Kangaroo Reunion 2006

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Once again, this year... who knows when the last one might be? The lads are getting together this Saturday at noon, and I will be there, as will our own Bill Miller and his father. They're all wonderful old buggers I feel privileged to call my friends.

Those of you able, tune in the Toronto/Montreal hockey game Saturday evening, in advance... four of the lads representing 1CACR will be on the ice for the pregame show! Salute them, please...

Clive, are you coming? I didn't receive a reply to my last email...

[servicepub (RIP)]

Regrets. Other commitments prevent me from attending.

[Bill Miller]

Hi Geoff,

Dad got into Calgary last night and we fly out to Toronto tomorrow afternoon, we're both pretty excited about the trip. It will be good to see you again. I'll have a bit of new "show and tell" in tow.

Sorry you won't be able to come Clive, I would have liked to meet you in person. Another time I suppose.

Bill.

Originally posted by Bill Miller
Dad got into Calgary last night and we fly out to Toronto tomorrow afternoon, we're both pretty excited about the trip. It will be good to see you again. I'll have a bit of new "show and tell" in tow.

I regret that I won't be able to be there this year either. I really appreciated and enjoyed meeting and talking with some of these "Kangaroos" and hearing some of their experiences, and their familys, the presentations, and the stories.

I hope Rupert is able to attend this year again and that someone will be able to take lots of photos. Please give my personal regrets and regards to the Kangaroos for me, Geoff? Thank you.

Karmen.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Vets Dottir
I hope Rupert is able to attend this year again and that someone will be able to take lots of photos. Please give my personal regrets and regards to the Kangaroos for me, Geoff?

Wilco, all except Rupert... I won't have a chance to bring him with me this year... transportation issues, as you know...

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Wilco, all except Rupert... I won't have a chance to bring him with me this year... transportation issues, as you know...

Thanks Geoff and "Ah " about Rupert. Maybe someone else attending with a vehicle with room for Rupert and you will be going and will be into a special detour for the precious cargo

Karmen.

Hey Geoff,

Just HOW will you be getting to the Kangaroo Reunion tomorrow morning? I'm assuming someone is picking you up since you're without vehicle this year. Will there be room for passenger Rupert afterall? He was so "perfect" there last year. I'll keep my fingers crossed

I know you'll tell us all about the event and look forward to hearing about it.

Karmen

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by servicepub
Regrets. Other commitments prevent me from attending.

Same here

Please give these honourable gentlemen my best regards!


Hanno

Am just remembering about how the restaurants dirty dishes tray was right outside the doors and windows of the room where the Reunion happens, last year, and I'm sure hoping someone thought to talk to the restaurant manager about finding a different spot for the staff for this Reunion. I was so upset last year to have Reunion peoples talking drowned out by loud clacking dishes. I remember asking the staff to try and be a lot quieter of they couldn't move it, out of respect for the reunion going on.

Karmen

Well, the 4 Kangaroos from the Reunion didn't see me today, but I just saw them on TV in the opening special Remembrance Ceremonies for the hockey game. It was wonderful to see and hear that young man in military dress singing from the heart the National Anthem.

Thank you for the headsup Geoff.

I like hockey a little better for this today, that they would do this.

Karmen

[tankmodeler]

Guys,

I was also at the reunion with Geoff, yesterday. I had known about the reunions in the past, but, without an invite, had never attended. Mark Falls, son of regiment member Bill Falls, had borrowed one of my Ram Mk II models for a display at Sunnybrook (the Veterans hospital in Toronto) to commemorate the regiment on the occasion of his father's birthday, last August. As you might imagine I was more than happy to provide the model.

It was my first time at the reunion and I hope to be able to join them in the future. It was a moving experience. There weren't more than a dozen of the vets in attendance, though they seemed to enjoy themselves and the opportunity to see old friends again, but it was clear that most are in, at best, fragile health. Ken Ramsden seemed particularly fraile, but I did get a chance to tell him and Erskine Duncan how much I enjoyed their history of their regiment. It also allowed me to tell all of those present how proud I was to be able to have even a small part in recognising and memorialising their fine regiment.

The occasion was somewhat saddened that the father of my sponsor, Bill Falls, couldn't attend from Sunnybrook as he was too ill Saturday to travel. Hopefully it is temporary, but Mark says his father is rather fraile lately with a number of conditions needing constant care.

I brought a selection of my WW II Canadian AFV models for the vets and their families to look at and they seemed to enjoy seeing many of the old vehicles again.

Being a modeler I had to take the opportunity to ask the men, expecially Erskine Duncan, from the LAD, a couple of modelling questions. As far as he or any of the other vets there could remember, all of the Rams that were converted to Kangaroos, were "grey green" when they arrived. Certainly not brown. I take this to be SCC15. Erskine couldn't remember any of the regimental vehicles being brown, but one gentleman, a driver, contradicted him and was sure a few of the B echelon were brown, with the majority being green.

As it turns out Mark Falls wants me to build a small diorama of a Kangaroo for the Sunnybrook museum. His preference was of a scene in the Hochwald in the winter of 45. He wanted a scene that would illustrate to casual observer that this vehicle was not a tank, but meant to carry troops and that it was a combat vehicle and not just a glorified truck

I'll be working on a dio with a Kangaroo debussing it's squad over the side, or at least the last 2-3 guys of the squad. The ground will be the sodden ground before the treeline with the Kangaroo almost bellied in and leaving a smoothed scrape avcross the groundwork and the tracks deep in the soil. The brush at the edge of the forrest will be just in front of the 'Roo and the soldiers will be moving towards the action, offstage to the front of the 'Roo.

I think this will illustrate the role of the Kangaroo. Any comments?

Paul Roberts

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by tankmodeler
I think this will illustrate the role of the Kangaroo. Any comments?

Paul, thanks for sharing your experience of that day with us.

I very much like your idea for the diorama! Here in Holland, Alex is working on a 1:35 scale model of the Mill Ram Kangaroo memorial. It was to be presented last Saturday - but alas, I could not make it. But this gives Alex some more time to finish it to his high standards. The model will be finished soon and dispatched across the ocean.

Anything to keep the memory alive.

Regards,
Hanno

Originally posted by Bill Miller
Dad got into Calgary last night and we fly out to Toronto tomorrow afternoon, we're both pretty excited about the trip.

Hi Bill,

Your Dad and the others must have been totally worn out on all levels after attending the SO deeply personal reunion with their mates, then immediately after that the huge public ceremony at the hockey arena. I hope that all of them are recuperating nicely by now. Please give your Dad my regards, if you will

By the way, did anyone have a digital camera along and take photos of the reunion? Just wondering

Karmen.

[Bill Miller]

Hi Karmen,

It was quite a trip for me and my Dad. I regret to say that even though I took a camera along with me, I got so wrapped up talking with everyone that I didn't take any photos. While I think everyone had a good day it was a smaller, quieter, shorter reubnion than others I have attended or heard about. A little sad.

A memorable trip as I stayed on in the Toronto area the following week to interview some of the kangaroos one on one. gathered a bunch of really great socuments and wartime photos. The trip combined with my ensuing workload once I got back to Calgary wore me out... hence the late reply.

Thankfully, I do have photos from the reunion and the hockey Game courtesy, Barry Tatchell (Harry's Son).

Bill.

Mark Falls showing Geoff and Art Bell a slide show of Bill Falls at Sunnybrook.

[Bill Miller]

Lt. Harry Tatchell (standing)

Mrs. & Mr. Ken Ramsden (seated)

The feeling of all the guys was that the reunions aren't the same without Ken and they were all mighty glad he was able to attend.

[Bill Miller]

An interesting Then & Now....

left to right
Trooper Colin McMechan (B Squadron)
Lt. John Campbell (A Sqaudron)

Lt. Don Simpson (1CACR Sigs Troop)

[Bill Miller]

Left to right:

Colin McMechan, Harry Tatchell, unknown CBC commentator, Art Bell, Bill Miller Sr.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Thanks Bill, I was going to put them up this week, but you carry on. I suspect you have the whole set...

BTW, the furriners here probably won't understand the Don Cherry reference, but I reckon we can keep them in suspense for a while... gotta love the guy, though...

[Bill Miller]

Seats right behind the Toronto bench... everyone is happy Toronto won!

I can't say enough good things about the Hospitality people at Air Canada Centre and the Maple Leafs staff. The put on a really nice event and treated our vets with the utmost respect and kindness. A really top-knotch evening for everyone concerned. Not only did the veterans get to hob-knob with the Hockey Hall-of famers before the game at a superb buffet, but the CEO's wife took Art Bell around to personally meet all the HoF players and get their autographs...

By the way, that night would not have happened without the idea, energy and tenacity of Art Bell (who is ahuge leafs Fan). Art phoned me in Calgary back in August and said he was going to call the Leafs and ask if the Kangaroos could come out and represent the WW2 vets... he just wanted to know if I thought that was a reasonable idea?

I was very skeptical that the Leafs would be receptive to the idea.... and I have to admit I only gave Art little more than lip service as I thought that such an event was not really open to public input or debate. I wished Art luck and thought that that would be the end of it. No one was more surprised than me when he called the next day and said he talked to their game director and was putting something together!!!

The rest is history. Huge kudos to Art for this achievement. I have since learned of his ongoing, yet quiet dedication to public service over his lifetime. At 88 years young, he is still a remarkable and unstoppable man.

[Bill Miller]

Mr. McMechan and yours truly listening to Hall of Famer Dick Duff tell os old tyme hockey stories...


On other regret was that I didn't get even one photo of me and my Dad together... oh well I guess that is waht photoshop is for!?

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

To quote an oft-repeated epithet...

WE SHALL NEVER SEE THEIR LIKE AGAIN

[Bill Miller]

The Day after the reunion, was a day just to kick back and relax. The reunion plus the hockey game ended up being about a 15 hr from the time we left the hotel till the time we got back.

Dad asked me if we could drive up to Camp Borden, he had not been there since 1944. Why not I says... (it was kind of a cold, miserable day but a pleasant drive nonetheless)

It did make for a very unique then and now opportunity.

Trooper Miller is seated right on the Ram fender in the 1944 picture, contrasted with the 2006 photo. If it isn't the very same Ram, it is a very close match!

Bill (Junior)

[Bill Miller]

Sorry, I didn't realize that I was posting outside of the original "Reunion" thread.

Geoff, if you could gather up the posts into the one thread that would be most appreciated. I'll endeavour to pay more attention to what I am doing in the future...

Bill.

Geoff is in slumberland by now Bill but showed me how to merge threads before, so I'll gather them up and put them all in the reunion thread for you.

I WONDERED why you were making so many new posts I've hit "new thread" by mistake before too.



Karmen

Okay ... I think I've done it. I hope I got them all in here Bill? Let me know if I missed any.

I've totally enjoyed reading your comments and seeing the photos of that day. I only wish I could have been there this time too I especially LOVE the "then and now" photos. PERFECT!

By the way Bill, I may be in Calgary for a few days around Christmas to spend it with my daughter Elysia. Please make the weather warm up and behave for me?

Karmen

[Phil Waterman]

Bill the pictures of the reunion are something very special. The pictures “Then and Now” are true bits of history.

Originally posted by Bill Miller
Mr. McMechan and yours truly listening to Hall of Famer Dick Duff tell os old tyme hockey stories...

FOUND IT! Now I know what you look like Bill!
See you at the bus depot



Karmen

[Bill Miller]

See you tomorrow Carmen,

Weatherwise, I think you are in luck... we are going to have the traditional Christmas Chinook, the long range forecast is for mild and sunny over the next week. 4¼C for Christmas Day ...another "brown" Christmas.

Bill.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

My best to you and yours if we don't talk, Bill... take care of milady in my absence! She really is 'one of us'.

PS: Going to start on your first draft? I'll be waiting with bated breath...

Hi,

I came across this photo online posted in http://canadawiki.org/index.php/Image:1944vokes.jpg

The Soldier on the far right looks like his cap badge is shaped like the Kangaroo badge, but I can't be sure or make out the details to know for sure. I figure some of you will recognize right away of these are Kangaroo's ???



Karmen