"BEING RESILIENT, BEING RELIABLE, AND BEING RESOURCEFUL:" VOICES OF CITIZEN-SOLDIERS OF THE ALGONQUIN REGIMENT, 1960S TO 1990S Nicholas G. McGuire SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN HISTORY NIPISSING UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES NORTH BAY, ONTARIO © February 2018 ii Abstract "'Being Resilient, Being Reliable, and Being Resourceful:'1 Voices of Citizen-Soldiers of The Algonquin Regiment, 1960s to 1990s" examines the experiences of former members of The Algonquin Regiment, a militia unit located within the confines of the vast and dispersed region of Northern Ontario. Through these recollections, as well as archival documents and unit historical records, this major research paper examines the experiences of the Regiment and its members during the Cold War period, an era in which the Militia across Canada went into institutional decline in numbers and community presence. It explores the Regiment at the macro, local and individual levels, demonstrating how the unit functioned as a social community of citizen-soldiers shaped by regional and martial identities. 1 Lieutenant Colonel (Ret'd) Andrew Aitchison, interview by Nicholas G. McGuire, January 5, 2017. iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank the professors who helped to shape this project and those who have guided and supported me over my time here at Nipissing University, both as an undergraduate and graduate history student. I would like to thank all the History professors for their feedback and constructive criticism during this sometimes, arduous process. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Katrina Srigley for her guidance and assistance in the oral history methodology and practices and Dr. Hilary Earl for challenging me and pushing me to think outside the box. I am also grateful for the insights provided by Dr. Robin Gendron as I prepared the MRP for defense. I would especially like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Stephen Connor, mentor and friend whose guidance and passion for military history made this MRP possible, and for pushing me to explore my units' history, an area of inquiry that suited me well. Also, I would like to acknowledge the support of my peers, friends, and family. Their support, feedback and encouragement helped me get through this past year and a half. In particular, I would like to thank Sapper Jacob King, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, and Bill Alexander for generously donating photos to the project. I would especially like to say thank you to the participants of the project for generously taking time out of their lives to talk with me about their military service. They gave me invaluable insight into their personal histories, stories and thoughts that became the basis for this paper. I would like to acknowledge The Algonquin Regiment itself and those who serve in the unit today, as the unit has supported this project from the beginning. In particular, this project could not have gotten off the ground without the help from Captain Tim Feick who assisted me in my recruitment efforts, has always supported the research, and has offered insight and iv feedback. I would also like to thank Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Bryden for his support, encouragement and assistance in conducting archival research in Ottawa. The unit has certainly faced distinct challenges since its founding. It has evolved and changed with time, but despite these challenges, it still persists to this day. I dedicate this project to all those who served in The Algonquin Regiment, but especially those Algonquin's who made the ultimate sacrifice for Canada and her peoples. NE-KAH-NE TAH! v Table of Contents Pages Abstract iii Acknowledgments iv Table of Contents vi List of Figures vii List of Appendices ix "That was the nastiest part of my job:"2 The Introduction 1 Historiography 5 Methodology 15 "Truly northern Ontario’s Regiment:" Identity and Community in The Algonquin Regiment 19 "Feast or Famine:"3 The Evolution of The Algonquin Regiment, 1950s to 1990s 40 "I went. I tried it. I liked it. I stayed:"4 Motivation to Serve in The Algonquin Regiment 65 Conclusion 83 Bibliography 115 2 Major (Ret'd) Mid Kitchen, interview by Nicholas G. McGuire, January 11, 2017. 3 Colonel (Ret'd) Paul Scagnetti, interview by Nicholas G. McGuire, March 11th 2017. 4 Andrew Aitchison, interview. vi List of Figures Pages Figure 1: History of The Algonquin Regiment and Northern Pioneers 86 Figure 2: The Algonquin Regiment Crest and description, 1930’s-Present 86 Figure 3: Senior officers of the 97th Regiment, Algonquin Rifles, 87 Camp Niagara, 1909 Figure 4: Regimental accouterments of the 97th Regiment of Rifles 88 and Algonquin Rifles Figure 5: Regimental accoutrements of the 23rd Regiment, Northern Pioneers, 88 1903-1936 Figure 6: Algonquin Regiment personnel with FN Battle Rifle 89 on firing range, circa 1970s Figure 7: The Algonquin Regiment Colours and Battle Honours 90 Figure 8: 1988 The Nugget article featuring Lieutenant Colonel James Savage, 91 CO from 1988-1991 Figure 9: Photo of Junior Ranks Mess members, Ted King (2nd from right) 92 and Andrew Aitchison (Far Right), circa 1970s Figure 10: New Year's Levee, 1967 93 Figure 11: Photo from The North Bay Nugget for article on New Year's Levee, 93 circa 1970s Figure 12: The Algonquin Regiment (26th Armoured Regiment) manning Sherman, 94 circa 1954-1965 Figure 13: Algonquin soldiers posing atop a Sherman tank, 94 circa 1954-1965 Figure 14: Cpl Fern Taillefer in Egypt with the Canadian United Nations Egypt Force 2 95 (UNEF 2), October 1977 to April 1978. Figure 15: Algonquin soldiers on patrol in Grayling Michigan, 95 circa 1970s Figure 16: The Algonquin Regiment Armour Guidon with Colour Guard, 96 circa 1980's vii Figure 17: The North Bay Nugget article on The Algonquin Regiment concentrated 97 summer training, July 10 1972 Figure 18: Map of Ontario with possible locations for new sub-units, 98 from Unit Expansion Plan for The Algonquin Regiment, North Bay Ontario, 20 June 1987 Figure 19: News article on Algonquin soldiers deployed on peace-support operations, 99 Timmins Daily Press, January 3rd 1994 Figure 20: Erik Growen, The Algonquin Regiment, during military training, 99 circa 1985-1987 viii List of Appendices Pages Appendix A: Short Interviewee Biographies 100 Appendix B: Information Letter and Consent for Participants 103 Appendix C: Biographical and Military Service Worksheet 107 Appendix D: Basic Interview Questions for former members 110 ix Introduction: "That was the nastiest part of my job"5 I had the opportunity to interview Major Mid Kitchen about his experiences of military service and his role as the Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO) of The Algonquin Regiment in the 1960s. Before we talked, Mid Kitchen did not know what he had to offer. He served in The Algonquin Regiment from 1964 to 1966, "hired for a specific purpose."6 As he described during our discussion, "it was purely an administrative task that I was faced with and I knew it when I came on. Somebody had to do it."7 The administrative task that Mid Kitchen referred to was the downsizing of over half of The Algonquin Regiment in Northern Ontario, which included the forced closure of three companies and various detached platoons spread out among rural locations, and the forced retirement of many long serving soldiers, non-commissioned members and officers. This moment near the end of his military career is where Mid Kitchen played a prominent role in the unit's history. My Major Research Project examines the experiences of former members of the Algonquin Regiment, an infantry militia unit dispersed throughout Northern Ontario.8 The Algonquin Regiment's long history traces back to 1900 when, as the 97th Regiment of Rifles, it boasted companies in Sault-Ste-Marie, Sudbury, Thessalon, and Sturgeon Falls. Since then, while passing through several iterations, the unit maintained a presence in the north and contributed soldiers to every Canadian military conflict from the Great War to Afghanistan 5 Mid Kitchen, interview. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. 8 The term Militia and Reserve is used interchangeably. The term 'militia' is a historic name was slowly replaced by the term Army 'Reserves' starting in the 1980s and it is officially known today as 'The Primary Army Reserves of the Canadian Army.' 1 (Figure 1).9 Outside of its military function, Anglo-Canadian sociologist T.C. Willett defined the militia as a hybrid, an institution that has "both military and civilian ideologies and processes," and "the link between the regular Army and the civilian world."10 In small and dispersed northern towns like Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Timmins and Kapuskasing, The Algonquin Regiment, composed of part-time citizen-soldiers, linked the civilian community with the Army, simultaneously maintaining military, civic and social functions.11 As Mid Kitchen tells us, "all these towns which had these small units in them, were small towns, but they were well aware that they had a militia unit in it and many of their citizens participated."12 Memories of former members of the unit reveal the contours of such connections and reveal a trajectory of decline or 'slow bleed' throughout the Cold War. Reaching an apex following the Second World War, as memory of the conflict remained fresh and many war veterans continued as active members, within twenty years militia-community linkages began to loosen.13 Indeed, during the 1960s, across Canada, the militia fell into sharp decline due to the cumulative demoralizing effects of budget cuts, the unification of the military into the Canadian 9 The official linage of the Regiment begins with the founding of the 97th Regiment of Rifles, on 1 July 1900 through the amalgamation of the independent volunteer Companies in Sault Ste.