December 1995

Jousting with Dollars [page 1]

Armed with chits and plastic (credit cards) approximately 100 members took part in the annual Museum Auction. It was a fight to the bottom line, in which the winner could walk away, some what lighter financially or heavier physically, depending on which of the 86 items they successfully bid on. On the block were articles that covered the spectrum of military tastes from paintings, to sub-machines guns (de-activated), from swords to thermos bottles new and old.

In one of his first sales, auctioneer LCol Bruce Savage, succeeded in selling LCol Paul Taillon a previously owned 81mm mortar bomb, that LCol Taillon did not know he needed. LCol Savage kept the supply of items coming, while based on his extensive experience, Capt Nick Mandryk of the Pistol Club provided on-the-spot evaluations of the rifles, shot guns and pistols that were under the gavel.

"We raised approximately $7,000 dollars for the museum", said LCol Peter Fairclough who successfully purchased a cleaning kit for a FN C1 rifle. "The money will be used for museum preservation work and for future acquisitions", he added. After the heat of battle, members repaired to the bar to toast their success or plan their strategy for next year's auction.

Up in Smoke [page 3]

This was definitely not the night to be seen smoking a cigarette as co-organiser Mr. Michael Prescott found out when he started to light one. In combustible terms, the Cigar Aficionado's Evening could well be described as a barn-burner. The idea was conceived barely two months ago in the Billiard Room, after a suggestion by Lt Peter Millard. Initially it was expected that up to 25 members would be interested and accordingly the Simcoe Room was booked. But even the best made plans can go awry, especially with an Institute packed with aficionados and the concept caught fire. It sparked the imagination of members and guests with approximately 90 signing up, so the Dinning Room had to be used. Cigar expert Colm O'Shea from the House of Horvath selected three different types of Cuban and Honduran cigars to be sampled. Mr O'Shea's eloquence wafted across the room as he recounted the history of the cigar and how it has evolved since 1492. Which incidentally was the same year that North Americans discovered Christopher Columbus.

The first of the cigars that the audience was introduced to was a machine made Cuban called a "Bances Panetela". This was followed by a break to attend to the buffet table and to clear the air. The second cigar was the "Punch Grand Cru Robusto", a Honduran cigar. The evening drew to a close with a cigar that is reputed to be amongst best of the Hanvanas, the "Saint Luis Rey-Lonsdale". Only 60,000 of these hand made cigars are produced a year. RCMI President LCol John Gibson conducted a straw poll with all those he could see through the blue overcast. It was unanimously agreed this event should be repeated, once the air had cleared, in about six-months time.

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