RCDs freedom of city?

[bossi]

Okay - let‘s see how much dust this will stir up ...

Noting the recent "freedom of the city" parade for the RCDs in Toronto, it begs the question: Why?

Isn‘t it more traditional for units to be granted the freedom of the city where or near their "base"?

Toronto already has the GGHG and QYR (at least, until the next round of cutbacks ...) - why did the RCDs "need" the freedom of this particular city?

I suppose one reason could be that they‘re being called upon increasingly to perform ceremonial tasks in Toronto, but then this begs the question: Why? Toronto already has a number of units (at least, until the next round of cutbacks ...)

Okay - let‘s hear your replies.

Dileas Gu Brath
M.A. Bossi, Esquire

 

[Brad Sallows]

>Why?

Perhaps the mayor is hedging against the next snowfall.

 

[armdfist]

The Regiments history extends back to the Calvary School that was located in Toronto. However I am not sure when freedom of the city was granted.

 

[bossi]

The freedom of the city parade took place in August, 1999 (a considerable length of time after the Cavalry school departed from Toronto ... ?)

It still seems unusual to me - and the conspiracy theorists must be having a heyday (will The RCR, PPCLI and R22R be next to receive freedom of the city from Toronto ... as preparation for elimination of Toronto reserve units ... stay tuned ... ?)

 

[Gunner]

Mike, a couple of years ago in Edmonton the entire 4 Wg Cold Lake conducted a freedom of the city (for their 75th) in Edmonton. I asked the same question at the time as it is not their "garrison city", rather, Cold Lake was. I guess, you get more "bang for the buck doing it in a major metropolitan are vs petawawa or cold lake.

On a similar theme, on Parliament Hill (by the convention centre) there is a lovely statue to Sir Hamilton Gault (raised the PPCLI in WWI). On the statue is a plaque stating it commenorated the war dead, etc for service to the country in WWI, WWII, and Korea, etc, etc. It‘s very nice statue, but is it the right spot for it? Parliament Hill should be reserved for large memorials for all men and women, all services, who served overseas, rather, just one statue honouring one Regiment.

I guess it kind of ticked me off that a unit would be allowed to honour only their own at such an important place.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Am I being too sensitive?

 

[bossi]

I guess it all boils down to "perspective".

The 48th Highlanders have a monument at the North end of Queen‘s Park in Toronto, which I think is great - from my perspective. However, it makes perfectly good sense - the 48th Highanders are a Toronto regiment, and have been since 1891 (and, unlike some regiments, the 48th don‘t need to "extend" their history back to the other organisations - the 48th have been the 48th since 1891, but I digress ...).

My point is that the monument to the 48th is smack dab in the middle of downtown Toronto, only a few blocks North of where the location of the old armoury (on Armoury Street, behind the new City Hall).

However, I‘m not going to begrudge anybody else their monuments, or their locations, as long as they make some sort of sense (i.e. it wouldn‘t make as much sense for a prairie regiment to have a monument in downtown Toronto, would it) - in fact, I‘m glad to hear the PPCLI have something in such a prominent location as Parliament Hill, where many Canadians can share in this chapter of Canadian history. It‘s too bad there isn‘t a monument to represent every unit in the Canadian Army (but, then again, some bureacrat would probably view it as being politically incorrect when units are reduced to nil strength or struck off the order of battle, and would probably suggest digging up and disposing of monuments to defunct units ...)

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Didn‘t PPCLI assemble/mobilize for World War One in Ottawa? I think that gives them a little more "right" to have Gault‘s statue there - you might consider it an Ottawa regiment, from that standpoint. Yes, I realize they garrisoned in the west since the end of World War One, but there are at least some historic grounds for a monument to them in that city.

 

[canuck]

It is good to see that there is some debate/discussion returned to the Diary. It is true that the statue to Hamilton Gault is close to the National Memorial in Ottawa. A quick study of Canadian Military history would show that Gault petitioned the GG, and received permission to raise his own Regiment. The history of the PPCLI finds its beginnings amoung the many "names" of war time Ottawa. If you look further down the street you will also see a small park in which are a number of memorials and monuments to Canadian Regiments.

 

[Andyboy]

Just thought I‘d add a couple of points to the PPCLI Gualt thing.

If you are to visit the capital take the time to have a look at his statue, Militaria buffs will notice that he seems to be wearing a capbadge on his helmet which is historically wrong but leads to a very interesting story.

Gault used to be married to a woman who was names after a certain type of flower (I can‘t remember the type) so to show his love for her when he raised the unit he used that type of flower as the cap badge. All was well untill his wife ran off with a young English Cavalry officer during the war. Gualt, understandibly, was horrified and because he was reminded of her actions everytime he saw the cap badge he petitioned to have it changed. Unfortunately for him (and hundreds of others) many men had fallen under that capbadge so for many many years the petition was denied. Finally the badge was changed to what we know it to be today. Whne Gualt died he left a substantial sum of money to have a statue of himself raised in Ottawa where it stands today. Ironically the artist decided to take licence and depict a capbadge on his helmet (which is inaccurate) but to make matters worse it was the original flower he tried so hard to have changed. I guess Gualt is probably spinning in his grave right now...

 

[Rick Goebel]

You can find a picture of the old PPCLI cap badge at http://www.agt.net/public/ppclibsl/html_files/main_old.htm (at least for the time being). Called the "Marguerite", it can still be bought as a ladies brooch at http://www.nucleus.com/~kitshop/items/item265.htm from the PPCLI kit shop.

Rick

 

[bossi]

(chuckle ... I can‘t help myself - it‘s so funny that this thread started out discussing the RCD freedom of the city in Toronto, and now we‘re talking about the PPCLI cap badge - all in the "Armour" thread/forum ... tee-hee ... ah, well - it just goes to show how "combined" we are)

Dileas Gu Brath
M.A. Bossi, Esquire

 

[Recce41]

The Freedom of the city dates back when the RCD had a Sqn there. All unit have a Home city where persons who joined the Regt went to. In Ont If you join the Cav. you went to TORONTO and training started at the Stanley barracks. So relax!
RCD moto Bold and Swift.