Established 1947 $1,299 Mesa Shilo Reclining Sofa STORE HOURS Monday to Saturday Stag 9 am - 6 pm Sunday noon - 5 p.m. 3635 Victoria Avenue, Brandon 204-727-4444 Your source for Army news in Manitoba Volume 60 Issue 16 Serving Shilo, Sprucewoods & Douglas since 1947 August 5, 2021 INSIDE 1RCHA This Issue rehearse for Queenʼs Guard this fall Sgt Kyle O’Connell from 1RCHA’s C Bty instructs his St. James group dur- ing morning drill practice at Kapyong Parade Square. Jules Xavier Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag Shilo Stag An invitation from the Queen to visit England and per- form guard duties comes at an opportune time for 1RCHA 2PPLCI called out to help — UBIQUE 150 marks a milestone anniversary for A & B fi refi ghters Page 2 Batteries. Like 2PPCLI did in 2017 during PPCLI’s 100th anniver- sary and Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations, 1RCHA has commenced initial rehearsals for the Queen’s Guard this fall — soldiers honing their drill skills training and practicing this month prior to the arrival of British instructors, who will help them with their United Kingdom training. Until the British instructors arrive, OC Maj Mike Crosier and his offi cers — learning sword drill and new commands — plus the soldiers traveling overseas will practice drill on the Kapyong Parade Square. “Currently, we are at the very basic stages and aren’t con- ducting specifi c mounting procedures yet,” said Maj Cro- sier, Z Bty BC. “The next two weeks will see our practices build and on Aug. 20 we have two UK Drill Instructors [DIs] along with a There are currently three groups working on their drill prior to the arrival of Master Tailor who will be in Shilo delivering our fi nal train- two UK Drill Instructors (DIs), who will help with the choreography associ- ing [Aug. 23 to Sept. 3] before we head to the UK Sept. 4.” ated with the various locations where 1RCHA will do ceremonial duties. The DIs will arrive Aug. 7 or 8 in Winnipeg, then quaran- tine for 14 days. Soldiers will then come under their tutelage RCA Museum purchase Z as Maj Crosier learns his own lines and the choreography of Bty (Para) album Page 4 forms and footwork to master prior to departure. This pre-training will help dust off the rust from a lack of doing Change of Command (CoC) parades since the CO- VID-19 pandemic started in Canada in March 2020. Training will be augmented with the RCA band from Edmonton when the musicians and drummers arrive to combine efforts at CFB Shilo. Before being immersed with soldiers here, the military musicians must also quarantine for 14 days. Uniform sizing for the soldiers involved was completed during four days of fi ttings held in late April. There will be fi nal fi ttings, and adjustments made to jackets and slacks before departure. 1RCHA’s advance Recce party will leave for England Sept. 11, with the main body departing Canada Sept. 20 from Winnipeg. 1RCHA’s fi t for duty inspection is slated for the UK Sept. 24. “Our parading while in the UK is off and on with our fi nal parading day being Oct. 24,” Maj Crosier said, with Try an apple fritter at redeployment back to Canada NLT Oct. 30. There’s also a UBIQUE 150 formal event scheduled for Souris bakery Page 6 Oct. 20. See ELITE page 3 2 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 74 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS August 5, 2021 Volume 60 • Issue 16 Pandemic Circulation: 1,500 Printed bi-weekly by Struth Publishing, Killarney MB Sr PSP manager Craig Ethelston ext 3073 Managing editor Jules Xavier ext 3093 Assistant Editor ext 3013 Advertising rep ext 3013 PAO Advisor Lori Truscott ext 3813 Fax: 204-765-3814 Email: [email protected] Mailing Address: Box 5000, Stn Main CFB Shilo, Manitoba, R0K 2A0 This newspaper is issued by authority of LCol Chris Wood, CFB Shilo Base Commander.. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Department of National Defence or of the editorial staff. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit, to abridge, to reject copy or advertising to adhere to the policy, as outlined in CFAO 57-5, and for clarity and/or content. The Shilo Stag is produced every second Thursday. Deadline for submissions is the Thursday prior to the 2PPCLI soldiers week of publication. Submissions can be sent to the Stag via email at [email protected], dropped off at the Stag of- fi ce located in CANEX or via Inter-base mail. support fi refi ghters Submitting articles and photos for print: • Please submit articles as a MS Word Document. on Op LENTUS • Include the author’s full name, rank, unit and contact information. • Include photos with your articles whenever possible, Wearing special coveralls, CFB Shilo-based soldiers however, do not embed photos in word documents. from 2PPCLI are currently hard at work supporting Mani- • Please submit photos as high resolution jpegs (if scanned 300 dpi), digital images or in hard copy format. toba Wildfi re Services (MWS) on Op LENTUS. 2PPCLI’s • With photos, include a cutline which names the indi- A Coy Pl Comd Lt Gabriel Spence captured these two viduals in the photo; what’s taking place; and the name, visuals while working in Gypsumville. As part of Op LEN- rank, and unit of the photographer. TUS in this province, a 2PPCLI soldier from A Coy works • • • on restarting a pump (above) while conducting duties near a water source. (Inset) Using fi re hose, two A Coy Follow the Shilo Stag on soldiers put out “hot spots” along a fi re line in Gypsum- Facebook by visiting: ville. Prior to heading out, 2PPCLI soliders honed their wildfi re fi ghting skills in the RTA. http://www.facebook.com/ShiloSTAG Owner Operator Mike Sigvaldason Former 2PPCLI All jobs, big & small Landscaping Concrete work Excavation & dump truck services Call, text or e-mail 204-573-2074 [email protected] CANADIAN MILITARYʼS TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE August 5, 2021 CELEBRATING 74 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS Shilo Stag 3 Elite soldiers have guarded King, Queen for five centuries From the front scripts. Moreover, practice makes perfect when it comes to official residence in London until 1689. Thereafter, when the rehearsals, and 1RCHA’s contingent going overseas will do Court moved to St. James Palace, the ceremony took place Historically, soldiers from Canada have been part of the drills Tuesday to Thursday this month, in the morning and there. Canadian Guards since 1916, when the 177th Eastern Town- afternoon. • In September 1881, there were 80 sentry posts which ship Battalion, CEF, served in England. Although a major by rank with 1RCHA, in his capacity were permanently manned by the Food Guards in central Twice Canada had Canadian Guards at coronations in leading the troops on the parade square Maj Crosier is called London, found by 10 separate Guards mounted daily. In ad- 1937 and 1953. 3PPCLI traveled to the UK in 1998, followed the Captain of the Guard. He must learn new commands dition, there were three night Guards then provided at the two years later by 2RCR. because the Brits use different terms, which mean the same Bank of England, Drury Lane Theatre and Covent Garden The Queen’s Life Guard saw Lord Strathcona’s Horse go thing when it comes to our commands. Opera House, as well as the Guard provided at the Tower to England in 2000, followed by the RCMP in 2012. Everything done on the parade square for 1RCHA is of London. Following 2R22eR’s invitation in 2014, 2PPCLI receive its scripted, therefore, Maj Crosier must memorize his script • After Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in invitation in 2017. The RCAF and 3RCR followed in 2018. and commands like “present arms,” “eyes front,” and “open 1837, the Queen’s Guard remained at St. James Palace, with Of note, in 2017 then 24-year-old Capt (Ret’d) Megan order right.” a detachment guarding Buckingham Palace, as it still does Couto was the first woman officer from the infantry to cap- With rehearsals, these scripted commands will be part of today. tain the Queen’s Guard on parade. She was part of a Chang- muscle memory, not unlike a musician performing without • The four guard contingents for public duties are Buck- ing of the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace. music sheets. ingham Palace, St James Palace, Tower of London and “I’m just focusing on doing my job as best I can and stay- Maj Crosier will also have to master “slow time” and Windsor Caste. ing humble,” she told media before the historic moment. “quick time” besides mastering the steps required in “Walk- • The Queen’s Guard is the name give to the contingent “Any of my peers would be absolutely delighted to be cap- ing the Minutes.” of infantry responsible for guarding both Buckingham and tain of the Queen’s Guard and I’m equally honoured.” Want to know the history of the Queen’s Guard? St. James Palaces. Now it’s 1RCHA’s turn to be part the Queen’s Guard • Elite soldiers have guarded the King or Queen since the • The Tower Guard at the Tower of London is drawn from detachments after being invited to perform guard duties reign of Henry VII, who made the Royal Body Guard a per- the same detachments as the Queen’s Guard. Ceremony of by the Queen — mounting guards at St. James Palace and manent institution which has spanned more than 520 years the Keys — oldest extant military ceremony in the world Buckingham Palaces, Tower of London and Windsor Castle.