I first met Sack in 1968. I had just got posted in from Germany to
2 Signal Squadron Camp Petawawa, Ont. It was in the summer, when I first was introduced
to Sgt McLaren who was in charge of the Line Section. Dennis Stow and
Tommy Carter were the first members of the Sqn that I met and they
introduced me to him. He was a big strapping Lad who was friendly and had a good
sense of humor and a strange little laugh, yet you knew there was a line and I
never really knew if he was serious or joking.
Most of the Sqn members were on leave so I had the opportunity to
get to know him at work and on the golf course. When playing golf with Sack you
soon got used to the occasional whirring sound that a golf club makes when it’s
thrown viciously through the air and lands with a thud. It was funny but none
of us ever laughed, I had been prewarned, so we just played on after he
recovered his club.
I, along with Paul Murphy, Brian Suitcase Simpson, Gerry
Gilles, and another Gerry can’t remember his last name, played on the
Squadron Hockey team, and the Base Hockey team, and Sack was an ardent fan. So
again I got to know him a bit better, and he me.
I was on a course
at the School of Signals in Kingston, Ont and was drinking in the Junior ranks
mess which at the time was in the old Research building which was now occupied
by the 1 CDN SIGNAL REGIMENT.
I was
drinking with George Heath and several other lineman, who were also on
course and we were getting quite chemically enhanced. I remember George because
before the end of the evening, I got into a scuffle with him. He was in combats
and I was in civilian attire. Pete Fox said years later that “you and
George were joking and laughing and the next thing I knew you were fighting” We
ended up on the floor after throwing and connecting punches rolling on broken
glass, after breaking several tables.
Terry Pringle
steps in and he is trying to break us up and he receives a black eye for his
efforts but he finally gets us separated, my blazer is in shreds from the
glass, other than that I have a couple of flat lips and a black eye. George is
not that worse for wear, probably the same I remember getting a couple of good
licks in. The next thing the duty NCO arrives and wants to know what is going
on. Terry saves the day by saying just a little disagreement. If we pay for the
broken glasses and fix the tables would he be satisfied. He agrees and we clean
up, Terry fixes the tables and we leave the mess.
The next morning
I wake up a little under the weather and a bit stiff and sore. I go to the mess
hall and have breakfast and am just coming out when I see a convoy of vehs
lined up extending to BB3 and standing in front was Sgt McLaren. He spies me,
he calls, “Cpl Pamburn, I want to speak with you.” So I walk over and he says
to me in not a friendly manner “ I want you to stay the hell away from my
Lineman. I never did know if he was serious or joking.
I got posted back
to Germany shortly after that and over the years I got to see Sack on his
visits to the Brigade. We both got posted to Winnipeg and eventually were
together in CFB Kingston. Over the years, we remained friends and during his
travels he always would make a point of looking me up and we would have a good
visit. I had lots of respect for him as a friend and soldier.
During these
postings I got to know Marlene and their son Danny. I had met Marlene in
Petawawa but didn’t know her well. She was always a bit distant. We lost
contact after I was posted to CFB Edmonton in 1984.
At the 2003
reunion, 100 yr Anniversary, we got reacquainted with Marlene. Sack had died a
few years prior and she was there on her own. So we sat with mutual friends,
the Haines, Burt and Marg and Norm and Arlene Wall, we were doing some
reminiscing. (To those persons reading this that may not know me I have always
let people know that I’m an Indian (Casino) and proud of it) I’m not an
activist and enjoy sharing good humor and having fun.
After a lengthy
time and a few drinks, Marlene, Said “you know George, I never really liked
you.” I was shocked because everyone loved me? …. So after a few several tense
minutes I asked her “why”. She said because I asked you to dance with me at a
Sqn function in Petawawa and you said, “no, I don’t dance with white women.” Situation
was quite tense. Now I have done a lot of stupid things in my life but I have
never refused to dance when asked. So there was a poignant pause and Judy over
heard our conversation. And in my defense, she said, “I find that hard to
believe, as much of an idiot that George can be, at times, I have never known
him to refuse a dance!”
Well Marlene
said, “it was at a Sqn dance at drill hall J in Petawawa in 1967 Centennial festivities.
Then we both said, “It wasn’t George because we never left Germany till 1968.
That Gow dammed Cliff Pompana
(another Indian we first met in Petawawa 1968) continued to haunt me after all
these years. I said, “I’t wasn’t me it, was Cliff Pompana, (Cliff had a good
sense of humor,a lot of people didn’t
understand) another Indian and she acknowledge, her mistake, so I couldn’t
leave it lie, I said, looking rather hurt, I said “As I’ve always said, all us
Indians look alike to you white”
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