1989 Royal Visit Pin

1989 Royal Visit to Canada

1989 Royal Visit Official Portrait

1989 marked the 50th Anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's 1939 visit to Canada, Roberts was tasked as the military public affairs officer for this historic visit, unfortunately, this was Her Majesty's last visit to Canada.

The 1939 Inspection

In 1939, on the campus of the University of Toronto, Her Majesty had presented new Queen's and Regimental Colours to The Toronto Scottish Regiment. In preparation Roberts produced media backgrounders on The Black Watch Regiment of Canada, The Toronto Scottish Regiment, and the Canadian Forces Medical Services. These are the Canadian military units of which Her Majesty is the Colonel-in-Chief.

At the media centre at the King Edward Hotel, and in concert with Mr. Larry Kent of Province of Ontario, Roberts was one of several people who took part in the daily briefings for international and Canadian media. He provided information on the Canadian Forces participation in events. These resulted questions from a reporters looking for different story angles, such as, what is the derivation of the title "Colonel-in-Chief"? A series of phone calls up the chain of command to a number of people, including a military historian in Ottawa at the Department of National Defence Headquarters resulted in shrugs all around. The historian said, " We all know what is, but nobody knew where the term came from". Another was, why don't military pipe bands play the Royal Anthem "God save the Queen", on the bagpipes? This question was far easier to respond to. After once having tried unsuccessfully to master the pipes, he knew the chanter has nine notes. So attempting to play the Royal Anthem would sound less than regal. The solution? A tune called "Mallorca" which was composed by a member of the Royal family who also played the pipes, King Edward VIII.

On the drill floor at Fort York Armoury, Toronto Sun reporter Ann Dawson interviews two members of the 1939 Guard

The CBC Radio interview with Maj Wilf Moffatt and Mrs Alice Moffatt

On Tuesday 4 July the host of the CBC Radio program, Metro Morning, Joe Coté visited the home of Major Wilf Moffatt and his wife Alice. The next morning at 8:20am, CBC Metro Morning broadcast the 7 minute 30 second interview.

Prior to the visit a reporter asked Roberts if he could locate members of the Toronto Scottish who had been on the 1939 parade for the Presentation of Colours who would be willing to be interviewed. Naturally trying to be co-operative he said yes. After hanging up the phone he realised that the parade consisted of 200 soldiers, most of whom went off to war shortly afterwards. His infantry training had taught him that in any given attack you can expect one third causalities. Then there was the natural attrition of 50 years that takes place in any population, the youngest soldiers on the parade would be at least 66 years of age. Finally Canadians are a highly mobile society, just because a person was brought up in Toronto, does not mean they will spend their whole lives there. In the end he found five-soldiers living in Toronto area willing to be interviewed.

Media interviewers were conducted before the visit, and at Fort York Armoury when Her Majesty visited The Toronto Scottish Regiment.

Maj Fred McKenna being interviewed in the Officers' Mess by John Darby of Global News		Jack Banting interviewed in front of Fort York Armoury by Austin Delaney of CFTO-TV		Maj Wilf Moffatt interviewed by John Darby of Global News

During her visit to Fort York Armoury, Her Majesty had lunch in the Officers' Mess with member of the Canadian Forces Medical Services, the Black Watch, and the Toronto Scottish. She then graciously posed for group photographs.

Her Majesty with Officers and NCOs of The Toronto Scottish Regiment

After the visit Roberts prepared a videotape anthology of television news coverage, including material recorded by a BBC crew sent up from Washington, and a 28 minute production recorded by ITV, edited at CTV facilities in Toronto and broadcast only in Britain. On his way to Greece a few weeks later, during a layover in London, Roberts took a taxi and hand delivered a PAL version of the videotape to Clarence House. When he returned to Canada, a letter of thanks from Her Majesty's Private Secretary was awaiting him at the Headquarters.

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