RAOC Gazette - page 251
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1983 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1983 |
| Late date | 1983 |
| Transcription |
HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE BEER IN CANADA BY MAJOR A. C. COLLIS (Between 7th and 10th June, runners from CFB Suflicld/BATUS ran sonic four hundred miles as a non stop relay, bringing a centennial message from the Governor of Allicrta to the City of Medicine Hat. The run was led by the author whose personal account follows.) AT 7 pm on 10th June 1883, the first train pulled into Medicine Hat from the East. In those days, the plains around the city were home to Buffalo and Indians. Now both are gone, and the modern industrial city of Medicine Hat is celebrating it's Centennial year. How do you celebrate a city's one hundredth birthday? I had the idea of running with a goodwill message from the Governor whilst lying on my lounge floor, a dangerous place in our house. The Governor and the City welcomed the idea, and even the Police said it wasn't illegal, so I started planning. I asked the city for advice on exclusively local charities which needed support, and eventually we decided to run for MS sufferers and Mentally Retarded children. Over the follow- ing few weeks, we built up a good relationship with both the officials and the recipients of both charities. I sent sponsorship requests to local businesses and the teams set about mugging people in Medicine Hat. We started training. At first the response from the Base had been tremendous—well, thirty people volunteered. Injury and hard work whittled those down to sixteen, seven of whom were RAOC from the BATUS Ordnance Company. Local press interest was quickly aroused, and the runner's morale was raised by seeing themselves training on local TV. (Fortunately the TV crews left before the runners started collapsing in the ninety deegrees fahrenheit heat). Second Lieutenant Guy Slater did most of the administration. Fixing a smart strip, medics, rations, an excellent cook a bus to sleep on, escort vehicles etc etc. There were a few last minute hitches with his foolproof plans—eg the Mk 1 version of the baton which would contain the Governor's centennial message weighed three pounds. However, the administration came together on the day. We moved off to Edmonton and were lined up at 0900 hours Wednesday 8th June awaiting the arrival of the Governor. Private Rob Devey, from Vehicle Platoon, was chosen to receive the message on the basis of his hard work during training. I took over from him and ran the first leg out of Edmonton. I'm still not sure I took the shortest route. I distinctly remember W02 Brian Frater arguing with the accom- panying Policeman whilst I plodded into a side-street. Still I managed to hand over to Corporal Roger Hunking right in front of the TV cameras! We had gone to a great deal of trouble to arrange medical cover. Second Lieutenant Guy Slater had assured me that every conceivable runner's ailment could be cured by the Canadian Army Medics who accompanied us. Sadly their repertoire fell short of Kaolin of which I had a sudden urgent need after my epic run. The run progressed well with each runner running for an hour. Even the inexperienced runners were clocking in twelve kilometres, whilst ' stars' like Corporal Scottie Scott RE eased his way through an undulating seventeen kilometres. The off duty runners moved from swimming pool to swimming pool, their use having been donated by the towns on our route. Camrose, Stettler, Drumheller, all rolled by. It was becoming increasingly obvious that we were going to arrive impossibly early—like six hours before the civic reception for the Centennial. As it was a non stop relay, the team decided to put in an extra fifty to sixty miles to eat up time. This was working well until a squash playing, RAOC Senior Rank, Storeman, with recent Field Force experience, (and a famous name), got lost. It was for this reason that I found myself in a vehicle following Lance Corporal Frank Irving from Stores Platoon when a Blackfoot Indian and his family drove up and said: Private Devey of the BATUS Ordnance Company with the baton containing the message. " Hey man, don't you know this is an Indian Reservation? Where do ya think yer going eh?" " Medicine Hat." " I don't know how to tell ya this bud, but yer goin the wrong way." Private — 208 — Stanley and Sergeant Storey Drumheller. on (Continued on page 226.) the hills outside |
| Book number | R0406 |