7 October 2014
STATUS UPDATE AND REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE
POTENTIAL RMC CLASS OF 1972 OLD BRIGADE PROJECT
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
A series of photographs and potentially a few memorabilia cabinets recognizing the names and service of all RMC College Sergeant Majors from the inception of the College until the year we enter the Old Brigade. This will include RRMC and CMR at those colleges.
STATUS OF THE PROJECT
This is one of three potential projects that have received approval in principle by the RMC Foundation and the RMC Commandant to proceed to the preparation of a business plan for sometime in February 2015 for further review.
Some of the questions to be answered in the business plan include:
– What is the final scope of work?
– What will it initially cost?
– What are the long-term sustainability costs?
– Where will they be located?
– What about future pictures?
– How does this project fit in with other projects being done by other parties including DND, Foundation, Museum Committee etc?
– What other information do we include such as decorations?
– If they held several ranks at the college, which one do we use? The last one or try to capture all the data?
– What Regimental Affiliation do we use if the individual held several?
RMC
On 1 October 2014, I visited the College to meet with MGen (Ret’d) Frank Norman. In addition, courtesy discussions were held with the Commandant, BGen Al Meinzinger and CPO Keith Davidson as well as other members of the RMC Club and specifically Heritage and Museum Committee members.
There have been 32 College Sergeant Majors (CSM: I am using this as a generic term for all of the senior Senior NCO’s including CPO’s etc.) in the first nominal 140 years. Recent posting terms seem to be nominal two years, so looking ahead some 60 years would double the number of potential portraits to around 60.
I will not go through all of the discussions that went on and the tremendous amount of groundwork done by Frank Norman, but the only place with enough wall room to do a project like this is the Senior NCO’s lounge area in the Senior Staff Mess. An elevator pitch was made to the Commandant and CPO Davidson and both liked the idea. There is an existing CSM board in the area but it is incomplete and has errors. One wall has a number of pictures and memorabilia from previous CSM’s and would need to be incorporated and saved.
A review of the list of CSM’s will have several names pop out as deserving of special attention including:
– Sgt-Major J Mortimer (our first one)
– WO1 J Wyatt (MBE, DCM)
– WO1 J.H. Coggins (two tours, over 11 years and the MBE)
– WO1 J McManus (10 years)
– CWO R.J. Slaney (OMM)
As it happens, the Museum and Heritage Committee instituted a separate and parallel project to identify the names of the CSM’s and put them on a board in Mackenzie Building, outside the CSM’s office. I do not believe this should stop us from the project and in fact, makes some the research easier. Frank offered the services of the new Assistant Curator of the Friends of Fort Frontenac. We can also try to find the descendant family of the CSM’s like has already been done for McManus.
RMC FUTURE ACTIONS
The following actions are proposed for RMC:
– Meeting with Assistant Curator
– Finalization of the list
– Identification of existing material on CSM’s
– Identification of existing photographs of CSM’s
– Obtaining/creating scaled drawings of the Senior NCO Lounge area to determine potential space available
– Sizing and costing of frames, acid free mat, class, cases etc to include security issues if medals and or other valuables are involved.
RRMC and CMR
I am seeking volunteers to do the initial reconnaissance at RRMC and CMR. I do not want to immediately jump to a downgraded position, but perhaps a board listing the names may be a potential way ahead in these locations. Any volunteers would have to meet with senior staff as well as members of the various museums, heritage committees and the local RRMC and CMR clubs.
Prepared by: Timothy A. Dear (9226), P.Eng.
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