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The Rotary Club of Oshawa
Issue # 10
Week of Nov 10, 2013
Remembrance Day November 11, 2013
Tomorrow we parade to the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph. The ceremonies and the emotions brings to mind the cloaked figure that stands so forlornly on the monument at Vimy Ridge in France. This magnificent work of art looks over the Douai Plain and it was carved from a single, 30-tonne block of Limestone. It is the sorrowing figure of a woman who represents Canada—a young nation mourning her dead. Please Remember that cadets are to report at 1000 just North of the Oshawa Armouries. The parking lot is under construction, so we will be forming up on Ontario Street which runs parallel to Simcoe Street. Make sure to wear your cadet parka.
Lest We Forget
From the Poem For The Fallen
By Robert Laurence Binyon [1869-1943]
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Cadets of the Week
Gliding Mountainview
Due to a morning of continuous rain, our day at the glider field was limited to a visit to the new hanger at Mountainview where our new recruit class had the opportunity to explore the Air Cadet League’s gliders and tow planes. They were able to get in the gliders and see firsthand what is involved in flying an aircraft. The cadets also had a chance to meet our squadron’s two new glider pilots who gave the cadets an enthusiastic introduction to the air cadet gliding program.
National Air Force Museum of Canada
Halifax Restoration, World War II Halifax Bomber (NA337)
As the weather prevented any possibility of the cadets flying, the cadets and staff had the opportunity to visit the Air Force Museum which is located the west side of CFB Trenton. One of the major exhibits in the museum is NA 337, a Halifax bomber which was lifted out of a lake in Norway, The pieces were flown in Canadian Forces Hercules aircraft to Trenton where the aircraft was rebuilt and restored. Today while it will never fly again it remains the only complete Halifax Bomber left in the world. During the war years just over 6000 of these were aircraft produced and now this is the only complete aircraft remaining.
The photo that follows shows the aircraft as it sits on the shore of the lake in Norway. If you would like to learn more about the recovery and restoration of this aircraft go to
http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/uofaengineer/article.cfm?article=36503&issue=36224
It is a remarkable story of perseverance and effort by a devoted group of individuals.
2nd LT David Brosseau
There was a special guest at the Squadron’s final parade this past Monday. It was 2Lt David Brosseau a former cadet warrant officer from our squadron who is now a member of the RCAF. 2Lt Brosseau is a graduate of the Royal Military College in Kingston and he is currently being trained to be a pilot in the RCAF. He will shortly be presented with his wings and then he will go on to advanced training which will lead him to Cold lake where he will train to become a CF18 fighter pilot. David who was a band member, a cadet glider pilot and a cadet power pilot took the opportunity to tell cadets how his experience in cadets helped prepare him for his career in the air force.
A Special Letter From The Mayor of Oshawa to Cpl Rochelle Sealy
I was delighted to read in the September 13, 2013 edition of durhamregion.com that you received the “Lieutenant Colonel Beaton Award for the Top General Training cadet in India Squadron from Tommy Thomas, the representative for the Ontario Provincial Committee of the Air Cadet League of Canada.
Your initiative and commitment to complete the necessary training is commendable and being recognized for the Lieutenant Colonel Beaton award for the top training cadet in India squadron is outstanding. Congratulations Rochelle for receiving this award and best wishes on your future endeavours. You have made our community proud.
Sincere regards, John Henry
Mayor City of Oshawa
Royal Order of the Glassy Boot
Honourable Members
F/Sgt K.Katzer, F/Sgt A.Boyden, Cpl F.Chandler, F/Sgt J.Shaw F/Sgt S.Sheppard, F/Sgt A.Ford Williams, F/Sgt R. Bliss,
F/Sgt A.Hembruff, F/Cpl J.Hancock, Sgt R.Barton, F/Cpl C.Abraham, Sgt V.Singh, Cpl J.Hancock, F/Sgt C.Travis
F/Cpl B. Hewett, Sgt. J. Ehrt
A Photo From London
This week we received a photo from our friends in England. For those who are new to the Squadron you should know that we have a very personal relationship with the air cadet Squadron in the City of Wells which is located in southwest England. In fact we have been to England on two occasions and Brits have been to Canada on two separate visits. The group you see in the photo are actually air cadets from 8 different squadrons in the area around Wells and they were accompanied by Tessa Munt MP (Wells Constituency) and Squadron Leader John Heath. The photo was taken in front of the new Bomber Command War Memorial that is located in downtown London. While in London they visited the RAF Club, Parliament, Churchill’s bunker, the London Eye, RAF Museum, saw War Horse (a play), listened to Big Ben, walked around Trafalgar Square and then laid a wreath at the bomber command memorial. For those of us who have been to London the photo brings back some great memories and the desire to return.
Cadet Presentation – Kings View United Church
This past week LCol Gilbank attended a regular meeting the church Doubles Club to give their group an introduction to the air cadet program.
The meeting and the presentation were part of the club’s annual Remembrance Day Ceremonies.
Thoughts from the Treadmill
A lesson that should be taught in all schools.
Back in September, a school teacher did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.
When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.
“Where are our desks?” they asked.
She replied, ‘You can’t have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.’
They thought, ‘Well, maybe it’s our grades.’
No,’ she said.
‘Maybe it’s our behaviour.’
She told them, ‘No, it’s not even your behaviour.’
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.
By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in the classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.
The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the diskless classroom, the teacher said, ‘Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.’
At this point, the teacher went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.
Twenty-seven (27) War Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
The teacher said, ‘You didn’t earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it’s up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education.
Don’t ever forget it.
Although this has been recycled over many years and it may seem farfetched, the message is a strong one. As we observe another Remembrance Day tomorrow please do take the time to remember all of those who have not only paid the ultimate price for our freedom, but those who continue to serve today. The following is a link to a short video that I personally feel relays a very important message
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlrrAWCTRg
The NCO Course is building up steam and it is good to see so many sergeants coming out to participate in this very important activity. The leadership, effective speaking and even the drill will help you in the future, not only in cadets, but all through your life. Thanks to Chief Petty Officer D. Bliss for coming out and sharing some of his experiences with the cadets today, he has served in the Royal Canadian Navy for over 36 years and no doubt has seen the good and bad sides of many leaders.
The Recruit Course is rounding the bend heading for the home stretch. A lot of hard work on the part of all the new recruits will pay off shortly with their graduation on November 18th. This will happen at the gymnasium at Central Collegiate. We will also have a couple of special presentations and a guest reviewing officer, more news to follow.
That’s all for now,
Stay Safe and Have a Great Week.
Major Bliss
Aviation Photo Of the Week
Our aircraft this week is a replica Mark 9 Spitfire which our cadets saw this past weekend at the National Air Force Museum at CFB Trenton.
An aircraft of this type was flown by Lloyd Chadburn during the war years and if the cadets noticed it carries the call sign of LVC for Lloyd Vernon Chadburn.
This is the same Mark 9 Spitfire that currently hangs in front of the office in Rotary Hall.
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151 Chadburn Squadron
Royal Canadian Air Cadets
*** Excelsior per Debere ***Excellence through Endeavour
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