​Royal Canadian Artillery Association

MINUTES OF THE 80th GENERAL MEETING OF THE RCAA
HELD AT CAMP PETAWAWA, ONT, 1 OCT 65

1. Registration of delegates and members commenced at 0830 hours. The General Meeting began at 0900 hours with the President, Lt Col WS Jackson, in the chair.
2. Following the President’s opening address, Lt Col DW Francis, CO 4 RCHA welcomed the delegates and members to Petawawa.
3. Because some members had to leave early to meet commitments at R.M.C., the election of Honorary Life Members was taken up next. The meeting approved unanimously the appointments of Col EW Cormack and Maj Gen HA Sparling.
4. The minutes of the 1964 Meeting were approved on the motion of Major Reynolds and Lt Col Turnbull.
5. Reports were given and adopted as follows: (NOTE: all reports will be printed in full in the Annual Report).
   1. History Report given by Maj Gen Sparling and adopted on the motion of Gen Sparling and Brig Robertson.
   2. Financial Report given by the Secretary and adopted on the motion of Maj Metheral and Lt Col Turnbull.
   3. Competitions Committee Report given by Lt Col Cambridge. This was accepted by the Meeting and the various recommendations are to be dealt with by the incoming Committee.
   4. Choirs for Shilo Committee given by Lt Col McAlpine and approved on his motion; seconded by Lt Col Lefebvre.
6. Aide Memoire fo Gunner Officers. Col Orton explained that his staff was now writing the basic manual from which the aide memoire is to stem. Time has not allowed for its completion but it is hoped that it will be done by next year.
7. Standing Orders. Col Orton said that amendments are being prepared now for publication next year. It is possible that the whole book may be rewritten if sufficient items reuire changing. On the motion of Brig Robertson and Lt Col Aspeslet, the Executive was authorized to contribute to the cost of printing the amendments to the Standing Orders up to $200, if necessary.
8. Life Memberships were approved as recommended by the Executive Committee.
9. General Membership. The President asked for names of officers from disbanded units to be forwarded, with their addresses, to the Secretary by Command representatives. He asked that each individual member make himself a Membership Committee of one and encourage people to join.
10. On the motion of Brig Robertson Brig Giroux, the payment of expenses for next year’s meeting was approved.
11. The President asked for a motion to pay the expenses of Col DF Burrows, a Militia Adviser, who was attending at his own expense. This was approved on the motion of Lt Cols McLean and Elsdon.
12. Payment of the maintenance account to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for the care of the Artillery Memorial in France, together with the cost of the wreath to be laid in England by a Canadian gunner officer from the Regular Force on behalf of all gunners, was approved on the motion of Maj Hegan and Lt Col Walsh.
13. Lt Col Clemis reviewed amendments to the rules, mainly necessitated as a result of the abolition of Militia Groups and the introduction of Militia Advisers. Brig Normandeau seconded the motion of Lt Col Clemis which was approved. Complete amendments will be reviewed in the Annual Report and the amended rules published.
14. The President reported that the Executive Meeting had originally decided to recommend that the 1966 meeting be held in Ottawa in order that we would be close to CFHQ after the completion of just over a year after the Suttie Commission report. Brig Robertson pointed out that as Training Command was in Winnipeg and as we could also, no doubt, get Maj Gen Anderson to come, he thought we should hold the meeting in Shilo, it having been the practice since 1960 to hold it there on the even years. His motion was seconded by Lt Col Turnbull. The meeting is to be held, if possible, on the corresponding weekend as the 1965 meeting, that is the end of September and beginning of October.
15. The invitation of Lt Col Ingram, CO 11th Fd to hold the 1966 meeting at Guelph, was declined with thanks. The year 1966 is the 100th Anniversary of 11 Fd Regt RCA(M) and Lt Col Ingram wished to have the RCAA help celebrate this anniversary as Guelph has always been a good gunner city.
16. On the motion of Lt Col Cambridge and Lt Col Turnbull, the 1967 meeting is to be held in Montreal, at the same time as we normally hold the meeting, corresponding to the 1965 meeting time, that is the weekend closest to the end of September and beginning of October.
17. Resolutions: The following were discussed. Each will be detailed in full in the Annual Report.

 

1. Provision of Regular Force Personnel to Militia Units and reduction in rank of call-out personnel. Submitted by 46 Fd, Drummondville. This turned out to be a local problem. As there will be no more call-outs, the resolution was withdrawn.
2. Change of Establishment, TSM vacancy. Submitted by 7 Bty, Montreal. Moved by Maj Day and Lt Col Davis. Carried and to be referred to CDA or “D” Reserves
3. RCA Militia Efficiency Competitions be introduced at battery level. Submitted by 7 Bty, Montreal. Generally agreed to by the meeting. The resolution is to be turned over to the Competition Committee Chairman, although these recommendations are along the same lines
4. Grant of Annual Training Bonus. Submitted by 7 Fd, Toronto, and 50 Fd, Peterborough and 57 Fd, Welland. Moved by Lt Col Atkins and Lt Col Cook and to be forwarded to CDA
5. Use of Canadian Forces Recruiting Services for Militia recruiting. Submitted by 7 Fd, Toronto and 57 Fd, Welland. Moved by Lt Cols Atkins and Kenyon. To be submitted to CDA.
6. Change of Qualifying Courses for Captain and Major. Submitted by 7 Fd, Toronto and Central Ontario Area Representative. Agreed to on the motion of Lt Cols Atkin and Cambridge and to be forwarded to CDA
7. That the emergency measures pool of vehicles be used by the Militia in order to alleviate the shortage of vehicles and assist in the keeping such emergency measures vehicles in condition. Approved on the motion of Lt Cols Elsdon and Shapiro and to be forwarded to CDA
8. On the motion of Lt Cols Cambridge and Turnbull, a resolution to be written and sent to Maj Gen Sparling for review was approved. The resolution is to go to the CDA and ask for clarification of the objective of integration so that the Association can assist in attaining the Minister’s objectives with sensible and comprehensive recommendation
9. On the motion of Lt Cols Williamson and Kenyon, it was agreed that live firing be carried out at all summer camps.
10. The resolution re gratuities for Militia Personnel on page 33 of our 1963-64 Annual Report is to again be referred to CDA.
11. The resolution re COTC commitment for service on page 36 of the 1963-64 report is to be dropped.
12. On the motion of Lt Cols Cambridge and Turnbull, it was requested that the two Montreal batteries be upgraded to a regimental level: to “D” Reserves.
13. It was moved by Maj Day that a request be made to review the recommendations of the Suttie Commission regarding the status of the RCA. There was no seconder so the motion was dropped.
14. On the motion of Col Burrows and Brig Normandeau, it was agreed that the Association would support a gift to the RA on the occasion of its 250th birthday. This will be in conjunction with the Regular Force.
15. On the motion of Brig Normandeau and Col Burrows, it was agreed that $200 be allotted to purchase a gift to 4 RCHA to commemorate the 1965 meeting of the RCAA being held at Petawawa.      
16. The President presented Life Membership Certificates to those present: Maj Gen Matthews, Brig Normandeau, Brig Robertson and Brig Gillies.
17. The meeting agreed to $4,000 being allotted to the Competition Committee.
18. Col JS Orton, Commandant of the Royal Canadian School of Artillery, spoke to the meeting. His remarks will be outlined in the Annual report.
19. It was agreed that the length of future meetings be extended to cover the volume of business to deal with.
20. Election of Officers. The following were elected, the slate being brought in by the Nominating Committee Chairman, Brig Normandeau and approved.

President                                                    - Lt Col ER Clemis
Vice-President                                          - Lt Col RJ Connor
Secretary                                                     - Lt Col EC Scott
Asst Secretary                                           - Lt Col HT Vergette
Advisory Committee                              - Brig JHT Gagnon
                                                                        - Maj Gen HA Sparling
                                                                        - Lt Col EA Royce
Auditor                                                         - Chas W Pearce
Eastern Command Representative  - Lt Col JH Turnbull
Quebec Command Representative  - Lt Col McLean
                                                                        - Lt Col JG Lefebvre
Central Command Representative   - Lt Col JD Cambridge
                                                                        - Lt Col Donald
Western Command Representative                - Lt Col RN Walsh (Sask and Man)
                                                                        - Lt Col WD Elsdon (BC and Alta)
Note –
In 1964, a legal interpretation of Rule 5(b) was obtained. It eliminated retired officers as being eligible to be elected as Command or Area representatives. Through an oversight, this was missed at the last annual meeting. This note is written to ensure that reference is made to this next year so that Command or Region representatives are selected from serving officers.

1. The meeting was turned over to the new President, Lt Col ER Clemis, who thanked the meeting for the honour accorded him.
2. Motion of adjournment made by Col Burrows and Brig Normandeau was Carried.

 The Canadian Gunner, Issue 1, December 1965

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