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8 Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment

(14th Canadian Hussars) Association

VE Day - 55th Anniversary Reunion

July 28th, 29th & 30th, 2000

Held at the Best Western Vernon Lodge Hotel

Vernon, British Columbia, Canada

PRESS CLIPPING

The 8 Recce Reunion Committee wishes to say thanks to the Snowbirds for their spectacular performance.

For more information about the Snowbirds, please use link   http://www.snowbirds.dnd.ca    and also

http://www.rcaf.com/snowbirds

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PRESS CLIPPING

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PRESS CLIPPING

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HONOURARY COLONEL JIM BILLINGSLEY INSPECTING THE CADETS

PRIOR TO THE SERVICE

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MEMORIAL PROGRAM

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ADDRESS BY PADRE ART GANS

On the 11th of March 1941, a Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in England made up
of men from each of the brigades of the Second Canadian Infantry Division. The new
regiment, designated the VIII Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars) was to
participate in more continuous contact with the enemy than any other regimental unit
according to one of its wartime commanders, LCol B.M. "Mo" Alway.

The Regiment landed a month after D Day on Gold Beach, and from that moment on, was
almost continuously engaged. Recce Regiments were formed to provide not only
reconnaissance, but also to provide a screen for the division to which they were attached.
Thus, even though their division might be drawn back for a time, the Recces remained up
front and in contact, so that when the division returned to their forward position they
would have the latest information on the enemy.

What kind of people made up the Regiment? Most of them were young, some might even
say, very young. In fact, for you cadets here this morning, most of the veterans that are
present here were not all that much older than you are when they came across Gold Beach
on the 6th of July. The average age of soldiers during the Second World War was in the
very low 20's. So you can be assured that many of them were still teenagers when they did
what they did.

The Battle Honours of this Regiment read like the history of the Canadian Army in World
War II. Caen, Falaise, The Crossing of the Seine, Antwerp, and the Turnhout Canal, The
Scheldt, South Beveland, The Twente Canal, Gronigen, Oldenburg, and Northwest Europe,
1944-45. They were the first troops of the 2nd Canadian Division to enter combat, and were
the last members of the division to be withdrawn at the end of the war. As the history says,

"There is no better example of the recce role than this: First In, Last Out."

All of these battles created casualties, friends and comrades who were killed. The
regimental history lists 119 names. Today, we remember them, and also those who were
wounded. We also remember today those who have died since the last reunion. In a few
moments we will hear the time-honoured salutes to fallen comrades. The Lament, then Last
Post, the Silence, and Rouse. As we hear these military honours we will remember those
who have gone before us, and we will think also of ourselves. And for those of us who were
not there when the battle honours that I read a moment ago were won, let us give thanks
from the bottom of our hearts for those whose sacrifices of life, of body, of youth, procured

for us the freedom which we so enjoy. For were it not for the victory won by these men we

honour today, you and I might well live in a land where there was little or no freedom, where

men and women were judged by their race or their religion, rather than their accomplishments.

For our freedom, yes, and for the life which we are able to enjoy today, all of us here have

much to say thank you for, to the men who served in the VIII Reconnaissance Regiment

(14th Canadian Hussars) and their comrades in the 1st Canadian Army, who together with

other Allied Forces won the Victory in Europe whose 55th Anniversary we are celebrating today.

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COMPOSITE VIEW FROM WAYNE EMDE PHOTOS (scroll to see full view)

Cadets, facing veterans, remove their headdress during the Service.

Major Gerald Lawrence (opposite drums) in command of the cadet contingent.

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EILEEN WATSON FROM RED DEER, ALBERTA, ESCORTED BY CADETS,

LAYS THE WREATH ON BEHALF OF THE WIDOWS OF THE 8 RECCE.

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RAY CARLSON, SASKATOON, SK, IN WHEELCHAIR, WITH ESCORT, MORRIS MELNYK,

BARRHEAD, AB, AND GARLAND (BUD) HORTON, NORTH VANCOUVER, BC,

WITH WALKER, AND CADET ESCORT PERFORM TRIBUTE IN HONOUR OF THE

WHEELCHAIR CONTINGENT.

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FRED STRINGFELLOW, ANGLEMONT, BC, ON THE LEFT, AND FRED McALASTER,

DAVIDSON, SK, DO THE HONOURS FOR THE MARCHING CONTINGENT.

(SITTING - JUST TO RIGHT OF THE DRUMS, JIM ANDERSON FROM NEW ZEALAND

AND BEHIND HIM, IN CIVILIAN HAT, ALBERT LAWRENCE, GATINEAU, QUEBEC.

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(REPRINTED FROM REUNION NEWSLETTER)

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TOP - COMPOSITE VIEW FROM WAYNE EMDE PHOTOS -

SHOWS LADIES AND VETERANS WAITING TO PLACE POPPIES ON WREATHS.

CENTER - TWO WIDOWS PLACING POPPIES ON WREATHS-  LEFT- MARY YOUNG,

BURLINGTON, ONTARIO-   RIGHT- MAISIE RAMSHAW, EDMONTON, ALBERTA

BOTTOM LEFT - LEN BECK, SIDNEY, BC  WEARING WWII UNIFORM PLACES POPPY.

BOTTOM RIGHT - THE WREATHS, COVERED WITH VETERANS POPPIES, PRIOR TO

REMOVAL AT THE END OF THE SERVICE - ATTENDED BY DRUM MAJOR CADET WO COBB

OUR SINCERE THANKS TO ALL THE CADETS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SERVICE.

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REPRINT FROM REUNION NEWSLETTER

CADET PIPE MAJOR SHAWN RING ENTERTAINS AT THE DINNER -

BETTY AND JIM STRINGFELLOW, RICHMOND, BC, PAUSE TO LISTEN

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REPRINT FROM REUNION NEWSLETTER

VACC website: www.vacc.armycadet.com

To view Cadet Sword of Honour: http://www.vacc.armycadet.com/sword_of_honour.htm

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COMPOSITE VIEW FROM TWO PHOTOS (scroll to see full view)

Left front - Marie and Theo Bullock , burlington, ontario

Left rear - hilda edwards, fred shipley, star city, sk

center of carrier - tom mason, vernon, bc

next to tom, norman edwards, melfort, sk, beatrice shipley with friend
and muriel tebay, north battleford, sk

lEFT - SITTING AT TABLE, MARGARET SMITH, NANAIMO, BC

NEXT TO MARGARET, FERN DOBIE, CALGARY, ab

BESIDE FERN, JOYCE AND CHARLES TOWNSEND, ASHERN, MB

EXTREME RIGHT, AT TABLE, TIL BJERKE, RICHMOND, BC

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bren gun carrier provided by rocky mountain rangers military museum,

kamloops, bc

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FLASH BACK - 17 APRIL 1945 - NE HOLLAND

"A" SQUADRON CARRIER MOVING THROUGH DUTCH VILLAGE

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY HONOURARY MEMBER, HARRY VENEMA, STADSKANAAL

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MEMBERS AND GUESTS ATTENDING REUNION 2000

NEW ZEALAND                  Jim Anderson -Takapuna

USA                                      Jack Ennis -Livonia, Michigan

NEWFOUNDLAND            Edward (Jiggs), Alma & Bonnie Borland -Bishop Falls

NOVA SCOTIA                   Henry & Leona Redmond -Sydney

QUEBEC                              Albert Lawrence -Gatineau

ONTARIO

Dr JB (Doc) Benson -Port Hope, Jim Blyth -Meaford, Theo & Marie Bullock -Burlington, Vic Govan -London,

Carl Hager -Kenora, Leon & Audrey Hurley -Caledonia, Pete Sewell -Creemore, Nelson & Edna Shaw -

St Catharines, Earl Wrightman -Newmarket, Mary Young & Tyna Drudge -Burlington

MANITOBA                         John Allen -Winnipeg, Charles & Joyce Townsend -Ashem

SASKATCHEWAN

Charles & Marj Bruce -Tugaske, Ray & Inez Carlson -Saskatoon, Iver & Glennis Clifton -Swift Current, Norman &

Hilda Edwards -Melfort, Jack & Georgina Ewen -Riverhurst, Harold & Opal Homer -Regina, Alex & Lilian Kovar

Battleford, Irene Mclntyre -Regina, Fred & Vema McAlaster, Blaine & wife McAlaster- Davidson, Hugh & Heather

Ramage- Wawota, Art & Betty Ramshaw -Nokomis, Bob & Rose Ruller -Regina, Ray Smith -Prince Albert, Fred &

Beatrice Shipley -Star City, Bill Shuya -Sturgis, Bill & Muriel Tebay, Marvin & Lavern Chapman -North Battleford,

Harvey & Vivian Thorsen -Christopher Lake, Jack & Millie Webster -Biggar, Trig & Kathleen Wick -Prince Albert

ALBERTA

Vic & Sylvia Bowditch -Calgary, Ray Camley & Dorothy Downes -Calgary, Fern Dobie -Calgary, Cecil & Ruby

Gordon -Lethbridge, David & Joan Gascoyne -Sherwood Park, Conrad & Isabel Hedberg- Canmore, Morris &

Margaret Melnyk -Barrhead, John (Pinky) Melville -Olds, Walt & Olive Meston -Drayton Valley, Harvey Pellerin -

Debolt, Maisie Ramshaw & guest -Edmonton, Orville & Mary Studer, Louella Berger, Kathleen Glasgo -Medicine Hat,

Eileen Watson, Dale & Carolyn Watson & guest -Red Deer, Joe & Nettie Young. Lacombe

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Elsie Ashworth -Burnaby, Ed & Violet Bauder -Vancouver, Leonhart & Caroline Beck -Sidney, Jim & Ann Billingsley -

Vancouver, Wilf & Sophie Birtwistle -Saanichton, Til Bjerke .Richmond, Mark Blandford (Friend of deceased Jack

Watchman) -Sidney, Wilhelm (Buck) Buckholz -Vernon, Gordon & Verda Clark -Victoria, Denise Collet & daughter

Laura Cook -Victoria, Jack Fairbaim -New Westminster, Margaret & George Futer- Black Creek, Bill & Hanna Gillies -

Maple Ridge, Peter & Carolyn Good -Surrey, Tom & Alice Hanna- Abbotsford, Pierre & Helena Hanssens -Naniamo,

Gordon Hooey -Victoria, Garland (Bud) & Irene Horton -North Vancouver, Bill Home- loo Mile Ranch, Don Kier -

Madeira Park, Aldeo (Ack Ack) & May Lalonde, Rick LaLonde & family -Summerland, Tom & Gladys Mason -Vernon,

C.L. (Mac) & Johnann McKellar -Castlegar, Murray & Marlene McQuarrie -Revelstoke, Ken & Lorraine Parton, Kay Oliver -

Victoria, Margaret Reed, Vyola Woods -Kamloops, Robbie & Margaret Simpson -Sooke, Margaret Smith -Naniamo,

Jim & Betty String fellow, Fred & Jessie String fellow, Matt & Kay String fellow -Anglemont, Glen & Vera Swensen -Lumby,

AI (Tommy) Tomkins, Jon Tomkins -Princeton, Ken & Grace Turner -Chilliwack, Ross Van Druff -Victoria, Art Wheeler -

White Rock. (Note- Bill Hall -Chilliwack visited but did not register; Peter Ross -Lumby, Len Smith -Penticton also visited

but did not register -( Peter & Len just read about the Reunion in the local paper) -they signed up for Yr 2002).

YUKON                                               Bryan & Debbie, Dyre, Bryn Beck -Whitehorse

GUESTS                    Darrel & Cicely Stinson (MP) -Vernon, Klaus Tribes (City Rep) -Vernon, Jack & Jean Dangerfield

(LGen Rtd -Our guest speaker) -Kelowna, Art & D Gans (Our Reunion Padre) -Lake Country, LCol Fern Daigneault

(CO VACSTC), CWO Donald Reibin (RSM VACSTC), Capt Kelly March (Director of Music VACSTC), Cadet Pipe Major

Shawn Ring (Band VACSTC).

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group PICTURE TAKEN AT LUNCHEON BREAK AFTER THE MEMORIAL SERVICE (scroll to see full view)

NAMES WILL BE SUPPLIED AT A LATER DATE.

PLEASE USE LIST OF ATTENDEES TO MATCH FACES AND NAMES.

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AN EMOTIONAL MAC McKELLAR, CASTLEGAR, BC, AGE 93, WITH WIFE JOHNANN,

RECEIVES THE WINNING AWARD OF THE 8 RECCE CLOCK AT THE TICKET DRAW.

MAKING THE PRESENTATION IS ED BAUDER OF VANCOUVER, BC, THE MAKER

AND DONOR OF THE CLOCK. IN THE BACKGROUND IS FRED STRINGFELLOW,

TREASURER OF THE REUNION, FROM ANGLEMONT, BC.

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REPRINT FROM REUNION NEWSLETTER

REUNION YEAR 2000

FROM THE PRESIDENT

It was a pleasure to provide the show of the century -and we owe it all to you for attending.

You may remember we were denied our WW II victory parade to march in Berlin -but notwithstanding Stalin

and Eisenhower -we had our big 'Do'in Vernon,BC in Year 2000.

And speaking of military -the Cadet Camp Commander, LCol Fern Daigneault, pulled out all the stops to give

a military tribute to you -the veterans of the VIII Recce.

Also, surprisingly enough, the famed Snowbirds roared over the Vernon Army Cadet Camp -not once- but

twice -to show appreciation for you -the VIII Recce veterans -and to acknowledge the Cadet Camp involvement.

The Memorial Service with Padre Art Gans of Lake Country, BC officiating, was also a memorable occasion as

a salute to our fallen comrades. The laying of wreaths and the placing of poppies by those attending the reunion,

with escort by cadets, provided pride in the Regiment.

As a bit of nostalgia, the Rocky Mountain Rangers Museum of Kamloops, BC, courtesy of Captain Wendy

McKenzie , provided a vintage WWII bren gun carrier as a center piece for our reuniom ballroom. When the

carrier was removed on the Sunday, even Til Bjerke,from Burnaby BC, what with her sore hip and all, climbed

aboard for a whirl around the parking lot along with a few other veterans.

It didn't stop there. The civilian dignitaries paid tribute. We jumped protocol, and the City of Vernon representative,

Klaus Tribes, welcomed the veterans. The Federal MP, Darrel Stinson praised the veterans for attending.

Unfortunately, the Provincial MLA, April Sanders, sent regrets of being unable to attend..

Even our Reunion dinner provided a bit of Murphy's Law, with an absent wine table for the toast to the Queen -

which was quickly corrected -for the other toasts to continue. Praise must be given to our own 8 Recce members -

Henry Redmond, Jim Anderson, Jack Ennis, Albert Lawrence, Ken Turner, Mary Young, Walt Meston,

Ed (Jiggs) Borland and Norm Edwards who gave the various toasts and responses with little or no advance

warning -to fit the occasion.

And then our guest speaker, LGen (Rtd) Jack Dangerfield, gave a stirring address to evoke a standing ovation. .

The Reunion provided other stirring emotions of the pride of the VIII Recce. Even staid, Mac McKellar of

Castlegar, BC, aged 93, gave an emotional thanks when presented with the winning prize of the VIII Recce clock,

emblazoned with the badges of the 14th Canadian Hussars and the VIII Recce. And thanks to Ed Bauder of

Vancouver who made the clock especially for the Reunion.

With the meeting of old acquaintances and some new -there was Murray McQuarrie of Revelstoke, Gar Walker

of Kelowna, Len Smith of Penticton and Peter Ross of Lumby BC, who had not known of the existence of the

8 Recce Association -until they read about the Reunion in the local papers -and the final tribute of the Reunion

when Rose Ruller of Regina prompted the singing of auld lang syne at our farewell buffet.

About thanking all the people who made this reunion memorable for you -where do we stop -it seems every one

in Vernon (and elsewhere) had a hand in putting on the big "shew ,- and we sent thank you notes and cards to all

those involved. Our own 8 Recce folks chipped in and did yeoman service -Fred and Jessie Stringfellow, Nelson

and Edna Shaw, Al (Tommy) Tomkins, Jon Tomkins, Jim Anderson, Jim Blyth, Ken and Lorraine Parton and

Kay Oliver, Ed and Violet Bauder, Charles and Joyce Townsend, Margaret Reed and Vyola Woods, Glen and

Vera Swenson, Padre Art and 'D' Gans, Jim Billingsley , the list goes on.

And a special thanks to my wife, Gladys.

Now we have Reunion Year 2002 to look forward to -and with that in mind- good fortune -good health and

God be with you.

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tOP LEFT - SITTING - EDNA SHAW AND JESSIE STRINGFELLOW-

STANDING- LEFT- KAY OLIVER, Lorraine PARTON, JOYCE TOWNSEND.

TOP RIGHT - MARLENE AND MURRAY McQUARRIE

RIGHT SECOND FROM TOP - CAROLYN AND PETER GOOD.

RIGHT THIRD FROM TOP - JOHN ALLEN AND TOM MASON

LEFT CENTER - GLADYS MASON AND JACK ENNIS

BOTTOM - FROM THE RIGHT - LEN BECK, WILF BIRTWISTLE, GORDON HOOEY,

kEN PARTON, ED BAUDER, WILHELM (BUCK) BUCKhOLZ, PIERRE HANSSENS,

JACK ENNIS.