The following journal entries are the last in a series which offered day-to-day accounts of the RMCC Expedition Club’s recent 2011/12 Kilimanjaro Expedition to East Africa. Click here to read the full expedition article.

Day Twelve 11 January 2012

26173 OCdt (II) Emily Morgan

Today the group was off to the small town of Gisenyi which was situated on Lake Kivu.  The border crossing between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo was very close-by.  It took a long time to navigate out of Kigali and into the Rwandan countryside, but once we were there, it was beautiful.  Rwanda is often referred to the “land of a thousand hills” and the reason for this was readily apparent.  We were surrounded by a beautiful and rich green landscape, and there were hills all around us.

On our way to Gisenyi, we stopped at a center for demobilization and rehabilitation of ex-combatants and genocides recently fled from rebel groups in the Congo.  There, we met with the center’s directors and were given a detailed history of the Rwandan conflict, and  collected statistical and anecdotal information on how Rwanda was slowly letting this who had fled to the Congo in 1994 back into the country through smart reintegration programs. The government had set-up a three month long rehabilitation program to help re-introduce ex-combatants into their old communities.

By coincidence, we had visited the center on the first day of a new program serial, and were invited to watch the opening ceremony. The meeting hall was packed with at least two-hundred people, and they were performing a traditional dance when we entered.  They invited us to sit up-front, and watch.  They welcomed us, and volunteered to share their stories.  With our friend Eric Kabera translating, OCdt Matlock, the Expedition Leader, was called upon to address the crowd. Following this, we heard from an ex-major, a female ex-soldier, and an ex-child soldier.  It felt like we were witnesses to a very private event, and to be invited and welcomed so openly was very humbling. It was a very moving experience.

After concluding our visit, we hit the road again and reached Gisenyi by evening.  It was an incredible day, with the rehabilitation center being one of the most important and significant visits of the trip.

Day Thirteen 12 January 2012

25820 NCdt (III) Jennifer Allan

The Expedition group chose to divide and conquer on this day; OCdts Kisielius, Paquette, Matlock and Raeburn-Gibson proceeded to Volcanoes National Park to observe mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Those who remained behind, OCdts Brown, Lane, Allan and Morgan chose to accompany renowned Film Director Eric Kabera as he scouted potential shooting sites for his upcoming film.

OCdts Brown and Allan began their day with a refreshing swim on the shores of Lake Kivu. They were serenaded by local fishermen returning with the nights catch – truly a unique experience.

Eric Kabera met the group at 10:30 and drove through the roughest roads of Gisenyi, right along the border to the Congo. He was searching for a suitably rugged setting for a particular scene in his movie. The cadets noted the shocking contrast between the Rwandan side and Congo side of the border. The Congo was chaotic and extremely lively, while the Rwandan side appeared more serene and organized. At times the border between the two countries was demarked by no more than a stretch of yellow caution tape.

The group then drove to the Vurunga Hotel to do reconnaissance for further filming sites. As the car passed villages and farms, it was necessary to stop for many photo opportunites. The sheer amount of activity along the roadsides shocked the crew; hundreds of bikes carrying anything and everything lined the roads, vendors were abundant and small children ran alongside on their way to and from school. If the car stopped it was not long before hoards of curious children flocked to the windows.

The two groups converged for a delicious luncheon of goat brochette and to hear tales of gorillas. Following lunch the groups separated again and those with Eric continued to the Vurunga Hotel. The hotel was perched atop a towering volcanic mountain. Upon arrival the group walked through a valley behind the hotel, meanwhile faint drumbeats could be heard throughout the valley. The decision was made to attempt to find the source of the drums; the beats led the curious cadets through the backyards and gardens of the village and eventually to the very top of the mountain. There cadets were greeted by an incredible vista of the surrounding volcanic peaks and the colourful costumes of traditional Rwandan dancers. An truly unexpected and wonderful show followed, at one point during the dance all four members of the expedition were selected to join and attempt to match the skilful steps of the locals – all that can be said is that there is a reason that it is an expedition club not a dance club.

Upon their return to Kigali, the entire Expedition group converged to watch one of Eric Kabera’s most notable films, “Africa United”.

Day Fourteen 13 January 2012

26173 OCdt (II) Emily Morgan

Today we visited a local market that wasn’t meant for tourists.  It was massive, and the smell was the first to hit our senses.  The odour of fish and fruit was overpowering in some areas.  The group went exploring, and ventured inside the large building and got lost in the maze of tight alleyways and market stands.  We all loaded up on fresh mangoes and bananas, and Chris tried on one of the traditional dancing costumes.

Afterwards, we headed over to the soccer field with the Canadian flag and some pump-up music to try to save face from our loss two days before and win a game for Canada.  We were all in our black expedition club t-shirts, and looked very military as we warmed up on the field in formation.  As soon as the game began the skies opened, and we all got extremely wet.  Raindrops the size of bullets hailed down and lightning struck around us, but no one paid attention.  Everyone’s focus was on the game, and trying not to slip and slide on the soaked grass.

The Rwandan team ended up beating us 5-3, but it was all in good fun.  Afterwards we all took pictures, and thanked them for letting us play.

For our farewell to Africa dinner we went to a place called the Republica Lounge and enjoyed local foods. It was a relaxed, but highly enjoyable day, and we showed our Canadian pride during the soccer match of the year.

Day Fifteen 14 January 2012

25755 OCdt (III) Taylor Raeburn-Gibson

We awoke on our last day in Africa at KWETU Film Institute and enjoyed the familiar breakfast that was ready for us. This final day would consist of visits to Rwanda’s genocide memorials.

The memorials were perhaps the most anticipated part of the trip as they are world renowned for the deep and lasting effect that they create in every person that visits there. The first memorial we visited was called Natarama; a former Catholic church a half hour outside of Kigali which has since been preserved as a memorial to the atrocities that were committed there. At this location in 1994, over 5000 Rwandans fled to this church in the hope that it would provide sanctuary and safety from the acts that were occurring. Their hopes, however, were lost and they were all massacred inside and around the church grounds. As we walked onto this site, a feeling of dread and sorrow seemed to linger in the air and it was certain that none of the members of our crew were ready for what we saw inside the church’s walls. Inside the church, the remains of the victims had been preserved as well as weapons, clothing, and other items. As we stood among the dead, the experience felt almost surreal as we attempted to comprehend what we were looking at and how something like this could have happened. Our tour guide led us around the church and then around the grounds and upon the completion of the tour, he shared with us his personal story as a survivor of the genocide. As he described witnessing the death of his father and the events leading to the dead of nearly his entire family, the most unsettling part of the story was how disconnected and unemotional the man seemed. Clearly, the events had taken a serious and deep toll.

The next memorial was only kilometers away and was also a church, called Nyamata. This tour was conducted without a tour guide which allowed each member of our group to go off on their own and have some time for personal reflection. Similarly to the other church, there were the preserved remains of the events that had taken place here. Situated underneath and behind the church were a series of catacombs in which you could descend and observe the human remains that lay there. It can be assured that none of us will forget the feeling that comes over you as you look upon the rows and rows of skulls within the depths of these graves.

After the tours, the crew headed back to the hotel to pack their gear and prepare to depart. After saying goodbye to the crew at the film institute which we had become so close with, we headed into Kigali for our last meal. This consisted of a buffet of delicious traditional Rwandan food; the perfect final meal before the long plane ride home. When we reached the airport we loaded our gear, said goodbye to Ishmael (our driver), and departed for Entebbe Airport followed by Schipol airport in Amsterdam, and then finally Pearson Airport in Toronto. We arrived at 1530 on the 15^th of January and then took a DND van for the last leg of our journey back to RMC. And just like that we were back.

The following journal entries are apart of a series which will offer day-to-day accounts of the RMCC Expedition Club’s recent 2011/12 Kilimanjaro Expedition to East Africa. Click here to read the full expedition article.

Day Nine 08 January 2012

25752 OCdt (III) Christopher Lane

After two days of much-needed relaxation following the Expedition’s summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the group was excited for their next adventure as they ate their last breakfast in Tanzania.  With the crew’s gear packed, we hopped on our Marangu Hotel shuttle that took us on our last scenic trip of Tanzania on the way to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Upon arrival, the crew was forced to deal with an unforeseen complication in the flight arrangements to Kigali, but as had been the case for the entire trip, the issue was dealt with effectively.  An hour later, we were watching a series of fascinating dust tornadoes across the airport’s runway, just before boarding our RwandAir flight.

The flight first travelled east (the opposite direction from Kigali) for a connection in Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania.  Unfortunately, we were unable to explore the port town on the shore of the Indian Ocean; one hour later we were back in the air flying west for Kigali.

On our final approach to Kigali International Airport, it was immediately evident that we were in for a week of spectacular scenery.  Looking out over the wing, all that could be seen for miles were rolling hills.  As we landed in Rwanda’s largest city and capital, it was hard not to think about the significance of where we were.  This was the very airport where former President Habyarimana’s plane had been shot down on approach in April 1994, sparking one of the most horrific atrocities of our time.

And yet, as we met our hosts from the Kwetu Film Institute outside the airport, these horrific images seemed to fade away.  Driving away from the airport, we were all taken aback to see how developed a city Kigali actually was.  With a surprisingly Canadian feel about the city, and the welcoming smiles that met us almost everywhere we went that night, it became increasingly difficult to imagine how a country torn apart by genocide could rise from the ashes to be such a genuinely pleasant and seemingly peaceful place.

Upon arriving at Kwetu Residence, our home for the next week, we unpacked our gear and marvelled at the unique architecture of this brand new hotel.  The Kwetu Film Institute, founded by popular film producer Eric Kabera, is the first of its kind in East Africa.  The two key overarching goals of KFI are firstly to focus on developing the media literacy skills of individual participants, and secondly to contribute to the cultural and economic cohesiveness of the East African Community (Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda and Rwanda).  Eric and the rest of the staff at Kwetu were very gracious hosts to us for our week in Rwandan; our stay in the Land of a Thousand Hills would not have been nearly as memorable without their generosity.

After dinner in town with Oscar, a young student working at the Institute, the Expedition Group headed to bed, excited for what would turn out to be one of the most memorable weeks of our lives.

Day Ten 09 January 2012

25194 OCdt (IV) Alexander Kisielius

I wake up at 0700 in The Kwetu Film institute. I look out the hotel window and gaze upon the beautiful panoramic of Rwanda’s capital city; Kigali. Rwanda is a country of rolling hills, mountains and grassy lowlands. In French, it has been named ‘Pays des Mille Collines’ meaning ‘Country of a Thousand Hills’, and this morning, I can see why.

Taylor and I gather our necessities for the day and head downstairs for a light breakfast. Today the expedition group is traveling to The Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre; the largest permanent exhibition of the Genocide in 1994. The Kigali Memorial Centre was inaugurated on April 2004, on the 10th Anniversary of The Genocide. The Centre provides the Rwandans a place in which they can bury their families and friends. Over 250,000 victims of the genocide are now buried at the site.

The group knew what we were planning on doing that day but I don’t think any of us were ready for the experience we were about to have. We arrived at the centre and were greeted by local guides. They instructed us about the centre, and we started our tour. We began by laying roses on the mass gravesites and then we toured the memorial gardens. The next ten minutes were probably the hardest for me. We were ushered by the remembrance wall and saw all the names of victims written on plaques. They explained how entire families were slaughtered during the genocide, and consequently, only a fraction of the victims could be identified. It was horrifying for me to believe that 18 years after the genocide, only one tenth of this memorial wall was covered. They don’t even know who died.

After the outdoor tour, we were shown into the building where we read about the events leading up to the genocide and then heard testaments from survivors. I have done a lot of research on the Genocide and this consolidation was very important for me. I was able to grasp a thorough understanding of the horrific events in a way that I couldn’t from any multimedia sources available in Canada.

The visit to the memorial definitely set the tone for the rest of the groups’ time in Rwanda. It was hard to explore the city with no emotion knowing what happened in 1994. Our host in Rwanda, Eric Kabera, instructed us that when we returned to the film institute that night, he would show us films that he has produced about the Genocide. He has dedicated his life to raise the awareness of the 1994 genocide through producing films and I recommend anyone who reads this to watch his movies. My return to Canada has been hard with the experiences I have had during the expedition. If I have learned one thing from the disturbing memorials in Rwanda, it is the statement of ‘Never again’.

Day Eleven 10 January 2012

26268 OCdt (I) Stéphanie Paquette

Nous avons commencé la journée, pas la visite d’un marché d’artisans rwandais. Les membres du groupe en ont profité pour acheter des souvenirs et des créations locales pour les êtres chers à qui ils pensent durant ce voyage. Une multitude d’objets se retrouvent dans les différents kiosques dont les vendeurs vous accueil avec « Bienvenu! Welcome! » On peut y trouver des sacs à mains, des robes d’été, des chandails, des peluches ou encore des centre de table, tous dans une variété de couleur qui attire l’œil sans aucun doute. Des produits en bois ou en pierre tels que des échiquiers, des ouvre-bouteilles, des bibelots, des statues et des masques africains.

 Alors que nous étions au marché, des Rwandais jouaient à un jeu appelé Mweso. Il s’agit d’un jeu qui se joue à deux personnes avec 64 graines qui se déplacent d’une des 32 cases à l’autre. L’objectif est d’obtenir toutes les graines de son côté en les volant au joueur opposé. Nous avons donc appris comment jouer à ce jeu. Certains ont eu la chance de jouer contre ces Rwandais qui nous ont enseigné comment jouer. Il faut dire qu’ils étaient très expérimentés, bien qu’à une reprise l’Élof Lane réussit à l’emporter en une joute très serré. Quelques personnes se sont ensuite procuré le jeu, afin de ramener une parcelle de cette tradition africaine au Canada et la partager avec leurs camarades.

Durant l’après-midi, nous sommes allés jouer une partie de soccer amicale contre des Rwandais qui habitent dans le quartier résidentiel où se trouve notre hôtel. Nous n’avons marché que deux coins de rue pour se retrouver devant ce terrain de soccer rustique : du gazon parsemé de roches et des sacs à dos et des arbres comme filet. Rien de plus simple. L’équipe contre qui nous avons joué était nettement plus agile que la notre, bien que nous n’avons pas accordé de buts faciles. Il faut dire que nos pieds ne sont définitivement pas habitués à jouer au soccer sans chaussure sur un terrain où les roches sont en général assez pointues… Nous nous sommes bien amusés, et nous avons déjà planifié une autre partie de soccer ce vendredi.

Nous avons terminé la soirée avec un souper à l’Hôtel Mille Collines. Il y avait de la musique live et l’ambiance était chaleureuse. Cet hôtel est spécial, car il a été utilisé comme lieu de refuge pour près de mille personnes durant le génocide de 1994. L’histoire de cet hôtel est racontée dans le film Hotel Rwanda où on peut voir l’hôtel lui-même où nous avons passé la soirée.

The following journal entries are apart of a series which will offer day-to-day accounts of the RMCC Expedition Club’s recent 2011/12 Kilimanjaro Expedition to East Africa. Click here to read the full expedition article.

Day Six 04 January 2012

24992 OCdt (IV) Eric Robb, Deputy Expedition Leader

We woke up from an incredibly cold sleep.  The roof of our tent was covered in frost from our breath throughout the night.  As I pulled my toque over the bottom of my ears I coughed and weezed.  The lack of oxygen was ever apparent now that we were getting so high.  As I woke the rest of the crew, I couldn’t help but search for the tinge of the soon to be sun as it began to slowly rise far off to the east.  The crew got up, the girls began to man the stove as usual, and kit was slowly put away.  Just from walking around our small campsite I was completely out of breath.  We all gave our ration packs to the girls to heat up, as it would be our only hot meal of the day.  Finally the sun had burst into full over the neighboring mountain peak, and the ground began to steam as the frost slowly lifted into the air.  We packed our bags up for the day and ate our breakfast, discussing what the day would be like, and knowing that if we made good time we could be starting the summit that evening.

Stepping off from the site was always a good feeling.  Walking by other climbers on the path gave us great satisfaction due to the looks that were given to us.  All ten of us with bags the size of totem poles, and a guide in the front and the back was quite the spectacle compared to the groups of three or four, with at least 15 porters and guides scattered around the group.

The landscape had changed from day 3 to day 4 from small vegetation and trees to a barren land of house-sized boulders and scree.  The incline we had begun to tackle was nothing like the previous day when we were scaling the ‘breakfast wall’, however it seemed never-ending.  At each interval that we had thought we reached the top, another ridge appeared, kilometers away.  The fact that the peak of the mountain looked down on us from kilometers above made it easier.

The packs were still around 80lbs at this point of the climb. We were moving at an incredibly slow pace, stopping at 30 min intervals to catch our breath and rest our bodies. I remember seeing small inukshuk’s along the way on top of some of the boulders, which inspired us to build our own.  After about three hours of hiking, we made it to what seemed to be the top of the last hill.  We had a rest and I cut up the remainder of the sausage that I had bought before the hike (whether it had gone bad after 4 days is still up for debate).  A couple of us went to work to build the biggest Inukshuk that we could at the top of the ridge and leave our mark of Canadian heritage.  After completion we marked it with a Canada flag, and were on our way.

Looking out over the next valley was a relief as we could see the summit camp in the distance.  It didn’t look so far, however moving slowly at around 4500 asl would still prove to be a challenge.  Morale was high as we continued on our way.  We were memorizing the Swahili Greeting which you would sing to the porters and they would sing back.  As we began to make our way across the valley, we suddenly became completely immersed in the clouds.  It was one of the most sublime feelings, not being able to see 10 m in front of you, surrounded by slight moisture, completely enveloped in the whiteness.

After another 2 hours, we made it to the base of another large wall.  Our guide told us it would take around an hour to hike, even though it looked no higher than a hundred meters or so.  The rock color had completely changed from black volcanic rock and boulders, to lighter brown rock and scree.  As we made our way up to the top of the hill, we could start to see other climbers’ tents in the different area’s of the summit camp.  Continuing through the different camps, I couldn’t help but notice the smell.  There were ‘toilet houses’ set up in 4 or 5 different locations that were essentially holes in the floor on the edge of either cliff, with the human waste in abundance at the base.  The smell was less intense as we reached the upper part of the camp where climbers stepped off in the morning.  Again, people were looking at us as if we were maniacs with our bags, and Alex and I were still in shorts and t-shirts despite the cold weather.  Most of the other climbers had either just come down from the summit, or like us, were gearing up for the big climb in the morning.

The weather was cold, but the sun was out.  After setting up our tent, we laid down, completely exhausted, as the altitude had really began to take its effect.  Every breath was an effort; we were increasingly light headed, and deprived of every bit of energy and motivation to move.  Despite this, Alex, Nick and I decided to explore the camp a bit, and get our meals ready for dinner.  There were many climbers from all over the world who had seen us come in and were wondering what the hell we were doing.  The general consensus was they had all wished they had taken the challenge and carried everything up to the summit themselves as well.  I felt proud to tell other climbers what we were doing, and I felt even more proud to brand our efforts as Canadian.

After 4 days on rations, I was eager to try something new.  Talking with some other porters, I traded my ration pack for a small portion of what the local guides and porters were eating.  It consisted of a starchy potato-like substance, and a red vegetable and meat sauce that had a serious kick of spice to it.  The porters gladly cut up the rations bread and scoffed down an omelet with salsa with great content.  After dinner we laid down for a bit, and then it began.  In a flash of lightning and thunder, the snow, hail, and sleet began to invade the camp relentlessly.  I couldn’t believe the volume of snow that was coming down from the sky.  In ten minutes there was a few centimetres of hail and snow on the ground.  Anthony and I discussed the practicality of starting our ascent to the summit that evening with our guide, and he gave us the go ahead.  Alex and I stood outside and recorded a video log in the storm, embracing the hail and snow.  What a place to be for your Christmas break, on the equator in Africa in a snow storm!

We got our day bags ready for that evening, put on all of our warmest clothes, and laid down.  We would be summiting in less than 3 hours.  Although some of the group was afflicted with mild mountain sicknes, the anticipation was growing, the moral was high, and we were ready for the top.

Day Seven 05 January 2012

25881 OCdt (III) Anthony Matlock, Expedition Leader

Summit Day began at 2300 the night prior at Barafu Camp. This bivouac is a maze of tents teetering between two cliffs of jagged rocks. The weather is cold and ill-tempered, and when it is not hailing, Kibo, the summit of Kilimanjaro, stands far above. At night, the altitude, stench of the latrines, and bursts of Swahili pierced by spasms of wind-battered tents disrupt anxious sleep. The three hours rest before our final ascent was especially unsettled.

At 2300 the Expedition Group awoke, stomached chocolate and granola, and loaded special daybags with water. My pack carried the satellite phone and the RMC flag raised one year ago atop South America’s highest peak, Mt. Aconcagua. Just before setting off with our head guide, Charles, my stomach, immune to disease thus far – sickened. I dealt with the bad luck behind some rocks, rehydrated, and rejoined the team. By midnight we were good to go and set off into the darkness.

Summit Day on Aconcagua had been in a snowstorm across an icescape. The steep, zig-zag slopes of Kilimanjaro are snowless, and so the darkness, save the moonlight interrupted by monolithic outcrops, is total. One step became another in our order of march as each hour of the night led to frozen camelbacks and exhaustion. Walking into darkness and thinner air after four days of hard rucking and rations becomes melodic: the sound of right, left, your pole, and the scree underfoot. No one was immune to heavy eyelids, and the march upwards, well into its multiple hours, entered into the hardest psychological and physical test many of the expedition members had ever faced.

What I recall most are the headlamps, and more specifically, their psychological impact. Tourist-oriented climbers had a consistent proclivity for reducing the team’s night-vision with blinding white light; however, aside from this, looking up at Kibo was measured by a thin string of wavering light. This illumination dissipated in intensity until the next ridgeline melded seamlessly with the night sky. Those lights which were especially dim and too far to realize movement joined the stars, and each ridgeline yielded to another string of lights seemingly five times longer. Our immediate objective, Stella Point, the edge of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic crater became an ever yearned goal in this dream-like trial to the top of Africa. And still, after hours of climbing, the top of Kibo seemed no closer than it had at Barafu.

Sunrise meant progress. By 0600 the horizon split into an intense orange and the ground beneath our feet gained colour. Looking over my shoulder hardened my resolve: the sun breathed new day onto vast swathes of Tanzanian bush and Kilimanjaro’s sister peak, Mt. Meru. This motivational beauty dampened the night’s hardship.

And then we arrived at Stella Point, beneath the final tracks of the mountain’s retreating snow. The crater below the Point was much larger than expected, and the glaciers lining its wa lls were the size of high-rises. While sweet, Stella was not the objective, and so the expedition team set off once more into thin air along the snowy track for a two-hour march. During this interval, the team was treated by friendly congratulations from an ex-RMC cadet returning from Uhuru Peak, Kilimanjaro’s highest point.

The team spotted the green-tinted sign from a distance, and during the approach mission success washed over us. Upon arrival, we raised the RMCC flag, and took photos with the Commander-in-Chief’s and the Expedition Club’s crests. Immediately following, the team placed calls to family with the satellite phone, and we assembled for departure.

If going up was hard, going down was physically abusive. The team negotiated the slippery scree and hidden rocks in a rapid descent free-for-all. However, maintaining the military order we had demonstrated thus far, we returned together to Barafu camp at 1130 riding a second-wind: the summit, scheduled for day six, had been accomplished a day early despite our heavy loads and initial set-backs.

At this point in time, another unique potential feat presented itself. Speaking with my counterpart and head guide, Charles, an itinerary change would allow the group to leave the mountain entirely and return to the base camp for proper food, sleep and maximization of our time in Tanzania. This would mean the mission had been accomplished in five days instead of the intended seven. The original itinerary would see groups slowly descend via an exit route through a series of camps. The only caveat to this new option would be reaching a distant rainforest camp no later than 1600, so base camp transportation in Moshi could be feasibly arranged. For tourist-oriented groups, this meant a full day’s hike, for us: 4 hours.

Weighing the pros and cons with the Expedition Group, we made the decision to go for it with safety as the number one priority. By 1300 our camp was packed, rations eaten, and rucks fastened. We departed Barafu in its characteristic wind-swept and rainy fashion.

Our rapid descent over the next two hours was characterized by the transition of sub-Arctic terrain to low-level bush as we dashed deeper into the clouds. As blisters are the most common enemy on mountains next to altitude sickness, we had our first foot casualty. The most interesting part of this scenario was our interaction and cooperation with a second chain of command, or “friendly force” — the mountain guides. Charles and his team of four guides, acclimatized to our “hardway” mandate, mirrored our leadership structure. With myself in behind with a slower-moving group and Deputy Expedition Leader, 24992 OCdt Eric Robb, ahead with a faster group closing in on the lower camps, the guides split themselves accordingly – Charles with my group, and his 2 I/C, Joffery, with Robb’s.

The rear group arrived at the first woodland camp by 1430 and linked up with the rest of the team. With Charles’s permission, we continued onto the rainforest camp with a traditional time estimate of three hours. As half an hour remained in our own original objective, we would obviously be on borrowed time. With OCdt Robb’s group carving a path to the rainforest camp, and my own group moving at walking pace, we maintained contact with runners.

My group arrived at the rainforest camp by 1630. As OCdt Robb’s team had come and gone before our objective timing, Charles placed the call for base camp transport. Ahead of my group was another three hours through the rainforest to the park gate.

As the sun lowered, and our guides’ notorious time-estimates led to uncertainty about the distance to the park gate, I raced ahead to confirm transport, and joined OCdt Robb’s group just as the sun was setting. With darkness increasing, OCdt Robb and I ran ahead down curving paths which yielded to open cow pastures and water-logged routes. The endless trek, burning knees, and sore backs were all too reminiscent of our upward hike thousands of metres above less than a day ago.

Once we arrived at the park gate, and confirmed our base camp truck was waiting, we dropped our rucks and fought our second battle: securing a Land Rover from an African government checkpoint at night. Passed from a fixer to a soldier and to the Rover’s driver, in thirty minutes we were bombing back up the route, and successfully collected the remainder of the team. By 2000 the Expedition Group was reunited on board our base camp transport. By 2200 the team had returned to base, and enjoyed a meal, hot shower, and well-deserved sleep at safe altitude.

Over the past five days we had climbed Kilimanjaro via the hardest route in the absolute shortest time possible with an average of 40 kilos each. We had summitted and returned to base in the same day. Charles, over his 15 years of guiding experience, said he had never seen this type of expedition before. Evenmore, we executed the mountain climb in line with our military training and built upon our risk management and reactionary leadership skills. While it was a Seven Summit accomplishment, it was more so one of the best officer-training experiences we have ever had.

Day Seven 06 January 2012

26173 OCdt (II) Emily Morgan

The second I was aware of being awake, the pain hit.  Any movement made it very apparent that we had just spent the previous day summiting a mountain, and then rapidly descending it.  It took quite a lot of mental strength to make it out of bed and begin warming up our muscles.

We had all lost some weight, and we began the recovery process with a large breakfast accompanied with some excellent African tea.  We met our guides and their porters at 11 for a drink, and to thank them.  We asked them to write down the Tanzanian song they had been signing the whole way up the mountain, and that we had been adding our own ridiculous verses to.

The girls spent the rest of the day cleaning the equipment and figuring out how to do laundry in the bathtub.  As soon as we added our mountain clothes to the clean, soapy water, it turned brown almost instantly.  It was a challenge, but we managed to get our clothes to a reasonably clean standard.

The cooking pots were next, which had spent the previous five days on a kerosene fire and were black as a result.  The water turned a similar shade, and our hands took a few days to return to normal.  We had a great afternoon airing out kit, and cleaning, and generally relaxing.  It was nice just to stay in one place for a bit, and to reminisce about the highlights of the climb.

We were joined at dinner by a group of Norwegian girls who we had succeeded in annoying thoroughly on the final night ascent by singing at the top of our lungs “We’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes.”

It was a very pleasant, relaxing day which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.  We avoided any kind of downhill slope as our leg muscles couldn’t take it, and when the hotel staff saw us moving about, wincing, they would say with bemused expressions: “pole pole!” which was the Swahili word for slowly.   We found out the hard way after a three hour dinner in which we had been sitting the whole time the importance of staying active so our muscles wouldn’t become too stiff.  We all rose from the table to immediately sit back down, wincing in pain.

All in all it was a very pleasant change of pace compared with the previous days, and we had entertained ourselves to no end with the laundry and pot cleaning episode.  We spent the evening in the hotel bar talking with the other guests who had just finished climbing as well, and swapped entertaining stories about our adventures.

Day Eight 07 January 2012

25739 NCdt (III) Brittany Brown

After our second painful wakeup at the scenic Marangu Hotel, the mountain was barely visible but the imposing silent screams of our recovering limbs reminded us how close the expedition still was to our hearts and how not so long ago we had all found a piece of ourselves in summiting Kilimanjaro. The meeting was set for 0800 after breakfast as we set off in a land rover and jungle van for a safari through the Arusha National Park. It was a typically bumpy two hour drive through Arusha and as always we witnessed all sorts of behaviours and local habits, some of which seemed strange and others incomparable to our Canadian customs. The sight of parents accompanied by their helmetless infant on speeding motorcycles or buses passing other cars or passing large trucks in busy traffic on single lane dirt roads was not unusual.

As the convoy pulled into the Arusha National Park entrance to cover entrance fees we took a quick glance at informative posters on fauna and flora typical to the area as well as a inaccurately sized park model where we joked about mammoth looking elephants seemingly scaling the mountain. As we took off into the park ‘Christmas,’ our driver, drove us straight into what is known as ‘little Serengeti’ where to our great surprise we immediately saw a couple of ‘dancing’ giraffes, a family of warthogs and a large herd of zebras. As we all stood under the raised roof of the land rover and safari van, we observed the wildlife through binoculars as our drivers pointed out a few interesting facts and explained the observed behaviour.

Following this initial encounter we set off in what quickly turned into rapidly changing scenery and landscape as we drove up towards the crater rim to observe from above. The wide range of birds and butterflies at the small museum was impressive as we opened unlocked drawers leading us to a wide range of preserved specimen which we could touch and closely examine, something you would rarely find in Canada.

As the safari continued we drove up and through the new and clearer landscape to a lunch point overlooking the lakes. It was nice to have everything from transportation to lunch boxes arranged for us after what had been a demanding week in the mountain. We enjoyed lunch in the company of an RMC graduate we had met at Marangu Hotel and also crossed paths with on summit day. Although it seemed we had been attached at the hip, this was the last moment shared in Africa. The view was breathtaking and we set off for the lakes where we saw more giraffes and warthogs on the way. We took another break at the lake and observed the flock of flamingos and large herd of giraffes across the small body of water.

The safari carried on into a laughing fest as we watched baboons in amusement. They seemed undisturbed by our presence and carried on in feeding off a lakeside tree only meters away from our vehicle. There were a few babies but it was only when two larger baboons feuded and took off in our direction that we realized the sheer power and unpredictability of the monkeys. Their roars resonated as we watched then chase each other up the trail ahead. Many considered this to be their favourite part of the Safari. As the tour concluded we were able to get a good glance at waterbucks, zebra, warthogs and buffalo in front of the scenic backdrop of the imposing dormant volcano.

After a long day in the wild we returned to Marangu Hotel and enjoyed a final supper with two of our members returning to Canada the next day.

The following journal entries are apart of a series which will offer day-to-day accounts of the RMCC Expedition Club’s recent 2011/12 Kilimanjaro Expedition to East Africa. Click here to read the full expedition article.

Day Five 02 January 2012

25037 OCdt (III) Nicolas Métayer

0700, le groupe ce lève complètement racker de la première journée. Nous prenons un petit déjeuner et ramassons le camp Baranko pour ensuite partir pour une autre grosse journée de marche. Très vite, le climat changea avec l’altitude ce qui nous permettait d’avoir des vu très impressionnantes avec la taille des arbres réduites.

Les guides nous ont informé que nous devrions marcher pendant 6 heures. Après 2h de marche, nous pouvions enfin apercevoir le sommet, il semblait tellement loin encore ! C’étais une journée beaucoup plus facile que la veille étant donné que nous savions ce qui nous attendait et avec un petit 10 livres de moins de nourriture. Plusieurs passages nécessitaient une chaîne humaine pour monter les sacs. Ces parois étaient très abruptes, mais l’Élof Robb, Kisielus et Métayer ont décidé d’y aller pour de l’escalade improvisée avec les sacs. Selon moi, c’étais mon point marquant du jour. 

Durant le diner, nous avons brièvement parler à un randonneur qui devait descendre d’urgence à cause de problème pulmonaire. Cette rencontre nous a une fois de plus rappelé ce que le propriétaire de l’hôtel nous avait dit : «respecter la montagne». Personne n’était a l’abri des symptômes que pouvaient causer l’altitude. La journée continua et finalement après 9 heures de marche, nous sommes arrivés au camp ou toutes les routes ce rejoignaient. Nous avions enfin fini avec la route Umbwe !

Day Six 03 January 2012

25820 OCdt (III) Jennifer Allan

On Day 3 the RMC Expedition Crew awoke to a blazing sunrise at Camp Baranco. The towering cliff faces magnified the warmth of the morning rays, making breakfast a pleasant affair. But as the group packed away the tents and equipment, their eyes were often drawn to the impressive rock wall that dominated the camp. The cliff face provided striking contrast to the long colourful train of trekkers and porters that were winding their way up the near-vertical slopes.

Firmly gripping their hiking poles and cinching the straps on their rucks, the crew stepped off. As they drew closer to the base of cliff it cast a shadow over the group, however spirits remained high. The terrain that followed was some of the most challenging encountered by the group thus far. Initially the chief guide, Charles, demanded that packs be removed and passed up by skilled porters, however the group insisted on proving their strength. Noting their success, the guide acquiesced. Scaling rocks and inching their way along convenient crevasses, the group slowly made its way to the top and enjoyed a dizzying view of the valley and tiny climbers below. The cliff marked 300m of elevation and an impressive start to day 3.

Almost immediately the trail dipped into the depths of another valley. The terrain was riddled with glacial rivers trickling through the gravel. As the group climbed up and over the far side of the valley they were greeted by the eerie sight of Uhuru Peak shrouded in clouds. The terrain changed to that of a high-altitude tundra; the vegetation was sparse and low clouds drifted across the landscape. The terrain dictated a change in the attitude in which the climbers approached the hike; the guide was able to provide landmarks and destinations to show progress, as opposed to abstract timings. This differed from the never-changing vegetation seen in the rainforest.

In the final approach to Camp Karanda the crew had to navigate a series of vast slippery slopes, cross a small river and ascend a final slope underneath an immense overhanging rock. As the Kili Crew finally hefted their packs into camp, they were greeted by looks of admiration from porters and fellow hikers. These simple acknowledgements served to boost group morale and a tangible feeling of accomplishment pervaded the camp that evening.

Camp amenities included spectacular views of Kilimanjaro snowy peak and as the group readied for bed, there was much excitement at the thought of the coming summit bid.

To read previous dispatches click here.

Cadet Expedition Receives National Coverage

The Globe and Mail featured print and online versions of the RMCC’s Expedition Club’s 2011/12 Kilimanjaro Expedition this past week.

The following journal entries are apart of a series which will offer day-to-day accounts of the RMCC Expedition Club’s recent 2011/12 Kilimanjaro Expedition to East Africa. Click here to read the full expedition article.

Day Three 31 December 2011

25194 OCdt (IV) Alexander Kisielius

OCdt Eric Robb, the Deputy Expedition Leader, and I wake up early on New Year’s Eve in our room at the Heron Court Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The night was filled of tossing and turning as mosquitos busily flew around our heads. All I could think about was what the doctor told me about the symptoms of malaria and which one of us left the window open. We woke up 0700 sharp in order to eat breakfast and to pack all of our gear for our 0800 timing. Today we were travelling to Tanzania, a neighboring country to Kenya where we would catch the first glimpses of Mount Kilimanjaro.

We load our kit onto the minibus then check out of the hotel. Before we leave, I run back up to our room to grab a book I had left on the table. When I returned to the room, I could see that the cleaner had already found the Kenyan shillings we had left as tip. To my surprise, I had also found that the cleaner had found something else; a three day old sandwich I had thrown in the trash. I was stunned. I have never had a personal experience where I’ve seen this level of starvation and the experience was eye-opening. From that day on, I vowed to never waste food again.

I return to the bus in silence to reflect on what had just happened. I talk to no one. Our bus weaves through Nairobi’s chaotic downtown traffic. No car yields for another and the only way to penetrate traffic is to hold the horn while the passengers pray. The only traffic directives drivers abide by are the massive speed bumps strategically placed everywhere. As uncomfortable as the driving is however, it is an adventure. And I love adventure.

The bus departs the urban sprawl of Nairobi and the landscape quickly evolves. Sky rises make way to small mud huts and busy downtown streets transform in tradition into cattle herders dressed in traditional Masai clothing. As we approach the border, we can begin to see the silhouettes of peaks in the distance. In my head I mull over how hard the journey in front of me is going to be. I look at the rest of the group around the bus and can tell that I am not the only one thinking about it.

At a point in the trip the bus pulls off to the side of the road for a chance to stretch our legs. I run across the road to say hello to two local children. They are holding sticks which are used to shepherd their cattle. I ask to take a picture but they are shy and say no. Instead they ask me if I have any food. The request reminds me of what happened in the morning. I quickly run to the group and we gather a few chocolate bars, pencils, crayons, and sharpeners for the children. The young children are extremely grateful when I return and quickly devour the bars. I am taken a breath by how easy it is to help someone here. I am inspired to help. I want to make a difference.

Our bus crosses the Tanzanian border and after a couple stops to admire some traditional art and to buy some pairs of recycled tire sandals, we finally arrive at our destination: Marangu Hotel. This will be our base camp for the next week as we climb. The group enjoys a dinner prepared by the hotel and we usher in the New Year with local music and shooting stars. Everyone is eager to go to bed early because tomorrow morning we begin our ascent up Mount Kilimanjaro, the Roof of Africa.

Day Four 01 January 2012

25755 OCdt (III) Taylor Raeburn-Gibson

The first day of the New Year began with an early rise at Marangu Hotel as the crew was anxious to begin the trek. At breakfast there was nothing but talk of the adventure that was so close at hand and spirits were high. The crew was then greeted by Seamus Brice-Bennett, one of the co-owners of the hotel. Seamus proceeded with his general briefing for the trek. He discussed the Umbwe Route — the most treacherous — and the camps that the crew would be stopping at along the way. He stressed the dangers of altitude sickness and offered valuable advice on how to combat it effectively. The end of the briefing left everyone feeling focused and ready to go.

With kit already packed the night before, the crew then proceeded to head outside to meet the five guides and their three porters and to transport our kit to the large bus that would take us to the beginning of the route. Our chief guide was named Charles and we quickly understood that he was one of, if not the most, respected of all the guides operating out of Marangu Hotel. Personally, he has climbed the mountain over one hundred times, and has explored nearly every part of the mountain. As we walked by  the dozens of guides, porters, and other tourists departing that day, it became apparent that our group was more unique than most. Our group was young, comprised of four females and six males, and most of all, we each had rucksacks that were nearly as big as some of the smaller members of our team. As we loaded the approximately forty kilogram rucksacks onto the top of the bus, there was much staring, chuckling, and pointing from the audience. It was clear then that we had a very big challenge ahead of us.

After a two hour bus ride, we arrived at the base of Umbwe route, and after signing into the log book, we began the march without hesitation. We departed at 1345 hrs and by the time estimate that was given by Seamus, we were expecting to arrive at our first camp at around 1930. We later learned that the timings given by both Seamus and our guides were not always the most accurate.

As we began the trek it was challenging to get used to the heavy rucksacks. OCdt Paquette was the first to fall victim to the heavy load as she stumbled only minutes from the start of the route and was awarded with her first battle wounds; the first of many to come for the crew. As the hike wore on, we stopped for lunch on the side of the rocky path and had our first IMP meal of the trip. For some, it was the first time eating IMPs. The lunch break turned out to be more exciting than was planned as a family of white tailed monkeys were spotted in the trees above us. Although it was nice to see our first bit of wildlife, the monkeys decided to urinate on OCdt Kisielius which slightly ruined the moment.

With lunch over, we pressed on until nightfall while singing songs, telling stories, and observing the amazing canopy of trees overhead. With nightfall, however, came an entirely new set of challenges as we were forced to move by way of headlamps and the light of the moon. As we hiked, we passed by treacherous drops, steep slopes, and we climbed our way over slippery rocks. Our chief guide Charles kept us motivated by saying multiple times that we were very close, but Charles’ sense of very close turned out to be very different than ours.

When we finally arrived, it was 2130 hrs and we were all exhausted. A quick meal was had, the tents were set up, and within 20 minutes the crew was fast asleep. The night turned out to be not very restful however, as the monkeys had found us again and proceeded to make strange noises all throughout the night.

To read previous dispatches click here.

e-mail to BGen Eric Tremblay – RMCC commandant

Subject: Mount Kilimanjaro

I just wanted to send a quick note of praise.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a group of RMC cadets while I was on holiday in Tanzania.

I spoke with them about the climb that they had planned, as well as the plan to go to Rwanda. They struck me as a particularly motivated, intelligent and keen group of young officers.

My wife and I summited about 20 minutes before they did, and we had the pleasure of congratulating them on their way to the top. Even after enduring all that they had, I was greeted with smiles and enthusiasm from all.

Their spirit, determination, and deportment on and off the mountain made me proud as a fellow Canadian and an ex-cadet.

Bravo Zulu to all.

20756 Brock D. Harrison

Lieutenant-Commander

The following journal entries are apart of a series which will offer day-to-day accounts of the RMCC Expedition Club’s recent 2011/12 Kilimanjaro Expedition to East Africa.

Day One 29 December 2011

25752 OCdt (III) Christopher Lane

Day One on the ground in Kenya.  There has been so much preparation, organization and hurdles to get to this point; there was no doubt that our first morning was a bit surreal.  Looking back now, however, all of the work was worth it just for this one day alone.

After grabbing a breakfast in downtown Nairobi and doing a bit of shopping for necessities at the local supermarket, it was time for us to embark on our first adventure: a guided tour of Kibera.  Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya and one of the biggest on the entire continent, with a population of one million people living within a few square kilometres.

We were met at our hotel by our wonderfully friendly tour guides, a group of four guys not much older than ourselves.  Their company, Kibera Tours, is the only touring business of the slum, serving as a part-time job for the guides.  Once we arrived in Kibera, it was clear that it was not at all what any of us had expected.  The scenery was as devastating as any BBC documentary suggested, but what the documentaries and stories on this famine-struck area did not show was the overwhelming atmosphere of happiness, for lack of a better word.  It was quite special to see such a massive group of people who had so little and lived in such terrible conditions, and yet were so delighted with life.  We were greeted by smiling faces and friendly conversation everywhere we went.

                We had a couple of fixed stops on the tour, one of which was a US Aid funded initiative which helps educate and support women of the slum diagnosed with HIV.  We met Pamela and Sarah, two women who singlehandedly ran the facility that coordinated the treatment and therapy of thirty-six women.  They explained their work and the difficulty they have competing for government funding with similar initiatives which actually do very little work in comparison.  It was quite inspiring to see these women, one of whom was on leave from a full-time job in Australia, dedicating so much time to helping others with such limited resources with which to do it.

                Another stop of interest was our last stop, at which our head guide bought us into his home to share a Coke and to chat about what we’d seen.  As one of the expedition members worded it, the tour was a refreshing perspective on humanity.  It is hard to conceive how many complaints and sources of discontent that can be found in our privileged lives, in such vivid contrast to the people we saw today.  I personally was never expecting this to be an experience which gave me a feel-good aftertaste, and yet I left Kibera in a wonderful mood.  It was the perfect way to start our trip, and morale is rocket-high amongst the expedition heading into Day Two.

Day Two 30 December 2011

26268 OCdt (I) Stéphanie Paquette

Karibu!

Dans la langue Swahili, Karibu veut dire “Bienvenu”. Nous en sommes donc venu à la conclusion que le mot qui se prononce tel que “Karibu” est définitivement l’un des meilleurs mots qui soit à cause de ses multiples définitions extraordinaires : il y a d’abord la bière Cariboo, la municipalité de Cariboo en Colombie-Britannique (où le mot Cariboo est tout simplement partout « Caribou Gaz », « Caribou Motel », « Cariboo Boulevard », « Cariboo Club », etc.), la boisson traditionnelle québécoise Caribou (qui consiste en un mélange de vin rouge et d’alcool fort), et finalement quel bel animal! On me pourrait choisir un meilleur mot pour dire “Bienvenu!” KARIBU!

Notre journée du 30 décembre 2011 a donc débuté avec un délicieux déjeuner à notre hôtel. Nous avons donc pu faire le plein sur du pain frais, des fèves, des céréales, des omelettes, des patates sans oublié le meilleur : des fruits frais et du jus fraîchement pressé.

Pour la journée, nous avions un chauffeur nommé Simon qui nous conduisait en matatu (van africaine) à nos multiples activités. Alors que nous nous déplacions, nous écoutions la station « 91.1 Uptown Radio » ou « 911 Radio » qui faisait jouer de la musique africaine de type pop. Alors que nous traversions les différents villages et communautés, nous pouvions apercevoir des mosquées, des églises, des universités, des habitations très différentes les unes des autres dépendamment de la région et les commerces. La végétation était vraiment extraordinaire. Les arbres, les plantes, les fleurs, les cactus étaient de toute sorte de couleur et offraient un spectacle visuel hors de prix. Notre chauffeur a levé le toit du matatu afin de nous permettre de sortir de notre tête à l’extérieur pour mieux admirer le paysage et tout ce qui nous entourait lors de nos déplacements.

Notre première activité a été de visité Mamba Village où nous avons tout d’abord vu des alligators, ensuite des crocodiles, des tortues, divers espèces d’oiseaux, un bébé girafe, des autruches et une chèvre. Certains d’entre nous sont allés dans l’enclos des bébés crocodiles afin des les attraper. Le reste d’entre nous avons pu les prendre ensuite. Nous sommes entrés dans l’enclos des tortues afin de trouver la plus grosses d’entre elles. La plus grosse tortue pesait, en fait, 17 kg et était âgée de 62 ans! Sa carapace avait un diamètre d’environ 50 cm. Nous avons aussi nourrit la girafe, qui était d’ailleurs très amicale, et certains on pu tenter un duel contre la chèvre.

Pour notre deuxième activité, nous sommes allés voir des bébés éléphants orphelins au David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Les éléphants sont parmi les animaux qui ont les sentiments les plus près des humains. Ils peuvent s’ennuyer, s’attacher à leur proches et ils peuvent même souffrir de pneumonie ou de dépression. Ces bébés éléphants que nous avons visités aujourd’hui sont récupérés dans la nature alors qu’ils sont en détresse après avoir vu leurs parents mourir, le plus souvent dans d’atroces conditions de souffrance. Le seul moyen de sauver ces bébés éléphants est de remplacer leurs parents. Les personnes qui travaillent au David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust se transforment donc en parent pour ces orphelins. Il nous a été mentionné que les éléphants ont besoin de cet attachement à un point tel que si leur gardien décide de quitter ce travaille, il y a des chances que l’éléphant s’arrête de manger jusqu’à sa mort. Au bout du compte les éléphants qui sont gardé pour un période variant entre 3 et 9 ans sont retournés graduellement à leur habitat naturel.

Après s’être arrêté pour dîner, nous avons visité un magasin de poterie et de billes faites sur place. Nous nous sommes ensuite rendus au « Kenya War Cimetary ». Nous y avons vu les tombes de soldats décédés au combat incluant quelques canadiens.

De retour à l’hôtel, nous avons fait une pratique de montage de tentes et de positionnement pour les photos au sommet du Mont Kilimanjaro. Lorsque nous atteignons le sommet, le temps que nous avons avec le « monument/affiche » du sommet est limité, nous devons donc avoir un plan et préparer le positionnement afin d’utiliser notre temps efficacement (surtout avec un grand groupe) pour prendre les meilleures photos possible.

Nous avons terminé la journée avec une dernière activité. Certaines personnes sont allées faire de l’escalade « boulder » chez une connaissance à Nairobi et d’autre sont allés faire l’expérience d’un marché. Nous nous sommes tous rencontré chez Chris Matlock, notre contact et oncle d’Élof Anthony Matlock, pour un BBQ. La nourriture était sans aucun doute vraiment excellente et préparée avec amour. Quelques jeux étaient organisés. En sommes, une journée bien remplie et mémorable.

New ED off the Mark Quickly

By: WJO

Panet House has been around the college since 1903.

From the beginning and up to 1995 it was mostly the residence of the Director of Cadets or the Director of Administration depending on the posting cycle of the incumbent of the day. For a couple of years from 1995 to 1997 (approx) while Yeo Hall was under major construction it was the temporary home of the padres and some other college medical & logistic departments.

Staffs from both the RMC Club and the RMC Foundation (which hopefully will be the focus of an article in the near future) are the tenants these days.

The main services that the Club has been providing to the membership is information in e-veritas 40 – 50 weeks per year; three issues annually of the VERITAS Magazine, and their Web site.

A well stocked and well managed Gift Shop is also available for Ex cadets, college staff and cadets. Purchases may be made on site and Online.

The newest member of Panet House, Executive Director 14356 Michael Rostek, has settled very nicely into his new position. Besides getting to know the Panet House team, the intricacies of his position have kept him busy navigating from strategic to tactical level issues, hour to hour.

Although not officially on staff, he was a constant presence in Panet House on a volunteer basis through most of Oct and up until he moved into his office 21 Nov. Michael’s successful indoctrination was accompanied with other notable changes to Club operations.

He was a big part of the team that ensured the Fall edition of the Veritas magazine met the expectations that members have grown accustomed to over recent years.

His fingerprints are all over the new and much improved Club webpage which is only in its infancy stage.

Some of his biggest upcoming challenges include bringing the Club closer to similar alumni organisations. Mike has already started this process and has been in contact with a number of like minded Clubs – both in Canada and the United States.

Undoubtedly, membership recruiting is the key element of the Club’s existence. The 1979 CMR entry officer-cadet and a 1984 RMC graduate, in quick order, has started the communications with a number of one-on-one conversations in an effort to bring new members into the Club. He has also had dialogue and has encouraged those who have let their membership expire to ‘re-engage’. It may be too early to measure the results but the indicators are very positive.  See more on Mike Rostek

Club members (and current non members – hopefully soon-to-be members) may also recall the article in the December 14, 2011 edition of e-Veritas – Goal: Fresh Look To Determine the Needs & Satisfaction of Ex Cadets.

As the article states: “ In the coming months, the Team will solicit support from many sources, including Branches, Classes, as well as individuals, and all are encouraged to participate and any contribution to this effort will be welcomed.”

Just in case – you are missed on the survey:

At least one reader, 16872 Pete Karagiannis wants to know – “How would you like us to get in touch with you? Email? Postal Service? Phone?.

Best answer to Pete and anyone else who wishes to provide some feedback: Any of the three!

rmcclub@rmc.ca 1-888 386-3762 or 1-613 541-6000 x 6699. (check the webpage for the postal address).

Panet House – Regular business hours – Monday to Friday 0830 – 1630.

Donations to the Foundation

Check out the Foundation Web site

Check out the Club Web site

__________________________________

Calling all Branch Presidents, Class Secretaries and those with an e-mail account through MEGRAM our web site service provider:

Le coin du Président – The President’s Corner…

Au nom de tous les membres du Club, je voudrais remercier le Commandant de CMR à Kingston, le Commodore Truelove, pour son invitation à participer au concert de Scarlets à Kingston le 19 mars 2011. Le concert était superbe et les élèves-officiers étaient en bonne forme tout au long de la campagne de levée des fonds pour le Centraide.

Il y avait beaucoup de membres du Club qui y ont pris part autant que la population de la région de Kingston et, selon tout ce que j’ai observé, tout le monde s’est bien réjoui. C’est des événements comme celui-ci qui mettent en évidence les talents et l’enthousiasme des élèves-officiers fréquentant le collège, et qui, en coopération avec les membres et donateurs des Club et Foundation, nous permettent de réaliser une contribution tangible à l’excellence.

Au cas où vous n’auriez pas encore eu l’occasion de participer à cet événement annuel, vous devriez le planifier pour l’année prochaine.”

On behalf of the membership, I would like to thank the Commandant of RMC, Commodore Truelove for the invitation to attend the Concert of Scarlets in Kingston on 19 Mar 2011. The concert was superb and the cadets were in great form, all the while raising funds for the United Way.

There were many Club members in attendance as well as the greater population of the Kingston area and from what I was able to observe, everyone greatly enjoyed themselves. It is events such as these, that showcase the talent and enthusiasm of the officer cadets attending the College and that in cooperation with the contributors of the Club and Foundation allow us to achieve and make a tangible contribution to the margin of excellence.

If you have not yet had the pleasure to attend this annual event, you should consider it for next year.

Merci / Thank you,

VDV/TDV

19307 Dave Benoit

Président intérimaire/ Acting President

The Club’s Executive Committee and General Council, at their meetings on 21 May last, approved a proposed amendment to Section 14.0 Old Brigade of the RMC Club’s Constitution. In particular, the proposed new new Section 14.3 is important and worthy of attention from all members of the Club for the reasons given in the preamble below. Please read the preamble and vote, using the form provided in the current issue of VERITAS magazine or on the Club’s web site – to be posted soon.

Le Comité exécutif du Club et le Conseil général, ont approuvé une proposition d’amendement à la section 14.0 de la Constitution du Club des CMR lors de leurs réunions le 21 mai dernier. Le projet d’un nouvel article 14.3 revêt une certaine importance et est digne d’attention de la part de tous les membres du Club pour les raisons exposées dans le préambule ci-dessous. Nous vous prions de le lire et d’exprimer votre vote en utilisant le formulaire fourni dans le numéro courant VERITAS ou sur le site Web du Club.

New Article 14.3 – Government legislation ordained, with the opening of RMC Saint-Jean (RMCSJ) in 2008, that there would be two independent, yet interlocking, military colleges in Canada. As a result, they are inextricably bound together with a common goal and common purpose. Nevertheless, they will be somewhat different in their culture, traditions and customs. Of course the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC) is much more established in this sense, but anyone who attended the end of year parade at RMCSJ in May of this year could not have failed to see the pride, comportment and skill displayed by the cadets on parade.

Nouvel article 14.3 – La législation du gouvernement a décrété, avec l’ouverture du CMR Saint-Jean (CMRSJ) en 2008, qu’il y aurait deux collèges militaires indépendants au Canada, mais qu’ils seraient inextricablement liés par un objectif commun. Néanmoins, leurs cultures, traditions et coutumes seront quelque peu différentes. Bien sûr, le Collège militaire royal du Canada (CMRC) a une plus longue tradition, mais tous ceux qui ont assisté au défilé de fin d’année au CMRSJ en mai de cette année n’ont pas manqué de voir la fierté, le comportement et les compétences affichées par les élèves-officiers présents.

The Fort Saint-Jean Branch of the Club now has a new and important role to play in fostering cooperation between both these Colleges and ensuring that the Club is seen as a unifying force to those cadets who, since 2008, have attended, or will initially attend, RMCSJ before moving on (or not) to RMCC. This is simply a logical extension of what the Club has been doing for many years (admittedly not without difficulty at times prior to rapprochement between the RMC Club and le Club des anciens du CMR!) with regard to all the other CMCs that are mentioned in the Constitution, particularly Royal Roads and the “old” CMR de Saint-Jean.

Le chapitre du Fort Saint-Jean du Club a désormais un nouveau et important rôle à jouer dans la promotion de la coopération entre ces deux collèges et doit veiller à ce que le Club soit considéré comme une force unificatrice par les élèves-officiers qui, depuis 2008, ont étudié, ou vont étudier au CMRSJ avant de passer (ou non) au CMRC. Il s’agit simplement d’une extension logique de ce que le Club fait depuis de nombreuses années (certes non sans difficulté à certains moments avant le rapprochement entre le Club des CMR et le Club des anciens du CMR!) à l’égard de tous les autres CMC qui sont mentionnés dans la Constitution, notamment Royal Roads et les « anciens » du CMR Saint-Jean.

In addition, the Fort Saint-Jean Branch has an expanded role, in relation to other Club branches, in that it is the “home” branch for many anciens du CMR de Saint-Jean (i.e. pre-1996) and is strategically placed to foster their participation in Club activities held at RMCSJ. This is particularly true for the members of the Old Brigade, commencing with the CMR de Saint-Jean entry class of 1952, which entered the Brigade in 2002. Since then, Old Brigade activities (welcoming ceremony for “recruits,” badge and coin presentations to first year cadets, participation in special events) have increased with the enthusiastic support of the RMCSJ military staff. As this new College evolves, changes are already occurring with regard to how the Old Brigade will interact with the cadets during RMCSJ Reunion Weekends in mid-September. Old Brigaders will still be in the thick of things, although not in the exact same way as in the past or at RMCC during Reunion weekends there.

En outre, le chapitre du Fort Saint-Jean a un rôle élargi par rapport aux autres chapitres du Club, en ce sens qu’il est la « maison mère » pour de nombreux anciens du CMR de Saint-Jean (pré-1996) et est stratégiquement situé pour favoriser leur participation aux activités du Club tenues au CMRSJ. Cela est particulièrement vrai pour les membres de la Vieille Brigade, en commençant par la promotion entrée au CMR Saint-Jean en 1952, qui fut admise dans la Brigade en 2002. Depuis lors, les activités de la Vieille Brigade telles la cérémonie d’accueil pour les « recrues », la présentation des pièces du Club et écussons aux élèves-officiers de première année, et la participation à des événements spéciaux, ont augmenté avec l’appui enthousiaste du personnel militaire du CMRSJ. Parallèlement à l’évolution de ce nouveau collège, des changements sont déjà en cours en ce qui a trait la façon dont la Vieille Brigade va interagir avec les élèves-officiers lors de la fin de semaine de réunion à la mi-septembre. La Vieille Brigade sera toujours au cœur des choses, mais pas tout à fait comme par le passé ou au CMRC.

For several years now, there has been an Old Brigade representative on the executive of the Fort Saint-Jean Branch. He has been instrumental in helping the Adjutant organize Old Brigade activities, first at Campus Fort Saint-Jean and then, since 2008, at RMCSJ. It seems logical at this time, as RMCSJ continues to thrive and grow, to recognize this member of the Fort Saint-Jean Branch executive formally as Assistant Adjutant in the Old Brigade.

Il y a un représentant de la Vieille Brigade au sein de l’exécutif du chapitre du Fort Saint-Jean depuis plusieurs années. Il a joué un rôle en aidant l’adjudant à organiser les activités de la Vieille Brigade initialement au Campus Fort Saint-Jean, et depuis 2008, au CMRSJ. Il semble logique maintenant, comme le CMRSJ continue de prospérer et de grandir, de reconnaître ce membre de l’exécutif du chapitre du Fort Saint-Jean formellement en tant qu’adjoint à l’adjudant de la Vieille Brigade.

Since the opening of RMCSJ two years ago, the Fort Saint-Jean Branch has obtained office space at the College and now interacts with RMCSJ staff at all levels in the same way that Panet House does at RMCC. As a result, this Branch plays a key role in promoting one culture within the Club. In fact, it is an essential extension of Panet House at RMCSJ and a vital link in the overall operation of the Club. Having an involved Assistant Adjutant will greatly enhance the efficiency of the Brigade and raise the profile of both the Brigade and Club in the eyes of an important constituency of Ex-Cadets, some of whom have been disaffected in the past.

Depuis l’ouverture du CMRSJ il y a deux ans, le chapitre du Fort Saint-Jean a obtenu des locaux au Collège et interagit maintenant avec le personnel du CMRSJ à tous les niveaux de la même manière que le personnel de la maison Panet le fait au CMRC. En conséquence, le chapitre joue un rôle clé dans la promotion d’une seule culture au sein du Club. En fait, il est une extension essentielle de la Maison Panet au CMRSJ et un lien vital dans le fonctionnement global du club. Avoir un adjoint à l’Adjudant permettra d’améliorer grandement l’efficacité de la brigade et d’augmenter la présence de la Brigade et du Club dans l’esprit d’un groupe important d’anciens élèves-officiers, dont certains étaient insatisfaits dans le passé.

There are, if you like, now: Two Colleges, One Club, One Old Brigade and One RMC Family. The aim of this amendment is to ensure, through the presence of an Assistant Adjutant, that the spirit of this motto will not only be maintained, but also expanded.

Il y a, si vous voulez, maintenant deux collèges, un club, une vieille brigade et une famille du CMR. Le but de cet amendement est de garantir, grâce à la présence d’un adjoint à l’Adjudant, que l’esprit de cette devise ne sera pas seulement maintenu, mais également élargi.

ARTICLE 14.0 – OLD BRIGADE

14.1 The Old Brigade is an entity within the Club and shall appoint an Adjutant.

14.1 La Vieille Brigade constitue une entité au sein du Club et elle élira un adjudant.

14.2 If fifty (50) or more years have elapsed from the year of entry into a Canadian Military College, a person eligible for ordinary membership shall become a member of the Old Brigade.

14.2 Lorsque cinquante (50) ans ou plus se sont écoulés depuis son entrée à l’un des collèges militaires canadiens, une personne admissible à être membre ordinaire, deviendra membre de la Vieille Brigade.

14.3 The Adjutant, in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Fort Saint-Jean Branch, shall appoint an Assistant Adjutant for the primary purpose of helping to coordinate activities involving Old Brigade members who have attended the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, Campus Fort Saint-Jean or Royal Military College Saint-Jean.

14.3 L’Adjudant, après consultation avec le conseil de direction du chapitre du Fort Saint-Jean, nommera un Adjudant adjoint dont la fonction principale sera d’assister à la coordination des activités impliquant les membres de la Vieille Brigade qui sont passés par le Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, le Campus Fort Saint-Jean ou le nouveau Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean.

14.4 There shall be an Old Brigade Advisory Council (OBAC) to advise and assist the Adjutant, including the selection of new Adjutants, consisting of the Assistant Adjutant, and one representative from each of at least ten Old Brigade classes

14.4 Il y aura un Conseil consultatif de la Vieille Brigade (CCVB) composé de l’Adjudant adjoint et d’un représentant d’au moins dix promotions de la Vieille Brigade dont le rôle sera de conseiller et d’aider l’Adjudant, incluant la sélection de nouveaux adjudants.

14.5 Notwithstanding Article 14.2, classes may, through written notification to the President of the Club, opt for an early welcome into the Old Brigade up to four months prior to some members of these classes meeting the entry criterion of Article 14.2. Those members of classes opting for an early welcome into the Old Brigade who do not meet the entry criterion of Article 14.2 will, during this four-month period, be entitled to adopt the customs normally accorded to members of the Old Brigade, as decreed by the Adjutant.

14.5 Nonobstant l’article 14.2, les promotions peuvent, en s’adressant par écrit au président du Club, opter pour un accueil anticipé à la Vieille Brigade jusqu’à quatre mois avant que certains membres de cette promotion ne répondent aux critères d’admission exigés à l’article 14.2. Les membres des promotions qui ont choisi l’accueil précoce dans la Vieille Brigade qui ne remplissent pas les critères d’admission à l’article 14.2 pourront, au cours de cette période de quatre mois, adopter les privilèges généralement accordés aux membres de la Vieille Brigade, tel que décrété par l’adjudant.

14.6 Honorary Life Members, Honorary Members and Associate Members are eligible to become members of the Old Brigade upon attaining the age of 67 years except that Honorary Members who become so pursuant to Article 9.4.4, such as an honorary class member nominated for Honorary Membership in the Club, shall become members of the Old Brigade with that Class.

14.6 Les membres honoraires à vie, les membres honoraires et membres associés sont éligibles à devenir membres de la Vieille Brigade à partir de l’âge de 67 ans, sauf que les membres honoraires qui le deviennent conformément à l’article 9.4.4, tel qu’un membre honoraire d’une promotion en nomination pour devenir membre honoraire du Club, sera admis à la Vieille Brigade avec cette promotion.

Translations: By 6426 Serge Arpin (CMR RMC 1966)

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Battlefield Reflection 2010

By: Avery Burns (PICTURE ABOVE)

When I applied to complete my Master’s at RMC in War Studies, I had no idea that in one year I would be standing in ankle-deep mud overlooking the great battlefields of the First and Second World Wars.

For several years now, a group of cadets from RMC are given the opportunity to travel to Northern France and Belgium to bear witness to the battlefields of the First and Second World Wars. Prior to the trip, we attended weekly briefings on the battles that took place on the very fields we were to visit. The classes were very informative and they provided detailed insight on strategies, operations, and tactics of the battles which coincided with narratives of heroism, tragedy, defeat and victory.

The tour provided the opportunity to visualize the battles as they played out. We learned of the great military blunders that took place. We learned what made good leadership, and what made bad, what weapons worked, which ones did not. Guided by LCol (retired) Delaney, Major (retired) Boire and Dr. Hennessy, we were provided professional insight on not only how each battle took place, but which tactics and weapons were used. We were able to see the results of RMC disciplines such as engineering, infantry and armored warfare. To honour those who died, at most of the cemeteries Dr. Lukits read a poem or a other tribute that either honoured or was written by those who had fought and died on those blood soaked fields.

The battlefield tour is important for RMC students to remember some of the greatest moments in Canadian history. Particularly for officer cadets and those studying military, the tour gave us the opportunity to experience the battles of those times. Dr. Jack Pike who also accompanied us on the tour reminded us of the important role RMC played in the war, as he knew every detail of RMC graduates who fought in the wars. It was a very somber but meaningful experience to find the words Truth, Duty, and Valour inscribed on some of the graves.

The weather during the tour was typical for the region; completely unpredictable. For the most part, it was cold, wet and muddy, but not uncomfortably so. We were constantly on the move and completely mesmerized. There was no time to think about weather. It is one thing trying to visualize the wet and muddy battlefields typified in photos, books, and movies. Feeling the weight of the mud on your boots and trying to envision carrying a one hundred pound pack whilst being under fire is another.

I was fortunate to have been able to have this experience. My grandfather fought in Normandy in the Second World War. He only started talking about his experience in the war a few years prior to his death, which was one year ago. Being able to see the very towns where he stayed and where he fought provided not only some closure, but also gave me opportunity to pay my respects to that very formative period of his life.

Canada played such a tremendous role in both wars there are no words that can adequately describe the overwhelming feeling of gratitude one gets when you see the maple leaf on those fields. No one was happy to be missing the great Canada versus US gold medal game for the Olympics and to be missing the intense Olympic fever back home. But I think we can all agree that we experienced an unmatched feeling of patriotism overlooking those fields where our forefathers fought and died.

As a civilian Master’s student, this tour was a phenomenal experience. It provided great insight into some of the greatest moments in our military’s history. It also allowed me the chance to get to know the cadets and learn about what life is like for the typical cadet at RMC. I was so fortunate, and this trip will stay with me forever. It was clearly one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and it truly made me believe that I have chosen the right path for my studies.

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More Reflection…

“We, as Canadians, have much more to be proud about, along with an Olympic Gold medal in the Men’s hockey.”

By: Andrew Vine - (Photo on left)

Our flight had finally touched down in Toronto on Sunday, February 28, 2010. As we climbed onto the bus, we immediately tuned the radio for the Men’s Gold medal Olympic hockey game; it had gone into overtime. Despite our exhaustion, everyone was naturally excited at the broadcaster’s announcement of Sydney Crosby’s goal, only 7:20 into the overtime period. I’m sure I was not the only one from the 2010 Battlefield Tour who was thinking the same thing as I reflect on the events from the past week: “We, as Canadians, have much more to be proud about, along with an Olympic Gold medal in the Men’s hockey.”

Beginning Sunday, February 21 a number of Officer Cadets, faculty and post-graduate students like myself, started traveling throughout the north of France visiting sites of Canadian sacrifice, honor and bravery from the Great War and the Second World War. Respectively, we visited various sites on the battlefields of France and Belgium: Somme, Vimmy Ridge, Ypres/Flanders, Dieppe, Normandy and finishing at Caen and the Falaise Gap. One did not need to be a scholar of history or politics to recognize these names etched into Canadian history. It is however, a truly overwhelming experience to visit the sites that I have read so much about during my short career as a student. With maps in hand, and lead by the expert guidance of Lt Col. (Ret’d) Doug Delaney, Maj. (Ret’d) Michael Boire and Dr. Hennessy, it was not difficult to visualize the battlefields as they were up to 90 years ago. It only took a few days before I realized that not even the perfect picture was going to capture the experience, emotion and spectacle of each site. Instead, I opt to try to live in the moment; embracing my muddy boots, rain soaked jeans and the wind (sometimes Sun) on my face while listening to the narrative of battle. The days were long, but they never felt long. From stepping through the Canadian trenches at Vimmy Ridge or wandering the beaches of Dieppe and Juno, I always looked forward to dismounting from the bus and getting my boots dirty at the next site.

My lexicon increasingly developed over the course the tour. Terms and phrases that were initially foreign to a student of strategic studies, I had begun to scrape the surface of tactical considerations like ‘defilade’ and, ‘enfilade‘ and ‘forward facing slopes‘ and, ‘reverse slopes’. I also learned of an emotional perspective of each battle as well. These historical battles were fought by individuals, with individual families left behind and individual experiences. Sometimes this would be expressed through biographies supplied to us from the tour’s leaders, familial historiographies or the epitaphs written on each soldiers grave. At one of the Allied cemeteries for the fallen soldiers of Dieppe, Dr. Lutkits (English Dept. Head), read a poem entitled “To My Brother” In simple prose, the poem describes the character of a brother who left Canada to help liberate a continent. The silence that followed the reading illustrated everyone’s emotion and thought of all the brothers and sisters who had fought and continue to fight in foreign lands.

Of course, when people spend so much time together, naturally new friendships are forged and existing ones solidified. As a civilian, post-graduate student I quickly felt comfortable and was welcomed into the fold of faculty and cadets. The evenings provided us with a time to reflect and discuss the days events. The evenings also allowed us to relax with a good dinner and familiarize ourselves with the local sites and scenes of the city we were staying in that night.

Canada’s armed forces and the men and women that it is made of, will always be a point of pride and appreciation for myself. After the 2010 Battlefield Tour, it is something I can appreciate much more. The memories and lessons will be difficult to divorce from my continued studies, causal reading and even a national victory at the Olympics games.

Don’t forget to sign up for the RMC Club’s forthcoming tour of Southeast Asia, 11 – 27 March, with visits to Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Melaka) Cambodia (Angkor Wat), Vietnam (Saigon, Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi) , and a final three days in Bangkok!

Sign up by the (extended) deadline of 16 January and save $350 per person!

If you missed it in the last VERITAS, the full brochure and all details including a reservation coupon can be found at http://www.knowtheworldtours.com

Need more info?

Contact KNOW THE WORLD at ktwtours@rogers.com or by phone at 1-800-554-9754

Or drop Mike an email at mfmorres@telus.net or call him at 250-592-8897

This tour is planned by KNOW THE WORLD TOUR ORGANIZERS and led by 5758 Michael Morres (CMR RMC 1963), and is the next in the series following our recent successful tour to South America.

The brochure mailout to NOAC was delayed, so we have extended the early booking deadline for both NOAC and RMCC.

You do not have to be a member of the Club to join the dozen or so who have already signed up for what will surely be a memorable trip!

Bring your friends!

As part of the series about the longstanding relationship between KGH and RMC, and the endearing (mostly) relationships between cadets and nurses, here is another interview, this time from a nurse’s perspective. For previous articles click here.

Interview by E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003)

- 3949 Angus Stuart Armstrong (RMC 1957) and Elgay Jennet Harten (KGH 1956)

E-veritas: How did you meet your husband?

Elgay Jennet Armstrong: The advent of fall in Kingston, Ontario, before the leaves begin to turn multi-hued and the night winds cool, sees the influx of hundreds of young people. They come to devour the outpourings of education offered by Queen’s University, RMC, and two Nursing Schools. Young men and women, often away from home for the first time, seek each other out by the time honored method of the blind date. It should be accepted that there were many a blind date in each student’s career. It was considered a part of the curriculum. My first date with Angus was blind indeed. He had, through a classmate, arranged to take me to the Xmas ball. He thought it would be nice to meet me first and asked me out to a movie.

Describe a typical date.

It took an expert in logistics to rearrange my shifts to accommodate these two events. It had me working three shifts in an orderly row eight hours apart – nights, and then evenings, followed by a day shift. I made it to the movie but slept through most of it. I forgot the rule of best foot forward. It was a small sacrifice made in the name of food, the best thing about RMC balls. Fortunately, Angus saw the humor in the situation. Besides, it was too late to find another date! Thus began our journey that has lasted fifty-two years and counting.

Did you have a car?
It did start off with a car but not while Angus was a cadet. That was verboten and since uniform was walking-out dress, a bit difficult. We bought a Volkswagon Beetle after graduation and that’s what I learned to drive in, much to the terror of the security guards at Base Gimli, the first of our many stops. Every time that Baby Blue Beetle approached the gate, the guard would vacate the guardhouse, run across the road and stand quivering, until I came to a full stop. Sauntering back to the gatehouse, with a big grin on his face, the guard would smartly salute and lift the barrier. This was their summer joke. The head commissionaire lived next door to our humble abode with the holes in the wall and genteel outdoor plumbing.

Describe the flight training.
Angus was, as you may have surmised, Air Force. He started his T-Bird training at Gimli, the weekend after Air Force day 1957. There were sixteen other would be RMC pilots with us. We all watched “the Red Knight” doing his aerobatic display that some how went terribly wrong. He crashed in a mushroom of fire on the airfield a short distance from 36 other manned aircraft waiting for takeoff. It was a sobering experience for seventeen eager young pilots and the three young women whose world this was now to become. Labor Day weekend came. Graduation parade, wings decorated proud chests and summer was over.

Cadets went to civilian universities to complete their studies.
All the new pilots were slated to go to university to finish their engineering degree, an established practice until 1962 when RMC began to issue their own degrees. There was only one small problem.
Some had applied to go to Toronto but none had received replies to their applications. Angus did get a reply on the Friday of Labor day weekend but somehow he had been accepted into third year chemical engineering. He had applied for fourth year mechanical engineering. It was 17 Keystone Cops scurrying madly in all directions. Angus managed to get a phone call into the Registrar of UBC, at his home, on Saturday. He explained the problem. The Registrar’s reply: “If your marks are what you have told me, come. You are accepted.” There was a scramble to make it to the west coast. Some fled back to Toronto and other places but perhaps this explains why so many of the Gimli 1957 wings graduation class also ended up graduates of the University of British Columbia.

Describe your involvement with Pilot training and nursing?

Next stop, a T-Bird refresher course at Portage La Prarrie. I had left a good job in Paediatrics at the Vancouver General. I had the opportunity to be a part of the first child heart surgery done there, new areas of research, exciting learning experiences. Now, while Angus refreshed his Gimli course, I was back to earth, working “staff” in general surgery. There was a large prosperous Hutterite colony in the area and this was my first exposure to an entirely different Canadian culture. I found it very enlightening to talk with them, to see a different prospective on life and with amusement, experience their pity because I was childless after three years of marriage.

Were there any close calls?

Westward Ho to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for instrument training, Here disaster was averted. Angus just wouldn’t buy that it was okay to land on the main downtown street. Seems there was mix up of aircraft identification by air traffic control. It made for a sticky wicket as the British would say. Rather than risk further mayhem from those RMC types, we were all shipped off to Cold Lake, Alberta. Here, the black cloud continued to drift over Angus and his CF-100s. After 2 emergency landings, his present and past experiences saw him and two more of our shining RMC pilots C.T.d.

Was it challenging to balance your careers and a young family?

The order of the day was to re-muster to Aircraft Maintenance and weekend flying for years afterwards. I, on the other hand, gained a great deal of experience working in a twenty- five bed United Church Mission Hospital. It had a crank telephone which you wound up to contact the telephone operator to place a phone call. She was inclined to snore deeply at night and this left me to deliver a beautiful baby girl alone. Both mother and nurse did well.
The military, in its infinite wisdom, followed the rules and sent this soon to be Aircraft Maintenance engineer to be upgraded on high school math in order to qualify him for the new trade. This gave us a summer in Clinton, where stronger local heads prevailed and utilized him to teach calculus part of the time and hone his bridge skills the other half. It was a sad summer. The Harper/Truscott murder case dominated the base and engulfed us all.
Aylmer, Ontario was next and I worked my first stint as a Psychiatric nurse. In the past three years I had managed to repeat my three years’ training by selective job choice. I did not have an opportunity to do a psychiatric clinical in training and found I had missed a lot. It was rough back then with few medications, large wards. ECTs, and even paraldehyde, but I really got to enjoy it and spent many years in this service.
In case it has slipped your attention, we are now up to 8 moves; Gimli, Vancouver, Portage La Prarrie, Saskatoon, Cold Lake, North Bay [contact training waiting for that summer math upgrade], Clinton, Aylmer and finally a ninth – one where we will plant roots for a year or two and it turns out to be the venue of the old soldier who never dies — OTTAWA!
Angus started out as a pilot and ended a thirty six year career in the Air Force as an aeronautical engineer, maintenance officer and an adroit manipulator in the use of duct tape. I worked whenever I could, always starting again at the bottom as a staff nurse and if we stayed long enough, working my way upward. Somehow, we did manage to acquire two male offspring along the way.

You mentioned the need for a sense of humour. Could you explain more about that?

We moved 18 times and if you don’t think that requires a sense of humour, you really mustn’t have one. We lived from Ontario westward to the Pacific Ocean, plus postings to Germany, Sardinia and California. At one point in my life, I had one little German speaker, one little Italian speaker and one Mother trying to hire them out as interpreters. Actually, the youngest did well as a liquor runner for the American troops when he was ten months old on a brief stint with the Buffalo aircraft in Arizona but that’s another story.
I found the focus of this request from e-Veritas, to write as a nurse married to an RMC cadet was not clearly approached. Many RMC cadets did not stay in the military beyond the required three year [at that time] commitment. Some had no commitment, having paid their own way. RMC played a limited role in their family life and future as the newly wed couple settle down on civvy street securely locked into the same place, street, friends and even family… To say that a graduate of RMC and Nurses’ training were left untouched by their education and experiences is ludicrous but my gut feeling was that, unasked, was a desired question, ” What was marriage like for a career Officer and his wife in your day?”

What was marriage like for a career Officer and his wife in your day?

Military life requires adaptability, independence of mind, personal stability and a modicum of humour to offset the obstacles placed repeatedly in your way. That’s for the female half. The male half goes to work. He travels and goes on course. He moves to a new posting and you stay until the end of the school year. Both uproot yourself and your children every two to three years. It’s not easy to find decent housing, new schools, doctors, dentists, friends and jobs but that was what was required – in the early days it paid so well – 400 dollars extra for the move. This has improved a great deal but moving is still a part of military life.

What do you consider the high-light of dating an RMC cadet?

If you date those RMC cadets, even though the food has great appeal [nurses ate from a steam table and got paid not a cent] you need to be prepared to become part nomad and part hermit.

What are you doing these days?

Angus and I were fortunate to have several classmates, mine and his, married to each other. RMC reunions are mini KGH reunions too. Like us, they are all retired now, travel around, go south, fish and attend reunions where the numbers become smaller each year. We are the volunteer generation and can find a great number of things to occupy our time and utilize our expertise. I have switched allegiance from the Health Department to the Justice Department and work in Restorative Justice. Angus has achieved his dream of some how playing with sirens and works in Emergency Planning, Citizens on Patrol and provides the back-up radio communications centre in our basement for the Town of Ladysmith. The thirty foot pole with the two big paper clips on it is in the garden and I am assured that it can be converted to satellite T.V.

Do any anecdotes come to mind?

There are many anecdotes, stories involving other RMC career military types who traveled the circuit with us and events that just happen, good or bad, which stick in your mind. These might make an interesting column for e-Veritas. “How to land a jet aircraft on an icy runway with broken hydraulic lines and only a few applications of emergency air brakes at night at 40 below zero”. A bit wordy for a headline but it does race into the mind. Perhaps then I could tell you how I happened to mother a ten month old rum runner.

Do you have any advice?

The current crop of young people, both in nursing and at RMC live in a softer, less disciplined yet more demanding and dangerous world. The focus is on youth and self. That’s how it should be. All too soon, the reminiscences sought by e-Veritas will be theirs. Until then, rest assured, each fall a new crop of young students will flood into Kingston. The dance of nurse and RMC cadet continues eternally.
E.J. (Gay) Armstrong RN

Le CMR et la tradition équine
15 octobre 2008

Par:  Élof Donovan Huppé (24168)

L’équitation, quel noble et gracieux sport. Depuis des temps immémoriaux, l’utilisation des chevaux a structuré le développement des sociétés, et l’emploi de la cavalerie sur les champs de batailles a modifié l’évolution de la guerre jusqu’aux temps modernes. En ce qui concerne le Canada, l’utilisation de ces équidés est incontestable, comme nous rappelle l’histoire de la Guerre de Boers et de la Première Guerre mondiale.

Il fut un temps où, comme à l’École militaire de Saint-Cyr en France ou comme à l’Académie militaire de Sandhurst en Grande-Bretagne, le Collège militaire royal du Canada disposait de ses propres écuries pour les exercices équestres, qui, nous devons le souligner, faisaient partie des plus raffinées du pays!

Élof Huppé & Gandalf, arborant les couleurs du Collège militaire royal du Canada

Tout comme le sport et l’entraînement physique, l’équitation était à l’époque considérée comme une matière essentielle à la formation des futurs officiers du pays. Provenant de la grande tradition britannique, l’enseignement des techniques de cavalerie a été implanté au Collège afin de donner aux élèves-officiers ce niveau de professionnalisme que chaque école militaire du Commonwealth se devait de posséder.

Outre les questions de formations professionnelles, l’équitation, pratiquée selon la rigueur de la précision militaire, se marie parfaitement avec les cérémonies et les grandes parades, comme il fut jadis au Collège. La présence de ces cavaliers montés sur de musclés destriers dans leurs beaux habits rouges, et arborant fièrement les couleurs de leur institution conférait ce charme nostalgique propre à toutes forces armées professionnelles de l’époque. Celle-ci rehaussait catégoriquement l’apparence, la renommée et surtout le professionnalisme du Collège militaire royal du Canada.

Plusieurs trouvent malheureux qu’aujourd’hui son exercice soit complètement disparu des traditions de cette institution. En effet, plus le moindre cheval n’apparaît lors des grandes occasions comme la Cérémonie du Crépuscule, où la présence de quelques cavaliers chargeant l’ennemi rehausserait certainement la qualité de l’évènement. Cet art, qui a si grandement participé au développement de ce pays, aura toujours sa place au Collège militaire, tout comme la dépouille de Casey, la légendaire monture du Général MacDonnell, qui est enterrée à proximité de la maison du Commandant.