Westmount, Quebec – 29 May 2016: 2806 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps 2806 Pointe-Claire (RMR) celebrated their 50th anniversary yesterday by holding their Annual Cadet Review (ACR) parade at the Regiment’s home in Westmount.
Numerous activities were held to honour the 50 years of history and highlight the tremendous contribution to citizenship made by Corps members over the past five decades.
Likely the most touching ceremony was the honouring of former cadets by awarding them the Army Cadet Long Service Medal in a ceremony held in the RMR officers’ mess before the parade. To qualify for this award, the cadet must have successfully completed five years of honourable service with no serious infractions, and be recommended by the Cadet Corps Commanding Officer.
The guest of honour for the ACR was Rear-Admiral Darren Hawco, MSM, CD, Chief of Force Development, who served in the Corps in the 1980’s before being accepted at Royal Military College and beginning a successful career in the Royal Canadian Navy. After ordering the cadets on parade to sit down (certainly appreciated by the cadets who had been practising since the early morning), RAdm Hawco gave a very engaging speech to the cadets on parade, praising them for their dedication and exhorting them to live up to their potential. He summed up their performance by declaring them that they were “awesome” and he called upon the spectators to applaud the cadets for their excellent turn-out.
After the cadets were dismissed and were setting up their static displays to demonstrate what they had learned during the 2015-16 training year, some of the “old guard” from 2806 gathered in front of the Regiment’s bronze memorial tablet at the centre of north wall. It was overheard that several of the assembled had recently found similar pictures from when they were young cadets, the RMR memorial tablet being a natural focal point within the armoury.
Congratulations to RCACC 2806 – they have produced some outstanding leaders for both the RMR, the Canadian Armed Forces, and Canadian society – here’s hoping for another successful 50 years!
CORPS HISTORY (taken from www.2806cadets.ca): This Corps was formed on October 10, 1966 under the sponsorship of the Pointe Claire Police Department. The Corps was designated 2806 Royal Montreal Regiment (City of Pointe Claire) Cadet Corps. The affiliation was assumed by the Royal Montreal Regiment and on May 21, 1996 the designation changed to 2806 Pointe-Claire Army Cadet Corps (RMR).
Authorized and sponsored by the City of Pointe Claire, Quebec, the City Council adopted the resolution on September 12, 1966 and the Cadet Corps was formed on October 10, 1966, followed by its affiliation with the Royal Montreal Regiment that very day. His Worship Mayor (Lieutenant, R) A.E. Sequin and Lt.-Col. H.A. Etheridge, CD., Commanding Officer of the Regiment, participated in the event. The first Commanding Officer of the Cadet Corps was Major A.H. Howell, CD., a former serving member of the Regiment, (1966-70).
In the training period of 1968-69, the Cadet Corps won a trophy for proficiency in First aid. On October 22, 1972, His worship Mayor A.E. Sequin, N.M.A., kindly presented the Cadet Corps with its flag at a colourful ceremony held near the City Hall. During training year 1972-73 the Corps won the trophy for military proficiency among the intermediate sized Cadet Corps in the Montreal area. During this same period, the Corps raised a band which participated for the first time in May, 1973.
Later in 1974-75, it won the award for being second in military proficiency among all Cadet Corps in the Montreal area, and the following year, under the command of their Chief Instructor, Major E.A. Shields, CD., won the same award as the best Cadet Corps out of 105 corps in the Province of Quebec.
In recent years, CC2806 has participated in the annual Cadet Games, winning team and individual Gold medals for orienteering as well as Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for First Aid. The Corps has participated in such local activities as aiding the flood control of 1976, the Muscular Dystrophy and Poppy Fund, the Quebec Kidney Foundation, West Island Citizens Advocacy, the Pointe-Claire Soccer Association annual Tournament and the City of Pointe-Claire Remembrance Day and Canada Day Parades.