ. Following on Capt Williams’ coat tails is Capt Trevor
Norton, currently the G3 Plans, who will be returning to 1 RCR, likely in a HQ position as well.
Have no fear fellow Royals, LFCA HQ is not lost! Capt Rob Ryan holds the fort as G3 Indiv Trg
and Capt Tim Kenney will return in May 2009 from a nine month tour in CSTC-A as ADC to
BGen Howard. In addition to these stalwarts the Regiment has promised LFCA a quality crop
of captains and majors to fill in the holes. In a pinch, questions on Regimental Standing Orders
can be applied to legends, Capt Ed Vale or Mark Whitehead both of whom are serving with 32
CBG in the GTA.
LFCA HQ requires a regular influx of formidable Royal’s to man the G3 branch. The primary
task here is domestic operations. Other key tasks are force generation for both domestic and international operations, training, and range and training area development. As with most of the
Army our focus is force generation for JTF-Afg and support to our soldiers coming home, though
planning for the G8 conference, Olympics, tasks and contingency DOMOPs also rank highly on
our radar. In addition LFCA is currently involved in the transfer of command authority of 2 RCR
from LFAA to LFCA.
The Royals remaining in LFCA HQ will have to carry on the legacy of the now well established
Crossfit Club. The club has grown to a group of 10 who drink the cool-aid at lunch every work day.
By the time this article is published the club will have three level 1 instructors and three Ontario
Weightlifting Association Level 1 coaches. The club also has enough Crossfit required equipment
to do whatever the main page throws at us. Whether attending a meeting at Dennison, or enjoying
leave in Toronto, join us for a lunch time work out!
LAND FORCES CENTRAL AREA TRAINING
CENTER
By: WO Ross Rose
Photos by: MCpl Roy Wilson
2008, was a busy year for everyone. At LFCA
TC it was no exception. 2008 started off with
one of the worst winters in recent memory. It
wasn’t the cold; it was the relentless strong winds
and record snow fall. At this point, Development Program 1 (DP1) Infantry timetables were
only a suggestion, as Mother Nature had her own agenda. Flexibility was the key and that allowed
71 PRO PATRIA 2008
Sgt Buick Rappel Master for
DP1 0040
some courses to receive more demanding winter warfare training.
Recently, LFCA TC changed the names of their companies.
Combat Skills Coy, now only trains DP1 Infantry, Soldier
Skills Coy trains Soldier Qualification (SQ) and Regional
Summer Training (RST) and Garrison Training Coy, is a generic holding company for CF personnel waiting release or to be
course loaded onto a DP1 Infantry serial. Combat Skills Coy
Graduated twelve DP1 Infantry and ten SQ courses (before the
change) this year. The average instructor at the training center
teaches on a minimum of four courses per year and must get
Individual Battle Task Standards (IBTS) Qualified during that
time. Busy indeed.
Most of the suggestions that were brought to the TC’s attention have brought real changes to the DP1 Infantry course.
The biggest change has been more emphasis on shooting and
field time. Apx 33-35 days of a 70 day course are spent in the
field. Now DP1 soldiers have more time for the C7 to include
a M203 PWT and C7 PWT 4. There is more ammo for the
C9 and C6, a patrolling phase, and they all must complete the
Close Quarter Combat (CQC) portion of the course to graduate. This produces a combat capable soldier worthy of our
Regiment. Once they become a member of a battalion they
will receive the additional training needed from their chain of
command, making them capable for current operations overseas.
The Training Center participated in a
number of activities this year, and together
collected well over $10,000 for various
charities. Canada Day, Cops for Cancer,
Head Shave for Cancer, Terry Fox Run,
Ford Wayne Gretsky Classic, Veteran’s Day
Parade, Pachino Day and the unveiling of
Valour Road, to name a few. We also had
visits from MGen Howard, MGen Collin,
and MGen Hainse.
To celebrate Pachino Day, the serving Royals at the Training Center challenged the
remaining members of the Center to a soccer game. I won’t mention the score but
let’s just say the Royals won convincingly.
The afternoon brought more celebrations
and a traditional meal of spaghetti and red
wine.
The TC finds itself ready for another busy
year. From all the Royals here at the TC we
wish you a safe and happy new year.
73 PRO PATRIA 2008
Top: Pte Kerwan negotiating a water
obstacle from DP1 0039
Middle: Pachino Day sports
Bottom: Headshave for Cancer
Sgt Vance rigging up a
civilian for Executrek
LFCA TC DET Petwawa Leadership Coy
By: Sgt Brent Crellin
Well another fun filled and very busy year has passed for Leadership Company. This year we have
seen 8 Primary Leadership Qualification (PLQ) Land course and 4 PLQ INF courses thus graduating around 480 new MCpls for LFCA. The year 2009 will just as busy as we will run as many
courses. Many of these new graduating leaders have deployed with the 3rd Battalion, The Royal
Canadian Regiment Battle Group to Afghanistan as Section Commanders and Section 2 IC’s.
We have recently experienced some changes in our leadership; this summer we said good bye to
Maj Dan Whittaker who was posted to Manitoba, and welcomed back to Petawawa, Maj Robert
Martin as the new Officer Commanding Leadership Company. We also had the privilege of rebadging a new member in to The RCR family with MCpl Jared Novotny becoming a Royal (once
again).
Throughout this busy year some of our Royals have been able to take part in extracurricular activities, including golf tournaments here in Petawawa, and at the Training Center in Meaford. CSM
Kenny Miles, WO Gary Harrington, Cpl Roger (Louis) Lebrun and Cpl Reiner (Rocky) Riddiford
along with two other members from Leadership Coy took first place for golf in the 2 CMBG sporting events. This team also headed off to Meaford along with WO Tim Connick and participated
in the Regional tryouts for the LFCA TC team with CSM Miles and Cpl Lebrun making the team.
As well, Cpl Lebrun headed off to Europe again this year to take part in the NATO Chess playoffs
where he had an excellent showing.
Three of our Royals had some unique opportunities to travel to the USA and conduct conferences
with our counterparts in the States. Sgt Jimmy Donovan went to Washington, DC with other
members from the Training Centre where they participated in the AUSA conference dealing with
Urban Warfare training and equipment. Sgt Jim Vance and Sgt Darren Godsell travelled to Fort
Benning, GA to see how the American Army conducts their leadership courses for an exchange of
ideas. The conference was a great success with both sides coming away with solid relations to pave
the way for future training. We hosted the annual EXECUTREK, which showcases to civilian
employers some of the training Reservists participate in at LFCA TC. It was a huge success.
74 PRO PATRIA 2008
Joint Afghanistan National
Army and Canadian Patrol
ranks. This resulted in a significant number of
augmentees joining the OMLT.
Task Force Kandahar – Rotation 3-08
Operational
Mentor Liaison
Team (OMLT)
Mentoring Towards a Secure Future
The term OMLT (Operational Mentor and
Liaison Team), like the term PRT (Provincial
Reconstruction Team) has quickly become an
accepted term used in day to day conversation
between soldiers.
In late August 2008 the Task Force Kandahar
Rotation 3-08 OMLT began deploying to theatre for a seven month tour of duty. The Rotation 3-08 OMLT is the fifth Canadian OMLT
to be deployed to Afghanistan The role of the
OMLT has expanded the mentoring scope to
include the first brigade in the 205th corps in
the Afghan National Army (ANA) and five Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) Detachments
in Zhari and Panjwayi districts. Mentoring is
conducted at all rank levels including the key
leadership in the ANA (1/205 Brigade Commander) and AUP (District Chief of Police in
Zhari and Panjwayi) to the young ANA soldiers and AUP police officers who are keeping
the districts safe.
When rotation 3-08 OMLT initially began
training in October 2007 the entire OMLT
consisted of 76 personnel, generated for the
most part, by the 1st Battalion the Royal Canadian Regiment. Changes in the OMLT resulting from responsibilities in theatre expanded
rapidly and the OMLT ballooned to 226 all
75 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Royal Canadian Regiment is well represented in the Rotation 3-08 OMLT. The
command team consists of the Colonel Joseph
Shipley and Chief Warrant Officer Mark Miller, who mentor the 1/205 Brigade Commander
and 1st Sergeant respectively. One hundredfour of the OMLT members are from the 1st
Battalion, three from the 2nd Battalion, four
from the 3rd Battalion and eight from the
fourth Battalion. The jobs that the soldiers do,
as expected, are predominantly outside of the
wire working in small teams mentoring ANA
companies or AUP police sub-stations on operations. In no previous operations in recent
times have our soldiers been asked to operate
in such isolated and professionally demanding
circumstances. As you would expect, the performance of all Regimental soldiers has been
outstanding and they have contributed directly
to security in Afghanistan.
The day to day challenges of the OMLT are significant and very rarely does one day compare
to another. The ANA and AUP made great
improvements during our time in theatre. The
Brigade is conducting operations that involve
not only Brigade enablers such as reconnaissance, indirect fire support and engineers, but
they have also controlled Canadian soldiers
during these operations. The AUP now plan
and execute independent framework patrolling
and deliberate operations. They have also made
great strides in gaining the confidence of the
people of Afghanistan.
Mentoring the ANA and the AUP often means
living in close quarters and enduring hardships
together. Many friendships have been made,
many jokes exchanged and an odd tear shed for
a fallen comrade no matter what uniform he is
wearing. There are certainly frustrating times
as well, when what is important in our eyes
Mission Planning
does not appear important to our Afghan brothers. We are over here to mentor the Afghans and to
enable them to provide security to their citizens however the teaching works both ways. Rarely a
day goes by without an OMLT mentor learning something from his Afghan counterpart.
Being a member of the OMLT is truly a unique military experience that few will ever forget. Most
of the soldiers appreciate the opportunity and believe that their time spent with the OMLT will be
one of their career highlights.
ERE – The United Kingdom
Greeting to all Royal
Canadians from the
United Kingdom
Pictured on the right; three
RCR Majors and their spouses
currently serving on exchange
duties with the British Army
take advantage of a rare opportunity to gather together during
the CDLS(L) Joint Study Session
in London. With the London
Eye and Big Ben in the background are: (Left to Right) Ms
Franca Blackman, Major Graham Blackman (HQ Infantry,
Warminster), Major Greg Miller
(HQ School of Infantry, Catterick Garrison), Ms Nicole Miller, Major Mark Twohey (Ministry of Defence, Whitehall London)
and Ms Lynne Twohey.
76 PRO PATRIA 2008
Royal Canadian Regiment/
Royal Canadian Dragoons
125th Anniversary Parade
By Captain Tim Robinson
Parliament Hill, Ottawa, ON – The
Regimental celebrations of our 125
years of service to Canada in both
peace and war commenced in full on
Saturday, June 7th on Parliament Hill.
It was a magnificent day that would see
weather fully cooperate, clearly addThe RCR Guard lines the lawn of Parliament Hill
ing to the pomp and ceremony of this
notable occasion. The event was well
attended by the Media and the general public. A more suitable venue could not be found as the
magnificence of the Parliament buildings, the cornerstone of our great nation, provided a scenic
back drop fitting of its most senior regular force Infantry and Armoured Regiments.
The parade consisted of two ceremonial guards from each of the regiments of one hundred soldiers
each, parading in full ceremonial scarlet uniforms. Also parading, dressed in full regalia, was a
Gun Troop from 2nd Regiment, the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. As the blasts from their
105mm cannons reverberated over the city during the Gun Salutes one could only reflect upon the
many who have marched to the sounds of the guns over the decades and of those who continue to
answer the call. While we enjoyed the unique opportunity to celebrate the past 125 years of our
Regimental heritage, Regimental members of TF 3-08 and those deployed with TF Afghanistan
and other missions around the world were adding to our history and our Regimental lore. They
were establishing the foundations from which generations of future Royals would establish the
beliefs, traditions and ceremonies such as the one we were enjoying. Music was provided by the
Canadian Forces Ceremonial Guard Band and the 2nd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment Pipes
and Drums.
The parade was well attended by a number of notable guests which included the Chief of Defence,
General Hillier as the Reviewing Officer. Featured before and during the parade were a series of
static displays, showcasing the vehicles and equipment used by both Regiments throughout their
history. The parade was concluded with a march-past of the Regiments and a roll-past of the vehicles as they moved east along Wellington Street and continued past the National War Memorial.
A post-parade reception was held at the Cartier Square Drill Hall. The enthusiasm of the crowd
and the recollections of those in attendance provided well deserved compliments for the soldiers
who were on parade.
Celebrations continued that evening as members of the Regiment and guests attended a Regimental Meet and Greet at the National War Museum. Again, RHQ could not have chosen a more
suitable location for such an honourable event. Nestled amongst the vehicles and memorabilia of
77 PRO PATRIA 2008
The RCR 100 Man Guard marches through the streets of Ottawa
bygone wars and surrounded by regimental memorabilia and décor it was impossible not to feel
pride in the Regiment and the profession of arms.
The evening was highlighted by a number of presentations. Lead and introduced by the Colonel
of The Regiment the invited speakers expressed their experiences as Regimental members and as
family members of the Regiment. Each skillfully highlighted what the Regiment meant to them.
Particularly engaging were the moving words of Mrs Charmaine Tedford, the wife of our Fallen
Comrade, Sgt Darcy Tedford and those of Sergeant Steve Powell, recently wounded and returned
from Afghanistan.
The days’ events, though remarkable, were nothing in comparison to the numerous renewed
friendships and the greetings of the Regimental members serving and past serving who encountered friends with whom they had lost contact. These memorable mini-reunions would however
pale in comparison to the 125th Royal Canadian Regiment Anniversary Reunion to be held in
Kingston a few short months later.
Pro Patria
78 PRO PATRIA 2008
125
Anniversary Edition
A Year of Celebration
79 PRO PATRIA 2008
80 PRO PATRIA 2008
Royal Canadian Regiment
125 Anniversary Reunion
By Captain Tim Robinson
Kingston, ON – The Regimental
celebrations continued as the Kingston Branch of The RCR Association
had assumed the task to organize and
run the National 125th Birthday Reunion in Kingston, Ontario from 1st
- 3rd August 2008.
This 1st class, high profile event provided the opportunity for comrades
and old friends to gather and celebrate their service to the Regiment
and Canada. An event of this size
required great commitment and
sound planning and the Kingston
Branch met and exceeded all expectations. From the moment one arrived at the door and was met with
open arms and a hearty handshake
until the sad yet memorable departures it was a whirlwind of activity.
The closely coordinated logistics of
meals, transport, accommodations,
draws, and music was a feat that
can only bring credit to all members
of the branch who assisted the ever
stalwart Jack O’Brien.
Early in the planning there was
considerable interest by many regimental family members wishing to attend and registration began early in the year. The event would
see over 700 participants in attendance throughout the weekend. The splendour of the event was
greatly enhanced through the participation of the 1st Battalion who graciously provided their
Kitshop, a LAV static display and most importantly their Colour Party. The presence of the Regimental Colour on the Memorial Parade on Sunday, 3 August was appreciated by all Regimental
members who proudly marched behind them to the parade location. The parade, led by BrigadierGeneral (Retd) Spencer, was an emotional moment for many of our Association members who
had not marched behind the Regimental Colours in many seasons. For the serving members in
attendance, to accompany them was an honour and privilege that will not be soon forgotten.
Pro Patria
81 PRO PATRIA 2008
A Surprise Greeting
Don Cherry and Ron McLean meet Cpl Brown, Sgt Hebert and Pte Lawrence upon
their arrival at the Toronto Airport.
Cpl Isacc Brown, Sgt Hebert and Pte Lawrence received a surprise upon their arrival
at the Toronto airport when returning on leave from Afghanistan. As explained by Cpl
Isacc’s grandfather Bob Campbell, the family was awaiting Cpl Isacc’s arrival when television celebrities Don Cherry and Ron McLean arrived from Chicago. Upon learning that
Isacc was on his way home from Afghanistan they decided to wait with the family.
82 PRO PATRIA 2008
COLONEL
THE RCR OF
ASSOCIATION
THE REGIMENT
CHAIRMAN
THE RCR ASSOCIATION
The combined RCR/RCD 125th Anniversary Parade on Parliament Hill on June 7th was a truly memorable event. Adventurous members of the RCR and RCD regimental associations were quite fortunate to be able to watch the parade on
Parliament Hill and then board current and antique military
vehicles for the roll-past. MWO John Barnes of 3 RCR did a
masterful job of getting the veterans safely aboard a convoy of
vehicles ranging from LAV IIIs to WW II era Bren gun carChairman The RCR Association
riers. It was a great moment for the veterans when the parade
Capt R.T. Walsh, CD (Ret’d)
rolled past the dais in salute to Gen Rick Hillier who was on
his last official appearance as CDS. A moment later the word
of command was, “To the right, Salute!”, as the parade rumbled by the National War Memorial
and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier followed a moment later by “To the left, Salute!”, as the
convoy went past the Aboriginal Veterans Memorial and then on to the dispersal point. That
evening at the Regimental Reception at the Canadian War Museum Capt Sherry Atkinson (ret’d)
represented the Association very well when he spoke of his experiences during the 1943 Pachino
landing and the campaign in Sicily.
The Regimental Reunion at Kingston held during 1-3 August was carried out in the true Royal
manner. Things ran so well and it was such an enjoyable event that the old saying “Some rely on
good luck, the RCR relies on good management”, came to mind again and again during the weekend. The Regimental Colour Party from 1 RCR was a proud sight on the Sunday morning parade
as the formation marched past, led by Brigadier-General Phil Spencer (ret’d). Pride and enjoyment
was obvious on the faces of the RCR veterans as they participated in the short memorial service
held at Branch 560, The Royal Canadian Legion. Lieutenant-Colonel Lyman Coleman (ret’d),
Honorary Chaplain of the RCR Association, led an emotionally moving service of remembrance.
Some of the Royal Canadians present had not seen Padre Coleman for more than 40 years since
the days when he was the Chaplain (P) of 1 RCR in Germany. More than 600 serving and former
members of the RCR left Kingston with happy memories of old friendships renewed and new ones
made. Well done, the Kingston Branch.
Association HQ (National Board of Directors) is located in the Home Station at London. There
are many good reasons why the National Board should be located close to RHQ which is now at
CFB Petawawa. Our recruitment campaign to encourage Royals residing in the Ottawa Valley and
Eastern Ontario to stand for election to the Board resulted in Major Al Fowler (ret’d) of Ottawa
and Major Bob Burns (ret’d) of Brockville becoming Directors in 2008. A focused recruiting
campaign will continue. The Association is looking for a few good men, so the call is for all Royal
Canadians to nominate a friend or, best of all, let your own name stand for election.
“Ask not what the Regiment can do for me; ask what can I do for the Regiment.”
(U.S. President John F. Kennedy, 1961, paraphrased by Lieutenant-General Jack Vance (ret’ d), Colonel
of the Regiment in 1997, when providing the Association with a new slogan.)
83 PRO PATRIA 2008
Left: J
ack Shepherd
and Bob Hersey 24 Nov 2008
Below: Royals of The
1000 Islands
Branch Gather.
1000 Islands Area
Branch
The 1000 Islands Branch was in action on 24
November 2008 at the unveiling of a historical
plaque placed by the City’s Heritage Board to
which Bob Hersey is a member. This plaque
commemorates the existence of The Officer’s
Training Centre and later the home station of
the RCR after WW II.
Kingston Branch
The 125th Anniversary year was most certainly an important one in the history of the Regiment;
it was also a banner year for the Kingston Branch.
The Branch maintained the local tradition of celebrating Paardeberg with the popular mixed dinner at Mino’s Restaurant. The serving members – specifically Lieutenant Colonel Bill Cummings
– made the arrangements and decorated the venue with a collection of battalion silver from Petawawa, which added considerably to the class of the event. MWO Ross Appleton provided the
verbal infusion of Regimental history, entertaining the audience with his vivid storytelling. Some
newer faces joined some of the longer serving members of the Branch and an enjoyable time was
had by all.
The Branch President led a sizeable contingent including serving members and wives to Belleville
to join Quinte Branch and our regimental brethren from the Hasty Ps and 48th Highlanders for
Pachino celebrations. The service took place on a beautiful sunny day, followed by the traditional
spaghetti and red wine meal. Of course the long trek home along the 401 merited a pause en route
at the Napanee Legion, where the locals were pleased to host our thirsty travelers.
The defining event of the year for many in the regimental family was the Reunion. We were indeed
fortunate to have had the inspired vision and dogged determination of the Colonel of the Regiment who provided the impetus to host the event in Kingston. All of the effort and hard work
84 PRO PATRIA 2008
of the organizing committee came to fruition
with three days of events that turned out to be
a resounding success – an average of about 700
spirited participants each day. Serving members and former serving members spanning
well over a half century of regimental experience came from across Canada and the world to
share their memories together. It was particularly noteworthy how many of the individuals
who decided to attend the festivities had had
only a relatively short association with the Regiment – reinforcing the adage “Once a Royal,
always a Royal.”
The Meet and Greet on Friday night set the tone
for the entire reunion – well planned, attention
to detail, and a few official welcoming remarks
to remind us of the importance of the gathering, followed by a relaxed evening of reminiscing with friends. A relatively large group of previous night party goers with stamina attended
the AGM the next morning. The dinner and
dance on Saturday night managed to exceed
expectations with the quality of the food, regimental wine and the variety of entertainment.
The church parade on Sunday morning provided a more formal opportunity for reflection and
remembrance. Branch 560 of the Royal Canadian Legion on Montreal St was the perfect
venue for all weekend events and the multitude
of volunteers under the leadership of Al Jones
compensated in part for the absence of support
from a nearby, non-operationally tasked battalion! However, serving members were still
very much in evidence and the presence of the
equipment displays, kit shop and Colour Party
from 1st Battalion added important and enjoyable dimensions to the festivities.
The Regiment is also indebted to the reunion
organizers who, although they have been recognized earlier not least by the many congratulatory letters and email, deserve mention
in Pro Patria. Jack O’Brien, Walter Holmes,
Dave Nolan, Dave Honey, Bill Graydon, Noel
Coward, Ken Cooper, Kelvin and Debbie MacDonald, Lyman Coleman, Terry Seaver, Reg
Robillard and Larry Hurtibuse all deserve our
gratitude for their contribution. Memories of
earlier reunions can be a tough act to follow.
85 PRO PATRIA 2008
They pulled it off masterfully by setting a new
standard for a new set of Regimental circumstances. As the Kingston Whig Standard reported, quoting the Colonel of the Regiment,
“We really need to keep a sense of regiment
alive and a sense of family alive for the future
generations . . . This is very special.”
The end of the summer was also marked by
the presentation of Silver Beavers to two longserving officers retiring in the local area. Colonel Tom Tarrant and his wife Florence joined
a small group of family and regimental colleagues, for a dinner ably organized by newly
promoted and always energetic BrigadierGeneral Mike Jorgensen. Lieutenant-Colonel
Rusty Bassarab also retired from the Regular
Force, although he will keep his uniform on
and remain in his appointment as the Director of Land Synthetic Environment; he and his
wife Ellen were treated to a luncheon arranged
by his unit, with the presence of several branch
members adding some regimental flavour.
The Branch had not commemorated Kowang
San for a decade or so, but the practice was resurrected this year by the intrepid Jack O’Brien,
who obviously hadn’t been tired out by his
work on the Reunion. Dave Nolan hosted
the event, with two guests from 1st Battalion
- Major James Price and WO Dave Bush and
their wives. There were about 60 diners present, including 8 Korea veterans. Ross Appleton
was enlisted once again to provide the historical
background and Ted Zuber related some of his
poignant reminiscences of the battle.
As the year drew to a close, the regimental
birthday was celebrated on the 6th of December at a joint function hosted this year by the
RCD. Col Doug Maclean brought us all up to
date on unit activities. Mike Houghton offered
the Ortona toast and reminded all present of
the origins of this moving tradition. Padre Lyman Coleman made the snowy trip down from
Westport to recite the prayer and express the
thoughts of many on our serving soldiers in Afghanistan. It was a fitting end to a vibrant year
in the Kingston area.
PRO PATRIA 2008 85
The London Home
Station and
District Branch
By Abraham Van Veen, CD
The Home Station again had a very active year.
We held a total of sixteen events and were fortunate to have many of them attended by more
than 100 participants. The branch proudly
hosted:
February 27: Paardeberg Lunch
May 4: Battle of Atlantic
May 8: Memorial service at the cenotaph for
those that lost their lives: MWO Riddell RG, WO McDonnell MP. CPL
Chiswell BN, CPL Clement DW, CPL
Field DH, CPL Knight RJG, CPL
Misener PT. We held our normal
standup, hookup and family gathering
at the Sergeants Mess.
June 8: Decoration Day at Forest Lawn, Mount
Pleasant and Woodlawn Cemeteries.
A barbecue followed this event.
July 1: Canada Day
August 3: Peacekeepers Tribute Day
September 6: Warriors’ Day Parade. There was
more than 1500 on parade.
September 13: Legion Week
September 27: Heroes’ Day
October 23: Kowang San Lunch
October 25: Service of Remembrance at Manor and Highland Park
November 11: Remembrance Day with more
than 2000 in attendance
December 7: KVA Turkey Draw and Supper
December 21: Regimental Birthday with 130
in attendance
We also said goodbye to Charley Fox in London and Corporal Andrew Paul Grenon in
Windsor.
On 7 June, a few lucky members attended the
125th Regimental Anniversary Parade and
86 PRO PATRIA 2008
Left to right: Abraham Van Veen, Phil Spencer,
Rita Van Veen and Maureen Spencer attending the
125 Reunion in Kingston, ON
Meet and Greet in Ottawa. What a spectacular event. Another spectacular event, the RCR
Reunion was held in Kingston August 1-3. We
were fortunate to meet some old friends, some
of which we had not seen in 50 years or more.
If there is another reunion planned in the future, attend, you don’t know what you missed. I
won a Hockey Jersey signed by Don Cherry in a
door prize draw. My wife was cold and decided
to wear it right away.
Our Ortona Toast was given by Lieutenant
Colonel Tom Burdett, M.C, CD and BrigadierGeneral Phil Spencer, OMM, CD.
We also held a Heroes Day in Victoria Park. It
involved many meetings and much work. The
first meeting was held in March and seventeen
other meetings followed with the event running in September. Many of our branch members helped out. It was a great day with more
than 5000 people visiting the park on September 27.
Remembrance Day Services were held on November 4 at Cherryhill Mall. We also provided
two services for the students at Clarke Road
Secondary School on November 10. November
11 would see us participating at Victoria Park
and Northland Mall services.
As you can see, we had a very busy year.
Remember to volunteer and assist your
branch, city or anywhere. Your help is always
appreciated.
The Ottawa &
District Branch
Al Fowler, President of the Ottawa & District
Branch of the RCR Association made a presentation to The Ottawa Army Officers Mess on
Sept. 26, 2008. Al presented regimental prints.
The centre print is the well known Dawn Of
Majuba. The two flanking prints are soldiers of
the Yukon Field Force. The Officers Mess chose
to prominently display these prints over the
fireplace in the main bar area of the mess. Significantly the Boer War and the Officers Mess
are both of the same era early 20th century
The Niagara Branch
By Sgt Mike Blais C.D (Ret)
President, Niagara Branch, The RCR Association
Greetings fellow Royal Canadians!
The Niagara Branch has been very busy this past fall participating with local Remembrance Day
services, conducting our first memorial service for Corporal Albert Storm C.D and preparing for
our 125th Regimental Birthday celebrations that were, alas, cancelled at the last minute due to
blizzard conditions.
Members of the Niagara Branch were particularly active this year during Remembrance Day. We
represent the Niagara Peninsula and as such attempt to place our wreath at a different city or town’s
cenotaph each year. Ernie Wetzel volunteered to place the Associations wreath and with great pride
87 PRO PATRIA 2008
paraded before
the cenotaph
in
Merritton, Ontario.
Concurrently,
James Kaczmarek carried
the Branch’s
Regimental banner during the St. Catherines
Memorial while Lou Frennete arranged for another Regimental wreath to be presented during the ceremony in Niagara Falls. Al Morris
visited several veteran gravesites in the region
throughout the day. Jim Bretherick served as
the Sergeant-at-Arms for the Royal Canadian
Legion colour party during the Niagara Falls
parade and later addressed several elementary
schools. Prior to the traditional moment of
silence, I attended the school of Cpl Storm’s
niece to speak of Albert’s valiant contribution
to Canada and the Regiment. Afterwards, a
trip was made to Cpl Storm’s gravesite to place
a Regimental pennant and poppy. Royal Canadians can be assured that prayers were said for
both Albert and Bob and they were not forgotten on this day of National remembrance.
On the 27th of November, the Niagara Branch
conducted our first memorial service for Corporal Albert Storm, CD, on the second anniversary of his death in Afghanistan. Royal Canadians will recall with sadness that RSM Robert
Girouard also died in the same cowardly Tali-
88 PRO PATRIA 2008
ban attack. Albert’s father, his brother Franklin
(Mic), his wife Wendy and their children joined
us at the cemetery chapel for the service and
then accompanied our parade as we marched to
‘Stormy’s’ gravesite, presented the Association
wreath, saluted his sacrifice and before retreating, placed our poppies on his grave.
Also present, by special invitation, were a contingent representing the Niagara Chapter of the
Canadian Association of Veterans in United
Nations Peacekeeping (CAVUNP). Royal Canadians will be pleased to note that subsequent
to our memorial and with the Storm family’s
gracious consent, the CAVUNP recognized Albert’s sacrifice to this nation by formally changing the name of their branch to the Corporal
Albert Storm C.D Branch, CAVUNP.
I would advise all Royal Canadians living in the
Niagara region (and beyond) that Cpl Storms
memorial service will be an annual event for the
Niagara Branch of The RCR Association and
that your participation in the future would be
greatly appreciated.
Allow me on behalf of all Royal Canadians to
thank James Kaczmarek for serving as the Niagara Branch president for so many years. Well
done, Jimmy! Well done!
God bless our brothers in arms who tread in
harm’s way.
Pro Patria!
The Halifax Branch recently hosted the Colonel of The Regiment
Royals return to South Korea
By Jim Gunn
Nominees selected to represent the Royal Canadian Regiment at the 55th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice were Left to right Jim Gunn, Len Delaney and Russ Cormier. This was their
first return visit to Korea and like all returned veterans they were overwhelmed by the changes in
the country, the infrastructure, the transportation system, the thousands of high rise buildings that
are not only in Seoul but along every major highway you travel along. These are amazing changes
when you consider the state of the country fifty five (55) years ago when we were there.
L-R; Jim Gunn, Len Delaney
& Russ Cormier
The Newfoundland Branch
By Bruce King, MWO
President, Newfoundland Branch
Members of The Newfoundland
Branch Gathers.
Greetings to all Royals from the Newfoundland Branch. It has been some time since our
last submission and an update is certainly due.
Our branch enjoys a very active membership of
approx 25 members.
Here in Newfoundland we have a tradition.
Once we come here, we decide to stay. Out of
the past ten RCR members posted to Newfoundland, nine have settled and stayed here.
Most Royals that have retired in Newfoundland joined the Royal Newfoundland Regiment
or the Canadian Rangers. At present, we have
eight Royals serving with 1st Battalion, The
Royal Newfoundland Regiment. On 29 Jan
09 CWO Ken Lutz will hand over the RSM’s
pacestick to newly promoted CWO Terry Hurley. Before CWO Lutz became RSM, the position was held by another Royal, CWO John
Tarrant. WO Chuck Martin has held the key
position of Operations Warrant for the past 3
years. Sgt Sloan, Sgt Clark and Sgt Dicks are all
section Commanders within the 1st Battalion.
The new addition to our group has been Cpl
Edwards who is working with the unit Regimental Quartermaster. Yours truly has also
served as the OPS WO, CSM A Coy and I am
presently working with CFS St John’s managing the ranges and training areas. Presently at
CFS St John’s the station chief is being held by
90 PRO PATRIA 2008
CPO2 Peter Kircher, who served 6 1/2 yrs with
both 2 RCR and 3 RCR.
The Royals on the west coast of Newfoundland
had a very busy year. This year we had WO
Sherman Bungay retire after 25 yrs and Sgt Jeff
Caines retire after 24 yrs. We have Sgt Morgan
Simmons and Sgt Ray Lockyer working with
the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Newfoundland
Regiment. The 2nd Battalion also has a new
unit Training Warrant, WO Sheldon Roberts
and last but not least the 2nd Battalion has
MWO Anthony Felix as their RSM.
We also have a very strong contingent of Korean
Veterans in the branch. Charlie Rees, our most
active Korean Veteran, has been the parade Sergeant Major for the Remembrance Day Parade
for over the past 10 yrs. His continued support
and involvement is instrumental in keeping the
Korean Veterans presence alive and strong.
Our Annual Regimental Birthday social was
held on 18 Dec 2008 at the Officers and Senior
NCO’s mess in Pleasantville. It was a great start
to the Christmas season and an appropriate way
to end the activities of the branch for the year
2008. On behalf of the RCR Association, Newfoundland Branch, I would like to wish you all
health and prosperity.
Pro Patria
THE RCR ASSOCIATION BURSARY AWARDS
FOR 2008
Laura Maessen (left) of Dartmouth, NS is awarded
an RCR Association Bursary of $1,500 by Capt Terry
Scott (ret’d), President of the Toronto Branch.
The RCR Association Bursary Program came into
effect in 1973. The bursaries started out at $100.00
per student in 1973 and were increased to $500.00
in 1982. The awards were subsequently increased to
$700.00 each in the late 1980’s and to $1,000.00
per student in 1991. For 2008 the bursaries were
again increased to $1,500.00. There are usually
three recipients annually except that there were four
in 1993 because of tied marks. Association members will be proud to know that since its inception
the Bursary Program has awarded approximately
$75,000.00 to 109 recipients. Thanks to Capt
Terry Scott, CD (ret’d) President of the Toronto
Branch for the information above.
The Bursary Committee consists of Capt Cliff Collison, CD (ret’d), Capt Steve Ricketts, MMM, CD
(ret’d) and Sgt Russ Smith, CD (ret’d). The bursaries are awarded in recognition of excellence in
academic achievement and outstanding service to
the community. All entries in the competition were
of a high standard. The recipients of the RCR Association Bursaries for 2008 were:
Kiera Madelaine St. Jean (centre) of Chilliwack, BC
is awarded an RCR Association Bursary of $1,500
by Maj Sam Meckbach, CD (ret’d) (right), President of the Vancouver Island Branch and Maj Steve
Brodsky, CD (ret’d), (left).
Laura Maessen of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Miss
Maesen is attending the University of Toronto, and
is the granddaughter of Maj Turner C. (Turk) Manzer, a Regimental veteran of the war in Korea;
Kiera Madelaine St. Jean of Chilliwack, British Columbia. Miss St. Jean is attending the University of
Victoria and is the granddaughter of Maj Albert G.
Ferguson, a Regimental veteran of WW II; and
Elizabeth Van Rys (centre) of Dunnville, Ont., is
awarded an RCR Association Bursary of $1,500.00
by Capt RT Walsh, CD (ret’d), (right) and Sgt Russ
Smith, CD (ret’d), left.
Elizabeth Van Rys of Dunnville, Ontario. Miss
Van Rys is attending the University of Guelph and
is the granddaughter of Sgt Russ Smith, a Regimental veteran of NATO service in Germany and
peacekeeping. Russ Smith, a member of the Bursary
Committee, did not participate in the selection of
Miss Van Rys.
Congratulations to the recipients. The RCR Association intends to award another three bursaries of
$1,500.00 each to deserving students who are commencing their first year of post-secondary education
in 2009. For more information about the Bursary Program please visit www.thercr.ca and navigate
through “The RCR Association” link. An application form for the bursaries is printed elsewhere in
this publication.
91 PRO PATRIA 2008
The RCR Museum
By Claus Breede, Director/Curator
The Growing Collection
The collection continues to grow. We
finished the year with a total of just over
600 objects entered into the collection
data base of which 314 were part of the
weapons verification project, just under
100 objects in new accessions and an
additional 200 objects entered into the
collection from 2 RCR.
Some of the noteworthy additions to the
collection have been:
2007.025 – A World War II medal
grouping and a German Air
Force helmet in excellent
condition.
2008.001 – Two helmets from the Iraq
National Guard recovered
by the donor from the area
of Operation Desert Shield.
Wolseley Barracks, Home of The RCR Museum
2008.002 – A
1944 Italian Chianti bottle (regrettably empty) with a collection of very fine World
War I trench maps as well as a couple of field notebooks.
2008.003 – A World War II medal grouping.
2008.004 – A World War II medal grouping in their original boxes – never mounted.
2008.009 – And the last accession of the year being a rather beaten up Maxim Machine Gun.
The Maxim Machine Gun
After being stored in a basement for many years here in London, the owner decided it was time to
find a permanent home for this piece of World War One memorabilia and he contacted the Museum and asked if we were interested in the donation of this weapon. The MG was badly rusted and
both the gun and its “Sledge” mount looked like something ready for the scrap heap. However, all
the “bits and pieces” were there and most of the damage appeared to be on the surface only. Adding to the authenticity of the object, however, are a number of bullet holes though various parts
of the mount.
Once Ted Crocker, our Museum’s Chief Weapons Technician (volunteer) made his assessment, we
were convinced that we had something that could be restored and placed on exhibit. With Ted’s
dedication to the project and his skills in this area he was able to restore this important artifact
92 PRO PATRIA 2008
to exhibit quality and within two months of its
acquisition, it is in the Infantry Gallery for all
to see.
On a sad note, when the donor contacted me he
indicated that he was not well and his wish to
find a home for this MG was motivated by the
fact that he did not want it destroyed if anything was to happen to him. As soon as the
object was on display I tried to contact him so
he could come and have a look at it here at the
Museum. Regrettably I was informed by one
of his daughters that he had passed away the
week before. We are of course very grateful for
this generous and most welcome addition to the
collection
The first photo shows the MG before Ted
Crocker had a chance to work on it. The second
photo is the same area of the weapon after restoration and the third is the internal workings
of the MG restored to working order.
This Maxim MG is on exhibit in the Infantry
Gallery at the Museum.
Policy Review
As with any organization, the Museum operates
with a set of policies that give general direction
to the staff as well as the Board of Directors on
the governance, operation and role of the Museum. These policies were reviewed by the Museum Board of Directors in 2008 and continue
to be the map that directs the progress of the
Museum on behalf of the Regimental Senate.
With the move from London to Petawawa of
RHQ now almost complete a new set of challenges have been presented to the Museum’s
Board of Directors and these are being worked
through at the present time. We still have a
bit of time for the fine tuning of one of the key
issues and that is the loss of uniformed staff
in support of the Museum. The Museum will
continue to have the Regimental Sergeant, Sgt
Chris Richard, in support until the beginning
of 2010.
Collections Management
German Maxim Machine Gun Model 08
1884 - 1942
Based on a design dating from 1884 and adopted by the German Army in 1908 this weapon was the primary German machine gun of
World War I and remained in battlefield use
until 1942.
The jacket around the barrel contains 1 gallon of water and cooled the barrel which had a
problem with overheat during sustained firing.
93 PRO PATRIA 2008
The cataloguing of artifacts continues and with
the assistance of volunteers, co-op and interning students, we are keeping up with most of
the incoming donations.
There is no question that from time to time,
the cataloging process takes too long. However, with the limitations of staff availability
and some of the other day-to-day pressures of
operating a museum with a small staff, we are
the first to admit that we drop the ball once in
a while.
There is rarely a day that goes by without someone dropping in to the museum with an object
or two, or a parcel arrives in the mail or what
is even more intriguing, we are left with “orphaned” gifts on the front steps of the Museum.
Where possible, and it is not always the case,
we will record the donor’s name and contact
information and then box the collection with
the information we have until we have an opportunity to process the objects that are given
to the Regiment.
It is not uncommon for someone to come
though the front door, drop off a box of miscellaneous military bits and pieces with the comment “… I am in a hurry… Can’t stay… If you
don’t want it - throw it away… I’m off.” This
usually begs the question, “who was that?” and
all too frequently we don’t have the foggiest.
The initial assessment is what will determine
the suitability of the donation to the Museum
and if it fits our mandate or not. As the Curator, I have four choices as to where to place the
incoming collection:
Museum Artifacts – If it is directly associated
with the history of The RCR and considered
highly relevant to our mandate, the objects
will be classified as Artifacts and will receive
the “full treatment” or to use the professional
jargon, accessioned into the collection with
proper catalogue numbers, photos, condition
reports, etc. This process is lengthy and time
consuming but for important objects, it is absolutely essential to “capture” all the information and organize it in a manner whereby it can
be retrieved easily. Objects catalogued in this
category are considered to be “non-renewable
resources” and will be protected accordingly.
Educational Objects – If it is something we
have lots of or its relevance is only peripheral to
The RCR, but we can make use of it in a variety
of non-traditional museum ways, we will take
the object in and treat it as a support object for
programming. That means that it can be part
of a “show and tell” where students or members
of the public can handle it, put it on, or otherwise “connect” with the object. For example,
a lot of folks are now cleaning up or down sizing their homes and come in with tubs full of
old uniforms, bits and pieces they used when
94 PRO PATRIA 2008
they were “on patrol”, etc. These objects will
be taken in to the collection, noted and made
available for use.
Parts Inventory – From time to time someone
will come in with a part belonging to some object, or we will find a “thing” in the bottom of
a box that, on its own, has absolutely no relevance to the Museum, but we can use it as a
part to fix something else. That object will be
put into our parts inventory box for future (or
immediate) use.
We normally receive a huge quantity of textural
materials and photographs. As with the objects,
some of this has a higher degree of relevance to
the Regiment than others and we use a similar
classification system for those donations as we
do with the object collection.
Archival Collection – This is vital part of the
museum’s mandate and consists of everything
from war dairies, personal papers, letters, journals and personal diaries. The collection has
recently undergone a major reorganization by
Mr. Michel Wyczynski a renowned military
archivist from Ottawa. The archives were transferred to Ottawa, where Michel worked them
and developed electronic finding aids for easy
access to the collection. Once the Museum’s
capital expansion is complete here in London,
the collection will be brought back “home”.
Rare Books – The Rare Book collection consists of books that have long since gone out of
print and are considered being important to
researchers and museologists alike. Such books
are entered into our electronic data base. The
Rare Book collection is housed in a controlled
access stack at the Museum.
Photographs – The Museum has a large collection of photos and only some of these are catalogued and available for research. One of the
“problem” collections in this category consists
of some 10,000 images, many of which are in
negative format only. This is a single collection
and most of the photos are of military persons
(pass port type photos) and a variety of events
many without any information as to date, subject, names, etc. At some time in the future,
when resources are available, we will process
this collection. A preliminary glance at the collection would indicate that it most likely dates
from the 1950s and 60s and was most likely the
result of the work by the Base Photographer at
CFB London. At the moment it is in a holding pattern.
Scrap Books – Over the years the Museum has
been the recipient of a number of Scrap Books,
both those made by the Regiment as well
as a number made up by various regimental
members on their own. In total we have over
125 books with a total of some 14,000 pages
spanning from the 1880’s to the present time.
These items are catalogued as primarily archival pieces and protected in the same way we
protect museum artifacts. Three years ago the
museum was forced to take the scrap books out
of the Library in order to prevent further damage. They are available to the serious researcher
by appointment only. It is the hope that, when
resources become available, we will be able to
digitize all the pages and have them available
via computer in the museum’s Weldon Library
and have them available on the museum’s web
site.
Secondary Source Library – From time to time
donors will give us their military library and
over the past five or six years we have added
substantially to our collection of books. These
volumes are dealt with as normal books and are
entered into our list of available books. In the
case of copies, duplicates and books of peripheral interest only, we will trade or sell them in
order to obtain books that are more specific to
our needs.
Scale Model of The RCR in Haiti
The Museum is always looking for new and
interesting items to add to the galleries. Scale
models of equipment and events are always
popular with our visitors. We are particularly
pleased to have a recent donation made to the
Museum crated by Capt. H. Christian Breede
(2 RCR).
This model depicts an encounter between elements of India Coy 2RCR and members of Kilo
95 PRO PATRIA 2008
Coy 1 Bn 8th US Marine Regiment in Port au
Prince, Haiti in April of 2004 during Operation HALO/SECURE TOMORROW.
Afghanistan Collection
Following the very positive response by Brigadier-General Denis Thompson, the Task Force
Commander in Afghanistan, the Museum has
now received its first “installment” of materials
from Roto 3-08. The first shipment consisted
of two complete sets of Canadian Forces-Full
Fighting Order (uniforms) worn by our soldiers. This is complete from boots to helmet
including the ballistic and tac vests. Realistic
museum mannequins have been ordered to accommodate these new items. In addition we
have been advised that there is more to come.
The “wish list” including Afghan costumes, examples of IEDs and weapons confiscated from
the Taliban.
All of this collection will be designed into a
temporary, traveling exhibition funded by
DND/DHH(5) that will open here at the Museum in November 2009 and will then make
it way to the Battalions and eventually will be
offered for circulation to community museums
across Canada.
PROGRAMMING
125th Anniversary Celebrations in
Ottawa
As part of the Regimental 125th anniversary
celebrations in Ottawa, the Museum mounted
a small exhibit at the Canadian War Museum
(Labreton Gallery) to focus on the Regiment
during the reception.
We also had our two “cut out” soldiers present,
one from the South Africa War and the second
a member of the regiment in Afghanistan. The
only sad part of the evening was that someone
stole the modern soldier cut out. We asked the
CWM to check their video surveillances tapes
to see if it would reveal a culprit. Regrettably
this review of the tapes came up with nothing. We have since replaced the “cut out”. In
the meantime if anyone out there has our “cutout” we would be very pleased to have him back
home – no questions asked.
PRO PATRIA 2008 95
MacKenzie Dinner – London
(26 Nov 08)
The Regimental Memorial
The RCR Association Reunion, Kingston
Our special guest Major-General Lewis
MacKenzie was in fine form and this
event proved to be a very positive experience for the museum with 117 tickets sold.
Although not intended to be a fundraising event, the museum did better than
break even. ($672.25) and from all comments received from those in attendance,
everyone thought it was well planned and
executed. The hotel staff was very cooperative and added greatly to the success of the
event.
MUSEUM STAFFING
On the week-end of August 1-3 the Director/
Curator attended the 125th Regimental Reunion which was held at Kingston. As with
the event in Ottawa, the Museum mounted
the same exhibit there (with the absence of the
Modern Soldier). This event was a huge success
with well over 600 persons in attendance on the
Saturday evening.
Office Volunteer-Steve Bailey
Doors Open – London (20-21 Sep 08)
The museum is one of the core sites for this annual event in London and this past year’s Doors
Open was one of the best we have had to date.
Almost 500 visitors took advantage of the Free
Admission to the Museum on the weekend and
many of these individuals were first time visitors with the majority of them from the local
area.
Fanshawe College Student Intern
Since late October of last year the museum has
had a student, John Parker, from the Corporate
Communication and Public Relations program
at Fanshawe College. John has worked on a
number of projects, including media relations
and promotion for both the dinner with Major
General (Ret’d) Lewis Mackenzie and the public lecture with Dr. Windsor.
Heroes’ Day – London (27 Sep 08)
Co-op Students
The Museum took part in this event which was
held at Victoria Park in London. The event consisted of a full day of activities taking up most
of the park with organizations ranging from the
military to EMS from London. Although the
attendance was a bit disappointing, the Museum was well represented with a small exhibit
and with our Great War Society Re-enactors in
attendance.
The Museum continues to enjoy a close working
relationship with the high schools in London
and have completed one more year with great
success in employing co-op students within the
various areas of the Museum. Co-op students
have assisted with the reorganization of our rare
book collection and have helped Steve Bailey in
the area of cataloguing the collection. We are
grateful to Ian Stumpf of Oakridge SS, Rachel
Richer of ESMB and Adelaid Pridding-Squier
of Central SS for their dedication to the Museum during the fall and winter of 2008.
96 PRO PATRIA 2008
Steve is volunteering with the museum in the
area of collections management and has taken
on the job of transferring our accession files to
our PastPerfect data base. Steve also assists the
museum in providing some oversight on the
work done by the co-op students in the area of
collections management and cataloguing.
Front Desk Volunteers and Staff
Our front desk team continues to work well together and we would have a difficult time in deed to
manage the all important part of the museum operations, the front desk, without their continued
and never ending support
Ted Crocker- Tuesdays AM
Gordon Joice- Tuesdays PM
Cliff Collison- Wednesday AM
Don McMullen-Wednesday PM
Our Commissionaire, Mr. Bill Johnston, staffs the front desk on Thursdays and Fridays from 1000
to 1600 and on Saturdays and Sundays from 1200 to 1600.
RCR MUSEUM $2.3 MILLION
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
The RCR Museum is in need of expansion, a need recognized by the Museum Board of Directors
and approved by The RCR Regimental Senate. With the move of RCR Regimental Headquarters
to Petawawa in 2008, the Commander, Area Support Unit (ASU) London, has made space available and approved the expansion of the Museum to occupy the entire West Wing of Wolseley
Hall.
In order to fund the Museum expansion and upgrades The Royal Canadian Regiment launched
a $2.3M capital campaign under the able direction of LCol Douglas Weldon, Honorary LCol of
4RCR, and renowned Canadian Actor Mr. Gordon Pinsent, who agreed to serve as the Honorary
Chair. The focus of fund sources for the “Building for the Future” campaign has been on foundation, corporation, business, and government sources, but has also reached out to individuals and
potential donors across the nation for support.
The campaign formally launched on Thursday, March 8, 2007 and we are entering the final year
of the three-year campaign. We have received major funding from The Province of Ontario, The
City of London, General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada, the Charles H. Ivey Foundation, the
Good Foundation, the Takala Foundation, the McGeachy Foundation, the Lawson Foundation,
TD-Canada Trust and numerous individual donors. To date, the “Building for the Future” Campaign has raised $916,748.69 and we are currently in negotiations for an additional $1.5 million.
We would welcome your support.
MUSEUM EXPANSION PROJECT
In 2000 the Museum began moving towards a more professional level of operation with the decision to employ a professional museum Director/ Curator. Since that time the Museum has gained
membership in the Community Museum Operating Grant program operated by the Ontario Ministry of Culture and has completed a successful campaign to raise just under $3M for The RCR
Museum Endowment Fund, to generate the revenue that will guarantee the long term operating
success of the Museum.
Now there is a pressing need for additional gallery space, the development of public program fa-
97 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Chairman of The Museum Board and the Capital Campaign
present miniature Regimental Colours to The Prime Minister of
Canada, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper.
cilities, to improve on issues surrounding accessibility and to upgrade environmental controls
and exhibition lighting.
Changes in the Regimental Headquarters and
the cooperation of the Area Support Unit (ASU)
London will permit the Museum to occupy the
entire West Wing of Wolseley Hall. The work
proposed will follow closely on the renovations
made in the 1980s. The work done then produced one of the finest regimental museums in
the country and it is the intent of The Regiment
to carry on this tradition of excellence in the
next phase of the Museum’s development.
We are fully aware of the importance Wolseley
Hall has to the citizens of Canada as a piece of
our remarkable military history. The Museum
Board of Directors and the staff of the Museum
view Wolseley Hall as the most important artefact in the collection.
However, one of the Museum’s principle obstacles to public program development and
audience growth is the lack of a temporary
exhibition/multi purpose space. Therefore,
one of the improvements will be the creation
of a new Temporary Exhibit Gallery, a 1,200
98 PRO PATRIA 2008
square foot temporary exhibition gallery/multi
purpose room. This new space will permit the
Museum to host temporary exhibits and to offer the space to the general public for meetings
and events.
Also, there are Garrison Jail Cells that are part
of the original construction of Wolseley Hall
and the changes in gallery configuration will
provide an opportunity, for the first time in the
Museum’s history to present this space to the
public.
Changes to the Main Entrance to the Museum
would see the primary entrance of the Museum
relocated to the current Archway. The new entrance would present a public face to the community by having the Museum facing Elizabeth Street. As a result of this relocation, a new
Introductory Gallery would be constructed
along with a new Museum Gift Shop. The Gift
Shop will provide visitor-generated revenue to
help the Museum to achieve more financial independence.
On the Museum’s second floor new galleries
will be developed to expand the story of The
RCR.
First, a new Gallery will perpetuate militia units in South Western Ontario that were added to the
ranks of The RCR with the amalgamation of the Reserve Battalion in 1955. With the expanded
timeline, the Museum will continue to pursue opportunities to increase its relevance for educational programming.
Finally, a most important addition will be a Current Operations Gallery. New gallery space will
be dedicated to the contributions members of The Regiment are making in areas such as Haiti and
Afghanistan. This gallery is seen as a vital element in bringing the story to the citizens of Canada
of how our men and women are serving the cause of peace around the world.
The Museum’s “Building for the Future” Capital Campaign will prepare the Museum for the
future, make it a more relevant part of its community, and ensure its place as an important educational resource. With your help and support we will succeed in building a strong future for
The RCR Museum and the building will continue to have a very special place in the life of The
Regimental Family.
CAMPAIGN DONATION FORM
I wish to make a donation of $
payable to: The RCR Museum Capital Campaign
OR
I wish to make a pledge of $
per month for
Campaign for a total donation of $
Please bill my
VISA
months to the Capital
Signature:
Mastercard Account#
Expiry Date:
Please deduct a monthly amount from my bank account by Electronic Funds
Transfer and my sample cheque marked VOID is enclosed
Name Tel. No:
Address:
City: Prov. Postal Code:
Please make cheques/money orders payable to: The RCR Museum Endowment
Fund Campaign. Charitable Registration #89141 9442 RR0001
99 PRO PATRIA 2008
You can “LEAVE A LEGACY”
Leave a Legacy is a unique collaborative program that brings together donors, charitable
organizations, and allied professional partners.
The simple message of Leave a Legacy is “leave
something for charity in your will or estate
plan”.
Currently, 86% of individuals in Southwestern
Ontario support charity on an annual basis,
and yet only 9.5% have made arrangements
to make a gift to charity in their will or estate
plan. When asked “why”, respondents replied
that “no one had asked them”, “no one suggested they make a gift for the future”, and “they
didn’t think of it”.
Leave a Legacy is a public awareness initiative intended to inspire Canadians into action
through the sharing of stories about donors
with foresight, by highlighting the positive impact that donors can make on the charities they
care about, and by explaining the substantial
tax incentives in place to encourage philanthropy among all Canadians.
Individuals of all ages and socio-economic
backgrounds have made decisions to give back
to those charities that have positively impacted
their lives or members of their family. Numerous financial vehicles are in place and many
options are available, from bequests in wills, to
gifts of life insurance policies, bonds, stocks or
charitable gift annuities, and gifts of property.
Clearly some of you have taken the Leave A
Legacy message to heart!
During the course of The RCR Museum Campaign we received our first planned gift from a
donor who has made The RCR Museum Endowment Campaign the owner and beneficiary
of a sizeable insurance policy. Also, The RCR
Museum has been the grateful recipient of bequests from the Estates of Col R.M. Dillon
(Ret’d), Kathleen M. Dodd, John L. Donovan,
MWO N. Stephen Horan (Ret’d) and Capt F.
Innes Hammond (Ret’d).
The generous planned gifts received by the
100 PRO PATRIA 2008
Campaign were a great benefit to The RCR
Museum. At this time, it is our hope that you
will remember The RCR Museum and consider
making a planned gift to preserve the Museum
for the future.
Leave a Legacy Southwestern Ontario is just one
of over 140 initiatives taking place across North
America. The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum is proud to be a member organization of
the Leave a Legacy program in London.
Leave a Legacy brochures are available from
The RCR Museum Campaign Office.
RCR FUND
DEVELOPMENT
AND YOU
The RCR Museum Endowment Fund Campaign officially concluded on July 1, 2005.
However, the financial needs of the Museum
have not gone away and we will continue to
need your support!
In order to address that need for external support, in June 2005, The RCR Senate and REC
approved the creation of a permanent fund
development position. The ongoing fund development activity will provide much needed
financial support for The RCR Museum and associated projects, as well as special Regimental
needs and projects.
In order to reach our goal and provide sufficient
funds to generate the much-needed operating
budget for the Museum, we will continue to solicit support for the Endowment Fund. Indeed
many donors have already asked us to keep our
books open to permit extension of their pledges
and to accommodate new donors wishing to
make pledges to our great Museum.
Also, the Museum has some pressing capital
project needs.
Therefore, a second phase capital campaign will
be planned to solicit funds to support redesign
and expansion of The RCR Museum to preserve and enhance its reputation as one of the
best museums in Canada. We will continue to
seek external sources of financial support for
The RCR Museum and The RCR Regiment.
rade. Increasingly today, the immediate family
suggests that “in lieu of flowers” a gift be made
to a charity of choice. Members of The Royal
Canadian Regiment family are increasingly using The RCR Museum Endowment Fund as
a source of recognition “in lieu of flowers” in
memory of the departed person.
LCol A. John Lawson, Endowment Fund Campaign Chair and BGen Philip L. Spencer urge
anyone who is able to do so to consider making
an annual donation to The RCR Museum, our
Museum, to ensure that it continues to operate
“in the future for present and future generations of Canadians”.
This form of remembrance is especially fitting,
as the donation is not spent but added to The
RCR Museum Endowment Fund. The interest from the Museum Endowment Fund provides funds for the operation of the Museum.
Therefore, this is indeed a fitting way to commemorate the life of a family member, friend,
or comrade who has given years of service to
The Royal Canadian Regiment.
IN LIEU OF
FLOWERS
We sincerely hope that you will continue to use
this very meaningful and lasting expression of
your sympathy for those whom you have lost.
It has been the custom, in the past, to send
flowers to the funeral home or church as a sign
of respect for a deceased relative, friend or com-
YES, I WANT TO SUPPORT THE RCR MUSEUM!
I wish to make a donation of $
payable to: The RCR Musuem Fund Campaign
OR
I wish to make a pledge of $
per month for
Campaign for a total donation of $
Please bill my
VISA
months to the Museum
Signature:
Mastercard Account#
Expiry Date:
Please deduct a monthly amount from my bank account by Electronic Funds
Transfer and my sample cheque marked VOID is enclosed
Name Tel. No:
Address:
City: Prov. Postal Code:
Please make cheques payable to: The RCR Museum Fund Campaign
101 PRO PATRIA 2008
2647 RCACC Musings
Submitted by: Brenda Moore
I often reflect on the idea that the Canadian
Cadet Movement is one of the best kept secrets
in Canadian youth circles. The movement has
so very much to offer, however it does require
the attendance of young people aged 12-18.
The cadets that do attend even for a short time;
in my opinion, will be better Canadian citizens
simply because of the exposure to the cadet
movement and what the movement has to offer.
2647 RCACC cadets who are affiliated with
the 2 RCR at CFB Gagetown have worked
very hard this year to hone their shooting skills.
They are fortunate to have a dedicated, dependable marksmanship coaching staff. The cadets
will be competing in the regional and Provincial shoulder to shoulder match and will compete in the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association and the Army Cadet League of Canada air
rifle and .22 postal matches. In the summer of
2008 the unit had three cadets who participated
in marksmanship training in Connaught. This
year all three once again hope to be selected for
Connaught for Leadership and Marksmanship
102 PRO PATRIA 2008
training. 2647 achieved first place as a team in
the recent zones shooting competition and also
got first, second and third top individual scores.
Practice pays off.
This year six senior cadets are working toward
their National Star Certification Examinations.
All six were successful in Phase one and will
proceed to Phase 2 in March. Unfortunately for
the cadet unit but fortunately for the Reserves
these cadets quite often move on to service with
the Reserves. While the cadet movement does
not exist to specifically encourage youth to join
the Canadian Forces it is a fact that many of
them become interested in the military and
have very successful careers in both the Regular and Reserve units because of their involvement with the cadet movement. I am certain
that their success is due in part because of their
prior knowledge and experience that they obtained as cadets.
This year the cadets were in a fundraiser that
raised funds for a communication system to
be used during various types of exercises. Map
and compass training coupled with communications training skills were practiced during
a recent exercise titled “Red Valentine” during 13-14 February. The cadets will also be
involved in survival training and further field
training before the end of the training year.
Many of the skills that cadets learn are basic
life skills that will remain with them forever.
2647 has the same retention challenges that
most units have. There is a perception in some
circles that being a cadet is somehow “geeky”
(nothing could be further from the truth). For
senior cadets the need to make their own spending money interferes with their ability to attend
cadets. Boyfriend/girlfriend relationships can be a big issue. Many military families are not always
all that excited by having their children involved in “army” things. Cadets take up a lot of time
that could be spent on other more readily acceptable sports and activities.
Cadets are not for sissies. It takes a lot of dedication to be a successful cadet. I think that most of
the youth in Canada are up for the challenge. The movement has the ability to be both flexible and
accommodating when there is a need. I know for certain that none of the cadets that are members
of 2647 RCACC would ever be referred to as a sissy. I am proud to be the Commanding Officer of
youth who demonstrate a continuous dedication to the cadet movement and in the course of that
dedication become self sufficient and noteworthy citizens of Canada.
2647 Officers, Staff and Cadets are extremely appreciative of the accommodations provided by the
Commanding Officer of the 2 RCR at CFB Gagetown.
2833 Oxford Royal Canadian
Army Cadet Corps
Woodstock, Ontario
Submitted by Captain W.W. Green, CD
2008 was another good year for the Cadet Corps. One of the challenges in preparing a summary
for Pro Patria is that our training year runs from September to June and each training year is often
quite similar to the one before it. We have mandatory training to complete and participate in three
or four local weekend exercises. We participate in a number of activities with our Sponsor, Branch
55 Royal Canadian Legion in Woodstock. These are centered around the Poppy campaign and
Remembrance Day Ceremony, although there are some other functions. Each year we have new
cadets enter the program and as they progress through the levels over the years, they receive more
responsibility for leading and eventually instructing the other cadets. This is why the activities of
the Corps can seem repetitive from year to year. While the activity may be similar, it certainly
remains enjoyable because of the new faces, personalities and to see the cadets progress, becoming
leaders.
There are three activities that we participated in that may be of interest to you. First is our Marksmanship program. This is conducted with air rifles. Using air rifles has allowed the cadet move-
103 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Corps held its’ Annual
Inspection May 30, 2009.
The Reviewing Officer was
LCol M.R. McDonald, CO
4RCR. Others in the
Reviewing Party are Mayor
of the City of Woodstock,
Michael Harding (left); Corps
CSM MWO Philip Gronowski,
followed by Capt Murray Lafontaine Corps CO
(right) and Sgt E.W. Pearce
Cadet Detachment London..
Cadets in view, from left to
right, Pte Colton McClure,
Pte Brandon Millen, Cpl
Alexsandra Visser, Pte Colt
Owles, Cpl Matthew Monahan and Cpl Cody Watson.
ment to continue offering marksmanship as a
key component of the program. Most indoor
.22 ranges were closed and depending on location there might not be an outdoor range that
is regularly available. The air rifle range can be
set up anywhere. We fire in the Legion auditorium. This means that all cadets can fire regularly throughout the year, obtaining an annual
qualification and earning a badge to wear on
their uniform. In addition to this we have a
competitive rifle team. All Cadet Corps, Sea,
Army and Air are supposed to participate in
this competition series. There is a Zone Level,
9 to 15 geographically local Corps. From this
level of Competition, Corps are selected to participate in the Provincial competition and perhaps onto the National level. Over the years the
Corps has had some success in this, winning at
the Zone and moving onto the Provincial level.
While the highest our team has ever placed was
third at the Provincial level we have had some
individual cadets selected to attend the National level. In 2008 our rifle team consisted of 3
first year and 2 second year cadets. Naturally
we were very proud of this team as they placed
first in the Zone competition. We were not selected for the Provincial competition.
The second activity was part of the Inter Provincial Exchange program. Cadet Corps from different parts of the country visit another Corps.
This is not an annual event but perhaps every
three years there might be this opportunity. In
the past we have hosted and visited Corps from
104 PRO PATRIA 2008
Quebec. In March of 2008 we were fortunate
to spend 6 days visiting a Sea Cadet Corps from
Catalina, Newfoundland. This was a wonderful experience for the cadets and for many of
them, a once in a lifetime one. Whether it was
their first flight, their first trip away from home
or the excellent opportunity to meet with the
wonderful people of Newfoundland, it will
certainly be something they will remember the
rest of their lives.
Lastly I wanted to mention about firing the C7.
The senior cadets, Silver Star (completing their
third year) and up are permitted an introductory shoot with the C7. 4RCR has organized
this for all of their affiliated Corps each June.
4RCR provides the training and staff teaching
the cadets what they need to know. They each
fire on the SAT in London and then we go to
Cedar Springs for the live firing portion. The
cadets naturally really enjoy this and for some
reason find it a lot “cooler” firing the C7 more
than the air rifle. Obviously this is a great treat
for the cadets and we certainly appreciate 4RCR
for offering them this opportunity and a special
thank you to Sgt Tim Irving from 4RCR for
organizing this for us.
I would like to close by saying the Cadets are
very proud to be affiliated with The RCR and
wish all the members of the Regiment and your
families the best for 2009.
2967 Brussels RCACC
Captain Louise Wegg
Commanding Officer
2967 Brussels Army Cadet Corps parades at the
Royal Canadian Legion in Brussels, Ontario, which
is situated in a small hamlet populated by 1,200
residents, surrounded by farms and located one hour
north of Stratford, Ontario.
Like other Cadet Corps, we strive at maintaining
our Nominal Role by doing special activities,
outside the syllabus, in the local area. Some of the
activities we do yearly are Walk-A-ThonJRoad
Clean up for the town, Car Washes/BBQ, collecting
can goods for local Food Banks, assisting the Legion
with their events and any other organization that requires our assistance.
This year, however, we wanted to reach the Troops in Afghanistan, letting them know that we are
thinking about them and that we care for their efforts and perhaps form a pen pal relationship.
At the beginning of December, 2008, our Corps Cadets and staff wrote Christmas cards to the
troops, adding pictures in some letters, and sent some chocolates along with the letters. Our hopes
were to have a response to at least know that our letters reached them.
The response was great. One of our Cadets was fortunate to receive a reply which was a big deal for
our small community, but mostly, our Cadets felt very special.
Enclosed is the original photo that was entered in the local newspaper with the story. If any other
information is required, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned. Thank you for this
opportunity. If mailing a response, please mail to me at R.R. #3, Teeswater, ON NOG 2S0.
RANKIN INLET – A Letter from The
North RCACC 3019
Hello from Rankin Inlet. We are all doing just fine but we really are in a deep freeze or I should
say, have been. It was -51 this weekend and tough going for folks who have to walk or ski doo to
get around. I’ m happy to report that I own a truck.
Our Cadet Corps is doing pretty well and we are making progress changing from the way we did
business in the past. We now have a program where we introduce an “Elder in Corps”. We invite
a variety of Elders from the community to come out and act as an advisor and to assist with the
nightly inspection of the Cadets. This gives them an opportunity to say hi to the Cadets and ask
105 PRO PATRIA 2008
Cadet Tiana Gordon performer at the Aboriginal peoples
Television Network Music Awards in Winnipeg, Manitoba
who they are or to ask which family they belong to. Sometimes it is
kind of cute because during the visit the Elder may say something like
“Well, I’m your mom’s Great Aunt so that makes me your Grandma
or Grandpa …… or something like that”. All in all it has been a pretty
warming experience for both the Cadets and the Elder. We provide
a traditional jacket with a beret so that they are readily identifiable as
being part of our Corps. It gives the Elder a chance to interact.
We will be undergoing some of our bushcraft segment of
the program and will be looking to the Elders for their
knowledge on the Inuktitut names of certain fishing
or hunting grounds. It is great to hear the Elders
speak in their own mother tongue to the Cadets
and for the Cadets who don’t understand have
the other Cadet’s interpret. It makes them interact with each other. A win-win situation.
In November we sent three Cadets to Winnipeg to perform at the Aboriginal Music
Awards and two of the females Cpl Tracey
Kanayok and Cadet Tiana Gordon performed our traditional throat singing. Our
Male Cadet Cpl Adam Ussak drum danced.
They performed live on the stage and were
very well received. Cpl Kanayok was especially honoured as she was recognized by
many people involved with the Music Awards
and when the Aboriginal veterans recognized
her... she was tickled pink!! It was a very exciting and humbling experience for all. This was
second time being invited to perform in Winnipeg.
our
December would see us participate at the Regional Biathlon
competition in Whitehorse, Yukon. MCpl Carmen Napayok
(male) was selected to go to the National Biathlon competition in Quebec City. In January we were notified that a
junior cadet that was to attend the National could no longer attend and Cpl Adam Ussak is now going to attend the
National Biathlon competition with MCpl Napayok. You
can well imagine that we have not had any cooperation with
weather and snow here for the Cadets to train. These two Cadets have been busy dry training at the school for the last two
months. Competition will be held in Quebec City from March
1-7, 2009.
In January seven of our Cadets attended our Eastern Arctic Cadet
Skills Competition where they must shoot (air rifle) and compete
for the best grouping. They must also pull a tent with a sled, erect
and take down a five man bell tent, light a Coleman stove and boil
106 PRO PATRIA 2008
Above: Regimental Logo on Team Marksmanship Jackets
Right: The 3019 Rankin Inlet Shooting Team proudly display their
eye catching marksmanship jackets.
a cup of water. They must also compete in volleyball and drill. Our Cadets did the best at Marksmanship however we came in fourth. We had a great time and wonderful friendships were formed.
The camaraderie apparently was great to see and great sportsmanship by all at the competition.
Our last and upcoming competition will be Marksmanship which is usually held in April long
weekend in Whitehorse, Yukon. We will be wearing our eye catching Marksmanship jackets with
the VRI logo. Thanks again for the gifts of the VRI caps and sweaters. They were a real hit with
the Cadets and staff.
We are looking to create a medallion for our Corps so that we may give them as gifts to give to
visiting dignitaries and would like to use the RCR logo or the cypher on the medallion. Once we
have come to a consensus with the design I will forward it to the Regiment for approval. We have a
great Warrant Officer, Joe Davidson who is our ACA and the kids just love spending time with him
whenever he comes to town. He is the one who sparked the Cadets interest and involvement. They
constantly want to know more about RCR -VRI and what it means, etc. I had a cadet approach me
before Christmas who asked if there were any RCR who were serving in Afghanistan. She asked if
we should know who they were and if we should show the pictures of those who died while on duty.
I was surprised but also very touched by her interest. The military side of things are very foreign
to our Cadets but when the older ones start to ask questions it sparks more interest in the younger
ones. Our Cadet Corps was formed Feb 16/87 but has gone through a lot of growth. We keep getting better at realizing that this
is a National youth organization
Proud Shooters.
and help build the youth as leaders of tomorrow.
I think I’m starting to ramble on
so I will sign off for now however
I will keep in touch.
Best Regards,
Dorothy Tootoo
107 PRO PATRIA 2008
The RCR Education
Fund for Children of
Fallen Soldiers
Following a request by the family of Cpl Brent Poland,
The Royal Canadian Regiment has established a fund to
provide support for the post-secondary education of the
children of soldiers of the Regiment who have died in the
service of Canada.
Donations to this Education Fund may be forwarded to
Regimental Headquarters of The RCR. Cheques should
be made out to “The RCR Fund - Education Fund” in order to ensure they are donated to the
appropriate sub-account.
Cheques may be sent to:
Regimental Headquarters
The Royal Canadian Regiment
Victoria Barracks
PO Box 9999, Stn Main
Petawawa, Ontario K8H 2X3
Donations may be made online by credit card or PayPal through the Regimental Store at
www.theroyalcanadianregiment.ca/kitshop
TERMS OF REFERENCE – CHILDREN OF
FALLEN SOLDIERS BURSARY PROGRAM
General
In response to a request by the family of Cpl Brent Poland following his death in Afghanistan in
April 2007, The Royal Canadian Regiment has established the ‘Children of Fallen Soldiers Bursary
Program’ to provide support for the post-secondary education of the children of soldiers of the
Regiment who have died in the service of Canada.
Purpose and Objective
The objective of this program is to assist financially those eligible students studying at a degree or
diploma granting post secondary institution, full or part time.
Value
The maximum value one can receive from this bursary is $1000 per academic year. If the number
of applicants exceeds the monies available to provide the $1000 bursary for each request, the bursary amount will be split accordingly on a priority basis to provide for more applicants, but will
not go below $500 per applicant. The bursary can be used at the discretion of the recipient, and is
intended for, but not limited to, tuition, books, equipment, transportation, etc.
The bursary is paid by cheque from RHQ, direct to the applicant. The bursary is taxable.
108 PRO PATRIA 2008
Eligibility
The following guidelines will be used to determine eligibility and priority of award for education
support:
a. Applicants must be the child or stepchild of a soldier who has died on ‘on duty’ (operations or training) while a member of, or serving in a unit of, The Royal Canadian Regiment. In keeping with the national criteria for service deaths, members must have been
included in the Books of Remembrance;
b. Support will be given to those children attending post-secondary institutions for their
first degree or diploma; and,
c. Priority will be given to those children attending their first year of studies; those attending later years will only be considered if all first year applicants have received education
support.
d. An applicant cannot receive a bursary more than 4 times.
Those eligible for this bursary are not excluded from also applying for the Association bursaries.
Application Process
Applicants must fill out the enclosed form and submit it to RHQ. Submission can be direct to
RHQ via the applicant, or thru any regimental means that will forward it to RHQ on the applicant’s behalf (i.e., units, serving and retired regimental personnel, regimental mentors, etc).
All applications are to include proof of academic enrolment for fall session of the calendar year.
Form
See attached
Timelines
The deadline for applying is 31 July of each calendar year.
Approval Process
Disbursement of funds for the ‘Children of Fallen Soldiers Bursary Program’ is procedural and
dependant on funds available to disburse. Approval is not based on academic merit, standing, or
personal financial circumstance.
Applicants must only prove eligibility through the application process in order to be considered, no
other supporting documentation is required.
Late applications will not receive bursaries, or be considered for bursaries in the current year unless
funds remain from the current year’s disbursable earnings.
Disbursement Committee
The Regimental Council will award the Bursaries through RHQ. Due to timelines involved, the
Regimental Council will most likely award these bursaries secretarially. RHQ will compile applicant information for the Regimental Council and will forward it for Council NLT15 Aug of each
calendar year. The Regimental Major, Regimental Adjutant, and Regimental Warrant will sit as
bursary council members in order to compile information and do selection based on the eligibility
guidelines.
109 PRO PATRIA 2008
Fund Management
Donations received for the bursary program will be maintained in a sub-account of The RCR
Trust. Disbursements of earned interest will be made available for education support to the children of fallen soldiers. It is intended that individual assistance cheques will be a maximum of
$1000, but no less than $500, with assistance provided to as many eligible applicants as possible in
each year without affecting the Fund principal investment.
A share of earnings will be reinvested each year to maintain the value of the principal amount
against inflation. This portion will be determined by the same guidelines used to manage The RCR
Trust Fund. Earnings, which have not been disbursed, will also be reinvested with the principal
amount.
Coordination of disbursements will be exercised by a Fund Management Committee consisting
of:
a. The Chairman of The RCR Trust,
b. The Regimental Major, and
c. The Regimental Adjutant.
Throughout its annual review, if the fund committee determines that there is an excess of funds
for current and future requirements, or in the event of there being no eligible applicants in a given
year, the Fund Management Committee can request to REC to transfer a portion of funds to other
regimental bursary programs.
Additional Clarification
The following are some additional points to clarify the bursary program:
a. The most important part of the application is the supporting material that proves eligibility.
b. Financial need is not a consideration, and eligibility is based solely up meeting the listed
eligibility requirements.
c. This bursary support post-secondary education only and is not intended for high school
or graduate studies.
Mr and Mrs Poland
receive a cheque from
38 District, Retired
Teachers of Ontario.
110 PRO PATRIA 2008
A Visit to
Gradara
Cemetery
2008
Major J.R. Forgrave
The 18th of September,
1944 saw the conclusion
The Officers, Paarde
of the battle for Rimini.
burg Day 1941, Reigat
e, England.
Lt F.T. Forgrave is in
The Regiment had been
the back row, second
from the right.
in heavy combat for a
month since the assault
on the Gothic Line began on 25 August. The
battle for Rimini had been a hard-fought afI hail from a family with a strong military
fair. C Coy, commanded by Captain Frederick
tradition. My grandfather, Daniel Johnson
Thomas Forgrave, had pushed forward repeatForgrave, was an Ulsterman who immigrated
edly over the smooth terrain surrounding the
to Canada, fought in the First World War,
airfield, finding what cover they could from
and was the Veterinary Sergeant of the Royal
the shelling, digging incessantly. By the battle’s
Canadian Dragoons 1919-1940. Stationed in
end, the Gothic line had been breached, but
St John’s, Quebec, between the wars, he had
casualties had been heavy, and the Regt had
three sons, all of whom fought in the Second
lost 7 officers and 72 other ranks killed, and
World War. The eldest, F.T. Forgrave, joined
15 officers and 206 other ranks wounded since
D Coy, the RCR, in St. John’s, around 1930.
August.
The middle boy, P.A. Forgrave, joined the RCD
shortly thereafter, won the DCM during the
The 19th of September began peacefully, the
war and rose to be the RCD RSM from 1957enemy having withdrawn and the morning pa1962. The youngest, R.A. Forgrave, was my fatrols finding no one in their way. Back at Tac
ther. Some ten years the junior of the other two
HQ, reports the War Diary:
boys he grew up watching the “Army boys” slog
“Lt-Col Ritchie, Lt Potts, MC, and Capt Forthrough the mud on exercises, and vowed he
grave were outside shaving when Capt Courwouldn’t do that. My father joined the RCAF
tin [OC B Coy] arrived. Suddenly there was a
and won the DFC as a navigator in Halifax
sharp explosion, later attributed to a loose grebombers with 424 Sqn, at Skipton-on-Swale,
nade being moved and exploding … Capt ForYorkshire.
grave received a severe head wound. Lt Potts
I enrolled in the College Militaire Royal de Stwas wounded in the chest and Capt Courtin
Jean in 1981. My father came for my recruit
received two small fragments in his face. Once
phase graduation and for him it was the return
again Lt J.T.B. Quayle was wounded [his
to his roots, having been raised in PMQ #5. As
fourth wound!], … All but Capt Courtin were
an officer cadet I was destined for the Infanevacuated at once. Five other ranks suffered …
try but a medical remuster put paid to that. In
wounds from this explosion and were evacu1987 I found myself as a newly trained Logisated. Losing these key officers at this time was
tics officer posted to Germany. During the 2_
a bitter blow to the bn.”
111 PRO PATRIA 2008
years I was there I made it to Rimini and Ortona but not to the Gradara Cemetery. Dad never
made it there either, refusing to visit the continent. When I asked him why not, he simply replied
“I can’t go there, I bombed those people.” In 2007 I was selected as the first Logistics Officer to
command Lima Coy under the auspices of the Battle Group 2021. For me, it has been like a family
homecoming.
F.T. Forgrave, Eric to his family, Rick to his friends, was a career soldier. A natural athlete, he
played hockey and basketball in winter, starring on both the Regimental and St John’s teams; he
ran track in the summer, winning all the middle and long-distance races (his younger brother Pat
winning the sprints). He was an outstanding swimmer and qualified lifeguard. Shortly before the
war he was appointed PSM (Platoon Sergeant Major). In 1941 he completed officer training, and
in 1942 Eric was the first officer of the Regiment to complete the Commando Course. In March
1944 he joined the Regiment in Italy, and fought in numerous battles up the length of the boot,
including the Liri Valley, Cassino, the Gothic Line, and finally the battle for Rimini.
In May, 2008 I participated in a battlefield study tour of Italy, hosted by Dr. Lee Windsor, a great
friend of the Regiment and professor of military history at the Gregg Centre at the University of
New Brunswick. Course participants had to make two presentations, the first being on a battle or
an action involving Canadian troops. The second was a soldier presentation, providing a face and
family context to one of the untold thousands of soldiers killed and buried in Italy. For me, it was
obvious that I would discuss the battle of Rimini, and my soldier would be my uncle.
And so it was, that on 25 May 2008, I arrived at the Gradara War Cemetery, to visit my uncle. The
cemetery is built on the west face of a very steep hill, with terraces carved into the hillside, with
one row of headstones per terrace. The cemetery faces Gradara Castle, which was an R&R centre
during the war, affording a spectacular view over the valley. The poppies were in bloom throughout
the country, a poignant and fitting reminder to us all. Once a peaceful place, a new Autostrada cuts
through the valley, the noise of the trucks and cars reverberating between the hills. But as I visited
my uncle, buried in plot 2, row G, grave 59, flanked by Sgt Meadows, MM, who was killed in the
Lamone Crossing, and Pte Stack, killed during the battle for Rimini, the noise of the Autostrada
faded away. I envisaged Eric’s red hair, his freckles, his pale Irish skin sunburned by the hot Italian
sun, and imagined the Irish-Canadian lilt in his voice, the fiery temper of the entire family. I saw a
superbly fit soldier who commanded his troops through many major battles, but who was killed by
a tragic incident after the battle was concluded. I saw a tragic death to a brave man. On that sunny
day I said hello, and thanks, on behalf of my family. I recommend you visit Gradara, and when you
do, I’d ask that you say hello as well.
Pro Patria
Gardena Cemetary 2008
112 PRO PATRIA 2008
The RCR and Prince Arthur,
Duke of Connaught
Lt K.A. Johnson
T
he Royal Canadian Regiment’s connection with British royalty is at the root of
our identity. A deep source of tradition, the royal blood that runs though our Regiment’s heart
gives our soldiers with yet one more reason to
puff out our chests and hold our heads high.
No one has had a deeper impact in solidifying
the “Royal” in the Royal Canadian Regiment
than Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and
Strathearn, who from from 1929 until his death
in 1942 served as our Colonel-in-chief. The aim
of this article
is to give the reader a historical overview on
the life of Prince Arthur, trace his influence on
the RCR and his contributions in developing
Canada’s fledging identity.
Prince Arthur, the third son and seventh child
of the reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria, was born at Buckingham Palace on 1 May
1850. His father was Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. At birth he became His Royal
Highness The Prince Arthur until 1874 when
he was created Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and Earl of Sussex. At an early age Prince
Arthur became fascinated with the army. As a
child he could be found practicing his swordsmanship with wooden toy swords or marching
up and down the great halls of the Palace mimicking the soldiers he looked up to. At sixteen,
he formally started his military career by entering the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich
receiving a commission as a Lieutenant in the
Corps of Royal Engineers two years later. He
later transferred to the Royal Regiment of Artillery and then to the Royal Rifle Brigade. Prince
Arthur was married on 13 March 1879 to Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, grandniece of
the German Emperor Wilhelm I at St. George’s
Chapel, Windsor. They had three children:
Princess Margaret, Prince Arthur, and Princess
Patricia. Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry is named in her honour. Fittingly both
113 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Duke of Connaught, 1915
Canadian Infantry Regiments can trace their
lineage back to the same source.
Prince Arthur was appointed the Governor
General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada
in 1911 (serving until 1916). Arthur was the
first member of the British Royal Family to
serve in the post though his sister Princess Louise had been the wife of a previous Governor
General, Lord Lorne. Soon after his appointment, Arthur travelled to Canada with his wife,
the Duchess, and his youngest daughter, Princess Patricia. Before they arrived on the scene
many newspapers of the time included coarse
satire ridiculing the position, a result of the
growing pains the nation endured during its
steady transformation from British colony to
independent nation. In addition, the stylings
of Canadian politicians found that posturing
themselves against the establishment got them
votes with the new working class.
On the arrival of Prince Arthur to take his post
as Governor General, worries about Rideau
Hall quickly evaporated. The royal couple were
more relaxed than their predecessors and well
liked. They also took to traveling extensively
throughout Canada and became popular with
all Canadians. Prince Arthur put his military
experience to work and turned the Governor
General’s role from one of cultural patron and
ceremony to one of gritty military inspector.
Starting in 1914, Governor General Prince
Arthur regularly donned his uniform and put
his efforts into inspecting army camps, and seeing troops off to War. During this time Prince
Arthur would go to Camp Petawawa, as it was
called then, to personally oversee the training
of new officers. He was also there to inspect the
troops in Halifax when the Regiment sailed,
first for Garrison Duty in Bermuda and then
to the battlefields of Europe. Furthermore, he
was active in auxiliary war services and charities and conducted hospital visits. The Duchess
of Connaught worked for the Red Cross and
other organizations to support the war cause.
For Christmas in 1915, Princess Patricia sent a
card and a box of maple sugar to every Canadian soldier serving overseas and used her own
sewing machine to make thousands of socks for
Canadian troops. His actions invariably led to
conflict with the Prime Minister at the time,
Robert Borden who stated in his memoirs that
the Duke “laboured under the handicap of his
position as a member of the Royal Family
and never realized his limitations as Governor
General 1.” Arthur regularly put the needs of
Canadian troops over the needs of Canadian
politicians. He rightly emphasized the need for
military training and readiness for Canadian
soldiers departing for war, sometimes to the
embarrassment of the Prime Minister who was
seen as at times stubborn in his willingness to
provide the troops with the proper equipment
need to defeat the Germans.
The Duchess, who had been ill during their
years at Rideau Hall, died in March 1917.
Within a few months of her death Prince Ar-
114 PRO PATRIA 2008
Princess Patricia
thur rejoined the Royal Canadian Regiment
on the battlefield at Ypres where, despite ongoing shelling, addressed our soldiers in a chilly
morning rain giving them a first hand example
of how to carry on for your nation despite personal hardship. The Duke of Connaught’s military service continued well into World War II
where he was seen as a grandfather figure by
aspiring recruits Princess Patricia within the
RCR. In 1926 the Old Comrades Association
(which in 1970 amalgamated with the RCR
Officers Association to form the Royal Canadian Regimental Association) was formed to
foster camaraderie amongst the retired members of the Regiment. Prince Arthur became
our first Honorary President.
The Duke died in 1942, at the age of 91. At
the time of his death he was the last living son
of Queen Victoria. He also had outlived two
of his three children. His successor as Colonelin-chief of the RCR was His Royal Highness
Prince Philip- the only two people who have
ever held the position.
1B
orden, Robert Laird, Sir. Robert Borden:
his memoirs. Toronto: Macmillan, 1938. vol
1: 601-2.
Badges of The RCR;
Rare and Unusual
Regimental Badges
By: Capt Michael O’Leary, 4RCR
With the same variety found in every human
endeavour, collectors of badges and other militaria bring a wide array of interests, intents and
motivations to their hobby. Some build collections “a mile wide and an inch deep” while
others dedicate themselves to finding every possible item in a very narrow scope. Regimental
collectors, those who collect to a single regiment across the span of its history, would fall
into that latter category. And among that group
I would count myself.
Many military badge collectors focus on a single period in history as a theme for their acquisitions. Whether it be the badges of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War, or
the Canadian Active Service Force of the Second World War, or a period of the Canadian
Militia, they seek examples of the badges for
each of the units that existed during their chosen time frame. Others might collect in a more
narrow scope, perhaps building representative
badge groups for a specific brigade or division.
But each of these groups often stop looking for
the badges of a unit once they have examples
for their collection. Although exceptions will
always be found, they do not overly concern
themselves with variations of each badge. But
the regimental collector is a different sort of
creature.
The regimental collector attempts to track down
an example of each and every badge worn by his
or her chosen regiment. Following changes in
design, materials, construction sometimes differences so minor in scope that they are easily
missed by the casual observer. Each addition to
such a collection adds one more link in a chain
of history from the regiment’s creation to the
current day.
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A very rare bullion officers cap badge for the
Infantry School Corps (1883-1892).
(Private collection.) Photo by Capt M. O’Leary
In continuing my theme of writing about the
badges of The Royal Canadian Regiment, this
article will explore and examine some of the
rare and unusual badges of The RCR that have
come to my attention, and to my collection.
The Infantry School Corps Bullion
Wire Badges
Every collector has to deal with “holy grails.”
Those badges so rare that a collector can wait
years or decades for one to appear. So rare that
one can feel like a vulture waiting for the more
senior custodians of his desires to pass on so
their rare badges become available to the next
generation. Sometimes such grails are only
known through photos, or sketches in obscure
references, or in whispered exchanges over
tables at trade shows. But the collector seeks
them all the same, envisioning the “gaps” in his
collection as holes that need to be filled with
the missing badges.
Occasionally, something even more special
than finding a known and avidly sought after
grail occurs. And that is when a badge comes
along that is so rare, so unknown to collectors,
that it has not even been considered available.
Such a badge for The RCR has recently resur-
faced. In late 2008, an online auction featured
such a badge, so rare that its veracity could not
be doubted for who would copy a literally unknown artifact. That badge, after successful
bidding, came into my collection.
ly welcomed, they fill a gap I didn’t know I had.
Maybe the grails I still seek will arrive soon to
join them.
The RCR existed for a few brief years as the
“Infantry School Corps” from 1883 until 1992,
when the regimental name was changed to the
“Canadian Regiment of Infantry.” Badges were
named to the “Infantry School Corps” with the
Canadian designation shown by a beaver as the
central figure. Metal badges are known for cap,
helmet and collars, but they are not common
among collectors or museums.
Modern metal cap badges are produced with
a “slider” which is used to attach the badge to
a beret or other headdress. Those regimental
badges produced for wear on the Wolseley helmet have a single screw post fastener, which is an
unusual modern contrivance, historic “pugaree
badges” had a broach pin fastener so that the
pugaree and helmet would not need to be holed
to mount them.. The most common fastener
on earlier badges on earlier badges were metal
“lugs” which pierced cap or uniform material
and were then used to hold the badge in place
by use of a brass cotter pin inserted through the
loops of the lugs.
The officers of the Regiment during the I.S.C.
period also had a bullion wire badge, with a
brass and silver centre piece. To give an idea
of how rare these might be today, in the nine
years of the Infantry School Corps, the regimental history lists only 36 officers who joined
the Regiment. The few badges that might have
been made for them, coupled with the recognized fragility of the wire badges, assures that
the survival of any of these badges is a remarkable event.
The Tanged Badges
And yet one has survived. More amazing still,
it is accompanied by a matching set of collar
badges, also of bullion wire and brass.
These badges certainly qualify for the description “Rare”, and are possibly the only surviving examples. It has been confirmed that these
badges were for years in a museum collection in
California. That collection was broken up after
the owner died and his heirs sought to liquidate
his estate. From there the badges traveled as part
of a larger auction lot to Australia, to a dealer
who had acquired them with the intent of reselling the items in smaller lots. Thanks to the
wonders of the internet which have opened up
worldwide markets to collectors, these unique
badges have now traveled back to Canada, and
back to London, Ontario, where perhaps they
once began their regimental life.
The bullion Infantry School Corps badges have
joined my growing collection of regimental
badges. An unexpected acquisition, but warm-
116 PRO PATRIA 2008
Silver and gilt three-piece officers Guelphic
crown cap badge. (Private collection.)
Photo by Capt M. O’Leary
But some early regimental badges used another type of fastener. Commonly referred to as
“tangs”, these were pointed metal tabs which
were designed to pierce the cap material and
then simply be bent over on the inside to hold
the badge in place. Badges with tangs are relatively uncommon, and it is likely that the action of bending the tangs back and forth could
lead to eventual breakage and the badge’s disposal, thus ensuring a low survival rate.
Among RCR badges, some tanged examples of
the 1894 Guelphic crown pattern badges can be
found. The rarity of these badges and the single
badge pattern they appear on make it likely that
this type of fastener was only used on certain
badges before, or perhaps as late as during, the
First World War.
Bronze and Brown Badges
For a brief period in the early 1900s, officers of
the Canadian Army were authorized the wear
of brown badges on the caps worn with Officers’ Service Dress. Although described in
the 1907 Militia Dress Regulations as “bronze”
badges, brown badge variations can be found
Sand cast, one-piece Guelhic crown cap badge.
(Private collection.) Photo by Capt M. O’Leary
that were obviously not cast from that metal.
Cast bronze badges can be found that are very
high quality in detail and finish. But these
were obviously not readily available to every
officer who needed to appear properly dressed.
An alternative type of badge, also giving the desired “brown” effect also exists. These expedient
badges were a common version of the two-piece
regimental badge which was coloured brown to
give the required look for Service Dress.
Gilt badges
In many regiments there have historically been
distinctions made between officers’ badges and
those worn by NCOs and soldiers. The two
most common methods to distinguish officers’
badges have been the use of gilt and the use
of silver overlays of parts of the badge design.
RCR badges have seen the use of both of these
methods, both separately and used together.
The earliest use of gilt badges can be found
in those made for the Infantry School Corps
(1882-1892). These include the 1883 helmet
plate which was identical to the soldier’s helmet
plate except for a gilded finish over the brass,
and the gilt version of the glengarry cap badge.
While the regimental museum displays two
more ornate helmet plate versions which are
identified for wear by officers, no documents
confirming approval of these patterns has yet
been brought forward for their use during the
Infantry School Corps period.
During the period of the Infantry School
Corps, it was quite clear that the officers wore
gilt badges and the NCOs and soldier wore
brass. But in later versions of regimental badges, officers badges might be gilded or not, and
usually but not always included a silver overlay
of the “VRI” cypher.
We’ve already noted above the brown Officers’
Service Dress badges, these were notable for officers’ badges in that they were neither gilded,
nor did they have silver overlays. Another version of the 1894 pattern badge exists that was
gilded, but notably did not include the silver
“VRI” for officers. Made of a single stamped
piece of brass, these badges are notable for their
117 PRO PATRIA 2008
Left: Tanged cast bronze Officer Service Dress cap badge, early 1900s. (Private collection.) Photo by Capt M.
O’Leary Middle: Guelphic crown cap badge with enameled “VRI” in red, white and blue.(eBay auction photo)
Right: Silver and gilt three-piece officers St. Edward’s crown cap badge. (Private collection.) Photo by Capt M.
O’Leary
one piece construction. Of this pattern, the gilt
finished versions are probably the most rare.
Three-piece version of the Guelphic and St
Edward’s crown badges can be found, both
patterns having a gilt front-piece surmounted
by the “VRI” cypher in silver. While officers’
badges with the the silver VRI are more common in both patterns, the gilt versions are quite
rare in both cases.
The Enameled VRI Badges
Every once in a while, a version of the regimental cap badge appears that has stymied collectors. With no regimental records having been
found to explain their existence, we can only
conjecture why there are a handful of badges in
existence with the “VRI” cypher enameled in
red, white and blue.
A possible explanation is that these badges were
prepared for Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in
1897, Her Majesty’s funeral in 1901 or Edward
VII’s Coronation in 1902. The regimental history does not mention regimental contingents
attending the first two of these events, but there
was regimental representation in the Canadian
contingent at Edward VII’s coronation. One
other alternative explanation is that they may
have been prepared for a Royal visit to Canada
during the same era. One thing is certain; this
experiment in coloured enamel on the regimental cap badge was short-lived.
Each of these badges is of the 1894 Guelphic
crown pattern, but not every enameled badge
is of the same badge production run. It is apparent that this enameling, while professionally
118 PRO PATRIA 2008
done, was not a set of badges ordered together,
but must have been a separate contract to have
available badges enameled for a specific purpose
or event. These badges also have a variety of
fasteners, with both lugs and puggaree brooch
pins being noted.
A Cast Badge
This particular badge is likely the result of a
member of the regiment needing a replacement
at a time when access to the normal supply of
regimental badges is not available. Perhaps
having local access to a variety of craftsmen, it
was necessary to have a replacement made and
the readily available technology to do so was
sand casting.
This cast badge is a single piece construction,
with heavy lugs fixed to is flat back. The surface shows a distinct roughness and small voids
under magnification that give evidence to its
mode of manufacture. The maker used a file
to smooth the back and to do his best to replicate the many small points of the start pattern
around the badges’ edge. This latter step was
not done as well as might be hoped for but the
overall look of the badge is acceptable.
Close examination does show that the original
used for the casting process as a model for this
badge was definitely an officers’ pattern badge
with silver overlay VRI. The height of the letters matches those officers badges and are too
high to for it to have been a soldiers’ badge used
as the model. It is possible that this sand-cast
badge is either a locally produced Officers’
Service Dress badge, or possibly a low contrast
badge produced for wear in the field during the
First World War. Unfortunately, without a dependable provenance, we can only speculate.
Undersized and Unauthorized
This article about regimental badges is an excellent opportunity to document one other badge
of much more recent manufacture than those
described above. Considering that some of the
opinions offered above are due to the absence of
recorded details about individual badges, this
note will provide such details for this example.
In 2006, the Kit Shop of the 1st Battalion decided to deal directly with a badge manufacturer rather than continue obtaining its supply
of badges direct from the Regimental Store. As
the Regimental Adjutant, I had occasion to visit
the 1RCR Kit Shop shortly after they had received samples. One of the sample badges was
placed in my hand and I immediately identified
a problem with the badge – it was undersized.
In response to doubtful utterances at the proclamation of the badge’s shortcoming, a ruler
was sought and produced. As predicted, the
badge measured only 1 7/8 inches from point
to point, instead of the required two inches.
The basic pattern and size of our regimental cap
badge were laid down in Militia General Order
No. 35, dated May 1894. The description given
for the “Forage Cap Badge” at the time was as
follows:
Forage Cap Badge: A silver eight-pointed star,
with a raised gilt circle same as for centre of the
helmet plate, but in proportion, the Royal and
Imperial cypher (V.R.I.) in frosted gilt, surmounted by the Imperial Crown, dimensions
of the star, 2 inches.
The referenced centre portion described as for
the helmet plate is as follows:
Helmet Plate: In gilt metal, a star. On the star
a laurel wreath. Within the wreath, the Royal
and Imperial cypher (V.R.I.) in relief on pebbled ground and raised border surmounted by
the Imperial Crown.
hundreds of regimental badges spanning the
years from 1894 to the present day, that 2-inch
measurement has been consistent to a degree
that many outsiders would attribute directly to
a Royal Canadian attention to detail (though
perhaps not with such a polite phrasing). The
role of the Regimental Headquarters in authorizing the production of regimental accoutrements was reinforced, and the manufacturer
was required to produce new samples before
they could be approved by RHQ for wear.
It is hoped that the only undersized badges produced were those few samples. In case others
exist, they can now be clearly identified as both
undersized and as an unauthorized version of
the regimental badge.
Conclusion
The many variations of the regimental cap
badge make collecting them an adventure in
itself. We each become very familiar with the
badges we have been issued, and every day we
see them worn by the serving members of the
regiment around us. Common regimental lore
tells us The RCR has worn the “VRI” throughout its history, and we can easily become comfortable thinking that our badges have changed
very little in over a century. But changes have
occurred, leaving The RCR with a rich array of
badges. Investigations into the evolution of our
regimental badges opens paths into the history
of our Regiment and leads to many other facets
of a rich historical tapestry woven by generations of Royal Canadians before us.
Two-piece, brown
coloured Officers’
Service Dress cap
badge, early 1900s.
(Private collection)
Photo by
Capt M. O’Leary
At no time has the size of the cap badge, two
inches, ever been changed. Having handled
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PRO PATRIA 2008 119
THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT – Celebrating 125 Years of Service
to Canada Not Passing A Fault, is how The Senior Regiment in the
Canadian Infantry Order Of Battle discharges its duty and continues to do honour to its past, present, and future. Royal Canadians
continue to do the right thing, because it remains the right thing
to do!
PACHINO DAY IN KANDAHAR – 10 JULY
2008
Major W.B. Pond
As is the tradition of Royal Canadians everywhere, a critical
mass of Regimental Brothers
presently deployed to KANDAHAR AIRFIELD (KAF)
gathered during the afternoon
of 10 July, 2008 to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of
the “Landing at Sicily” (aka
Pachino Day). The afternoon
started with a short presentation on the momentous events
of 10 July 1943, followed by a toast to fallen comrades offered by MWO Vic Hickey and a toast to the
Regiment by Lieutenant Colonel Shawn Luckhurst.
The Senior Royal Canadian in South West Asia –
Brigadier Denis Thompson (and the Royal Canadians who form the lions share of his TAC), were, unfortunately “outside the wire” on a tactical venture
and could not make it back in time for the ceremony.
However, in the finest traditions of the Regiment,
99er did authorize the consumption of two cans of
real Canadian Beer (in another fine RCR tradition
the choice was between Labatt’s Blue and Molson Canadian).
The beer, as it so often does, served to compliment the traditional (and always excellent) meal of
spaghetti and red wine. This was capped off by a slice of cake, donated and superbly decorated by
the KO and his gang.
All in all a very pleasant and memorable day – many of the Royal Canadians serving with Task
Force Kandahar will still be deployed in the Afghan Theatre of Operations on the next Winter Solstice when Royal Canadians around the globe will commemorate the 125th Birthday of Canada’s
Senior Regiment of Infantry.
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Royal Canadians on Patrol – The OMLT
MWO W. Rideout
It was early morning 17 September, 20 08 in FOB Wilson when I
met the Operational Liaison Mentor Team (OMLT) at 0530 hrs
for an early breakfast in the field
kitchen. Shortly thereafter we
were donning the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and Field
Fighting Order (FFO) followed by
a weapons and communications
Left to Right: Cpl Pete Mitchell, Cpl Rick Alam, Cpl Kevin Foster,
WO Mike Saunders, Capt Rich Tarrant, MWO Wallace Rideout.
check. Following a thorough inspection we were off to meet our
Afghanistan National Army
(ANA) platoon for what have become daily operations.
At 0630 hours we were in the ANA compound and Capt Tarrant began to brief on the plan for the
upcoming patrol. He kept his plan very simple since it would be necessary to translated it for our
ANA platoon. It is essential to ensure that the plan is completely understood by all participants
and the commander must be cautious that the intent of his orders is not lost or confusing during
the translation. This can sometimes be difficult to manage as many of the ANA are from different
regions of the country and speak different dialects or cultural forms of the Afghanistan language.
An example would be Pashto or Dari. The simple use of a map and a drawing on a table achieved
the aim.
The mission of the patrol that day was very basic. We would conduct a presence patrol while observing the surrounding area for any activity that would reveal locals reporting on our movements.
Unusual roof top presence or locals on cell phones can be indicators of enemy reporting activities.
The patrol departed the compound to complete its mission with thirty ANA soldiers and six Canadian soldiers. As the mid-morning sun began to strengthen the temperature climbed over 35
degrees Celsius. Three kilometres into the patrol the ANA commander stopped to speak to the locals at a small market. He quickly gathered and spoke to all the adult males. He encouraged them
to assist the Afghanistan Army in providing security for the people. He asked them to report all
suspicious activity in the area, report the location of any Taliban and to provide any information
about known IED locations. It is important that the ANA been seen by the public and that the
public understands their intentions. The speech was part of the programmed information designed
to help win the ‘hearts and minds’ of the local population. The locals typically responded with a
request for a new Mosque and wells for their villages.
Shortly we returned to our patrol route heading for the ANA Compound and FOB Wilson. After
three hours in the relentless Afghan sun we arrived back in the ANA Compound where Capt Tarrant and WO Saunders conduct the after action review and ended the patrol for another day.
The OLMT teams are tasked to conduct these types of patrols as frequently as six days a week. The
Patrols are difficult with the excessive heat, terrain and the amount of equipment, ammunition
and water carried by the soldiers, often in excess of 30kg. These fine Royals Canadians continue to
perform at the highest level.
122 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Lieutenant-General J.E. Vance
Award for Leadership
in the Rank of Second Lieutenant
and Lieutenant
Lt A. Hentz receives the Vance Award for Leadership in the rank of Lt-|Capt from the CO 3 RCR,
LCol K. Cameron.
Sgt J. Towers receives the Vance Award for Leadership in the rank of Sgt from LGen J. Vance (Ret’d),
former Colonel of The Regiment
Lieutenant-General J.E. Vance CMM, CD (ret’d) announced his intention to inaugurate awards
for leadership within The Royal Canadian Regiment during his tenure as Colonel of The Regiment. Leadership has always played a vital role in the life of the Regiment in peace and in war, and
while a range of prestigious honours at the national and Canadian Forces levels have been awarded
to members of The RCR, recognition of demonstrated leadership within the family of the Regiment was overdue.
The first of these, a bronze statuette entitled “Covering Fire” was created to recognize leadership in
the Rank of Sergeant. This was introduced in 2002.
The second Vance Award for leadership recognizes leadership in the Rank of Second-Lieutenant/
Lieutenant/Captain. The recipient of this award is presented with Lieutenant-General Vance’s personal sword, carried during his years of service to the Regiment and Canadian Forces. The recipient
is entitled to carry the sword during parades for the year.
The 2008 recipients for the awards are Sgt J. Towers (2 RCR) and Lt A. Hentz (3 RCR)
123 PRO PATRIA 2008
Regimental
Officers
Indoctrination
Course 2008
By Captain Tim Robinson
The 2008 Regimental Officers Indoctrination
Course (ROIC) was held at Wolseley Barracks,
London from 1-4 Dec. The course was particularly well attended this year with the candidates numbering 41.
The Colonel of The Regiment hosted this years
Meet and Greet. The occasion would see the
Regiment take the opportunity to ‘Beaver Out’
two officers. Captain Phil Millar and Captain Mike O’Leary were recognized for their
contributions to the Regiment. A special gift
was presented to Captain O’Leary for his commendable work as the outgoing Regimental
Adjutant.
MGen W.M. Holmes MBE, CD, Colonel of The Regiment receives his 3rd Clasp to the Canadian Forces
Decoration from MGen P.J. Devlin MSC, OMM, CD,
Senior Serving Royal.
The ROIC consisted of a number of periods of instruction designed to familiarize the attendees
with the history and inner workings of the Regiment. This year would see a few new items introduced into the syllabus. The historical lessons would be taught by the candidates and a floor
hockey tournament would be introduced. The teams would be randomly drawn and formed from
The Curry Dinner.
124 PRO PATRIA 2008
Captain Michael O’Leary receives his
Adjutant Pennant from the Colonel
of The Regiment.
all candidates helping to form
one of three teams. The Honorary
Captain for the tournament Lieutenant-General J. Vance (retd),
former Colonel of The Regiment
performed the customary ball
drop. In his own words he then
spent the remainder of the time
dodging hardened floor hockey
balls and rather aggressive junior
officers.
The ROIC would conclude with
a Curry Dinner and a number of
presentations. A significant event
during ROIC was the presentation to The Colonel of The Regiment, Major General Holmes
with his 3rd Clasp to the Canadian Forces Decoration.
LGen Vance performs
the ball drop at the
opening face-off of The
Regimental Colours Cup
for Lt Will Burridge and
Lt John Miller.
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THE ORTONA TOAST - 125 BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION OF THE
ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT
During operations of 3 RCR Battle Group
Khandahar, Afghanistan – December 2008
Extract: Letter LCol R.R. Barrett, Commanding Officer 3 RCR BG to
BGen D.W. Thompson, Comd TF-Afghanistan
References: A. The Royal Canadian Regiment, Regimental Standing
Orders, 2003
The 125th Birthday of The Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) and The Royal Canadian Regiment
(RCR) will be celebrated on 21 December 2008. Sixty-five years ago Lieutenant Colonel Dan Spry,
Major Strome Galloway, Captain Sandy Mitchell, Captain Marty Upper, Lieutenant Walter Roy,
Captain (Padre) Rusty Wilkes, M.C., and Regimental Sergeants Major Archie McDonnell celebrated the Regimental Birthday not only within sight of the enemy, but engaging him the while.
The commemoration produced a Regimental tradition known as the Ortona Toast.
On 20 November 1993 in Ottawa, The Regimental Executive Committee approved a motion to
toast The Regiment on Regimental Birthday observances with the same mixture as was used at
the Ortona Crossroads on 21 December 1943. The Toast symbolizes the Regimental spirit of all
our predecessors in the face of the enemy, it will remind us of their sacrifice and further arouses
the pride we take in The Regiment. It is unique and sets us apart from others, it draws attention to
the mettle of our predecessors, and it derives from one of the bloodiest battles in the Regiment’s
history.
The Ortona mixture is mixed in the proportion of 1 oz of dark rum, 1 oz of water and 1 teaspoon
of brown sugar. It is consumed from a “plain white china mug” due to the fact that this was the
only glass or cup available at the time in Ortona.
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This year 3 RCR BG will mark the
Regimental Birthday in the Afghanistan Theatre of Operations with a visit
of The Colonel of the Regiment. We
intend to carry on with the tradition
of marking this occasion with the
Ortona Toast. The Regimental birthday was previously marked in this
manner by The I RCR BG as part of
Task Force 3-06 which celebrated the
Ortona Toast on 21 December 2006
throughout the theatre of operations.
This is a unique 125th Birthday as all
four Battalions of the Royal Canadian Regiment have members serving
in Afghanistan and will mark the first
time since World War II that the entire Regiment is represented in a theatre of Operations within sight of an
enemy which takes the toast back to
its very roots. This very historic event
is deserving of formal recognition
in accordance with the traditions of
the regiment. In addition the BG is
proud to incorporate a full sub-unit
representing the Royal Canadian
Dragoons in the Reconnaissance
Squadron and a Troop of the Dragoons in the Sabre Squadron. As the
Regiments share a birthday the BG
will of course recognize their special
day at the same time.
R.R. Barrett
Lieutenant-Colonel
Commanding Officer
PRO PATRIA 2008 127
128 PRO PATRIA 2008
Departed Comrades
BRYAN, LCol J.W.P.
May 24, 2008
CAREY, Vincent
March 23, 2008
Kitchener
CRAIG, CWO Robert W.
May 9, 2008
London
CURWIN, Pte John M.R.
December 13, 2008
DAVIDSON, William
June 19, 2008
Niagara
DAYNARD, Kenneth G.
September 3, 2008
Deep River
DEPLAROS, Pte Demitrios
December 5, 2008
East York
DILLON, Col Richard M.
April 23, 2008
Toronto
EAGER, WO Pat
October 13, 2008
Petawawa
FORREST, Capt Cyril W.S.
October 5, 2008
Calgary
FOX, Maj Neil P.E.
August 14, 2008
Ottawa
FREEMAN, Pte Michael
December 26, 2008
GARDINER, MCpl James
June 22, 2008
Barrie
GOODRICH, MCpl Roy D.
September 1, 2008
Petawawa
HAMILTON, Cpl Thomas J.
December 13, 2008
HICKSON, Pte Patrick T.
August 9, 2008
Courtenay
HORAN, WOII Stephen
October 29, 2008
Carlton Place
HOWCROFT, Edward
August 29, 2008
JONES, Pte Justin P.
December 13, 2008
KRUSE, Sgt Gregory J.
December 27, 2008
MALONE, Kevin J.
April 22, 2009
McCLAREN, Pte Mark R.
December 5, 2008
McINNIS, MCpl P.T.A. (Junior)
April 10, 2009
London
McMANUS, Maj John
November 18, 2008
Victoria
MILLER, MCpl Alexander G.
March 12, 2008
Fredericton
MULLEY, Cpl Donald J.
May 14, 2008
Ottawa
PIERCE, Pte Douglas
August 4, 2008
Gagetown
PRETTY, Sgt James A.
May 5, 2008
Newfoundland
RICHARD. J. (Rick)
September 19, 2008
London
ROBERGE, Gaetan J.F.M.
December 27, 2008
ROBINSON, Maj Bertram C.
November 6, 2008
Woodstock
SOUTHWELL, WO William P.
November 4, 2008
London
STOTT, Maj Walter F.
May 20, 2008
London
SWEENY, Rod
May 6, 2008
Yarmouth
WILSON, WO Robert
December 5, 2008
129 PRO PATRIA 2008
Belleville
Pte John Michael Roy Curwin
Private Demetrios Diplaros
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
13 December 2008, Arghandab district,
Afghanistan
5 December 2008, Arghandab district,
Afghanistan
Pte John Curwin was born March 1, 1982 in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, to parents Michael and
Danita Curwin. Prior to joining the Canadian
Forces, he lived with his parents and brother
Josh in nearby Mount Uniacke, where he met
his childhood sweetheart and future wife,
Laura.
Pte Demetrios Diplaros was born 21 November
1984, in East York, Ontario. He enrolled in the
Canadian Forces on 14 December 2005 and
joined the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment on 4 August 2006 upon completion
of basic infantry training.
An avid hockey player and loyal Montreal Canadians fan, he also enjoyed fishing, Friday
night poker games with his friends and the early Saturday morning golf games that followed.
He was forever the “good guy”; always there to
do what was right, what was needed and always
willing to give whatever he could for his family
and friends.
A dedicated soldier, husband and father, John
committed himself to his wife Laura, daughters
Makayla and Jenna and son Michael, endowing
much love and devotion. He enjoyed taking his
son fishing, and spending time with his daughters first and foremost.
John was loved by everyone who knew him,
from his friends, immediate family, extended
family, and his colleagues at the 2nd Battalion.
130 PRO PATRIA 2008
Pte Diplaros was on his first operational tour
as part of Operation ATHENA in Kandahar,
Afghanistan. An exceptional driver and gunner, he was immensely proud of his military
service.
Demetrios always had a smile on his face no
matter what the circumstances. He is remembered for his fantastic sense of humour and as
a brave young man who was dedicated to his
family and the service of his country. He will
be sorely missed by family and friends.
Pte Michael Bruce Freeman
3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
26 December 2008, Zharey District,
Afghanistan
succeed in everything he did. He took up the
sport of scuba diving, and like all things in life,
it became something he wanted to excel at. To
his friends he was outgoing, generous, always
able to find the humour in any situation. It was
during this time that Michael found love with
Brandy and together they both found something they were missing in the other.
Michael did not shy away from his deployment
to Afghanistan. It was his next challenge and
as he found out more about it, the tour became
something he believed in. The danger was there
and acknowledged but it did not control him.
Once deployed, he enjoyed interacting with the
children of Afghanistan, their well being and
happiness became a major goal. Language was
never a barrier for Michael to bring a smile to
their faces.
Master Corporal Roy David
Goodrich
Pte Michael Freeman was born 3 December
1980 in Peterborough, Ontario. Growing up,
Michael was introduced to the outdoors at an
early age and quickly grew to love the experiences of being around nature. Some of his early
pursuits were camping, fishing, canoeing, and
mountain biking. Michael took to each activity with a passion that remained with him
throughout his life.
Michael’s enthusiasm for the outdoors matured
as he grew older. His interest also included
computers and video gaming. He was competitive but he didn’t need to win, he was always
about improving himself but not at the expense
of others. As a young teen, Michael joined the
Air Cadets and contemplated becoming a pilot,
yet his love of school was never as high as his
love flying. That didn’t deter him. He found
new pursuits such as golf, and after a few other
jobs, he realized that he wanted to dedicate
himself to a military career.
In 2005 he joined the Army and after he completed Basic Training Michael was posted to 3
RCR in June 2006. The rigours of basic training were tempered by his love of the outdoors.
Characteristically, Michael pushed himself to
131 PRO PATRIA 2008
3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
Master Corporal Roy David Goodrich was
born in Oshawa, Ontario on 29 March 1972.
He was the loving husband of Stephanie Goodrich and father of Brayden Goodrich; the son
of Roy and Audrey Goodrich; and brother to
Wanda Bexson, Debbie Flay, Brenda Shultze,
and Sharon Goodrich. Dave enrolled in the Reserves on 18 February 1999 with the Hastings
and Prince Edward Regiment, Alpha Company.
During his time in the Reserves Dave completed
several courses, including his Basic Parachuting
Course, Platoon Support Weapons Course and
his Junior NCO Course. He also served as a
driver for the Commander of the Land Force
Doctrine Training System (LFDTS). In February 2005 Dave deployed as a Master Corporal
with Task Force Kabul Roto 3, Op Athena, and
in August of 2006 joined the 3rd Battalion of
the Royal Canadian Regiment, where he was
employed in September as a Paratrooper. In
April of this year Dave completed the Drop
Zone Controller course as well his Turret Operator and Crew Commander course where
he was to be employed as a Section Second in
Command for Task Force 3-08.
Master Corporal David Goodrich will be forever remembered by his wife Stephanie and son
Brayden, and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
per Musquodoboit, N.S. to proud and loving
parents Cindy (Higgins) and Edward. His
brother John continues to reside in the Truro
area.
He was known as “Hammy” to his friends and
loved to hunt and fish, camp and golf, although
his first love was his daughter, Annabelle.
Thomas was a professional soldier, dedicated
father, devoted brother and loving son who always made sure his daughter came first. He was
a proud member of the Army and of 2RCR.
Pte Justin Peter Jones
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
13 December 2008, Arghandab district,
Afghanistan
Corporal Thomas James
Hamilton
2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
13 December 2008, Arghandab district,
Afghanistan
Private Justin Peter Jones was born on November 24, 1987 at Grand Falls, Newfoundland to
Anthony & Rowena Jones. Lured by the challenge that a life in the military offered, he wanted to serve in the Canadian Forces for as long
as his family can remember. Justin enrolled in
the Canadian Forces in October 2006. Upon
completion of his Basic Infantry Training,
Justin was posted to 2RCR in Gagetown, NB.
He ventured to Afghanistan on September 16,
2008 with Golf Company, 2 RCR, where he
deployed with the KPRT.
Corporal Thomas Hamilton was born April
30th, 1982 in Truro, N.S. and grew up in Up-
132 PRO PATRIA 2008
“Jonesy”, as he was affectionately known, loved
his family, his friends and his country. While
on leave from tour, he returned to Newfound-
land where he celebrated an early Christmas
with his family and marked his grandparents’
50th anniversary.
His devoted affection toward his spouse, Kayla
Madsen, was unwavering. She was his number
one priority, committing himself to her completely.
He was a believer, a dreamer, and an achiever.
He always gave 100% to everything he undertook and because of Justin’s ‘get-up-and-go’
mentality; a lot of people were touched by him.
The soldiers with whom he served in the 2nd
Battalion were indeed touched by his cheerful
nature and infectious smile.
looking forward to a transfer back to New
Brunswick.
He is survived by his wife, Jill, and their three
daughters, his mother Penelope Kruse, brothers
Christian Kruse and Timothy Kruse (Simone).
Corporal Mark Robert McLaren
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
5 December 2008, Arghandab district,
Afghanistan
Sergeant Gregory John Kruse
2 Combat Engineer Regiment
27 December 2008, Panjwayi District,
Afghanistan
Sgt. Gregory Kruse was born 2 December 1968
in Campbellton, NB. He spent most of his 19year career at CFB Gagetown. A member of 24
Field Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment,
based in Petawawa, Ontario he was deployed as
a member of 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group. His awards and
decorations include Canadian Forces Decoration (CD); Canadian Peacekeeping Service
Medal and the Special Service Medal. He was
on his fourth overseas tour of duty and was
133 PRO PATRIA 2008
Cpl Mark McLaren was born 7 September 1985
in Toronto, Ontario. He joined the Canadian
Forces in the summer of 2002 as a reservist
and member of The Hastings & Prince Edward
Regiment. In October 2007 Mark joined 1st
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment prior
to its work-up training before deployment. He
was extremely well-liked and respected by his
peers.
Mark was on his second tour to Afghanistan.
Cpl McLaren fiercely believed that what he was
doing was just, and knowing the chances, he
still wanted to be there. He was a brave and
loyal young man and will be sorely missed by
all.
Private Douglas James Pierce
The Royal Canadian Regiment
WO Gaetan Joseph Francis
Maxime Roberge
2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of
Canada
27 December 2008, Panjwayi District,
Afghanistan
Private Douglas Pierce was born on 23 February 1980. On Monday, 4 August 2008 he was
tragically killed in a motorcycle accident near
his hometown of Truro, NS. He was on annual
leave at the time from his duties as a member of
Demo Pl, Infantry School. He leaves behind
his father, Wilfred, his mother, Marjorie, and
his brother, Kenny. He will be greatly missed
by his comrades and family.
Warrant Officer Gaetan Roberge was born 14
January 1963 in Hull, QC and raised in Hanmer, ON. He was a member of 2nd Battalion,
The Irish Regiment of Canada based in Sudbury, Ontario (seconded from the Royal 22e
Regiment based in Valcartier, Quebec). He
was deployed with the Canadian contingent of
NATO forces in Afghanistan as a member of
the Police Operational Mentoring and Liaison
Team (PMLT).
WO Roberge joined the military at age 18
and previously served overseas in Bosnia. His
awards include the Canadian Forces Decoration with clasp. “Gates” as he was called was
described as a very professional, experienced
and dedicated soldier with a nice personality
beneath a gruff exterior.
He is survived by his wife Joanne, two children
and two step-children, his parents Guy and
Claudette, sister Chantal and other family and
friends.
134 PRO PATRIA 2008
Warrant Officer Robert John
Wilson
Lt.-Col. J.A. Clancy, MBE,
MC, CD
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian
Regiment
Lt-Col. R.A. Clancy died on 17 March 2008
at Salt Spring Island, British Columbia.
5 December 2008, Arghandab district,
Afghanistan
WO Robert (also known as RJ) Wilson was
born 16 April 1971 in Newmarket, Ontario.
He enrolled in the Canadian Forces at the age
of 18 on 11 October 1989, and after finishing
basic infantry training was posted to London,
Ontario, with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, where he would remain for
his entire career.
In his 19 years with the Regiment, RJ completed four previous operational tours including
deployments to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and a tour to Kabul in Afghanistan.
Most recently, RJ was deployed with Operation
ATHENA in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
RJ loved his profession, but more importantly
he dearly loved his family. He was extremely
well-liked and respected by his soldiers, peers
and superiors. He will be sorely missed by all.
135 PRO PATRIA 2008
He was born in Walkerton, Ontario. During
the Second World War he served with 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion in 6th British Airborne Division, being dropped in Normandy
on D-Day. In 1945, during the Battle of the
Rhine, he was captured but escaped. For meritorious service he was awarded the Military
Cross. After return to Canada he held a number of appointments in Prairie Command; in
1948 he attended Staff College. After the outbreak of the Korean War, he was posted to the
1st Battalion, The RCR, with whom he served
in the field, being awarded the MBE. From
1953 onward he was a member of the staff of
the Directorate of Infantry at Headquarters
in Ottawa. In August 1958, after the Joint
Services Staff College in Britain, he became
Second-in-Command of 2nd Battalion, taking command in August 1960. On completion
of this tour of duty he was appointed in May
1964 to the Directorate of Militia and Cadets,
moving to the Directorate of Cadets in 1965.
(The Royal Canadian Regiment; 1933-1966, by
G.R. Stevens)
COLONEL RICHARD MAURICE DILLON C.M., M.C., E.D., LL.D.,
F.C.A.E., P.Eng
(CO London and Oxford Fusiliers (3rd Bn, The RCR) 1954 to 1956; Hon LCol 4RCR 1986
to 1993; Colonel of the Regiment 1993 to 1997)
Colonel Richard Dillon was born
August 4, 1920. He passed away on
April 23, 2008 at Sunnybrook Health
Sciences Centre, Toronto, after a long
illness, borne with courage and his customary patience and grace.
Colonel Dillon joined the Royal Canadian Regiment in 1939, serving overseas in Italy until wounded at Ortona
on Christmas Eve, 1943. For bravery
in the field he was awarded the Military Cross. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario (BA Honours
Mathematics, gold medallist) and the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M. Sc. Engineering), Richard
Colonel R.M. Dillon C.M., M.C., E.D., LL.D., F.C.A.E., P.Eng
began his career as a civil engineer. In
1960 he was appointed the first Dean
of Engineering at the University of Western
Ontario and then moved, in 1971, to the Ontario government, serving as deputy minister
of a number of different ministries. He found
many ways to involve himself in the life of
his community and his country. In London
he served as Chair of the United Way, as a
church warden, political organizer and confidante to John Robarts during his tenure as
Premier of Ontario. He contributed as well to
more distant communities through work with
CIDA in Thailand, as President of Professional Engineers of Ontario, President of the
Canadian Corps of Commissionaires and as
a founding director of The Schmeelk Canada
Foundation. Throughout his life he worked
passionately to promote the strengthening of
ties between English and French Canada.
He maintained a lifelong association with the
Royal Canadian Regiment, serving as ColoColonel Dillon is invested as a Member of the Order
nel of the Regiment from 1993 until 1997.
of Canada (CM), Dec 29 1986
Appointed a Member of the Order of Canada
in 1986, he was a proud Canadian whose record of service through his long and full life has been
an inspiring example and source of pride to his family, colleagues and many friends.
136 PRO PATRIA 2008
Military Cross Citation
Captain Richard Maurice Dillon
Canada Gazette 25 Dec 1943
“In the advance of the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade on Assoro, 23 July 1943, two companies of The
Royal Canadian Regiment were ordered to skirt the
town during darkness and attack it from the rear.
When dawn broke, and the advance continued, a
change of plan became necessary, but owing to enemy interference and distance, wireless communication with forward companies was impossible.
Captain Dillon, with a section of carriers, was detailed to proceed to the forward companies and execute new orders. This officer led the carriers skilfully
across difficult rocky and mountainous country during daylight under constant observed enemy artillery, mortar and machine gun fire, and through
enemy patrols, contacted the forward companies and carried out his mission.
This officer displayed leadership and outstanding devotion to duty in carrying out his difficult
mission.”
Major B.C. Robinson MMM, CD
Major Bertram (B.C.) Robinson passed away on Wednesday November 6, 2008. He was a
member of the Canadian Armed Forces for 39 years.
B.C. Robinson proudly served in
England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany during World
War II. He was involved in the DDay drop into Normandy as well
as the Rhine drop ‘Operation Varsity’ and ‘Operation Gaylord’. He
would also proudly serve in Korea.
Further operations would see him
serve in Quebec during the FLQ
crisis and in Cyprus. The majority
of his years of service were with the
1st Battalion The Royal Canadian
Regiment, the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and the Airborne Regiment. He was the RSM of
1 RCR from August 1971 to August 1975.
Major Robinson was appointed as a Member of Military Merit on December 9, 1974. He was
also awarded the 1939-45 medal, UN Service Medal - Korea, UN Force in Cyprus Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Canadian Centennial Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee
Medal, and the ‘Ambassador for Peace’ award from the people of the Republic of Korea. B.C. will
be sadly missed by his family and many friends of the CF and the Regiment.
137 PRO PATRIA 2008
RHQ – AN UPDATE
WE HAVE MOVED.
It is true. After decades of talk and speculation Regimental Headquarters has relocated from London to Petawawa. The move began in August 2007 with the Regimental Major being the first
member posted to Petawawa. Summer and Fall 2008 would see the new Regimental Adjutant and
the new Regimental Warrant Officer take up post. The initial plan was to see half of the RHQ
staff in Petawawa while the remaining Regular Force soldiers would remain in London to assist
the Museum, Capital Campaign and the RCR Association. In December 2008 that changed and
the entire RHQ was then ordered to be moved to Petawawa including the Regimental Store which
had previously ceased Online Sales functions and had been operating on reduced store hours. After
several months of hard work and coordination the task is complete with a newly trimmed down
RHQ residing in Y-101 sharing residence with a very gracious 1st Battalion. It has been a most
interesting transition with every member of the staff being brand new as the old RHQ Staff was
transitioned out to new postings or previously scheduled for release from CF service.
The Regimental Museum and the National HQ of The RCR Association remain in London under
the guidance of Mr Claus Breede, Director/Curator and Mr Cliff Collison, Chairman The RCR
Association.
The move of RHQ from London to Petawawa has provided some challenges as you can well imagine. The Regiment has long been firmly established in Wolseley Barracks and significant changes
have been required in order to operate effectively. Every small detail needs to be addressed from
new contracts for daily practices to the establishment of a new Regimental Online Store and warehouse. The new soldiers are being trained in store operations, website updates, photography and
internet communication while continuing to manage their regular daily duties. Be advised that
RHQ Contact Information has changed:
Mail:
Regimental Headquarters
The Royal Canadian Regiment
Victoria Barracks
PO Box 9999, Stn Main
Petawawa, ON K8H 2X3
Other contact information can be found at www.theroyalcanadianregiment.ca . From there you
will find internet links to The RCR Main Site, The Discussion Forum, The Association, The Museum, The Blog and the Regimental Kitshop. If you haven’t signed up for The RCR Forum you
should visit, there are many fellow Royals waiting to greet you.
Pro Patria
Regimental Adjutant
138 PRO PATRIA 2008
Establishing a Legacy: The History of
the Royal Canadian Regiment
1883-1953
By Colonel Bernd Horn
Colonel Bernd Horn (The RCR) has completed the
first volume of the much anticipated two volume set
on the History of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
Part I starts with the creation of the Regiment in
1883, as an infantry school corps tasked to train
the Militia. It then goes on to chronicle the major
events in the Regiment’s history up 1953, including
the Northwest Rebellion, South Africa, both World
Wars and the Korean Conflict. Part II is expected to
be released in March, 2010.
In preparing this 384 page volume, Colonel Horn
has cleverly blended primary source material from
official reports, with the personal files, diaries, letters, and interviews with some of the participants
to create a fast moving populist history that quickly
grabs and holds the reader’s attention. In the process,
he has written a concise history of the Royal Canadian Regiment through the daring actions of its men
and women. In many ways, this volume pays tribute to the bravery and tenacity of the soldiers who
ultimately created the legacy of courage and professionalism that is the foundation of today’s Regiment.
Ordering Your Copy
Written in a fast flowing and easy to read narrative, Establishing a Legacy: The History of
the Royal Canadian Regiment 1883-1953, is a must have for anyone interested in understanding the first 70 years of the Regiment and the beginnings of its proud tradition of service to the nation. The book is available through the Regimental Kit Shop Online at:
www.theroyalcanadianregiment/kitshop at the following competitive pricing:
About the Author
Colonel Bernd Horn is an officer and the official Historian of the Royal Canadian Regiment. He
was the former Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion and is currently serving as the deputy
commander of Canada’s Special Operations Forces Command. He has authored, co-authored,
edited, and co-edited more than 20 books, including Paras Versus the Reich: Canada’s Paratroopers at War, 1942--45, Bastard Sons: An Examination of Canada’s Airborne Experience 1942-1995.
His forthcoming book Show No Fear: Daring Actions in Canadian Military History is due out
in June 2008.
139 PRO PATRIA 2008
The Royal Canadian Regiment Voluntary
Contributions Program
The purpose of the Voluntary Contributions Program (VCP) is to provide funding for Regimental initiatives benefiting individual members of the Regiment as well as major regimental projects
and operations. A portion of the contributions received will be invested to aid in the financing of
long-term projects, thus ensuring that the Regiment retains the capability to preserve historical
traditions and to define and promote the distinctiveness of the Regiment.
From its inception, the VCP has been pro-rated by rank with more senior ranks asked to contribute a larger individual monthly contribution than junior ranks.
FAQs
What VCP rate should I be paying?
Remaining in good standing with respect to the VCP is one criteria for the receipt of Regimental
departure gifts. Regimental departure gifts include the Regimental coin for less than 20 years
served in the Regiment and the Soldier of the Queen statuette for more than 20 years service.
• Pte
• Cpl\MCpl • Sgt\WO\MWO
• CWO
• OCDT\2Lt\Lt\Capt
• Maj\LCol\Col
• Gen
$3.00
$4.00
$7.00
$11.00
$8.00
$12.00
$17.00
What does VCP support?
• Free issue of accoutrements (e.g., initial issue of
badge, buttons, etc., PT shell, Sgt’s sash)
• Regimental Departure Gifts
• Tributes sent on behalf of Regiment (e.g., flowers)
• Support to Association Bursary
• Support to Pipes & Drums
• Support to Regimental operations
• Bookkeeping/Accountant/Banking
For more information visit
www.theroyalcanadianregiment.ca
Enhanced Departure Gift
Soldier of The Queen
140 PRO PATRIA 2008
REGIMENTAL STORE ORDER FORM
Place orders by:
Fax orders: (588)-5932
Web site: www.theroyalcanadianregiment.ca/kitshop
Email orders to: rcrrhq@bellnet.ca
Mail orders to: Regimental Store
RHQ, The RCR, Victoria Barracks
P.O. Box 9999, Stn Main
Petawawa, ON K8H 2X3
Name: (Please Print)
Mailing Address:
Postal Code: Rank: (if military)
Home Tel. #: Office Tel. #:
Name of Item Colour Size Qty WE DO NOT ACCEPT CHEQUES WITH YOUR ORDER
PLEASE SEND PAYMENT ON RECEIVING THE INVOICE.
ONCE WE RECEIVE THE PAYMENT WE WILL SEND OUT
THE ORDER
Method of Payment (check one)
Credit Card
Invoice
Price per Item PST 8%
GST 6%
Shipping &
Handling TOTAL
Credit Card# Account#
Expiry Date: Name on Card:
Authorized Signature:
141 PRO PATRIA 2008
Total Price
$10.00
THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT ASSOCIATION
BURSARY PROGRAM APPLICATION FORM
This application is available online at TheRCR.ca
1. Name of Applicant:
Address: Phone: (
Postal Code:
)
Date of Birth:
Email:
2. Secondary School(s) attended & dates:
3. What grade did you or will you complete this June?
4. School from which final marks were obtained previously or will be obtained for the
current scholastic year:
5. High School credits you intend to complete in the current scholastic year:
School Activities:
6. Community Activities:
(Community service is an important selection criterion and should be recored in detail.
Letters of reference or appreciation may be included.)
7. Name the institute of higher learning, which you plan to attend in the next scholastic year:
8. IS YOUR PARENT, GRANDPARENT, OR GURADIAN:
a. A serving member of The Royal Canadian Regiment?
b. A former member or Deceased member of The Royal Canadian Regiment?
OR
c. Are you a member or spouse of a member of The Royal Canadian Regiment?
OR
d. Are you a member in good standing of a Cadet Corps affiliated with or sponsored
by The Royal Canadian Regiment?
142 PRO PATRIA 2008
If the answer to items 8a, 8b or 8c is “yes” please provide the following information:
Name & Service Number of Parent, Grandparent, Guardian or Spouse who is serving or
has served in The RCR:
Dates of Service:
The RCR Unit or ERE:
9. THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATE IS TO BE COMPLETED WHEN APPLICATION IS
SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 8D ABOVE:
“It is certified that is a member in good standing
(Name of Applicant)
of
(RCR Unit, ERE, Cadet Corps – Number & Name)
(Cadet Corps Commanding Officer – Signature) (Date)
10. To access the family financial need, the following additional information is
required and will be treated in confidence:
a. Total of both parents’ or serving members gross income for the previous
calendar year:
b. Number of supported children, including applicant who are attending:
pre–school high school
public school university
11. P
lease attach to this application a reference from your secondary school
principal. If a cadet or serving soldier or spouse, a letter from your unit CO
must also be enclosed.
12. A
ll sections of this form must be completed and all pertinent documents,
including the acceptance to the institute of higher learning, submitted to the
bursary committee with the application (with exception of the final marks, if
not available at the time of application)
13. SIGNED: Applicant:
Parent, Guardian, CO:
Place: PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION BY
30 JULY.
PLEASE FORWARD A COPY OF YOUR FINAL
MARKS BY 31 AUGUST OF THE YEAR OF
APPLICATION.
CHECKLIST:
Have you enclosed: Application Form Final Marks (if available) Letter from CO (if applicable) Date:
To:
Bursary Committee, The RCR Association
Regimental Headquarters, The RCR
Wolseley Barracks, 701 Oxford St. East
London, ON N5Y 4T7
Tel: (519) 660-5136
Fax: (519) 660-5344
Principal’s Letter of Recommendation
Acceptance document from University/College
Community Service letters/references
NOTE: It is important to send your application with all the information complete. Failure to do
so can jeopardize your chances!! Use the checklist above to ensure all is in order.
143 PRO PATRIA 2008
CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM
Please complete and return to RHQ if your address has changed
OLD ADDRESS
Print Name, Rank, Decorations (or attach old label) Name of Spouse
House no., Street Name, Apt. no./P.O. Box/R.R. no.
City Province Postal Code
NEW ADDRESS
House no., Street Name, Apt. no./P.O. Box/R.R. no.
City Signature 144 PRO PATRIA 2008
Province Postal Code
Phone
A MOMENT IN HISTORY
Left to Right: Pte D.J. Finnigan, 1 RCR N Coy, 3 RCR BG, MCpl D.P. MacDonald 2 RCR H Coy, KPRT, Pte
S.J. Wilson, 2 RCR H Coy KPRT, Pte B.G.Langley 3 RCR N Coy, 3 RCR BG, Pte B.M. Hendel
N Coy 3 RCR BG, Cpl M.T. Bell 4 RCR N Coy BG.
2008 would see another significant milestone reached as we celebrate 125 years. This photograph is
representative of the many Royal Canadians on Operations in Afghanistan fighting side by side. They
are from all four battalions.
The Last Word
So ends Pro Patria 2008. Your feedback is always welcome. If you have suggestions please send them.
Work for Pro Patria 2009 is underway so send them soon. It is anticipated that Pro Patria 2009 will
be released in May 2009. Submissions are always welcome.
Please ensure that authors and photographers are identified.
Regimental Adjutant
145 PRO PATRIA 2008
148 PRO PATRIA 2008