Heavy Prairie Winds Peel Roof Off Q102 Kimberley Kielley Det Shilo Told the Stag

Established 1947 StagShilo WE WILL MATCH... ADVERTISED PRICES ON ELECTRONICS, CAMERAS, COMPUTERS & MAJOR APPLIANCES. DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE INSTORE OR ONLINE AT WWW.CANEX.CA Your source for Army news in Manitoba Volume 59 Issue 21 Serving Shilo, Sprucewoods & Douglas since 1947 November 12, 2020 INSIDE This Issue New 11 Health CO started A section of the roof peeled off by heavy prairie winds sits on the ground in front of an adjacent Base Transport building. out with artillery Page 4 Heavy prairie winds peel roof off Q102 Kimberley Kielley Det Shilo told the Stag. the steel. They could have ended up on top of Shilo Stag Roughly 30 per cent of the roof was dam- a vehicle. If it had hit a bus, it would have been aged he said. a write-off. It was imperative to get the equip- “When I arrived, fi refi ghters were already ment out of the building ASAP.” Just like the lid on a can of sardines, the met- there. In 15 minutes, we assessed that we The cracking and moaning as the roof shift- al roof attached to Q102 Base Transport peeled needed to move the fl eet immediately,” MWO ed in the wind was disconcerting. Sustained back and plunged to the ground early Satur- Fraser continued. prairie winds in the right direction, and the day morning during 90 km/hr winds. Inside the building lay more than $6-million age of the roof dictated what happened next. But not before two 200-pound ventilation in busses, snow removal machinery, 18-wheel- “If the wind is in the right direction and systems anchored to the roof crashed to the er trucks and a few civilian vehicles. it’s the right time, it’s just one of those things. ground as well, leaving gaping three-foot “When I got the call, I expected to see a cou- We’re very lucky no one was working that holes in the original roof. ple sheets gone. But there was a lot more.” day. People could have gotten hurt,” MWO “The wind grabbed the corner of the metal “The vehicles had to come out. The heating Fraser noted. Grave marker updated for roof and lifted the steel. It rolled over like a units on top of the building had come off with WO Dave Lucas Page 5 banana peel,” MWO Don Fraser of RPOU-W See YARD page 3 Winner has a passion for Halloween Page 12 An array of Base heavy equipment, plus busses, had to be moved outdoors after the roof was damaged. Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag 2 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 73 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS November 12, 2020 Past war sacrifi ces virtually recalled Jules Xavier unveiled in 1920 in Boissevain which features an Italian Shilo Stag carved statue of a soldier. The community of Glenboro saw 34 men and women lose their lives in the Great War, including nursing sister Chris- There were no 2PPCLI soldiers standing in the Moosomin tine Frederickson, who died on Oct. 28, 1918, and 13 in the cemetery Nov. 11 at the grave of a Victoria Cross recipient Second World War (1939-1945), including F/O T. Frederick- from the Great War. son. Volume 59 • Issue 21 Sgt George Mullin was not forgotten, but because of the There is a community north of Edmonton, the hamlet of COVID-19 pandemic, fellow Patricias were unable to lay a Vimy — named after Vimy Ridge in France where 11,285 wreath and raise a rum toast to their comrade. Canadian soldiers perished during the First World War. Of Regular Circulation: 3,000 In fact, across Canada, including here at CFB Shilo, Re- this total, there were eight men from Boissevain who died at membrance Day ceremonies were held virtually. MCpl Printed bi-weekly by the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917, including Hank Anderson Heather MacRae used her video camera, and editing suite, and buddy Gordon Little from the 44th Battalion. These two Struth Publishing, Killarney MB to put together a virtual Base Remembrance Day taped in as well as Cliff Mains were profi led in a locally produced advanced at the GSH for you to peruse Nov. 11 on the Stag’s documentary Warpaths: Every Town Had A Soldier. Facebook page. We keep reminders such as a cenotaph close to our com- So, I stood there in the Saskatchewan cemetery and munities and in sight to remind us of the folly of war. Cit- thought about then 26-year-old Sgt Mullin’s gal- ies, towns and villages list their fallen on the lantry on a battlefi eld on Oct. 30, 1917 near Pass- cenotaph, with some of those soldiers who died chendaele in Belgium which led to his VC. on the Vimy battlefi eld having trained in trench The citation written in the London Gazette warfare in 1916 at nearby Camp Hughes. Like on Jan. 11, 1918 explained why he received a Kendra Minary’s great-great-uncle Pte Cecil VC: “For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when Minary, who trained at Camp Hughes before go- single-handed he captured a commanding ‘Pillbox’ ing overseas. The Souris resident shared his sto- which had withstood the heavy bombardment and Sr PSP manager Craig Ethelston ext 3073 ry with the Stag after researching his CEF career, was causing heavy casualties to our forces and hold- which was cut short when he was KIA on Aug. Managing editor Jules Xavier ext 3093 ing up the attack. He rushed a sniper’s post in front, 28, 1918. During an attack on enemy positions at Assistant Editor Kimberley Kielley ext 3013 destroyed the garrison with bombs, and, crawling on Bois du Vert, he was killed instantly by an explo- Advertising rep ext 3013 to the top of the ‘Pillbox,’ he shot the two machine- sion from a German artillery shell. PAO Advisor Lori Truscott ext 3813 gunners with his revolver. Sgt Mullin then rushed to Pte Cecil There are 11 soldiers buried at Camp Hughes, another entrance and compelled the garrison of 10 to but their deaths were attributed to disease dur- surrender. His gallantry and fearlessness were wit- Minary Fax: 204-765-3814 Email: [email protected] ing training. Pneumonia was especially cruel nessed by many, and, although rapid fi re was directed to young soldiers, with seven dying, including upon him, and his clothes riddled by bullets, he never four privates who died in a 13-day span in July faltered in his purpose and he not only helped to save Mailing Address: 1916: John Davidson (13th), John Messenger the situation, but also indirectly saved many lives.” (17th), Walter Barringer (22nd) and William Per- Box 5000, Stn Main The Victoria Cross is the highest award for CFB Shilo, Manitoba, R0K 2A0 kins 26th). gallantry in the face of the enemy which can be The First World War was labeled as the War to awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. End All Wars, but perhaps a more fi tting name Born in Portland, Oregon, in 1891 Sgt Mullin would be the war to herald a new age of warfare. grew up in Moosomin after his parents left the Poison gas, tanks and machine guns all evolved This newspaper is issued by authority of LCol Jeff Lyttle, Base USA for Saskatchewan. He enlisted in the army from the bloody trenches of that era. Commander, CFB Shilo. The views expressed herein are not in December 1914. With the Princess Patricia’s Now more than ever before, with the destruc- necessarily those of the Department of National Defence or of Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), Canadian Ex- tive forces at our command, the message behind the editorial staff. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit, to peditionary Force (CEF) during the First World Remembrance Day rings true; war is mankind’s abridge, to reject copy or advertising to adhere to the policy, as War, he served as a scout and sniper. Sgt George outlined in CFAO 57-5, and for clarity and/or content. greatest and deadliest folly. He had already received the Military Medal Mullin Walk through the Brandon cemetery and its (MM) for his conduct on the occasion of the suc- military section and gaze at granite slabs above The Shilo Stag is produced every second Thursday. cessful attack by the Canadian Corps during the veterans who survived the confl ict overseas so that Canadi- Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917. He was 71 when he died ans could enjoy their freedoms. Amid the many rows is one Deadline for submissions is the Thursday prior to the on April 5, 1963. for MCpl Timothy James Wilson, who was KIA on March 5, week of publication. Submissions can be sent to the Stag A lot has changed since Sgt Mullin fought on muddy 2006 while in Afghanistan with 2PPCLI. via email at [email protected], dropped off at the Stag of- battlefi elds in France or Belgium. Fast forward to the early It has been 102 years since the First World War ended, and fi ce located in CANEX or via Inter-base mail. 2000s, and Canadian soldiers — including 20 who were 75 since the last shots were fi red in the Second World War. based here — died under dusty conditions in Afghanistan Our veteran population from three confl icts, including the Submitting articles and photos for print: after fi ghting Taliban at close quarters, or their LAV hitting Korean War, grow fewer with the passage of time. • Please submit articles as a MS Word Document. improvised roadside bombs. Every Nov. 11, Canadians across this country pause in si- • Include the author’s full name, rank, unit and contact information.

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