Pro Patria 2015

Pro Patria 2015 

Regimental Journal of 

The Royal Canadian Regiment

PRO PATRIA 

October 2016, Issue 97 

Editor 

Capt Shawn Neville 

Technical Assistant: 

Cpl Alexander Perry 

Layout & Design: 

Lisa Twomey, Creative Spark Graphic Design 

creativespark@mac.com 

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: 

(613) 588-5932

PRO PATRIA 2015 

Issue 97 

Regimental Headquarters 

RHQ 2015 – Front row seated (L to R): 

WO S. Gillis (Regt WO), Maj B.Wright 

(Regt Maj), Capt S.Neville (Regt Adjt), Sgt 

J. Harris (Regt Warehouse NCO I/C) 

Back row standing (L to R): 

Cpl A. Perry (RHQ Clk), MCpl D. O’Hara 

(Full Dress Stores), MCpl S. Ste Croix 

(RVCC), Cpl J.Dugalic, Cpl A. Carello, and 

Cpl G. Joyner 

Fellow Royal Canadians, 

Pro Patria 2015 would not have been possible without the production of articles by the 

Battalions, Association Branches, ERE personnel, affiliated Cadet Corps and individuals. 

As well, the assistance and guidance of a number of individuals and three in particular; 

Capt Ross Appleton (Ret’d), Lisa Twomey of Creative Spark Design, and Cpl Alex Perry 

made my task as editor a great deal easier. 

Please permit me to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you. 

Shawn Neville 

Captain 

Regimental Adjutant 

PRO PATRIA 2015 1

CONTENTS 

Colonel of the Regiment ..................................................................................... 4 

A Word from Gen. J.H. Vance ............................................................................. 6 

Regimental Council ............................................................................................. 7 

Battle Honours ..................................................................................................... 9 

Regimental Mentors .......................................................................................... 10 

1 RCR ................................................................................................................. 11 

2 RCR ................................................................................................................. 25 

3 RCR ................................................................................................................. 46 

4 RCR ................................................................................................................. 62 

ERE .................................................................................................................... 75 

The RCR Association ......................................................................................... 91 

Individual Submission – The Bell and Horns Gong ......................................... 105 

The RCR Museum ............................................................................................ 109 

Individual Submission – A Royal Canadian returns Home ............................... 115 

Cadets ..............................................................................................................120 

Individual Submission – CAOS and Leadership: The Combat Arms Officer 

Selection Board 1985 ...................................................................................... 123 

Departed Comrades ........................................................................................ 126 

2 PRO PATRIA 2015

CONTENTS 

Individual Submission – Royal Canadians on Parade ...................................... 132 

Individual Submission – With 2 RCR in Korea 1951-1952 ............................... 134 

Individual Submission – Sons of Scotland ...................................................... 167 

The Royal Canadian Regiment Voluntary Contributions Program ................... 170 

Forms ............................................................................................................... 171 

The Last Word ................................................................................................. 176 


COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT 

Greetings to all Royal Canadians and friends of The 

Regiment. In this, my first opportunity to address the 

entire regimental family I would like to say three things 

concerning the team, governance, and our large family. 

I am deeply honoured to have been asked to represent 

you as your Colonel. I must thank many people who are 

helping me settle in. Firstly, I am deeply grateful for the fine 

work Colonel Joe Aitchison has done and for the example, 

advice and other assistance he has provided to me in my 

first months. One of Colonel Joe’s recent achievements 

was to obtain National Capital Commission acceptance for 

the bust of our Colonel-in-Chief, His Royal Highness Prince MGen (ret’d) J.I. Fenton, OMM, CD 

Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, to be accepted into Canada’s 

crown collection for display in Rideau Hall. As well, I have been helped considerably in my 

first months by our professional and hard-working team at RHQ led by our Regimental 

Major, Major Brian Wright, the Regimental Adjutant, Captain Shawn Neville, who in July 

succeeded Captain Ross Appleton, and the Regimental Warrant Officer, WO Steve Gillis. 

RHQ serves The Regiment and all individual Royal Canadians wherever they may be. 

Secondly, I am impressed by how deeply involved our senior regimental leadership is, 

and the energy and skill they bring to the task in supporting the chain of command while 

at the same time serving our soldiers and preserving and building on our regiment’s 

traditions and reputation. Our Senior Serving Royal Canadian, General Jonathan Vance, 

despite a crushing schedule and responsibility for the entire Armed Forces, remains 

engaged and supportive. The Chairperson of the Regimental Senate, Major-General 

Omer Lavoie, guides strategic planning and decision-making. The Chairperson of the 

Regimental Executive Committee, Colonel Bruce Ewing, leads and coordinates the work 

of all regimental elements in designing and supporting major regimental activities and 

preserving or building upon our ability to support our soldiers. The Regimental Colonel, 

Colonel Peter Scott and the Regimental CWO, Chief Warrant Officer Stu Hartnell speak 

for our soldiers, NCOs and officers in CAF HR decisions, while the Regimental Secretary 

Lieutenant-Colonel Alex Ruff supports the entire Regimental Council and facilitates 

innumerable projects. These dedicated, capable and hard-working leaders – who all have 

regular day jobs, are an impressive team for the governance of The Regiment. Their vision 

will be our future. 

Thirdly, our regimental family is a diverse, multi-generational group. I warmly welcome 

and include in our family those members of other corps and regiments who serve in and 

with our battalions: their special skills add immeasurably to our infantry capabilities. I 


COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT 

also specifically include the spouses, families and loved ones of those who serve. Lastly, 

I mention those who wear, or once wore the uniform. Our veterans’ service ranges from 

World War II, through Korea, the Cold War, Peacekeeping, the Balkans and Afghanistan. 

The Regiment’s unifying and over-arching body for all these generations is of course the 

Regimental Association – chaired by retired Lieutenant-Colonel Bob McBride. I urge two 

things of all Royal Canadians in order to make our family stronger: especially for leaders in 

battalions, ERE Mentors and Association Branch executives – please keep RHQ informed 

of significant events in the lives of our members, such as illnesses, births and deaths so that 

RHQ can provide suitable acknowledgement to the member and their family. Secondly, 

we must try harder to maintain the comradeship that sustains us during our military service 

after we become civilians. Many become isolated and adrift when they leave the friendship 

and formal structure of military life – please, everyone, do all you can to help those leaving 

the service to join a Branch of the Association, so that they can continue the personal 

connection among colleagues – young and not-so-young – who have gone through similar 

experiences. We in the regimental family have a duty of care for ALL who serve – which 

continues after their military service is complete. For those still serving who may have had 

little contact with the Association, you may find it worthwhile to join a Branch when on an 

ERE posting. Serving in a city or in a large headquarters is quite different from battalion 

life for both the member and the family: in these situations too the Association can provide 

friendship and support. Let’s reach out to those who have left our ranks and remind them 

that they are still valued members of this family. 

Pro Patria. 


Message to the regiment from the Senior 

Serving Royal Canadian, General J.H. Vance, 

CMM, MSC, CD, Chief of the Defence Staff 

Fellow Royal Canadians, 

Another eventful year has passed and with it some fine 

examples of professional soldiering. I refer specifically 

to the excellent work done by our battalions and 

generally by our fellow Royal Canadians everywhere. 

In Eastern Europe 1 RCR trained Ukrainian forces in a 

deployment which came with no shortage of language 

and cultural challenges, to say nothing of the logistical 

and military ones. In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 

2 RCR provided yeoman support to the Government 

of Canada’s effort to bring Syrian refugees to Canada, 

while in the United States, 3 RCR participated in 

Gen JH Vance, CMM, MSC, CD 

exercises and training with our American allies.At home 

4 RCR continued to excel in their force generation and 

training role, while ERE Royals carried the torch at the Infantry School and in headquarters 

and training establishments throughout the country as well as in missions and individual 

deployments abroad. 

Throughout my travels I am consistently reminded of the respect and deference which is 

accorded to The RCR – our reputation precedes us. But I am also mindful of the burden 

that this imposes on us to uphold the highest standards of discipline and professionalism. 

Any person’s impression of The RCR is always bound to be coloured by the last Royal 

Canadian with whom they had dealings. Therefore it is every Royal Canadian’s duty to 

hand off each contact confident in the knowledge that the regiment’s reputation will be 

preserved for the next encounter. 

As always I wish everyone good luck and good soldiering as we uphold the standards of 

our regiment. Pro Patria. 

Jonathan H. Vance 

General 


THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT COUNCIL 

THE REGIMENTAL SENATE 

Appointment As of December 2015 As of printing October 2016 

Chair BGen O.H. Lavoie, OMM, MSC, CD MGen O.H. Lavoie, OMM, MSC, CD 

Regimental Secretary LCol A.T. Ruff, MSC, CD LCol P.A. Lockhart, CD 

Members 

Colonel of The Regiment MGen J.I. Fenton, OMM, CD (Ret’d) MGen J.I. Fenton, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 

Former Colonels of The Regiment 

Col W.J. Aitchison, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 

MGen W.M. Holmes, MBE, MSM, CD (Ret’d) 

MGen T.F. de Faye, CMM, CD (Ret’d) 

Col W.J. Aitchison, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 

MGen W.M. Holmes, MBE, MSM, CD (Ret’d) 

MGen T.F. de Faye, CMM, CD (Ret’d) 

Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel 4 RCR Col W.J. Pettipas, CD (Ret’d) Col W.J. Pettipas, CD (Ret’d) 

Serving General Officers of The RCR 

Gen J.H. Vance, CMM, MSC, CD 

MGen D.W. Thompson, OMM, MSC, CD 

BGen M.P. Jorgensen, OMM, MSM, CD 

BGen O.H. Lavoie, OMM, MSC, CD 

BGen S.J.R. Whelan, OMM, MSM, CD 

Gen J.H. Vance, CMM, MSC, CD 

MGen D.W. Thompson, OMM, MSC, CD 

MGen O.H. Lavoie, OMM, MSC, CD 

BGen M.E.K. Campbell, CD 

BGen S.J.R. Whelan, OMM, MSM, CD 

BGen G.R. Smith, MSM, CD 

Chairperson REC Col R.B. Ewing, OMM, CD Col R.B. Ewing, OMM, CD 

Regimental Colonel Col P.K. Scott, CD Col P.K. Scott, CD 

Chairperson The RCR Association LCol R.W. McBride, OMM, CD (Ret’d) LCol R.W. McBride, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 

Chairperson of the Advisory Board 

(as appointed by the Colonel of The Regiment) 

Vacant 

Vacant 

Chairperson the Museum Board of Directors Mr John Mombourquette Mr John Mombourquette 

Chairperson The RCR Trust Col W.N. Peters, CD (Ret’d) Col T. Tarrant, CD (Ret’d) 

Regimental Chief Warrant Officer CWO S.G. Hartnell, MMM, MSM, CD CWO S.G. Hartnell, MMM, MSM, CD 

Immediate Past Chair of the Senate Gen J.H. Vance, CMM, MSC, CD Gen J.H. Vance, CMM, MSC, CD 

Immediate Past RCWO CWO M.L. Baisley, MMM, MSC, CD (Ret’d) CWO M.L. Baisley, MMM, MSC, CD (Ret’d) 

AAny other persons appointed by the Chair of the Regimental Senate 

THE REGIMENTAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 


Chairperson Col R.B. Ewing, OMM, CD Col R.B. Ewing, OMM, CD 

Regimental Secretary LCol A.T. Ruff, MSC, CD LCol P.A. Lockhart, CD 

Members 

Regimental Colonel Col P.K. Scott, CD Col P.K. Scott, CD 

CO 1 RCR LCol J.C. Guiney, CD LCol S.K. MacBeth, MSM, CD 

CO 2 RCR LCol S.R. Murphy, CD LCol S.R. Murphy, CD 

CO 3 RCR LCol W.P. Graydon, CD LCol W.P.J. Graydon, CD 

CO 4 RCR LCol M.W. Anderson, CD LCol M.W. Anderson, CD 

Chairperson The RCR Trust Fund Col W.N. Peters, CD (Ret’d) Col T. Tarrant, CD (Ret’d) 

Chairperson The RCR Association LCol R.W. McBride, OMM, CD (Ret’d) LCol R.W. McBride, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 


THE REGIMENTAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ... CONTINUED 


RCWO CWO S.G. Hartnell, MMM, MSM, CD CWO S.G. Hartnell, MMM, MSM, CD 

RSM 1 RCR CWO L.D.J. Lavoie, MSM, CD CWO L.D.J. Lavoie, MSM, CD 

RSM 2 RCR CWO K.R. Venus, CD CWO K.R. Venus, CD 

RSM 3 RCR CWO W.P. Fudge, CD CWO W.P. Fudge, CD 

RSM 4 RCR CWO H. Klausnitzer, CD MWO J. Burke, CD 

Treasurer – Regimental Major Maj B.J. Wright, CD Maj B.J. Wright, CD 

Secretary – Regimental Adjutant Capt S.B. Neville, CD Capt S.B. Neville, CD 

Any other persons appointed by the Chair of the REC 

NON-GOVERNING BODIES WITHIN THE REGIMENT 

THE RCR TRUST 


Chairman Col W.N. Peters, CD (Ret’d) Col T. Tarrant, CD (Ret’d) 

Vice-Chairman CWO D.W. Preeper, MMM, CD (Ret’d) CWO D.W. Preeper, MMM, CD (Ret’d) 

Treasurer Maj W.D.O. Nolan, OMM, CD (Ret’d) Maj W.D.O. Nolan, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 

Secretary Maj G.C. Carbert, CD (Ret’d) Maj G.C. Carbert, CD (Ret’d) 

Chairman Association – ex officio LCol R.W. McBride, OMM, CD (Ret’d) LCol R.W. McBride, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 

Regimental Secretary – ex officio LCol A.T. Ruff, MSC, CD LCol P.A. Lockhart, CD 

Regimental Major – ex officio Maj B.J. Wright, CD Maj B.J. Wright, CD 

Member BGen G.J.P. O’Brien, OMM, MSC, CD (Ret’d) BGen G.J.P. O’Brien, OMM, MSC, CD (Ret’d) 

Member CWO R.P.M. Talach, CD CWO R.P.M. Talach, CD 

THE RCR MUSEUM BOARD 


Chairman Mr John Mombourquette Mr John Mombourquette 

Honorary LCol 4 RCR – ex officio Col W.J. Pettipas, CD Col W.J. Pettipas, CD 

Regimental Secretary – ex officio LCol A.T. Ruff, MSC, CD LCol P.A. Lockhart, CD 

Regimental Major – ex officio Maj B.J. Wright, CD Maj B.J. Wright, CD 

Regimental Chief Warrant Officer – ex officio CWO S.G. Hartnell, MMM, MSM, CD CWO S.G. Hartnell, MMM, MSM, CD 

Chairman Trust – ex officio Col W.N. Peters, CD (Ret’d) Col T. Tarrant, CD (Ret’d) 

Secretary, Director/Curator Dr. Georgiana Stanciu Dr. Georgiana Stanciu 

Members Col M.E.K. Campbell, CD BGen M.E.K. Campbell, CD 

COS 31 CBG – ex officio 

Capt C. Collison, CD (Ret’d) 

Dr. J. Vance 

Ms. Ann Fleming 

Mr. P. Fox 

Capt C. Collison, CD (Ret’d) 

Dr. J. Vance 

Ms. Ann Fleming 

Mr. P. Fox 

LCol D.G. Fearon, MSM, CD 


The Royal Canadian Regiment 

BATTLE HONOURS 

(The battle honours in bold are entitled to be borne on the Regimental Colour of each Battalion.) 

Detroit Scarpe, 1917, 1918 San Leonardo 

Niagara Hill 70 The Gully 

Defence of Canada, 1812-15 Passchendaele Ortona 

Saskatchewan Amiens Cassino II 

North-West Canada, 1885 Drocourt -Queant Gustav Line 

Paardeberg Hindenburg Line Liri Valley 

South Africa, 1899-1900 Canal du Nord Hitler Line 

Ypres 1915, 1917 Cambrai, 1918 Gothic Line 

Gravenstafel Pursuit to Mons Lamone Crossing 

St. Julien France & Flanders, 1915-18 Misano Ridge 

Festubert, 1915 Landing in Sicily Rimini Line 

Mount Sorrel Valguarnera San Martino-San Lorenzo 

Somme, 1916 Agira Pisciatello 

Pozieres Adrano Fosso Vecchio 

Flers-Courcelette Regalbuto Italy, 1943-1945 

Ancre Heights Sicily 1943 Apeldoorn 

Arras 1917, 1918 Landing at Reggio North-West Europe, 1945 

Vimy 1917 Motta Montecorvino Korea, 1951-1953 

Arleux Campobasso Afghanistan 

Torella 

Colonel-in-Chief: 

Colonel of the Regiment: 

Allied with: 

Field Marshall HRH The Prince Philip 

Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, OM, OIM, GBE, ID, AC, ONZ, 

QSO, GCL, CC, CMM, CD, PC 

MGen J.I. Fenton, OMM, CD (Ret’d) 

The Rifles 

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers 

The Jamaica Regiment 

NB. A request has been forwarded to Directorate of History and Heritage for approval to have AFGHANISTAN 

emblazoned on future Regimental Colours 


REGIMENTAL MENTORS 

Regimental Mentors (typically Lieutenant-Colonels), Assistant Mentors (typically Majors or 

Captains), and Other Ranks Mentors (typically Chief Warrant Officers or Master Warrant 

Officers) will be appointed by the Regimental Colonel (currently Colonel Peter Scott) and directed to 

maintain a system of personal communication with each member of The Regiment on the list provided 

to the Mentors annually by the Regimental Colonel. Mentorship will be based on the most logical mix 

of geography 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 geographic areas, units or circumstances. Unit Mentors 

will be the Commanding Officer and Regimental Sergeant-Major. The whole system of Regimental 

Mentors is presided over by the Regimental Colonel, with assistance from the Deputy Regimental 

Colonel (LCol James Price) and the Regimental Chief Warrant Officer (CWO Stu Hartnell). 

The Royal Canadian Regiment has Mentors located across the country and internationally. Visit the 

Regimental Website at www.thercr.ca or contact Regimental Headquarters to confirm who the Mentor 

in your area is currently. 

MENTOR REGIONS and UNITS 

Current as of 27 September 2016 

1. 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment: LCol Steve MacBeth; CWO Lewis Lavoie. 

2. 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment: LCol Shane Murphy; CWO Kevin Venus. 

3. 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment: LCol Will Graydon; CWO Bill Fudge. 

4. 4th Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment: LCol Martin Anderson; MWO Jeffrey Burke. 

5. Petawawa-Based ERE: LCol Kris Reeves (Petawawa, Pembroke, North Bay, Sudbury, and 

Northern Ontario); CWO Bill Fudge; Maj Brian Wright (Asst Mentor). 

6. NCR and Quebec: LCol Eric Pellicano; Maj Greg Miller (Asst Mentor); and MWO Keith 

Dube. 

7. Ontario: LCol Jason Guiney (Toronto Area and Overall Senior Ontario Mentor); LCol 

Brian Healey (Kingston Area); MWO Wallace Rideout (Kingston Area); and Maj Mike 

Plaunt (Meaford). 

8. Atlantic Canada: LCol Alex Haynes; and Maj Mike Blanchette (Asst Mentor). 

9. Northern and Western Canada: LCol Rob Tessellar; and WO Mike Womack 

10. CANSOFCOM: LCol Jay Lachine; and CWO Bruce Ball. 

11. USA: LCol Mark Anthony 

12. Other Internationally Posted Personnel (including the UK and Europe): LCol James Price 

(Deputy Regimental Colonel); and CWO Stu Hartnell (Regimental Chief Warrant Officer). 


1st Battalion 


COMMANDING OFFICER’S 

INTRODUCTION 

2015 was a very busy year for the 1st Battalion, marked by 

transition and an operational deployment to Ukraine. The 

battalion’s early focus targeted a return to mechanized 

competencies in anticipation of a 2016 work-up cycle to 

Army high readiness. In 2015, 1 RCR began to receive the 

upgraded LAV 6; earmarked to replace the venerable but 

tired LAV III variant. In many ways, the upgraded vehicle 

represents the fielding of an entirely new vehicle platform; 

requiring specific training certifications beyond that offered 

by the LAV III. Learning to integrate LAV 6 nuances during 

the conduct of mixed-fleet operations presented both 

challenges and opportunities to strengthen capabilities 

and knowledge. 

As the battalion neared the end of its 2014 high readiness 

window, the Government of Canada directed the 

establishment of Operation UNIFIER, a military training 

mission to Ukraine. 1 RCR was designated as the lead 

mounting unit and formed the ~120 soldier core of the 

task force based around Charles Company. The Task 

Force quickly conducted training and deployed in August, 

whereupon they built a number of training programs for 

Ukrainian soldiers which covered combat enabling skillsets 

sought by the Ukrainians. In what turned out to be 

a reciprocal learning environment, 1 RCR is confident 

that the skills imparted will improve the survivability and 

warfighting skills of Ukrainian soldiers. 

LCol J.C. Guiney, CD 

1 RCR 

While the Task Force was deployed the rest of the battalion 

continued to train. 1 RCR supported training for the Primary 

Reserve during Ex STALWART GUARDIAN, completed 

platoon level mechanized ranges, and participated in 

combined training with the Royal Canadian Dragoons. 

In November the Government of Canada committed to 

resettling and welcoming a significant number of Syrian 

refugees to Canada. To assist, the Canadian Armed Forces 

identified elements in support. As part of this, 1 RCR 

CWO L.D.J. Lavoie, MSM, CD 


contributed Duke’s Company for employment in the domestic side of the plan known as 

Operation PROVISION. 

As 2015 drew to a close the deployed Task Force, with Charles Company, prepared for a 

relief-in-place as 3rd Battalion, the Royal 22nd Regiment assumed the Op UNIFIER mantle 

in the early New Year. After some much deserved leave, 1st Battalion will reconstitute and 

quickly orient on the task ahead. 

CWO Lavoie and I are extremely proud of the tremendous work soldiers of 1 RCR have 

accomplished over this past year; both in Canada and deployed operationally. The 

exceptional capability of our soldiers and leadership, at all levels, has ensured mission 

success and our readiness to accept the challenges which lay ahead in 2016. 

Pro Patria 

LCol J.C. Guiney, CD 

Commanding Officer 

The Duke’s Company 

It has been an exceptionally interesting year for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Company (The 

Duke’s Coy). As a contingent of the battalion deployed to Ukraine, an amalgamation 

of soldiers from Bravo and Charles formed what became known as the “Super Dukes”. 

Together the company would undergo a rigorous training schedule to include the 

deployment of 1 Platoon to Resolute Bay, Nunavut, as part of NOREX 2015, the training of 

reserve soldiers during Ex STALWART GUARDIAN, section and platoon mounted live fire 

ranges, and preparations to assist Syrian refugees as part of Op PROVISION. 

As the unsympathetic temperatures of January set in on the Petawawa training area, 

The Duke’s company set out to conduct winter survival 

training during Ex FROZEN DEMON. The training included 

Ironman 2015: Pte Graham theory lessons on improvised shelters, siting considerations, 

and Pte Sheshi sprinting to the and how to trap various animals in winter conditions. As 

finish during the 2015 Ironman classes concluded, platoons broke off to construct their 

Competition. 

shelters. Soldiers quickly remembered that one should not 

over dress while feverishly working in a cold environment. 

Ironman 2015 2: Pte Baumgartner 

A primary focus of all soldiers was to gather the enormous 

on his way to the finish. 

amount of wood that is required to keep warm throughout 

Kowang San 2015 1: Members of the night. Also worked into the exercise, was a penetration 

1 Platoon completing the weapons demonstration of the C19 Claymore. Many of the soldiers 

assembly stand during the 2015 were very impressed with the force generated by the 

Kowang San competition. claymore and were very interested in the devastating arc of 

fire produced by the weapon. 

Kowang San 2015 2: Members of 

2 platoon starting off on the base 

With Ex FROZEN DEMON behind us, it was time to prepare 

obstacle course during the 2015 

for Ex COLD ROYAL. The battalion level exercise pitted The 

Kowang San competition. 

Duke’s and Bravo Company against Charles Company who 


filled the role of enemy force. Charles’s Company, developed cunning delay positions 

in an attempt to slow the battalions advance. However, Duke’s would counter with an 

aggressive scheme of maneuver to clear their area of operation. Demonstrating the 

strength of decentralized command, Duke’s coy split their forces across two axis of advance 

as 1 and 3 platoon were pushed forward and operated independently as 2 platoon was 

held in depth as a maneuver element. The lead platoons maintained good momentum 

by launching calculated hasty attacks as they encountered pockets of Charles Company 

personnel on the advance. Meeting all timings set by the CO, Duke’s were consolidated 

into a hasty defence by nightfall on day 2 of the exercise. Once set, an aggressive 2 day 

patrol matrix was developed in preparation for a coordinated final attack that took place in 

the early hours on the 5th day of the exercise; thus, dispelling the final elements of Charles 

Company personnel from the training area. 

With the company and battalion level winter warfighting training complete The Duke’s 

focus became 1 platoon and their preparations for NOREX 15. NOREX is a 4th Canadian 

Division exercise that involved elements of 31 Canadian Brigade Group and 2 Canadian 

Mechanized Brigade Group. The 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group also took part and 

provided their expert knowledge regarding operations in a hostile environment such as 

the Canadian Arctic. Prior to departing for Resolute Bay, 1 platoon took part in Ex FRIGID 

FORESTER at CFB Borden with the Grey and Simcoe Foresters they would accompany 


on NOREX. During this exercise, the soldiers would solidify their winter warfighting skills 

that were honed during Ex FROZEN DEMON and Ex COLD ROYAL. In addition, the 

soldiers developed new standard operating procedures (SOPs) with the Grey and Simcoe 

Foresters, became familiar with the Lee Enfield rifle, and packed the Douglas Commercial 

3s (DC-3) aircraft that would transport kit to Resolute Bay, Nunavut. During NOREX 15, 

soldiers of 1 platoon developed advanced survival skills during classes with the Canadian 

Rangers and conducted numerous LOSV patrols with and without the qamutiks, traditional 

wooden sleds. Of great interest to the soldiers were the ranges that were conducted in 

order to test the operability of our weapons in such frigid temperatures and to test various 

approaches to maintaining their weapons. 

For the remainder of The Duke’s, it was time to begin the winter/spring course cycle with 

a primary focus on the new Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) 6. With upgrades to the body, 

communications, and targeting system the battalion began running both LAV 6 driver 

and crew commander conversion courses. Even with the complications that arise with any 

new vehicle numerous courses were successfully conducted. As the course cycle came to 

a close the battalions focus shifted to the Ukraine and a possible deployment that would 

eventually come to fruition. This resulted in numerous manning changes during the PCF 

cycle. As a result, Major Joseph Tobin took command of the “Super Duke’s” in June. 

First on the table for Maj Tobin was The Duke’s involvement in Ex STALWART GUARDIAN. 

Ex STALWART GUARDIAN is a reserve force exercise that witnessed two Territorial Battle 

Groups (TBGs) being force generated from across three separate Canadian Brigade Groups. 

1 RCR’s contribution was to instruct the TBG’s on the planning and siting considerations 

regarding an area defensive position prior to the commencement of the force-on-force 

portion of the exercise. However, in order to do so, the company and its leadership had 

to review defensive doctrine. Therefore, it was time to get into the pams and into the 

trenches. Once all theory was covered, the company deployed to the training area in 

order to prepare a company defensive position where all lessons would be conducted. A 

true appreciation was developed for the amount of supplies, time, and labour required in 

developing a deliberate company level defensive position. 

As the theory concluded, and some hard lessons learned, it was time for the force-on-force 

to begin. The Duke’s Coy became a part of a Royal Canadian Dragoon Battle Group (BG) 

for the force-on-force portion of the exercise. To kick things off, 4 platoon, of the “Super 

Dukes”, conducted an aggressive helicopter insertion in order to define and disrupt the 

enemy. As information was pushed to the rear the remainder prepared to conduct a water 

crossing at Mountbatten Bridge. 1 platoon would be the first to cross and battled hard to 

secure the far side as 2 and 3 platoons acted as the breakout force. In the face of such an 

overpowering push, and still being harassed from their depth, the TBGs could not help but 

to fall back onto their main defensive area. With the bridge site secure the RCD pushed 

across the bridge and Duke’s LAVs picked up their dismounts. The BG, now consolidated 

on the far side of the bridge, blasted onto the defensive position. With the offensive 

over, it would be the TBGs turn to conduct an offensive; however, the BG conducted a 

delay instead of a static area defence. With the bridge toughly secure, it would take a 

considerable amount of time before the TBGs could gain any momentum. However, they 


would eventually gain lodgement on the BG side and set an ambush as the BG was called 

to conduct yet another offensive. 

With August complete, Duke’s Coy made its way into a competitive September as the 

final preparations were made for 1 RCR’s Ironman team. The team had a challenging 

training camp and requested to send eight of its members to Gagetown to take part in 2 

RCR’s annual Bushman Competition. The eight representatives, four teams of two, faired 

very well, in what amounted to a mini competition for the 1 RCR delegates. Three of the 

four teams placed in the top ten coming, 2nd (Pte Graham/Pte Sheshi) 6th (Lt Little/Pte 

Baumgartner) and 9th (MCpl Campbell/MCpl Dagg) overall. The fourth team consisting of 

MCpl Briggs and Cpl Kack would go on to win the Grandmasters division. The 2015 1 RCR 

Ironman team, anchored by Pte Sheshi, Pte Graham, and Pte Baumgartner, who finished 

4th, 5th, and 17th respectively, finished 2nd overall this year. 

Ranges would be the theme of October as Individual Battle Task Standards had to be 

completed in time for the section and platoon attack ranges. The new LAV 6s and their 

crews were put to the test during the section and platoon live fire ranges as they were 

conducted mounted by day and night. The scenarios were challenging as both ranges 

were conducted in a combat team context so that commanders at all levels were forced 

to think about the bigger picture, ensuring that their advance maintained battle field 

geometry. With speed and controlled aggression, the soldiers of The Duke’s Company 

laid waste to both the section and platoon ranges and made sure that the remediation 

crews earned their pay. 

The training calendar concluded with a virtual battle simulation exercise, Ex DUKE’S 

ADVANCE, which was meant to prepare The Duke’s Coy for an RCD led Combat Team 

exercise, Ex CHARGING DRAGOON. Ex DUKE’S ADVANCE was a four day virtual battle 

simulation exercise which included the company leadership, LAV crews, and enablers. 

Even though the exercise would have some technical problems, a great appreciation was 

gained for the control measures that are required to effectively launch a hasty combat 

team attack. On 23 November, The Duke’s, conducted a road move in vicinity of Renfrew, 

ON, in order to launch Ex CHARGING DRAGOON. The beginning phase of the exercise 

called for the combat team to conduct a deliberate advance back towards the Petawawa 

training area over a two day period. On the 3rd day, the combat team launched an attack 

on an enemy force that had set up an area defence on the Mattawa Plains. Once the 

enemy was destroyed, the company would develop a highly synchronized area defensive 

battle. As the RCD element conducted a rearward passage of lines, The Duke’s Company 

would destroy all pursuing enemy within the main defensive area. 

As November came to a close, The Duke’s Company would prepare for Op PROVISION to 

assist with the influx of Syrian refugees to Canada. With great uncertainty surrounding the 

operation, the soldiers prepared for numerous tasks and underwent cultural awareness 

training and the delicate approach to humanitarian relief. Regardless of the task, The Duke 

of Edinburgh’s company will be capable of taking on any challenge that may come their 

way. 


Sent: December-23-15 3:51 AM 

Subject: Ortona Toast in Ukraine 

Sir, Brian, 

Grateful if you could distribute this to the wider Regimental net. 

Yesterday the Task Force celebrated the 132nd Regimental Birthday in Ukraine. Due to 

the training schedule on this end, we celebrated a day late. We were joined by a few of 

our US and Ukr colleagues who are remaining here over the holidays and the IPSC (base) 

Commander gave us a small plaque in recognition of our celebration. We were also 

fortunate enough to promote a few deserving NCMs: 

Accelerated Promoted to Cpl: Ptes Mohammed and Best (RCCS) 

Promoted to Sgt: MCpl Ritch 

Promoted to WO: Sgts Miltmore and Thornhill 

Following the Ortona Toast the MCpls and below had a beer call and BBQ and the 

Officers and SNCOs went to a memorable Regimental Birthday Dinner. We will conduct 

our final 2015 Regimental activities on Christmas day- the Officer/SCNO and Pte/MCpl 

hockey games will be in the morning, followed by the Men’s Mess Dinner in the evening. 

Attached are a few photos of yesterday’s events. 

We are in the final stages of our deployment and the TF will be back on home soil in less 

than a month. All is going very well over here and, as expected, our troops have taken 

ownership of the mission and have received high praise from our Allies and Host Nation. 

We look forward to reuniting with our Regimental colleagues in the next few weeks. 

Pro Patria! 

Lieutenant-Colonel Jason C. Guiney 

Commander, Joint Task Force – Ukraine 


Bravo Company 

“Remember, be good humans”. The famous closing words that, no doubt, any former 

member of Bravo Company will know so well. 2015 proved to be a busy year for the 1st 

Battalion, having to say good-bye to a number of senior Officers and Non-Commissioned 

Officers and saying hello to a number of old, but familiar, faces. 

The start of the New Year proved to be a cold, but educational time for Bravo Company 

as we kicked off 2015 with winter survival training. Theory lessons were conducted prior to 

departing for the Petawawa training area and soldiers learned the fundamentals necessary 

for surviving in cold weather conditions. Once the theory portion was complete, all 

members of Bravo Company were given practical lessons on how to build shelters, make 

fires, and snare wildlife. They were also taught how to build improvised snow shoes out 

of sticks and 550 cord, and the importance of a properly built shelter. The week ended 

with Bravo Company soldiers building and lighting signal fires and a dismounted move 

to a link-up area. Once soldiers were taught the fundamentals of winter survival, Bravo 

Company transitioned to winter warfare, taking the offensive alongside The Duke of 

Edinburgh’s Company (The Duke’s Company) in a combined effort to aggressively patrol 

and destroy the enemy (Charles Company). Bravo Company members gained valuable 

experience in both methods of warfare as the exercise transitioned from offensive to 

defensive operations which saw Bravo Company occupying a hasty defensive position. 

After the completion of Ex COLD ROYAL and a number of Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) 6.0 

conversion courses, what was rumoured soon came to be a reality. Manning requirements 

for Op UNIFIER along with the anticipated requirements for Ex STALWART GUARDIAN 

2015 led to the unfortunate, temporary stand down of Bravo Company effective June 

2015. The bulk of Bravo Company moved to The Duke’s Company and formed the “Super 

Duke’s Company” with a number of senior Non-Commissioned Officers being deployed 

on Op UNIFIER. Some notable mentions from honorary Bravo Company members are 

Pte Sheshi placing 1st for the Battalion in the 2015 Petawawa Ironman competition (4th 

overall), and Lt Little finishing 5th for the Battalion (1st for Battalion 

Officers, 23rd overall). 

A member of Charles Company fires the RPK light machine gun alongside a 

partnered Ukrainian soldier on a Canadian machine gun range in Verblyany, 

Ukraine. 


An Urban Operations Instructor 

from Charles Company leads team 

training in Goresty, Ukraine. 

A Ukrainian BMP-2 conducts 

a live fire application in 

Verblyany, Ukraine 

Op UNIFIER Roto 0 

Joint Task Force Ukraine, 1RCR in Ukraine 

In April 2015 1 RCR, as the Canadian Army’s high readiness unit, received the warning 

order to deploy to Ukraine and provide training to Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MOD) 

soldiers in order to increase their survivability and lethality in the Anti-Terrorist Operations 

zone (ATO). This training would be delivered under 7 distinct Lines of effort: 1) Small Team 

Training (Infantry Coy), 2) CIED/EOD, 3) Military Police Operations, 4) Flight Safety, 5) 

Medical, 6) Logistics and 7) Enhanced Military cooperation. Time was short and planning 

furious as the initial compressed timelines had the TF expecting a May deployment. 

As the situation developed and more information filtered its way down from CJOC to the 

TF HQ the mission began to become more clearly understood. The TF Comd designate, 

Lieutenant Colonel Jason Guiney, and LoE 1 Officer Commanding, Maj Ben Rogerson, 

attended meetings in Germany that reoriented the CAF to the problem and stabilized the 

planning process. This also set in motion TMST and a more concrete timeline for TF Stand 

up, the Tactical Recce, as well as an opportunity for the infantry training coy, Charles Coy, 


Maj Ben Rogerson and members of Charles Company stand as part of the 

guard for the opening ceremony of joint Canadian and Ukrainian training at 

the International Peace Support Center in Starychi, Ukraine. 

leadership to deploy to observe US training for two weeks. 

TF stood up on May 25th and this saw the final influx of staff from Bde and across the CAF 

including the J1 Capt Jeff Bell (RCR), J2 Capt Gary Bishop (Int), J3 Maj Lesley Kerckhoff 

(RCR), J5 Capt Rafe Mackenzie (RCR), J6 Capt Jason Leger (RCCS), J8 Capt Rob Kanash 

(Log) and the TF Surg Maj Aaron Minkley (RCMS). With the assembly of members the TF 

commenced a very focussed and task tailored TMST cycle geared towards the Security 

Force Capacity Building (SFCB) type of operation we would be conducting in Ukraine. 

Charles Company was chosen to form LoE 1 and was augmented by attachments from 

2 Field Ambulance, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, 2 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery and 

members of 1 RCR’s Recce Platoon and Sniper cell. This LoE represented the largest 

contribution made by the soldiers of 1 RCR. Preparations began immediately. Lesson 

plans were drafted and translated and soldiers became familiar with Warsaw pact weapons 

including live fire section attacks with AK 47s and RPKs. 

By the end of June 2015 the TMST, Observer Group deployment, production and 

translation of course material were all completed. After a short period of well-deserved 

leave the Advance Party deployed from Y 101 on August 24th with our families and loved 

ones looking on. Hitting the ground there was a flurry of work that took place in that first 

week as we prepared to receive the main body and established an HQ. As the main body 

flowed-in the focus was securing land and resources to enable training across the five 

active LoEs. 

Our training would be delivered at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center 

(IPSC) in Starychi, located just 50kms west of beautiful L’Viv. It is a training area similar 

in size to the Petawawa Training Area with several small camps called ‘cities’ scattered 

to the southwest. Central City, our base of operations, consists of a dozen bright yellow 

buildings surrounded by manicured lawns and packs of stray dogs. The interior of most of 

the building were in varying states of disrepair and the task force was sincerely grateful for 


the excellent results achieved by the Theatre Activation Team. 

Bravo Company Photo: final photo prior to their temporary stand down. 

Battling for a steady state all of the staff functions, particularly the J5, managed by the 

Comd set the conditions for Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine (JMTG-U), the 

overarching US led Ukrainian Security Assistance initiative (USAI), stand up. As well as 

managing a final azimuth check on our original end state of setting the condition for Roto 

-1 (our Van Doo brethren) to be successful. 

The training, that Charles Company planned to deliver, focused on a 55 day Program 

of Instruction (POI) sub-divided into four modules. A fifth module, designed to run 

concurrently to the other four, provided professional development for those in leadership 

roles and was delivered by Officers and Senior NCOs of the company. Each platoon would 

be responsible for delivery of a specific module to ensure standardization in training. 

7 Platoon, commanded by Lt Neppel and WO Bellamy, delivered Module One which 

focused on individual soldier skills and field craft. 7 Platoon conducted PWT 1 & 2 ranges 

adapted for the AK-74, RPK, and 

PKM as well as explosive weapons 

Ex COLD ROYAL: WO Chris Jeapes (left) and Cpl Peter Hojsan (right) of 5 

ranges for the RPG-7, GP-25, and 

Platoon conduct a platoon attack on Ex COLD ROYAL 

AGS-17 30mm AGLS. This gateway 

training was essential in order to 

prepare our Ukrainian training 

partners for the more advanced 

training to come. Concurrently, 

Module Two - Specialist Training 

was conducted by Charles Company 

enablers. Medics covering: Combat 

First Aid and Combat Casualty Care. 

As well, Charles Company Recce 

Det provided training in navigation, 

observation posts, section 

patrolling, and camouflage and 

concealment. The snipers created 

and implemented a Designated 

Marksman training plan while 

CIMIC and PSYOPS, incorporating 


Canadian lessons learned in Afghanistan, passed on additional knowledge to our training 

partners. Charles Company’s 2 RCHA FOO Det provided indirect fire training while our 2 

CER’s Combat Engineer Section trained mine and IED awareness, breaching and search 

techniques. 

8 Platoon, commanded by Lt Albidone and WO Ogilvie, were assigned Module Three 

which was individual and collective infantry training covering PWT 3 & 4, urban operations, 

and section-level operations. This included events such as reaction to enemy contact, 

CASEVAC, section patrolling, vehicle checkpoints, and pairs and section live fire ranges. 

Concurrent to Module Three, Sgt Cockerell spearheaded mechanized crew training with 

Ukrainian BMP-2s. This covered held up drills, techniques on providing intimate support 

to dismounted infantry, and vehicle recovery techniques, as well as static and dynamic 

ranges. 

9 Platoon, Commanded by Capt Purdon and WO Sutton, were assigned Module Four. 

Module Four is the culmination of the 55 day POI and focuses on platoon and company 

collective training. Training events for this module included a platoon sized fighting patrol, 

company defensive operations, a live fire platoon attack, COIN operations, combined 

arms operations, and concluded with a two-day company FTX designed to provide our 

training partners the opportunity to employ the full range of skills learned throughout the 

POI. 

Overall, this has been a mutually rewarding experience for JTF-U and our Ukrainian training 

partners. Our Ukrainian counterparts have learned new skills, tactics, and techniques 

rendering them more effective for future operations. JTF-U has been granted detailed 

visibility into Soviet-era doctrine as well as conventional mechanized warfare that few were 

previously unaware of. CAF trainers received valuable insight into a near peer conventional 

conflict which is professionally invaluable as we look to the future. 


Sergeant Jeremy Leblanc, 1 Section Commander, 7 Platoon, Charles Company 

& Captain Aaron Corey, J3 Operations, HQ JTF-U 

Echo Coy 

2015 was yet another busy year for the Combat Service Support Company of 1 RCR. As the 

New Year began, Echo Company wasted little time getting back into the swing of things 

with company and battalion level winter exercises. The year was kicked off with the 1 RCR 

force-on-force winter warfare exercise, Ex COLD ROYAL. Even though The Duke’s and 

Bravo Companies were the primary training audience, and Charles Company was acting 

as enemy force, Echo Company still played a vital role. Recce Platoon provided sections 

to screen in front of the battalion advance by day, and Sniper Platoon operated at night, 

locating and identifying the enemy for the following day’s advance. As always, Signals 

Platoon provided essential support to the battalion as a whole, with signallers operating 

in each platoon and maintaining the battalion Command Post (CP). 

As the weather became warmer and the snow began to melt, the training continued for 

Echo Company. Recce Platoon kicked off their Basic Recce Patrolman Course in March, 


including candidates not only from 1 RCR, but also 2 CER, RCD, 4 RCR, 2 Field Ambulance, 

The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, and the Prince of Wales’ Own Regiment. The course 

included the usual high tempo mix of training in the areas of navigation, battle procedure, 

observation posts, close-target reconnaissance, rappelling, and assault boats, to name a 

few. The course culminated in May after a gruelling seven weeks, with a final recce, mark, 

and secure mission with Bravo Company acting as the follow-on force. 

The training for Recce Platoon continued into the summer, however taking on a different 

goal, as they put together an 8-man team to compete in the Cambrian Patrol Concentration, 

run each year in Wales, United Kingdom. The team began training in June 2015, and traveled 

to Gros Morne, Newfoundland in August in order to train in terrain and weather that would 

closely resemble what they would see in Wales. In October, the team travelled to the UK for 

the competition. They conducted familiarization training with the King’s Royal Hussars prior 

to the competition, learning to use the SA-80 assault rifle and becoming accustomed to the 

fluctuating weather systems in Britain. 

Training for Sniper Platoon continued throughout the winter and into the spring. They 

conducted numerous unknown distance ranges with the .308, .338, and .50 calibre sniper 


ifles and concluded their range training with a series of live fire stalking exercises in April. In 

May, they kicked off their pre-training for the upcoming Basic Sniper Course, which included 

members from all three RCR battalions, as well as CSOR. The course included the shooting 

of several different sniper weapon systems and numerous camouflage and concealment drills 

and finally wrapped up in October, just before Thanksgiving. During the summer, Sniper 

Platoon also spear-headed several trials for new equipment, including new ghillie suits and 

APEXO combat computers. 

In October, Sniper Platoon participated in the 1 RCR level 3.5 live fire, Ex ROYAL REVOLVER, 

and a Detachment of snipers conducted live fire shooting on targets of opportunity while the 

rifle platoons conducted mechanized platoon attacks. For the 2015 KOWANG SAN patrol 

competition in October, Recce and Sniper Platoons submitted a joint-team on behalf of Echo 

Company and placed first overall. Sniper Platoon finished off the 2015 year by providing 

a section, with Recce Platoon, to the RCD-led exercise, Ex CHARGING DRAGOON, in 

November, where they worked closely with Brigade Recce and screened the Combat Team’s 

advance. 

With every exercise that 1 RCR conducted in 2015, Signals Platoon was working behind 

the scenes. They sent a signaller, MCpl Simon Ellis, up to Resolute Bay, Nunavut, in March 

for NOREX 15, to support the platoon from The Duke’s Company. While there, MCpl Ellis 

managed to establish high frequency (HF) radio communications, out of a 10-man tent, that 

reached over 100 kilometers across the Arctic tundra. They also ran three Army Tactical 

Communications Information System (ATCIS) Operator courses in 2015; in February, April, and 

November. These courses allowed them to disseminate their knowledge of communications 

Clockwise from top left: 

Basic Recce Patrolman Course 

conducting CBRN drills. 

Basic Recce Patrolman Course 

conducting rappelling. 

1 RCR Snipers conduct 

unknown distance ranges with 

the C3 sniper rifle. 


equipment and capabilities to the soldiers of the battalion. Signals Platoon sent four of their 

members overseas to the Ukraine on Op UNIFIER in August to provide communications 

support to the battalion. In the midst of the deployment, they also ensured the battalion 

was provided with the necessary communications support for Ex STALWART GUARDIAN. 

They continued their support throughout Ex ROYAL REVOLVER and Ex CHARGING 

DRAGOON, maintaining the CP and providing signallers to the rifle platoons to maintain a 

reliable communications network. 

Foxtrot Company 

“Without supplies neither a general nor a soldier is good for anything.” 

-Clearchus, 401 BC 

Though the Spartan General may well be forgiven for omitting them, if one were to add the 

provision of functional vehicles, weapons and equipment, as well the completion of critical 

clerical administration, the above mantra is as relevant today as it was in antiquity. This year, 

as in all years, Foxtrot Company was challenged both to provide ‘real time’ logistical and 

maintenance support to 1 RCR, and to simultaneously conduct its own training to guard and 

improve the niche skill sets resident within the company. Thus it is fair to say that Foxtrot 

Company’s main effort over the past year has been active support to the training and 

operations described above. 

However, throughout the year Foxtrot Company has battled many of its own unique 

challenges. Maintenance Platoon has quickly and diligently learned the maintenance 

nuances of the LAV 6 -Not a small task, given that the learning occurred simultaneous to 

managing a three variant LAV fleet as well as the continued impact of B Fleet reduction. 

With the LAV 6 consuming significantly more fuel than its predecessors, transport platoon 

has been busy refining effective refuelling options for the Bn. Meanwhile QM platoon faced 

its own challenges with the QM herself deployed on Op UNIFIER. 

As always the men and women of Foxtrot Company rose to meet these challenges with ease 

and we look forward to the new ones that will face us in the new year. 

132nd Regimental Birthday gathering of officers, Senior NCO’s, Association 

member, retirees and Petawawa based Royal Canadians at Victoria Barracks 

on December 21, 2015. 


2nd Battalion 


Preface 

LCol Washburn (left) passes command of 2 RCR to LCol Murphy. 

LCol S.R. Murphy, CD 

2015 will be remembered as an extremely busy year of 

transition for the Battalion. In addition to conducting 

a unit change of command and establishing new 

leadership teams in each sub-unit, the Battalion began 

divestment of the LAV III fleet with an eye to fully 

integrating LAV 6. 

In this changing environment then, the professionalism 

and toughness demonstrated by the officers and 

soldiers throughout the year was truly remarkable. With 

every task their continued commitment to personal 

excellence was evident, and time and again the unit 

leadership witnessed, or were informed by others, of 

the great work being done by unit personnel. Although 

too lengthy to detail completely in this preface, the 

list of operational duties, exercises, courses, and other 

challenges overcome is truly impressive. Every soldier 

of the Battalion, and their brothers and sisters within the 

Regiment, should be proud of their accomplishments. 

Whether they were training hard to help 2 RCR win 

major unit events like Ex Olympian Bear, the Canadian 

Patrol Competition, or the 2 CMBG Ironman; whether 

they worked diligently on individual courses and 

soldiered with fortitude through Platoon, Company, 

and Battalion collective training exercises; whether they 

deployed to the Middle East to help future Canadians 

2 RCR 

CWO K. R. Venus, CD 


CWO Rolfe (left) relinquishes his appointment 

as 2 RCR RSM to CWO Venus (middle). 

escape Syria as part of 2 RCR’s support to Op 

PROVISION – each member of the unit made 

a fundamental, persistent and commendable 

contribution founded on the warrior ethos. 

Excellent soldiering and well done. 

Op PROVISION 

In late 2015, 2 RCR deployed in support of 

the Government of Canada’s initiative to 

resettle 25 000 Syrian refugees in Canada. 

The Department of National Defence worked in conjunction with Other Governmental 

Departments (OGDs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as part of a Whole of 

Government (WoG) team. Golf Company’s contribution to the mission was essential and 

enabled the achievement of the federal government’s ambitious mandate. 

In the months preceding the deployment, Golf Company was designated as the vanguard 

Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) Company and completed preparatory training 

in Cold Lake, AB. The company was ready for any potential evacuation type operation and 

when word came in November that the government wanted Syrian refugees transported 

to Canada ASAP, the soldiers were eager to put their skills to the test. Within days, kit was 

packed, tearful goodbye’s exchanged, and the company was manifested on a CF 150 Airbus 

destined for the Middle East. 

Under the command of Maj A.T. Willis, a mixed force of 2 RCR soldiers built to augment the 

Golf Company main body, deployed to two separate airports of embarkation in Amman, 

Jordan and Beirut, Lebanon. The platoons installed in these locations were given a myriad 

of tasks including security, biometric screening, and visa application processing. The 

soldiers completed their jobs – tasks outside the usual scope of an infantry soldier – with the 

professionalism and chivalry that one would expect of a member of The RCR. The soldiers 

received much praise from their OGD and NGO partners and endeared themselves to Syrian 

refugees with their compassion and earnest forays with the Arabic language. There proved 

to be no better ambassador for a refugee in need than a Canadian soldier. 

By the end of 2015, the bulk of the processing was complete and Golf Company prepared 

2 RCR members of TF Jordan, deployed on Op PROVISION, gather for a group photo in theatre. 


Clockwise from top left: The CO and RSM take 

a moment to acknowledge the outstanding 

effort of the 2015 Bushman competitors. 

Members of TF Lebanon, deployed on Op 

PROVISION, participate in the Ortona Toast. 

Sgt B. McIntyre, 2 RCR, shakes hands with the Minister of 

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, the Honourable 

John McCallum. MCpl Kilbride and Cpl Mason look on. 

for redeployment, less a small rear party that would remain until February 2016 to continue 

to support visa processing at the Canadian Embassies. There can be no doubt that when 

the government declared these new Canadians citizens needed immediate assistance, the 

soldiers and officers of 2 RCR were ready to sacrifice, as they have before and stand ready 

to do again, to make it happen. The unit is proud of its contribution to this vital achievement 

and knows that the members who deployed, as well as those who worked so hard to stand 

up this operation, have every reason to be proud of their accomplishment. 

Golf Company 

2015 was an exciting year for Golf Company, one that ultimately culminated in the sub-unit 

forming the main body of 2 RCR’s deployment on Op PROVISION. The focus throughout the 

year was on getting ready for the standing NEO task, and conducting the necessary work-up 

training throughout the year. When Golf Company finally received the deployment order, 

they were ready to meet the task. 

From the beginning of 2015, the Company conducted weekly march and shoots and 

Individual Battle Task Standards (IBTS) training in order to develop and hone foundational 

war-fighting skills. The soldiers demonstrated their fortitude throughout and performed very 

well on dynamic and challenging ranges. IBTS stand training was also conducted, including 

convoy drills, evacuation procedures, and quick reaction force training. During these early 

months, sub-unit winter warfare training was also conducted, culminating with three fighting 

patrols in -40 degree weather where once again Golf Company soldiers demonstrated their 

resilience and tactical acumen. 


Deployed members of 2 

RCR receive a visit from the 

Minister of National Defence 

and Commander CJOC. From 

left: WO Friars, Pte Masneri, 

Lt Cress, The Honourable 

Harjit Sajjan, Cpl Johnson, 

Cpl Joncas, LGen Bowes. 

Soldiers of Golf Company alert and ready for trouble during Ex ROYAL FALL. 

Members of 1 Platoon complete a hasty attack and 

move to support an attack on a second enemy position 

during Ex ROYAL FALL. 

Following Winter Warfare, selected pers deployed to Petawawa to compete in Ex Olympian 

Bear, the annual 2 CMBG sporting competition. Golf Company was well-represented on 

each team event as 2 RCR won the aggregate award as the overall winner at this competition. 

Maj N.O. Whitman handed over command of Golf Company to Maj A.T. Willis in March. Maj 

Whitman was highly regarded by the soldiers of Golf Company and will be missed, not only 

for his command, but for his interesting (in a good way!) idiosyncrasies. MWO Blackmore 

moved on to Cbt Sp Company ahead of his retirement after many years of loyal service to 

the Battalion and Regiment, and conceded his CSM duties to MWO Grondin. 

Following the leadership handover, the Company began training for potential NEO tasks. 

The training commenced with Ex ROYAL EXIT which consisted of various scenario training 

including: mass casualty, live fire vehicle ambush, client processing, quick reaction force 

training, and diplomatic discussions. Golf Company then deployed to Cold Lake, Alberta 

for Ex MAPLE RESOLVE NEO trg where the Company excelled and received praise from 

Government Affairs Canada officials for their professionalism. 

Following summer leave, Golf Company began focusing on individual training, including 

advanced shooting applications under the direction of the Urban Ops Instructors within 

the Company. The dynamic and non-conventional ranges tested the skills and agility of 

the soldiers. Golf Company also conducted live-fire fighting patrols at the platoon and 

company level, getting an opportunity to work with other trades and military assets. The 


Left: MCpl Stewart (left) and Cpl MacLellan pose after winning the 2 RCR Bushman competition. 

Right: Members of the Golf Company main body transiting during Op PROVISION. 

training culminated in an airmobile insertion on Day Hill in the Gagetown training area. 

In August, members from Golf Company competed in the annual 2 RCR BUSHMAN 

competition. MCpl Shane Stewart from Golf Company and Cpl James MacLellan literally 

ran away with the competition, taking first place. A month later, Lt Dan Wilkinson and WO 

Stephen Mills took a team of motivated soldiers to Petawawa to compete in the 2 CMBG 

IRONMAN competition where, for the second year in a row, 2 RCR won the award for top 

major unit team. 

Following the federal election, the new government enacted the federal plan to resettle 

Syrian refugees from airports of embarkation in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. Golf Company 

quickly began the Departure Assistance Group procedure in preparation for deployment 

in late November. Golf Company deployed 2 Platoon to Amman, Jordan and 3 Platoon to 

Beirut, Lebanon and operated under the direction of Maj Willis who was co-located with 

the Task Force HQ element. Golf Company supported refugee processing with government 

agencies such as the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA), International Organization 

for Migration (IOM), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and the Danish 

Refugee Council (DRC). Golf Company personnel received praise for their professional 

support to the mission from their many government partners. 

Hotel Company 

Hotel Company remained very busy throughout 2015. The year started with a PCF cycle that 

ensured many of our members received new qualifications that would benefit the company 

throughout the year’s training. Those who weren’t tasked as candidates were tasked to 

instruct their fellow soldiers. By mid-February, the PCF cycle came to a close and the company 

deployed on a two week winter warfare exercise. The first week saw low level tactical training 

and survival classes conducted out of a patrol base. The approach to the patrol base was a 

tough slog through waist deep snow and took several hours, but the troops pushed hard and 

got it done. Nobody’s sure if the two allocated snowmobiles, which got stuck and buried in 

the deep snow, were a blessing or a curse. The second week was a battalion level gun camp 


Left: International participants on Ex TRADE 

WINDS 15 with various members from 

Battalion including Cpl Cottreau from Hotel 

Company. 

Below: International participants on Ex TRADE 

WINDS 15 including Cpl Baker and Cpl Meek 

from Hotel Company. 

which included various ranges 

from individual marksmanship 

skills to conducting a company 

level defense. 

In mid-March, the Battalion started conducting training for the upcoming NEO task which 

was set to begin in July 2015. This training included various IBTS and additional training 

pieces conducted in a stand based format. Hotel Company soldiers went through all of 

the individual training prior to the platoons going through the stand training. The convoy 

operations stand saw each platoon outfitted with G-Wagons and required to move along a 

specified route to another location. Along the road, various obstacles and situations were 

encountered, e.g. driving between two fighting groups, driving up to a road block, and 

coming under attack from sniper fire. Once all of the stand training was completed, there was 

a company level validation exercise, Exercise ROYAL EXIT. This three day exercise saw Hotel 

Company secure a Forward Operating Base (FOB) outside of Austere Village in the Gagetown 

Training Area. From this location, the Hotel Company members saw various scenarios unfold 

and had to appropriately react in a NEO context. The exercise included mounted patrols to 

verify routes, the use of convoys to pick up Canadian Entitled Persons (CEPs) throughout the 

training area, and the processing of CEPs that were to be evacuated out of the area. This 

exercise was made all the more interesting by the use of civilian personnel as actors which 


added a level of realism not often achieved. 

The end of April to mid-June saw members of the company going to various locations to 

support other organisations. A large contingent of the company deployed to Wainwright, 

AB with Golf Company as part of Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE, designed to put into practice 

the skills required for NEO tasks. Shortly after their return, another group of Hotel Company 

members deployed to Belize with Kilo Company on Exercise TRADE WINDS 15. 

In the months of June and July, with personnel numbers low due to CFB Gagetown summer 

tasks, Hotel Company was once again involved with a PCF cycle. As the 2 RCR lead for LAV 

6.0 implementation, the company ran two LAV 6.0 Turret Operator Conversion Courses. 

Between these two courses, the Battalion took part in the unit Change of Command parade 

which was immediately followed by a Company change of command from Major Vander 

Kloet to Major Cox. 

The remaining summer months consisted mainly of IBTS training and Ex ROYAL DIGITAL, 

a digital VBS training exercise for LAV crews. In early August, members of Hotel Company 

also took part in the annual Bushman Competition. By late August, 

Hotel Company was loaded on a plane and off to Fort Smith, North 

West Territories for eight days on Operation NANOOK 2015 (Op NA 

15). 

Above left: Members of 

Hotel Company being 

Op NA 15 exercised our Immediate Response Unit (IRU) capabilities inspected by Col Dawe, 

in the context of a forest fire. Throughout the week, the members of LCol Washburn, and LCol 

Hotel Company worked closely with the Rangers from 1 Canadian Murphy at the 2 RCR 

Ranger Patrol Group and exchanged skills and knowledge. All Change of Command 

members received ‘Firesmarting’ training from the Northwest Parade. 

Territories department of Environment and Natural Resources (NT 

ENR) followed by two days of Firesmart work in regions near homes. Above right: MCpl 

This consisted of thinning out the forest and clearing deadfall, good Kent and Cpl Audette 

practice and an act that was appreciated by the residents of Fort competing in the annual 

Smith. Once that portion of the operation was complete, the town Bushman competition. 

and surrounding remote areas were divided into sectors, and over 

the next two days, members of Hotel Company went door to door 


Clockwise from top left: Hotel 

Company, attachments, and 

Rangers during Op NA 15 in 

Fort Smith, NWT. 

MCpl MacDonald showing a 

curious child how to utilise 

STANO equipment during Op 

NA 15’s community day in Fort 

Smith, NWT. 

Hotel Company leadership 

conducting an airmobile ROC 

drill with Maj Cox, Officer 

Commanding Hotel Company, 

during Ex ROYAL FALL 15. 

Cpl Baker hooking up the tow 

cable to a stuck LAV and Cpl 

Pomeroy snapping a picture. 

conducting mock evacuation notifications by foot, boat, road and ATV. 

Throughout the entire operation, Company leadership partook in many 

planning groups with Municipal and Provincial officials, continuously 

developing the scenario and providing meaningful feedback to the 

agencies involved. Op NA 15 finished with a community day which 

had various military displays and a barbecue. 

With Op NA 15 complete, Hotel Company conducted further IBTS and 

then began collective training up to level 3.5 live fire attack. During 

the section level live fire week, Hotel Company seemed to have the 

worst luck. Early on in the exercise the LAV carrying the enemy force 

to the objective got stuck right off the side of the only access road. 

Thinking quick, the OC and CSM jumped in to act as enemy force, 

hustling to move around the objective, two harried men trying to 

cover four firing positions. The attacks went off well in the end and the 

objective was cleared. Unfortunately, on the way off the position, the 

Company LAV Capt, Capt Sheppard, also managed to get his vehicle 

stuck in the same area the enemy force were trapped. In order to 

access the anchor points to pull the LAV out, the driver, Cpl Baker, 

valiantly volunteered to get into neck high water and essentially swim 

his way to the anchor point. It made for a memorable, challenging, but 

ultimately successful, training exercise. 

Once the basic ranges were complete, the Battalion moved into 


Exercise ROYAL FALL 15, a one week exercise in October. The first portion consisted of a 

grueling 20km assault boat infiltration followed by a 5km patrol and platoon level live fire 

raid. The following days saw a company level airmobile raid, a company level ambush, and 

a company run urban operations and support weapons range. As the year came to an end, 

Hotel Company ran two serials of LAV 6.0 Driver Conversion prior to Regimental week and 

winter holidays. 

India Company 

2015 was a year filled with excitement for members of India Company, as we participated 

in a series of challenging training events and continued to hone our own individual and 

collective warfighting skillsets. 

During an atypical New Brunswick winter which smashed snowfall records (>450cm) and 

saw temperatures routinely dip to -40C° and below, the company conducted three weeks of 

winter warfare training. India first conducted Basic Winter Warfare classes prior to deploying 

to the field for two separate five-day field exercises. The first field exercise had members 

of the company conduct a series of patrol base occupations and tent routines followed 

by platoon level dry ambushes. Later in the week, the company conducted a company 

level force-on-force dry operation against Hotel Company followed by a day of quick aim 

shooting under the tutelage of qualified Urban Operations Instructors. During the second 

week of the exercise, the severe weather really put individual soldier skills to the test. 

Between the snow, wind gusts, and extreme temperatures, India Company still managed 

to hit key training objectives. We completed a company level defensive occupation, live fire 

main defensive battle and withdrawal, followed by platoon level live fire ambushes. 

During Ex MAPLE RESOLVE 2015, The Company Commander, Major Ross Bonnell, and 

Company 2IC, Captain Andrew Cook, were both tasked as part of the Observer Controller 

Team that deployed to CFB Wainwright. This allowed our junior officers to step up and 

fulfill key leadership positions. Captain Christian Carr took the helm as the Company 

Commander and Captain Scott Johnson as the Company 2IC. The remainder of the 

Company participated in the spring PCF cycle which emphasized B-vehicle qualifications, 

Soldiers of India Company conducting the March Past during the 

2 RCR Change of Command Parade. 

Cpl Henry (Left) 

and Pte Walsh 

(Right) sprint to the 

finish line during 

2 RCR’s BUSHMAN 

competition. 


individual soldier skills and career progression courses. India Company was responsible for 

the Weapons Detachment Member and Automatic Grenade Launcher System courses which 

are important for young soldiers learning core soldier skillsets and advancing their careers. 

Speaking of career progression, India Company saw a significant change in leadership this 

past summer. The Company Commander was succeeded by Major Garrett Hallman, the 

Company 2IC handed over to Captain Dan O’Connor, and the Company Quartermaster, 

MWO Mario Grondin, turned his duties over to WO Cecil Elliott. 

During the summer, India Company sent a small contingent of soldiers to support Ex 

TRADEWINDS 15 – an annual combined multinational exercise 

Above left: Sergeant Michel held in Belize between the allied nations of Canada, the United 

Beaulieu (attached posted to Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, and partnered 

India Company from the Royal Caribbean nations. From India Company, Sgt Beaulieu deployed 

22e Regiment) supervises a as an Urban Operations Instructor teaching members of the 

soldier from the Belize Defence Belize Defence Force (BDF) quick aim shooting and how to play 

Force on a pistol range during hockey whenever there was some downtime. Members of the 

marksmanship training on BDF employed their new skillsets, conducting a series of room 

Exercise TRADEWINDS 15 in and building clearances, and even found time to enjoy a few 

Belize in June 2015. Photo: Sgt friendly hockey games against their Canadian counterparts. 

Yannick Bédard, Canadian Forces 

Combat Camera. 

Also deploying on Ex TRADEWINDS 15 were three members of 

the company who attended the Belizean jungle warfare course. 

Above right: Captain Christian 

Preparation for the course began mid-April at CFB Gagetown. 

Carr (left) reviews lessons 

The greatest challenge faced by participants even before arriving 

learned with an instructor during 

for the course was determining how to best prepare for all of the 

jungle training during Exercise 

unknowns associated with such a foreign environment. Physical 

TRADEWINDS 15 in Belize June, 

fitness became the foundation of the gruelling 60-day training 

2015. Photo: Sgt Yannick Bédard, 

plan developed and run by Captain Carr. Hours upon hours were 

Canadian Forces Combat Camera. 

spent rucking during the warmer periods of the day followed by 


swimming laps in the pool. Weekly field deployments focused on navigation (which paid 

dividends) and fundamental soldiering skills. 

The jungle warfare course began with a grueling 8km run in combats. PT would be 

conducted often as a mechanism to help other nations acclimatize. Distance runs and 

sprints up a 1.6 km “hill” with a 40% grade became routine. Once deployed to the jungle 

the company worth of candidates were organized into three multinational platoons. In all 

cases, Canadians were chosen to fulfill all of the major leadership roles. Fortunately, the 

fundamental training received in Canada translated directly into basic jungle soldiering 

skills success. As an example, of the 24 navigational points found during the Navigation Ex, 

16 points we found by Canadians. Prior to the conduct of the survival exercise, the four man 

detachments were reorganized to ensure that there was an even distribution of Canadian 

soldiers amongst the detachments. Their time in the jungle ended with a ruck run up the 

40% grade 1.6km hill where the Helo LZ was located. Exfiltration was on a first come first 

out basis – on a course of approximately 120 candidates, the first chalk carried 37 personnel 

which included all 16 Canadians. 

The summer training schedule culminated with India Company’s leadership tasked as 

mentors for Ex STRIDENT TRACER. This exercise was designed to progressively challenge 

and develop Primary Reserve soldiers from the 5th Canadian Division in offensive 

operations within a Full Spectrum Operations scenario. Members of India Company were 

tasked to mentor participants as they conducted operations and were also responsible for 

the conduct of a number of training stands including rappelling and airmobile operations. 

During the airmobile stand, soldiers had the opportunity to practice tactical mounting and 

dismounting of both the CH-146 Griffon and the UH-60 Blackhawk which was provided by 

the Maine National Guard. 

During the fall months, India Company participated in a series of ranges designed to be 

progressive in nature. Beginning in September, Section Commanders received orders from 

their Platoon Commanders tasking them to conduct live fire dismounted section fighting 

patrols. Section Commanders wrote and issued orders to their sections, and conducted 

a 6km ground infiltration under the cover of darkness through the arduous southern hills 

of the Gagetown training area. They initiated ambushes at first light, aggressively fought 

2 RCR instructors conduct an Airmobile 

Operations stand for five Primary 

Reserve platoons with the help of the US 

Maine National Guard and their UH-60 

Blackhawk helicopters as well as CH146 

Griffons from 403 Squadron. Photo: WO 

Jerry Kean/5CdnDiv HQ Public Affairs. 


through the objective, destroyed enemy vehicles using fragmentation grenades and 

withdrew off the position. 

Following the success of the section level live fire ambushes, training progressed to the 

platoon level which saw platoons conduct both dismounted and mechanized live fire 

ranges. As the OPI for the battalion enhanced level 3 live fire, India Company both ran and 

participated in the training event. Platoons were paired up with a troop of tanks from C 

Squadron of the Royal Canadian Dragoons and conducted live fire deliberate attacks on a 

massive urban objective whose construction was spearheaded by the Range 2IC, Warrant 

Officer Myles Turple. The complex range took three days and all of India Company to build 

and was created so that it could be attacked from either the front, left or right flanks. It was 

also templated so commanders could employ a host of direct fire weapon systems including 

those found on the Leopard 2s and LAV 6.0s, as well as crew served weapons like the 84mm 

Karl Gustav and C6 Machine Gun. 

Every morning as the thick fog lifted, platoons initiated their attacks, crossed the line of 

departure and began their approach to the enemy position. When platoons reached the 

objective they conducted manual breechings and cleared through three separate urban 

structures. As platoons fought through and began their consolidation process, Platoon 

Commanders received orders over the radio instructing them to destroy an enemy position 

in depth, 600m away. Commanders were tested and quickly developed plans to manoeuvre 

their platoons on the battlefield to destroy this secondary objective. As platoons continued 

to feed off of the warrior spirit they fought through the second objective, initiated the 

consolidation process and awaited follow on tasks. 

A couple of weeks later, India Company redeployed to the field to conduct a series of 

company level offensive tasks, including a dry mechanized deliberate attack, as well as an 

ambush. During the company ambush, we were tasked to capture two high value targets 

(HVT) as they moved along a high speed route - the CO 2 RCR, LCol Shane Murphy and 

the DCO Maj Bob Pearson. 7 and 8 Platoon were tasked as cut-offs and 9 Platoon initiated 

the capture of the HVTs ensuring mission success. On the final day of the exercise, platoons 

were given 36 hours to conduct battle procedure and launch a dismounted platoon live 

fire raid. The platoon commanders, Capt Steve Jacques and Capt Chris Carr respectively, 

issued orders to their platoons and under the cover of darkness they conducted a grueling 

15km amphibious infiltration followed by another 4km ground infiltration before finally 

arriving at the objective. At first light, the raids were initiated and after the objectives had 

been cleared, platoons withdrew off of the position and redeployed back to garrison. 

2015 was a busy year for all members of India Company, but it was also a year filled with 

great training opportunities and accomplishments. We have maintained and improved on 

our own warfighting skillsets while at the same time helping to improve those of our Primary 

Reserve brethren and allies in the BDF. We look forward to the training opportunities of 

2016 and to another successful year. 


Top left: Ex ROYAL EXIT. Civilian training personnel play their part at 

the camp gate during NEO exercises. 

Clockwise from top right: Kilo Company with trophies for Volleyball, 

Soccer and Ball Hockey as part of the Battalion Sports Competition. 

Kilo Company 

2015 came with many challenges and an equal number of successes but Kilo Company 

continued to provide 2 RCR with Signals, Recce and Sniper expertise. As well, the Regimental 

Pipes and Drums continued to provide exemplary performances reflective of The RCR’s 

historic and traditional roots, supporting the regiment and the Canadian Armed Forces in 

regional and international calibre events. 

The company took part in many training exercises throughout the year, including Ex ROYAL 

EXIT, a NEO scenario based exercise; Ex MAPLE RESOLVE 15 in Cold Lake Alberta; and Ex 

TRADEWINDS 15 in Belize. Kilo Company also had a strong showing in sporting events, 

winning the most sports competitions at the Battalion level and making key contributions to 

the unit winning team at Ex OLYMPIAN BEAR. 

Kilo Company was led by Major Drew Willis before he handed over command to Major Gary 

Boudreau, who was posted in from 5 Cdn Div HQ in May. Maj Boudreau immediately made 

an impact by changing the PT shirt colour on specific days – which only took the company a 

few months to get adjusted to. Capt Jon Miller, the Company 2IC, was posted out to 5 Cdn 

Div HQ in Halifax, NS, passing his responsibilities to Capt Chad Thain. Capt Thain quickly 

and wisely absconded for AOC leaving the job to the ever-dependable Sig O, Capt Pat 

Gaudreau. Well played Capt Thain, well played. 

Kilo Company finished off the busy year by running a long range platoon level live-fire 


Major Gary 

Boudreau 

conducting recce 

preparation for Ex 

ROYAL FALL. 

fighting patrol conducted by each of the 

battalion’s rifle platoons as part of Ex ROYAL 

FALL. In addition to the challenge of a long 

range patrol, each platoon began their patrol 

with a 15 km amphibious insert via 10-man 

inflatable assault boats which saw excellent 

cooperation between 2 RCR Recce Platoon 

and boat operators from 4 ESR. During this 

exercise, each rifle platoon received orders 

from their company leadership and began their 

insertion along the Oromocto River under the 

cover of darkness. Once the platoon reached 

their disembarkation point, the patrol was 

received by 2 RCR Recce Platoon members 

and moved to an IRV where the platoon began 

an additional five km insert to the objective. 

This patrol provided an excellent and realistic 

opportunity for each rifle platoon to practice 

the fundamentals of soldiering coupled with a 

physical challenge indicative of the spirit of an 

infantry soldier. 

Recce Platoon 

Recce Platoon experienced a year of 

challenging training, proud accomplishments, 

and modernization of the platoon’s 

capabilities. The year began with support to 

rifle company training as the lead for multiple 

live-fire patrols and platoon level quick attack 

ranges during the winter months of January 

Master Corporal Paul Gebert from 2 RCR Recce 

and February. For the period of March to 

Platoon poised to enter the water from a diver’s barge 

May, Recce Platoon shifted focus to readiness 

as part of Ex BEACHSTORM in Shearwater, Nova Scotia. 

training in preparation for NEO deployments. 

Photo credit – Major Gary Boudreau. 

Concurrently, they prepared to conduct a 

Basic Recce Patrolman Course as part of the 

battalion PCF Cycle, an important part of developing the next generation of recce soldiers. 

The course started in May and ran through the summer until its conclusion in August – it 

resulted in 18 newly qualified patrolmen for the battalion. With summer complete, Recce 

Platoon’s focus shifted to IBTS and collective training throughout the fall training period. 

One notable exercise conducted in September was Exercise BEACHSTORM, a joint exercise 

with the Fleet Diving Unit – Atlantic in Halifax, NS. Exercise BEACHSTORM provided Recce 

Platoon an opportunity to hone fast casting, surface swimming and beach-head operation 

skills. This exercise is considered a favorite by the platoon, with the rare opportunity for 

coastal and open water insertion training in the ocean environment. 


During the busy fall training period, Recce Platoon also stood-up the 2 RCR Canadian Patrol 

Competition team lead by Section Commander MCpl Joseph Bilodeau and Section 2IC 

MCpl Troy Kilbride. The team was able to focus solely on one goal for the battalion; to win 

the competition….and they did. They dedicated the months from September to November 

to training for the competition finishing as the top team amongst all participants. 

During the fall timeframe, the company was also well represented in individual pursuits; of 

particular note was the stellar showing of Cpl James MacLellan who finished in 1st place at 

the Brigade Ironman competition in Petawawa. 

Finally, the end of the year saw two members of Recce Platoon deploy in support of Op 

PROVISION. Cpl Thomas Fitzpatrick and Cpl William MacKeough deployed to Lebanon as 

members of an Integration Support Platoon as part of Joint Task Force – Forward. It was an 

Members from 2 RCR Recce Platoon conduct surface swimming drills prior to securing a 

beach as part of Ex BEACHSTORM. Photo credit – Corporal Matt Drover. 


Top left: The winning team at the 2015 Canadian Patrol Competition 

from 2 RCR. From L to R, Cpl Matt MacDonald – C9 Gunner, Pte 

Nick O’Hara – Signaller, Cpl Andrew Benyo – Primary Navigator, Cpl 

Jesse Hunt – TCCC and Navigator, MCpl Joseph Bilodeau – Patrol 

Commander, Cpl John Goss – TCCC and Signaller, MCpl Troy Kilbride – 

Patrol 2 IC and Pte Alberto Rodriguez – C9 Gunner. 

Top right: Maj Jeremy Hiltz, the unit Ops O, working in the CP during 

Ex ROYAL FALL. 

Regimental Pipes and Drums during Remembrance Day 2015. 

exceptional year for Recce Platoon and we look forward to many more. 

Signal Platoon 

There were many successes for Signal Platoon in 2015. The year started out with the annual 

winter IBTS to ensure the platoon was well prepared to meet the demands of the battalion. 

With a lot of hard work we were able to provide simultaneous ATCIS Op – Basic and Bison 

Driver training to the battalion during the February PCF cycle. The 2 RCR winter FTX began 

with a snowstorm which closed the base but the battalion persevered and after spending 

the day digging our way onto the base, we deployed to the field by late afternoon. Upon 

arriving in location, all pers dismounted to shovel out the area for the CP and prepare for 

live ranges that were successfully conducted for the remainder of the week. 

April saw NEO preparation begin in earnest with the platoon deploying to Austere Village 

to set up the CP. The identified NEO Force, which included six members of C/S 0, deployed 

to Cold Lake to complete the validation exercise in early May (Ex MAPLE RESOLVE 15). 

The placement of the NEO CP was not the optimal location as it presented communication 

challenges for the dismounted radios. A heavier reliance on satellite and cell phone 

communications was necessary, and even though not all problems were resolved, the 

soldiers of Sig Platoon worked hard to ensure the best communications possible. 

Following a busy and disparate summer in support of Base Gagetown and unit training, 

the fall training saw a return to an IBTS focus, as Sig personnel completed all stands to 

ensure our readiness to deploy in anticipation of a possible NEO activation. As part of 


these preparations, Ex ROYAL FALL offered an opportunity for Sig Platoon to try a new CP 

layout in response to feedback from the new Battalion Operations staff team. 

This exercise was followed up by extensive IBTS and DAG requirements in preparation for the 

suddenly activated Op PROVISION. Sig personnel worked diligently to plan for any and all 

scenarios, working tirelessly to ensure command and control was available to the deploying 

personnel. 

The Regimental Pipes 

and Drums 

2015 was another busy and rewarding year for the Regimental Pipes and Drums. The platoon, 

optimally manned with 24 personnel, was extremely short of soldiers, but did excellent work 

in supporting the Regiment and the various battalions. Over the winter season, the Pipes and 

Drums conducted their third basic Pipes and Drums course under the tutelage of Sgt James 

Malcolm and MCpl James Firth – a bold effort to bolster Regimental manning shortfalls with 

extra soldiers from 2 RCR. The effort had success as several of the soldiers showed they had 

the skill to become members of the platoon. They were happy to learn that in addition to 

soldiering, they would be able to participate in a number of national and international events 

that brought prestige to the Regiment while offering them a chance to experience interesting 

new places and tasks. It didn’t take long to realize a summer tasking to the Royal Nova Scotia 

International Tattoo in Halifax is a lot more enjoyable than a summer spent digging trenches 

in support of individual or collective training in Gagetown or Petawawa. 

Throughout the remainder of the year, the Pipes and Drums continued their focus on the musicorientated 

preparations necessary to meet the demands of various major events, such as the 

Tattoo mentioned above, Remembrance Day, as well as various mess functions and Quarter 

Guards. As the end of another year was fast approaching, the Pipes and Drums maintained 

their infantry skills through the various IBTS training, ranges and exercises, finishing the year 

off with support to annual unit Christmas dinners before beginning preparations for a new 

and busy year ahead. 

Sniper Group 

2015 for Sniper Group commenced with a variety of marksmanship ranges. This training was 

conducted by all members of the group as well as qualified members of the Infantry School. 

During the battalion’s winter training block, Sniper Group planned, organized and ran a 

company defensive range as well as a day and night navigation exercise for the entire unit. 

In the spring, Snipers screened potential candidates for the Basic Sniper Course that was to 

be run in Petawawa; it involved one week of basic reconnaissance refresher training and rifle 

marksmanship testing here in Gagetown. Once the selection was completed, four of the six 

candidates were invited to participate in the official Basic Sniper Pre-Course which was also 

held locally. During this same time, the remainder of Sniper Group stayed busy, conducting 

IBTS, filling individual tasks and sending a detachment of snipers to Wainwright in support of 

Golf Company’s NEO high readiness workup training. 

During the summer months, Capt Theriault, Sgt Allaby, Cpl Stewart and Cpl Cox deployed to 


Belize for Ex TRADEWINDS 15. The exercise 

incorporated numerous events such as jungle 

warfare, marksmanship and urban operations 

training. Back home, several individual 

members of Snipers pursued career 

advancement courses and specialty trg, and 

it is notable that Cpl Plunkett completed 

the Advanced Mountain Operations course 

as the top candidate. This achievement, 

combined with his hard work throughout the 

year, contributed to him receiving the Miller 

Trophy as the top soldier in 2 RCR in 2015. 

In August, Snipers were trained by DLR on 

the new APEXO Ballistic Calculator. This 

device will increase the group’s long range 

capabilities when deployed on operations or 

when conducting training. Upon completing 

the APEXO training, the group prepared 

for the Canadian International Sniper 

Concentration (CISC) where they represented 

the battalion admirably; finishing as the most 

successful team in the brigade. 

During the fall, Sgt Allaby and Cpl Talbot 

instructed on the Basic Sniper course in 

Petawawa which saw all four candidates 

from 2 RCR achieve the Sniper qualification. 

In October, Snipers staffed and supported 

Members of Sniper Group take a 

Ex ROYAL FALL with Cpl Talbot and Cpl 

break from CISC workup training 

Cox both employed as sniper detachment 

in order to familiarize themselves 

commanders. Concurrently, the group 

with American aviation. 

had candidates on the Sniper Detachment 

Commander Course and Advance Sniper 

Course while providing an instructor for the latter. 

Prior to Christmas Leave, Sniper Group conducted ICQB training progressing up to PWT 

4. Once this training was completed, the group focused on firing the C14 and C15. This 

involved a proper assessment of muzzle velocities and grouping capacities. Once these 

groupings were accurate and precise, the group focused on probability of hit ratios while 

engaging medium to long range targets. 

Overall the year was extremely busy for Kilo Company and the entire company participated 

in unique, challenging and outstanding training all over the world. The soldiers of Kilo 

Company are very professional soldiers, some of the best in the battalion, and their many 

outstanding accomplishments contributed to a very successful year for 2 RCR. We look 

forward to the challenges that lie ahead and know we will accomplish all tasks to an extremely 

high standard. 


Lima Company victorious after a hard 

fought soccer match on Pachino Day. 

The 2nd Battalion ready to step-off for the start of 

the 2015 Bushman. 

Lima Company members Sgt Preston McIntyre and WO Christian 

Morris (Team 115 - foreground) on the march during the Bushman. 

Lima Company 

Lima Company logged another productive year in 2015 and continued to provide 

outstanding support to 2 RCR in multiple exercises and events throughout the year. This 

year, Capt Chris MacAdam and MWO Rod Higdon handed over command of the company 

to Maj Ross Bonnell and WO Mark Crichton. In one of their first acts as a Command 

Team, Maj Bonnell and WO Crichton led Lima Company’s soccer team to unit victory at 

the Battalion’s Pachino Day celebrations, much to the chagrin of the more youthful rifle 

companies. 

All three platoons in Lima Company saw new platoon leaders rotate in. Our Maintenance 

Officer, Capt Gilles Turner, retired after serving 25 years with the REME, spending his last 

two years as the Maint O at 2 RCR. Under the new leadership of Capt Garrett MacDonald 

and MWO Ray Lomond, Maintenance Platoon played an important role in all major 

exercises and Battalion activities throughout the past calendar year, carrying out repairs 

and keeping the Battalion mobile and effective. 

Maintenance Platoon was designated the lead to plan, support, and of course participate 

in, the 2015 Bushman competition. 132 teams of paired up soldiers undertook the 

challenge of the 35 km race, fostering teamwork and cohesion between competitors from 

all over Eastern Canada. This year’s Bushman competition was another great success, 

attracting much deserved attention and accolades from the Base and the Brigade. 


Battalion Transport prepares for 

Christmas leave by executing the Winter 

Parking Plan. 

Members of the 2 RCR Military 

Powerlifting Team pose with hardware 

after impressive wins at the 2015 

Atlantic Canadian Military Powerlifting 

Championship. Shown here are five 

members of the team (starting from far 

left) MCpl Parsons, Cpl Audette, Capt 

Wasson, and Cpl Gillan. Cpl Singer is 

third from the right. 

Maintenance Platoon supported all the Battalion’s exercises 

and operations. Three members of the Platoon deployed 

with H Company to Op NANOOK, maintaining small 

arms, generators, and ancillary equipment. Subsequently, 

Maintenance Platoon supported the Battalion’s fall exercise 

Ex ROYAL FALL. This exercise saw a portion of the Platoon 

deploy as part of C/S 8, with MRTs and MRVs detached to 

the companies to provide integral and immediate support 

with repairs and recovery of vehicles and ancillary equipment. 

Simultaneously a rear party was left in garrison working long 

hours to ensure the serviceability of the LAV 6.0 fleet for the 

upcoming PCF Cycle. 

Maintenance Platoon 

The main effort for Maintenance Platoon through the year continued to be supporting 

the Battalion in this transition to the new LAV 6.0 fleet. Maintenance Platoon was the focal 

point for all LAV 6.0 issues in 5 CDSB Gagetown. The Platoon coordinated directly with the 

LAV 6.0 project to ensure that all LAV 6.0s on base were successfully put through necessary 

retrofit, ensuring that the fleet met the standard for the latest vehicle modifications. 

The Platoon also hosted multiple teams from General Dynamics who were tasked with 

conducting additional testing and repairs to the fleet. The focus on the LAV 6.0 fielding to 

2 RCR resulted in multiple visits from key military and governmental players responsible 

for this national project, and Maintenance Platoon provided professional feedback and 

guidance for resolving repair and fielding challenges. 

Throughout the year Maintenance Platoon was able to provide timely and effective firstline 

support, enabling the Battalion to achieve all objectives. The soldiers of Maintenance 

Platoon maintained a high level of readiness, exemplifying the REME mantra of soldier 

first, technician always. 

Quartermaster Platoon 

Quartermaster Platoon also saw a change in platoon leadership, with Capt Andrew Adach 

posted out and MWO Rod Chatter taking his retirement after serving 30 years with the CAF. 

The Platoon’s new leadership, under Capt Mark Wasson and RQMS MWO Dale McNeil, 

were busy with a plethora of activities throughout the year. The QM staff provided support 


to the Battalion during a comprehensive IBTS schedule, and while deployed throughout 

Ex ROYAL FALL. 

Annual IBTS training was conducted after Ex ROYAL FALL. QM Platoon then played a 

crucial role in supporting Op NANOOK, Ex JOINTEX, and Op REASSURANCE through 

the augmentation of personnel to fill key billets. In conjunction with Maintenance Platoon, 

the QM also provided a vital role in the reception of the LAV 6.0 platform, holding the 

responsibility of receiving vehicles, conducting equipment verifications and issuing 

complete vehicle EIS kits for each incoming LAV. The Platoon remained vigilant and 

successfully supported this challenging task while maintaining support to the Battalion’s 

extant and robust training plan. 

Finally, in addition to supporting the training and vehicle integration mentioned above, 

it is worth noting the QM and his staff maintained a robust commitment to PT. The unit 

was particularly proud when the QM helped lead a strong (pun intended) team of 2 RCR 

soldiers to victory in the 2015 Atlantic Canadian Military Powerlifting Championship, setting 

impressive standards and personal bests for both team and individual competitions. 

Transport Platoon 

The 2nd Battalion would not be able to conduct and support its exercises and training 

without the hard work and efforts of Transport Platoon, and 2015 proved to be another 

busy year for the group. When the Battalion deployed to the training area for annual winter 

warfare exercises, including platoon and company ranges, Transport Platoon provided 

all the cargo and personnel lift. Battalion Transport ran a comprehensive Driver Wheel 

course, qualifying soldiers to operate the multiple support vehicles that the infantry 

battalion requires. With 2 RCR assuming the role of the Army’s designated NEO task in 

the summer of 2015, Battalion Transport supported all company training in Gagetown and 

deployed to Cold Lake with Golf Company for a training validation exercise as part of Ex 

MAPLE RESOLVE 15. 

Like many sub-sub units, the summer brought new leadership to Tpt Platoon, as we said 

goodbye to Captain Tom Hughes and Warrant Officer Hugo Veilleux. The new team, 

Captain Alex King and Warrant Officer Christian Morris moved in and hit the ground 

running. The fall of 2015 provided no respite from the year’s busy schedule, as the 

Battalion conducted platoon and company ranges with airmobile support, courtesy of 403 

Squadron. After a busy two months supporting ranges, including the annual migration to 

and from Camp Petersville, Transport Platoon ran a late fall serial of a much needed Driver 

Wheel course, preparing new soldiers to be qualified as drivers for the LAV 6. To end 

the year, Battalion Transport provided unit-level embarkation support to Golf Company’s 

deployment to Jordan and Lebanon in support of Op PROVISION. 

Lima Company worked hard and thrived in 2015. The Company provided the Battalion 

with the support it required to accomplish its tasks by working behind the scenes ensuring 

equipment, vehicles and personnel were ready to deploy rapidly, whether on a training 

exercise, NEO, IRU, or any mission we were asked to perform. 


3rd Battalion 


The year 2015 was a busy one for 3rd Battalion, The 

Royal Canadian Regiment as the only Regular Force 

Battalion in the Regiment tasked with the Light Forces 

role. 

LCol W.P.J. Graydon, CD 

3 RCR 

CWO W.P. Fudge, CD 

Light Forces excel at readiness, rapid deployment, 

and flexibility. One need only mention the Battalion’s 

historic and rapid stand up of Papa Company in support 

of Op REASSURANCE, its leadership and mentorship 

in support of Ex STALWART GUARDIAN, and its 

deployment to Fort Bragg to participation in Joint 

Operations Airborne Exercise (JOAX) with the 82nd 

Airborne Division, as just some of the examples of the 

employability and rapid deployment capability that is 

entrenched within 3rd Battalion. 

During the deployment of Papa Company on Op 

REASSURANCE, where the focus was on Airborne, Air 

Assault and Light Infantry skills in support of Strategic 

Directives, the remainder of the Battalion concurrently 

maintained focus on the Light Forces skillsets to include 

Airborne, Amphibious, and Mountain Operations 

training in addition to core Light Infantry skills such as 

marksmanship and physical fitness. 

Also of significant importance, in June of 2015, 3rd 

Battalion also bid farewell to LCol McBride, and 

welcomed myself as the new Commanding Officer. 

As I am no stranger to 3rd Battalion, and a strong 

supporter of Light Forces, the Battalion fully expects 

the upcoming years of my Command to be invigorating 

and challenging. 

As mentioned, this is not my first time serving with 

3rd Battalion. Each time I have served as a member 

of 3rd Battalion, I have been exposed to greater sums 

of professionalism, dedication to duty, light forces 

capability, and loyalty that is entrenched within its 

culture. I have been consistently impressed with the 

physical fitness, skills, and technical abilities of the 3rd 

Battalion. 

As 2015, and my first six months in Command comes to 

a close, 3rd Battalion remains ready to serve Canadian 


interests at home and abroad; and to faithfully serve the Regiment. The year of 2016 and 

beyond will provide new challenges and a renewed focus on Light Forces. The Battalion can 

expect to train in Norway, conduct a PCF cycle focused on Light Forces courses, participate 

in Ex STALWART GUARDIAN, and continue to maintain our strong training partnership with 

the 82nd Airborne Division. I intend on remaining focused on deployment readiness, and 

support of Light Forces tasks, as we train and get ready to embark on the road to high 

readiness. 

I predict another busy, challenging, and perhaps ambiguous year ahead of which I have no 

doubt the Battalion will show itself to be capable of rising to any challenge. 

W.P.J. Graydon 

Lieutenant-Colonel 

Commanding Officer 

Mike Company 

By Capt Eric Morrow 

2015, a busy year started in typical airborne fashion for Mike Company, seeing three days 

of para refreshers welcoming the members of Mike Company back from well-deserved 

Christmas leave, followed by a day and a night jump onto the frozen expanse of DZ Anzio to 

shake off any cobwebs left over from the holiday season. 

With 3 RCR focusing on individual soldier skills, M Coy conducted multiple small arms ranges 

through January and February to allow its soldiers to further hone their marksmanship skills 

in challenging weather. Despite lower numbers in the company due to Op REASSURANCE, 

the remaining members of M Coy managed to work together to train hard and improve 

their soldiering skills. The last week of February saw the company partake in Ex RESILIENT 

ROYAL, a week-long event organized by Padre Capt Turner to raise awareness and increase 

soldier resiliency within the Battalion. This week saw multiple guest lecturers thoughtfully 

engage the members of 3 RCR on such topics as sports psychology, mental health and 

suicide awareness. The week was well-received, and the lessons learned within were 

undeniably valuable throughout the rest of an exciting year. The sports psychology aspect 

of Ex RESILIENT ROYAL was put to the test immediately, as the first week of March brought 

with it Ex OLYMPIAN BEAR, the annual 2 CMBG inter-unit sports competition. Despite a 

disappointing overall placement for the Battalion, members of M Coy fought hard in each 

event. 

Following March break, para-qualified members of 3 RCR led by M Coy conducted the CH- 

147 Chinook parachute trials in early April. Despite many stop-drops multiple jumps were 

undertaken including static-line round and square canopy and multiple free-falls, resulting 

in a successful trial and the future ability to conduct airborne operations from Chinook 

airframes. May saw more ranges, including PWT 4 and culminating in urban live fire in the 

Urban Operations Shoot House. M Coy acted as enemy force for our airborne brethren from 

3R22eR during Ex PEGASE VALEUREUX, seeing members of 3 Platoon occupy the Urban 

Ops Village in a defensive position while the VanDoos performed a coy-sized raid after a 

nighttime airborne insertion. 

June was a month of transition, both for M Coy and for 3 RCR. In preparation for the Battalion 


Members of M Coy over Lamure 

Bay during 3 RCR’s Pachino Day 

Celebrations in August 2015 

Change of Command parade, drill practice became the raison d’être for everyone at Foulkes 

Barracks; soldiers perfected their rifle drill while officers sharpened their sword drill. On 

20 June, 3 RCR said goodbye to LCol Rob McBride and welcomed its new Commanding 

Officer, LCol Will Graydon. The following week, M Coy also had a change of command 

team, when Major Eddie Jun and MWO Mark Gallant handed the reins to Major Mike Miller 

and MWO Mike Martens. M Coy took a hard-earned summer leave block through July. The 

last soldiers returned from Op REASSURANCE and rejoined the company after some welldeserved 

post-deployment leave for the first time in over 4 months. 

This leave period was a short respite, however, as August proved one of the busiest months 

of the year; M Coy would have starring roles in both Pachino Day celebrations as well as 

Ex STALWART GUARDIAN. For Pachino Day, M Coy participated in 2 daytime water jumps 

into Lamure Bay, before changing into company PT strip and participating in friendly intercompany 

competitions and enjoying a spaghetti and red wine lunch. Exercise STALWART 

GUARDIAN was a 2-week exercise that saw over one thousand reservists from Ontario 

participate in stand training and a force-on-force scenario. For the stand training portion 

of the Ex, M Coy had the opportunity to pass on patrolling skills to our counterparts in 


the Reserves, covering all aspects from 

battle procedure to the consolidation. 

The coy mentors received expressions of 

gratitude and praise from the Canadian 

Brigade Groups for their professionalism 

and patient, effective mentorship. These 

skills were put to the test in the force 

on force portion, which saw M Coy 

join a combat team of Royal Canadian 

Dragoons (RCD) mounted recce and an 

engineer troop from the 2nd Combat 

Engineer Regiment (2 CER) to provide 

a well-disciplined and effective enemy 

force. M Coy used its light infantry 

skills to the fullest, inserting at night 

and probing the defensive position 

effectively. This led to an intimate 

knowledge of the position prior to 

the combat team attack at first light. 

The battle raged across the Mattawa 

plain, with the CBG repelling the attack 

from their defensive position before 

counterattacking north in a coordinated 

sweep. Once the dust had settled in the 

afternoon, the limit of exploitation was 

reached, and the exercise was ended. 

Jumpers confirm their skill 

after annual para refreshers 

in January 2015 

Fall saw the tempo maintained through September, where M Coy conducted a serial of 

Basic Parachutist and supported the 2 CMBG Osons Challenge with the final stand at the 

mock tower, where jumpmasters dispatched the Brigade’s junior officers from the 32 foot 

tower. October resulted in several more jumps for the coy, as M Coy received the task of 

providing a follow-on force in support of the Patrol Pathfinder Course run by the Canadian 

Army Advanced Warfare Centre’s Advanced Mobility Company. Jumps were conducted by 

day and by night with members of 1 Platoon occupying DZ RV’s established by candidates 

on the course. Despite being in the field over the Thanksgiving long weekend 1 Platoon 

embodied the airborne spirit and maintained their enthusiasm and drive, supporting the 

candidates and creating realistic scenarios to benefit their training. 

Mike Company participated in Exercise PEGASUS STRIKE II on October 24th, an airborne 

exercise planned by the para company from the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. Over 40 

members of M Coy jumped onto DZ Anzio and performed security, screening, and recces 

for the QOR follow-on force. Two hours after M Coy’s drop, the QOR jumped and began 

their approach to the objective: the Urban Ops Village. The mission was to retrieve a 

briefcase of sensitive materials stolen from Chalk River. After receiving an objective brief 

from M Coy’s recce elements at the vantage point, the QOR began to establish their raid. 

Our portion of the task completed, M Coy withdrew after last light and exfiltrated to the 

rendez-vous. Ex PEGASUS STRIKE provided a great and unfortunately rare opportunity for 


Jumpers prepare to land in Lamure Bay 

at Garrison Petawawa during 3 RCR’s 

Pachino Day celebrations in August 15 

both para coys to train together and iron out TTPs. 

Throughout 2015 Mike Company continued its proud tradition of providing 3 RCR with 

a flexible and versatile airborne light infantry fighting force. Able to plan effectively and 

react quickly with tight timelines, we overcame many challenges this year and are confident 

in our abilities to face whatever may come. 2016 will undoubtedly provide us with more 

opportunities to show that when the light goes green, we are first out the door. Airborne! 

November Company 

The first half of 2015 for November Company was not unlike the remainder of the battalion 

as the main focus was in supporting Operation REASSURANCE, Canada’s response to the 

crisis in the Ukraine. Following redeployment from Op REASSURANCE and some much 

deserved summer leave, November Company underwent reorganization and shifted 

focus to supporting Exercise STALWART GUARDIAN, an annual Primary Reserve exercise 

designed to train the Territorial Battle Group (TBG) in all phases of war. November Company 

was tasked with running a company level patrolling stand for Bravo Company, 31 TBG; a 

composite battalion group established from 31 and 33 CBG Primary Reserve Units. This 

saw the company working with our regimental brethren as 4 RCR was providing a platoon 

to Bravo Company. Under November Company’s guidance, Bravo Company occupied a 

patrol base where they would conduct battle procedure and dispatch reconnaissance and 

fighting patrols over the course of the next few days. Although Bravo Company was a 

composite organization formed at the start of the exercise, their cohesion and performance 

noticeably and quickly improved over the duration of the patrolling stand. With mentorship 

from November Company leadership and select patrolmen from recce platoon, as well as 

carefully coordinated enemy force provided by November Company, the stand served as 


an excellent training opportunity for Bravo Company 

soldiers to develop their patrolling skills. The stand 

culminated with synchronized platoon fighting 

patrols with H Hour set for first light. Overall significant lessons were learned and the 

exercise served as a great opportunity to improve Regular Force and Primary Reserve 

familiarity. It also provided an excellent opportunity for November Company to begin 

working together following significant personnel changes coming out of the annual 

posting season and reorganization following Op REASSURANCE. 

Following Ex STALWART GUARDIAN, November Company quickly shifted focus once 

again to supporting the RCAF’s 1 Wing with the Basic Tactical Aviation Course (BTAC), 

a tactics and planning course for tactical helicopter pilots to enable them to operate 

at the section (two ship formation) level within a tactical environment. The course was 

run out of 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron’s (THS) building and run by a combination 

of staff and equipment from 408 THS and 450 THS, including the CH-146 Griffon and 

the CH-147 Chinook. BTAC offered the company the opportunity to truly operate in a 

joint environment by conducting regular joint air mission planning, air mission briefs and 

rehearsals, greatly enhancing our ability to execute air assault operations. It also serves 

as the pilots’ first course heavily focused on tactics vice the technical aspects of flying. 

The first mission, a company level air assault, served as the inaugural staff demonstration 

to the candidates in order to gain greater knowledge of how the infantry works on the 


ground and how they can best 

support ground troops from the air. 

After clearing through the objective 

on the ground, November Company 

conducted a deliberate extraction 

using Chinooks while the Griffon’s 

provided continuous overwatch 

circling above. November Company 

soldiers continued to support 

four to five daily missions over the 

next several weeks which began 

as relatively simple, but increased 

in complexity as the candidates 

became more confident. Some 

of these missions included resupply, reconnaissance, insertion and extraction, convoy 

overwatch, and even a downed helicopter scenario. A particular highlight had November 

Company with the support of the Battalion’s Air Movements Cell enable the sling load 

movement of two G-Wagons via Chinook; a skillset which is seldom practiced. The 

course culminated with a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) that saw a mission 

involving all candidates over the span of eight hours. November Company deployed via 

Chinook before conducting a final approach on foot and setting up a cordon around a 

village and providing security until vulnerable persons could be screened and escorted 

safely to a landing zone. All the while Griffons provided overwatch and reacted to enemy 

activity. Not only did this complex scenario test the joint planning capabilities of the 

candidates, it also tested November Company soldiers in the planning and execution of 

an intricate tactical mission. Throughout the course, the staff challenged the candidates 

with a significant number of injects ensuring the pilots had to think on their feet. This 

in-turn afforded November Company soldiers of all ranks ample opportunity to call in 

overwatch helicopters, 9-Liner casualty evacuations, and provided exceptional exposure 

to and training with aviation platforms. 

Immediately following the completion of the BTAC, November Company began training 

focused on meeting individual battle task standards (IBTS). This included personal 

weapons tests on all of our weapons on conventional ranges, but also several advanced 

applications and field firing ranges by both day and night, challenging not only individual 

soldier skills but also leadership at the team and section level. In late October, the Company 

also completed a week long field training exercise that focused on navigation, fieldcraft 

and platoon fighting patrols before a 16 km march back to garrison. Although the year has 

been marked by an extremely high operational tempo, November Company soldiers have 

achieved an incredible level of proficiency in their craft all the while maintaining individual 

and collective readiness. 

Reflections on Operation REASSURANCE 

by Pte Casey Helie 

I deployed on Operation REASSURANCE from March to June 2015. My duties were as a 

C9 machine gunner in a rifle company representing November Company 3 RCR. At the 


time I had only a few months in the unit, being fresh out of battle school. As a new guy 

having the opportunity to deploy, wherever, so quickly was very exciting and I stepped 

onto the plane headed to Europe very eager for the next few months. 

Traveling through Europe, visiting Poland and our other allies was almost surreal at 

times. Having never traveled abroad internationally, my work also served as a chance to 

experience all the culture there was to offer – and there was a lot. While in many ways so 

familiar, some things were so vastly different. Much of Europe hasn’t changed for many 

years, and everywhere I went was rich in history. I found the people to be warm hearted, 

savouring and indulging in some of the more simple pleasures of life. The Tatanka, a drink 

popular in Poland, made from a particular flavoured vodka and apple juice is now a staple 

at my home. Mititei, or Mici, is a Romanian dish of seasoned ground meats, which I very 

fondly remember enjoying over cheap beers with American and British soldiers. 

While working, I did get to do a lot of very cool things. I rappelled down rusting elevator 

shafts in a decrepit Soviet era industrial plant, out of helicopters and even off the highest 

dam in Poland. I had my first introduction to air assault doctrine, deploying out of Mi- 

8s and W-3 Sokols. We ran through rural villages, clambering over fences while farmers 

looked on, all the while dodging border security as part of a SERE exercise. I owe a special 

thanks to the elderly couple for letting us warm ourselves beside a fire for a couple minutes 

during a reconnaissance task I took part of in Poland. I remember the smell and sight of a 

sun bleached cow skeleton in Romania, farmers riding horse drawn carriages through our 

company patrol base. I shot thousands of rounds, including an M72 for the first time – I’ll 

never forget or stop grinning while I remember the cheers of my section when I vaporized 

a wooden pallet from 300 metres, watching flakes of wood rain like confetti. Awesome! 

There were many memorable experiences, and overall I enjoyed my time on Operation 

REASSURANCE. It was an honour to serve with the later amalgamated “Papa Company” 

as my grand uncle Mike Kelly had as Papa Company Officer Commanding from 1975-1978. 

My short deployment was a great opportunity for me to stand with our allies, all the while 

further developing my personal skillsets and knowledge. Thank you to my peers and my 

superiors for their leadership, teaching, and patience. As many of my Polish companions 

would revel in Russian, “Nostrovia!” 

Oscar Company 

By Captain Al Cluett 

2015 was another busy year for Oscar Coy. While still on high readiness for much of the 

year, the company continued to force generate soldiers for Op REASSURANCE, support 

battalion and brigade tasks, as well as conduct integral company training. Stretched across 

Canada and Eastern Europe, the company developed unique relationships with our NATO 

Allies while maintaining an operational focus through the conduct of valuable training and 

exercises. Along the way Oscar Company welcomed a new company command team, new 

platoon commander and a number of new soldiers. 

The year began for the company after a much deserved rest over the holidays; Oscar 

Company returned home from a high tempo deployment on Op REASSURANCE 


(Romania TAV) OCT contingent deployed 

to Romania during NATO multinational 

Ex SARMIS. Left to Right: Capt John 

Keess, Coy 2IC; WO Riccardo Taylor; 

WO Liam McGlynn; Maj Piers Pappin, 

OC O Coy 

in December 2014. January saw a small contingent, including Maj Piers Pappin, Officer 

Commanding, return to Poland to handover the headquarters elements of the Op 

REASSURANCE Land Task Force Command to November Company. Back at home, the 

company completed winter warfare training and a week-long gun camp titled Ex BATTLE 

ROYALE. The camp focused on individual and section marksmanship while providing 

soldiers with the opportunity to hone their shooting skills; section leadership were given 

the opportunity to develop their skills while controlling section sized firebases. 

Following Ex BATTLE ROYALE, the company completed a number of small arms ranges and 

participated in the battalion’s week long mental resiliency training, Ex RESILENT ROYAL. In 

April the company fell into the battalion’s PCF cycle running consecutive Basic Mountain 

Operations (BMO) serials for the battalion and brigade. 

Also during that time many of the soldiers and NCOs deployed to Poland with Papa Company 

on Op REASSURANCE, a second deployment to the Eastern European theatre for many. 

In May the company provided Observer Controller Teams (OCTs) to the NATO exercise Ex 

SARMIS at the Land Force Training Center Cincu, Romania. Maj Pappin, Company 2IC Capt 

John Keess and 8 Platoon 2IC WO Riccardo Taylor deployed for three weeks to Romania 

to observe the Canadian contingent from the LTF Op REASSURANCE conduct operations 

during the multinational NATO exercise. 

In May the company transitioned to drill practice in preparation for the battalion and brigade 

change of command parades in late June. The two months of hard work and practice payed 

off as the company displayed near perfect execution of drill on the parade square. As the 

battalion said good bye to the Commanding Officer, LCol McBride, and welcomed LCol 

Graydon, Oscar Company welcomed its new company leadership. Departing were Officer 

Commanding, Maj Piers Pappin; Company 2IC, Capt John Keess; and Company Sargent 

Major, MWO Dave Lehtinen. Following summer leave the company welcomed Maj Mark Lee, 

and MWO Ray Green, formally the OC and CSM of Papa Company, Op REASSURANCE. 

Capt Baker, who commanded 9 Pl in Afghanistan on TF 1-10 returned as Company 2IC. 

With a new company HQ, Oscar Company picked up the pace by supporting the Primary 


Reserve force on Ex STALTWART GUARDIAN. The weeklong exercise saw the company 

occupy a company patrol base and receive consecutive companies from 32 and 33 Brigades 

for a section and platoon level patrol school. The reserve forces were provided mentorship 

from Oscar Company leadership through all aspects of patrol battle procedure at the 

section and platoon level. They received guidance from junior and senior NCOs from Oscar 

Company during the execution phase and were provided with detailed debriefs on their 

performance and areas to improve. Each iteration culminated in three separate deliberate 

offensive actions at the platoon level. The effort, professionalism, and leadership displayed 

by Oscar Company did not go unnoticed, and was much appreciated by the reserve forces 

chains of command. 

The high tempo continued into September with the company’s significant role in the Osons 

Challenge and Ex COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT. The Osons Challenge is a two day military skills 

competition aimed at building esprit de corps amongst the brigade junior officers. Oscar 

Company HQ was tasked as the brigade OPI for the challenge, and accordingly, planned, 

coordinated and executed the conduct of the competition with assistance from across the 

brigade. 

Immediately following the Osons Challenge the company had a major role in the Ex 

COLLABORTIVE SPIRIT, a high profile brigade event that showcased the CAFs equipment 

and capabilities to senior government officials, captains of industry, and members of the 

media. During their time in Petawawa, the special guests toured a wide range of stands 

organized by a number of brigade units. Oscar Company planned and executed an 

airmobile platoon attack demonstration complete with combat enablers. 7 Platoon, led 

by Lt Connor Severin, conducted a deliberate airmobile raid on a well defended enemy 

command and control node. The spectators, who were seated within a few hundred meters 

of the objective area, watched as 7 pl was inserted via two CH-147 helicopters before 

conducting an aggressive assault, complimented by a gun crew and JTAC from 2 RCHA 

provided indirect fire and close air support, and battle simulation from 2 CER, and battalion 

snipers. Overall, it demonstrated our ability to quickly gain lodgment, assault and clear an 

enemy position, as part of the combined arms team. 

In October Oscar Company was chosen to provide a team for the International Outdoor 

Championship, Summer Survival 2015 

in the Czech Republic. The three man 

Two CH-147s from 450 Sqn depart 

team, led by Sgt Dave McEachern 

a hot LZ after 7 Pl’s infill during Ex 

of 9 Platoon, navigated the Czech 

COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT. 

countryside executing complex terrain 

and physically arduous tasks along 

the way. With little preparation and 

knowledge of the competition the 

team performed exceptionally well 

placing 7th out of 17 teams, and was 

selected as the top international team. 

The year wrapped up with the coy 

completing IBTS, and working hard to 

ensure our readiness in anticipation 


Czech Summer Survival 

(opening) Left to right Cpl 

Kirwan, Pte Burman and 

Sgt McEachern posing with 

the Canadian flag after 

the opening ceremony for 

the International Outdoor 

Championship, Summer 

Survival in Czech Republic. 

of the government’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis. The battalion, tasked with 

generating a NEO and IRU coys, began quickly ensuring that all personnel were prepared 

to deploy – an enormous task given that the unit is now in reconstitution. While anticipating 

a possible deployment, the coy still managed to enjoy the well-deserved silly season, and 

holiday leave. 

Papa Company 

On 21 April 2015 in Glebokie, Poland, Papa Company officially stood up, some seventeen 

years after being reduced to nil strength. The fourth rifle company was brought back to life for 

Op REASSURANCE, the Canadian Government’s military contribution to NATO assurance 

measures in Eastern Europe. Commencing in July 2014, 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian 

Regiment deployed all three rifle companies for 2-3 month rotations on the operation, with 

Mike, Oscar and November Companies deploying respectively. Seizing an opportunity to 

create an identity for this last battalion-led rotation, Commanding Officer 3 RCR, Lieutenant 

Colonel McBride, sought permission from RHQ to use the Papa Coy designation. The 

company had previously served with distinction from 1972 until CA restructuring in the late 

1990s reduced all regular force infantry battalions to three rifle companies. 

Led by the newly promoted command team of Major Mark Lee and Master Warrant Officer 

Ray Green, Papa Company Group formed the Land Task Force (LTF). The LTF was comprised 

of soldiers from not only across the battalion, but the CAF, boasting a robust combat service 

support element, as well as artillery, engineer, recce and sniper combat enablers. Eager to 

embrace the new identity, the command team sought to resurrect some of the traditions as 

a means creating team cohesion while acknowledging the past. As Major Lee introduced 

the concept and provided some historical background, the soldiers voted overwhelmingly 

to purchase company t-shirts. Soon enough, the amber t-shirts (actually more of mustard 

yellow) emblazoned with the Papa Coy battle harp, would be ubiquitous around camp. 


Sgt Jay Strickland during Ex 

SARMIS in May 2015 near 

Cincu, Romania as part of Op 

REASSURANCE 

Papa Company Group at Glebokie Barracks, Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, June 2015. 

Everyone seemed to relish the unique opportunity and wore the shirts with pride. 

The rifle platoons were blessed with abundant training resources in Poland, unrivalled 

in Canada. 3 Platoon, led by Lt Kashk Taylor, deployed to the South East of the country 

for a month-long partnered exercise with the 25th (Polish) Air Cavalry Brigade. 2 Platoon, 

commanded by Lt Henry Luk, conducted intensive urban ops training with the host nation, 

culminating in a demonstration for the President of Poland in early May. 

The highlight of the rotation saw the coy group deploy to Romania from May to June 2015 

to participate in Ex SARMIS, a brigade-level NATO training exercise. The first two weeks 

saw challenging STX lanes and at platoon and coy level in preparation for the collective bde 

training event. For the FTX, Papa Coy was attached OPCON to 1st Battalion Coldstream 

Guards, Task Force Ypres. The company cleared what seemed like endless stretches of 

complex terrain in order to allow the freedom of movement for mechanized units in the 

brigade. Throughout the company distinguished itself for its quiet professionalism and 

ability to effectively work with our NATO allied, despite our many differences. 

On return to Poland, the company continued to train with our host nation, while beginning 

preparations for redeployment and handover a 3 R22eR-led roto. 1 platoon, led by Lt Nick 

Bergeron completed three week bi-lateral training with 25th Air Cav Bde, participating in 

airmobile and SERE trg. 

The deployment drew to a close on in early July, as the relief in place with A Coy, 3 R22eR, 

commenced. It was a tremendous experience, having the opportunity to represent Canada 

and the Regiment on the international stage. As the last of the roto 3 soldiers redeployed in 

late July, it concluded yet another, but hopefully not the last chapter in the history of Papa 

Coy. 

Quebec Company 

This year transitioned from support to Op REASSURANCE in Poland to core force generation 

for the Bn’s combat support enablers. Q Coy was vectored onto Op REASURRANCE during 

the 1st quarter of 2015. Embedded within the TF or working directly aside NATO partners, 

Recce and Sniper Pl “recce pulled” combat power to where it was needed at the right time. 

They demonstrated that with a heavy rucksack, optics, parachute, a map & compass, a pair 



3 RCR B Recce 1501 conduct helo insert 

3 RCR B Recce 1501 students conduct patrol 

3 RCR B recce 1501 Crse Photo 

of boots, rifle, and drive you can meet Government of Canada security objectives. 

Q Coy took advise, assist, accompany as our teaching model and applied it to the 

reserve PTA during Ex STALWART GUARDIAN. Over the exercise there was a measurable 

improvement of the reservist’s patrolling skills. Our recce patrolman developed as 

mentors, which the Bn can use as a benchmark for potential capacity building missions 

in the future. Also, many of the new qualified BRecce soldiers were involved as mentors, 

reinforcing their skills and leadership at the lowest level. No doubt there were some 

moments of frustration, and a few patrols took an indirect approach to the OBJ, but overall 

an important relationship was reinforced. 

The Basic Tactical Aviation Course (BTAC) trains pilots on tactical scenarios at the 2 ship 

formation level with a ground force attached for airmobile and air assault operations. Sigs 

Pl benefited from the RW support for this Air Force course, planning and moving the light 

CP. The Air Cell was also able to sling load Recce Pl G-Wagons into remote logging roads 

in Quebec. Air Mission Planning was conducted at the lowest level and both CH146 and 

147 pilots worked directly with the snipers and recce during the shaping phase of the 

operations. 

Bn Ops, the Air cell, and Signals Pl sights were laid onto CJOAX 16-01 and 2 BCT, 82nd 

ABN DIV’s in November. They demonstrated that a Canadian LAIB HQ has the resident 

skill to plan and lead an American unit through the para insertion and subsequent air 

assault expansion of the airhead line. This also included 450 Sqn integration with the 

82nd’s General Support Aviation Brigade. The goal of maintaining connectivity and 

strengthen combined, joint proficiency was achieved. The effects of sleep deprivation on 


the planners were minimal. The conditions are now set for 2 BCT and the GSAB to conduct 

reciprocal training in Petawawa in 2016. 

Recce Pl ran 2 x serials of the BRecce course. The goal was to establish reconnaissance 

depth within the Bn. The second serial was conducted concurrent to training the Bde’s 

Canadian Patrol Competition (CPC) teams. The Coy came together and accomplished 

both objectives. 2 CMBG unit results at the competition were a clear indication of the 

professionalism and expertise of our NCOs. 

2015 has been a busy year for 

all of 3 RCR and for Romeo Coy 

that was no exception. Romeo 

Company, as the Combat 

Service Support (CSS) Company 

of the Battalion is comprised 

of a company headquarters, 

movements and maintenance 

Platoons, and a Quartermaster 

Platoon which includes both the 

Ammo and Food Services cells. 

It is through the contributions 

of all of these diverse services 

that a busy and hardworking 

battalion, like 3 RCR, gets the 

support it needs to function. 

Romeo Company 

As usual Romeo Coy hit the ground running in January, after a well-earned holiday break 

the company immediately was faced with the challenge of preparing for an extended and 

expanded contribution from the unit to OP REASSURANCE. This saw the addition of a 

Land Task Force Support component to the mission, which required considerable effort 

to stage on the part of the entire company. The purchase of large amounts of equipment, 

the scaling of parts and tooling for maintenance support, the loading of nine full sea cans 

and shipment of thirty five vehicles all occurred within a short time frame. In addition the 

movement support for the deployment and redeployment of roughly 200 pers throughout 

the winter and spring further added to the workload. The men and women of Romeo Coy 

managed this impressive list of tasks with distinction. 

As the winter progressed Romeo Company, spearheaded by Movements Platoon, played 

its role in the battalions’ PCF training cycle. This saw the running of back to back serials for 

the Heavy Logistics Vehicle Wheeled (HLVW), Defensive Driving Course (DDC), All Terrain 

Vehicle (ATV) and truck trailer conversion courses. In addition a tremendous amount of 

behind the scenes work was done to ensure the other courses being run by the battalion 

had the food, supplies and transport they required to train. 

One notable exercise during this timeframe was Exercise RESILIENT ROYAL. This innovative 

training was the brainchild of Padre Shawn Turner, and focused on the mental health and 


Col Dawe, former Comd 2 CMBG, 

speaks to WO Black during the 3 

RCR Change of Command parade. 

resilience of 3 RCR’s soldiers. During this Ex, the Battalion hosted several notable speakers 

on the topic of resilience, including Col Martin Lipcsey and Dr David Dunn. The exercise was 

a resounding success and made significant inroads into giving our soldiers the tools they 

needed, ranging from stress management to nutrition to motivational education to meet 

the demands placed on them from operations and training. 

Spring saw the Romeo Company lead the Battalion in its administration and maintenance 

week before taking a brief pause for the March break. During this time the unit underwent 

a comprehensive safety audit and received praise from the Bde safety Officer, Mr Jeff 

Mansveld. Also of note was the participation and support (both from the Bn riggers and 

jumpers from the coy) for the CH-147 Chinook helicopter parachute trails done in tandem 

with 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS). 

At the approach of summer, the unit prepared for its change of command from LCol Rob 

McBride to LCol Will Graydon. When one thinks of a change of command one usually 

thinks of parades and ceremonies, and indeed Romeo participated in those with pride. 

In addition, a detailed and thorough handover process was followed. This included a full 

one hundred percent stock taking of all of the battalions assets, this was done with an 

impressively small amount of write offs, which was testament to the hard work and reliability 

of the unit Quartermaster platoon. This also saw the change of the company command 

team, with Maj Mark Sheppard and MWO Mark Cushman handing over command of the 

company to Maj John Hubble and MWO Keith Dube. 


After a well-earned summer leave Romeo Company was back into the thick of things. This 

time it was the daunting task of supporting EXERCISE STALWART GUARDIAN. This large scale 

and complex exercise saw the hosting and training of two tactical brigade groups of reservist 

personnel. 3 RCR received praise throughout the brigade for its conduct of a patrolling 

stand and its first rate support to the exercise. Every platoon of Romeo Company played its 

role in supporting the Exercise, with QM Platoon alongside the Company Quartermasters 

from the rifle platoons mentoring the reservist pers in sustainment, Maintenance Platoon 

troubleshooting a massive fleet of visiting vehicles, Movements Platoon seeing to the 

transport of hundreds of reservists from one portion of the exercise to another on time and 

of course the Battalion cooks doing an outstanding job in keeping up everyone’s morale with 

great food. A quote from MCpl Matt Larmond from Movements Platoon summed up the 

company’s attitude nicely “We will make it happen”. 

The fall saw no let-up in the pace for Romeo as the company continued to support events 

such as the OSONS challenge, the Bde IRONMAN competition, and of course fall training. 

One contribution of note was the deployment of a small detachment from Movements 

Platoon to the Northwest Territories in support of OPERATION NANOOK. There the small 

team of air movements’ specialists earned high praise for their great work with 450 THS and 

the RCMP in facilitating the movement of equipment, stores and even police vehicles over 

otherwise impassable terrain via helicopter sling loads. When the Commander of the 450 

THS task force asked Cpl Elliot Fauteux from Movements Platoon “So you guys… you can 

sling a cop truck?” Cpl Fauteux’s answer was “Rodger that Sir! Do you accept the damage?” 

Another challenge that awaited the company that fall was supporting the deployment of 

the Battalion Headquarters to Fort Bragg during 3 RCR’s participation in JOAX 16. This 

exercise saw the deployment of a small number of vehicles and support personnel to North 

Carolina. While relatively small in scope, the fact that it was both an international deployment 

and a challenging airborne and airmobile exercise made for some interesting exercise and 

real life support challenges for the company. These were overcome with the customary 

resourcefulness and dedication from members of the company and set the conditions for the 

successful deployment for the Bn Headquarters. 

November saw a solemn and proud duty for Romeo Company with the company contributing 

a 50 man guard to the Remembrance Day ceremonies at Quyon, Quebec. The parade 

was a great success and received great response from the town. WO Nicole Barrett from 

Maintenance Platoon had this to say about the Quyon task. “Quyon is a very small town 

but it was an appreciative community because we were there for their Remembrance Day 

ceremony representing the Canadian Armed Forces”. 

As the year winds down, Romeo Company continues its quiet, yet busy role, working hard 

behind the scenes to allow 3 RCR to keep doing the great work it does. Planning and 

preparation for Exercise COLD RESPONSE in Norway in the coming year is already well 

underway. As the Battalion prepares for its regimental week, the men and women in Romeo 

Company will have no shortage of accomplishments over 2015 to look back upon with pride. 


4th Battalion 


The 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (4 RCR) 

experienced a challenging and rewarding year in 2015. 

Throughout the year, 4 RCR conducted training events 

at all levels within the Battalion, within 31 Canadian 

Brigade Group (31 CBG), 4th Canadian Division (4th Cdn 

Div), and on occasion with other arms of the Canadian 

Forces (CF). In addition, 4 RCR participated in a number 

of ceremonial tasks and duties and maintained an active 

role in the community through philanthropic initiatives 

and community outreach. 

LCol M.W. Anderson, CD 

4 RCR 

CWO H. Klausnitzer, CD 

Soldiers of 4 RCR continued to demonstrate dedication 

to their trade, balancing their duties at the Battalion 

with their full time civilian vocation. It is a difficult task 

for many as the time spent training, teaching, and 

strengthening their skills often comes at the expense 

of time spent with family, friends, and other unfulfillable 

commitments in their personal lives. Despite this 4 RCR 

continues to be a leader among the Brigade in its training 

and consistently fulfills its tasks as a member of 31 CBG. 

This is only achievable through the determination of 

members of 4 RCR and their willingness to put in the 

extra hours to see work and training done right. 

Further, soldiers of 4 RCR actively engaged the 

community through charitable initiatives such as Toys 

for Tots and other Community Outreach initiatives such 

as Doors Open London. This year presented many 

opportunities for members of 4 RCR to frequently work 

with or within view of the local communities of London 

and Stratford, as well as other nearby municipalities. 

Soldiers of 4 RCR deployed on various tasks through 

the year. In May, Sgt Brad Keffer joined 1 RCR on work 

up training, deploying with C Coy, 1 RCR in August on 

Op UNIFIER as the Coy Influence Activities (IA) advisor. 

Sgt Keffer has an extensive history of training, working, 

and instructing in Civilian Military Cooperation (CIMIC) 

and Psyops roles and lent his skills by developing 

courseware and delivering training to Ukrainian 

mechanized infantry companies on those subjects. He 

also taught Ukrainian Coy leadership in areas including 


LCol Martin Anderson leads the 

march past upon taking command 

of the Battalion. Off camera, LCol 

Joe Robinson receives the salute) 

Presence Posture Profile, Deception, and 

Hostile Propaganda Reporting. In addition 

to working with the Ukrainian military, Sgt 

Keffer assisted the US Civil Affairs team 

in instructing on CIMIC at the staff level 

and provided capability briefs to soldiers 

in order to enhance their knowledge of IA. 

With the new Government pledge to take 

in refugees from the conflict in Syria, soldiers of 4 RCR deployed on Op PROVISION to 

assist in the effort in looking after refugees across multiple locations including 4 Cdn Div 

TC Meaford and CFB Borden. 15 members of the Battalion joined other units of 31 CBG as 

part of the Auxiliary Security Force (ASF), providing oversight and security throughout the 

bases and training centers that were being used as temporary accommodations for refugees 

transitioning to a new life in Canada. The 15 soldiers, including three IA trained personnel, 

joined other members of the battalion already tasked at 4 Cdn Div TC Meaford and CFB 

Borden. 

Change of Command 

This past year saw command of the Battalion handed over from LCol Joe Robinson to 

LCol Martin Anderson, formerly the Deputy Commanding Officer of 4 RCR. Soldiers of 4 


RCR watched on with friends and family of the Battalion as the outgoing and incoming 

Commanding Officers signed the Change of Command Scroll. Following this, LCol Robinson 

received the salute as LCol Anderson led the Battalion in a march past upon taking command. 

The change of command was presided over by the Commander of 31 Canadian Brigade 

Group, Colonel Kevin Bertoia, as well as the Colonel of the Regiment, Colonel Joe Aitchison. 

In addition to the change of command, LCol Robinson received his regimental departure gift, 

a pewter statuette of a regimental Lieutenant Colonel, from Col Aitchison and LCol Pettipas, 

the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Battalion. LCol Robinson was also presented his 

vehicle pennant by MCpl Marc Phillipon during the ceremony. 

LCol Robinson is continuing his career in the Army Reserve and is currently the Assistant 

Chief of Staff (Sp) at 4 Cdn Div. 

Sierra Company 

Sierra Company (S Coy) saw major changes in its leadership this past year. Maj Matt Prince 

assumed command of the Company as Maj Joe Hentz transitioned to the role of Deputy 

Commanding Officer for 4 RCR. MWO Jim Kolar also handed off the role of Company 

Sergeant Major to WO Ray Morris. Capt Peter Keane continued in his role as Company 

Second in Command (2IC). WO Chris Murdy took up his role as the Coy Ops WO and WO 

Javier Guzman as Company Quartermaster. 1 Platoon continues to be commanded by Capt 

James Gaudet now joined by WO Markus Brants, who retired from the regular force to join 4 

RCR midway through the year. 2 Platoon continues under the leadership of 2Lt Kalin Walters 

with Sgt Allison Knapp assuming the role of Pl 2IC. Finally, 3 Platoon saw its leadership 

transition to Lt Kevin Yu and Sgt Ben Morgan. 

Sierra Company saw a successful year implementing a very comprehensive training schedule 

focused on both individual and collective training. S Coy conducted various internal individual 

training courses, training in both offensive and defensive operations, and worked in close 

cooperation with other units from 31 Brigade and the Naval Reserve to deliver valuable 

experience to the soldiers of the Company. 

Tango Company 

Tango Company (T Coy) continued to provide logistical support to the Stratford Armoury 

under Company Sergeant Major MWO Bruce Proper. Sgt Tom Charette, Regular Force 

Support Staff (RSS), continued to assist with T Coy affairs on a full time basis. Sgt Patrick Cade 

and Sgt Timothy Irving round out the cadre of experienced NCO’s of T Coy. In addition, 

members of T Coy frequently support S Coy training events and take the lead on tasks 

focused in the local area of the Town of Stratford. Sgt Tom Charette retired from the Canadian 

Forces in December after a 19 year career including five years served with 4 RCR. 

X-Ray Company 

X-Ray Company (X Coy) makes up the Battalion HQ and fulfills integral Combat Service 

Support roles and tasks. Capt Jerry Rozic and MWO Jim Kolar transitioned into their new 

roles as the OC and CSM of X Coy this past summer. Capt Kane Erickson assumed the role of 


Battalion Adjutant and Capt Alex Gaillard joined 4 RCR from the 1st Battalion to take up his 

new role as Battalion Operations Officer following the departure of Capt Steve Tremaine to 

N Coy, 3 RCR. WO Jason Mattice and MCpl Tobin Simcox joined 4 RCR (RSS positions) as 

the Ops WO and Transport NCO respectively. Sgt Harold Van Galen assumed his new role 

as Transport Officer (TO). Sgt Trish Cote continued as the Chief Clerk, leading the Battalion 

Orderly Room (BOR). Sgt Petras Stone took over as the Regimental Quartermaster (RQ) with 

MCpl Harrison Genereux in his new role as the RQ 2IC. 

2015 also saw the departure of several longstanding members of X Coy and 4 RCR. MWO 

Curtis Lucas and Sgt Ernest Eady both retired after serving long-standing careers in the 

Canadian Forces. Sgt Tracy Acs, after nearly a decade with 4 RCR, departed for a full time 

position at CFB Borden. All three members will be sorely missed at the unit. 

Training Highlights 

In January, S Coy held a Battle School training exercise, concurrently conducting a Basic 

level Army Tactical Information Communication Systems Operator (ATICS Op – B), a Driver 

Wheeled course, and refresher training on the C6 and a pistol supplement to Developmental 

Period 1 Infantryman (DP1). Ex ROYAL FROST I built up from training conducted in late 

2014 and helped to ensure the continued development and maintenance of critical skills 

an infantryman needs to be proficient in their trade. Ex ROYAL FROST II furthered this and 

rounded out the training requirements for the various courses being conducted within the 

context of winter warfare. This allowed soldiers to simultaneously work towards completing 

course requirements while being additionally challenged with tasks common to conducting 

warfare in a winter environment. Soldiers on the ATICS-Op B course competed in small 

detachments against each other in a series of communications and winter warfare skill 

based tasks in a Section level competition. Doing so permitted soldiers to complete their 

course under more demanding and realistic circumstances than would otherwise have 

been afforded. S Coy liaised with the Ontario Provincial Police to utilize their local training 

facility and complete the requirements for the 9mm Pistol Supplement to DP1 Infantryman. 

Also occurring in February, Ex ARROWHEAD PRECEPT, a Brigade organized Computer 

Assisted Exercise (CAX) for Pl and Coy HQ’s. 4 RCR provided a Pl HQ and Coy HQ for the 

training event that saw command elements practice battle procedure and combined arms 

operations in a simulated environment. Ex ARROWHEAD PRECEPT allows for command 

elements to refresh and refine their skills prior to the 31 CBG Field Training Exercise (FTX) 

later in the year. 

March saw soldiers of 4 RCR hone in their marksmanship skills and practice firing and moving 

in a series of progressively challenging live fire ranges on Ex ROYAL SHOOTER. Soldiers 

progressed from stoppage drills with their rifles, pistol drills (including rapidly switching 

weapons), and snap shooting to single and pairs live fire battle lanes. Additionally, members 

of 4 RCR participated in live fire C6 training and a C19 DCDW range conducted with 31 

Combat Engineer Regiment (31 CER). While the focus of the exercise was to sharpen critical 

personal weapon skills, it also served to qualify soldiers to partake in Ex ROYAL HUNTER 

the following month. In April, soldiers from S Coy returned to 4 Cdn Div TC Meaford to 

conduct live fire section attacks, leading to a live fire Platoon ambush, incorporating much 

of the skills refined previously in Ex ROYAL SHOOTER. Such training events are infrequent 


S Coy soldiers advance on the assault 

during a live fire Pl Ambush) 

occurrences for Army Reserve soldiers and soldiers from the Battalion took away many 

valuable lessons from the exercise. 

Members of 4 RCR, along with soldiers from The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment (E&K 

Scots) and the Grey and Simcoe Forresters (G&SF) came together to form B Coy, 31 TBG 

for Ex ARROWHEAD CALM, a two part Brigade defensive exercise occurring at 4 Cdn Div 

TC Meaford. The first half involved professional development and refresher training on 

infrequently practiced defensive operations for platoon leadership and higher. Pl and Coy 

leadership elements reviewed defensive theory and sited their defensive positions to be 

occupied two weeks later during the FTX. In late May, B Coy, led by a former member of 4 

RCR, Maj David Mimnagh, demonstrated their expertise on Ex ARROWHEAD CALM 2015 (Ex 

AC 15). Ex AC 15 was a brigade level training event conducted by 31 CBG, this year focusing 

on defensive operations. Soldiers practiced and refined critical and infrequently practiced 

skills pertinent to defensive operations. For many, this is the first time in the year that soldiers 

are able to practice their skills with the Brigade, especially with regards to ensuring cohesion 

among the many different arms and trades in 31 CBG. The skills developed would prove 

useful in the following months as 4 RCR prepared for Ex STALWART GUARDIAN in August. 

Ex STALWART GUARDIAN 2015 (Ex SG 15) was designed to develop and maintain the skills 

of soldiers of 4th Cdn Div, the primary training audience being Army Reserve soldiers of 31, 

32, and 33 CBG. Members of 4 RCR joined up again with soldiers of the E&K Scots and the 

G&SF to form B Coy, 31 TBG. Opportunities for the Army Reserve to train in a combined 

arms context are rare, and on the scale of Ex SG 15 even rarer. Soldiers of 4 RCR trained 

extensively on defensive operations led by Dukes Company, 1 RCR. Additionally former 

Battalion Operations Officer of 4 RCR, Capt Steve Tremaine, led the training in Section and 

Platoon level patrolling with November Coy, 3 RCR. Soldiers of 4 RCR demonstrated their 

ability to put together months of training and demonstrated their skills and unsurpassable 

morale throughout the two week exercise. Soldiers of the battalion were given the opportunity 

to work closely with mentors from 1 RCR and 3 RCR, who also assumed the role of enemy 

force throughout the exercise. 


In an effort to ensure maximum Individual Battle Task Standard (IBTS) completion early in 

the training cycle 4 RCR conducted Ex ROYAL VALOUR, an IBTS focused training event, 

held annually in September. Soldiers of the Battalion completed personal weapon tests, 

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) training, mine/IED awareness, 

conducted Vehicle Check Points (VCP’s), and search and detain tasks at Cedar Springs Rifle 

Range and Wolseley Barracks. Many of these skills were tested during Ex ERIE VALOUR, 

a joint exercise with 31 Military Police Regiment (31 MP Regt), 31 Combat Engineer 

Regiment (31 CER), 31 Signals Regiment (31 Signals), and units of Royal Canadian Navy 

Reserve including HMCS Prevost, HMCS Star, and HMCS Hunter from London, Hamilton, 

and Windsor respectively. Under the context of a domestic operation, soldiers of 4 RCR 

deployed to Port Stanley, ON along Lake Erie and practiced a domestic security operation, 

securing and protecting locations for the Navy Reserve to operate. Unlike conventional 

warfighting exercises, soldiers dealt with many staged civilian interactions including media, 

protesters, and civilian detainees. Further, soldiers of the Battalion demonstrated courtesy 

and professionalism expected of a Canadian Forces soldier. The exercise provided valuable 

combined arms training in a non-conventional environment and the conduct of the soldiers 

was well received by the public. 

In October, soldiers of 4 RCR participated in Ex ROYAL DEFENDER, an offensive and 

defensive operations exercise at CFB Borden. Conducted within the context of a CBRN 

threat, S Coy soldiers conducted a hasty defensive, and transitioned to raid a simulated 

CBRN weapons cache. Aside from a new appreciation for the volume of rain, members 

of the Battalion walked away with a greater efficiency of their drills while donning CBRN 

equipment. X Coy and T Coy assisted in the logistics and enemy force to maximize training 

value for S Coy soldiers. November marked a transition to offensive operations, leading 

with Ex ROYAL RAIDER at 4 Cdn Div TC Meaford. Soldiers of S Coy conducted section and 

platoon level advance to contact in the training area, advancing and clearing towards Ortona 

Village. After a haybox meal to warm up, soldiers began practicing building entries and 

room clearing at the Ortona Urban Operations Village. Rehearsing first dry, and then with 

blank rounds, soldiers of S Coy refined their skills. Unfortunately the weather did not permit 

the use of simunition rounds as planned as over a foot of snow had fallen in the afternoon 

alone. That evening, soldiers returned to the garrison and began battle procedure for a 

deliberate attack on Ortona Village. The following morning, with fresh snow on the ground, 

Soldiers of S Coy advance during 

a live fire training exercise 

at 4 Cdn Div TC Meaford) 


Cpl Matt Parker (front row, second from left) and Pte 

Ofilio Castillo (rear row, rightmost) and the 31 CBG team 

that competed in the Canadian Patrol Competition) 

S Coy launched an attack, quickly gaining lodgement in the first building but tripping early 

warning devices in the process. The Attack carried on with S Coy capturing three buildings 

at a significant cost, requiring the exercise of a CASEVAC plan and ammo resupply in an 

urban environment. The CO and RSM of 4 RCR were present as soldiers reconvened after 

the attack for the AAR and took the opportunity to reinforce the lessons from the exercise 

with points made during a briefing made by the Brigade Commander and Brigade RSM the 

previous day. 

November also saw Cpl Matt Parker and Pte Ofilio Castillo take part in the Canadian Patrol 

Competition at CFB Wainwright as part of 31 CBG’s team. Led by 31 CER, the team completed 

a long range recce, travelling more than 50km over the duration of the competition and 

completing many tasks along the way. Inserting via helicopter, the team handled multiple 

scenarios such as partisan and friendly force link ups, mass casualty scenarios, and of course 

point recces. Prior to departing on the competitive portion of the event the team was 

mentored by members of 3 RCR’s recce cell; their expertise and their ability to pass on key 

lessons was well praised by the 31 CBG team. 

68 PRO PATRIA 2015 

Ceremonial Events 

The Paardeberg Ball 

To celebrate the 115th Anniversary of the Battle of Paardeberg Drift, 4 RCR hosted its annual 

Paardeberg Ball on the 28th of February in London, Ontario. This year saw friends, families, 

and members (past and present) of 4 RCR gather at the Delta London Armouries to enjoy 

food, music, and each other’s company. Planned and coordinated by 2Lt Kalin Walters, 

the event included a full scale replica of the historic Dawn of Majuba Day painting, kindly 

loaned by the Regimental Museum. Aside from the festivities, it is also tradition to award the 

Paardeberg Dedication Award during the event. This year saw the award given to Sgt Mike 

Bourque who has worked tirelessly in the Battalion HQ’s Ops cell over a busy year.

PACHINO DAY 

On a sunny summer day, soldiers of 4 RCR gathered again to celebrate the Regiment’s service 

and history at Pachino in Southern Sicily during the Second World War. Soldiers conducted 

a successful day of shooting on the C7 service rifle including Personal Weapons Tests. Since 

the range trace extends into Lake Erie, the range was halted numerous times throughout 

the day as a fishing derby was underway and no amount of loud hailing would get them to 

move. Sgt Wybo even commandeered a private vessel to go out on the water in attempts to 

get the fishermen to move. Following the range, members of the Battalion, as per tradition, 

were served a spaghetti dinner. 

Pursuit to Mons 

To commemorate the 97th anniversary of the Pursuit to Mons, Officers, Warrant Officers, and 

Sergeants of the Battalion gathered at the Aroma Restaurant in London, ON for dinner. The 

Aroma restaurant and its owner, Felipe Gomes, was presented a plaque to recognize the 

outstanding hospitality and support for the Battalion they have provided over the many years 

that the Pursuit to Mons dinner has been held there. 

Remembrance Day 

4 RCR had a busy day on Remembrance Day, with soldiers spread out over a dozen tasks 

in five towns/cities. Soldiers of S Coy and T Coy provided guards for vigils in St. Mary’s, 

Stratford, Strathroy, London, and Woodstock. In London, a guard was placed on both the 

Regimental Cenotaph at Wolseley Barracks, as well as the Cenotaph at Victoria Park in a 

ceremony attended by over 10,000 Londoners. S Coy and X Coy also paraded in Woodstock, 

Left: Cpl Anthony Currie (left) and Cpl Sheldon Fickling (right) 

stand guard at the Regimental Cenotaph at Wolseley Barracks) 

Right: Members of the Battalion salute during the Reveille during 

the Remembrance Day ceremonies at Wolseley Barracks) 


The victorious Junior Ranks team during Ex 

ROYAL HOOT’s Battalion soccer tournament) 

marching past and participating in a ceremony by the Woodstock Cenotaph. 4 RCR also filled 

a number of speaking tasks throughout the week leading up to Remembrance Day. Soldiers 

of the Battalion had the opportunity to speak at a number of organizations to audiences that 

ranged from kindergarten students to young adults. 

Exercise ROYAL HOOT 

Members of 4 RCR gathered at Wolseley Barracks in early December for Ex ROYAL HOOT. 

Soldiers split into four teams and competed in a soccer tournament. An outnumbered Officers 

team lost a hard game against the team of Senior NCO’s. Following this, a determined Junior 

Ranks team comprised of mainly Privates and Corporals edged out a fiercely competitive 

team of Master Corporals and senior Corporals. The Junior Ranks team proceeded to 

another swift victory to claim victory in the tournament. Afterwards, S Coy and X Coy soldiers 

competed in a tug of war contest that saw X Coy win in a best of three match. 

No day of sports would be satisfactory without a good meal afterwards and members of 4 RCR 

gathered later in the evening for the Soldiers Christmas Dinner. Officers and Senior NCO’s 

served Christmas dinner to the Junior Ranks. The event saw Pte Devin Stone, the Battalion’s 

youngest member, assume the acting CO role and Cpl Bill Clunas, one of the Battalion’s 

oldest members, assume the role of acting RSM. Throughout the evening, multiple awards, 

commendations, and promotions were given. In particular, Cpl Karla Payes was awarded 

the Combat Service Support (CSS) soldier of the year. Sgt Allison Knapp was awarded the 


top Senior NCO or Warrant Officer of the year, and Cpl Zachary Claire was awarded Top 

Soldier of the year. In addition MWO (Ret’d) Curtis Lucas, Sgt (Ret’d) Ernest Eady, Sgt Tom 

Charette, Sgt Tracy Acs, MCpl Jason Fuller and Cpl (Ret’d) Michael Bell were presented with 

departure gifts for their time in service with the Battalion or with the Canadian Forces. Sgt 

Mike Bourque, former RSS and now a member of 4 RCR, was also presented a departure gift 

for his retirement from the Regular Force. 

Regimental Birthday Dinner 

With the closure of the Wolseley Barracks Officer’s Mess the friends and family of the 

Regiment in London gathered at the London Club to partake in a mixed formal mess dinner 

commemorating the Regiment’s 132nd birthday. Organized by Capt Peter Keane, the event 

saw Officers, Warrant Officers, and Sergeants of the Battalion, as well as friends and family 

convene on a cool weekend evening to the hospitality of the London Club. 

In the Community 

Supporting Affiliated Cadet Corps 

Throughout the year 4 RCR provided support to the six affiliated Cadet Corps. Members of 

the unit attended their parade nights and both Wolseley Barracks in London as the Stratford 

Armouries have space provided for the cadets. In June, members of the Battalion organized 

Ex PRO PATRIA, a two day familiarization shoot with the C7A2 service rifle for the affiliated 

Army Cadet Corps. 

In London 

September saw the annual Western Fair in London, a week-long event that included a military 

display. Soldiers of 4 RCR manned these displays and invited the public to learn more about 

the Canadian Forces. As always, members of 4 RCR displayed the utmost professionalism in 

face of the public. 

September also saw a new local initiative to better engage the community. Doors Open 

London invites the public to a number of normally restricted locations throughout the city 

to allow citizens to better understand what happens day to day in their city. 4 RCR set up 

a military display with other units of 31 CBG at Wolseley Barracks and conversed with the 

public on the Canadian Forces. 

In Stratford 

In April, S Coy provided sentries to the Stratford Festival. Although not strictly a military 

event, supporting local events in a ceremonial manner provides the Battalion an opportunity 

to present itself professionally in public light and maintain the relationship the local garrison’s 

have with the municipality. 

In late November, members of 4 RCR began actively participating in the Toys for Tots program. 

Toys for Tots is a charity based on local partnerships with the CAF and local individuals or 

businesses to collect and provide toys for children who would otherwise go without during 

the holidays. Many members of the Battalion are actively involved in the program with 


significant numbers volunteering every year. The Stratford Armoury also served as a centre 

for the local volunteers (both military and civilian), lending the facility to be used to collect, 

sort, and organize toys for delivery. 

Departures from the Battalion 

In June, after 38 years of service in the 

MWO (Ret’d) Curtis Lucas and Sgt (Ret’d) Tom Charette 

Canadian Armed Forces, Master Warrant 

during MWO Lucas’ Depart with Dignity event) 

Officer Curtis Lucas retired. MWO Lucas 

joined the CAF in 1977 as an Administration 

Clerk in Nova Scotia, serving in various roles 

on the east coast before being deployed with 

the Logistics Company of UN Disengagement 

Force (UNDOF) in late 1981 – early 1982. Upon 

returning, MWO Lucas was posted to various 

roles in CFB Gagetown until 1990. During this 

time his daughter, Tanya, and son, Brandon 

were born. Leaving Gagetown, MWO Lucas 

was posted as the Chief Clerk of 439 Tactical 

Fighter Squadron in Baden, Germany, joining 

his unit on deployment to the Gulf War for the 

latter months of 1990. In January 19, 1993, MWO Lucas joined 4 RCR as a Regular Force 

Support Staff as the Chief Clerk of the Battalion. After 3 years at Camp Ipperwash, MWO 

Lucas transferred to the Primary Reserve, again joining 4 RCR as the unit’s recruiter until he 

was transferred to the Transport Section as the Transport NCO. 

Throughout his time at 4 RCR MWO Lucas has volunteered to run the Basic Military 

Qualification (BMQ) and Basic Military Qualification – Land (BMQ-L, formerly SQ) from 1999 

to 2013. Among many roles he has served as CSM X Coy of 4 RCR and CSM B Coy of 

31 CBG Battle School. MWO Lucas has seen countless members of the regiment through 

their basic training and there are few who have not had the pleasure of working with him, 

or the displeasure of being inspected on course by his watchful eye. His absence from the 

Battalion’s daily affairs will be sorely missed. 

December saw Sgt Tom Charette retire from the Canadian Forces. Sgt Charette joined the 

CAF in April 1994, being posted to 2 RCR for the majority of his career. He participated in 

CFSAC as part of 2 RCR’s shooting team on a number of occasions. He completed the Basic 

Sniper course in 2000 and was employed as a sniper in Recce Platoon. He returned to 2 

RCR’s shooting team the following year as a sniper, winning 6 coins at CFSAC in Ottawa. 

Sgt Charette has been deployed to Bosnia (’99), Haiti (’04) and Afghanistan (’07) in various 

roles including a sniper and section commander. He joined 4 RCR in 2010 as Regular Force 

Support Staff in Stratford, ON. 

Sgt Charette brought much energy to the Stratford garrison. He frequently supported social 

events on top of his duties at the armoury and often found local bands to perform during 

any function held at the Armoury. His outgoing nature will be hard to forget and will be 

missed. 


Also in December, Sgt Tracy Acs, an RMS clerk with the Battalion departed for a full time 

position at CFB Borden. Sgt Acs had been with 4 RCR for 9 years and had previously been 

awarded the Combat Service and Support soldier of the year at the Battalion. The Battalion 

wishes her all the best in her career and will miss her sorely. 

Awards 

Paardeberg Award – Sgt Mike Bourque 

Ogelsby Award for Top Section S Coy 

– 3 Section, 3 Platoon – MCpl Peat, 

Cpl Brookfield, Cpl Terwilligar, Cpl 

Lynch, Cpl Wylie, Cpl Khan, Pte Castillo, 

Pte Antone, and Pte Thompson 

Ogelsby Award for Top Section T Coy – 

3 Section, 3 Platoon – MCpl Genereux, 

MCpl Leckie, MCpl R. Brodhagen, Cpl 

Richardson, Cpl Smith AR, Cpl Stafford, Cpl 

Rowntree, Pte Shantz, and Pte McNichol 

Facta Non Verba (Top Senior NCO or 

Warrant Officer) – Sgt Allison Knapp 

The South Africa Shield (Soldier of 

the Year) – Cpl Zachery Clare 

The Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel Award 

(CSS Soldier of the Year) –Cpl Karla Payes 

The 4 RCR Marksmanship Award 

– Cpl Breyden Hesse 

The following members were recipients of additional awards: 

Operational Service 

Medal – Humanitas – 

MCpl Evan McLeod 

4 RCR CO’s 

Commendation – 

Sgt Tracy Acs 

4 RCR CO’s 


Sgt Adam Bahm 

4 RCR CO’s 


Cpl Karla Payes 

4 RCR CO’s 

Commendation – Cpl 

Allison Harkes 

31 CBG Bde Comd 

Commendation – Sgt 

Tom Charette 

31 CBG Bde Comd 

Commendation – 2Lt 

Richard McWatt 

PROMOTIONS 

(New Rank Indicated) 

Cpl Nowicki 

Cpl Seupersaud 

Cpl Khan 

Cpl Hesse 

Cpl Empey 

Cpl Currie 

Cpl Clarke 

Cpl Fickling 

Cpl Weatherhead 

Cpl Pines 

Cpl Wyllie 

Cpl Lamb 

Cpl Smith 

Cpl Herrera 

Cpl Hasan 

Cpl Van Wyk 

Cpl Parker 

Cpl Cote 

Cpl Emery 

MCpl Makos 

MCpl Wharry 

Sgt Acs 

WO Brants 

Lt Yu 

Capt Gaudet 

LCol Anderson 


Key Unit Appointments 

Hon LCol - Col (Ret’d) William J. Pettipas 

CO - LCol Martin Anderson 

DCO - Maj Joe Hentz 

Adjt – Capt Kane Erickson 

Ops O – Capt Alex Gaillard 

Ops WO – WO Jason Mattice 

RSM - CWO Henry Klausnitzer 

DSM – MWO Jeffery Burke 

OC S Coy – Matt Prince 

CSM S Coy - WO Raymond Morris 

CSM T Coy - MWO Bruce Proper 

OC X – Capt Jerry Rozic 

CSM X Coy – MWO Jim Kolar 

TO – Sgt Harold VanGalen 

RQMS - Sgt Petras Stone 

Chief Clerk - Sgt Patricia Cote 


4th Canadian Division Training 

Center, Meaford 

ERE 

By Capt E.D. Vermeersch 

This past year was a very busy one for the Training Center 

(TC). Lieutenant Colonel Christian Lillington (RCD) took 

over as Commanding Officer of the TC from Lieutenant 

Colonel Bryan Bedard (Arty). The tempo that the TC has 

grown accustomed to has remained high and will continue 

to do so for the following year. 

During the Winter/Spring seasons, the TC ran its first 

two DP1 Serials for the year. 2Lt Pierre-Alexandre Dufour 

(Inf School) and WO Bruce Rose ran the first serial. The 

second was run by Capt Jesse Coville-Primeau and WO 

Allan (Al) Johnson. They delivered very strong courses of 

candidates ready to begin their careers as new Royals. In 

this period, the TC conducted four Basic Military Land 

Qualification (BMQ (L)) Courses. The BMQ(L) course is 

a four week course focusing on basic soldier skills for 

non-infantry members of the Army. The vast majority of 

BMQ(L) students that attend training at the TC come from 

the Combat Service Support (CSS) trades at CFB Borden. 

This training is critical for the CSS trades as it forms the 

foundation of their basic soldiering skills and for many 

of them it is their last opportunity to practice prior to 

completing their PLQ course. There is very little room for 

error and they must receive a great deal of training in a 

small amount of time. The Royals at the TC are under a 

great deal of pressure to ensure they turn out the best 

product possible and as such the Regimental slogan of 

“Never pass a fault” has a great deal of significance to the 

Royals posted to Meaford. 

ERE 

As the TC approached the Spring/Summer time frame, 

the personnel at 4 CDTC began to prepare for their 

busiest season. 4 CDTC prepared to support the Regional 

Summer Training (RST) while maintaining a high National 

Calendar Course tempo. As the TC is required to support 

and facilitate RST, it saw many of its instructors pulled in 

every direction and reinforcements had to be called in 

from the Infantry school in Gagetown to ensure that all 


Royals currently posted to 4 CDTC, Meaford.” 

training was possible. The TC began its fourth DP1 Infantry course which was ran by Capt 

Simon Kassisia (PPLCI) and WO Robert (Bob) McSpadden. As the summer progressed, the 

TC was required to run a Basic Military Officer Land Qualification (BMOQ(L)) Course. The 

BMOQ (L) is a ten week course designed to teach Army officers basic soldier skills while 

developing their leadership to prepare them for their respective trade specific training. 

During the Fall/Winter season, the TC finished preparations for the final two DP1 courses 

of the year. The first of the courses was run by Capt Benoit Garneau (R22eR) and WO Allan 

Vardy, with the second being ran by Capt Jesse Coville-Primeau and Sgt Robert Murphy. 

Although the weather never seemed to cooperate, it did not deter either course from 

turning out solid candidates who now find themselves in our battalions. 

Additionally, the TC participated in a variety of community outreach activities. It 

participated in the Scarecrow Invasion Community Festival in Meaford which saw WO 

Vardy’s platoon join in the parade. The TC also hosted a team building exercise for the 

Owen Sound Attack. This event provided them with challenging training opportunities, 

and stimulated the development of team cohesion while showcasing the professionalism 

and skill of the members of the TC. Although it was a busy year, the TC is preparing for an 

even busier one in 2016. 

The DCO Maj Tim Kenney, DSM MWO Mark Cushman and Adjt Capt Sean Newman hosted 

a joint Regimental Birthday Celebration on December 21st in the Centurion Mess with the 

RCD and RCRs, which saw current and retired RCRs from the area attend and share in the 

Ortona Toast. 

A Coy maintained a busy tempo under the command team of Maj Sebastien Niles and 

MWO Doug Tabbert. A Coy specializes in providing soldiers, at the Cpl and MCpl level, 

the training and tools to become successful leaders within the Infantry and the Army more 

generally. The coy was responsible for many Primary Leadership Qualification courses and 

Advance Small Arms courses throughout the training year. The instructors from The RCR 

at A Coy demonstrated our Regiment’s finest attributes and left candidates from the many 

trades of the CAF with a positive impression of The Royal Canadian Regiment. 

The following Royals were promoted to their current ranks/appointments this year: WO 

Robert McSpadden and Sgt Christian Begley. B Coy also conducted a change of command 

this fall with Maj Alastair McMurachy (LdSH [RC]) and WO John O’Neill as the new command 

team. 


Canadian Army Headquarters 2015 

by Major Kris Reeves 

The Royal Canadian Regiment continues to maintain its presence throughout Army 

Headquarters, with senior and junior members serving in a wide range of positions. While 

most of the team looks forward to returning to the field, the work here is rewarding – each 

knowing that when done well, we have the chance to contribute to the effectiveness of our 

soldiers and the Army into the future. 

The Army Commander chose a number of senior Royals to support him and the Army 

in 2015. The Army G3 (Cols Conrad Mialkowski and Peter Scott), the Director of Land 

Force Development (Col Roger Barrett), the Director of Army Staff (Col Craig Aitchison), 

the Commander’s Executive Assistant (LCol Cayle Oberwarth), the CO of the HQ (LCol 

Eric Pellicano), and the Commander’s Driver (MCpl Alexander Sanchez-Groleau) are all 

RCR incumbents. This high level of representation speaks both to the trust the Regiment 

maintains and the abilities of our individual members. 

Royals served throughout the HQ in 2015, but perhaps of most interest to our soldiers is that 

there are some major Army equipment projects being led by several RCR members. Despite 

some unfavourable press surrounding defence procurement in the media lately, the Army 

continues to successfully field millions of dollars’ worth of new, modern equipment and 

weapons every year. As soldiers receive new load carriage, wireless battlefield management 

devices, GPS, fire team level communications, modernized weapons, and new vehicles, 

they may not realize it is because of dedicated Royals running project teams. These teams 

Maj Jun, DLR. Caption: “Maj Ed Jun, Project Manager at the Directorate of 

Land Requirements, discusses new equipment being fielded to the Army, 

with the former Minister of National Defence, Hon. Jason Kenney. 


Left: MCpl Sanchez-Groleau. Caption: “MCpl 

Alexander Sanchez-Groleau, receiving his 

promotion at the annual Headquarters Holiday 

Dinner from the Commander of the Canadian 

Army, LGen M. Hainse, CMM, MSC, CD and Army 

Sergeant-Major, CWO A. Guimond, MMM, CD. 

Above: 1st Canadian Army Patch. The Canadian 

Army Headquarters Shoulder Insignia. 

Group Photo – Canadian Army HQ 

Royals 

Left to Right: Maj Ed Jun, LCol Kyle 

Keffer, LCol Cayle Oberwarth, MCpl 

Alexander Sanchez-Groleau, Maj Mike 

Chagnon, Maj Kris Reeves, LCol Mike 

Coltart, and Maj Rich Gallant 

The following Royal Canadians were 

not available at the time that the photo 

was taken: Col P. Scott, Col R. Barrett, 

LCol E. Pellicano, Maj P. Gauthier, Maj 

P. Murphy, and Capt L. Mathieson. 

are designing equipment requirements, conducting trials 

with our units, and evaluating winning bids. By doing things 

correctly, being relentlessly hard working, and avoiding shortcuts, 

these Royals are cutting through the complex maze of 

equipment procurement. What they do directly translates to 

the acquisition of world class equipment for our troops. 

Of course, it’s not all work. To keep Regimental traditions 

alive, the ERE team at Army HQ never misses a Pachino Day 

or the Ortona Toast; and we all look forward to the annual 

Regimental Birthday Mess Dinner in Petawawa. Graciously 

hosted this year by 1st and 3rd Battalions, it was a fantastic 

event that recharged the team for another year of hard work 

in the National Capital Region! 


Submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel 

Ken Butterworth 

Five Royals for “Five-Eyes” 

The “Five-Eyes” refer to an intelligence 

alliance comprising America, Britain, 

Canada and Australia and New Zealand. 

The origins of the Five-Eyes can be traced 

back to World War II. ABCA Armies 

(America, British, Canadian, and Australian) 

is a program aimed at optimizing 

interoperability and standardization of 

training, between member armies. This 

program was established in 1947 and in 

2004 included the New Zealand Army, 

Royal Marines and United States Marine 

Corps. There are other countries that tie 

Canada to these countries but this is the 

Army connection! 

This is the time of year when the 

Regimental Colonel and career manager 

gather and consider your fate; are you 

staying put, moving or changing jobs. It 

is also the time of year when you find out 

where your friends in the Regiment have 

been hiding! We see the normal rotations 

in and out of battalions and schools, 

army and division headquarters, reserve 

units and even CADTC. But, we also have 

some regimental folks who are lucky to 

be selected for an out of country posting 

as exchange officers, liaison officers, 

students and even part of the diplomatic 

corps! 

Yes, we have some lucky folks who are 

serving in various embassies and high 

commissions around the world! This is the 

first time that we have Regimental officers 

leading efforts in all of our ABCA/Five Eyes 

countries – Col Jim Davis, Washington, 

DC, Col Rory Radford, London, UK and Col 

Acton Kilby, Australia and New Zealand. 

But wait, we also have the deputies from 

our Regiment – LCol Ken Butterworth, 

CDLS UK – Col Rory Radford (right) and LCol Simon Rushen 

CDLS AUS and NZ – Col Acton Kilby 

CDLS Washington – Col Jim Davis (right) and LCol Ken Butterworth 


Washington, DC and LCol Simon Rushen, London, UK. 

Sprinkle in LCol Mark Anthony in Tampa, Fl, LCol Phil Breton in Virginia Beach, VA, Maj 

Dave Garvin, Reston, VA, Maj Glenn Sylvester, Benning, GA, Maj Germain Porier (1 RCR 

alumni) Ft Belvoir, VA, Majors David Fearon and Mark Sheppard both in Leavenworth, KS 

and Capt Matt Allen, Fort Drum, NY and you quickly see that the Royal Canadians are well 

represented in the US. We also have LCol Bill Cummings serving in the UK as an instructor 

at the UK Staff College. 

From the UK: Col Rory Radford and LCol Simon Rushen follow the footsteps of a longline 

of Royals posted to the Canadian Defence and Liaison Staff London (CDLS(L)) at the 

Canadian High Commission. Once residents of Macdonald House on Grosvenor Square 

in Mayfair, CDLS(L) can now be found at Canada House on Trafalgar Square. Recently 

renovated, Canada House was officially reopened on 19 February 2015 by The Queen 

and our very own Colonel-in-Chief, The Duke of Edinburgh. Consequently all Canadian 

diplomatic and consular functions have returned to Canada House. Should you be visiting 

London, Col Rory Radford, Army Adviser and Defence Attaché to Ireland, and LCol Simon 

Rushen, Chief-of-Staff and Assistant Defence Attaché UK, invite you to visit Canada House, 

a grade II listed building, and experience Canada’s oldest diplomatic posting; should that 

not entice you, Canada House is located directly across from a classic English pub which 

serves terrific ale and perfect pies. Join us for a pint! 

From AUS and NZ: As Defence Advisor to Australia and New Zealand my principle mandate 

remains to “focus defence resources on maintaining visibility into Defence organizations 

and develop a network of Defence Partners focused on delivering operational mobility 

and interoperability for the CAF.” Within the broader mission mandate, in partnership with 

other departments, my aim is to support the growth of the regional security architecture 

and measures which contribute to enhanced regional stability. This demands a full day of 

work and travel throughout Australia and New Zealand as well as Papua New Guiney, Tonga 

and Fiji. Working with two of our closest partners enables a good relationship and makes 

access to programs and information simple – once you master the language. We have 

27 military personnel posted in the area and Liaison Officers with the principle services 

based in Australia who also cover New Zealand. Many Royals transit through Australia, 

but at present two other Royals work here on exchange: LCol Aaron Williams at Australia’s 

JOC HQ, and Captain Ed Ormond at Australia Special Operations HQ. Life Down-Under 

is good, but challenging due to the physical separation from Canada (if posted to Perth 

you are physically, on land, as far away from Ottawa as you can be – nice thought) and 

a broader sense of isolation from the rest-of-world due to where we are located. This 

said, living and working around our close friends and allies makes it easier and offers an 

experience few others will have a chance to enjoy. 

The principle aim for the Canadian Forces Military Attaché in Washington, DC is to wrestle 

with the need to be “inter-operable” with our closest friend and ally. This demands that 

Col Davis is on the move constantly visiting and coordinating the Canadian efforts south 

of the border. The bonus is that he is often crossing paths with Royal Canadians. 

Living abroad is a unique experience and puts you on the outside looking in. It can be 

frustrating at times but it’s a temporary situation and you always have coming home to 

look forward to. But knowing that your part of the most comprehensive known alliances in 

history is an experience well worth a conversation with the Regimental Colonel! 


CFLRS and Quebec Area ERE Personnel 

by Captain G. Sigouin 

During the 2014 - 2015 calendar year members of the Royal Canadian Regiment were vitally 

employed in a variety of functions, duly representing the Regiment in the Province of Quebec. 

At the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School (CFLRS) 24 Royal Canadians were 

crucial in training 4200 candidates. As the numbers of candidates CFLRS trains each year 

increases, Royal Canadians are relied upon evermore for their experience, demeanor and 

professionalism. Outside of CFLRS several members of the Regiment fulfilled positions at 

the College Militaire Royal, St-Jean, in support of the 2nd Canadian Division Headquarters, 

at the 34th Canadian Brigade Group, and part of the 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade 

Group. 

CFLRS is divided into 3 training divisions capable of running any course offered by CFLRS while 

being supported by: specialized training division, support division and standards division. 

CFLRS provides basic training and 

junior leadership training to the CAF’s 

future generations. Royal Canadians 

at CFLRS were spread throughout the 

divisions. In Alpha Division were MCpls 

Goberis, Hurley, Kertesz, Kopylov 

and McCarty. Sgt Horne and MCpl 

Johnston were employed as instructors 

in Bravo Division. In “Charles” Division 

where the most Royals were employed 

included Capt Sigouin as the division 

administration officer, WO Killam and 

Hamilton as platoon commanders. 

Moreover, Sgts Bruinsma, Chabassol, 

Irvin and MCpls Abramczyk, Bulger, 

Lemieux and Poisson were part of 

Charlie Division. Standards division was 

represented by Capt Kool, WO LeClair 

and Sgt Evong. Royal Canadians were 

also employed in the school’s weapons 

cell as part of Specialized Training 

Division, this included Sgt Boyd and 

A member of CFLRS takes part in the first ever skill-at-arms 

MCpl Ibbotson. 

At the end of each CFLRS run course, 

a reviewing officer is invited to CFLRS 

to inspect the graduating course 

candidates. On 21 May 2015 Col 

Ewing, OMM, CD, reviewed R0079E 

and R0080E. Many members of the 

Regiment attended the parade in order 

competition held 06 May 2015. The events included: 

combat swim, Kim’s game, obstacle course, SAT stress 

shoot, first aid stand, an OP, and a CAF general knowledge 

exam. Member of the Regiment formed the winning team. 

Photo taken by MCpl Cotton, CFLRS Image Tech 


to view one of its senior officer’s address and review the graduating candidates. 

At CFLRS, members of the Regiment were not only lauded for their professional prowess, 

but took ample opportunity to proudly display soldiering skills. Capt Gavin Sigouin and 

MCpl Lemieux (working in partnership with two members of the R22eR) formed the winning 

four-man team during CFLRS’ first ever highly competitive skill-at-arms competition. 

Three Regimental officers were extra regimentally employed in the Province of Quebec. 

Capt Steve Desotti served as an exchange officer with the First Battalion R22eR as A Coy 

2IC. Capt Ryan Salsbury occupied the position of G5 Domestic Operation at the Second 

Canadian Division Headquarters where he was instrumental in the development of force 

protection measure in response to the domestic terrorism incidents targeting CAF 

members at St-Jean-sur-Richeleau and the NCR. Lastly, Capt Matt Hogg was engaged as 

unit Adjutant with the Royal Highlanders of Canada (The Black Watch). 

WOs Lewis and Veldman formed part of the ILP instructional and standards cadre within 

the Osside Institute at the College Militaire Royale, St Jean. 

Whatever the task in any unit located in QC, members of the Regiment succeeded while 

often doing so in their second official language. 

Members of The Royal Canadian Regiment 

at CFLRS partake in the Ortona toast 10 Dec 

15. From Left to Right, Front Row: Sgt Evong, 

WO LeClair, Capt Sigouin, Capt Kool, WO 

Hamilton and WO Killam Center Row: Sgt 

Boyd, MCpl Goberis, MCpl Ibbotson, Sgt Irvin 

and Sgt Bruinsma. Rear Row: Sgt Horne, MCpl 

Lemieux, MCpl Johnston, MCpl Abranczyk, 

and Sgt Morin (former member of the 

Regiment) Photo taken by MCpl Cotton CFLRS 

Image Tech. 

Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) 


CJOC in 2014 by Major Dave E. Johnston (retired) 

CJOC plans and conducts Canadian Armed Forces operations (less operations conducted 

solely by North American Aerospace Defence Command or Canadian Forces Special 

Operations Forces Command) and develops, generates and integrates joint force 

capabilities for operations. 

Having reached its second anniversary Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) was 

extremely busy planning and conducting operations, including: Op IMPACT (coalition

Top left: Maj Carl Bennett receiving his Regimental Beaver upon his retirement from LCol Alex Ruff, CJOC HQ 02 July 2015 

Top right: Royal Canadians in CJOC 2015 (L-R): (Back row) LCol Alex Ruff (J5), Col Earl Vandahl (SA to Comd), Maj Greg White (J3), LCol Paul 

Simpson (J5), Maj Sam Pengelly (J5) (Front row) Capt Yannick Hart (CFICC), MWO Richard Melo (CFICC), Capt Don McFarling (J5) 

mission against ISIS); Op REASSURANCE (military activities to support NATO assurance 

measures in Central and Eastern Europe); and Op SIRONA (provision of medical support 

in the fight against Ebola in West Africa). In addition to these CJOC is conducting another 

29 missions worldwide. 

Our new Commander Lieutenant-General John Vance took the helm in September 2014 

and as the senior serving Royal Canadian kept his eye on his small but vital regimental 

cohort. There are currently seven other Royal Canadians serving in CJOC HQ within the 

CJOC Secretariat, J3, J5 and the Canadian Forces Integrated Command Centre (CFICC), 

and one in the Canadian Forces Warfare Centre (CFWC). 

Currently serving at CJOC HQ are: Lieutenant-Colonels Mike Archibald and Alex Ruff, 

Lieutenant-Colonel Shawn Luckhurst (CFWC); Majors Carl Bennet and Dave Johnston and 

Captains Kent Boughton, Kayne Carr and Yannick Hart. Posted from CJOC in 2014 were 

Colonel Martin Lipcsey (upon promotion), Major Ryan Hartman and Captain Paul Roos. 

As a final note there were over seventy Royal Canadians whom served across the National 

Capital Region (NCR) in 2014. 

Note: this article was written for Pro Patria 2014 and was missed for publication at no fault 

to the author or editor 

CJOC in 2015 by Captain Yannick Hart 

The Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) has continued to maintain a high level 

of operational tempo since its inception in 2012 and 2015 was no exception. CJOC is 

responsible for conducting full-spectrum Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operations at 

home, on the continent of North America, and around the world. With its integrated 

command and control structure, CJOC directs these operations from their earliest 

planning stages through to mission closeout, and ensures that national strategic goals 


are achieved – to defend Canada, to assist in the defense of North America, and, as 

directed, to promote peace and security abroad. In 2015, CJOC oversaw new operations 

such as Operation RENAISSANCE (CAF humanitarian response to the earthquake in 

Nepal), Operation UNIFIER (Canada’s contribution to the multinational effort to build the 

professionalism and capacity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces) and Op PROVISION (CAF 

support to the Government of Canada’s effort towards Syrian refugee resettlement), 

while continuing ongoing missions Op REASSURANCE (military activities to support 

NATO assurance measures in Central and Eastern Europe) and Operation IMPACT (CAF 

response to combat ISIL in Syria and Iraq) in addition to a plethora of other CAF’s standing 

operations and smaller missions. As expected, Royal Canadians continued to play an 

integral role within the command. CJOC Royals participated in the planning, execution, 

and even the commanding of domestic and expeditionary operations. The senior CJOC 

Regimental officer (also senior serving Royal Canadian in the CAF) for the first half of 2015 

was the CJOC Commander, Lieutenant-General Jonathan Vance. History was then made 

on 02 June 2015 for both CJOC and The Regiment, with General Vance being promoted 

and appointed to the position of Chief of Defense Staff (CDS). Additional Royal Canadians 

at CJOC included: LCol Ruff, CJOC Deputy J5 (also appointed as the NCR Regimental 

Mentor from July 2013-February 2015 and Regimental Secretary from July 2014-present), 

Maj Greg White (J3 Africa), LCol Paul Simpson and Maj Sam Pengelly (J5 Latin America- 

Caribbean/Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief), Capt Don McFarling (J5 Assessments/ 

Asia-Pacific), and finally Capt Yannick Hart and MWO Richard Melo serving in the Canadian 

Forces Integrated Command Centre (CFICC) which provides 24/7 command and control 

and situational awareness for the CAF. This year also marked the end of an era for a number 

of Royal Canadians within CJOC with the retirements of Capt Kent Boughton, Maj Carl 

Bennett and Maj Dave Johnston. The decisions made in CJOC have implications not only 

to the CAF but to the Government of Canada at large. As such, there are many demands 

imposed upon the personnel employed within the command. Our personnel are required 

to demonstrate the utmost professionalism, dedication, and integrity in order to meet the 

needs of the CAF and the Government of Canada. The Royal Canadians employed within 

CJOC are no exception. They have and will continue to represent The Regiment with great 

honour. 

Royal Canadians at the Canadian Manoeuvre Training 

Centre 

Submitted by Captain A. J. Buck 

Royals Canadians of the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC) had a very busy 

2015. As the Centre of Excellence for Collective Training, CMTC spends each year setting 

the conditions to confirm the next High Readiness (HR) Task Force (TF). Early 2015 saw 

CMTC Royals preparing for exercise UNIFIED RESOLVE, which is a computer-assisted 

exercise (CAX) at the Brigade level. This year’s HR TF was based on 5 GBMC, so the CAX 

was conducted inValcartier. 


Following the CAX, 5 GBMC deployed to Wainwright for the culmination of the Road To 

High Readiness (RTHR) in May. As the final stage of the RTHR, TFs come to Wainwright and 

are put through an immersive, Joint Interagency Multinational and Public (JIMP) exercise 

called MAPLE RESOLVE (MR). There, CMTC Royals were reunited with their brethren as 2 

CMBG was tasked to fulfill the role of Observer Controller Trainers for the exercise. 

In July, some lucky CMTC Royals had the privilege of attending a special Pachino Day 

Parade put on by The Ceremonial Guard on Parliament Hill. This was a great opportunity 

for the regimental bonding that is sometimes impossible while living in what is decidedly 

Patricia-country. 

In the fall, CMTC hosts the Canadian Patrol Concentration (CPC). The CPC is a challenging 

section level recce patrol concentration that puts the best recce sections from units across 

the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to the test. 2015 was no different. CPC 2015 may not 

have had the same arctic weather conditions previous iteration’s patrollers endured, but 

the event more than made up for the lack of snow by providing a challenging scenario. 

For the first time in the history of CPC, international teams were invited to attend. Against 

teams coming from across the Regular Force, Primary Reserve, American Army, Australian 

Army and British Army, the team from 2 RCR took the highest score and the CPC pennant. 

2015 came to a close with CMTC Royals toasting the regiment at the annual CMTC mess 

dinner and, of course, preparing for another RTHR cycle of UNIFIED RESOLVE and MAPLE 

RESOLVE. 

Royal Canadians at the Infantry School 

By Capt Erik Gapp, A Coy 

Infantry School 

Of the many members of The Royal Canadian Regiment employed at various locations 

across Canada, there are currently 91 calling the Infantry School home. Their roles and 

responsibilities are wide, spanning from LAV drivers to the Commandant, but everyone is 

striving for the same goal; to provide world class and progressive infantry training. There 

is a constant need to assess and realign the requirements of training and courses to ensure 

they are up to date and relevant to today’s threat. Royals, along with their PPCLI and 

R22eR counterparts, work diligently together to refine and perfect Infantry School courses, 

producing infantry soldiers and leaders of the highest quality. This idea of forward thinking 

is reflected in the newly developed Rifle Section Commanders Course (RSCC) which was 

run for the first time in the summer of 2015. 

In 2015, the change of command of the top job at the Infantry School was handed from 

one Royal to another. The outgoing commandant, LCol Cayle Oberwarth, handed the 

reigns to LCol Alex Haynes. The momentum built by the Infantry School over the past years 

has continued under this new leadership. The focus will not only be to provide infantry 



DP3B Candidates performing a 

defensive withdrawal 

LCol Haynes (Left) with IODP1.1 Top 

Candidate 2Lt Pecoskie (Right) who 

was badged RCR in Dec 2015 

O M.Turple(left) being promoted to the 

rank of WO by LCol C. Oberwarth(right) 

soldiers and leaders a second-to-none training experience 

but providing the staff and instructors advanced training to 

enhance their skills while posted to the school. 

Royals held numerous key positions within the school and 

oversaw training to ensure a high quality of courses and 

instruction. Headquarters was commanded by Maj Dave 

Berry with Capt Robert Yuvan as Adjutant, MWO Richard 

Yuskiw as DSM, Capt John Mather as the Chief Standards 

Officer and Capt Chris Cyr as the Operations Officer. Maj 

Larry Sandford and MWO Philip Thompson were the 

command team for A Coy while MWO Allen Corrie was the 


Support Company CSM. Capt Ashley Fitzpatrick and Capt 

Mark Hignell (2015 Infantry School Ironman Team Capt) 

rounded out the command teams as the 2ICs for Spt and 

B Coy respectively. 

Royals Capt Robert Buckingham and WO Rodney 

Duffenais were key staff of the Advanced Recce Patrolman 

course in 2015. They utilized their vast knowledge and 

experience to assist and challenge candidates in the 

successful completion of this grueling course. For his 

efforts instructing on DP3B and Advanced Recce Capt 

Robert Buckingham was awarded the honour of Junior 

Officer of the Year for the Infantry School. The Basic 

Military Officer Qualification Land (BMOQL) OIC, Capt 

Dekota Fletcher, is on his first ERE after his time at 2 RCR. 

He has provided the BMOQL cell a fresh perspective on 


Candidates on UOI perform a breach 

Capt Mark Hignall crossing the finish 

line at the 2CMBG Ironman 

Cpl Parent stands guard at 

the cenotaph in Oromocto on 

Rememberance Day 

Change of Command Front Seated 

L-R LCol Oberwarth, BGen Nixon, 

LCol Haynes. Rear Standing L-R 

CWO Chenard, CWO Croucher,CWO 

Hamilton 


training and is currently working to revamp the course to provide future serials with more 

realistic and relevant training. He and his team were the first step in preparing officers with 

the necessary knowledge and skills to lead soldiers. 

Infantry Officer Development Phase 1.1 (IODP 1.1) saw numerous Royals instructing infantry 

officers and potential future leaders of The Royal Canadian Regiment. Warrant Officers 

Rich Hamilton, Sheldon Saunders and Myles Turple implemented the required standard 

of discipline and taught proper fieldcraft techniques through a firm but fair approach. 

Capt Erik Gapp with the infamous and elusive Capt Matt Coughlin (see Pro Patria 2013) 

helped to hone and shape the student’s tactical acumen. IODP 1.2 kicked off in the fall 

with WO Steven Robertson as the Course Coordinator ensuring smooth running of this 

benchmark course. Capt Mark Spears, WO Mike Upshall and WO Matt Buick helped to 

lead the charge in preparing future infantry leaders for their first posting to a battalion in 

early December 2015. 

The Infantry School’s Tech Adjt, Capt Matt Gagne, is working closely with DLR; he and 

his team are aiming to improve the procurement of equipment for the Infantry Corps. 

His scope of responsibility ranges from helping develop a pam and shooting package 

for the new C19 Ranger Rifle to seeking an Enhanced Recovery Vehicle to recover the 

newly acquired LAV 6 platform. Capt Gagne is proactive in his approach to ensuring new 

equipment for the infantry can be seamlessly implemented into use. Another notable 

Royal is MCpl Jesse Adams. He is the Infantry School’s newest Patrol Pathfinder after 

earning his torch in early fall 2015. 

Cpl K.J. “Bernie” Parent has been the longest serving member of the Infantry School 

for 22 years and counting. He has proven himself to be a valuable asset to the school 

as the Resources NCO and established himself as the “go to” Corporal due to his vast 

experience and enthusiastic approach to his duty. Cpl Parent takes part in everything 

the Infantry School has to offer. He coaches and participates in all sporting events and is 

a staple at social events. His dedication to the Infantry School, and The Royal Canadian 

Regiment, is worthy of praise. 

The Infantry School maintains a high battle rhythm and is continually seeking to improve 

course quality and content. The Royals employed in various roles, from support staff to 

command, have been an integral part of the Infantry School’s successes over the past year. 

They have remained dedicated to ensuring that the Infantry Corps is furnished with the 

highest quality officers, NCOs and NCMs. The Royals at the Infantry School have lived up 

to our regimental slogan of “Never Pass a Fault” and done so with Chivalry, Gallantry and 

Dash. 


Royal Canadians of the Oasis 

Submitted by Captain Alex Labelle 

Not far from the town of El Gora, in the North East of the Sinai Peninsula, sits the North 

Camp of the Multinational Force and Observers. Unique in its design as a Peace Monitoring 

force, the MFO was established in 1982, two years after Egypt and Israel had signed the 

momentous Treaty of Peace which ended what had been nearly three solid decades of 

hostilities. In July 2016, the MFO will enter its thirty fifth year as an organization of peace. 

Throughout this period, the MFO has evolved in nature, structure, and organization. 

Nevertheless, it has always provided two essential elements to both Egypt and Israel: 

a direct liaison capacity between and complete transparency through observation of 

military elements on either side of the border for both governments. 

Today, the Force of over 1600 soldiers, deployed from twelve nations is commanded 

by Major-General Denis Thompson whose office may now represent the world’s largest 

independent peace monitoring force but is nevertheless festooned with the Regiment’s 

colours. With him from the Regiment are Lieutenant-Colonel Joe Hartson, his Military 

EA, and Captain Alex LaBelle, Ops staff, as well as Warrant Officer Scott Duffy, Force MP 

Platoon, who served with the Regiment prior to transferring to the Military Police Branch. 

The Force now finds itself at a turning point in its history. As ISIL has grown over the past 

half-decade, it has begun to encompass other extremist organizations throughout the 

Levant region. Two years ago, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, an insurgent organization founded 

by Bedouin locals of the Sinai, pledged itself to ISIL changing its name to Wilayat Sinai. 

Though it remains a predominantly local insurgency, the conflict between this group and 

the Egyptian Security Forces stationed in the Sinai have grown in scope and complexity 

and continue to do so. 

Correspondingly, the operational challenges the Force has come to encounter have 

brought about unprecedented change. Designed for an entirely permissive environment, 

the Force now contends with the risks common to areas host to counter insurgency 

operations. These risks have caused the Force to undergo significant alterations in the 

manner which it conducts itself. The past twelve months have seen the transformation of 

North Camp from a thinly defended outpost in the desert to an outpost dominated by 

the all-to-familiar beige of HESCO walls. Moreover, and in large part due to the efforts of 

our American colleagues here, North Camp is now home to numerous pieces of advance 

early warning equipment. 

Throughout this process has been Major-General Thompson providing the astute though 

at times sardonic leadership for which he is so revered within our Regiment. Aside him 

has been Lieutenant-Colonel Hartson (who realized his career long dream of reviving 

his Assault Pioneer’s beard during the charity beard growing contest – which he won) 

providing sage council and harassing the Force’s most junior Royal… 

The coming year will undoubtedly see further upheavals of the Force’s deep routed status 

quo albeit both necessarily and for the greater good. Long thought to be an oasis amidst 


the Sinai desert, filled with luxury and relaxation, we here with the Force have bid adieu to 

such pleasures and look forward to continuing our efforts in modernizing and equipping 

the Force to enable our mission irrespective of the increasingly kinetic environment. The 

coming months will see the addition of more Royals Canadians to our small, though selfacclaimed 

significant, contribution to the force. 


The RCR Association 

Another busy year has come and past. At National we 

have successfully implemented a plan for the distribution 

of Pro Patria which has resulted in the savings of several 

thousand dollars that can now effectively support other 

activities. Regardless, we’re still trying to ensure that 

every National member receives a hard copy if they 

are not satisfied with just the digital version published 

to the web site. If you happen to be one of these 

individuals wanting a hard copy please let us know by 

calling 613 687 5511 ext 7194 or ext 5099. You can also 

e mail us at: rcrassociation1883@gmail.com 

There a few National level initiatives on the go. Royal 

Camino is being sponsored by the Kingston Branch. 

Royal Camino is an initiative geared towards serving or 

former serving members of the regiment, who feel they 

are dealing with physical problems, extended stress, 

or mental health issues as a result of service. There 

is no formal diagnoses required. In essence, this is a 

great opportunity for someone who has already run the 

LCol RW McBride, OMM, CD 

(Ret’d), Chairman, The Board of 

Directors, The RCR Association 

gamut of services offered through the military, Veterans Affairs and/or the civilian sector 

and looking for a different means, more in line with self-healing. 

As well, a small committee led by Mike O’Leary is sorting through the details and facing the 

challenges of creating a virtual memorial that will rest in the museum in London and provide 

a lasting memorial to our fallen. 

The third initiative that commenced this year is the planning for our next reunion. The 

committee, once again led by the Kingston Branch, has already started preliminary work. 

They have selected the long August weekend in 2018 to conduct the event in Kingston. 

Many of you might remember that it was the Kingston Branch that hosted a very successful 

reunion in 2018. 

On behalf of all members of the Association I offer a special thanks to those of you who 

have stepped forward and volunteered to do the little extra it takes to make all the Branches 

function as well as they do. Without this type of support the Association would fold. For 

those of you with spare time on your hands, there are many small things you can do that 

have a significant impact on keeping the Association moving forward. We need you to step 

up. 


Bob McBride 


1000 ISLANDS AREA BRANCH, 

THE RCR ASSOCIATION 

Our Branch is still alive and meeting! Our numbers are down but we still try to look out 

for RCR members in our area. Jack and Maggie Shepherd are now living in St Lawrence 

Lodge as they were unable to manage living at home. Jack is one of two WW2 veterans 

still on strength of this Branch. The other WW2 veteran is Robert Nuttall who now resides 

in Kingston and we are happy to report that he is in fine gentlemanly condition. The 

Paardeburg dinner in Florida was attended by Bob and Theda Hersey and it was fun to 

meet old friends and receive gracious hospitality from Col Joe and Elva. 

Due to small membership, we decided that we would celebrate Pachino Day with a 

luncheon at a local restaurant – the menu was without question --- spaghetti and red 

wine. We understand that our numbers are shrinking; however, it is very important that 

we continue to meet and renew our comradeship. Remembrance day had our members 

marching with their local Legion branch. A wreath was laid on the Brockville Cenotaph in 

memory of The Royal Canadian Regiment fallen. 

We wish all Royal Canadians a happy and successful new year! 

OTTAWA & DISTRICT BRANCH THE RCR 

ASSOCIATION 

By Major (ret’d) Bob Near, OMM, CD, President Ottawa and District Branch 

Overview 

Throughout 2015 Ottawa & District Branch continued to build Regimental ésprit de corps 

in the National Capital Region through activities that focussed on strengthening links 

between retired and serving Royal Canadians, while conducting a variety of interesting 

and pleasurable activities. Branch enrolment increased to some 80 active members, while 

our E- Mail list reached out to double that number. Benefitting from a terrific meeting 

place for our monthly Friday gatherings, thanks to the kindness of the Army Officers Mess, 

the Branch was able to foster opportunities for regimental comradeship and enjoyable 

times across all ages and ranks. This included spirited participation by our half dozen 

Second World War and Korea veterans, while amongst our numerous serving members we 

were delighted to include the young (relatively speaking!) General Jonathan Vance, Chief 

of the Defence Staff. 

Branch Visitors and Speakers 

The Branch was pleased to host a number of regimental and other notables who came 

to speak to us over the year on various topics of interest. Among these was our own 

WW II veteran Jack Commerford, who regaled us with his humorous experiences as a 

young soldier and his attempts (mostly successful!) to outwit the MPs at Camp Aldershot. 

BGen Jim Simms came up from Kingston to speak about the CF Joint Operations Support 

Group, which he commanded, and CAF efforts to establish permanent logistic support 

hubs in Europe and other parts of the world. As past chair of the Regimental Senate, BGen 

Simms also provided his perspective on the state of The RCR, which he affirmed had 



Major (ret’d) Bob Near, OMM, CD, 

President, Ottawa and District 

Branch 

(L-R) Doug Palmer, Sandy McQuarrie 

and Don Jazey enjoying Ottawa 

Branch’s monthly gathering. 

Former 2 RCR Pipe Major Hugh 

MacPherson regularly performs at 

Branch events. 

Major Greg White and Ed 

Mastronardi are faithful members of 

Ottawa Branch 

Regular Force members of Ottawa 

Branch include (L-R) LCol Eric 

Pellicano, LCol Alex Ruff and Maj 

Tim Orange. 

tremendous depth of leadership, and was benefitting from having a generation of young 

officers and NCOs with extensive operational experience. A very special visitor/speaker 

was the Colonel of the Regiment, Joe Aitchison, who at the end of May spoke to some 54 

of us, including RCR members of the Ceremonial Guard and their CO, Maj Michel Lavigne, 

who had joined us for the occasion. With his usual effervescence, Col Joe gave an update 

on regimental developments and what lies ahead. He also took the opportunity to present 

Branch Vice President, Bob Near, with the Colonel of The Regiment’s Coin for Bob’s fine 

work in the design and writing of new Regimental Standing Orders. 

Outings and Social Events 

War Museum Visit. As an enjoyable break from Ottawa’s mid-winter frigidity, in early 

February Branch members paid a visit to the Canadian War Museum to see the special WW 

I exhibit on Flanders Fields. This was highly educational and enhanced our appreciation of 

the operating challenges and terrible field conditions faced by our regimental forbearers 

in that conflict. 

Military History Evening with the Engineers. In April, the Branch accepted an invitation 

from the Canadian Military Engineers Association to join them in a military history event at 

the NDHQ WOs and Sgts Mess. We enjoyed a series of short presentations followed by Q 

&A on various military subjects involving the engineers, including a fascinating presentation 

on Counter-IED operations in Afghanistan. The RCR contribution to the evening was made 

by our own Robbie Robertson who gave a colourful presentation on Canadian military 

recruiting posters from the Great War. All told, it was a pleasant evening of camaraderie 

and military history exchange between The RCR and our Military Engineer colleagues. 

Branch Golf Day. The summer was mostly quiet for the Branch, with the exception of our 

first ever Golf Day on 26 August, which was organized by Sandy McQuarrie and his delightful 

golfing wife, Francoise. Turnout was reasonable and we were pleased to be joined by a 

contingent of other “Royal” golfers from 1 RCR in Petawawa and the Kingston Branch. 


BGen Jim Simms (left) is thanked by President Ivan Fenton for Jim’s 

presentation to members on the workings of the CAF’s Joint Support 

Group. 

During Col Aitchison’s May visit to Ottawa Branch he presented VP Bob 

Near with the Colonel of the Regiment’s Coin for Bob’s work in the rewriting 

of Regimental Standing Orders. 

BGen Omer Lavoie (left) and Colonel of The Regiment Joe Aitchison 

attended Ottawa Branch’s May “beer-call.” 

During his visit in May, CoTR Colonel Joe Aitchison spoke to Ottawa 

Branch (including Jody Mitic looking on attentively) on the “state of The 

Regiment.” 

RCR trainers of the Ceremonial Guard joined Ottawa Branch members for 

CoTR’s visit. (L-R) Sgt Hatcher, MCpl Chiasson, MCpl Head, Sgt Martin 

Ottawa Branch presented a good mix of serving and retired Royal 

Canadians for CoTR’s visit. 

The Colonel of The Regiment’s visit in May saw a good turn-out of Royal 

Canadians of all “vintages.” 

Outgoing Branch President MGen Ivan Fenton with (L-R) Capt Yannick 

Hart, Maj Michel Lavigne and MCpl Don Francis. 

Branch member MCpl (ret’d) Jody Mitic enlivens proceedings during 

CoTR’s visit in May. 

Meet and Greet BBQ. In late 

September, to help kick off the new 

posting year and welcome serving 

Royal Canadians and their families 

newly arrived in Ottawa, Branch 

members participated in a meet and 

greet BBQ at Base Uplands Family 

Resource Centre. Regimental Colonel 

Peter Scott and Ottawa officers’ 

mentor Lieutenant-Colonel Eric 

Pellicano gave a warm welcome to all, 

while the event itself contributed to 

strengthening bonds between serving 

members of the Regiment and The 

RCR Association’s Ottawa Branch. 

St. Andrews Day. For members with 

Scottish proclivities, especially those 

with Black Watch and 2 RCR heritage, 

at the end of November we celebrated 

Saint Andrews Day in traditional 

highland style, complete with haggis, 

whiskey and bag pipes. We were again 

joined by our Black Watch Association 

comrades, who brought an extra 


measure of spirit (and spirits!) to the occasion. Our thanks to Hughie Macpherson who 

organized the music program, including arranging with the RSM of 2 RCR to have 2nd 

Battalion’s Pipe Major, Sgt James Malcolm, join us in full dress with his pipes. Bill Gilmour 

was also present, but left his “war instrument” behind in order to be part of the Haggis 

Party. In sum, a happy and rousing event to honour Saint Andrew, especially in the company 

of three Pipe Majors who were all of 2 RCR extraction! 

Branch Transitions 

Farewell to President Ivan / Welcome Colonel of The 

Regiment Ivan. Major transitions for Ottawa Branch 

occurred in 2015, not least being the appointment of our 

President, MGen Ivan Fenton OMM, CD, to become Colonel 

of The Regiment, and the subsequent passing of his Branch 

responsibilities to the Vice President, Bob Near. On 29 May, 

we bade General Ivan a fond farewell as President, including 

presenting him with a framed depiction of the Fenton family 

crest as a token of thanks for his good leadership and firm 

dedication to the Branch over the past two and a half years. 

While we will miss his electronic presidential updates and dry 

wit, we are glad that notwithstanding his elevated position, 

Colonel Ivan will continue on as a member of Ottawa Branch, 

joining us when he can. 

Annual General Meeting & Branch Elections. Our AGM in 

October saw Bob Near confirmed as President, Rick Reid as 

VP, Sandy McQuarrie as Secretary and Bob Butt as Treasurer. 

With a view to keeping attuned to the interests and needs of 

our Regular Force serving members, the Branch Executive was 

expanded to include two “Members at Large,” these being 

Capt Yannick Hart and MWO Mark Gallant, both working in 

headquarters jobs, and who have generously volunteered 

to be part of our Branch leadership team. Other outputs 


Branch outings included a visit in 

February to the Canadian War Museum 

to see a special exhibit on Flanders 

Fields. 

Ottawa Branch’s day on the links 

attracted a number of “Royal Golfers” 

including a Sr NCO foursome from 

1RCR Petawawa (left side of photo.) 

Terry Seaver shows Joe McNulty and 

Chip Beauregard the best lay during 

the Branch’s first ever golf day. 

Branch members joined with Ottawa 

serving Royal Canadians at a Meet and 

Greet BBQ in Sept. 

Joe McNulty practises his swing during 

Ottawa Branch’s golf day on 26 August. 

Terry Seaver and Bob Near take a pause 

during Ottawa Branch’s golf day. 



Outgoing Branch President Ivan Fenton 

being thanked by VP Bob Near for his 

services to the Branch. 

Outgoing Branch President Ivan Fenton 

welcomes Bob Near to fill the “empty 

saddle” as Acting Branch President. 

The AGM in October brought out this fine 

group Ottawa Royal Canadians (L-R Gary 

Snider, Elburn Duffy, Marcel Boucher, Ed 

Mastronardi, Bob Near, Dave Wilkinson) 

Newly elected Branch President Bob Near 

gets down to business. 

Attending the Branch AGM were Al Fowler, 

Drew Halpenny, Jerry Thompson, Gary 

Dawson, and Jack Commerford. 

from the AGM were approval of a set of Branch Bylaws 

and Procedures, hitherto lacking, and for a grant of $50 to 

the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band. Branch member Maj Dave 

Johnson is a piper in the band and appealed to the highland 

sentiments (and sentimentalists!) in the Branch for a donation 

in support of the band’s trip to Scotland to play at Balmoral 

Castle for Her Majesty. We could hardly refuse, and the vote 

was unanimously in favour. 

Regimental Celebrations 

Paardeberg. On 25 February, we held a very enjoyable Paardeberg Dinner at the Sitar 

Indian restaurant attended by some 35 members and spouses. Two days later, Paardeberg 

featured prominently at our monthly gathering. The highlight was a most interesting 

presentation made by Capt Alex Podiluk and Bob Near comparing the Battle of Paardeberg 

with Operation Medusa/Battle of Panjwayi in Afghanistan, fought by 1 RCR in 2006. The 

remarkable similarities between both battles, and the fascinating details ranging from 

unit demographics to nature of the enemy to the harsh terrain and climate, made for a 

stimulating presentation while re-affirming that the Regiment’s war fighting experiences 

across time and space are very much a constant! 

Pachino. The Branch celebrated Pachino Day on 10 July in fine style beginning in the morning 

when we were accorded VIP treatment from the CO of the Ceremonial Guard, Maj Michel 

Lavigne (The RCR), who provided us VIP seats on Parliament Hill to watch the Changing 

of the Guard. The weather was grand, adding much to the enjoyment and colour of this 

tradition-laden ceremony, which is a top tourist draw in Ottawa. Following the excellent 

drill performance, which featured the playing of The RCR March for both the march-on and 

march-off of the troops, we retired to our usual meeting place in the Army Officers Mess. 

There we were joined by RCR members of the CG for a traditional spaghetti lunch washed 

down with ample quantities of Ripasso provided by a “Friend of The Regiment,” making for 

a superb Pachino Day indeed! 


Regimental Birthday. The Branch’s social highlight of the year was once again our 

Regimental Birthday Dinner, held on 3 December. Breaking with past practice, and wishing 

to keeping costs affordable, we changed the location from the Ottawa Golf and Hunt Club 

to the NDHQ WOs and Sgts Mess. It proved to be a good move, the venue, service, and 

quality of food all being top notch. Some 75 Branch members and guests attended, with 

a number of the gentlemen choosing to come in black tie and mess kit. Coupled with 

the talented musicians in their full dress scarlets and the wonderful seasonal ambience 

presented by the Mess, it all made for a very colourful and classy affair, much enjoyed by all. 

Ortona Toast. Continuing with our Regimental Birthday elebrations, on 17 December 

retired members joined our Regular Force comrades in the NCOs Mess in the Cartier Square 

Drill Hall to make the Ortona Toast. With more than 50 Royal Canadians of all “vintages” 

present, our Senior Royal Canadian, General Jonathan Vance, spoke about the importance 

our RCR traditions and the wonderful comradeship members of the Regiment enjoy when 

we come together across the generations on 

occasions such as this. Captain Yannick Hart 

then proceeded to relate the history of the first 

Ortona Toast of 21 December 1943 in close 

proximity to the enemy, and its repetition in 

Afghanistan some 65 years later in near identical 

circumstances. White china mugs containing the 

Ortona libation were then lifted, and the health 

of The Royal Canadian Regiment drank. The 

remainder of the afternoon entailed a fine lunch 

of hot chili, sandwiches and drinks of choice. 

All agreed we had celebrated the Regiment’s 

132nd birthday in proper Royal Canadian 

style, reflecting soldierly comradeship and fine 

regimental spirit! 

Korean Order of Military Merit for Ed 

Mastronardi 

Also in December, we became additionally 

proud of our long time Branch member, Ed 

Mastronardi, when South Korea presented 

him with the Order of Military Merit, Taegeuk 

Cordon, for his actions on 2-3 November 1951 

at the Battle of the Song-Gok Spur. This award 

is South Korea’s highest decoration for military 

bravery and valour. Ed was selected by the 

Koreans from among all still living Canadian 

Korean War veterans, to be the designated 

Canadian to receive this award, along with a 

representative veteran from the US, UK, and 

Australia. Intended to receive the medal at a 

formal ceremony in Seoul, logistical difficulties 

precluded Ed from making the trip so, instead, 

a delegation from the Korean Ministry of 

Patriots and Veterans Affairs led by their 

Director-General, came to Ottawa to conduct 

In December Ed Mastronardi received the South Korean Order 

of Military Merit from South Korea’s Ambassador to Canada, 

Jo Daeshek, and the Korean Minister of Patriotic and Veteran 

Affairs, Mr, Park. 

Branch President Bob Near congratulates Song Gok Spur 

veteran Ed Mastronardi on Ed’s award of the South Korean 

Order of Military Merit. 


On Remembrance Day, the Branch joined with soldiers from 

3 M Coy 3 RCR at the grave site of Pte R.R. Thompson. 

Remembrance Day at the grave site of Pte R.R. Thompson 

(Queen’s Scarf for bravery). L-R Sandy McQuarrie, Doug 

Palmer, Tim Ryley, Bob Near, Rick Reid. 

Soldiers from M Coy 3 RCR provided sentries for 

Remembrance Day at Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery, where Pte 

R.R. Thompson is buried. 

the ceremony. The decoration itself – a large star-burst type medal affixed to a crimson 

sash – was officially presented to Ed by the Korean Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency 

Daeshik Jo. In response, Ed gave warm thanks to the Ambassador and the Government 

of Korea while emphasising that he considered the award as belonging to all of the “28 

heroes” of his platoon. He ended his speech by making a toast to the “flying deuce,” the 

nickname of his platoon given by his men back in 1951. The presentation took place at the 

Bell’s Corners Legion, and was attended by some 120 people, including members of the 

Korea Veterans Association, and the Korean-Canadian and Korean-American community. 

Representing the Regiment were many of Ed’s friends including Jim Gunn, MGen (Ret’d) 

Ivan Fenton - Colonel of The Regiment, and Bob Near. Certainly, Ed is a treasure to our 

Branch and the epitome of what it is to be a Royal Canadian! 


Remembrance and Tributes 

An important activity for the Branch continued to be that of remembering and honouring 

our military departed, especially those who were Branch members. To this end, we partook 

in traditional Remembrance Day ceremonies on 11 November as well as the Wreaths Across 

Canada memorial tribute. We also attended the Regimental memorial service and interment 

on 2 October for the late MGen Dan Loomis, MC (see Pro Patria 2013, pp 158-161), whose 

ashes were deposited with dignified military ceremony in Beechwood Cemetery. 

Recalling Pte RR Thompson. Our Remembrance Day activities included crossing the Ottawa 

River to Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery in Quebec and the grave site of Pte R.R. Thompson 

(winner of the Queen’s Scarf) to join with the local community in paying tribute to Canada’s 

war time fallen. We were proud to see that the sentries posted around the Thompson grave 

site were a platoon of soldiers from Para Coy 3 RCR, making a dashing impression with 

their glistening boots and maroon berets. The RCR’s presence in this tranquil glade can be 

further seen in the memorial bench painted in Regimental colours.

Wreaths Across Canada. Occurring on the first Sunday in December at Beechwood 

Military Cemetery, this memorial tribute is now an annual Branch tradition which sees retired 

and serving military members along with families, friends and the general public coming 

together to lay wreaths on the graves of departed CAF members. Our Regimental Banner 

once more served as a rally point for RCR participation and for according respects to our 

own regimental departed while giving the Regiment a highly visible presence among the 

several hundred citizens participating in this impressive ceremony. 

Lest We Forget 

By way of conclusion to this contribution to Pro Patria 2015, our Branch notes with sad hearts 

the loss in 2015 of three of our members. 

Capt Morris DeWitt: RCR from1938, WW II (wounded Ortona), Korea, NATO, d. 22 March 

age 97 

Sgt Larry “Squeak” Edmonds: Korean War, NATO, d. 26 October, age 86 

Lt John Woods: Korean War, 11 Platoon Comd at Battle of Chai-Li, d. 26 November, age 85. 

RIP / Pro Patria 

Partaking in the Wreaths Across Canada ceremonies 

were Earl Donaldson and Bill Sutherland. 

3 RCR soldier on sentry duty, Remembrance Day, 

Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery. 

Wreaths Across Canada – BGen Omer Lavoie at the 

grave of CWO Bobby Girouard. 


Some of the Ottawa Branch members who came out for 

Wreaths Across Canada. 

Wreaths Across Canada – Earl Donaldson at the grave 

of CWO Ernie Hall 

On 11 December members attended the funeral of 

John Woods, veteran of the Battle of Chail-Li and 

faithful member of Ottawa Branch. 

WINDSOR-ESSEX COUNTY BRANCH 

by Hardy Wheeler, Branch President 

2015 was a relatively quiet year for the SW Ontario “frontier” branch. We suffer from the 

same as other branches with no participation from serving and recently retired Royal 

Canadians in the Essex and Kent counties of Ontario. We are not a typical Army retirement 

area so our numbers have always been modest. That said, we have a dedicated group of 23 

who served in The RCR, family and friends with most attending our two dinners a year plus 

13 others who receive our periodic emails to keep them aware of regimental happenings. 

In the recent past we had difficulty attracting members for events in February (Paardeberg) 

and July (Pachino) so instead we met for dinner and fellowship on 12 May and, of course, on 

21 December for our 132nd Regimental Birthday. As has been his practice for over a decade, 

Hardy Wheeler prepared the Ortona Port to the exacting formula one would expect from 

Canada’s senior Regular Force regiment. 

There were a couple of events this year that involved our branch members: the presentation 

of two Quilts of Valour and a public event in London. 

Quilts of Valour, started in 2006, is a Canadian organization of volunteer quilters from 

every province and territory. They sew quilts at their own expense with a personalized 


label containing service number, name, 

regiment and cap badge. To date 

over 6,500 Quilts of Valour have been 

presented to war veterans. These Quilts 

of Valour represent a ‘hug of appreciation’ 

from Canadians for a job well-done during 

war and this year presentations were made 

on 7 March to Pte. Ralph Mayville, veteran 

of the First Special Service Force in Italy 

and France and The RCR in NW Europe; 

and on 1 August to Capt. Sherry Atkinson, 

veteran of Sicily. See the separate article 

on Sherry’s Quilt of Valour. 

Windsor-Essex County Branch celebrate our Regimental Birthday on 

21 December 2015. L to R, FRONT – Bob Kelly, Ralph Mayville, Sherry 

Atkinson, Bill Lappan, Lil Lappan. MIDDLE – Bob Papak, Jeanne Papak, 

Jane Wheeler, Sue Atkinson, Anita Denny, Rosie Denny, Shirley Affleck. 

REAR – Hardy Wheeler, Cathy Moczko, Zane Handysides, Bruce Tribute, 

Ed Bernard. Photo by Hardy Wheeler 

The Annual Warriors Game on 4 December 2015 between the Windsor 

Spitfires and the London Knights. L to R, Bruce Tribute, Ralph Mayville, 

Bob Papak. Photo by Cathy Moczko 

On 4 December, Bob Papak, Windsor-Essex County Branch Vice-President and President 

of 1st CAV (Canadian Army Veterans) Verrières Ridge Motor Cycle Unit along with Bruce 

Tribute accompanied Branch Member Ralph Mayville to the Warriors Hockey Game in 

London between the Windsor Spitfires and the London Knights. They were front and centre 

before the game for the playing of O Canada. Well done and thanks Bob, Ralph and Bruce. 

For the next year Hardy Wheeler and Bob Papak will serve as Branch President and Vice- 

President respectively. 


WWII Veteran, Sherry Atkinson Honoured 

By Hardy Wheeler & Greg Childs 

94-year old retired Captain Sheridan (Sherry) Atkinson was honoured on 1 August 2015 with 

a Quilt of Valour for his military service to Canada. Sherry was visibly moved as the poppy 

and maple leaf decorated quilt was wrapped around his shoulders. His quilt bears the label, 

“May the hugs stitched into this quilt give you comfort, strength and love.” 

Quilts of Valour, started in 2006, is a Canadian organization of volunteer quilters from every 

province and territory. They sew quilts at their own expense, but often receiving some 

donations of material and money. Each quilt has a personalized label, often with service 

number, name and the regiments or ships on which they served. To date over 6,500 Quilts 

of Valour have been presented to war veterans. These Quilts of Valour represent a ‘hug of 


appreciation’ from Canadians for a job well-done during war. 

Member of Parliament for Chatham-Kent-Leamington, Dave Van Kesteren and Quilts of 

Valour SW Ontario representative Brenda Oliphant, made the presentation at Sherry’s home 

in Ridgetown, ON. Also present was Sherry’s wife of 45 years, Susan. MP Dave VanKesteren 

re-iterated, “I am truly grateful to be part of this celebration honouring Captain Atkinson’s 

tremendous service to Canada, both before and during WWII, and for many years after the 

war, looking after our wounded veterans.” 

In 1936, having just turned 15, Sherry stepped into the old Chatham Armoury and joined 

‘B’ Company of the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion. He quickly learned his trade rising to the 

rank of Sergeant, an expert Vickers machine-gunner. His regiment was merged to become 

the Kent Regiment (Machine Gun), then the Kent Regiment and in 1954 finally as The Essex 

and Kent Scottish. Sherry reminisces that although he never served in the Essex Scottish, 

he maintains his status as part of that Regimental Family along with being a proud ‘Royal 

Canadian’. 

When war was declared in 1939, Sgt Atkinson then 17 attested that he was 21 years old and 

was recruited on 12 September, into The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR), glad and 

fortunate to sign up a well-trained sergeant. He finished his basic infantry training and was 

ready for combat when his true age was discovered; Pte Atkinson was transferred back to 

The RCR Depot. When the Staff Sergeant asked if anyone on the bus could type, Sherry 

volunteered, as the alternative of endless parade square drill was much less appealing. The 

pay office was run by a kindly old Sergeant-Major who then taught Sheridan how to properly 

type. 

As many young injured soldiers returned from overseas training, the pay office swelled with 

a staff of over 30. As the expert on pay and benefits, the result was several accelerated 

promotions to the rank of Warrant Officer Second Class (WOII). But when many of the 

injured soldiers, friends that Sherry had joined with returned to London now injured, he felt 

a bit guilty with his WOII rank. Sherry requested that he be transferred overseas, as he had 

now attained the age for combat. He was given the options reverting to an overseas Private, 

or take officer training. Sheridan states,”So in July 1942, I decided to take the worse of the 

two choices, and I somewhat reluctantly, became an officer”. Lt Atkinson completed his 

officer and anti-tank courses and was assigned as the Anti-Tank Platoon Commander. 

On 10 July 1943, with 100,000 other Allied soldiers, Lt Atkinson landed his anti-tank platoon 

in Sicily. Sherry states, “…the Canadians had to clear the treacherous mountain region, and 

with the enemy usually strategically located up high, we had a lot of casualties. It took 28 

days for us to liberate Sicily.” 

On 11 July 1943, the exhausted soldiers of The Royal Canadian Regiment had moved 

forward on tanks and other vehicles at night and were very spread out when they went to 

ground. At daylight, Sherry and 12 of the Anti-Tank Platoon awoke to find the rest of the unit 

had moved out. In their attempt to re-unite they were given a wrong direction by a military 

policeman and ended up in the middle of enemy territory. Sherry picked up part of the RCR 

mortar platoon, other stragglers, some from other regiments and approached the town 

of Modica when they came under effective enemy fire. The Brigade Commander General 

Volkes drove forward and asked Sherry if he could take out the heavily fortified enemy and 

he proceeded to do it. Lt Atkinson and an artillery officer quickly put a fire plan. With the 

aid of three self-propelled Bishop 25-pound field guns they had a very serious firefight 

and captured the Italian position. At the end of this fight, the Canadians had suffered no 

casualties but had captured seven officers, 78 other ranks, 5 machine-guns, 1 anti-tank 


Capt (Ret’d) Sherry Atkinson of 

Ridgetown, ON is presented with his 

personalized Quilt of Valour on 1 August 

2015 by MP Dave Van Kesteren and Mrs. 

Brenda Oliphant from Quilts of Valour 

Canada. Photo by Greg Childs. 

gun, 7 artillery pieces, several brand new Fiat trucks. Wearing ceremonial uniform, with 

many WWI allied medals, the mayor of Modica approached and surrendered the town. 

Lt Atkinson and a Lance Corporal accepted the surrender of Modica and over additional 

900 Italian soldiers. The children were starving, so the Canadians shared their rations and 

especially their chocolate bars with the children. In 2013, in a visit to Modica an 80-year 

old man remembered then Lt Atkinson who had given him chocolate 70 years earlier, and 

presented Sherry with a specially labeled commemorative chocolate bar as a gift for being 

liberated. 

“On 24 July 1943 during the battle for Agira, Sicily just 14 days into the fighting, German 

88mm artillery guns found their mark on my anti-tank guns positioned in an olive grove, 

seriously wounding me and taking me out of action. I lost most of my shoulder blade and a 

large piece of shrapnel was lodged against a major artery. None of the doctors would touch 

it at the first couple of military hospitals, for fear of nicking the artery which in those days 

would cause death. Almost a month later, when I finally got to the 15th General Canadian 

Hospital at El Arush, a Canadian doctor, operated through the back and safely removed 

the shrapnel. The month of recovery was brutal as the temperature was +100°F and I was 

in a felt-lined cast from my neck to my groin. The flies were terrible and laid eggs under 

my cast. Although it was quite uncomfortable to feel the maggots crawling around under 

the cast, I knew they were eating dead tissue, preventing gangrene. Eventually, I was 

transported to a hospital in England and finally in December 1943, to Westminster Hospital 

in London Ontario. It took a very long nine months for me to recover. The bone infection and 

osteomyelitis still causes grief, but I’m much luckier than many soldiers.” 

After recovery, Lt Atkinson’s job was to assist the returning injured veterans with their releases 

and benefits. With the 1950 Korean War, he used his talents as Adjutant for 107th Manning 

Depot in London and later as Assistant Adjutant with 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian 

Regiment (1RCR). After only eight days of Korean War service, my medical documents finally 

caught up with me and the CO, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Bingham stated that because of a 

severe wound Sherry would be discharged from the Korean War Contingent. They credited 

him with the 8 days of Korean service. 

As a RCR Reserve Army Captain he was transferred to Kitchener, working for Department of 


Veterans Affairs (DVA) as their Casualty Rehabilitation Officer. Sherry quips that, “It was my 

duty to get jobs for Veterans with handicaps. I toured many factories reviewing jobs being 

done by workers without disabilities and when I found ones that could be by my injured 

veterans, the plant owners were quite good at filling them with our handicapped veterans. If 

they did not work out, I’d find something else for them at another factory.” 

He visited 40 WWII vets in his care at their homes. Once he arrived and the veteran was away 

for an hour. His young wife was trying to get their newborn to stop crying and I suggested 

that possibly the diaper needed to be changed. She had never changed a diaper, so having 

kids of my own, I showed her how, and yes, the dirty diaper was the problem. On another 

occasion during a visit, a distraught neighbour brought in her young son who had fallen off 

a horse. The arm was broken, so I set the break and made a splint and drove the boy to the 

Woodstock Hospital. These incidents had nothing to do with DVA, but it felt good helping 

others. In 1954, he was promoted to run the Windsor office of DVA and later promoted to 

run the SW Ontario division of DVA. 

Sherry Atkinson has remained very active with The RCR Association, assisting with the welfare 

of the serving soldiers and his fellow war veterans. In 2013, he participated in Operation 

HUSKY, a pilgrimage by hundreds of Canadians following the route taken by the liberators 

of Sicily 70 years earlier. Sherry was the only war veteran who had fought that battle from 

Pachino through Sicily. The pilgrimage events were attended by many Canadian and foreign 

dignitaries. Everyday, many members on the pilgrimage would walk the distance that the 

soldiers had fought in 1943. Everyday Sherry would give a different speech, plant markers 

along the route where soldiers fell and lay wreaths with dignitaries. 

THEROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT ASSOCIATION 

BURSARIES 

In 2015, the three recipients of The RCR Associaton bursaries were: 

Mr Cameron Praysner of Richmond Hill, Ontario, whose grandfather Major John Praysner 

served in the Regiment from 1935 to 1962; 

Ms Mara Copeland of Petawawa, Ontario, daughter of MWO John Copeland, the DSM 

of 1st Bn; and 

Ms Sara Vancuren of Leader, Saskatchewan, daughter of Sydney Vancuren who served 

with 2nd Bn from 1989 to 1997. 


INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION 

The Lieut. H.A. Prince Bell and Gong Horns. 

Side View of the Bell and Gong Horns. 

The “Bell and Horns” 

Gong 

By Capt Michael O’Leary, The RCR 

There is an interesting piece of regimental memorabilia in the Wolseley Barracks Officers’ 

Mess at Area Support Unit (ASU) London. Dating from a period when the exchange 

postings of regimental officers spanned the global reach of the British Empire, this artifact 

is the presentation gift made to the Regiment by an officer of the Gurkha Rifles following 

his exchange tour in 1936-37. 

Lieutenant Hugh Anthony Prince, 2nd/6th Gurkha Rifles, served with The RCR in London, 

Ontario, St. John’s (now St. Jean), Quebec, and at Niagara-on-the-Lake, during his tour of 

duty in Canada. Following his exchange posting in Canada, Lieutenant Prince sent a gift 

back to the Regiment’s officers. The “Bell and Horns” Gong consists of an engraved silver 

bell hanging between two cow horns on a hardwood base. The original mallet is long gone, 

but the bell still rings true. The engraving on the bell reads: 

Presented to the Officers 


by 

Lieut. H.A. Prince, 6th Gurkha Rifles 

on conclusion of his attachment 

1936-1937 


Lieutenant-Colonel Murray Greene, the Commanding Officer of the Regiment in 1938, 

acknowledged the receipt of the gong in a letter to Lieutenant Prince which was published 

in the July 1938 edition of The Connecting File: 

Dear Prince: 

The “Bell and Horns” Gong you ordered from Messrs. Goldsmiths and 

Silversmiths, Ltd., for our Officers’ Mess, arrived in London, Ont., on the 15th 

instant, in perfect condition. 

May I, on behalf of the Officers of the Regiment, thank you for the kind thought 

which prompted you to send us such a nice gift. 

It will always be a pleasant reminder of the days you spent with us in London, St. 

Johns, and Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

With kind Regards, 

Yours sincerely, 

(Signed) M.K. Greene. 

Lieut.-Colonel. 

Hugh Anthony Prince, 6th Gurkha RifLes 

Born 11 August 1911 and educated at Eastbourne College, Hugh Prince was one of a 

number of RMA & RMC Cadets granted Cadet Scholarships in March 1931. Eligibility for 

a scholarship was dependent upon either being the son of an officer who had gained his 

own commission through an Officer Cadet unit during the war of 1914-19, or the son of 

a serving or retired officer of the Royal Navy, the Regular Forces or the Royal Air Force. 

Prince graduated from Sandhurst in July 1931, receiving a ‘Distinguished’ grade for 

Physical Training. He was also a member of the Demonstration Platoon supplied by R.M.C. 


Sandhurst to the O.T.C. Junior Division camp at Tidworth in 

the summer of 1931. 

Hugh Anthony Prince began his service in the British Army 

when he was gazetted as an “unattached” Second Lieutenant 

for the Indian Army on 27 August 1931, arriving in India the 

following month. He spent one year on attachment to a 

British regiment before being appointed to the Indian Army 

on 22 October 1932 and posted to his regiment: the 2nd 

Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles, which was stationed at Razmak, in 

Waziristan. Prince was promoted to Lieutenant on 12 January 

1934. His battalion left Razmak in February 1936 when it was 

transferred to Abbottabad. 

According to the October 1936 Indian Army List, Hugh 

Prince was despatched on attachment to The Royal Canadian 

Regiment and listed as such in the October 1937 and July 

1938 Indian Army Lists. He was back with his regiment and 

appointed as Adjutant effective 1 November 1938. 

While he served on attachment to The Royal Canadian 

Regiment in 1936-37, the exact dates of his service in Canada 

do not appear to be recorded in accessible sources. We do know, from the regimental 

journal, The Connecting File, in April 1938, that he did not leave Canada until sailing from 

Saint John, New Brunswick, aboard the CPR liner S.S. Duchess of Richmond on 1 April 

1938. 

In the second volume of the regimental history, The Royal Canadian Regiment, Volume 2 

(1933 – 1966), by G.R. Stevens, it is confirmed that Prince’s attachment with The RCR was 

offset by the exchange posting to India of Lieutenant Ralph Marston Crowe: 

“In April [1936, Lieut.] R. M. Crowe left for India on attachment; he was destined to earn a 

Mention in Despatches for his services in the Waziristan operations. In exchange Lt H. A. 

Prince of 6th Gurkha Rifles was attached to The Regiment.” 

Ralph Marston Crowe, The RCR: The dates of Ralph Crowe’s attachment with the Indian 

Army are recorded in the London Gazette as 17 April 1936 to 2 April 1938. Crowe served 

with the 5th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Own Corps of Guides) 

and would record some of his experiences for the regimental journal, The Connecting File, 

in 1938. While serving in the Indian Army, Crowe earned the India General Service 1936-39 

with the clasp North West Frontier 1936-37, possibly the only Canadian Army officer of his 

day to earn one, and a Mention in Despatches (Gazetted 18 Feb1938) for his services during 

1936-1937 in the Khaisora Valley in Waziristan. He would be killed in action commanding 

The RCR in Sicily on 24 Jul 1943. 

While Ralph Crowe’s exchange might be the most well known, his was not the first exchange 

with the Indian Army by an officer of the Regiment. In 1914-15, the Regiment had been 

represented in India when Lieutenant Hugh Griffith, The RCR, served on exchange. 

After returning from Canada to India, Hugh Prince held the headquarters appointment of 

General Staff Officer (GSO) 3 (Operations) from 3 September 1937 to 3 April 1940, and 

earned the India General Service Medal 1936-39 with the North West Frontier 1937-39 

clasp while so appointed. He spent the remainder of the Second World War in a succession 

of staff positions and was Mentioned in Despatches for his work (Gazetted 17 Dec 1942). 


Prince was promoted Major on 23 September 1947 and that same year he transferred to 

The King’s Regiment (Liverpool). He was again promoted in 1954 to the rank of Lieutenant 

Colonel and, in 1957, while holding the rank of Temporary Brigadier, was promoted to the 

substantive rank of Colonel. On 31 December 1960 he was appointed Commander of the 

Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) and in 1961 he was again promoted, to the 

rank of Brigadier. 

Brigadier Prince went to his last service posting on 1 July 1964 when he was appointed 

Chief, Military Planning Office, South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) at Bangkok. For 

this position he was also granted the temporary rank of Major-General. He relinquished his 

appointment on 30 June 1966 and was retired on pension from 17th October 1966. Major- 

General Hugh Anthony Prince, CBE, died at Arles, France, on 6 November 2005 at the age 

of 94. 

The Gong Today 

After years of lying unnoticed behind the bar at Wolseley Barracks Officers’ Mess, the Bell 

and Horns Gong has been brought back into use with the Regiment. Within the past few 

years, the Bell and Horns Gong it been employed as the “PMC’s gavel” for Regimental Mess 

Dinners at the Wolseley Barracks Officers’ Mess. 

(Additional biographical information on Hugh Prince, beyond that available through searches 

of the London Gazette and the internet, was provided by “NWFrontier”, a member of the 

British Medals Forum.) 


The Royal Canadian 

Regiment Museum 

By Dr. Georgiana Stanciu, Curator/Director 

Overview 

Last year was an important milestone for 

The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum. 

Community recognition, staff turnover, 

increase in the number of visitors, 

accomplishments in the efforts to engage the 

public and noteworthy achievements in the 

area of collections management marked the 

period January to December 2015. The year 

began with recognition by the City of London 

for a successful 2014: London’s Featured 

Community Organization for outstanding 

contribution to the community. 

With the achievements of 2015 and momentum 

created for attracting more visitors, on site, 

off site or through our digital platform, the 

museum hopes for a successful 2016. It is 

the year when the Royal Canadian Regiment 

marks the Centennial of their official combat 

engagement during the First World War (Mount 

Sorrel, Somme, Flers – Courcellette, Ancre 

Heights); the museum is also preparing for 

Canada’s sesquicentennial and the centennial 

of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. 

In the presence of the City Councillors, the Mayor of London, 

Matt Brown handed a plaque to the Chairman of the Board of 

Directors, BGen (Ret’d) Gary O’Brien, who was accompanied 

by museum volunteers Capt (Ret’d) Cliff Collison and Domink 

Svehla 

Staff and Volunteers 

At the beginning of 2015, we welcomed three new co-workers. 

Amber Mandich joined The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum in February 2015 as the 

museum’s Collections Registrar. In this position, Amber is responsible for all aspects 

of Collections Management and is currently rehousing and relocating the collection 

into new storage areas. Amber received a BA (Honours) degree from The University of 

Western Ontario in Bioarchaeological Anthropology in 2010 and a Certificate in Museum 

Management and Curatorship from Fleming College in 2011. Amber has a strong interest in 

museum collections, community engagement and built heritage. Prior to joining The Royal 

Canadian Regiment Museum, Amber worked at Fanshawe Pioneer Village as a Collections 

Assistant and has actively been involved in the local museum and heritage community. She 


From left to right: Mara Mohaupt (Retail Clerk), Katrina Pasierbek (Public Programmer), and Amber Mandich (Collections Registrar). 

is currently conducting research on the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings in the hightech 

sector in partnership with GRAND-NCE and The University of Western Ontario. While 

working in the field, Amber graduated with a Master’s Degree in Library and Information 

Science. 

Katrina Pasierbek is excited to join the dedicated team at The Royal Canadian Regiment 

Museum as the Public Programmer. After completing a Bachelor of Education degree, 

Katrina returned to campus to earn a Master of Arts degree in History at the University of 

Western Ontario. She has focused her research on the rise of Great War battlefield tourism 

during the immediate post-war years. Since completing her degrees, Katrina has worked in 

three local museums as a researcher and educator. Most recently she served as Canadigm’s 

historical researcher on their First World War traveling exhibition Souterrain Impressions 

to compile biographical information on the 

soldiers who left their mark on the chalk 

cave walls below Vimy Ridge in the days 

preceding the famed battle in April 1917. 

At The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum, 

Katrina is responsible for educational 

programs and public tours of the museum, 

in addition to developing innovative ways 

to interpret and communicate the history of 

the Regiment. Katrina considers Wolseley 

Barracks the perfect setting to combine 

her passion for experiential learning and 

Canada’s rich military history. 

Clockwise from top to bottom: Montanna Mills, Dominik Svehla, 

Erik Rayment and Natalia Kondratieva. 

Mara Mohaupt is responsible for the Gift 

Shop operations at The Royal Canadian 

Regiment Museum, having joined the 

staff in April 2015. Mara brings to her 

new role strong customer service, sales 

and marketing skills. She has 18 years of 


experience in arts administration 

from her previous position at the 

London Regional Children’s Museum. 

As the Finance and Administration 

Manager, she was also involved in all 

aspects of the museum’s gift shop 

operations. Mara has completed the 

Ontario Real Estate College and she 

is also a licensed Realtor, specializing 

in residential real estate. 

The Volunteer Program at The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum 

As a not-for-profit organization, The 

Royal Canadian Regiment Museum 

was granted two student positions, 

one from Canada Summer Jobs (a 

federal program subsidizing summer 

employment for students) and the 

other from the Summer Experience 

Program (a Province of Ontario grant 

for hiring students). In addition, as the 

museum partnered with the Public 

History MA Program at the University 

of Western Ontario, we hosted two 

interns between May and December 

2015. 

The Volunteer Program at The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum continues to be a success. 

By the end of 2015, the volunteer workforce counts 25 individuals, coming from various paths 

of life, equally enthusiastic about the museum and its mission. They share knowledge and 

experience, they contribute to all aspects of the museum’s operations, they are dedicated 

and they contributed ca. 6,500 hrs in-kind services in 2015 or the equivalent of over $71,000 

at minimum wage hourly rate. Their generous support is greatly appreciated. 

Visitors and Outreach 

In line with the strategic orientation set by the governing body of the museum to engage 

the community in a meaningful manner, an important digital platform was created and 

launched in 2015. First and foremost, the new website (www.thercrmuseum.ca) followed 

by the reinforcement of two main social media channels: Facebook and Twitter. A quick 

look at the numbers reveals that The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum has become very 

popular mostly during #MuseumWeek 2015, the first worldwide cultural event on Twitter. A 

total number of 244,640 Twitter impressions; 100,231 posts reach on Facebook; and 5,650 

website sessions for 2015 ensured the extension of our outreach capability very quickly 

and efficiently. This aspect is reflected in the increase of visitors to the museum and/or 

outreach activities. A total of 9,644 people visited us on site or during events held at off 

site locations, including Victoria Barracks at Garrison Petawawa. The comparative table and 

graphic show the evolution of visitors between 2012 and 2015, with details of frequentation 

for each month. Starting 2015 we have introduced a new method of tracking visitors; not 

only is this method resulting in more accurate visitors’ profile, but it also allows for specific 

programming on the long term. 


Clockwise from top to bottom: Volunteer 

Gordon Joice engaging with Gr 8 students 

about his father, Lieutenant James Edward 

Joice, member of the regiment who was killed 

in action in Sicily; Captain (Ret’d) Sheridan 

Atkinson giving a talk to 2015 ROIC candidates; 

Zenon Andrusyszyn talking to Grade 8 students 

about Souterrain Impressions; Museum School 

Graduation Ceremony Course #0032014; Cpl 

(Ret’d) George Myatte emcee during We Will 

Remember Them, 2015 session in dialogue 

with members of the 1st Battalion, The Royal 

Canadian Regiment via Skype. 

Clockwise from the top: Professor Carman Miller giving a talk about the 

significance of Paardeberg Day in Canadian history; museum Executive 

Director/Curator, Dr. Georgiana Stanciu and Zenon Andrusyszyn at 

the opening of Souterrain Impressions – An insight of the Technology; 

members of the 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment and of 

Vintage Signals Association during London Doors open – 2015; Warrant 

Officer Charles Graham, Major Raymond Corby, Captain (Ret’d) Sheridan 

Atkinson and Lieutenant Colonel Martin Anderson at the launching of the 

Afghanistan Oral History Project. 

Our visitors profile is diverse including members of The Royal Canadian Regiment, Canadian 

military in general, public of all ages, from London, Ontario or elsewhere in the country 

and others sometimes travelling from abroad. They are attracted not only by the museum 

exhibits, research opportunities, temporary shows or gift shop merchandise, but also by the 

programs offered, mostly for the school public. Tales of the Eight-Pointed Star has become 

very popular with the local schools and youth groups including Air Force, and Army Cadet 

Programs, Scouts Canada, Girls Guides, etc. 

The events on site in 2015 included a book signing by Professor Carman Miller (Charlie’s First 

War, South Africa, 1899-1900. C. H. Tweddell, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2014) on the 

occasion of the Paardeberg Battle 115th Anniversary, a press conference in conjunction with 

opening of Souterrain Impressions, the launch of The Royal Canadian Regiment Afghanistan 

Oral History Project, and the London Doors Open annual event, that has become a tradition 

over the past years. 

It is common practice for museums to attend events and activities off-site, in a variety of 

circumstances where the community is involved. The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum 

was present in 2015 at some of the noteworthy London events such as the Annual Heritage 

Fair (February), Three Cathedrals Music Festival (May), London Celebrates Canada (July), 

Warriors Day Parade (September) and King’s College Student Conference (October). 


Clockwise from the top: University of Western 

Ontario King’s College, Student Conference, 

October 2015; The Royal Canadian regiment 

display at the Three Cathedrals Choir Festival, 

London (Ontario), 2015; our Public Programmer, 

Katrina Pasierbek, at Harris Park, London 

(Ontario), during Canada day celebrations, 1 

July 2015; Pirate visiting the museum booth 

at Western fair district during the Warriors Day 

Parade, London (Ontario), 2015. 

Exhibitions 

The exhibitions plan for 2015 included two travelling shows related to the Centennial 

of the First World War (2014 – 2018). From January to March, our visitors were able to 

view a biographical display dedicated to General Sir Arthur Currie, a native of Stratford- 

Caradoc (Ontario), the first Commanding Officer of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The 

travelling show was developed by the Strathroy-Caradoc Museum to mark 100 years from 

the beginning of the First World War. 

Another travelling show took over in April. Yet again a First World War theme, Souterrain 

Impressions was developed by CANADIGM. A dedicated volunteer group, this team 

brought to light carvings made by soldiers on the eve of the battle in the tunnels under the 

battlefield. The engravings and cuttings made in the chalk walls dug underground were 

scanned using laser technology; digital images were created, and then printed in 3D. Due 

to limited space, The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum only presented the technology 

component of the project. 

Collections: Recent Acquisitions at The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum 

By Amber Mandich, Collections Registrar 

In 2015, The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum accessioned over 50 new donations and 

accepted two permanent loans consisting of over 600 individual items overall. Among these 

are significant artifacts that help tell the storied history of The Royal Canadian Regiment 

including rare insignia, uniforms, weapons, archival documents, photographs, Second 

World War era propaganda, publications and artifacts, as well as the personal effects of 

distinguished former serving members of the regiment, including the late Major General 

Dan G. Loomis and the late 

Lieutenant General Jonathan 

“Jack” E. Vance. 

As part of a donation received 

from Major General (Ret’d) 

Walter Holmes, The Royal 

Canadian Regiment Museum 

accepted a pair of Second 

World War liberation clogs 

into its collection. The clogs 

Souterrain Impressions 


were carved and painted by hand and were 

given to his father, Master Warrant Officer 

Frederick Holmes, as a gesture of gratitude 

for his role and participation in the Liberation 

of the Netherlands while serving with The 

Royal Canadian Regiment during the Second 

World War. By happenstance, the clogs were 

donated to the museum the same week the 

70th anniversaries of the Liberation of the 

Netherlands and Victory in Europe Day were 

being commemorated. 

Another important acquisition included the 

unique medal set awarded to the late Major 

General Dan G. Loomis. The set was purchased 

by The RCR Trust and is now on permanent 

loan to the museum. Loomis contributed 

significantly to the modern organization 

of The Royal Canadian Regiment and was 

the former Commanding Officer of the 1st 

Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. 

He was the chief of staff in West Quebec 

during the FLQ crisis in the 1970s, served in 

Korea and assisted various UN peacekeeping 

missions. Throughout his distinguished career 

as a military officer, Major-General Loomis 

was awarded the following service medals: 

Military Cross, Order of Military Merit, Korea 

Medal 1950-1953, Canadian Volunteer Service 

Medal, Special Service Medal, Canadian 

Peacekeeping Service Medal, United Nations 

Service Medal (Korea), United Nations Service 

Medal (UNFICYP), International Commission of 

Control Supervision Medal, Queen Elizabeth 

II’s Silver Jubilee Medal (Canada) and the 

Canadian Forces’ Decoration. 

Finally, a portion of the museum’s budget is 

reserved every year to proactively collect new 

artifacts. In 2015, the museum purchased rare 

insignia representative of The Royal Canadian 

Regiment’s formative years and early militia 

units perpetuated by the regiment. This 

acquisition includes badges, shoulder titles 

and helmet plates from the Infantry School 

Corps, the Oxford Rifles and the 7th Fusiliers, 

dating from 1860 to 1954. 

These unique artifacts are now on display as 

part of our Recent Acquisitions exhibit, and 

will be featured, among other significant items 

acquired in 2015, until 10 December 2016. 


Various Insignia and Uniform Accessories, 1867 to 1936; 

purchase from Tanya Ursual Military Antiquarian Inc., The 

Royal Canadian Regiment Museum’s 2015 Acquisition Fund 

(clockwise from the top): Infantry School Corps Glengarry 

Badge, 1883-1894 (RCRM 2015.025.009); Infantry School 

Corps Helmet Plate, 1883-1894 (RCRM 2015.025.008); 

7th Fusiliers – City of London Regiment Helmet Plate, 

1867-1907 (RCRM 2015.024.007); 22nd Battalion – 

Oxford Rifles Shoulder Title (RCRM 2015.024.005); 22nd 

Battalion – Oxford Rifles Collar Badges, 1901-1910 (RCRM 

2015.024.004a-b); 22nd Battalion – Oxford Rifles Cross belt 

Plate, 1920-1936 (RCRM 2015.024.001); 22nd Battalion 

– Oxford Rifles, Glengarry Badge, 1860-1907 (RCRM 

2015.024.006a-b); 22nd Battalion – Oxford Rifles Helmet 

Plate, pre 1920 (RCRM 2015.024.002a); 22nd Battalion – 

Oxford Rifles Helmet Plate, pre 1900 (RCRM 2015.024.003) 

Medal Set belonging to Major General Dan G. Loomis (1929 

– 2013), RCRM L2015.034.001 

Liberation Clogs, 1945, RCRM2015.015.001a-b 



A Royal Canadian 

Returns Home 

By: Captain Michael M. O’Leary, The RCR 

On 25 October, 2014, I was 

contacted by e-mail from 

the United Kingdom by 

Mandy Green, who was doing some 

genealogical research. Mandy had 

been asked by her husband to try 

and track down information on the 

father of a family friend, 76-yearold 

John Butler. As it turned out, 

Mandy’s searches for “Joseph Gray 

Butler” led her to my website, The 

Regimental Rogue, and to the 

page where I had detailed Joseph 

Butler’s First World War service 

with The Royal Canadian Regiment. 

My work on 514224 Private Butler 

Joseph Gray Butler was the result of 

researching him as the recipient of a 

British War Medal in my collection. 

Mandy Green and John Butler. 

Mandy provided some corrections to the text I had prepared from Private Butler’s service 

record, and our exchange then turned to the question anticipated, or dreaded, by every 

collector: “would I consider selling the medal?” This would be a rare opportunity to reunite 

a son with a physical memento of his father. Joseph Butler had died in 1942 and his son, 

John, was an infant at the time. 

I accepted the opportunity to return Private Butler’s medal to his son (at the same price 

paid in 2011) and the medal was on its way to Mandy. Shortly after its arrival, she visited 

John and, on Christmas Eve, kindly returned to me photos of herself and John with Joseph 

Gray’s British War Medal. 

514224 Private Joseph Gray Butler (a.k.a. Joseph Cookson) 

Ten Days with the Regiment, One Day in the Trenches 

Joseph Gray Butler was born in Liverpool, England, on 08 July 1897. 

Employed as a clerk, or as a ship’s steward (his documents list both trades), Butler was in 

Amherst, Nova Scotia, early in 1917 when he decided to become a soldier. On 21 March 

1917, he attested for service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F.) under the 


John Butler, son of Pte Joseph Gray Butler of The RCR. 

assumed name Joseph Cookson. Enlisting with 

No. 2 Overseas Army Service Corps Training 

Depot (C.E.F.), Cookson was described on his 

attestation form as 19 years of age, 5-feet 7-inches 

in height, with a dark complexion, dark grey eyes 

and black hair. Butler listed his sister as his next 

of kin: Mrs. Ellen Bell of 42 Dane St., Walton, 

England. 

A month after joining the army, on 17 April 1917, 

Butler, in the name of Cookson (his mother’s 

maiden name) completed a military Form of Will. 

He left all his personal estate to his sister. Within a 

few weeks he would be on his way overseas. 

On 01 May 1917, Butler embarked in Canada for his 

transatlantic voyage. He disembarked in England 

two weeks later on 14 May 1917 and was taken 

on the strength of the Canadian Army Service Corps (C.A.S.C.) Reinforcement Depot at 

Shorncliffe. He remained there until 15 August 1917 when he was transferred to the 26th 

Reserve Battalion at Bramshott. This move indicates that he was leaving the Service Corps 

for employment in the infantry. 

It was while he was serving with the 26th Reserve Battalion that Butler had second 

thoughts about having enlisted under a false name. On 17 September 1917, he completed 

a statement of declaration confirming his true identity: 

I, Joseph Gray Butler, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I was enlisted 

on the 19th March 1917 under the name of Joseph Cookson which name I 

now declare to be incorrect. The name of Joseph Gray Butler, contained in 

the accompanying Certificate of Birth, I now declare to be my true name, 

and I make the solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be 

true. And by virtue of the provisions of an Act made and passed in the Sixth 

Year of the reign of King William the Fourth, Chap. 62, entitled The Statutory 

Declaration Act, 1935.” 

(signed) Joseph Gray Butler 

Declared before me at Haslemere this 1st Oct 1917, 

(signed) J.P. Allen Chandler, Justice of the Peace for the County of Surrey 

Authority was granted for Butler to declare his true name to be Joseph Grey Butler and 

the change was duly recoded in his service record: “Assumes his proper name of 514224 

Pte Butler, Joseph Gray.” 

On 14 October 1917, Butler began his trip to the front lines, when he proceeded overseas 

from the 26th Reserve Battalion to The RCR. He landed in France on 15 October 1917 at 

the No. 3 Canadian Infantry Base Depot (C.I.B.D.), and the same day was shown as being 

taken on the strength of The RCR. Two days later, on 17 October 1917, he left 3 C.I.B.D. 

for the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp (C.C.R.C.), reporting in two days later. From 

the C.C.R.C., he joined a draft for The RCR, and departed on 02 November 1917 to join 

his new regiment. 


Joseph Butler joined The RCR in the field on 05 November 1917. He would spend only 

ten days in the field with The Royal Canadian Regiment. As Butler reported for duty, The 

RCR was just returning from a demanding tour in the front lines. On 04 November 1917, 

the Regiment moved to OUTSKIRT FARM, a roll was called to confirm casualties, resulting 

in total casualties of 258 since the last days of October. Butler was one of 19 new soldiers 

taken on the strength of The RCR at the time towards making up battle losses. 

The week starting on 05 November 1917 is summarized in the Battle Bar ledger held 

by Library and Archives Canada with the simple note, “5-12 Nov 1917 – Training and 

Regrouping.” These activities were conducted at WATOU in the Ypres Sector. This simple 

note fails to convey how busy the troops were going to be during that week. From the 8th 

until the 12th of November, the training syllabus for rifle companies included the following 

training subjects: 

■ 08 November 1917: 

■ Physical Training. 

■ Close Order Drill. 

■ Smartening Up. 

■ Specialist Training. 

■ Route March (1 hour). 



■ Platoon Drill. 

■ Platoon in Attack. 

■ Musketry. 



■ Bayonet Fighting. 

■ Musketry. 

■ Platoon Drill. 

■ Specialist Training. 


■ Company in attack. 

■ Company drill. 

■ Bayonet Fighting. 

■ Route march (2 hours). 



■ Tactical exercises. 

■ Musketry. 

■ Company drill. 

■ Route March (1 1 / 2 hours). 

In addition to the general syllabus for all companies, platoons and sections were to be 

exercised in “Cooperations and mutual support in attacking PILL BOXES, STRONG 

POINTS, etc., etc.” 

But even that was not all that welcomed Butler and the other newly joined soldiers to 

the Regiment. In order to bring new soldiers up to regimental standards, he faced the 

following requirement demanded of the new men: 

All men of the new draft will parade under the R.S.M. from 8.30 a.m. to 12.20 p.m. until 

further notice. 

The War Diary also shows that the Regiment’s schedule for preparing it to return to the 

lines was not all work. The same training syllabus found in the War Diary did specify that 

the afternoon of the 11th was reserved for sports and that the Band would play every 

afternoon in the Camp Ground at 3:00 p.m. 


On 13 November 1917, The RCR moved 

out of WATOU and returned, by bus and 

marching, to OUTSKIRT FARM. From 

there, on 14 November, The RCR relieved 

the 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion in a 

position astride the PASSCHENDAELE – 

WESTBROOSEBEKE Road. The Battalion’s 

strength was reported as 16 officer and 

465 other ranks. 

The morning of 15 November, was Butler’s 

first day in the trenches after the relief 

operation the night before. It was also 

to be his last day in the trenches. The 

day dawned with a heavy enemy barrage 

lasting from 5:40 to 7:30 a.m., retaliation 

for a friendly practice barrage executed at 

5:40 a.m. that morning. 

On 15 November 1917, Joseph Butler was 

wounded in action. The following day, on 

16 November 1917, he was admitted to 

No. 12 Casualty Clearing Station (C.C.S.) with a shot wound in the neck caused by shrapnel. 

This began Butler’s rearward movement through the medical evacuation system, a journey 

that would only end back in Canada. Having spent a single day in the trenches, he would not 

return to the front. 

After three days in the C.C.S., Butler was transferred on 19 November 1917 by No. 28 

Ambulance Train, to be admitted that same day at No. 55 General Hospital at Boulogne. His 

injury at the time was described as “S.W. [shot wound] Neck; severe.” 

Butler remained at Boulogne until 27 November 1917 when he was evacuated across the 

Channel on the hospital ship Jan Breydel. With his evacuation to England, he was also 

struck off the strength of The RCR, being transferred to the Nova Scotia Regimental Depot 

(N.S.R.D.) This move cleared his position on The RCR’s establishment, making room for a 

new soldier, and ensured continuity of care with a new unit in England responsible for his 

administration. He was officially taken on the strength of the N.S.R.D. on 28 November 1917. 

Now in England, Butler was admitted to the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital. His records 

noting: “G.S.W. Neck, S.F.W slight. Wounded 16/11/17 small wound right of thyroid cartilage. 

On discharge, wound healed but fib (sic) in neck.” 

As Butler’s wound healed, the medical system began to concern itself with the limitations 

it had created and his rehabilitative care. On 25 February 1918, he was transferred from 

2nd Birmingham War Hospital to the Granville Canadian Special Hospital, specializing in 

orthopedic cases. His record shows that his condition, on leaving the Birmingham War 

Hospital, was described as: 

Atrophy of deltoid trapezius, sapra and infraspinatus muscles, none react to faradism or 

galvanism except upper part of trapezius and deltoid and sterno mastoid, the serratus 

magnus also fails to react. Very little movement at shoulder, adduction to 90 (degrees) gives 

much pain, all movements at and below elbow good. 


The British War Medal of Pte 

Joseph Gray Butler. 

Butler’s name engraved on his British War Medal. 

It was already looking unlikely that Butler would return 

to the front and he remained in the medical system until 

his discharge. On 02 March 1918, a Medical Case Sheet 

completed on him noted an injury diagnosis as “G.S.W. 

Neck, Paralysis right side shoulder girdle,” with the 

following details: 

X-Ray shows foreign body right side of neck, 2 Mar 1918; 

Small fragment of shrapnel lying to right and anterior to 

upper portion of thyroid cartilage. Small shrapnel wound 

anterior … right sternum … 2 inches below angle of jaw 

… Atrophy of deltoid, pectoral, latissimus dorsi. 60% limitation of movement of right arm. 

…. [otherwise] general condition good. 

Butler’s condition dictated that he was not going to be able to continue serving as a soldier. 

Accordingly, on 25 March 1918, with a diagnosis of “Paralysis right shoulder girdle” made 

at Buxton, it was determined that he should be invalided to Canada. He was discharged 

from Granville Canadian Special Hospital on 27 May 1918 and the next day transferred to 

No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Kirkdale (Liverpool). Kirkdale was used to hold wounded 

soldiers awaiting ships sailing to Canada. 

One month later, on 26 June 1918, Butler was discharged from No. 5 General Hospital, 

struck off the strength of the N.S.R.D., and boarded that S.S. Araguaya for return to 

Canada. 

Butler disembarked in Canada on 05 July 1918 and was taken on the strength of No. 6 

District Depot (Halifax), being transferred to the Hospital Section, effective 07 July 1918. 

His medical diagnosis was again confirmed on 01 August 1918 as, “partial paralysis right 

shoulder girdle,” and a Medical Case History completed at Halifax recorded the following 

details: 

The disability caused by Butler’s partially paralyzed shoulder is unchanged and the Board 

recommended discharge as unfit, stating he should be able to partially complete the 

duties of his former trade as a ship’s waiter. The report does note that Butler still had 

“a small fragment of metal imbedded on the right side of the larynx, which creates no 

disability. 

He was also described as poorly nourished and underweight. His address after discharge 

was to be Pine Hill Hospital, Halifax, N.S. 

On 09 August 1918, Joseph Butler was transferred to the District Depot Casualty Company 

from the Hospital Section and he was discharged at Halifax, by the No. 6 D.D. Discharge 

Section on 19 Aug 1918. 


#11 Royal Canadian Army 

Cadet Corp. Strathroy 

Submitted by WO C. Dodds 

#11 RCACC Rifle team 

consisting of front row 

Capt.Bast, Sgt. Lauzon, 

M/Cpt Luciani, M/ 

Cpl. Sidebotham, Cpl. 

Faria, MWO Ross (Team 

Captain), CI. Ross and 

back row. Capt. McCoy. 

2015 was an exciting year for #11 RCACC Strathroy. With so many outstanding achievements 

it seems only fitting to look back and remember what great things we have done with this 

article of farewells to 2015’s achievements and hellos to 2016’s triumphs to come. 

In February we watched our rifle team make history as they were awarded the gold medal 

for being the top shots in their zone which earned them an invitation to the regional 

championships being held in Trenton in April. There, the team was able to place 7th out 

of the top 23 teams from across Ontario. As well, we watched as Sergeant Sidebotham 

place 2nd overall in the junior category, landing her a spot on the Ontario Composite Team 

“A” that competed at the National Rifle Competition and ranked her as the #10 Junior 

Shooter in Canada. Congratulations and thanks go out to the team consisting of MWO B. 

Ross (Team Captain), Sgt. J. Lauzon,M/Cpl. R. Luciani, M/Cpl. M. Sidebotham and Cpl. J. 

Faria. We would also like to acknowledge M/Cpl R. Solomon on her ranking of top shot at 

Connaught this past summer. 

Our Cadet Corps came together as a team and showed that we are a force to be reckoned 

with at our annual Sportsfest Competition hosted by #7 St. Thomas. Not only did we win Top 

Marksmanship Team and Top Tug of War Team, we won Top Team overall. We participated 

in Map and Compass, Biathlon, Marksmanship, Orienteering, Volleyball, Drill and Tug of 

War, showing that when you work hard enough at something the rewards are worth the 

struggle. This event strengthened the bond that our cadets share by showing us that every 

cadet has an important role to play. Friendship and respect was built between every star 

level, with each cadet adding their own unique strengths to a team. The cadets can’t be 

given all the credit however, the leaders of #11 truly inspired with such acts of heroism as 

shown by Captain Manto jumping and pulling his imaginary rope to bring us to our Victory 

in the Tug of War. 

During the year we also appreciated our camaraderie with #3 Striker Squadron which is 


also located in the town of Strathroy. We believe that the two 

units are at our best when we work and socialize together. During 

the year we worked together for Poppy Canvassing, Legion week 

and Remembrance Day Ceremonies for our local Royal Canadian 

Legion Sir Arthur Currie Branch 116. Then we enjoyed the social 

side with our Annual Garrison Ball and our Annual Christmas Mess 

Meal. Both of these events allow the Cadets to have a fun time and 

be rewarded for all the work done in and for the Community. 

As a farewell for the Summer the cadets were invited to Fort 

Henry to experience the life of a British soldier guarding the 

Fort. Spending the night and sleeping in the barracks gave us a 

true understanding of the history of Canada. Probably the most 

exciting part was exploring the tunnels under the Fort and the 

Ghost Walk tours. Not sure if ghosts were seen but chills were felt 

by a few. We would recommend this trip for all Cadet Corps that 

are able to make it. Exploring Fort Henry is certainly an experience 

worth a far drive. 

In September, the WOA Detachment Commander, Lt. Commander Metcalf, attended 

our parade night to make a special presentation on behalf of RCSU Central Commanding 

Officer, Lt. Colonel MacMillan, who honoured our Corps with a Commanding Officer’s 

Certificate of Commendation. Five of these were recently awarded in Western Ontario Area 

which consists of almost 100 cadet units. 

The commendation reads as follows: 

11 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps 

Top left: #11 RCACC 

Yearend Field trip to Fort 

Henry 

Top right: Orienteering 

Competition. #11 RCACC 

Team members: front 

row: Cpl Arieson-Rake, 

MCpl Ward, back row: Sgt 

Dodds, MCpl Solomon, Cpl 

Vandenberg, MCpl Love, 

Captain Bast 

“In recognition of your dynamic and structured local training program which has maximized 

cadet participation and introduced cadets to Orienteering and Marksmanship. Your efforts 

have met with great success at both regional and national levels and are indicative of your 

endeavors to deliver a challenging and rewarding experience to Strathroy’s youth. Your 

strong community ties and support of community events have endeared you to the people 

of Strathroy. The hard working, can-do mindset of the Cadets at 11 RCACC has impacted 

your affiliated Unit as well. 4 RCR is quick to acknowledge the positive aspects that the 

relationship with 11 RCACC has had on their Unit. Your professionalism, enthusiasm and 

commitment have set a high standard amongst all cadet corps and squadrons in Central 

Region.” 

October had the Orienteering team set out to compete at a very cold and wet WOA 


competition. Even though they did not come home with a medal, the young team 

showed that they can complete the course and will be that much stronger for next years’ 

competitions. The team consisted of Sgt K. Dodds (Captain), MCpl Ward, MCpl Solomon, 

MCpl Love, Cpl Vandenberg and Cpl Arieson-Rake. 

#11 RCACC has been operating in Strathroy for over 40 years and we have shown on 

numerous occasions that we can compete with the bigger communities as we have some of 

the best leadership in Ontario. On January 7th, 2016 we will watch our current Commanding 

Officer, Capt. Chris McCoy, retire. We have grown and improved under his great leadership 

and we wish him all the best. We welcome Capt. Bev Bast back as our Commanding Officer 

and can’t wait to see what our Cadet Corp can accomplish in 2016. 

#2833 Oxford RCACC 

This picture is from the Pro Patria C7 shoot at Cedar Springs on 13-14 Jun 15. 

#2833 Oxford RCACC Cadet Sgt Liam Downing firing the C7 



CAOS and Leadership 

The Combat Arms Officer 

Selection Board; 1985 

By Capt M.M. O’Leary, The RCR 

Everything runs in cycles. Even with CAF recruiting, methods of selection appear, 

disappear and reappear at intervals. One of these, which I have recently heard 

may be tried once again, is the Combat Arms Officer Selection (CAOS) Board. 

These Boards, used to bring together potential combat arms officers for a week, allow the 

applicants to get a tiny taste of rudimentary army experience, and let the army have a look 

at them before they were selected for training. 

The CAOS Boards in 1982, the one I experienced when transferring from the Reserves, 

was held at CFB Gagetown, home of the Combat Training Centre (CTC) and we were 

accommodated in the Cadet Camp. There we were divided into platoons identified with 

coloured and numbered sports pinneys, which were worn over coveralls, to allow observing 

staff to note who proved or failed to demonstrate some glimmer of ability. The schedule 

included morning PT, presentations by each of the schools then in Gagetown (Artillery, 

Armour, and Infantry), and a few days of small party tasks. These led to brief formal 

interviews by groups of three experienced officers and, finally, a chance for the candidates 

to identify personal preferences for trades. A month or so later we were informed if we 

were found suitable, and for which Corps we could expect to be trained if we were. 

Human nature and the Corps being what they are, the CAOS Boards evolved quickly, and 

in nothing more so than the Corps’ competitive approach to present demonstrations that 

attracted the best of the applicants. That this was having an effect was firmly recognized 

by 1985, when analysis of previous years’ Boards had shown that the vast majority of 

candidates were choosing either the Armour or Artillery for their first selection and Infantry, 

fairly consistently, as a third choice. The Infantry needed a new course of action. 

The task to solve this dilemma was handed to the officer at the Infantry School who had 

probably trained more infantry officers than anyone else in the Corps at that time. The 

Officer Commanding Leadership Company, Major Isaac Allen “Ike” Kennedy, had been 

overseeing the running of Infantry Phase II and Phase III courses for years, and knew 

soldiers and young officers. 

Ike realized at the outset that the Infantry, with M113 APCs and handheld weapons, couldn’t 

compete in technology terms against the Armoured Corps’ Leopard tanks or the Artillery’s 

M109 Howitzers showmanship on the ‘shock and awe’ scale. CAOS Board candidates who 

saw tanks and guns firing in demonstration range practices were overwhelmed by the 

thought of commanding that combat power. The infantry really needed a new approach. 


“ 

M113 APCs and handheld weapons, couldn’t 

compete in technology terms against the 

Armoured Corps’ Leopard tanks or the 

Artillery’s M109 Howitzers showmanship on 

the ‘shock and awe’ scale. 

” 

In the summer of 1985, I was the Platoon Commander of the Second Battalion’s Mortar 

Platoon. One way or another, perhaps I was moving when I should have been covering, it 

made me available for a task since so many other junior officers were already dispersed to 

tasks outside the Battalion. That window of opportunity resulted in my working with Ike 

Kennedy on the challenge to beat the Armour and Artillery at the CAOS Boards that year. 

We developed a plan, practiced it, executed it, and succeeded. Running our demonstration 

over three days for the rotating platoons of candidates, the impact of the demo soon had 

many applicants talking about the Infantry as their first choice. The trend was so prevalent 

that by the last demonstration, the 40-odd applicants in the CAOS Board platoon were 

thoroughly outnumbered by the staff members from the Artillery and Armour Schools (and 

elsewhere) that came to watch (and to see how the Infantry were succeeding in attracting 

the attention of candidates). 

The plan was brilliant in its simplicity. We knew the M113 couldn’t impress like a Leopard. We 

knew a .50-cal MG wouldn’t impress like an M-109. But we also knew that the effectiveness 

of infantry had never been centred on technology. The infantry was about putting well-led 

soldiers on the ground to defeat an enemy. The infantry was our soldiers. 

With the state of the battalion’s staffing (dispersed for summer tasks and leave cycles) 

and equipment (VOR rates on old vehicles can be a killer), the first challenge was the 

building of a doctrinal infantry platoon. Using four APCs borrowed from a couple of the 

rifle companies, suitably camouflaged to disguise their conflicting callsigns, we built a “1 

and 36” infantry platoon from Mortar Platoon personnel reinforced by available soldiers of 

the rifle companies. 

To prepare for each demonstration, we arranged the four carriers in a tight assault 

formation about 50 metres from the observers, on a patch of lawn near the Infantry School 

headquarters. The only participants the audience would see at first were the head and 

shoulders of platoon and section commanders and the eyes and foreheads of the drivers. 

At the appropriate moment, the “Dismount” was ordered. This initiated a flurry of activity. 

As the Platoon Commander calmly rose out of the hatch in the center carrier, the ramps 

dropped and the full platoon swarmed forward. As the sections, weapons detachment, 

and platoon headquarters formed a planned layout that would make every member visible 

to the observer and took a knee, the platoon commander strode calmly forward through 

that surge of activity to a front and centre position. 


After a moment of silence as the platoon settled into position, the real demonstration 

began when one rifleman stood up: 

“I am a rifleman. There are eighteen riflemen in the platoon. I carry the FN-C1 service rifle, 

grenades, and a bayonet to take the fight to the enemy. I may also be tasked to carry extra 

ammunition for the weapons that support my fight. I am the soldier that wins the close 

fight, the final stage of every battle.” 

The rifleman was followed by a representative of every other role in the platoon. The light 

machine gunner with the FN-C2, the section second-in command, the section commander, 

followed by the members of the weapons detachment and the platoon headquarters. Each 

brief took not more than a minute, and the final presentations were given by the Platoon 

WO and the Platoon Commander: 

“I am a Platoon Commander. This is my platoon. These are my soldiers. I am responsible 

for their training, for their administration, and I will lead them in battle. It is my job to know 

my soldiers, to provide them leadership and the administrative support they need, or to 

coordinate that which I cannot provide myself. This platoon is mine, I command it.” 

The precise wording of each presentation has become hazy with time, but you can imagine 

the tone and the impact it would have on CAOS Board applicants trying to imagine their 

potential future roles as young officers in the Infantry. This demonstration captured their 

attentions and broke the old model thoroughly. We knew, and now so did they, that being 

an officer in the combat arms wasn’t really about weapons and technology, it was about 

people and leadership and responsibility. To show an applicant what his life in the Infantry 

as a junior officer might entail, the secret wasn’t to try to impress with the weapons they 

would fire, the secret was to impress them with the soldiers they would lead and the 

responsibility that came with the job. 




Departed Comrades of The RCR - 2015 

A. Brent Giles (Ret’d) Smiths Falls, ON 01 Jan 2015 

Maj Roy Frank Arthur Rogers (Ret’d) Raleigh, NC 10 Jan 2015 

CWO Ernest Joseph “Ernie” Hall (Ret’d) Ottawa, ON 12 Jan 2015 

Nelson Herman “Mel” Meloney (Ret’d) Oromocto, NB 13 Jan 2015 

Harold Holland (Ret’d) Peterborough, ON 14 Jan 2015 

Frederick Walter “Fred’ Wyatt (Ret’d) Lequille, NS 15 Jan 2015 

CWO Kenneth Albert “Ken” Himes (Ret’d) Langford, BC 16 Jan 2015 

Stanley R. “Stan” Whynot (Ret’d) Oromocto, NB 28 Jan 2015 

Lewis James “Mac’ MacPherson (Ret’d) Dartmouth, NS 30 Jan 2015 

Joseph R. “Joe” Hennick Ret’d London, ON 31 Jan 2015 

WO Donald Edward “Whipper” Watson, MMM 

(Ret’d) 

Thunder Bay, ON 01 Feb 2015 

John Karmazinuk (Ret’d) London, ON 07 Feb 2015 

CWO Henry “Hank” Thiessen (Ret’d) St. Catherines, ON 12 Feb 2015 

Augustus C. “Gus” MacPherson (Ret’d) Glace Bay, NS 14 Feb 2015 

Col Edwin Charles “Ed” Quinn (Ret’d) London, ON 17 Feb 2015 

Edward Frank “Eddie” Nieckarz (Ret’d) Thunder Bay, ON 18 Feb 2015 

Alexander Roy “Tony” Blois (Ret’d) London, ON 18 Feb 2015 

John “Jack” Callahan (Ret’d) 

Riverhead, Harbour 

Grace, NL 

25 Feb 2015 

Willa Jean Holmes (Widow) London, ON 03 Mar 2015 

CWO Claude Roy J. “Buzz” Gomes (Ret’d) London, ON 12 Mar 2015 

Cpl Joseph Gerard Woods (Ret’d) Cambridge, ON 12 Mar 2015 

Capt Edward Morris De Witt (Ret’d) Ottawa, ON 22 Mar 2015 

William George Bartlett (Ret’d) Pembroke, ON 01 Apr 2015 

Pte Paul Michael Barber (Ret’d) Toronto, ON 03 Apr 2015 

Cpl Benjamin Robertson IPSC Pet. Petawawa, ON 04 Apr 2015 

Stellman George Harris (Ret’d) London, ON 06 Apr 2015 

SSgt (WO) Wayne Kelly (Ret’d) Gananoque, ON 10 Apr 2015 

Lawrence Robert “Woody” Woodworth (Ret’d) Pembroke, ON 16 Apr 2015 

Frederick Lawrence “Fred” Oliver (Ret’d) Barrie, ON 17 Apr 2015 

James Daniel “Jim” Purcell (Ret’d) Pembroke, ON 18 Apr 2015 

Cpl Harold E.W. “Ed” Copeland (Ret’d) Alliston, ON 20 Apr 2015 


Clifford S. Bevan (Ret’d) Stoney Creek, ON 01 May 2015 

Raymond A. “Ray” Campbell (Ret’d) Kingston, ON 03 May 2015 

Dencille Robert “Skip” Foshay (Ret’d) London, ON 04 May 2015 

Daniel Maynard “Danny” Richards (Ret’d) Fredericton, NB 07 May 2015 

Cpl Robert James Walker (Ret’d) St. Thomas, ON 10 May 2015 

MWO Wayne Michael Nicholson (Ret’d) Winnipeg, MB 20 May 2015 

Rene Gerald Boudreau (Ret’d) Montreal, QC 02 Jun 2015 

CWO Joseph Albani Albert “Bert” Rajotte (Ret’d) Sherwood Park, AB 08 Jun 2015 

WO Ronald James Allaire (Ret’d) Ottawa, ON 11 Jun 2015 

Cpl Roger Bruce Doyle (Ret’d) Westchester Station, NS 15 Jun 2015 

Edmond “Ed” St. Pierre (Ret’d) London, ON 20 Jun 2015 

Allen Peter Foley (Ret’d) Kentville, NS 24 Jun 2015 

Sandford Ralph “Sonny” Worrall (Ret’d) Oromocto, NB 29 Jun 2015 

R.L. “Leroy” McCready (Ret’d) Truro, NS 08 Aug 2015 

Robert Truax (Ret’d) London, ON 09 Aug 2015 

MWO Ronald Ernest Eddy (Ret’d) Halifax, NS 18 Aug 2015 

CWO Robert Bruce Leedham (Ret’d) Trenton, ON 22 Aug 2015 

William “Bill” MacKay (Ret’d) London, ON 12 Sep 2015 

Joseph Benjamin Blanchard (Ret’d) Windsor, NS 15 Sep 2015 

Donald J. McKay (Ret’d) Brockville, ON 22 Sep 2015 

Edmond Raymond Janke (Ret’d) London, ON 15 Oct 2015 

Sgt Ken Smith (Ret’d) Oxford, NS 17 Oct 2015 

Capt Edison “Ed” MacDonald (Ret’d) St. Catherines, ON 18 Oct 2015 

Lawrence “Squeak” Edmonds (Ret’d) Carleton Place, ON 26 Oct 2015 

Sgt Dennis Foell (Ret’d) London, ON 17 Nov 2015 

Wally Jackson (Ret’d) TBC TBC 

John Woods (Ret’d) Ottawa, ON 26 Nov 2015 

Thomas W. Pieroway (Ret’d) RHR Oromocto, NB 4 Dec 2015 

Paul Joseph McDermott (Ret’d) Petawawa, ON 5 Dec 2015 

Sgt Joe “Pinky” White (Ret’d) Saint John, NB 9 Dec 2015 

Christopher “Ozzy” Osborn (Ret’d) TBC 11 Dec 2015 

George Perley Lindsay (Ret’d) Chilliwack, BC 13 Dec 2015 

Sgt Howard “Howie” Palmer (Ret’d) Petawawa, ON 15 Dec 2015 


Walter “Burt” Bowers (Ret’d) Edmonton, AB 15 Dec 2015 

Ernie Campbell (Ret’d) Halifax, NS 24 Dec 2015 

J. Ian Johnston (Ret’d) Springhill, NS 24 Dec 2015 

Lawrence Verner Boldt (Ret’d) Eganville, ON 25 Dec 2015 

CWO Marven G MacDonald (Ret’d) London, ON 30 Dec 2015 

We Will Remember Them 

They went with songs to the battle, they were young, 

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. 

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; 

They fell with their faces to the foe. 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning 

We will remember them. 

Laurence Binyon 


In memory of 

Chief Warrant Officer (RSM Ret’d) 

Marven MacDonald 

by MGen (Ret’d) Walter Holmes 

I first met Marv when I was a young officer commanding a rifle 

platoon in the 1 RCR jump (Bravo) company in late 1967. He was 

a Cpl section commander in my platoon then and was one of 

group of NCOs who answered the call to join the newly formed 

Airborne Regiment in 1968. While my time with him at this stage 

was short, I remember well the Marven I grew to know better 

as the years went on, a big guy with a huge heart who knew his 

craft and didn’t suffer fools. 

My next encounter with Marven was while serving in the 

Airborne Regiment in Edmonton starting in 1974. Marv was 

a Warrant Officer at the time and was serving as a CQ in 2 

Commando. I was a company commander in 1 Commando so 

opportunities to meet were few although there was no doubt 

that he was a presence in 2 Commando. 

Scroll forward to 1978 and I am sitting in my office in Ismailia Egypt when I read a posting 

message for one MWO MacDonald, RCR, who is being posted in as my NCO responsible 

for the civilian work force and numerous other miscellaneous jobs including organizing 

the weekly medal parades for departing members of the Canadian Contingent. He was a 

master at parading the 250 Egyptian civilian workers every second week for pay parade. 

How he ever sorted out one Mohamed from another is beyond me but it all seemed to work 

with good humour and fun being key ingredients to him getting the job done. 

Marvin relished the weekly medal parades. He particularly enjoyed placing the medal clip 

onto the chests of the female members of the contingent. He managed it in such a way that 

I can’t recall anyone complaining about his approach. 

Marven and I both arrived in 1 RCR in the summer of 1985 when he took over as the RSM 

of the battalion and me as CO. He was the perfect fire team partner and I could not have 

asked for a better unit RSM. He was physically able to do all of the things young soldiers 

were asked to do and more. He was an example and inspiration to all but not without his 

faults, as we all are. A couple of stories serve to illustrate this. 

We were having a problem in the single quarters where for some reason living-in soldiers 

were taking out their frustrations on garbage cans, destroying several a week. One day 

Marv asked me to delay my arrival on battalion parade so he could have a word with the 

troops. Knowing I couldn’t miss this I found a vantage point from where I could see the 

parade square. After berating the troops for some several minutes on the need to stop 


eating up on garbage cans, Marv then said that if the damage didn’t stop he would do this 

to the soldiers involved. Whereupon he took his pace stick and started hammering away at 

a damaged garbage can to great effect. The problem went away instantly with no further 

damage being inflicted on the cans in the single quarters. 

The other story took place in a social setting. We and our ladies were invited to be the 

guests at a gathering of the Korean Veterans Association, I believe at the Victory Branch of 

the Legion in London. The KVA folks and we had arrived but the guests from the Korean 

community had not. As people checked their watches and asked where they might be, 

Marven pipes up and says” maybe they got caught in the wire”. This was at the very moment 

that the Korean community guests walked through the door. A few good embarrassing 

laughs later we went on to enjoy an excellent evening. 

Through an AMF(L) deployment to North Norway, several preparation exercises prior, and 

a deployment on RV 87, Marven and I were an inseparable team. I can still see him almost 

single handed putting up an arctic tent as the soldiers in our little command team had had 

little experience in doing so. As noted previous he was incredibly fit and managed to out 

ski most of the troops on the old military issue bangy boards. 

I last saw Marven at the Scotia Isles coffee gathering on the 2nd of December 2015. We 

had a good long chat and little did I know that this would be the last time that we would 

speak. Simply put, Marven was a force, a professional of the first order with that twinkle in 

his eye and that mischievous look that we have all grown to love and appreciate over our 

time with him. 

To his comrades and regimental friends, I can say with all honesty that we were privileged 

to serve with one of our best. Fair winds and soft landings friend, may you rest in peace, 

Pro Patria and Airborne! 

Walter Holmes 

Former COTR 



Royal Canadians 

on Parade 

By Capt R.J.S. Law and Sgt D.J. Holmes 

For anyone who has been to Ottawa during the summer tourist season, a staple of 

the experience for the last 56 years has been the daily Changing of Guard ceremony 

on Parliament Hill; a spectacle rich in military pomp and tradition. As well as the 

daily Guard mounts on Parliament Hill, visitors may also witness our military on display 

at both the official residence of the Governor General of Canada, Rideau Hall, and at the 

National War Memorial/Tomb of the Unknown Solider, where Sentries are posted daily. 

What traditionally had been a summer task for the Governor General’s Foot Guard and the 

Canadian Grenadier Guards, has now become a national task for the Canadian Army, and in 

the case of the National Sentry Program at the NWM, a pan-Canadian Armed Forces task. 


Although the Regular Force, and perhaps The RCR specifically, has moved away from the 

daily and rigorous drill that it had been known for in decades past, the Ceremonial Guard 

provides an opportunity for junior and senior NCOs and Officers to delve deeply into 

military customs and traditions that have often been overlooked in the last decade and 

a half. It does require skills to mark the objective with a pacestick, to skilfully manoeuvre 

troops in public in constrained terrain, or speak to Canadians and tourist in a coherent 

manner without the use of expletives. Not to mention a tasking bivouacked at a university 

campus just minutes from downtown of the nation’s capital. Undoubtedly, an attractive 

alternative to the usual Battalion summer routine! 

Although the parades are still conducted in the uniforms of the GGFG and CGG, The 

RCR can most definitely trace an affiliation to the public duties carried out on Parliament 

Hill. The first season of the Changing of Guard took place in 1959 as a request from the 

Government of Canada. Naturally, the ideal choice for a regiment to conduct such duties 

fell to the Canadian Guards; a unit chalked full of members of the RCR with experience in 

the Italian campaign, North West Europe and Korea. Of note was the Commanding Officer 

of the Canadian Guards from 1955-1957, none other than Regimental folklore legend 

Lieutenant-Colonel Strome Galloway. When the regiment was drawn to nil strength on 6 

July 1970, many members rebadged to The RCR, perhaps a reason why Royal Canadians 

have perpetually carried a reputation for impeccable drill. 

During the 2015 Public Duties season a total of 43 soldiers from across the Regiment 

were present at the Ceremonial Guard. This included members from all four Battalions 

and various ERE postings. Ranging from Rank and File guardsmen, to the transport cell, 

CQMS, two CSMs, Ops NCO, Ops O, and the CO, The RCR was most definitely visible 

within the unit – perhaps the regimental camp flags had something to do with it, but it 

was most likely because of the extremely high degree of professionalism and dedication 

to duty each member displayed. Fielding the largest contingent of any Regiment by far 

in 2015, coupled with a very strong presence in recent years, the RCR may very well be 

forming a new and proud tradition in our Nation’s capital. 



With 2 RCR in 

Korea, 1951-1952 

By Hugh S. Hardy 

I was once an officer in 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment (2 RCR) during the 

long-ago Korean War. I served as leader of a platoon in B Company under Major Kitch 

Wildfang, as mortar platoon commander under Lieutenant-Colonel-Colonel Bob Keane, 

and as intelligence officer under Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Corbould. Following service 

in Korea in 1951-52, I began a diverse business career, and retired as executive vicepresident 

of the Royal Bank. 

Some years ago I committed my experiences to memoir intended primarily for the family 

archives. However, I was recently persuaded to send the enclosed chapter to The RCR 

Association with a view to publishing the story in Pro Patria magazine. 

JOINING THE RCR 

The oldest infantry regiment in Canada, The 

Royal Canadian Regiment, was formed in 

1883 and was soon committed to the North 

West Rebellion in 1885. From that initial 

engagement The RCR has had a long and 

illustrious history, extending through the 

Boer War, World Wars I and II, Korea and 

Afghanistan. The RCR was one of the three 

permanent force infantry regiments ordered 

to form new battalions to serve in Korea. 

In 1950, The RCR, the Princess Patricia’s 

Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), and the 

Royal 22nd Regiment (R22eR, or Vandoos), 

were to be joined by artillery, armoured and 

support units in a Canadian Army Special 

Force (CASF) group, under the command 

of Brigadier John M. “Rocky” Rockingham, 

CBE, DSO, ED. When I reported to Battalion 

Headquarters in Petawawa I expected 

to begin rigorous training immediately. 

Instead, within days I found myself desk 

bound as a special Assistant Adjutant, 


assigned to processing soldiers for discharge under a specific section of army regulations. 

The CASF was to be a volunteer force, and recruiting centers became over-zealous in 

signing on new recruits. The result: dozens and dozens of societal misfits descended on 

Petawawa, and they were generally identified very early in the training cycle. My job was 

to screen and assess the “candidates,” and if appropriate in my sole judgement, arrange 

for prompt discharge. It was a masterfully vague section of the King’s Regulations that 

made it easy to get rid of any misfit as “unlikely to become an efficient soldier.” I’m sure 

some worthy men were unfairly disposed of, but at least their reputations remained intact. 

Most important, we could not take the chance of going to war with men who could be 

dangerous to both themselves and their fellow soldiers. In spite of the care taken, some 

bad apples got through to Korea. 

Although I received zero military training at Petawawa, I did learn one interesting party 

trick. It was first performed at a formal dinner at the main officers’ mess by the resident 

general. Major-General Chris Vokes, who had distinguished himself as a commander in 

Italy and North West Europe during World War II, had perfected a technique for drinking 

whisky while standing on his head. Positioning a glass of scotch and water on the floor near 

a wall, he proceeded to do a head stand with his feet against the same wall. In this inverted 

position, he then took the glass in one hand and brought it to his upper (now lower) lip, 

tipped it up and drank. Those of us watching him perform the trick for the first time were 

astounded that it was possible, but he consumed the entire glass. Several other senior 

officers felt obliged to follow suit, and it was obvious that they had been practicing, almost 

certainly in the privacy of their own quarters. The first time I tried it, I ended up spluttering 

after the scotch ran up (down?) my nose. However, I eventually mastered the technique of 

taking a gulp and using my neck muscles to force the liquid up my esophagus. 

Shortly before Christmas I arrived back in Saskatoon on embarkation leave. The Battalion 

had already been sent to Fort Lewis, Washington in mid-November 1950 for further 

training before being sent on to the Far East. During the 9-day leave I embarked on an 

even longer and more enduring journey. They day after Christmas, Betty-Joan Hillyard and 

I decided to scrap plans to delay marriage until my return from Korea. We would now be 

married on December 29, 1950, and we wanted a quiet ceremony at Westminster United 

Church. Florrie Hillyard, her mom, went simultaneously into orbit and overdrive upon 

learning of our intentions. She recruited a number of friends to help out, and talked the 

owner of the leading ladies’ wear store to open on Boxing Day so a wedding gown could 

Below: Shoulder patch of the Canadian Army 

Special Force/25th Canadian Infantry Brigade. 

Right: Brigadier John M. Rockingham commanded 

the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Canada 

and Korea from 09 Aug 1950- 27 Apr 1952. This 

command included 2 RCR. 


e selected. She successfully orchestrated a fullscale 

wedding, and a reception at the Bessborough 

Hotel for over a hundred guests. It was an awesome 

task to accomplish in three days during the Christmas 

season. The bride was beautiful. The groom was 

overwhelmed and it was a huge success. 

Top: The officers of 2 RCR. Photo taken at Petawawa 

in November 1950. Lt. Col Keane is seated at centre 

(fifth from the left) in the front row. 

Above: Major-General Chris Vokes, CB, CBE, DSO, 

CD. 

We took the overnight train to Regina for a two day 

honeymoon, and returned to Saskatoon early on 

New Year’s Day. Our parting came the same evening, 

when I caught a train back east to Petawawa and my 

new bride returned to her parents’ home. In January 

1951 I arrived at Fort Lewis, Washington where I 

was temporarily assigned to 3rd Battalion The Royal 

Canadian Regiment (3 RCR). This battalion had 

been created on 10 January at Fort Lewis from the 

reserve company of The RCR. Betty-Joan joined me a 

month later, in Fort Lewis, and we had two and a half 

wonderful months together. She became pregnant 

long before we met again, and Rick, our first-born, 

would then be over 7 months old. 

It took 16 days, from 20 April to 05 May 1951, for 2 

RCR to cross the Pacific on an old 10,000 ton U.S. 

military transport ship, the USNS General Edwin D. 

Patrick. The ship was officially “dry” as are all U.S. 


military ships, but we adhered to Canadian military tradition which permits officers to 

consume liquor. After all, we Canadian soldiers were the only passengers. But there was 

a nasty incident. The ship’s captain sent an inspection team around to all the Canadian 

officers’ cabins while we were at a briefing, and they confiscated every bottle of liquor 

they could find. Lieutenant-Colonel Robert A. Keane, the senior Canadian officer aboard, 

was furious and stormed in to see the ship’s captain, who was intransigent. He refused 

to return the purloined booze, but he acquiesced with Keane’s insistence the ship was 

in effect a Canadian ship and his officers would follow Canadian customs without further 

interference. Keane then instructed us to keep our remaining supplies under lock and key, 

just in case. 

During the long crossing I composed a number of poems (all bad) to and about my bride, 

and sent them to her upon landing. Years later, to my dismay, I learned that she had kept 

them along with every letter I ever wrote to her. 

With other officers who were on detached duty I disembarked at the former Japanese 

naval port of Kure, at the southern end of the island of Honshu, which was the headquarters 

for the British and Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan. The No. 25 Canadian 

Reinforcement Group, to which I had now been assigned, took over part of a former 

Japanese army camp at nearby Hiro, and some of the junior officers were assigned to a 

Japanese villa on the camp property. It had tatami (grass) matting on the floors, sliding 

rice-paper doors, and a traditional deep bath in one room. It was far from what we had 

anticipated as accommodation, but we were delighted with it. Among my housemates, all 

lieutenants, were Jack (Starr) Hamel, who hailed from Pelee Island in the middle of Lake 

Erie, Don Stickland, Tim Simpson, and Torontonians Danny Harlow and Norm Elder. 

Our villa badly needed some repair, but we decided to do it ourselves even though Japanese 

workers at the camp were paid the equivalent of $5.00 per month (a single Canadian 

dollar was worth 360 Japanese Yen!). We cleaned the place thoroughly, then went to work 

replacing the rice paper partitions and sections of the tatami flooring. Someone bought 

an upright piano in Kure, even though no one could play, and we set aside one small 

Brigadier Rockingham addresses 2 RCR at Ft. Lewis. 


USNS General Edwin D. Patrick carrying all ranks of 2 RCR sailed 

from Seattle, Washington on 20 April 1951, with the Battalion 

disembarking at Pusan, South Korea on 05 May 1951. 

Below: Lieutenant-Colonel Robert A. “Bob” Keane, DSO, OBE, CD, 

the CO of 2 RCR, 17 Aug 1950 – 02 Jan 1952. 

room as a “shrine room.” In an alcove Don Stickland painted a 

robust Buddha wearing a Canadian army cap with The RCR cap 

badge, lieutenant’s pips and lanyard, and a regimental battle 

scarf. The painted Buddha was fronted by a real figure, in which 

we burned incense during our occasional (read nightly) parties, 

with a traditional low table, silk lanterns and fancy chopsticks. 

The cost for all improvements: $1.00 per man. 

Although we trained hard, there were lighter interludes, in a 

letter home I described one dinner at the British Officers’ Club 

in Kure: “at dinner last night I had a burgundy, dessert, and 

a liqueur. Before dinner I had two scotches, then after dinner I had two more 

scotches and bought drinks for three Aussies. It cost me the grand sum of 10 shillings, 

about $1.40!” That was even better than the $4.85 we paid back at Fort Lewis for the 

monthly ration of one bottle of White Horse scotch, two bottles of V.O., and one bottle 

of gin. 

Late one evening, only weeks after settling in, as we sat talking and drinking the Black 

Label beer sent over by the Carling Brewery back home, Danny Harlow showed us a 

Colt .45 calibre automatic pistol he had bought from an American soldier. He insisted it 

was not loaded and unfortunately he pointed the pistol at his close friend Norm Elder. 

He was wrong. Fortunately, he shifted the weapon away from Norm’s head as he pulled 

the trigger, and the big slug smashed into Elder’s lower leg. We rushed him to the base 

hospital, but his leg was so badly shattered he had to be invalided home. As for Danny 

Harlow, he was promptly sent over to Korea to avoid a court martial. It was rather ironic 

that Harlow was himself the victim of an accidental shooting while in the front line, and 

was sent home with a serious foot wound 

We visited the British Officers’ Club in Kure whenever possible because of the low 

cost but sumptuous fare, but also because of the general atmosphere and ambience; 

it was frequented by officers from other Commonwealth countries and the families of 


British officers living nearby. One memorable evening at the club led, unfortunately, to 

banishment. 

Colin Smith of the PPCLI joined me for what was expected to be a quiet dinner at this 

very sedate establishment. While enjoying cocktails in the main lounge we joined forces 

with two other Commonwealth officers: Lieutenant James Guinness of the Royal Ulster 

Regiment, who was a scion of the Guinness brewing family, and Captain Reginald Saunders 

of the Royal Australian Regiment. Saunders was a full-blooded Maori from New Zealand 

who had won two Military Crosses (MC and Bar) for bravery during World War II. His 

professed ambition was to earn the coveted Victoria Cross; as the evening progressed I 

became convinced that he was serious. 

Our little party became increasingly boisterous, and at some point we decided to adjourn 

to the gardens for dinner. That was our first big mistake; the second came when the 

Japanese waiter suggested frog’s legs as a starter. The centrepiece of the lush gardens was 

a large pond, and just then its frog occupants beckoned in loud harmony - “come and get 

us” they seemed to be calling. Almost in unison the four of us rose, having independently 

concluded that the freshest frog legs were waiting for us to catch them. With scarcely a 

word spoken we positioned ourselves around the perimeter of the pond. On a command 

from Saunders (who after all was the senior officer present!), two of us began shouting and 

splashing the water on one side, attempting to drive the frogs to the waiting catchers on 

the other side. 

Alas, frogging was not to be so easy. Soon all four of us were in the water up to our knees, 

trying vigorously to catch the little beasties. Of course, we did not give any thought to 

what we would have done had any been caught. Most of the other diners seemed to 

be enjoying the scene, which was probably the liveliest event ever to have occurred at 

the club, and they were cheering us on. Suddenly we became conscious that a hush had 

descended over the gardens, but it took a few minutes to realize the cause. The Major- 

General in command of the British occupation forces in Japan had arrived at the club, and 

his imposing figure was framed in the double doorway leading down the few steps to the 

gardens. The silence became deafening as he glared at the spectacle of these uncultured 

colonials behaving so deplorably in “his club”. Before our ignominious departure we were 

informed that, on the General’s instructions, we would henceforth be considered persona 

non grata at the club. It was a great and memorable evening, but I cannot for the life of me 

recall whether we ever got around to eating dinner anywhere. 

One of our soldiers, a private from the Maritimes, began to exhibit bizarre behaviour 

during the first month in Japan – talking to imaginary friends, catching and eating flies, 

leading an imaginary horse around camp, and other such acts. Both his sergeant and 

platoon commander thought it was all an act aimed at getting him back to Canada (this 

was long before the creation of Klinger on the TV series MASH), but the fellow was not 

really troublesome and his acts were generally ignored or tolerated in the hope that 

he would eventually give up. However, a psychiatrist attached to the brigade became 

convinced that the man was, indeed, a mental case who should be sent home. 

We decided to take one last run at smoking him out; he was formally “charged” with 

keeping a horse in army barracks and allowing it to graze on the commanding officer’s 

lawn, in contravention of army rules and regulations. He was paraded before the CO, 

where the charges were read out and he was warned of the consequences. Instead of 

breaking, he readily admitted to the charges and was given 30 days in the stockade. 

Before the sham sentence could be carried out the psychiatrist’s order came through, and 

the man was sent home. About a month after his discharge back in Nova Scotia he wrote 


a letter to a corporal in his platoon, gloating, “Who’s crazy now?” which merely confirmed 

the view held by many of us that the psychiatrist was crazier that most of the crazies he 

dealt with. 

THE BATTLE SCHOOL AT NIPPON BARA. 

By early 1951, Brigadier Rockingham had become concerned that 

reinforcements arriving from Canada were inadequately trained 

for combat. Hence, a Canadian army battle school was to be 

set up in a relatively remote location in the interior of the island 

of Honshu. The site chosen had once been a major Japanese 

army training facility, with about 25 square miles of open 

country, shallow streams, hills and small mountains. The nearest 

habitation was the small Japanese village of Nippon Bara, on 

the southern edge of the camp, so it was expected there would 

be few amenities to distract young soldiers from the rigours of 

training. All of those attributes made it an ideal choice for the 

purpose. 

I was one of the handful of officers dispatched to set up the camp, under two career 

officers of The RCR, Major Stan MacDonald as commandant and Major S.G. “Sly Sam” 

Mackness as chief training officer. After travelling by train from HQ in Kure, we unloaded 

the few vehicles we had brought with us, and covered the last stretch by truck and jeep. It 

was 35 rough and dusty miles to our campsite from Okayama, a medium-size city on the 

Inland Sea, the body of water separating Japan and Korea. 

Just beyond the village of Nippon Bara, we arrived at the map co-ordinates of the former 

Japanese army camp. There was nothing there except a small, seemingly abandoned 

graveyard. We had expected to find at least some rudimentary accommodations, 

but there was nothing. Not a single building had been left 

standing. So began the task of setting up a tent camp, 

with the first batch of trainees due to descend on us within 

two weeks. The members of our advance party went into 

high gear, estimating our basic equipment and supply 

requirements - tents to accommodate over 200 men, field 

rations, training weapons and ammunition, vehicles and other 

equipment, plus specialized support personnel such as cooks, 

mechanics, supply people and more. 

Urgent requisitions were dispatched to 

HQ and we hoped for the best, knowing 

that we would not get everything we 

needed, at least not right away. But they 

surprised us. Rockingham’s directive 

Top: Major S.G. “Sam” Mackness. 

The Canadian Army Battle School at Nippon Bara Camp (from 

the KVA of Canada website). 

The tent lines at Nippon Bara Camp (from the KVA of Canada 

website). 


about setting up the battle school had an urgency about it that galvanized the normally 

slow moving military bureaucracy. Most of our needs were met reasonably promptly, for 

the army, as were subsequent requests for supplies. With the important exception of food. 

Both the training staff and the trainees were expected to subsist on British field rations for 

a considerable length of time. 

Each box of the ubiquitous K-rations contained hard tack and bully beef (tasteless biscuits 

and corned beef), cans of fruit, chocolate and hard candies, and round tins of Players 

English cigarettes. Plus a small package of toilet paper. These rations, especially the 

hard tack and bully beef, will sustain soldiers indefinitely, but the fare is not very exciting. 

Which is why we had asked for cooks, as we had already decided to make whatever local 

arrangements we could to procure fresh food. The problem was that we had no funds for 

the purpose, so it was a matter of barter and scrounge or rely on the K-rations. 

As a first step, we contacted local officials, including the chief of the prefecture police, 

none of whom spoke even rudimentary English. We were discouraged, but somehow the 

chief got the message that we wanted to do business. Two days later an elderly Englishspeaking 

Japanese gentleman arrived, unannounced, and offered his assistance. He 

looked like the rogue we were certain he was, but the bald, ever smiling, gold-toothed 

Kazuko-san was exactly what was needed. 

Kazuko was less than enthusiastic about some of the goods we had available for trading, 

but he finally decreed that almost everything in the ration boxes could be bartered, even 

the hard tack. The British chocolate and the cigarettes had the greatest trade value. Within 

days, Kazuko had made arrangements for us to receive limited supplies of fresh meat, 

K-rations. 


A Canadian soldier enduring field punishment at Nippon Bara 

Battle School (from the KVA of Canada website). 

hydroponically-grown vegetables and, 

once in a while, fresh fruit. 

Even the contents of the latrines had 

a value, provided paper and human 

waste remained separated. A deal was 

struck, and the officers’ and sergeants’ 

messes were kept well supplied with 

clean, clear, manufactured ice! Things 

were looking up, and the storied 

ingenuity of Canadian soldiers in 

the field was given further, renewed 

legitimacy. From the moment of his 

arrival, virtually everything involved Kazuko-san in some way or other, as he made himself 

indispensable. We had no doubt that he and the police chief had made a very good thing 

for themselves, but we were also big winners in the game. 

The training regimen was long and tough as we hammered each new batch of reinforcements 

into fighting-fitness before shipping them off to Korea. The battle training, weaponry and 

discipline learned at Nippon Bara must surely have saved many lives. But in the meantime 

there were more amenities available to them in the nearby village than we had counted 

on. When word got around that the old Nippon Bara camp was again filled with soldiers, 

the entrepreneurs of the evening began to arrive and set up shop. 

Within weeks there were half a dozen little bars in the village, each with its coterie of 

hookers available. Nature took its course, and several cases of venereal disease soon 

followed. Once again we had to resort to a barter arrangement, as we had no medical 

facilities at the camp except a basic first aid station. A certain Dr. Hiro, the village doctor, 

was a quiet but intelligent man who had served as a doctor on a Japanese navy cruiser. He 

had already proven to be very capable, and willing to help in any emergency. But drugs of 

any kind were difficult to obtain in still-occupied Japan, and drugs capable of combatting 

VD were completely inaccessible to him. 

So another deal was made – Dr. Hiro undertook to make weekly inspections of every 

prostitute in town, and in return he was supplied with sulfa and whatever other drugs we 

were able to scrounge from Canadian army medical sources back in Kure. VD was not 

eliminated, but it was kept in reasonable check. And the estimable doctor was able, with 

the “surplus” drugs, to treat his regular local patients more effectively. 

Several of us on training staff soon found a way to speed up communications with families 

and friends back home. We sent letters through civilian channels using the village post 

office. Letters would be mailed from there, and replies were addressed to us at that 

office. The good Dr. Hiro had shown us how to write our names in a simplified Japanese 

semi-script called katakana. Letters often took only four or five days to reach home, or 

be received from home, vastly better than the two or three weeks it always took for mail 

to travel through army postal channels. The practice was totally against regulations, of 

course, but it worked wonderfully well. 

The training officers at Nippon Bara did not have the usual batmen, but the function was 

filled by “house girls.” These were locally recruited peasant girls who kept our tents clean 

and tidy, did the laundry, and polished our brass and boots, and so on. By and large they 

were rather simple, unattractive youngsters. Over time they learned a few rudimentary 

English terms (and some of the courser language used by soldiers), while we learned a bit 


of Japanese. They became totally dedicated and devoted servants who occasionally got 

carried away emotionally. 

My girl, Ahiko-san, showed up one day with my laundry, and proudly showed me what 

she had done – my initials were embroidered, in red on everything I owned – shirts, 

handkerchiefs, socks, and even my underwear. When I blew my top, the poor girl wept 

uncontrollably until my dilemma got through to her – I would have great difficulty trying to 

explain such fine work to my wife when I returned home to Canada. 

I do not know of a single instance of impropriety between an officer and a house girl 

– possibly because there were far more attractive options available in the village. But 

whenever an officer was moving out, usually back to Korea, all of the house girls would 

gather to say their tearful and very genuine farewells. 

OSAKA 

Marc Ranger was a captain in the Royal 22nd Regiment, the famed “Vandoos.” He was, like 

me, on the staff of the battle school. Unlike me, he had seen action during WWII; he had 

been wounded and captured by the Germans during the ill-fated 1942 raid on the channel 

port of Dieppe. After a couple of exhausting months at Nippon Bara we were more than 

ready for a few days of leave, and decided to explore the interior of the island of Honshu, 

moving in the general direction of Tokyo. 

After travelling by bus for several hours through rural countryside with emerald green rice 

paddies terraced far up the hills on either side, passing through only the occasional village, 

we arrived at a small resort town nestled in a pocket between pine covered hills. We chose 

a quaint little inn on a hillside overrun with flowers, beside a clear, gently flowing stream. 

No one at the inn spoke English and, to be charitable, our Japanese was very rudimentary. 

It proved to be not a problem, but merely an inconvenience. The mostly female staff, all 

dressed in traditional kimonos, were polite and accommodating, and Marc and I were 

prepared to be patient. We removed our shoes before stepping onto the tatami floors en 

route to our rooms, which we entered though sliding doors made of rice paper on wooden 

frames. We would sleep on the futons [mattresses] used by most Japanese, stretched out 

on the floor at night, then rolled up and put away in floor-level cupboards during the day. 

After several cold bottles of excellent Asahi beer, seated on a veranda overlooking the 

stream and a formal Japanese rock garden, we decided on dinner. We chose sukiyaki, 

which would be served inside and cooked on a low table before us as we attempted to 

sit cross-legged on cushions. After being seated, three smiling and giggling kimono-clad 

girls appeared, one bearing 

a charcoal brazier, one 

with cooking utensils and 

our eating bowls, and the 

third with a large platter 

containing our dinner: a 

large mound of raw beef, 

thinly sliced and formed 

into rosettes, surrounded by 

bean curd and a variety of 

oriental vegetables. 

As one girl began to cook 

in a large pot on the brazier, 

Asahi beer label. 


another cracked several eggs into 

each of our serving bowls and 

whipped them into a froth using 

chop sticks. The idea was to take 

a morsel of cooked food from the 

cooking pot with one’s chopsticks, 

dip it into the whipped egg bowl 

for only a moment, then pop it 

into the mouth. This process, in 

which the egg was cooked by 

the hot beef and vegetables, was 

repeated throughout the meal. The meal was a remarkable taste treat, 

and was followed by a modified version of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony – the 

full ceremony could only be carried out among Japanese. The meal, and indeed the entire 

evening, were savoured memories. They could only be fully appreciated by accepting the 

reality that such dining takes a very long time. 

Douglas C-54 Skymaster. 

Marc and I had other plans for our leave, and we departed for Osaka the following day, 

again by bus. Wandering about in the downtown area of Osaka, looking for a suitable hotel, 

we happened upon an imposing modern stone building, unidentified by any sign, but with 

a steady stream of U.S. military officers both entering and leaving. It appeared to be an 

officers’ club, confirmed as we entered the large lobby and found a well-populated lounge 

on the left. Seating ourselves in leather captain’s chairs, we hailed a waiter and ordered 

gin and tonic. We detected a slight hesitancy on the waiter’s part, but the drinks were 

eventually brought to our table. A short time later we were visited by a U.S. army sergeant 

who identified himself as the club manager. He informed us that the club was a SENIOR 

officers’ club, open only to officers with the rank of lieutenant-colonel (or equivalent) and 

above. Very politely, albeit rather loudly, he asked us to finish our drinks and leave. But we 

did not leave, not for a couple of hours. 

Fate intervened in the form of a U.S. air force brigadier-general at the next table, who 

told the club manager we were his guests. The manager backed off, which was surprising 

in light of later events, and we joined the group of senior officers; a wingding of a party 

then got under way. At some point the general decided that the party should be moved 

to and continued in Tokyo. We piled into a couple of air force vehicles and headed for the 

Osaka military air base. There we boarded the general’s personal plane, the U.S. air force 

version of the DC-4, the Douglas C-54 Skymaster. Two members of the original party had 

disappeared, but the general, a colonel, Marc Ranger and I were off on the one hour flight 

to Tokyo. Marc and the colonel promptly flaked out on canvas seats in the back, and I 

joined the general in the co-pilot’s seat up front. 

I have only scant memory of the flight itself, but the general was either a very skilled or 

very lucky pilot, because he was much too drunk to have been flying anything. However, 

the party did continue at a club in Tokyo until around midnight, when Marc and I parted 

company with the Americans. We were due back in Kure later the next day, and had 

originally planned to take the so-called bullet train down from Osaka. However, the 

general had assured us we would have no difficulty hitching a ride on an air force plane (“If 

you have a problem, just tell them that I authorized it!”). We took a taxi back to the airport 

and found the dispatch desk, manned by a young and very unfriendly corporal. 

The young corporal was one of those unschooled, undisciplined, arrogant country boys 

who, given a position of power and authority, uses it to the fullest to satisfy some weird 


thing in his psyche. Without valid and multi-copied U.S. air force travel orders, there 

was no way he would permit us to board a plane going anywhere, even though there 

were almost empty planes leaving for Kure about every half hour. After over an hour of 

coaxing, shouting and even pleading, all to no avail, we asked him if he would let us fly 

if the Canadian Ambassador to Japan was to authorize it. Reluctantly, he agreed and we 

scrambled to get a telephone number and call the Canadian embassy. After three or four 

calls we actually did reach the ambassador himself, in bed, asleep, at about 3:00 A.M. 

After outlining our dilemma, we even asked that kind and understanding gentleman to 

speak to the corporal, and authorize us to board a flight. The corporal agreed – on the 

phone. Two minutes later he had reverted to type, and said he really didn’t give a good 

goddamn what some foreign ambassador said, HE was in charge here, and only HE would 

decide who flew on HIS planes. We finally acknowledged defeat and found a ride into 

Tokyo, where we learned that the next train south wasn’t leaving until mid-afternoon. 

The train we caught was a military one, and Marc and I were seated with a pair of U.S. Army 

majors recently returned from Korea. In due course either Marc or I produced a bottle 

of Canadian rye whisky, which was offered to our seat mates. Looking carefully around, 

they advised us that drinking was verboten on military trains (as it was on ships) and that 

the train commander had the power to stop the train and disembark passengers who 

disobeyed any of the numerous rules. We found that difficult to believe, our early morning 

experience notwithstanding, but we were very careful in pouring drinks for ourselves and, 

in time, our seat companions. We were doubly careful after we saw the train commander, 

a corporal of the same ilk as the one at the airport. In the early evening we learned how 

absolute his power was, when he stopped the train at a small town and evicted an army 

captain and a major who had been observed drinking beer in the car ahead of ours. That 

ended our surreptitious imbibing for the balance of the journey. Although our leave had 

ended in frustration, especially over needless and petty treatment in Tokyo, on balance it 

was all that we had hoped it would be. 

INCIDENT AT NIPPON BARA 

There was one small country inn in Nippon Bara, a two storey building with rooms and 

dining facilities surrounding a tree and flower-filled courtyard. It was soon to become 

virtually the only quiet and tranquil place in the village, and the local authorities asked that 

we try to keep it that way. The largest room in the inn was a tatami-matted dining room 

on the second floor. It was made accessible only to officers (as well as civilian hotel guests) 

and, for those of us on the camp staff, it became our escape from the rigours of living in 

tents and bathing in a makeshift tub of lukewarm water. The inn’s owner, a former Japanese 

submarine commander, occasionally joined us for dinner and conversation through our 

resident interpreter. Mostly the subjects were neutral, but sometimes there would be lighthearted 

banter about the war in the Pacific (none of us had served in that theatre during 

WWII). However, talk about the war did get out of hand on occasion. 

One incident began with the usual dinner of sukiyaki, washed down with copious 

quantities of beer and sake. Late in the evening our host became especially belligerent, 

boastful and insulting. After a long discourse on the greatness of the Japanese navy, 

he made disparaging comments about Americans and even Canadians. That was all we 

could stomach, especially after an evening of somewhat heavy indulgence. One of our 

members, a senior training officer, stormed out and ran the ¼ mile to our camp. There he 

assembled the camp guard, and proceeded to rouse every able-bodied man in camp to 

fall in with rifles. Mounting the hood of a 60 hundred-weight truck, the young officer led 

the somewhat rag-tag force back into the village. 


Troops with rifles and fixed bayonets were ordered to surround the inn, with instructions 

to let no one enter. He then proceeded to clear out all of the Japanese patrons and 

employees, including the loudly protesting and irate owner of the establishment. Having 

totally closed down the offending premises, he left a perimeter guard with orders to allow 

no one to enter, and returned to camp. 

As luck would have it, Major MacDonald had returned to the camp from Kure only minutes 

earlier – and found the camp almost deserted. Not surprisingly, he was more than a little 

upset. After an earlier incident when weapons, ammunition and explosives had been 

stolen from our meagre stores, we had learned the importance of maintaining a 24-hour 

guard on the base facilities. Not only was there no guard, but a few stragglers told him 

where everyone had gone. 

The officer involved could well have been court 

martialled over the affair, and certainly would 

have been were it not for the extreme isolation 

of the camp – and the understanding indulgence 

of Major MacDonald. There was little chance of 

the word getting back to headquarters in Kure, 

at least in the short term, unless the hotel owner 

laid a complaint. That was unlikely, as he was both 

chastened by the experience and concerned 

about the future of his lucrative business with the 

Canadians. 

An aerial view of the Canadian theatre of 

operations, from 1951-53, north of the Imjin 

River, known as the “Iron Triangle”. Hill 355 is the 

dominant feature on the horizon to the right. 

The commanding officer settled for one of the 

most severe chewing-outs ever administered to 

a junior officer and, to use Sly Sam Mackness’ 

favorite terms, “Bob’s your uncle”. Several days 

later I was off to Korea. 

KOREA, OCTOBER 1951 

I flew to Seoul from the U.S. air base at Iwakune, 

on the south tip of Honshu, but not without delay. 

With another Canadian officer I was bumped off 

the flight I was supposed to be on, to make room 

for an ice cream machine – it was destined for an 

American base camp far removed from any action! 

Such are the realities of war. 

I was to assume command of a platoon of B 

Company, 2 RCR. The Battalion had just suffered 

rather heavy casualties, so upon finally reaching 

Seoul we were quickly hustled aboard a truck for 

the trip north. Just north of the Imjin River, after 

some 50 miles of rough travel, we reached the 

battalion headquarters. Within a half hour, after 

being greeted by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert 

Keane, and given a very short briefing, I was being 

led along a trail toward “the sharp end”. 

The route took us down a long valley with hills on 


“Welcome to the sharp end!” 

either side. We went through and around countless rice paddies, and passed a number of 

damaged or abandoned thatched-roof houses. My guide, a young lance corporal who was 

anxious to reach our hill before dark, advised me that Chinese snipers often shot men on 

the trail. From the base of the last hill on our right, we climbed a steep, narrow, twisting 

path for five or six hundred feet, and arrived at a great barrier of concertina wire just at 

last light. There was a Z-shaped opening with human skulls mounted on poles on either 

side. A crudely-lettered sign in between read, “Welcome to the sharp end!” The intended 

humour somehow escaped me at the time. 

Once through the wire, we quickly reached company headquarters, where I met my new 

OC, Major Kitch Wildfang (yes, that was his real name). After another short briefing, I 

was led even further forward, along a sharp ridge to where my platoon was positioned. 

Or what was left of it. The decimated platoon was dug in with perimeter defense --- slit 

trenches dug in a rough circle, with barbed wire strung in a circle around our position on 

the top of the hill. It was morning before I could get a real look at our position and assess 

the general situation. Three companies of 2 RCR occupied the tips of three fingers of hilly 

land projecting about a mile forward of the feature housing battalion headquarters, plus 

the fourth rifle company and our support company. My company was on the battalion’s 

right flank, and a British unit held features on the other side of another elongated valley 

on my right. 

My own position was not encouraging. We overlooked the Sami-chon River, not far from 

its juncture with the Imjin. The Chinese occupied a somewhat higher hill on the other side 

of the river, less than 600 yards straight ahead. They could see us, and virtually everything 

we did during the daylight hours. We obliged them by laying as much barbed wire as we 

could get, which they would have to get through or over when (not IF!) they decided to 

hit us. My new platoon had lost a number of men, including my immediate predecessor, a 

few days earlier. We were fewer than 20 men, all ranks, instead of the normal complement 

of 37. Life was hectic and interesting, if precarious, but things remained quite stable and 

quiet for a short time. 


Top: The Jamestown Line, Korea, October 1951. 11 Platoon, D 

Company, 2 RCR occupies trenches captured from the Chinese. 

Bottom: Chinese soldiers advance. 

Several times in those first few weeks 

Chinese patrols paid my platoon 

surreptitious visits during the darkest 

nights. We only knew of the visits 

because, in the morning, we would 

find some of our booby traps 

dismantled and neatly laid out on the 

ground, right smack in the middle of 

our barbed wire barricades. If they 

were trying to demonstrate that they 

could get us at any time they chose, they 

succeeded. It was unnerving to young 

troops who were as alert as it was possible 

to be (or so we thought) to realize that 

the enemy could get that close without 

being seen or even heard. In fact, when 

the Chinese came on the attack it was 

usually with a very great amount of noise, 

including much screaming and blowing of 

bugles. 

I made it a habit to do periodic rounds 

of my platoon positions every night, 

sitting on the sand bagged edge of a 

slit trench while quietly chatting with the fellows. I believe it helped to ease the tension 

and to maintain morale. The men were little more than boys, youngsters mostly from 

Newfoundland and the Maritime provinces. My batman, who also served as radio operator, 

was from a Newfoundland outport. He saved my life on a couple of occasions, when I was 

pre-occupied with directing a patrol or other action. One fellow, however, was a misfit who 

had been missed in the “out placement” activities back in Petawawa. Having learned to 

shoot and hunt as a child in rural Nova Scotia, he was a first class marksman. That is, when 

he was not blind drunk. 

In the middle of one night during this quiet period, one of our .30 calibre machine-guns 

began firing, and everyone prepared for a Chinese assault to hit us. After a few moments, 

I crawled to the trench from which the firing came, and found only one very drunk soldier 

continuing to fire at nothing as his trench mate tried to restrain him! One of my concerns was 

that his firing might induce the Chinese to open fire on us, thinking that we were about to 

launch an attack. It took three men to restrain the fellow. He had become a serious problem 

that had to be dealt with promptly. With an already weakened platoon complement, I could 

scarcely afford to release two or three men to escort him back to battalion headquarters. 

The only alternative was to shoot him, and I came close to doing so; only the first glimmer 

of morning light intervened. Early morning attacks rarely if ever happened, and it seemed 

relatively safe to detach a couple of escorts to take the fellow back to the rear, where he 

was promptly installed in the stockade. 

This man, I’ll call him Jack, actually had a primitive alcohol still operating down in his slit 

trench! In the bloody front line, and he was producing his own moonshine! We later learned 


that on periodic visits to a rear echelon for a shower, hot meal and a movie, he would 

scrounge fruits and vegetables – anything that might be fermentable – to use in the simple 

still he had fashioned from cans and a bit of copper tubing. Jack was still in the stockade, 

or perhaps more correctly, back in the stockade some time later, when I thought of a way 

to make him a more useful and productive soldier. More on Jack later. 

“CHARLIE CHINAMAN’S GUNPOWDER PLOT” 

AT LITTLE GIBRALTAR 

Hill 227 (Chinese-held) and Hill 355. 

The dominant feature in the sector, Hill 355, was much higher than my hill, and it was 

actually behind us on our right flank. The feature was then held by an under-strength 

company (about 100 men), of a British battalion, and our position was very vulnerable 

should it be lost to the Chinese. The British had held it successfully against several major 

Chinese assaults. On November 4th, 1951, a unit of the U.S. 25th Infantry Division replaced 

the British with an over-strength battalion, over 1,100 men. Fully aware of the replacement 

by simple observation from across the valley, the Chinese attacked Hill 355 on November 

5th. 

The attack began at last light, and early on it became evident that it was probably a 

major offensive directed solely at Hill 355, which meant, in the peculiar circumstances of 

the Korean War, that my position was not likely to be assaulted that night. At the same 

time, there was nothing that my decimated platoon could do to help the Americans. So, 

with ringside seats to a war, my men relaxed and observed the developing spectacle. I 

was seated comfortably on a makeshift privy several yards downhill from my slit trench, 

watching the Chinese advance across the valley and up Hill 355 under a fierce barrage of 


Soldier of the U.S. 25th 

Infantry Division. 

artillery, machine-gun and mortar fire. Before being rudely interrupted, I thought about 

my pregnant wife back home. I knew she was very close to full term, and was anxiously 

waiting for the news. 

As I watched, and as the Chinese moved closer, the U.S. troops began to surface and pull 

back. It was a rout, plain and simple, tragic and totally unnecessary. The Americans lost 

the feature and over 500 men in the one night, and I witnessed the carnage, with feelings 

of both compassion and anger toward them. The main cause was almost certainly the total 

lack of discipline, originating in poor or non-existent training. The troops had not been 

taught that the safest place to be during a major enemy barrage was in the ground – in 

the slit trenches already on the hill, dug earlier by the British. The moment those troops 

left their trenches to abandon the position (itself reflecting the total lack of discipline), 


they became vulnerable. With gallows humour, one of my men said, “Those goddamned 

Americans were bugging out so fast their cigars looked like tracer bullets in the night.” 

As it happened, the assault took place on Guy Fawkes Day, well-known to students 

of English history as the anniversary of an infamous plot to blow up King James I and 

Parliament in 1605. The British press referred to the action as, “Charlie Chinaman’s 

Gunpowder Plot,”- and Hill 355 was dubbed Little Gibraltar because of its shape. 

During the battle only a single shot was fired at my platoon; it was a high velocity shell 

that hit midway between my slit trench and where I was seated. Notwithstanding the 

difficulties of running uphill with trousers at half-mast, I made commendable speed, much 

to the amusement of my men! Most of the shrapnel went over my head, although one 

piece shattered my throne and another just grazed my right leg. However, the detonation 

rendered me quite deaf for some hours. 

We later speculated that a Chinese gunner had spotted me on my privy and, with a 

perverse sense of humour, swung his gun around for that single shot. The Chinese across 

the valley could not have found the event any more amusing than those of my men who 

saw it, or the others in my battalion who heard about it. Since there was no significant 

physical injury, it would have been ludicrous and irresponsible to leave my now exposed 

position to see a medical officer. Indeed, within a week I regained most of the hearing in 

my left ear. 

Brigadier Rockingham was so angered at the loss of Hill 355, exposing his right flank, 

that he “ordered” the Americans to retake it, and retake it fast. They re-captured the hill 

several days later, with additional heavy casualties and with Rocky’s further threat in mind 

- “If you ever pull out like that again, it will be under Canadian artillery fire as well.” 

From that moment on our Canadian troops were always apprehensive whenever U.S. army 

units were in our vicinity. On another occasion, during the night of 02-03 November 1951, 

the Chinese hit the 2 RCR positions at Song Gok Spur and were turned back with only 

minimal losses on our part. Lt. Ed Mastronardi was awarded the Military Cross for that 

one, after calling for Canadian artillery fire on his own position to catch the Chinese above 

ground. The enemy suffered heavy casualties, and Ed held the ground while losing only a 

couple of his men. 

The U.N. command believed that the attack was the start of another major Chinese 

Left: American troops under fire. 

Right: Troops of the 25th Infantry Division in action. 


Top left: Chinese troops storm a position. 

Top right: Hill 355 or Kowang-San was also 

referred to as Little Gibraltar. 

Middle: Lt. Ed Mastronardi, MC, seen here 

with platoon mascot, commanded 2 Pl, A Coy 

during the Song Gok Spur action, 02-03 Nov 

51. Pte Red Butler is to his left. 

Clockwise from left: The Sami-ch’on Valley, 

Song Gok Spur, and Hills 97, 123, 113, and 166 

from the air. 

2 RCR positions at and around Song Gok Spur. 

2 RCR clearing patrol mounted following the 

Dead Chinese soldiers on the morning of 03 

Nov 51. 

Chinese attack on Song Gok Spur. 


offensive, and the hills behind us were swarming with unshaven, grim-looking American 

soldiers wearing steel helmets , badly-kept boots and uniforms, and with hand grenades 

and bandoliers of ammunition slung all over them. They had just come up from a long 

rest in a reserve position, but they looked more like the guys who had just turned back a 

big enemy attack. Our own men, coming out for a day’s rest and a hot meal, were really 

alarmed for the first time. As one put it, “Holy Jeez, the Chinese must be planning a 

really big one.” It never came, perhaps in large measure due to the resistance they had 

encountered from the Canadians. 

Our son Richard was born on November 7th, 1951, during the aftermath to the battles for 

Little Gibraltar. Betty-Joan’s parents sent a telegram via military channels, which should 

have had priority and been delivered to me within 24 hours. It was three weeks before 

I learned that I was a father, and it came in a letter from my wife’s mother. The three 

line URGENT and PRIORITY telegram arrived two days later, having been mailed from 

Vancouver! 

Over the next few months I came face to face with the continuing dilemma of the infantry 

soldier – not knowing what is happening around you or, very often, even immediately in 

front of you. Indeed, it was not uncommon for soldiers, even officers, to arrive in Korea, 

serve for up to a year, and depart without knowing more than a handful of men in other 

companies or even other platoons within the same company. I was fortunate enough to 

serve in other positions, where I got to know more people. In my rifle company, guys like 

Kitch Wildfang, Captain Ian MacMillan, Lieutenants Eric Devlin and Frank Poole, as well as 

Dave “Pappy” Renwick, Shaky Hartnett, Jack (Starr) Hamel, Sergeant Scotty Morrison, and 

too many others to name. 

I left my rifle platoon to take over as head of the mortar platoon which, with a battery of 

81mm mortars, was in support of the entire battalion. Located close to 2 RCR headquarters, 

we were somewhat less exposed to immediate and direct enemy attention. Also, and very 

pleasurably, I was able to eat meals at the officers’ mess – a tent, above ground, with a 

bar, and tables, and cooked meals! My command vehicle was a half-track – truck wheels 

in the front and tank-type tracks providing the power and traction. This became my home 

and command office, from which to plot and direct the fire of the mortars as required. 

Unfortunately, the pounding of these weapons did nothing to help my hearing problem. 

My right ear never fully recovered, and has caused me considerable difficulty over the 

ensuing years. 

From this location I gained a broader perspective on the war; of necessity I learned 

everything about our own 2 RCR situation, and became aware, in at least general terms, of 

what was happening elsewhere on the U.N. front. I also learned that war becomes a great 

deal more interesting as the risks of one’s demise diminish, however slightly. 

My final posting in Korea was by far the most stimulating and informative, but with a return 

to increased exposure. Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon C. Corbould, a deceptively easygoing 

officer who left his dude ranch in B.C. to serve in the Special Force, had taken 

over command from Bob Keane. I became Corbould’s Intelligence Officer, and I quickly 

learned that Corbould was a very demanding boss, requiring more from his I.O. than most 

battalion commanders. 

It became my job to know everything about everything that the enemy was doing in our 

battalion sector. The purpose, of course, was to brief the commanding officer and his 

company commanders, and assist in both defensive and offensive planning. He also had 

the peculiar notion that his I.O. must have firsthand knowledge as the basis for briefings. 


Photo 32: 27th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 25th Infantry Division in action. 

Photo 33: 2 RCR Bren gun position in frontline trench, March 1952. 

Photo 34: A Canadian 81 mm mortar trench in Korea. 

Photo 35: The American-built M2 Half Track. 

That meant actually leading recce patrols into enemy territory, of course, but it also meant 

flying over Chinese held country. 

The 1st British Commonwealth Division, of which we were a part, had a small airplane 

available for reconnaissance purposes. It was an Auster 6, a little fabric-covered biplane 

with a 140 HP motor, flown by a sad faced chap whose name – Capt Peter Downward 

– seemed to match his demeanour. Arriving for my first flight at the division air strip 

beside the Imjin River, Peter asked me to board first; it was essential that I board first. The 

passenger “seat” was a mini piano stool nestled tightly behind the pilot’s seat, which my 

knees almost straddled. It was not an encouraging beginning. 

For all his sad-sack appearance, Peter turned out to be a superb pilot, and a very daring 

one. As we flew perilously close to a Chinese occupied hill, so close that they were shooting 

at us with rifles and burp guns, I thought Corbould must have personally said to him, “I 

want Hardy to see the whites of their eyes.” And that was only the beginning. 

Typically, on subsequent flights, we would fly down a valley just above the scarce treetops, 

come up on a Chinese position from below, swoop over the top and swing to one side as we 

followed the contour of the hill down into another valley. The little plane was actually wellsuited 

to the job, as was Peter. The fabric was easily patched, which was of considerable 

importance as we seldom returned without some damage from small arms fire. On one 

memorable occasion we were hit by a stone thrown by a Chinese soldier! 

It was a miserable late winter day, raining and with the temperature hovering around the 


freezing mark. We were on our last run, to 

what we suspected was an important enemy 

staging area well back from the line. As we 

approached along a valley flanked by low 

hills, we came under exceptionally heavy 

small arms fire from troops on the hills. I 

spotted two things at the same moment – a 

mass of Chinese troops in a low area beyond 

a moderately high feature, and a lone soldier 

on the hill getting ready to throw something. 

Moments later the “something” went 

through the fabric on the lower left wing; 

it was only later that we concluded the guy 

had actually thrown a stone at the airplane 

– and hit us! 

We got back to the airstrip courtesy of Peter 

Downward’s great skill in keeping his little 

craft air-borne. The combination of wingicing 

plus the instability caused by the larger 

than usual hole in the wing made it a hairy 

trip, and we barely made it back across the 

Imjin. For the first time, Peter was sweating 

almost as much as me. But our little sortie 

paid off. Division and corps artillery pounded 

the troop concentration we had spotted, 

and probably caused the Chinese to abort 

another planned assault on our positions. 

As 2 RCR Intelligence Officer I was supported 

by a small platoon of Scouts and Snipers – 

men who were specially selected for their 

skills as trackers, marksmen and so on. They 

were great on intelligence gathering recce 

patrols and picking off selected enemy 

targets. It was here that I found a position for 

Moonshiner Jack, and an unusual deal was 

struck. Jack was sent out alone, far behind 

enemy lines, carrying only a telescopeequipped 

sniper rifle, a bandolier of 

ammunition, and some cans of food rations. 

His first assignment: to identify and pick off 

two senior Chinese army officers; the “kills” 

had to be confirmed. He would then be 

returned to a rear echelon, and be allowed 

to do as he pleased, which generally meant 

getting bombed out of his skull. He returned, 

successful, the second day. After recovering 

from a monumental hangover, he was sent 

out on a repeat assignment. This pattern 

was repeated for about six weeks, during 

Top: Lt.-Col. Gordon C. Corbould, DSO, OBE, ED, CO 

of 2 RCR, 02 Jan 52 – 31 Aug 57. 

Middle: A Coy, 2 RCR fighting patrol, March 1952. 

Bottom: The Auster 6 observation aircraft. 


Left: The Chinese Burp gun: 

PPSh-41 SMG. 

Below: Canadian soldier in Korea 

with Lee-Enfield .303 calibre 

sniper rifle. 

which Jack shot several dozen very senior Chinese officers far behind the front line. As a 

lone sniper, one who seldom required a second shot at a target, he was able to escape 

detection, although he sometimes had to hole up for a couple days before returning. It 

was not uncommon, during his one-man outings, for the Chinese to launch fierce artillery 

barrages at us, evidence that he had scored one or more important hits. 

The assignment was terminated after a bizarre confirmation of one of his kills on a threekill 

sortie. In response to a question, he reached in his tunic and pulled out a Chinese 

officer’s winter hat, and dropped it on the ground on front of me. Inside was the top of the 

unfortunate man’s head. Jack was soon sent home and discharged. In the ensuing years 

I have had some misgivings about what I did with a man who had such a serious alcohol 

problem. At the time, however, I did what made eminent sense; Jack was turned into a 


productive soldier, doing an excellent job of what soldiers are supposed to do, and he 

returned home to an honourable discharge. 

FOOD IN THE FIELD 

Incredible as it may seem, some of us began to think fondly of hard tack and bully beef. We 

were on American rations, mostly such things as beans and wieners, ham and lima beans, 

chicken stew and the like. Generally these were just too rich for our simple Canadian 

digestive systems, and were sometimes made palatable only by being washed down 

with Japanese beer from the Asahi quart bottles that arrived as regularly as ammunition 

(C-rations were sometimes delayed, but never the ammunition or beer. The truly important 

things first!). The term “gook train” was the terribly unjust and demeaning designation 

applied to the lines of simple Korean peasants who carried huge loads of such supplies to 

the front lines, stacked high on A-frames on their backs. The casualty rate among these 

bearers was understandably high. One lucky fellow was merely stunned by a bullet that 

lodged itself just under the skin on his scalp – it must have been nearly spent, at the very 

end of its trajectory. 

Once again we improvised. There was an abundance of pheasant and small deer in the 

no-man’s land between the Canadian and Chinese positions, and we went after such game 

with rifles and hand guns. It was relatively safe to do so, because so little action occurred 

during daylight hours. Occasionally we would hear or see Chinese hunting parties doing 

the same thing, and we gave each other a wide berth. It was an informal truce, in the 

common interest of obtaining a decent meal or two. It is impossible to describe the taste 

of fresh venison or pheasant cooked over a small fire on the lid from an ammunition can. 

After a week or so of field rations, such a meal rivalled the fare of any restaurant anywhere 

in the world. And we were totally unfettered by any restrictive hunting regulations! 

Below: An Australian soldier in Korea drinking 

Asahi beer. 

Above: U.S. Army C-rations. 

Left: American soldiers 

employ traditional Korean 

load-bearing A-frames. 


Chinese Christmas card left for U.N. troops. 

CHRISTMAS, 1951 

Just before Christmas, 1951, we noticed that some of the many fir trees in the valley ahead 

had been crudely decorated. On closer scrutiny we found them also to be booby-trapped, 

and it was a simple matter to disarm them. The Chinese probably expected us to detect 

and disarm them – it was intended as a bit of a test. We found the trees laden with crude 

greeting cards and “gifts” – plastic rings and other Christmas cracker-type items. The 

inside of a typical card had two very badly reproduced photos – the first depicted a very fat 

man lounging by a swimming pool with a huge cigar in his mouth. The caption read; “Mr. 

Moneybags in Florida.” The second showed a couple of miserable looking U.S. soldiers 

huddled in a deep snowbank, with the caption, “Soldiers defend Mr. Moneybags.” Then 

the capper, “Surrender is the way for life.” As propaganda, the effort was a bust for the 

Chinese, but it gave our troops a great laugh and something to write home about. 

THE GLOSTERS 

Around mid-November 1951, Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Keane hosted a farewell luncheon 

for the officers of our British sister regiment, the Gloucestershire Regiment (the “Glosters”). 

The 1st Battalion of the Glosters had been virtually wiped out several months earlier , and 

the reconstituted battalion was being rotated back to England. It was a mid-day event for a 

very practical reason – virtually nothing happened in the line before “last light” – the dusk 

before night descended. Then anything could and often did happen. 


Battalion headquarters was situated about a mile to the rear of the forward companies, 

and the officers’ mess tent was cut into the reverse side of a hill. That tent housed our 

portable bar, painted in the regimental colours and complete with regimental cypher , and 

it was presided over by a white-jacketed mess sergeant. For the big party, our engineers 

bulldozed another flat area and a second squad tent was erected to accommodate the 

buffet tables. The area in between was demarcated with white minefield tape to constitute 

a quite reasonable patio. 

Keane had invited the officers of the Glosters, representatives of Canadian, British, 

American and other units in Korea, plus all the brass from what was to become the 1st 

British Commonwealth Division. As a matter of courtesy, he also invited General Matthew 

B. Ridgeway, Supreme Commander of U.N. Forces (who had earlier replaced General 

Douglas MacArthur), and his senior staff officers. They were not really expected to come. 

The party was scheduled to begin at 1100 Hours (11:00 A.M.); by 11:15 almost everyone, 

including Ridgeway and his top aides, had arrived. The guests were escorted up the hill to 

the mess tent, where they were greeted by Keane before being shown to the bar by those 

officers of 2 RCR lucky enough to have been included (only one platoon commander from 

each company could attend, and I happened to luck out). It is quite safe to say that, with 

the possible exception of some Canadian and British officers, all the guests were in awe 

that an infantry unit in close proximity to the front line could have such a lavish and wellstocked 

bar. We didn’t tell them, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!” 

Our visitors would soon drift out onto the patio, overlooking our well dug-in Battalion HQ 

and support companies. I recall chatting with an American general who expressed mild 

surprise about the remarkable state of readiness of the troops below in this “reserve” 

position. In due course they got to the buffet tent, and there the incredulity became 

complete - the tables were loaded with baked hams, roast turkeys, rare roast beef, and 

2 RCR bunker, located on the reverse slope of 

defensive position, Dec 51, Nabu-ri Valley. 


Soldiers of the 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment in Korea. 

a whole baked salmon, with all the garnishments one would find in the best restaurants 

in the world. All presided over by army cooks decked out in white and looking for all the 

world like cordon bleu chefs. 

It was a repast and a spectacle that almost defied comprehension, and it became clear 

to us, the officers of The RCR, that few of the guests realized the Chinese front line was 

less than a mile away. Each of us was privately hoping the Chinese would do their thing, 

and they obliged with their customary afternoon artillery and mortar barrage (they did it 

to zero-in their guns for possible night action). In truth, our guests were not at great risk 

at the party, situated as it was on the reverse side of the hill. They were at much greater 

risk as they quickly departed, having decided that they had important matters to deal with 

elsewhere. General Ridgeway was among the first to beat a hasty retreat. 

The legendary stature of The RCR went up another big notch that day. We had earlier been 

the subject of an editorial cartoon in the American “Stars and Stripes” tabloid newspaper, 

showing our troops in the line with cap badges glistening as they polished the barbed 

wire barricades. Our men took great pride in it; fact was, we were sticklers for discipline 

and spit and polish. As evidenced by the American debacle on Hill 355, discipline pays off 

and saves lives. 


AFTERMATH 

My company commander, Kitch Wildfang, and I headed happily down the long trail to 

our company’s forward position. It was dusk when we reached the cut-off at the base of 

our hill, but Kitch wasn’t quite ready to go “home”. After a short pause, he drew his pistol 

and pointed across the valley, saying “What say we go get ourselves a Chink?” It was a 

rhetorical question, Kitch having already turned down the path leading toward Chinese 

territory. He hardly needed to ask – we were both looped, and I agreed it was a great idea. 

We reached the other side of the valley without incident, and started up a narrow, winding 

trail leading to the Chinese positions high above. It is probable that only our state of 

inebriation saved us. No night patrol could have made half as much noise as we “quietly” 

cursed and stumbled up the hill. The Chinese must have thought a major attack was 

beginning, and they opened fire much sooner than they would have normally. The fire 

was heavy and it smartened us up rather briskly. We retreated to the relative safety of our 

company position and, fortunately for our men, enjoyed one of the quietest night in weeks. 

Perhaps our two man patrol had had a beneficial effect. 

Many months later an officer of the Royal 22nd Regiment went on a one man patrol 

following a party at divisional headquarters, and lost an arm when the Chinese opened fire 

on him. He had been scheduled to be sent home two days later. 

THE UNITED STATES MARINES 

At a much later date, 2 RCR was on the left of the brigade front, still in the front lines, when 

the 1st Regiment of the U.S. 1st Marine Division moved in to our immediate left. By this 

time I was Battalion Intelligence Officer, under Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Corbould, and 

Left: General Matthew B. Ridgeway 

with Brigadier Rockingham. 

Right: Chinese soldiers man a bunker. 


Men of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment of 

the U.S. 1st Marine Division. 

I was dispatched to extend his greetings 

to the CO of the Marnie regiment and 

invite him to lunch. This estimable 

officer (his name was Colonel Sidney S. 

Wade) said he had always admired the 

Canadians, and would be delighted to 

come over for lunch – “Would tomorrow 

be O.K.? In the meantime, I’ve been 

saving a jug for such an occasion, so 

let’s celebrate!” He then produced a 

bottle of bourbon and we adjourned to 

a quiet spot on the hillside where we 

tossed back a couple of slugs from the 

bottle. 

Colonel Wade arrived promptly at 

noon the next day, and was escorted to 

the officers’ mess tent. As he chatted 

with Corbould, our mess sergeant 

interjected to take his cocktail order. 

Wade’s astonishment at seeing a 

white jacketed N.C.O. became even 

more complete when he saw the wellstocked 

bar, and total when his requested bourbon was served in a fine 

crystal glass with The RCR cypher etched on one side. He had had no previous direct 

experience with Canadian or British units, and found it near incomprehensible that an 

infantry battalion in a frontline position could have such a “luxurious” officers’ mess, or 

that it would be tolerated by military authorities. Corbould gave him the standard Royal 

Canadian response to such questions – “any damned fool can be uncomfortable!” - before 

going on to explain the customs and traditions of the British and Commonwealth armed 

services. 

Unfortunately, Wade’s visit presaged a virtual invasion by Marine Corps Officers, who “just 

happened to be in our vicinity” almost daily at lunch time. We found them fine fellows, and 

welcomed their visits – except for one unfortunate trait. The U.S. Marines were afflicted 

with rampant kleptomania, and they accomplished what neither the Chinese nor the North 

Koreans could do. Within weeks almost our entire inventory of glassware disappeared. It is 

probable that some of our fine glasses still adorn bar shelves in the homes of long-retired 

Marines across the United States. 

HOMEWARD BOUND 

The 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment was replaced in the line by the 1st Battalion 

in early May, 1952. There were two officers not included – Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon 

Corbould and his intelligence officer, me. On the way north to replace us Lieutenant- 


Lt.-Col. Peter R. Bingham, DSO, CD, CO of 

1 RCR, 09 Aug 50 – 31 Jul 53. 

Colonel Peter R. Bingham, CO of 1 RCR, took his troops into the hills on a training exercise. 

He was wounded when he managed to trip an anti-personnel mine and, to his everlasting 

embarrassment, became the only casualty of that exercise. Rather than delay the rotation 

until a replacement could be flown over, the authorities decided to leave Corbould in 

place temporarily. Corbould, in turn, wasn’t going to be stuck there alone without some 

support – which happened to be me. 


The USNS Simon B. Buckner carried 2 RCR 

from the Far East to Seattle. 

The battalion turnover process was carried out in a systematic and orderly manner: A 

Company, 1 RCR relieving A Company, 2 RCR, etc. The average ages of the incoming and 

outgoing troops were essentially the same, but there the similarity ended; the new troops 

looked and acted young, immature and apprehensive, whereas those leaving had the 

look and demeanour of the mature, seasoned men they had become. War can never be 

considered worthwhile except, perhaps, on one score - the enforced discipline, the shared 

experiences, the camaraderie - all of these things help ensure that those who survive have 

been transformed from stripling youths into men. 

I had the unenviable task of taking a succession of green and often frightened young 

officers and N.C.O.s on “training” patrols into Chinese territory. But first I had to make 

those frightening low-level flights in the Auster. After first briefing each new patrol, I would 

lead the men, usually at night, through the wire, down out of the hills and across the valley 

toward enemy positions. I said “toward” for very good reason; as I was supposed to be on 

my way home with the rest of my battalion I was somewhat reluctant to take unnecessary 

chances of becoming a permanent part of the terrain. The objective was to familiarize the 

new guys to field conditions, we would disengage promptly once contact was made. 

I caught up with the 2nd Battalion south of Seoul later in May, after a new battalion 

commander had been flown in, just in time to join them for the rest of the journey home. 

The first leg, to Japan, was delayed for a very practical reason – the high incident of 


venereal disease. VD, mostly contracted by men on R and R in Japan, had become a 

serious problem which military officials did not wish to see transported back to families 

in Canada. There were almost daily “short arm” inspections, and those having VD were 

returned to the reinforcement pool and remained in Korea. These inspections continued 

in Japan, the last being carried out minutes before boarding ship in Yokohama. Again, 

those infected were recycled back to Korea. Regular inspections were made during the 

21-day Pacific crossing, with a special check just before disembarking. Back to Korea for 

the unlucky ones. 

We were on a U.S. Navy-run transport, the USNS Simon B. Buckner, along with many U.S. 

military men and their dependants, en route home from occupation duty in Japan. The 

weather was good all the way, and the journey was very pleasant in every respect save one. 

As happened on the outbound trip, the ship’s officers confiscated all the visible liquor in 

our (Canadian officers) cabins. We were only days from port, with a big party planned for 

the same evening, and we had almost no booze! Unfortunately for me, a couple of chaps 

knew the secret of my private stock, which I was taking home to Saskatoon. As intelligence 

officer in Korea I had a heavily-locked wooden locker boldly proclaiming: “SECRET 

INTELLIGENCE DOCUMENTS.” A ship’s officer decreed that it be placed under 24-hour 

guard, and so it was. In truth, the original content had been turned over to my successor, 

and replaced with a considerable number of bottles of scotch, rye and gin, plus one bottle 

of champagne. I was under insurmountable pressure to consider the good of the unit, 

and my cache was very soon depleted. I was left with the single bottle of champagne. 

But the party in the main lounge was a huge success, featuring entertainment provided 

by the ship’s passengers and, for a select group, very intelligent liquid refreshment. The 

entertainment highlight, especially for the numerous Americans, was the somewhat tipsy 

sergeant-bagpiper from the regimental band, in kilt and full regalia. What a blast! 

On 28 May, 1952, 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment arrived back in Seattle, 

from where I had embarked some 15 month earlier, leaving my young bride on the dock. 

There was just enough time to make calls to family and friends back at home before we 

boarded the train that would take us north to Canada and then eastward. But before 

crossing the border there was a final, surprise, “short arm” inspection. Another half dozen 

young soldiers were found to have VD. They were taken from the train and sent back to 

Seattle. There must have been some very difficult explaining done, and perhaps some 

tragic consequences for young men with wives and girlfriends expecting to see them 

within days. 

Betty-Joan met me in Regina in a tearful but joyous reunion. Of the 18 months we had 

been married, only a couple of months had been spent together, and those over a year 

earlier. And now there was a son to meet, but first we had a great deal of catch up to do. 

B.J. had reserved a room at the Saskatchewan Hotel, where we spent two days in a belated 

extension of our earlier 2-day honeymoon. Son Rick was being taken care of by B.J.’s folks. 

The much-travelled bottle of fine French champagne was put to good use on the first 

evening. After then spending a couple of days in Saskatoon, meeting my son for the first 

time and visiting other family members, Betty-Joan, Rickie and I went north to Waskesiu, 

where we stayed in the Hillyard’s shack tent for about a week. 

As almost the only Westerner in my unit, and having returned to the West after discharge, 

there was no opportunity to maintain direct contact with any of my army friends. However, 

I did maintain correspondence with my best friend, Lieutenant John Starr Hamel, who 

returned to his home on Pelee Island, Canada’s southernmost point in the middle of Lake 

Erie. In early 1981 I learned from Starr about the upcoming 100th Anniversary of The Royal 


Canadian Regiment, to be held at Wolseley Barracks in London, Ontario. We decided to 

attend, and meet again after nearly 30 years. Some 8,000 retired and still-serving Royal 

Canadians came to the party, including His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of 

Edinburgh, who had been Colonel-in-Chief for nearly 30 years at that time. 

It was a marvelous reunion of old soldiers. I saw men such at Major Joe Caron, with whom 

I graduated from OTC Brockville and had last seen at Vernon, B.C. in 1945 as we prepared 

to engage in the Pacific War; Major Freddie Vine, an earlier company commander; Major 

“Sly Sam” Mackness, whose bank-economist son went on to become the president of the 

University of Manitoba; Dr. Bob Stevenson, the 2 RCR medical officer who sponsored a 

young Korean boy to study medicine in Canada (Kim lived with us for a winter in Winnipeg 

while he was a pre-med student at the University of Manitoba); Eric Devlin and Frank 

Poole, with whom I had served in my Korean posting; Scotty Morrison, who had been the 

Mortar Platoon sergeant. And countless others whose names now, unfortunately, escape 

me. 



Sons of 

Scotland 

Perform for HM the Queen and HRH Prince Phillip 

From 05-22 August 2015 a member of The RCR, Major Dave Johnston 

(who last served at CJOC HQ before retirement) travelled with the Sons 

of Scotland Pipe Band from Ottawa to Ireland and Scotland. The band 

conducts the annual trip to Scotland to participate in Pipefest in Edinburgh 

and the Worlds Competition in Glasgow. This year the band had the added 

privilege to be invited to a mass bands concert for the HM The Queen and 

HRH The Prince Philip in honour of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir 

John A. MacDonald. The concert was conducted at Her Majesty’s Scottish 

residence, Balmoral Castle. The participants included several bands from 

across Canada as well as guest drummers and pipers from Australia and 

New Zealand. 


Drum Majors meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 

II, HRH The Prince Phillip, and 

Princess Sophie 

Major Dave 

Johnston (Ret’d) 

with his wife Linda 

at Balmoral Castle 


Visit The RCR website at: www.thercr.ca 


The Royal Canadian Regiment Voluntary 

Contributions Program 

The purpose of the Voluntary Contributions Program (VCP) is to provide funding for 

Regimental initiatives benefitting individual members of the Regiment, as well as to 

support major Regimental projects and operations. A portion of the contributions 

received will be invested in order to aid in the financing of longer-term projects, thus 

ensuring that the Regiment retains the capability of maintaining historical traditions and of 

defining and promoting the distinctiveness of the Regiment. 

From its inception, the VCP rates have been pro-rated by rank, with more senior ranks 

asked to contribute a larger individual monthly contribution than junior ranks. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

What VCP rate should I be paying? 

Remaining a paid-up contributor, in accordance with your rank, to the VCP is one 

criterion for receipt of the Regimental departure gifts upon retirement. These Regimental 

departure gifts or entitlements include the Regimental scroll and coin after two years 

service in the Regiment; and the Soldier of the Queen statuette for 20 years or more of 

Regimental service, if contributing to the VCP. 

As of 1 July 2013 the new monthly VCP rates by 

rank will be as follows: 

• Pte $5.00 

• Cpl/MCpl $6.00 

• Sgt/WO/MWO $10.00 

• CWO $15.00 

• OCdt/2Lt/Lt/Capt $12.00 

• Maj/LCol/Col $20.00 

• General Officer $35.00 

What does VCP support? 

• Free issue of accoutrements (e.g. initial 

issue of cap badge, buttons, PT shell, 

Sergeant’s sash) 

• Regimental Departure Gifts 

• Tributes (e.g. flowers) sent on behalf of the 

Regiment 

• Support to The RCR Association Bursary 

• Support to The RCR Pipes and Drums 

• Support to Regimental operations 

• Bookkeeping/Accounting/Banking 

Enhanced Departure Gift 

Soldier of The Queen 

For more information visit: 

www.thercr.ca 


THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT WAREHOUSE 

Prices are subject to change. Visit the Website for the latest prices. 

Regimental Item 

Stock 

code 

RCR Banner 3’x6’ 

RCR Banner 18”x36” 

RCR Banner Desk 

RCR Ceremonial Buckle 

Pace Stick Black 

FLAG01 

FLAG02 

FLAG04 

CER0001 

DRL004 

1897 Infantry Pattern Sword Officer DRL003 

Ceremonial Sword Knot Infantry Officer 

Ceremonial Sword Belt White Leather 

RCR Cap Badge Metal NCM 

RCR Cap Badge Bullion Cloth MWO - Officer 

RCR Blazer Crest, Cloth – All Ranks 

RCR Blazer Crest – Metal – All Ranks 

DEU VRI Belt Buckle 

DEU VRI Button 26 L Pocket 

DEU VRI Button 30 L Jacket 

DEU RCR Collar Dogs 

Infantry Sash Sergeant 

Infantry Sash Crimson WO - CWO 

DEU Shoulder Title Metal 

DEU Shoulder Title Cloth 

Mess Dress Button 24 L 

Mess Dress RCR Cummerbund 

Mess Dress Cuff Links SNR NCO 

Mess Dress Cuff Links Officer 

Mess Dress Color Dogs Silver Officer 

Mess Dress Shirt Studs SNR NCO Set 

DRL006 

DRL007 

CB0007 

CB0011 

DRES22 

DRES21 

BELT08 

BUT03 

BUT04 

DRES18 

DRES45 

DRES51 

DRES36 

DRES58 

BUT02 

DRES74 

DRES002 

DRES003 

DRES73 

DRES005 


Regimental Item 

Mess Dress Shirt Studs Officer Set 

Stock code 

DRES006 

1 RCR Decal DECALS1 




Tie Pin NCM 

DRES007 

Tie Pin Officer 

DRES008 

Mini Regimental Colour and Queen’s Colour Sets Flags Colours 

The RCR Association Blazer Crest 

DRES26 

Epaulette The RCR Association 

DRES15 

The RCR Association Decal 

decals5 

Lapel Pin The RCR Association 

LP0010 

Ball Cap RCR Cap Badge Debussed (Black Only) 

cap003 

Ball Cap “Retired Army RCR” 

cap004 

RCR Garrison Shoulder Patch (90’s Garrison Work Dress) DECAL 07 

Tie Regimental, Polyester 

DRES33 

Tie Regimental, 100%Silk 

DRES34 

Lapel Pin RCR Cap Badge (New Type) 

LP0011 

Lapel Pin VRI Cypher 

LP0015 

Support the Troops Yellow Ribbon w/ Cap Badge 

LP0023 

ALSO AVAILABLE: 

• Regimental PT Kit 

• A variety of Hats 

• Regimental 

Accoutrements 

Sets (Officer and 

NCO Service and 

Mess Dress) 

• Regimental and 

Canadian Flags 

(Miniature and 

Full Size) 

• A wide variety 

of Regimental 

memorabilia 

• Sanctioned Army 

Officers Swords 

and Pace Sticks 

• Full selection of 

Canadian Medals both 

Civilian and Military 

• Mounting Services 

• Departure Gifts 

• And many more items 

Please visit our Web Site at www.thercr.ca/warehouse/ 

Or contact our Order Desk by Telephone at 613-687-5511, extension 2871; 

or by Fax at 613-588-5932. 

Our mailing address is: 

Regimental Warehouse 



PO Box 9999 Station Main 

Petawawa, Ontario, K8H 2X3 


THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT ASSOCIATION 

BURSARY PROGRAM APPLICATION FORM 

1. Name of Applicant: 

This application is available online 

Address: 

Postal Code: 

Phone: ( ) 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 recorded 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 GUARDIAN: 

a. A serving member of The Royal Canadian Regiment? 

b. A former member or deceased member of The Royal Canadian Regiment? 

c. Are you a member or spouse of a member of The Royal Canadian Regiment? 

OR 

OR 

d. Are you a member in good standing of a Cadet Corps affiliated with or sponsored 

by The Royal Canadian Regiment? 


If the answer to items 8a, 8b or 8c inclusive 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 

public school 

high school 

university 

11. Please 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. All 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. 

Date: 

To: Bursary Committee, The RCR Association 

Regimental Headquarters 



P.O. Box 9999, Stn Main 

Petawawa, ON K8H 2X3 

CHECKLIST: 

Have you enclosed: Application Form Principal’s Letter of Recommendation 

Final Marks (if available) Acceptance document from University/College 

Letter from CO (if applicable) Community Service letters/references 

NOTE: It is important to send your application with all information complete. Failure to do so 

can jeopardize your chances!! Use the checklist above to ensure all is in order. 


MOVED OR MOVING 

**IMPORTANT**IMPORTANT**IMPORTANT**IMPORTANT**IMPORTANT** 

PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN TO RHQ IF YOUR ADDRESS HAS CHANGED 

Mail to: Regimental Headquarters, The Royal Canadian Regiment, Victoria Barracks, 

PO Box 9999 Stn Main, Petawawa, ON K8H 2X3 

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 Province Postal Code 

Signature 

Phone 


THE LAST WORD 

Feedback is an essential part of ensuring that Pro Patria 

continues to be a journal that reflects the values of The 

Regiment. Please send your suggestions, comments or 

critiques to RHQ, Attn: The Regimental Adjutant. Any errors 

or omissions should be brought to my attention at your 

earliest convenience. 

Thank you to LCol B. Healey for bringing the following to 

our attention with respect to Pro Patria 2014, The Royal 

Canadian Regiment in Afghanistan: 

“R company was omitted from the list of sub-units that 

deployed as part of Task Force 3-08. Task Force 3-08 

was the first Task Force to reincorporate Administration 

Company (Coy HQ, Tpt Pl and Maint Pl – Sup Pl was 

retained at NSE) as part of the BG Orbat.” 


Captain Shawn Neville 

Regimental Adjutant

Pro Patria 2015

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