Page 191 - The Bugle 2018

The Brockville Rifles of Canada
A busy year of training
Since the previous article in The Bugle, The Brockville Rifles of Canada, from South-Eastern Ontario, have had quite busy few years on all fronts! Field and patrolling exercises, range weekends and regimental social and commemo- rative events were all well attended and successful, while new initiatives such as unit sports teams were launched!
Two years since the 150th anniversary of our official founding of the Battalion, held in 2016, (though lineage can be traced to 1796), the celebrations were resoundingly successful with a Freedom of the City parade, a regimental reunion supper, and the next day, a Change of Command ceremony with the transfer of the Rifles sword from LCol Shawn Herron, CD, who had started with the unit’s cadet corps.
We also bid farewell after three years of dedicated service to RSM Arthur Mackenzie who now serves with another unit, while CWO Robert Gagnon took on that important leadership role.
Recruitment is at the forefront of the unit’s efforts aimed to increase our parade strength while raising public awareness on the opportu- nities with the Army Reserve. The recent success in enrolments has the unit planning to run a Basic Military course in October, and ensure our Mons Company is fully manned for upcoming domestic tasks, overseas deployments, exercises or exchanges.
All personnel have been very active through the summer, with all Reserve Summer training positions being filled. Available unit members formed our Rifles tug-of-war team competing at the Canadian Glengarry Highland Games. Coached by the RSM, and called the “shorts and beards”, the team took 3rd place this year after causing an upset at last year’s competition with a first ever 5th place from 10 teams. Other Riflemen and women set themselves apart, such as Sergeant Jana Eagle who as the first-responder last year to a critical road-side accident earned the 4th Division Commander’s Commendation.
Deployment opportunities were available in the Middle East and Major Steve Giberson, our DCO, and Cpl Hunter returned from that region, while four Riflemen are now currently preparing to deploy to Latvia.
The unit training cycle will consist of Individual Battle Tasks and qualifications from April to October, followed by collective training led by the Territorial Battle Group and through the Domestic Response Company leadership cadre.
During the spring floods of 2017, the unit was called in active service to assist in flood relief efforts and assist in Public Safety measures. Eleven members volunteered to assist local law enforcement and reinforce sandbagging sites, and our MCpl Ryan Moss distinguished himself for his leadership and ability to maintain everyone’s moral high throughout that domestic operation.
Our annual Regimental Officers Mess Diners have been well attended, with our Guests of Honour being exceptional leaders. We were honoured in 2018 to recieve the Commander of the Canadian Army, LGen Wynnyk. The previous year, the unit was honoured to receive the Deputy Commander of the Canadian Army, MGen Turenne. We were quite honoured as well to have our Rifles Liaison Officer in Canada, LCol Dick Ovey, with us and for an inexplicable reason, guests in his immediate vicinity were quite boisterous. In honour of our renewed affiliation, a toast was offered to The Rifles Regiment.
Finally, to commemorate the Centennial of the Armistice, the unit will send members to the November 2018 commemorations in Mons, Belgium, to follow from the previously successful 2017 delegation visit to Vimy Ridge, France. The Honorary LCol (ret) Richard Garber, CD, his spouse, Lt (ret) Natalie Thibault and myself are looking forward to marking the occasion with a visit to 8 Battalion The Rifles and discuss small unit exchanges with Lcol Teal!
Semper Paratus
LCol Paul d’Orsonnens, MSM, CD Commanding Officer
DURING THE SPRING FLOODS OF 2017, THE UNIT WAS CALLED
IN ACTIVE SERVICE
TO ASSIST IN FLOOD RELIEF EFFORTS AND ASSIST IN PUBLIC SAFETY
THE RIFLES
ALLIANCES 197
Battle Honor Afghanistan is now part of Regimental History
The Fusiliers attended a presentation of Direct Fire Support (DFS) weapons by their colleagues at the Royal 22e Régiment