Winter 2016 - The Royal Canadian Hussars

ROYAL CANADIAN HUSSARS ASSOCIATION
NON NOBIS SED PATRIAE
Winter 2016
MESSAGE FROM THE NEW PRISDENT
Bonjour à tous,
REGIMENTAL NEWS
On Sunday December 13th our member’s children had a
surprise visit from Santa. The kids were treated to
inflatable games, face painting, balloon animals and a
great lunch. Some of our guests were happy to see Santa
and some were not too happy. All present had a great time
and if you would like to be at the next surprise event
contact our committee.
Une autre année qui se
déroule très bien et la santé
de l’association est dans la
bonne direction. Nous avons
eu notre Octoberfest, les
déjeuners, et la réunion
annuelle qui arrive à grand
pas.
Nous sommes sur le point de voir les histoires et les
expériences de nos membres du RCH qui ont été déployé
sur les différentes missions dans le monde sur le site
internet du Régiment. Je vous invite à aller le consulter.
Nous avons la chance d’avoir un membre centenaire M.
Stan Highway 100 ans et M. Allan Canavan 95 ans qui tous
deux se porte très bien.
Je vous invite à venir à la réunion annuelle de l’association
du Royal Canadian Hussard le 30 avril 2016. Un repas
chaud sera servi après la réunion, tous les détails seront
sur le site internet du Régiment très bientôt.
Bienvenue à tous.
Mario Hétu President
The Trumpeter
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Winter 2016
Le dimanche 13 décembre dernier a eu lieu le Noel des
enfants. Près d’une centaine de personne se sont présentés
à cet événement. Les enfants ont pu bénéficier de jeux
gonflables, deux clown faisant ballons et maquillage et d’un
père noël qui est venu leur remettre leur cadeau de noël.
Quoique les tout petits ont eu quelques difficultés à ne pas
pleurer sur les genoux du père noël, tous ont énormément
apprécié cette activité.
Ont voudrais également souligner le mariage de CplC
Marie-Lise Perron a Jean-Philippe Milot le 22 août 2015.
The Trumpeter
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Winter 2016
STAN HIGHWAY’s 100th Birthday
On January 15th 2016
Robert
Sforza,
Isabelle
Châtillon
and
several
members of the RCH past
& present were on hand to
celebrate
Mr.
Stan
Highways 100th Birthday.
Which took place at his
residence
Ste-Annes
Veterans
Hospital,
Mr.
Highway was in great
spirits and took the time to
chat with the many guests
that were on hand relating
some old stories. Several
generations of his family
graciously regaled us with
stories of Stan. Stan spoke about how he misses the
associations Breakfasts and riding motorcycles, Triumphs
in particular. May we all be as gracious as he at our 100th
birthday?
Roberto Sforza Sgt.
THE ROYAL CANADIAN HUSSARS DEPLOYS ON
REGULAR FORCE EXERCISE
The regiment was offered the opportunity to
participate at EX RAFALE BLANCHE from the 5th to
the 9th of February as part of the 12RBC's ''D''
squadron.
The Nicolet area received over 300 members both
regular and reservists during the whole week. This
particular exercise consisted of many scenarios of
conventional and asymmetrical contexts, providing
valuable training for all trades. Members of the
Regiment de Maisonneuve were given a taste of
what being mechanized is all about. Other
regiments who answered LCol Landry's
invitation were Trois-Rivières and the Sherbrooke
Hussars. The Royal Canadian Hussars provided a
troop and a group of enemy force. The troop,
commanded by 2Lt Laroche, participated in two
missions consisting of providing an outer cordon
during a mechanized company level attack and
patrolling potential escape routes for the enemy
forces.
This exercise was a great introduction to regularreserve cooperation. Emphasis was put on quality
and providing the necessary time and resources to
complete each mission. Every crew commander
had to carefully go through the battle procedure
and avoid leaving anything to chance. The enemy
force was composed of experienced commanders
who were all too familiar with standard drills and
procedures and they used their knowledge well.
Said Private Villeneuve of C&S squadron as he was
employed on the enemy force: '' I was amazed how
the master-corporals would describe each move
the company would take while they were attacking
us; they knew exactly what was going to happen
beforehand''.
As the exercise was ending, the CO of the 12 RBC
LCol Landry was pleased with the RCH's
participation. CWO Buchannan was hopeful that
this type of exercise be the first of many to come.
With the coming of the new TAPV (Tactical
armoured patrol vehicle) which will be the same
platform for regular and reserve forces, combined
training will become more important in order to
standardize training and confront future challenges.
Pictures courtesy of Carol Morrison we had three people
taking pictures. Carrie Morrison-MCormick, Ian Highway,
and a good friend, Janis Morrow. Our daughter-in-law, Rose
Huxted-Morrison made the cake. The great- grandchildren
range from 4 months to 10 years. We had 91 friends and
family who came to celebrate the special birthday. Dad
received telephone calls from Japan, England, Germany and
British Columbia from his brother Gordon, a veteran who will
be 99 years young on July 15th.
Special acknowledgments from Queen Elizabeth, the
Governor General of Canada, David Johnson, Prime Minister
Trudeau and Premier Couillard. By Carol Morrison (Highway)
The Trumpeter
2Lt. LaRoche
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Winter 2016
REGIMENTAL EXERCISE GPE 4 LAVAL
A G-Wagon equipped for CBRN Recce. Photo: Zone911.com
In order to effectively operate in a CBRN environment, the
RCH sought expert help from our Regular Force
counterparts. Subject Matter experts (SMEs) from the
12ieme Regiment Blinde Canadien (12e RBC) agreed to
come to Montreal in order to run two separate CBRN
training sessions for members of the RCH, the RdeHull and
attached infantry elements. Troops gained valuable insight
from lessons on CBRN warfare, detection of CBRN agents,
and
protective
measures.
By
building
on
prior
competencies, the SMEs mentored all levels on the conduct
of CBRN reconnaissance. This allowed troops to practice
the same reconnaissance techniques they would use on the
ground, as well as familiarize troops with state-of-the-art
equipment. As good execution begins with good planning
and preparation, the RCH is grateful to have had the
opportunity to work with the 12e RBC, and took their
lessons to heart.
RCH troops would soon have the opportunity to put these
skills to the test. High-tempo operations began soon after
the arrival of the RCH in Laval. Deploying two troops as
well as attached infantry assets to the north shore of Laval
early Saturday morning, the combined Squadron quickly
established a screen line in order to protect against a
(notional) incursion to the north. This screen would last
through the night and into the morning of the 23 rd.
throughout the night; troops identified enemy movement
and collected key information on routes and bridges for the
GBT
Commander.
This
role
suddenly
changed mid-day on
the 23rd, when a
Fragmentary
Order
was issued with vital
news;
a
simulated
CBRN incident had just
occurred in a heavily
occupied
area
in
southern Laval. With a
heavy
civilian
population,
uncertainty
on
the
A Hussar in full CBRN protective gear. Photo: Zone 911.com
D Squadron of the 34th Territorial Battalion Group (Montreal)
The Royal Canadian Hussars – January 22nd-24th, 2016.
From January 22nd to January 24th, the RCH participated in
EXERCICE QUORUM NORDIQUE 16, a military exercise
involving more than 600 soldiers of the 34 th Territorial
Battalion Group (34 GBT), Montreal. As the penultimate
exercise of the training year, EX QUORUM NORDIQUE
tested not only individual soldier skills, but command and
control at the unit and sub-unit level. Set in the fictional
country of West Isle, this exercise simulated an attack by
the regular forces of a failed state on a breakaway zone
protected by an international coalition. The RCH was paired
with troops from the Regiment de Hull to form the GBTs
Armoured Recce Squadron. Based on a simulated chemical
attack on “Lafiteau” (a fictional town played by Laval), EX
QUORUM NORDIQUE required Hussars to complete multiple
technical, fast-paced tasks across a broad spectrum of
operations. Always ready for a challenge, the RCH rose to
the
occasion
and
demonstrated
dedication
and
professionalism
in
a
complex
environment.
Though large-scale training exercise in Laval was no doubt
the climax of QUORUM NORDIQUE, training began in
earnest months earlier. While Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance is an
armoured reconnaissance task; few Reserve Armoured
units have undertaken the specialized training in order to
respond to such an incident effectively. 34 GBT and the
RCH in particular, have re-emphasized the importance of
this vital task and are pioneering the re-acquisition of
CBRN
Recce
skills
in
the
Reserves.
cause and type of incident and the ever-present threat of a
guerilla enemy known as the West Isle Association,
obtaining information about this incident would prove to be
a
challenge.
Hussars conducting CBRN Recce in "Lafiteau" (Laval) Photo: Zone911.com
With the clock ticking and potentially lethal contamination
unchecked in the town of Lafiteau, Recce Sqn coordinated
The Trumpeter
4
Winter 2016
with local and military police in order to obtain an escort to
the site of the incident. Passing through traffic, many of
the Squadron’s G-Wagons tore along Laval’s roads and
highways, blasting through red lights – all with the escort
and control of Laval’s police department. Deploying a
security cordon around the site, troops from the R de Hull
maintained the integrity of the site and reassured worried
civilians while RCH troops set up an inner cordon. Using
the skills learnt from working with the 12e RBC, RCH
troops used pickets, automatic vapour detectors, detector
paper and other tools to delineate the extent of
contamination and secure the area. Though enemy forces
attempted to disrupt these efforts, tight security and good
coordination allowed for a rapid response and an overall
successful mission.
Nightfall on the 23rd saw a successful RCH troop return to
Squadron Headquarters. Here, they were able to eat and
rest for a few short hours before their next task. While
Recce Squadron had been dealing with the CBRN threat,
the rest of the GBT had been responding to increased
enemy activity throughout the area of operations. In order
to strike decisively at the rising threat, Recce Sqn was
tasked with escorting two separate infantry forces to
objectives as well as assisting with their attacks.
Lieutenant Alexandre Lescot, Troop Leader for the RCH
troop during the escort and attack, was impressed with the
extensive coordination and co-operation between branches
displayed during this task. Speaking of the opportunity to
work with other trades, Lt. Lescot said; “We led a convoy
with several different elements, including the infantry,
military police, medics and signallers. This kind of all arms
cooperation is rarely seen in the Reserve world, and the
vital role that my troop and I played made me proud to be
an Armoured Reconnaissance Officer.” Lt. Lescot’s troop
would play a vital role in the attack; making first contact
with the adversary, cordoning the site of the attack and
leading the way in an assault on an objective using both
Armoured Recce and Infantry assets. All-arms cooperation, though a novel concept for many reservists,
allowed both infantry and armoured soldiers to learn
valuable lessons about each other’s trades.
Following this attack, both troops redeployed to SHQ,
where an official “End Ex” was declared. Proud of their
accomplishments and their effort, RCH troops were
welcomed by Squadron Commander Major Robin Thibault.
In a final assembly of the squadron, troops which have
shown extraordinary dedication throughout the year were
awarded the “OC’s Coin”. From the RCH, MCpl Gagne and
Cpl Martinez Ortega were awarded the OC’s Coin. MCpl
Gagne has shown remarkable dedication to the RCH, and
has frequently demonstrated good time management in
balancing his military and civilian commitments. He has
also frequently taken on the role of Crew Commander and
even Patrol Commander on exercise due to necessity,
though he is not yet qualified. MCpl Gagne’s willingness to
rise above and beyond what is expected of him has made
him an invaluable asset to the Squadron this year. Cpl
Martinez has demonstrated a commitment to the
Regiment, and is constantly looking for new ways to
improve her and her comrades’ performance at their jobs.
She acts as a constant source of “quiet leadership”, and
her attitude and military bearing allows her to be a source
of inspiration for younger troopers and corporals.
With the OC’s coin distributed, the RCH and R de Hull went
their separate ways. Having worked hard and learned from
their experiences, the RCH stands ready for the next task.
Cpl Martinez-Ortega is being presented the OC’s coin by
Major Thibault and SSM B Sqn WO Cobby
The Trumpeter
5
Winter 2016
AGM & REUNION
The AGM be held on Saturday April 30th@10h30
in the Warrants & Sergeants Mess at the Cote
des Neiges Armoury.
Immediately following the AGM the reunion will
be conducted in the Officers Mess for 12 noon.
Cost for the event will be 20$ free for life
members who attend the AGM.
If you wish to attend the Reunion only the cost
will be 40$ for members and 45$ for nonmembers.
All RSVP should be directed to
Maisonneuve. 514-496-2024 ext 236.
[email protected]
MARC
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEE CONTACT NUMBERS
Mario Hetu
President
[email protected]
Steven Barrette
1st Vice-President-Trumpeter
[email protected]
Marie-Lisa Perron
2nd Vice-Prisedent
[email protected]
Alex Cyr
Treasurer
[email protected]
Alexandre Lescot
Secretary
[email protected]
Isabelle Chatillon
Membership
[email protected]
Randy Klein
Membership Ontario
[email protected]
Donald Greene
Museum Curator
[email protected]
Denis Gilbert
Web Master
[email protected]
Alan Canavan
P.R. Regimental
Jude Brioche
P.R. Regimental
[email protected]
Karl Kramell
Past -President
[email protected]
LASTPOST
Le 29 juillet dernier est décédé à l'âge de 82 ans M.
Jean-Guy Favreau, époux de Mme Louise René de
Cotret.
Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants
Claudine (Jean-Pierre Briand), Josette (Claude
Turcotte), Brigitte (Daniel Laverrière) et Patrick, ses
7 petits-enfants et ses 11 arrière-petits-enfants, son
frère feu Bernard (feu Françoise René de Cotret) et
ses soeurs Henriette (feu Albert Lesiège), Jocelyne
(Pierre Frenette) et feu Lise (feu André Charron)
ainsi qu'autres parents et amis.
IMPORTANT DATES
Date
Event
Location
Dress
31 March
Breakfast
09h00 PJ’s Pub
Casual
28 April
Breakfast
09h00 PJ`s Pub
Casual
30 April
AGM
10h30 Sgts Mess
Formal
30 April
Reunion
12h00 Officers Mess
Formal
The Trumpeter
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Winter 2016