Cabar Feidh the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Regimental Family Newsletter Vol
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Cabar Feidh The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Regimental Family Newsletter Vol. 3: September 2014 - September 2015 The Regimental Journal of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Contents Vol. 3 - September 2014-2015 3. The Colonel-in-Chief Regimental Family and Friends, Field Marshal HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh We are pleased to send you the third volume of 4. Honourary Colonel our newsletter, The Cabar Feidh. The history of this newsletter and magazine originally comes 5. Commanding Officer from that of the Imperial Seaforth’s in 7. RHQ Message Scotland. As we are the last of the Seaforth’s it 8. Change of Command seemed appropriate to maintain the original newsletter going into the future. 13. Regimental Dining Out 14. Battalion The third volume has grown from successes 15. Pipes and Drums of the first two volumes and we look to 17. Basic Para continually build on the tradition going 19. Patrol Team forward. 21. Things Have Changed We hope you find this edition interesting and 22. Promotions, Regimental informative. We would also like to receive any Awards, and Decorations articles, comments, or contributions in the 23. 2015 Nijmegen March future. 25. Vets’ Return to Holland Please excuse any errors or omissions. All 29. Patrons articles are published as we received them. 30. Association 32. Vimy Dinner Article To access this newsletter please click on the following link. 33. Cadet Corps http://seaforthhighlanders.ca/cabar-feidh/ 37. Museum 37. Historian’s Article Please visit www.seaforthhighlanders.ca for the current happenings of the Regiment. 40. CSM G. H. Coles, DCM Article Cabar Feidh Gu Brath 45. In the Crosshairs 47. Hockey Team Shannon Johnson - Editor 2Lt David Edwards - Assistant Editor 2 Colonel-in-Chief Field Marshal, HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, OM, GBE Colonel-in-Chief The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada 3 Honourary Colonel HCol Michael Shields, CD Holland ending the to appreciate the service of Canada European part of in the restoration of their freedom. WW II. We attended The care of our war graves by the ceremony on Dutch children is a small example May 4th at the of the remembrance service that Holten Canadian continues. War Cemetery, and Later in London I had the the following day pleasure of reestablishing the at Wageningen for protocol of calling at Buckingham the church service Palace when there. It is to pay and Parade. Our our respect to our Colonel-in- participation, Chief. HRH Prince Philip, The Duke at these various of Edinburgh. I met with HRH’s functions, and principle Secretary Brigadier being looked after Millar-Bakewell. We discuss the in between times, regiment, and how best to keep his was arranged, and Royal Highness informed of our led by Honorary regimental activities. The Brigadier Lieutenant Frank was most helpful, and I enjoyed an van Hattum of the informative, and very enjoyable Seaforth Pipes & experience. Drums of Holland. His service to the Cabar Feidh, Regiment, with I welcome Lt Col Ursich’s the Pipes & Drums of Holland is Mike return to command of the Battalion. invaluable. R. M. (Michael) Shields, CD His previous term included the At Holten we were the only Honorary Colonel most successful presentation of Regiment laying a recognized wreath. new Colours during the celebration of our centenary. He will continue Wageningen I had the privilege our good fortune in having a series ofPrior presenting to the official a regimental ceremonies scroll at of outstanding CO’s. There is stating the Seaforth Highlanders considerable extra pressure placed of Holland Pipes and Drums were upon the CO running the battalion part of our regimental family. This in temporary lines away from our was given to Colonel Hogan, RCAF, Armoury. Hopefully we will have Canada’s Military attaché for the returned to the Armoury by this Netherlands. The original is with time next year. the Canadian embassy and a copy My wife and I, along with is with our Holland Pipes & drums. Honorary Lt Colonel Hoffmeister and The presentation was in front of Mrs. Hoffmeister, represented the the band. Overall the Dutch more Regiment at the 70’s anniversary than any other country continue celebrations of the liberation of 4 Thoughts from the CO LCol Paul Ursich, CD Hello All, I am excited to be back with the Regiment. We have done a lot in the past several years and have much more to do. Here are a few of my thoughts for you to consider. To all members of the Regimental Family: In addition to our normal training regime there are also two are soldiers and can operate out of anything from barracks to WW1 trench lines BUT it has been a long slog at Jericho.significant We Regimental will (inshallah events and taking the construction place in the project next two even years. coming The closefirst is to the its movetimeline) back be to moving the Armoury. back in We September 2016. The return will be a major Regimental event with a trooping of colours and ceilidh. We have been away for a long time and we are going to celebrate when we get home. The second event will be a trip to Vimy and Europe in 2017. It is early days in the planning for this event but stay tuned. We are looking at a great event each year for the next two years. To all members of the Unit: Training and our Class A routine will continue but with some key has been given the support and the horsepower to get things done. The Regiment has got one of the strongest full-timedifferences. staff The teams first that difference I have seenis that anywhere our training in 39 plan CBG is inwell over conceived, 15 years plannedof observation. and coordinated. The key to A our Company success is not taking care of these things… they are already done. The key to our success is your engagement and participation. The default setting is that all members of the Regiment will attend evening and weekend 5 training with exceptions being made because of outside demands on your time. I fully support you and your success outside of the military. You cannot be effective without a happy family and civilian life. The other side of that coin is your full support for the Regiment’s success. The Regiment cannot be effective without your commitment. Together we will need to keep both sides in balance and we will all be stronger for it. Final thoughts: should be (mostly) fun. However, fun is not a substitute for accomplishment. • Have fun but accomplish something. We get to do things that no one else has the chance to do and it we• havePut agreed in your to bestdo. If effort you cannot and communicate or will not complete if you are something unable to thencomplete speak something. up and let Too someone often weknow take so on we cantoo muchget it doneor circumstances for you. The changealternative and iswe that find others ourselves have “half-assingto pick it up it”at orthe simply last minute. not completing We can do something better than that. is• a problemTreat othersthen become the way part you of wish the solution.to be treated. If you Respect see someone flows twothat ways. needs support then support them. In particular,• Grab none an oar. of us We gets are to all look in this the together. other way If youif a brothersee something or sister that is suffering. needs to beBetter done to then be embarrassed step up. If there and uncomfortable but to have done something than to regret it later. If you don’t know what to do then call someone, call me if you need to. Take responsibility. That’s it for now. I’m looking forward to the next two years and I hope you are too. Cabar Feidh LCol Paul Ursich, CD Commanding Officer 6 Message From RHQ For many of the Regimental Family there is a committee that is not understood. This committee is the Regimental Committee or in some circles called the Regimental Senate. Just who are they and what do they accomplish on behalf of the Family? Who are they? Regt. Major, and Regt. Secretary. This year the RSM has been added to the Committee.• They are made Chairing up of the the Committee HCol, HLCol, is HColCO, former Shields. Hon. Col’s, former CO’s, What are they responsible for? • Their main function is to maintain the customs, traditions and long range goals for the entire Regt. Family. Family. This is done in various ways with the main source being the Patrons Corps. • They maintain the Seaforth Foundation monies and the raising of needed funds for the various areas of the The•They members meet 2 –of 3 this times Committee a year or workas per throughout the wishes theof the year HCol to meet or CO. the many needs and requests from the various areas of the family including the Battalion. It is hoped that this brief explanation will explain who and what this very important committee accomplishes. Captain (ret.) Allen McLeod, CD Regimental Secretary 7 Change of Command On Sunday May 31st, 2015 The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada conducted a Change of Command Parade at their temporary home of 39 CBG HQ Jericho Garrison between Lieutenant Colonel Scott Raesler, CD and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Ursich, CD. The event marked a rare occasion in which Lieutenant Colonel Ursich, betweenCD became 2008 the and second 2011, ever LCol Commanding Ursich will seeOfficer the ofRegiment Seaforth return to command to its home a second at the time Seaforth other Armoury.