I was stationed in CFB Petawawa in the late 60’s and I and two other Signals members Paul Murphy and Brian (Suitcase) Simpson were on the CFB Petawawa Base Hockey team. Capt Murray MacDonald was the Ops Officer with the Helicopter Sqn and also was the manager of the hockey team.
On one occasion he had arranged a training flight, by Huey Helicopter, the flight plan was to fly from CFB Petawawa to CFB Kingston with crew and members of the CFB Petawawa Stags, Hockey team, as passengers. The final destination was the Barriefield parade square, which would be cleared of snow.
Now this does not say much for the pilots orientation abilities but somehow the pilots got mixed up and instead of landing on the Barriefield parade square they proceeded to do a frontal assault on the Vimy parade square. I don't know what else you would call it, and it must have shocked the hell out of those in the surrounding buildings.
As the 5 choppers landed unannounced and in single file, people stopped what they were doing and some came out of the buildings to watch this unexpected disruption.
Now anyone, familiar with the Army parade squares know that they were sacred grounds and they were safe guarded by a supreme being known as a Regimental Sergeant Major, whose main objective in life was to instill discipline on inferior beings I know this because I had encounters with several in my short time in the Army. Two of them being Patricia’s RSMs, Austin (PPCLI Depot) and Buxton (Germany). I was not willing to expose myself to the wrath of another whose reputation had preceded them.
The RSM of the School of Signals had a reputation that was second to none. When confronted, they could pick out dress or marching infractions which could lead to extra work and drill (no one was perfect in their eyes), except them? One would walk a block or two out of the way, just to avoid meeting up with him.
There was about 2 feet of snow on the square and that should have been an indication, to the pilots, however, common sense is not as common as we like think it is? The choppers were in single file, facing the Forde building and on disembarking the aircraft, all non signal personnel proceeded to the main entrance, as there appeared to be a reception party. The Signal personnel remained on board and had to be forced off the aircraft on to the sacred ground. The few times anyone was allowed on the square, you were on parade, authorized training or retraining (defaulters), or you were cleaning it. We never followed the rest of the crowd; we walked the shortest distance off the square.
Now all Signal persons, know that only Officers enter/exit through the front entrance of the Forde building. All other meaningless beings will use the side doors on either side. I checked with Terry Murphy, as to who was the school RSM at the time, and we believe it to be Stan (The Man) Reading.
Now he had a reputation along with many other RSM's throughout the Army and its one that neither of us Signal persons wanted to cross. He met those unworthy of entrance and directed them to the proper areas of entry and then asked if there were any Signal persons present. None of us Signal personnel would acknowledge our presence. Now I don't know what he would have done to us had we come forward and admitted our identity. He may have bawled the hell out of us for not informing these individuals of the sacred ground, and forbidden entrance to the unworthy. Or he may have welcomed us with open arms, (none of us were willing to take that chance). We will never know. I can't remember, anyone telling me what the RSM said to the Pilots nor did I care. One thing for sure, we quickly remounted our aircraft and got the hell out of "DODGE' and flew to our proper destination.
It was shortly after integration and a different time in my career, it was interesting, confusing at times and a fun time. The colourful, feared and talked about RSMS were changing and it was becoming the end of an era. Signs of change were in the wind and a lot of our traditions and culture were going to be lost. We didn't know, it at the time but it was happening.
Today Parade Squares for the most parts are parking lots and missing only parking meters. I do know, when I dawn my old Signal Corps blazer with medals and attend a parade or step on a parade square, I brace up what ever I can and march proudly, with old memories of years gone by, come to mind.
Now we all know that change is inevitable and we will go with the flow but we don't have to like it.
I guess it’s a sign of the times?
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