Volume 8 Issue 1
AFGHANISTAN
FALL 2011
EXERCISE RILEY SPARTHA
Afghanistan has been a real test for our military – it’s
been our longest war ever. The first Canadians landed
there just a few months after 9/11 and Rileys and former
Rileys have been part of that since the beginning, and as
a result, we again have a very intensively-trained and
experienced cadre of veterans in the ranks and in our
leadership. This has been a good thing for our newer
soldiers as they in turn learn the lessons of war.
Major Gary McQueen receives his Afghanistan Star
from his commander at the end of his tour.
“Afghanistan” now forms part of the RHLI
lexicon. While Canada has ended its direct combat
role in Afghanistan, or the “sand box” as our deployed
Rileys sardonically called it, we remain very much
committed to the safety of that ancient but war-torn
nation. We have switched to a training role for the
Afghan army and police but it is still a dangerous job for
the nearly 1,000 Canadians now operating mainly out of
Kabul. We have lost one soldier in our new mission, due
to a suicide bomber using a car packed full of
explosives. No Rileys remain in-theatre with the safe
return of Major Gary McQueen in mid-October, where
he was employed at Regional Command South HQ as
“Stability Operations – Border Coordinator” dealing
mainly with border issues. He received his Afghanistan
Star in a parade at mission’s end.
More than 60 RHLI soldiers have now served at all
levels in Afghanistan, from the highest-level headquarters to the most fly-infested Forward Operating
Bases. All returned safely but with many tales to tell – in
the manner of all veterans - of the sometimes-intense
action many of them went through. It was not an easy
go, with some battles rivaling those of World War 2 and
Korea when the enemy decided to make a stand or
conduct a major offensive. They have served Canada
and our Regiment with distinction, in the fine tradition
their forebears have established since 1862. Once
again, we have even junior soldiers wearing campaign
stars and other foreign-service medals.
A platoon of Rileys, all camouflaged up, makes ready for
a patrol. Below, they move into line prior to an attack on
the enemy.
Photos/RHLI 2Lt Jacek Wojcik.
We are putting those lessons to good use in our training,
most recently in Meaford near Owen Sound, the
weekend of November 19-21. The transition from the
mild +15 temps in southern Ontario gave way to the -10
and snow of Meaford, but Rileys are well-equipped to
tackle environmental conditions. The weekend consisted
of patrolling against a small enemy force but many
lessons were provided to newer soldiers about living
comfortably in the field. The essentials don’t change!
is the newsletter of The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Associate Members Group.
It is published on an occasional basis as a benefit of your Associate Membership.
Your contributions are eagerly sought! Contact the Editor at [email protected] or at
The RHLI Officer’s Mess, The HLCol John Weir Foote, VC, CD Armouries, 200 James St North, Hamilton, ON L8R 2L1
EXERCISE ARROWHEAD STORM
It’s not just unit exercises – your Regiment took part in a
major Brigade concentration at CFB Petawawa the third
week of August. For those of you who haven’t been to
Petawawa – it’s one of those places where if you don’t
like the weather, just wait ten minutes! But Rileys take it
all in stride and push on. Your Regiment furnished part
of the fighting echelon and part of the enemy force.
The “enemy” was distinguished by special ball caps,
and provided a focus for the attacking forces, using
realistic tactics. Although Afghanistan taught valuable
lessons in asymmetric warfare, traditional war-fighting
skills are essential to a balanced and fully-capable army.
Rains hit a couple of times during the exercise – and
hit hard. Ironically, the sign on the tent, left, says “pot
washing area”!
Photo/31 CBG
EX RESOLUTE RILEY 2011
It’s a test of time, distance and endurance, and it’s
uniquely ours. Ex Resolute Riley is the annual start-oftraining-season “Iron Soldier” competition your Regiment
stages every year at Valens Conservation Area – Sept
th
10 this year. The actual competition is for privates to
master corporals in teams of two, but the NCOs and
officers run it the Thursday before to “prove” the route.
Live fire was a feature of the exercise, with lots of
ammo. Below, Rileys in the enemy force await an
imminent attack through a smoke screen.
Photos/31 CBG
Top, soldiers cross the infamous Beverly Swamp at
Valens. Below, the CO, left, and Hon. Lt.-Col. Tim
Hogarth present the Nicolazzo Trophy to the winners,
MCpl Ellens, left, and Pte Watson.
All photos/RHLI 2Lt Jacek Wojcik
The enemy force used well-chosen positions for
ambushes – and “died” gloriously for their cause!
Photo/ RHLI 2Lt Jacek Wojcik
If you want to get a feel for the competition, run flat out
1.5 km to the nearest thigh-deep mud swamp. Wade
across with 100 of your closest friends. Pick up a 25-kilo
(50-pound) bag of potatoes and go another 1.5 km as
fast as you can. Drop the sack, wade across a footballfield wide pool and then run another kilometer – uphill.
Now do it in army boots and combat pants and you have
Resolute Riley!
The competition was won by MCpl Nick Ellens and
Pte Mike Watson with a time of 44:26. Captain Cole
Heffren again was first for the officer-NCO night, with a
time of 43:30 – very impressive. A case of Guinness
comes his way from the RSM!
The day is closed with a family BBQ, promotions,
awards and presentations. It’s a terrific way to build
esprít de corps – and it’s that which wins battles.
Winter warfare is one of the more difficult
combat skills. You not only must know how to fight, but
how to simply survive in very hostile weather conditions.
You’re wearing extra clothing, crossing difficult terrain,
using up energy just to keep warm. But Canadian
soldiers – and Rileys – have developed their winter skills
to a fine art and are among the best in the world. The
RHLI took to the winter fields near Welland, ON, the
th
weekend of February 25-27
EX TRILLIUM
RESPONSE
In May of 2011, the Rileys were preparing
to get into firefight – but without weapons!
The 31 CBG Territorial Battalion Group (31 TBG)
was training in preparation for Ex Trillium Response.
Our CO, LCol Dan Stepaniuk in his role as 31 TBG CO
noted, “The purpose of the ex is to practice the
execution of an LFCA contingency plan to provide
support to civil authorities (Ministry of Natural
Resources) when requested to help with forest fires.”
Above, Rileys move into their winter bivouack in the
woods near Welland, ON. Being Rileys, weapons are
at the ready. Below, the essential skill of lighting a
naptha stove and lantern is passed on to the newer
soldiers in the Regiment.
Photos/RHLI 2Lt Jacek Wojcik
MNR instructors taught the 31 TBG soldiers at the
Winona Range. Below – the SP100 course!
31 TBG – with a high proportion of Rileys at the core
- was given basic forest fire-fighting training so they
could assist the MNR if needed. While not a full
qualification, it was certainly the first time Reserve
soldiers had been given this kind of training.
Ex Trillium Response was held in Bon Echo
Provincial Park (below) the weekend of 6-8 May, in a
joint Military Assistance to the Civil Authorities operation
with the MNR. It went extremely well with great liaison
developed with the MNR. Another Riley success story!
Old soldiers refreshed skills and new soldiers found they
could live comfortably and fight well surrounded by
snow. Putting up tents, lighting stoves and lanterns so
you can have hot food, conducting patrols and learning
how to avoid both hypothermia at rest and overheating
when working – these are elementary but essential skills
– and the Rileys have ’em!
DIEPPE REMEMBRANCE 2011
On 19 August 1942, The RHLI in its first
battle since the Boer War suffered
unimaginable casualties. Most of the
regiment was killed or injured in less than
10 hours.
Nearly 1000 of the 6000
Canadians on the raid were killed, including 197
Rileys. Hamiltonians have marked that battle ever since
and now we do it at Dieppe Veterans Memorial Park on
the Beach Strip.
From L – R: Maurice Lawson, Stan Darch, Fred
Englebrecht, Jack McFarland, Frank Volterman and
Fred Nicholls at the 2011 Dieppe Service.
sharp.
Using .22 rifles, it’s great fun and great
camaraderie. As you can see in the photo below, RHLI
(ret’d) Major Don Kennedy walked away with the most
th
hardware on April 17 of this year, receiving his trophies
from event chair Phil Williams (RHLI Major, ret’d) at the
post-shoot dinner at the RHLI Association clubhouse on
Barton St. Watch and
shoot for April 2012!
RHLI Major Don Kennedy (ret’d), right, shows off the
prizes received from RHLI Maj Phil Williams (ret’d)
after demonstrating his eagle eye.
Photo/Bonnie McVicar
th
The 2011 commemoration, the 69 , was another
cloudless, warm day, similar to that of the raid. Six
veterans of the raid were on hand. The ceremony is
always brief – maybe 40 minutes – with our Band, the
Association Colour Party, serving soldiers, VIPs – and
hundreds of members of the public, of all ages.
Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina, a big supporter of the
military and the RHLI, presented all the veterans present
with the City’s new Overseas Service Pin, with the
th
Dieppe ribbon. 2012 – the RHLI’s 150 anniversary –
th
will also mark Dieppe’s 70 . We will remember them!
AN RHLI “FIRST” RECOGNIZED
Mr. Blake Goldring, Chairman and CEO of AGF
Management, has been appointed the first Honorary
Colonel of the Army. HCol Goldring is also the founder of
the Canada Company, which has raised millions in
support of Canadian soldiers and their families, in
conjunction with the RHLI’s Honorable Company. But
the first-ever such honorary appointment – as noted in the DND media
release - was to our predecessor unit,
th
the 13 Battalion, in 1895! MajorGeneral the Honorable John Morison
th
Gibson, KCMG, VD, a former 13
Battalion CO, was the first Canadian
soldier
to
bear
the
Honorary
Lieutenant-Colonel then Honorary Colonel appointment.
Our Honorary Lt.-Col., Tim Hogarth, the President and
CEO of Pioneer Energy, has worked closely with Hon.
Col. Goldring in raising money for the RHLI and the CF
families. Nice to see tradition continuing!
HONOUR FOR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT!
Mayor Bratina pins the City’s Dieppe pin on veteran
Frank Volterman, a medic at Dieppe. He went on to
serve through northwest Europe until wounded.
RHLI ASSOCIATION “SHOOT” A HIT!
We expect our soldiers to be able to shoot and shoot
well (in keeping with long RHLI tradition dating back to
th
our roots with the 13 Battalion). But ingrained habits
die hard, and so our Association sponsors a “shoot” at
the Wentworth Shooting Club every year to keep skills
RHLI Association pres Lynda MurdochFurchner has been awarded a Distinguished Service Award by the Certified
General Accountants of Ontario. The
awards are granted to members who have
performed truly distinguished service to
the CGA, or have exceptional service to
the community, or both. Lynda is a corporate accounting
manager at Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc. She has done
extensive volunteer work for the CGA, serves with the
RHLI through our veterans’ association, and has served
on the boards of the Canadian Corps Association and
Canadian Commissionaires.
HAS RILEY TWIST
Earlier this year,
Brenda Robinson
was finally going
through an old
family desk she
had
inherited.
Inside,
with
yellowed papers
and old military
badges was a
tattered musical
booklet entitled “Leander Waltz”.
It was written by G. Robinson
and dedicated to the Leander
Boat Club. G. Robinson?
George Robinson? Greatgreat
grampa
George
Robinson, bandmaster of the
th
13 Battalion?
One and the
same!
It’s the only known composition by our
most
famous bandmaster, although he was a
famous arranger of other’s works.
Brenda contacted the Hamilton Spectator’s Mark
McNeil with her find. He in turn contacted Major Mike
Rehill, our current bandmaster and got the skinny on
Bandmaster Robinson for a front-page story in the Spec
(http://www.thespec.com/feature/article/479527-musical-treasure-of-hamilton-history-found). Maj Rehill
arranged for MCpl Adam Malseed from our Band to play
the music on his piano for Brenda – perhaps the first
time the music had been heard in over a hundred years
(it was written in 1879).
The new-found tune will be a feature on the next
RHLI Band CD with full military band arrangement,
although first written for the piano forte.
As a side note, the music was published in Hamilton
by P. Grossman – the bandmaster of the RHLI just prior
to Robinson. Nice touch!
(photos/The Hamilton Spectator, Barry Gray)
Your Mess has had a couple of good functions this year
with the Associate Dinners! Our spring guest speaker
was Hamilton Police Chief Glenn DeCaire. With his
“Support Our Troops”
message, he was wellreceived.
At the fall
dinner, where we learned
about the pre-rebellion
Hamilton Police Chief
Glenn DeCaire is a
keen military supporter,
with a “Support Our
Troops” day every year
as well as supporting
our Gala last year, and
other events.
Rhodesian Army – well, the dinner was good, as was the
comradeship! There have been some private functions
as well, not only bringing some revenue in but
introducing new people to our Mess – no telling who
might become a new Associate member.
The Mess is gradually being whipped back into
shape. Flooring, carpeting, furniture and servery wiring
are good, as are the stoves and fridges. Next up: end
tables, drapes, lighting and – finally! – new air
conditioners (courtesy the Reg’t’l Committee). The Mess
has okayed the expenditures, as well as acquiring some
stand-up tables in the bar room. The restroom has new
fixtures and a coat of paint, courtesy DND. As we move
th
into our 150 year, your Mess will be looking the best it
has in years! We look forward to seeing you there.
You don’t need to wait for a function to use the
Mess. We’re open Tuesday nights during the training
year – our Steward, Glen is on hand most nights from
about 7 p.m. onward. Bring some friends, get up a card
game, and meet today’s combat-hardened Riley
soldiers.
THE DATE BOOK
We’re into the Christmas season now, as all the
advertising will surely tell you! The soldiers mark the
season with the Regimental dinner (already over by the
th
time you get this) and the Birthday dinner – our 149 ! –
th
slated for the 10 . But mark these dates down:
28 December – 6-8 p.m. Commanding Officer’s
Cocktail Party. Dress is “mufti” – the army term for
business suit / evening wear. A complimentary evening
for our members, with great hors d'oeuvres, drinks, good
friends and a welcoming, warm and comfortable
atmosphere. Membership has its rewards!
31 December: New Year’s Eve Light Infantry Ball!
The revival of an old Hamilton tradition. Some tickets
still left – visit http://www.rhli.ca/150Ball.html for full
details. If you’re going, you need to get those tickets
now!
01 January 2012: New Year’s Day. Soldiers arrive at
10 a.m. We open to our Associate members at 12:30 –
plenty of time for a night’s sleep after the Ball!
MESS COMMITTEE UPDATE
This just in… some new faces are coming into the
RHLI Officer’s Mess Committee after our Mess
th
meeting Nov 29 . Long-serving PMC Capt John
Coomber will be succeeded by Major Robert
Tremblay, and Lt Victoria Adams is our Secretary.
John leaves a legacy of great dinners and a polished
look to the Mess with the new furniture! The new
committee will have its work cut out for them as we
move ahead with further improvements.
ASSOCIATE DUES – COMING DUE!
Please consider an early payment of your Associate
Officer’s dues for 2012. Drop a cheque in the mail
NOW, or perhaps at the Cocktail Party. Still only
$60.00 – best deal in town!
RHLI HERITAGE MUSEUM
LOOKING FOR MEMBERS
The RHLI Heritage Museum is asking for your
continued support. Consider a membership - it is
only $10 a year. And, our Museum is always looking
for volunteers to support the processing and
maintenance of the artifacts on display. Our
Museum is the repository of our Regimental history
and is one of the premier regimental museums in
Canada! For further information on membership
and/or volunteering, please contact Ms Celia
Anderson at [email protected]
Hoage
Semkowicz
LAST POST
2011 has been a year of remembrance in the RHLI. We
have lost eight comrades from World War II, not the
least being our Museum Administrator, Ed Newman.
BIERD, Charles Leigh – 20 March 2011,
th
in his 87 year. RCAF WW 2 veteran but
joined the RHLI post-war, reaching
Sergeant before retiring (“He was a driver,
cook and anything else you wanted him to
do! – Ret’d WO Val Patrick) and part of the
RHLI Association for many years.
WIGHT, Major Robert Wilson, on June 6,
2011 in his 92nd year. From Semper
Paratus, on the Battle of the Goch-Calcar
Rd, Feb 19/’45: With this loss of officers,
C Company became badly disorganized
and was taken over by Lieutenant R. W.
Wight, a pioneer officer attached to the
company, until Captain R. E. Bolt arrived from the rear.
Nevertheless, the Rileys were, once again, on their
objective.
ELLISON, Seymour– 8 July 2011. He
enlisted in the RHLI after Dieppe. He
st
volunteered for the 1
Canadian
Parachute Battalion. He jumped into
France on D-Day, and fought through
North-West Europe and Germany.
Severely wounded in the fight for Xanten,
he was returned to Canada and discharged as WOII.
BEAM, William Edward “Ted” – RHLI, WW 2, on June
22, 2011 at the age of 87.
SIMKINS, Major John Elisha - September 18, 2011 at
the age of 92. At the battle for Xanten in February 1945,
Lt Ken Wharton (in Semper Paratus) recalled of Simkins:
“Once when I was out checking on the sections, there
was a great whoosh of artillery and I wondered what in
hell was going on. When I got back to my headquarters
2012 marks our 150th Anniversary!
there was Johnny Simkins, my wounded
platoon commander, at the wireless set.
When I asked him what was going on, he
said, ‘I just got a little itchy, Ken, and called
down a Mike 51 (artillery barrage).’ ‘Do you
know you’re probably costing the taxpayer
25 dollars apiece for every one of those
shells?’ I said. ‘Yeah’, Johnny said, ‘isn’t it
wonderful?’ “
HOAGE, Basil Joseph - September 19,
th
2011, in his 87 year. RHLI WW 2 and
post-war.
SEMKOWICZ, Michael July 09, 2011, in his
th
90 year. RHLI post-war member.
NEWMAN, Edward Cameron (George)
Gordon 1920 - 2011 on November 21,
2011, in his 92nd year. Beloved husband
and best friend of Brenda for over 68
years. WW 2 RHLI. Left out of battle for
Dieppe, he told your editor it was one of
st
the biggest regrets of his life. For his 91
birthday, Ed, who joined as a boy soldier
at age 15 in 1935, wrote: “On September 10, 1939 I left
Westinghouse and signed on for Active Service with the
RHLI. On July 22, 1940 my regiment was deployed
overseas and seven days later landed in Greenoch,
Scotland. I was all of 19 years old. The next day we
travelled by train to Aldershot England. This route was
chosen by the Military, as a decoy for the movement of
Canadian Troops to the UK. At that time, England was
under the constant threat of German invasion. We
remained in Aldershot for the next 14 months to continue
training in preparation for combat, finally taking up
residence in Hastings, England.
I was a Stretcher Bearer - later known as a Medic.
One of my duties was to … retrieve the dead bodies of
our soldiers and often that included finding their body
parts. Finally I reached the point where I simply could
no longer continue to do this. It was decided I would
assist with the injured soldiers and help dress their
wounds. I was also trained in water purification, a
necessity for our troops, not only as drinking water, but
for cooking, cleaning and the sterilization of medical
equipment. I returned to Canada on a 30-day furlough
on May 3, 1945. The war in Europe ended on May 8,
th
1945. I was granted a discharge on June 25 .
After the war I returned to my job at Westinghouse
at Longwood and Aberdeen Roads, Hamilton.”
The Veteran’s Prayer
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left
grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the
years condemn. At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning, we shall remember them.
Lawrence Binyon, from “For the Fallen”
Watch this space for news as plans are announced!