Change of Command
The command of the 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA was formally handed over from Lieutenant-Colonel Brent Purcell CD to Lieutenant-Colonel Pierre Lajoie CD at Bessborough Armoury on 13 May 2017.
The Change of Command ceremony is a time for the Regimental family to gather and witness the passing of the regiment to the next generation. The Regimental Band was in attendance in their traditional ceremonial dress and lent an additional level of pomp and splendor to the event.
Of course the parade required practice beforehand in order to shake out the cobwebs. It's not every week that the Regiment is on the parade square.
There was a considerable guest list for the change of command that includes Brigade staff and Commanding Officers from other Regiments. The Brigade Chief of Staff was in attendance as was the Deputy Commander of the Brigade, a former Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Kent Wickens.
A contingent came over from 5th (BC) Field Regiment RCA in Victoria and there was also the Commanding Officer of the Royal Westminster Regiment, Dave Vernon.
Not all the Regiment was on parade as there are always countless other jobs that need to be filled. Captain Kevin Walker and Warrant Officer Goran Kurtagic were on hand for those details.
Captain (ret) Noel Dykes was the emcee for the event and kept the audience informed on the format of the parade as the Regimental Sergeant Major Chief Warrant Officer George Dempsey marches on the markers and the Regiment. The Regimental Sergeant Major turned the parade over to Major Andrew Grieve and takes his position on the right of the parade.
The Officers are fallen in and then Major Grieve turns the parade over to the outgoing Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Brent Purcell.
The view from the Officers' Mess shows the Regiment lined up and the guests seated.
The VIPs arrive and are given a General Salute by the Regiment. The final VIP is the Reviewing Officer, Colonel David Awalt, Commander 39 Canadian Brigade Group. He arrives with the Brigade Sergeant Major and the incoming Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Lajoie.
After the General Salute, the Reviewing Officer is invited to inspect the parade. It appears that everyone is in a jovial mood during the inspection as Lieutenant-Colonel Purcell enjoys a joke and Colonel Awalt smiles at a comment from Master Bombardier Taylor. The Director of Music, Captain Jim Tempest, greets the inspection party and guides them through the ranks of the Regimental Band. On the completion of the inspection, Lieutenant Colonel Purcell receives permission to march the Regiment past in column right for one final time.
Presentations are next on the timetable. Captain Isaak Skuce receives the clasp to his Canadian Decoration from Brigadier General Rob Roy Mackenzie the current Chief of Staff Army Reserve . The Regimental Sergeant Major presents the outgoing Commanding Officer with his pennant appropriately framed. Lieutenant Colonel Purcell and Chief Warrant Officer Dempsey introduce the new Regimental Command Team Coin. The coins are numbered and presented as follows: 001-Capt KE Walker, 002-WO G Kurtagic, 003-Major AW Grieve, 004-Sgt D Calogero, 005-Bdr ?, 006-Sgt JC Cooley, 007-WO HL Porritt, 008-Sgt JH Zhong, 009-Sgt CS Skuce, 010-Sgt MB Sings.
On the completion of the presentation, the 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA is officially handed over to the new incoming Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Lajoie. He takes command and marches the Regiment past in column of route. While the parade takes place on the parade square, the Officers' Mess waits patiently for the guests to arrive. After the parade there was a fantastic buffet put on by caterers hired by the Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel Al DeGenova.
The Change of Command ceremony is a time for the Regimental family to gather and witness the passing of the regiment to the next generation. The Regimental Band was in attendance in their traditional ceremonial dress and lent an additional level of pomp and splendor to the event.
Of course the parade required practice beforehand in order to shake out the cobwebs. It's not every week that the Regiment is on the parade square.
There was a considerable guest list for the change of command that includes Brigade staff and Commanding Officers from other Regiments. The Brigade Chief of Staff was in attendance as was the Deputy Commander of the Brigade, a former Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Kent Wickens.
A contingent came over from 5th (BC) Field Regiment RCA in Victoria and there was also the Commanding Officer of the Royal Westminster Regiment, Dave Vernon.
Not all the Regiment was on parade as there are always countless other jobs that need to be filled. Captain Kevin Walker and Warrant Officer Goran Kurtagic were on hand for those details.
Captain (ret) Noel Dykes was the emcee for the event and kept the audience informed on the format of the parade as the Regimental Sergeant Major Chief Warrant Officer George Dempsey marches on the markers and the Regiment. The Regimental Sergeant Major turned the parade over to Major Andrew Grieve and takes his position on the right of the parade.
The Officers are fallen in and then Major Grieve turns the parade over to the outgoing Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Brent Purcell.
The view from the Officers' Mess shows the Regiment lined up and the guests seated.
The VIPs arrive and are given a General Salute by the Regiment. The final VIP is the Reviewing Officer, Colonel David Awalt, Commander 39 Canadian Brigade Group. He arrives with the Brigade Sergeant Major and the incoming Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Lajoie.
After the General Salute, the Reviewing Officer is invited to inspect the parade. It appears that everyone is in a jovial mood during the inspection as Lieutenant-Colonel Purcell enjoys a joke and Colonel Awalt smiles at a comment from Master Bombardier Taylor. The Director of Music, Captain Jim Tempest, greets the inspection party and guides them through the ranks of the Regimental Band. On the completion of the inspection, Lieutenant Colonel Purcell receives permission to march the Regiment past in column right for one final time.
Presentations are next on the timetable. Captain Isaak Skuce receives the clasp to his Canadian Decoration from Brigadier General Rob Roy Mackenzie the current Chief of Staff Army Reserve . The Regimental Sergeant Major presents the outgoing Commanding Officer with his pennant appropriately framed. Lieutenant Colonel Purcell and Chief Warrant Officer Dempsey introduce the new Regimental Command Team Coin. The coins are numbered and presented as follows: 001-Capt KE Walker, 002-WO G Kurtagic, 003-Major AW Grieve, 004-Sgt D Calogero, 005-Bdr ?, 006-Sgt JC Cooley, 007-WO HL Porritt, 008-Sgt JH Zhong, 009-Sgt CS Skuce, 010-Sgt MB Sings.
On the completion of the presentation, the 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA is officially handed over to the new incoming Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Lajoie. He takes command and marches the Regiment past in column of route. While the parade takes place on the parade square, the Officers' Mess waits patiently for the guests to arrive. After the parade there was a fantastic buffet put on by caterers hired by the Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel Al DeGenova.
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