MEMORIES BY 5822 BARRY LAKE (1959/60)

 

I see John Land is SOS and a picture of him..  He told me when I met

him later that he changed his name to Land because he liked my name for being

so short.    He was next to me in line like pay parade all the time (K and L). Sort of a theme there too Lake and Land.  He was Estonian and  said he was being groomed to go back  some day as Prime Minister or some such if there was ever a chance to kick out the Russians. Some others were Estonian same idea.

 

Several of us got the measles and had to go up to the new RCEME hospital.

A doctor there decided it was not measles but a new disease he would

be famous for discovering.  He called it "Blizzard's Disease" after the first

cadet that caught it.   Some guys might remember having Blizzard's

Disease.

 

The sexy Mil  Studs Secretary was infamous for an affair with one of our

naval officer's on staff.   I liked his wife though.  She visited us in

hospital and instead of grapes or whatever, she said, "Here's some

skin books!" and passed them around.

 

I heard about a still in one of the attics where some guys were making

booze but wasn't in on that so can't confirm.  I seem to remember it

involved potatoes as an ingredient (?)

 

Pretty sure it was JJ Clarke in the photo of G Flight who won the

Final boxing match against me.  We were both still swinging at the end

but he must have had redder gloves than I did so he won. That was my

second fight. There were only a few in our weight class(light ? under

125lbs anyway) so first fight for me was the Semis.  I won that and the guy

kept saying "Don't hit me" and tried to keep away from being hit. 

Can't remember his name but he was Army.  I just hit him more and everyone was booing this guy for being so cowardly in the ring.   I thought after that

they would kick him out of the Army immediately, since that was

supposedly what the boxing was for--to reveal that sort of thing --but nothing happened!   Good thing I can't remember who he was now I guess.  Oh well.

 

That boxing was just awful for the heavy weights though, where they

hurt each other with each blow.  It was just disgusting when two good friends

were forced to box each other and they got all bloody.   For us

lightweights it was different as we couldn't hurt each other at all. 

Just had to keep swinging for three rounds despite getting so tired

you could hardly lift your arms never mind land a good blow.

 

I  screwed up the Big Game!!!  This was a couple months into First Year in

October.   I knew nothing about football, but I was grabbed to be a

"stick-man" at the big Queens-RMC match.  The other guy who was

grabbed would know what to do though, surely.  He said, "I was hoping you knew what to do."   We were told to "follow the Line of Scrimmage"  We said,

"What's that?" but he was gone.

 

So we stretched out the chain between the sticks and sort of kept up

with things for a while and then all of a sudden play stopped and we

were being stared at by all the players and the ref told us to come out "for a measurement."   All we knew was that when you don't have a clue try to

look like you know what you are doing.

 

So we formed up shoulder to shoulder with our two sticks and doubled

smartly out to where the ball was and came to a halt.  I put my stick

by the ball and he ran out the chain and plunked his stick down and we came

to Attention.    There was a kind of quiet.    I was terrified, but stayed

at Attention and waited for it all to land on me.

 

Then a guy came up to us and led us off the field very politely and we

were changed around in jobs. (Amazing! )  A new stick-man was found

who knew the game and I was handed a strange pole with a triangular

box on top with numbers on it.  I was now a "downs-man" he said.  After every play, I was to rotate this thing so the next number showed forward.   I have no idea if I got the numbers right,  at least  nobody said anything.

 

Early in our first days  we all marched up to see Fort Henry.  With

some tourists also gathered around, our guide showed us where they

kept the money.  He said, "This is the first safe ever used in a bank in Canada."

 

So we all started to snicker and some tourist ladies giggled.  Then

the guide said, "It is made of steel and has leather straps."  We were

now helpless laughing, so we all got marched out of there back to RMC

before we could cause any more trouble

 

Also during those first weeks we would be formed up and for no reason some

would get nose bleeds.   Weird.  The drill instructor guy came up to me

and said, "Stop bleeding!"

 

One of the army sergeants drilled us while wearing his kilt.  He had

funny sayings such as if your feet were not far enough apart, "A team

of blue jays couldn't get through there in full harness!"

 

After "passing off the square" I used to go to a barber in town.  He

had been in the German Navy in the war and said he was in a destroyer

in Norway when he was drafted to BISMARCK.  By the time he got there

she had already sailed.

 

I wish I could remember the RMC food items' names.  One was Texas Tommies I think.

 

Reflection on the Old Brigade new entrants by a first year cadet

 

I do remember when those old farts visited us in the Stone Frigate in the

fall of 1959. ( I was age 17 my entire time at RMC)   We had to line the

parade ground and they marched past with a band from the RCR's leading

them. The tuba player let a blast from it right into my face as they

went by and it was mostly booze fumes!  Yuck.

 

Those guys were ancient and some had been drinking (oh no!)  I suppose

they had joined in 1909, gads.  I cannot believe we are now in their

position. Please say it isn't so!