’08 Grad; New Principal; Cadets Headed for a Career With Adventure; 27 Ex Cadets Earn PG; Four Honorary Degree Recipients; Fencer To Lead Wing; Rugby Moves Up Food Chain; Former Rugby “buds” – We Need Your Support; Where Are They Now? CMR SAINT-JEAN, 29 AOÛT / 19-20 SEPTEMBRE 2008; Who Am I? Ridout Row Crew Celebrating 30 May; “Digger” wins / spends big @ races / Ex Cadet Reports Earthquake News From China; Professor Michael Bardon Retiring; Snow Birds Visiting (for details – click on J. Misc); Legacy Dinner Update ( for details click on C Reunions).

Please note: We expect the next e-Veritas (e-V 20 / 2008) to be available in late June, as we have commenced R&R. Thank you for your support.

Veuillez noter : nous serons en vacances pour quelques semaines, alors le prochain e-Veritas (e-V 20/2008) ne sera disponible que vers la fin juin. Merci de votre appui.

Bill & Rolande Oliver

12320 Lieutenant-General Walter Natynczyk, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS) “wowed the crowd”, including staff and cadets but mostly parents & friends with his down to earth speech at the Commissioning Parade. He also presented a number of Commissioning Scrolls to cadets, including one to 23856 Duaine Fetzner, Royston, B.C.

Class of 2008 challenged to “Walk the talk of Truth, Duty, Valour”

By Capt Paule Poulin

Convocation

“An unfinished Canada awaits you,” stated Dr. John S. Cowan to the Class of 2008 during the Convocation Ceremony on Wednesday May 14.

The RMC Chancellor, the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, presented four honourary degrees at this year’s ceremony: three Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa, to the Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, Former Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, who also gave an address to the Convocation, His Worship Jack Chiang and recently retired RMC professor Roy Pottier, and a Doctorate of Military Science, Honoris Causa, to Vice-Admiral (retired) and ex-Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff Greg Maddison.

The Chancellor also paid tribute to Dr. Cowan’s accomplishments as RMC Principal for nine years, and announced the new Principal for RMC, the current Dean of Arts, Dr. Joel Sokolsky. Dr Sokolsky said after the ceremony that it is a great honour to be named Principal of this national institution. Dr Sokolsky, after 22 years as a member of the Faculty and most recently Dean of Arts stated his vision is to “build upon the recent accomplishments of RMC and have RMC better known across Canada.”

Prizes and awards followed the conferring of more than 220 Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees, with proud families in attendance. Dr. Jane Boulden from the Politics and Economics Department, and Major Alain Gosselin, from the Mathematics and Computer Science Department were declared the co-winners of the ‘The Class of ‘ 65 Teching Excellence Award’ while Dr Jane Errington, from the History Department received the RMC Prize for Excellence in Research.

Commissioning Parade

Read the rest of this entry »

Minister of National Defence Announces Appointment of New Principal of Royal Military College of CanadaThe Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced today the appointment of Dr. Joel J. Sokolsky as Principal of Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) effective August 1, 2008. Minister MacKay made the announcement as Chancellor of RMC during Convocation Ceremonies where he presented graduating students and honourees with Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees.

“Dr. Sokolsky is the right person for this important post and his appointment follows in the finest tradition of this great national institution”, said the minister, adding that “as Chancellor it gives me great pleasure to see another fine page added to the history of RMC”.

Dr. Sokolsky has a long association with RMC, starting as a faculty member in 1986. For the past several years he has been Dean of the Faculty of Arts. He was instrumental in the positive changes that have come about at RMC. He is an outstanding scholar in his field, which directly pertains to the business of RMC: Canadian, Foreign, and Defence Policy. His distinguished academic record includes degrees from the University of Toronto, Johns Hopkins University, and Harvard University. He is well published in his field, respected as a researcher, knows the College intimately, and cares passionately about it.

RMC opened its doors to the first class of eighteen gentlemen cadets, the “Old Eighteen,” on June 1, 1876 as the Military College of Canada, and in 1878 Her Majesty Queen Victoria granted the College the right to use the Royal prefix. “The Royal Military College of Canada Degrees Act, 1959,” empowers RMC to confer degrees in Arts, Science, and Engineering. Today, RMC offers a wide variety of programmes at the undergraduate and graduate levels, both on-site and by distance learning through the Division of Continuing Studies. RMC graduates have established a sterling reputation of service and achievement throughout the world. and have distinguished themselves in all aspects of Canadian military service. Ex-cadets have been similarly prominent in a wide variety of civilian professions.

‘A career with an adventure’; Vice-chief of the defence staff salutes RMC graduates
Ian Elliot -Kingston Whig Standard – 16 May 2008

When Charlotte Sully marched through the Memorial Arch at Royal Military College yesterday with the rest of the 2008 graduating class, she was landing a leap of faith that she started four years earlier.
The 22-year-old from Calgary seemed an unlikely military prospect in high school: a ballerina who admittedly arrived at the school shy and reluctant to raise her voice.
She emerged yesterday with an officer’s commission and a long list of academic and military achievements earned during her time at the college as she prepared to start a career in army intelligence.
“I traded pointe shoes for combat boots,” she said after accompanying her classmates through the arch, their pillbox hats on the points of their ceremonial swords while two vintage Second World War fighters buzzed overhead.
“I always thought I’d make it this far, but I have to say that seeing the arch coming up in front of us as we marched brought tears to my eyes.”
Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk, vice-chief of the defence staff – and the officer many think will be chosen to replace the outgoing chief of defence staff Gen. Rick Hillier in July – oversaw yesterday’s commissioning parade. He said in an interview that the Canadian Forces is increasingly attracting bright, young people like Sully who might not have considered a military career even a decade ago.

Continuation of this article and 27 Ex Cadets Earn PG.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jocelyne Marie-Andrée Bourgon; Jack Francis Chiang; Roy Henry Pottier & 12444 Gregory Ralph Maddison (CMR ’75)

Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the major award winners from the eighty-first convocation:MEDALS
The Governor General’s Gold Medal is awarded to the graduating student who achieves the highest academic standing in a Master’s degree programme.
G3307 Second Lieutenant D.R. Morgan
Runners-up: G3700 Second Lieutenant D.G.H. Bélanger and G3332 Mr. N.S. Chuka.

Gibson Medal – Graduating Year in memory of 2569 Major Desmond H. Gibson, ED and
805 Col The Honourable Colin W. Gibson, PC, MC, VD, is awarded to the top ROTP/RETP student in the Arts Division.
24215 J.B. Cox

Gino Bruni – Big Winner!

Pictured (click on photo for better view) is the big winner at the Convocation! 23988 G.M.F. Bruni, “marched sharply” off the stage with six different prizes, awards, medals and a prestigious scholarship last week. The various Awards:

The Governor General’s Silver Medal is awarded to the cadet with the highest overall average in the Fourth Year of study, on completion of an Honours or Engineering degree programme with First Class Honours, provided that a four-year programme of study has been completed and that an overall average of Second Class Honours has been recorded in Third Year.

.
The Professional Engineers of Ontario Gold Medal for Academic Achievement is awarded to the engineering student with the highest academic standing in the final year of a Bachelor degree.

The W.M Carleton Monk Memorial Scholarsip is awarded to the RETP Four Year cadet with the highest marks in academic subjects provided attendance at a university following graduation.

The Society of Chemical Industry Award, Canadian Section is awarded to the student who has the highest standing in the final year of the course in Chemical Engineering, provided that the overall average is at least A- and the course of study has been completed in the normal number of years. in Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering Medal; and NSERC SCHOLARSHIPS (NATURAL SCIENCES & ENGINEERING RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA)

The NSERC fosters the discovery and application of knowledge through the support of university research and the training of scientists and engineers. The Council promotes the use of this knowledge to build a strong national economy and improve the quality of life of all Canadians.

Winning six awards at the Convocation wasn’t enough! The following day at the Commissioning Parade, Gino was the recipient of The Military Support Award of Merit which is awarded to the best cadet in the graduating class in a Support occupation, based on high standards of proficiency in each of the four components. (His MOC is Logistics (Air).

The future is indeed bright for this 2008 RETP graduate! Well done, Gino!

There is no truth to the rumour that the “Brinks Truck” with an armed guard, seen leaving the RMC grounds immediately following the Graduation Ceremonies contained all the trophies / medals / Scholarship/ & other various awards won by Gino Bruni.

Defence plan clear as mud

Ottawa unveils new medal for battlefield valour

RMC Head (W) Soccer Coach Leads CISM Team to Ede, the Netherlands.

Army parachutist breaks leg

“We do realize that we impose on you mightily, stuffing six years work into four years. But it was so that on graduation you could do great things.”

Dr. John Cowan – Outgoing RMC Principal

More quotes from the 81st Convocation

Find at following link a spectacular slide show (pictures by Micheal Lea) with sound effects of the Sunset Ceremony and Parade.

Trouvez au lien ci-dessous un diaporama spectaculaire (photos de Micheal Lea) avec effets sonores de la Cérémonie du crépuscule et de la Parade.

http://www.thewhig.com/media/slideshows/RMC_Graduation_2008/index.html

CWC Fall Term 2008

“With the addition of many new bar positions, the role of the Deputy is greatly increasing. RMC is meant to be a training institution, designed to develop leaders and prepare them for officership. If cadets in high positions do not delegate, observe, and challenge their subordinates, then leadership development will not take place. I am going to make sure that this happens.”

24446 Officer-Cadet Jaclyn Power – Designated CWC Fall Term 2008

Ready to Lead…

By: WJO

24446 Officer-Cadet Jackie Power was looking for a challenge and something different when she decided to attend the Royal Military College (RMC) of Canada. A graduate of Eastdale Collegiate Vocational Institute in Oshawa, she will certainly have a challenge on her hands when she returns to Kingston in the Fall as the Cadet Wing Commander.

Read the rest of this entry »

.….….….….….….….….…. Click on each photo for better viewing

Good news for RMC Rugby!

By: WJO

For only the second time since rugby was introduced to Canada in the 1860s, it appears that a men’s university national championship will become a reality.

Rugby Canada advised all institutions in Canadian Interuniversity Sport recently that the national governing body for rugby is going ahead with plans to hold an invitational eight-team national championship tournament from Nov. 13-16, at a site yet to be determined.

The last time a Canadian men’s intercollegiate championship was organized was in 1997 and 1998, with Victoria winning both years.

According to a report submitted at Rugby Canada’s semi-annual general meeting last month, the new tournament is in part the result of a decision that the Canadian rugby community “could no longer experience the high rate of attrition from players leaving high school and university, and not progressing into the club system. The championship will create a new focus on this important age group and demographic, and encourage these athletes to stay with the sport beyond the educational stage in their lives.”

“This is great news for rugby in Canada and specifically intercollegiate rugby.” said Sean McDonaugh, head coach of the RMC Paladins, which earned a berth in the OUA play-offs last season.

“The level of university rugby in Canada is such that it takes a full year commitment to be able to compete at the top level. With a university national championship at stake, I am sure we will see that much more from all the stake holders in the game.”

Read the rest of this entry »

3089 William Gillies (Gil) Ross (RMC ’53); 4132 Jay Kurtz (RMC ’58); 5281 Bob Munday (RRMC RMC ’61); 7690 Craig Riddell (RMC ’68); 9098 Ken Hague (CMR RMC ’72); 10230 Dr. Philip Smith-Eivemark (RRMC RMC ’74); 10386 Charles (Chas) Cormier (CMR ’75); 11669 MGen Joseph Hincke (CMR RMC ’78); 13443 Shamus Hurley (CMR ’82); 14551 Mike C Elderfield (RRMC ’84); 15566 Major Helga Grodzinski (RMC ’86); 15687 Commander Kurt N Salchert (RRMC ’86); 17962 Rob Dargewitcz (RRMC/RMC ’92); 21078 Pierre Godbout (CMR RMC ’98).

Read the rest of this entry »

COURSE À OBSTACLES, CMR SAINT-JEAN, 29 AOÛT 2008

FIN DE SEMAINE DES ANCIENS, CMR SAINT-JEAN, 19-20 SEPTEMBRE 2008

Read the rest of this entry »

Who am I?

* I was born in Hamilton, August 27, 1921, but spent most of my life in Barrie, Ontario. I was formerly a Wolf Cub, a Boy Scout and Assistant Scoutmaster. I was also a member of Barrie Dramatic Club and a former president of Barrie Tennis Club.

* I attended Victoria and Prince of Wales public schools and Barrie Collegiate Institute, where I attained my honour matriculation in 1939. While attending B.C.I. I was active in the literary and dramatic fields.

* I entered Royal Military College, Kingston, in the spring of 1940 and graduated in June 1942.

* I wrote several poems containing considerable merit, one of these being titled “When the Winds Blew’, which was published in the Royal Military College Yearbook in 1942.

* I was appointed as an officer in 26th Army Tank Regiment (Grey and Simcoe Foresters), Camp Borden, in July 1942. I trained at Borden with the unit until June 1943, when I left for overseas.

* I transferred in England in August or September 1943, a Lieutenant in the ‘A’ Squadron, 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment of Governor General’s Horse Guards, R.C.A.C. as a reinforcement officer.

* I went to North Africa on active service in the fall of 1943.

* I went to Italy and was engaged in reconnaissance work. I wrote, “At any time mail and food are the largest factors sustaining forces in the field. When the two are combined and arrive together in the chill night of an Italian winter, they are doubly heartening. Huddled over a charcoal brazier in a tent that flapped discouragingly in the bitter mountain wind. I sat and mused too cold to write, too miserable to read by candle light and not a little hungry as usual. Thus I sat when your parcel arrived.

* In early May 1944, a short time prior to my death, I was writing poetry, I was well and enjoying the lull which took place before the big allied offensive in Italy.

* I died of wounds in Italy in 1944 at the age of 22.

* I am buried in Cassino War Cemetery, Cassino, Italy. Plot XIII B.1.

* I am also commemorated on page 382 of the Second World War Book Of Remembrance in the chapel of the Peace Tower, the Parliament Buildings, Ottawa.

a) 2734 A.P. Boyd (RMC 1940) Deceased 8/31/1944

b) 2750 E.E. Cockburn (RMC 1940) Deceased 6/12/1944

c) 2762 G.W.L. Grant (RMC 1940) Deceased 10/14/1944

d) 2768 W.C. Hughson (RMC 1940) Deceased 8/26/1944

e) 2772 B.P. Jennings (RMC 1940) Deceased 11/14/1944

f) 2783 J.B. McBride (RMC 1940) Deceased 5/26/1944

g) 2788 E.G.L. Morgan (RMC 1940) Deceased 11/27/1944

h) 2789 Morgan M.J. Murphy (RMC 1940) Deceased 9/1/1944

i) 2803 J.P. Rousseau (RMC 1940) Deceased 6/6/1944

j) 2824 G.W. Stone (RMC 1940) Deceased 8/5/1944

k) 2827 V.S. Allan (RMC 1940) Deceased 12/15/1944

Read the rest of this entry »

(Click, click for better view)

CDA celebrating May 30th!

CDA is having a celebration for the 100th anniversary of Ridout Row on May 30th for all of CDA. Ross MacKenzie curator of the RMC museum will be giving a tour of the grounds and the museum from 8:00 to 10:00, then the group will return toCDA HQ for cake and to view pictures/display of Ridout Row. A group photo in front of the building will also be included on the agenda.

Read the rest of this entry »

Click, click for better view

Thirty members and guests participated and The Ottawa Branch Club raised approx $500 for the foundation at this first ever Night at the Races.
The Branch and Club names were on the cover of the evening’s program and the track tote board welcomed the members of the Ottawa Branch of the RMC Club of Canada. Attendees were photographed with the winner of the RMC Club Foundation FEATURE RACE !!
The meal was outstanding and inexpensive. The wine for all guests was provided by me following a $1775.00 win on the slots while I was waiting for the Club members and guests to arrive ($18.00 investment). The race track provided a reduced cost to allow for a reasonable gift to the Club Foundation
ALL MEMBERS AND GUESTS WERE H I G H L Y COMPLIMENTARY of the meal (lobster seafood + regular buffet), entertainment, races, venue and evening in general. We will do this again next year and when the news gets out about what a great time we had, we’ll have standing room only.
Club and Foundation staff will be invited to participate again next year and we hope you will join us.
Cheers eh !!!

Digger
5276 J. R. Digger MacDougall

Bill.

Just a shorter newsletter, attached, mostly re the earthquake over here.

Cheers,

3101 Austen E. Cambon, (RMC ’54)

China Earthquake News from an Ex Cadet

Read the rest of this entry »

The Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Dean of
Continuing Studies of the Royal Military College of Canada invite you
and a guest to celebrate the career of Professor Michael Bardon.

One cannot retire from one’s passion; so it is that good professors
never retire. Nonetheless, an evening to celebrate Michael’s career at
RMC, which began in 1970, will be held on 30 May 2008 at the RMC Senior
Staff Mess. You are cordially invited to join us to help mark this
once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Cocktails, Meet and Greet: 17:00
Special Presentations: 18:00
Dinner: 18:45
Location: RMC Senior Staff Mess
Dress: Business Attire

Please RSVP by 23 May to Mrs. Nicole Boissonneault, the Administrative
Officer of DCS at 613-541-6000 ext 6961, mail to: boissonneault-n@rmc.ca

If you have any dietary restrictions or special requirements, please let
us know.

The cost for the dinner will be $60 per person. A cash bar will be in
operation throughout the event. Cheques should be made payable to the
RMC Senior Staff Mess (RMC SSM), and can be sent to Mrs. Boissonneault

I hope that you will be able to join us.

Dr. H. Benabdallah Dr. M.A. Hennessy
Dept Head, Mechanical Engineering Dean, Division of Continuing Studies
Royal Military College of Canada Royal Military College of Canada

Vous et votre conjoint êtes cordialement invités par le Chef du
département de génie mécanique et le Doyen des Études permanentes �
venir célébrer la carrière du professeur Michael Bardon.

Read the rest of this entry »