May 1999

Nobody reported seeing Elvis! [page 3]

Maj Peter Lomasney, of the QOR.

Over 400 reserve soldiers spent March Break training at Fort Knox Kentucky. Not only is Fort Knox the site of a considerable pile of gold, it is the home of the US Army Armour Centre.

The reserve soldiers were drawn from most of the infantry regiments in the province that were taking part in Southern Drive '99. They were formed into a unit called the Trillium Battalion, and commanded by LCol Gerry Mann, CO of the Grey & Simcoe Foresters. The Deputy Commanding Officer was RCMI member Major John Fisher also of the G&SF. The Operations Officer for the exercise was RCMI member Major Peter Lomasney, of the Queen's Own Rifles, who is currently posted to 32 CBGHQ. He said, "Fort Knox was selected because, its was within a days drive of Southern Ontario. The base offers a first rate training site with stable climatic conditions, which allow our soldiers to focus on training. We are here for the same reason the Blue Jays go to Florida, its called Spring Training."

Poorman Infiltration Range looking from front to back.

Fort Knox has a number of challenging ranges and training sites. One of them is an Infiltration Range called Poorman. On this range the soldiers across approximately 100 metres of soft sand, crossing over 2 log obstacles, and under 2 low barbed wire entanglements. After a daylight practice, over a hundred soldiers at a time tackled the range again, at night, while thunder flashes exploded on the ground, and paraflares burst overhead. While the soldiers crawled through the sand, three C-6, 7.62mm belt-fed machine guns, located in three towers, fire on fixed lines, and put down approximately 7,000 live rounds over the troop's heads. On average, it took just over 15 minutes for the soldiers to negotiate the range. This was the first time that Fort Knox had been used by Canadians for spring training, in previous years a National Guard Base in Florida called Camp Blanding had been used. Getting the troops there had required at least three return trips on Air Force Polaris from CFB Trenton to Jacksonville in one day. While the trip to Fort Knox took the between 12 and 20 hours by bus, depending on the start point of either Ottawa or Sudbury.

The troops were housed in Second World vintage barracks in a section of the base were Pte Elvis Presley did his basic training when drafted into the US Army in 1958.

Not Published in Sitrep The Tank Transporter on its side up against the barrier. To the left the Abrams tank is upside down against the broken power pole. Neither of the two soldiers in the cab were wearing seat belts. (Photo courtesy of Fort Knox Range Division)

Portions of the Fort Knox base have some very steep hills. During the exercise, the driver of a US Army tank transporter moving an Abrams lost control of the vehicle while coming down a hill. At a bend in the road at the bottom the vehicle flipped on it's side, and the 60 ton battle tank flipped off, and upside down, smashing an electrical utility pole. Several soldiers from the Governor General's Foot Guards who using a range beside the road rushed to the scene. First they had the driver turn off the tracker engine because of downed power line and because the inverted Abrams was leaking diesel fuel. They then assisted the two members of the transporter out of the partially crushed cab and moved them to safety. Several other soldiers ran up the hill and stopped other convoy vehicles coming down the hill. After an investigation, eight soldiers received Commanding Officers Commendation from LCol Mann in front of members of the exercise.

Not Published in Sitrep Poorman Range from the side at night. In this time exposure picture 7.62mm tracer rounds pass over the soldiers. The bullets were fired from two of the three white towers on the right. It takes several metres for tracer bullets to illuminate after leaving the barrel. (The range control tower is on the far right.)

 

Fort York, the Americans Invade Again! [page 6]

Unlike during the War of 1812, this time the Americans have called ahead and made reservations for the weekend of May 22-23. This date marks the third annual Fort York Festival, which is presented by the Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common. This time, the Yanks will have to declare their intent at the border, and fight rush hour traffic to get to Muddy York.

RCMI member, and Chairman of the 140 member Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common is, Joseph Gill. He says that the goal of the organisation which was established four years ago, is to protect the historic site from the encroachment from civic projects such as the redevelopment of the railway lands and the Front Street extension. He added, " The aim is to promote the Fort within the community, to get a greater interest in history and to have fun".

The Friends of Fort York and the Garrison Common face a conundrum. If they succeed in their aim of increasing public awareness and interest in Fort York and the Garrison Common. It could be counter-productive. They have developed a business plan for the Fort, for the next 10 years, with a budget in access of $10 million. Their goal is fund a visitors centre, and to increase the number of visitors to Fort York from 35,000 to 400,000 annually. Joe explains that currently, "There are a lot of people that like the Fort very quiet and empty, so they can have their moments." The balancing act is respecting their wishes while at the same time increasing public awareness. He adds, "There is no question that we believe that maintaining the historical authenticity of the Fort, and maintaining it as a first class museum, is the highest priority. So you do have to watch as those crowds increase that you design exhibits, and you design the visitors centre, so crowds can be taken, and handled without a loss of that historical authenticity."

Joe says, "This year's festival will have a Napoleonic theme, and some of the battle re-enactments will relate to events from the Napoleonic Wars". Hopefully being held in May, this will not include a recreation of the retreat from Moscow." The Imperial French Cavalry, (re-enactors from Baltimore, Ohio), will consist of 10-12 soldiers on horseback. They will demonstrate cavalry charges, and the antidote to French equestrianium, the British Square. Mr. Gill anticipates over 200 re-enactors in period uniforms, portraying soldiers from Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Portugal. A tented encampment from the early 1800s will be set up on the grounds of Fort York showing lifestyles of the soldiers and their families.

Other activities will include musket drills, sword and pistol duels, fife and drum music, country dancing, old time fiddlers, puppet shows, jesters, and historic crafts. The gates open at 10:00am with the re-enactments being held at 2:00pm on both days and at dusk on Saturday.

Speaker fields questions [page 5]

Dr Desmond Morton, Director of the McGill Institute for the Studyof Canada addressed an RCMI lucheon recently on the state of Quebec-Canada relations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Club donates new table [page 7]

(Photograph taken to compliment the story)

Several members of the Billard Club play on the table installed recently in the Card Room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cpl John Simon mounted on Mirage (L), and Tropper Andy Anderson on Sandy, flank former ans serving members of the GGHG.

 

Members of the 1st Hussars gather in the Library for a photograph with their Colonel Commandant, MGen Bob LaRose. (third from the left)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Calvary Luncheon - the challenge continues [page 7]

For the last couple of years members of the Governor General's Horse Guards and the 1st Hussars have been jousting to see which armoured unit will bring more members to the luncheon. This year the 1st Hussars clearly won, hooves down. The RCMI thanks the members from both regiments for their fantastic support.

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