THE PEACETIME SOLDIER
Sgt Chenier TGR
My Time in the Canadian Army - Shown Via Some Photographs
(1960-1985)
Thank you for visiting this site. It was created after many years of thought as to whether I should do this or not. It started with my interest in things military when I was a young teenager in Kapuskasing in Northern Ontario, Canada. I was restless and eager to "belong" to something I could feel proud to be part of. School was a hard time for me, having to contend also with two part-time jobs, one as a grocery store clerk after school and as a pin-boy at a local bowling alley on the weekends.
One day in the fall of 1960 I saw a young friend of mine dressed in a military uniform and I had asked what it was all about. He told me he was in the Militia and asked me if I wanted to join. I asked if I could see first and that was when I accompanied him to the Kapuskasing Airport where he was a member of the Algonquin Regiment (Militia) training. I fell in love at first sight. The camaraderie, the uniforms, the training etc, etc. That night I asked to sign up and never regretted a moment thereafter for the next 26 years, two in the militia and 24 in the Canadian Army.
I enlisted in Feb 1962 in the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, the RCOC. which is a supply organization within the Canadian Army. During the integration of the Army, Navy & Air Force the 3 elements of supply & logistics were amalgamated to form the Canadian Armed Forces Logistics Branch. Sadly in the 60's the RCOC faded away as an existing entity and became part of the new Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Logistics Branch.
My career in the Canadian Armed Forces took me to many areas of supply, from working in a clothing depot in 26 Central Ordnance Depot (26 COD) in Cobourg, Ontario, to 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade Group in Petawawa where I worked in 2 Ordnance Field Park (2OFP) maintaining spare parts for a brigade. While in Camp Petawawa, i did a summer tour in 1966 in Thule, Greenland. This was for Operation Boxtop, which was to re-supply Canadian Forces Station Alert at the top of Ellesmere Island, which is about 1000 miles from the North Pole. Then in summer of 1967 on to Germany where I served 4 years as a supply technician for 4 MP Platoon (4 Military Police Platoon) in Fort Henry, Soest, Germany. I finished my 4th year in CFB Soest, Fort Chambly when the Canadian Forces closed all their bases in Northern Germany. In the summer of 1971 I was posted to CFB Borden where I worked in Base Supply for another 4 years, after which I was transferred to NDHQ, Ottawa in 1975 to a desk job maintaining records on the procurement of the Aurora aircraft. While in Ottawa I did a 6 month UN tour in Egypt from Dec 1977 to Jun 1978. Again I helped maintain logistical spare parts for various UN peacekeeping battalions in the Middle East. After my 4 year stint in NDHQ Ottawa I was again transferred to Lahr, Germany where I served with the Brigade Maintenance Company, Spare Parts Platoon for a short while before being transferred again. This time I became NCO i/c of the Royal Canadian Dragoons spare parts. This was a highlight in my military career as the work and training in those years with the tank regiment was a memorable period. My tour with this famous Canadian Armored Corps Regiment ended in 1983 when I was transferred to Canadian Forces Station Carp, in Carp, Ontario, Canada. This famous communications station was also known as the Diefenbunker. Here, in 1985 I took my retirement to work as a civil servant with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) in Ottawa for the next 14 years.
It would me too monumental for me to write all my adventures and events of my military life so I thought I would fill this website with as many photos as I could, in some sort of chronological order and use brief descriptions of each along the way.
I hope that those who visit this site will enjoy the many photos that I have here. Perhaps some will remember some of the faces or places.
Please send e-mail to: ronchenier@rogers.com
CANADA (1960-1967) (1971-1980) (1983-1985)
Fall of 1960, Kapuskasing Ontario, Canada
Here I am, (17 years old), second from left, doing rifle drill. I can't remember the name of the corporal giving the orders. We trained most of the time, one night a week in an airplane hangar at the Kapuskasing Airport.
Firing blanks inside an airport hangar was ear-shattering!
Feb 1962, Camp Shilo, Manitoba, Canada
Two years after militia training I was in the Regular Army. Here is my first group picture, I'm second from the left top row. Perhaps if others come across these photo they might see themselves or be able to identify some other friends. I did my training with the Royal Canadian Artillery in Shilo Manitoba. I was not an artillery man, I was a supply person, however because we were few we did our basic training with them. During my training with the Artillery in Camp Shilo, Manitoba, Canada I quickly learned that 2 stripes on a soldier was not a Corporal but a Bombadier!
Here I am again (bottom left) in Shilo Manitoba, Mar 1962 with some "old" buddies of mine. Sadly, I have forgotten their names.
Clerk Accounting Group 1 Montreal, Québec, Canada, 1963
Here I am again, third from right, top row.
100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC) at 26 Central ordnance depot (26 COD), Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, 1963
I was still a private in this photo in which I represented the modern RCOC soldier (1963). This was my first posting after my trades training in Montreal, Quebec.
Here I am in full view with Cpl Ridoute who was dressed in the 1903 version of an RCOC Soldier. Both these photos were taken in front of the RCOC MESS at 26 Central Ordnance Depot, (26 COD), Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. It was a huge clothing depot for the Canadian Army.
Junior Non-Commissioned Officer Course (JR NCO) Kingston Ontario, Canada, 1964
I can be found 2nd row from bottom and 4th from the right. I did my Junior NCO training with the Royal Canadian Signals "SIGS" in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. This was a tough course, especially with the "SIGS".
2 Ordnance Field Park (2 OFP) Group Photo, Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ontario, Canada, 1965
I am in the third row, 4th from the right. Below is a listing by names of all the individuals in this photo.
Storeman CLERK Group 1 Course, The RCOC School, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1966
I'm last on the far right middle row. Trades training in Montreal was always a good go! Big city life always seemed to draw us out at nights and week-end for a young soldier's entertainment.
Clerk accounting Group 3 Course, The RCOC School, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, OCT 1966
2 Ordnance Field Park (2 OFP) Group Photo, Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ontario, Canada, 1967
I really am too small to be identified here but I know I am in the last row 5th from the right. 2 OFP was my "eye-opener" to tough military field training, winter or summer!
Click here for more photos of my military years in Canada
GERMANY - 4 CANADIAN MECHANIZED BRIGADE GROUP
FORT HENRY, SOEST, WESTPHALIA, GERMANY (1967-1971)
Motor Vehicle Registration Document for Germany 1970
Do you former Canadian Servicemen serving with 4 CMBG remember this document? Ohhhhh....the stories that could be told about what went on behind this document, (Big Grin)! Next photo displays the untold stories (only you could know):
My Canadian Driver's License while in Germany (British Forces Group -BFG) Circa 1971
Copy of the Canadian newspaper, always eagerly awaited by every Canadian in Germany. This particular edition was published the day my second daughter, Shay Geneviève was born in British Military Hospital (BMH) in Iserlohne, Germany.
I have few military photos of my first tour in Germany. This is an arial photo of 4 MP PL (4 Military Police Platoon) during the Brigadier's inspection at Fort Chambly, Germany, fall of 1968.
This is a bit of a funny letter warning those back in Canada that a returning soldier might be a different person than what he was before he went to Germany. I just thought others may have seen it also, and perhaps even used it on their return to Canada.
UN PEACEKEEPING TOUR - ISMAILIA, EGYPT (1977-1978)
This was an interesting 6 month tour. It opened my eyes to the plight of the poor people of the Middle East. I also learned a lot about some Arab cultures, delved into Egyptian history, toured as much as I could on my days off...places like the town of Ismailia, Cairo, Port Said, the Pyramids, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Holy Land, the Gaza Strip, El Tasa, Giddi Pass and Mitla Pass, the Steppe Pyramids, the Suez Canal and many other ancient and historical places. Of course I still had my military duties to perform, but not a wasted minute was set aside on my time off.
Click here for more photos of my TOUR OF DUTY WITH THE UN IN EGYPT (1977/1978)
MY SECOND TOUR OF DUTY IN GERMANY FROM 1980 TO 1983 AT CANADIAN FORCES BASE LAHR, GERMANY
My one year posting with 4 CMBG Maintenance Company Repair Parts Platoon (RPPL)
Please click here for a few photos
ROYAL CANADIAN DRAGOONS, LAHR, GERMANY ( 1981-1983)
I have many memories of my 3 year tour with the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) Tank Regiment at CFB Lahr, Germany. It was one of the best postings in my military career.
Click here for more photos of my 2nd TOUR OF DUTY in germany (1980-1983)
Here I am, second from right, top row. At the time I was stationed at Canadian Forces Station Carp, Carp, Ontario, Canada, from 1983 till my retirement in Feb 1985. While there I was trained as an NBCW NCO (Nuclear Biological and Chemical Warfare Non-Commissioned Officer) This course was held at Canadian Forces Base Borden, Borden, Ontario, Canada.
MISCELLANEAOUS AWARDS & CERTIFICATES
Please send e-mail to: ronchenier@rogers.com