H3550 Murray Johnston – 1956 The Scarlet and Blue Grad Parade
The announcement on April 1st that there would be an immediate change of head dress for the College caused me to think a bit about College traditions. It seemed to me to be a bit abrupt and a cruel way to fund other departments at the expense of RMC traditions. The Pill Box hat and Scarlet jacket were part of the British Army uniform at the time that the College was opened in 1876 and were adopted as the basis for the first RMC Cadet uniform. To-day they comprise a unique uniform with a history that goes back to not only the founding of the College but also to the founding of the country. The replacement as outlined in the special April 1st eVeritas, in my view, could not and would never command the same provenance.
However wearing a new type of uniform for the first time on graduation parade is nothing new for the Class of 1956. Our graduation parade marked the return of RMC Scarlets and Pill Boxes for the first time since the College had been closed for World War Two. In the Fall of 1955, as we entered our senior year, all cadets were issued with a Pill Box. Then Scarlet jackets appeared in bunches throughout the year starting with the seniors and working down. But sadly, this was not complete by graduation time. So on our Graduation parade the 4th, 3rd and 2nd year cadets were resplendent in Scarlets while 1st year cadets had to make do with their Blues. You could call it the “Scarlet and Blue” Grad Parade. However, everybody had a Pill Box.
I remember getting my Scarlet jacket in March and wearing it to a Queen’s University dance to which my girl friend, Joan, (now my wife for 55 years) had invited me. It goes without saying that that bit of sartorial splendour was the hit of the evening as it was when, a couple of months later, our Grad Ball took place in the New Gym. A proud and colourful RMC and Kingston tradition had been firmly and happlily re-instated!
I still have my Pill Box. My first reaction on finding out that the hat replacement announcement was a joke, was a twinge of disappointment. Earlier on reading the announcement in the April 1st eVeritas I had had dreams of selling my Pill Box for an enormous sum because it would become a rare collector’s item. The subsequent “confession” the next day burst that dream!
TDV- VDV
H3550 Murray Johnston (Class of ’56)
MORE CLASS NOTES: 7567; 8833; 8865; 9395; 10653; M006; 12434; 14019; 14648; 18367; 18866; 19388; 19786; 19794; 19977; 21751;21936 & 22036
7567 G William (Bill) Trimble, Class of ’68 is the Owner at Dalu Consulting Group. He has over twenty years in China, as part of ‘development in the fast lane’; travelled extensively, much of it to areas not frequented by tourists. He has worked with the Chinese Academy of Space Technology and reported on the Chinese Space Program. Part of his 30 year career in the Canadian Forces included a stint as the Military Attache to China 1989-1991.
8833 Dr. John Leggat, Class of ’71, following over 6 years as an Associate Consultant, became a Senior Advisor to CFN Consultants in February 2012. Following his graduation from RMC, the native of Montreal went off to the University of British Columbia (MASc 1973 and Ph.D. 1976) in the field of aeroacoustics. He is a graduate of the National Defence College and a former President of the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada from 1999 to 2000.
8865 David Rudd, Class of ’71 is retired in the Cochrane, Alberta area – well almost. He still finds time to: Facilitate Energy education for Simprebtis and Emerge Learning, assist neighbors with their purebred Black Angus herd, and does strategic planning for agricultural organizations through his company Lochend Services Inc..
9395 Don Matthews, Class of ‘72 is the immediate past President and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Unmanned Vehicle Systems. He is the founding President of Aviation Alberta, a member of several Community Boards and the former Honourary Colonel of 419 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Currently he is President at Crosswind Consulting – his family business.
10653 Carman Bradley, Class of ’75 resides in Calgary with wife (Gill), still working part time as a business consultant.
M006 John Dewar, Class of ’78 recently joined the Commissionaires of Victoria, the Islands, and the Yukon as Chief Executive Officer. Before that, he served as Vice President, Strategic Services for Upper Lakes Shipyards and the Marine & Industrial Division of the Upper Lakes Group. He also had a long and distinguished career in the Royal Canadian Navy, retiring as a Captain (N), having commanded Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships CHIGNECTO, MIRAMICHI, and HURON. He is a graduate of Royal Roads Military College (B.Sc. – Physics and Physical Oceanography) and the University of British Columbia (M.Sc. – Physics).
12434 Denis Lamanque, Class of ’80, after graduation from Royal Military College, he was an aeropace engineer in the Canadian Forces for 15 years. Upon leaving the military in August 1995, he embarked in a consulting/contracting carreer with industry and government. This lead Denis to form a corporation (Valentis Enterprises Inc.) under which the consulting activities were performed.
14019 Edward Gallagher, Class of ’83 has been a lawyer since 1992. He is the Founder and Partner of Patriot Law Group. PLG is firm that provides a wide range of legal services to residents and businesses in rural Alberta. Patriot provides services in the areas of Divorce & Family Law, Military & Veterans Law, Real Estate and Wills & Estates Law, among others. The PLG service area includes greater Edmonton and beyond, including Cold Lake, Fort McMurray, Red Deer and Calgary. In addition, they assist Canadian Forces personnel posted around the world.
14648 Major Jean Caron, Class of ’84 after a 5 year posting as a military prosecutor, was deployed with the last battle group in Kandahar between Nov 2010 and July 11. He is back in Valcartier since his return; is now Deputy Judge advocate for 5 Canadian mechanizsed brigade group and oversees the work of other JAG officers working in Valcartier, Bagotville and for the Naval reserve HQ.
14648 Major Jean Caron – ’84, après cinq années comme procureur militaire devant la cour martiale, fut déployé avec le dernier groupement tactique à Kandahar de novembre 2010 à juillet 2011. De retour à Valcartier depuis, il est Juge-avocat adjoint auprès du 5e Groupe brigade mécanisé de Canada et supervise le travail d’avocats du JAG oeuvrant à Valcartier, Bagotville et au QG de la Réserve navale.
18367 Terence Leigh, Class of ’92 is a Curriculum Development Officer at Canadian Forces College (Toronto). Following his days as an officer- cadet he earned a Certificate, Advanced Program in HR Management at UofT, Rotman School of Management (’03 – ’04) and a Master of Defence Studies from RMC (’09 – ’10). Through it all he has found time to be both a Youth Soccer & a Minor Hockey Coach in the Toronto area.
18837 David Harris-Lowe, Class of ’93 earned his Law Degree from Queen’s Law School in 1996. He has been living in Barrie and working at Owen, Harris-Lowe since December, 2001. His practice is focused on family law and estate litigation.
18866 Eva Martinez, Class of ’93 was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for Women in Aerospace – Canada. Dedicated to expanding women’s opportunities for leadership and development as well as increasing their visibility within the aerospace community, the Canadian chapter of Women in Aerospace was created in 2009. A former AERE Major, Eva is currently employed by Goodrich Aerospace Canada as the Director of Program Management for Boeing Programs, responsible for the delivery of 737, 747, 767, and 777 landing gear assemblies to Boeing.
19388 Kent Penney, Class of ‘94 retired from the Canadian Forces (Regular Force) in October 2010 after 22 years in the military – he had two tours in Afghanistan. Kent was the Head of the Canadian Forces (CF) Combat Camera unit in Ottawa from 2005-2009. On release from the Reg. Force he transferred over as a Naval Officer with the Reserves. He is also a Firefighter for the City of Ottawa.
19786 Major Warren Baccardax, Class of ’95 is posted to Ottawa and works in ADM(Mat) fielding new RCAF Systems and sustaining legacy ones. He is married to Lori Ann and has three active children, Mitchell (11), Cora (9) and Andrew (7). Warren remains busy keeping up with the family, connecting with friends and enjoying his growing number of guitars.
19794 Julie Misquitta (Brazea), Class of ‘96 is the is a licensed Simply Music teacher at Jump Start Melodies in Toronto. JSM uses the Smply Music method which is based on the premise that everyone without exception is naturally musical. She is a former captain in the army with a strong background in artillery, parachuting, and served in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Previous e-V article
19977 Kevin Payan, Class of ’95 is the current Director, Corporate Affairs at CBC/Radio-Canada. He first joined CBC in February 2001 as Director, Strategic Communications. Kevin earned his MA Carleton University 1996-97.
21751 James Dawe, Class of ’00 is the Director of Sales and Operations for Eastern Canada at Cintas since May 2005. James and wife Sommar are expecting their second child this summer. Sommar has been a Realtor partner with the RMC Club for a number of years.
Two Members from ’01 Move On…
Article and Photos by Capt Cynthia Kent, RMC Public Affairs Officer
RMC said an early good bye to two popular staff members both from the Class of 2001. 22036 Capt Matt MacMillan, Adjudant, and 21936 Lt (N) Amber Comisso, III and IV Squadron Commander, have been posted early to the CFB Esquimalt. Both were recognized by the Commandant during Thursday Coffee Break at the SSM. Pictured above, left, Lt(N) Comisso with the Commandant, BGen Eric Tremblay and A Division Commander, Maj Tania Pendergast. Capt MacMillan, above, right, is congratulated by the Commandant, BGen Tremblay. Cadets and staff alike will miss them!