E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003) has been researching the memorial stained glass windows at the Royal Military Collegeof Canada.
Following the Remembrance Service at the arch, 1967 two memorial stained glass windows were unveiled by the Commandant, 2576 Commodore W. P. Hayes, CD. 1967 was the 25th Anniversary of Dieppe and the 15th of Graduation of the Class of 1952.
“Dieppe Dawn 19 August 1942″ was installed in the passageway leading to Sir Arthur Currie Hall. It is noteworthy not only for its subject but as it is the only piece of British stained glass amongst the windows that frame that passageway. Flanked by the badge of one of the Cinque Ports, the central badge is that of Combined Ops, the central badge is that of one of the Cinque Ports, with the other being a memorial to the Dieppe Raid. The figure carrying a rifle in the main window memorializes two major posters of the War – Dollard Menard became the ‘poster child’ for recruitment in French-Canada; Cecil Merritt was recognized for his VC. The brass plaque under the window shows:
This window was erected in August, 1967
By surviving Ex-Cadets who participated
In the Dieppe Raid in memory of others
From the College who lost their lives
As a result of the Raid
The Dieppe Window was presented to the College by 1620 Lt Col. Bob Labatt, DSO, ED, President of the RMC Club in 1953-54, on behalf of the donors. The funds for the Dieppe window were raised by the survivors of the Dieppe Raid including, one would presume, 1866 Cecil Merritt, VC, 1841 Cunningham, DSO, 1620 Bob Labatt DSO, 2290 Dollard Menard, DSO, and 2357 Denis Whitaker DSO, amongst others.
The window featuring the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Crest College Colour and Panet House by Robert McCausland Limited is a memorial to 2517 Colonel E. Geoffrey Brooks DSO OBE CD. Geoffrey Brooks (1918-1964) was a gallant officer, stern but fair, decorated for leadership during WW II, and again later in Korea. Brooks lived at Panet House while serving as RMC’s Staff Adjutant 1948-1950 and is still well remembered by those who knew him, especially from that first post-war Class. Brooks went from the College to Korea to command the ‘Guns’ and for that was awarded his OBE. His final appointment was Director of Artillery in August 1960. The Colonel E. G. Brooks Window was presented to the College by 2859 Dr. John Pike, a member of the New One Hundred which entered RMC in 1948, on behalf of the donors. The funds for the Brooks window came from the Class of 1952 (otherwise known as the New One Hundred and their classmates who entered Royal Roads in 1948.
Thanks to 3572 MGen (Ret’d) Frank Norman and 8057 Mr James Ross McKenzie (RMC 1970)
Original Source: Royal Military College of Canada – Review Yearbook (Kingston, Ontario Canada) – Class of 1967 p. 171.
http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Royal_Military_College_Canada_Review_Yearbook/1968/Page_171.html
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