Preserving Canada's Military History "In Their Own Words." Mike Lacroix is an Infantry Captain the Canadian Armed Forces and is currently serving in The Toronto Scottish Regiment as the Adjutant.
ARMY Alastair was a regular soldier for four years (1979-1983), seeing active service in the Falklands War of 1982 and also on peace keeping duties in Northern Ireland with the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards. He is still a reserve officer, currently serving as Deputy Commander (R), 3rd UK Division in the rank of Brigadier, having served in Media and Communications and commanding the Media Operations Group (Volunteers). In March 2004 he completed his period of mobilized service on active operations […]
Warrant Officer Aly Hirji a member of The Royal Regiment of Canada was born and raised in East York Ontario. Warrant Officer Hirji completed his basic training through the Cooperative Education Program during February 1995 and May 1995 not earning any money, but in turn earning two High School Credits. Warrant Officer Hirji was promoted to Corporal in 1997, to Master- Corporal in 1999, Sergeant in 2007 and Warrant Officer in 2009. He has deployed to Israel in support of […]
CWO Brian Budden, CD is a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran. He is the past president of the Toronto Branch of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Association, and he currently serves as the 1st Vice-President and Health & Welfare Chairman. Following his first tour of Normandy and northwest Europe in 1974, CWO Budden began organizing historical tours to Normandy, Belgium and the Netherlands for First and Second World War Veterans. He arranged for the Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association in Normandy, […]
Captain Terry (Stoney) Burke joined the Royal Canadian Regiment in October 1964. He completed basic recruit training at the Regimental Depot, in Wolseley Barracks, in London, Ontario. In October 1965, he was posted to the Second Battalion of the RCR, in Fort York, West Germany, where he became a member of the Assault Pioneer Platoon. Over the next three years he completed the Junior NCO Course and was promoted Corporal in December of 1968. In November of 1969 he returned […]
Lieutenant-General Guy R. Thibault, CMM, MSC, CD joined the Canadian Forces in 1978 and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Physics at the Royal Military College. Upon completion of Army Signal Officer training in Kingston, he served in various operational capacities within the Special Service Force in Petawawa as well as 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, and Canadian Forces Europe in Lahr, West Germany. He has held a wide range of command and staff appointments within the […]
Colonel (Ret’d) Kevin Cameron joined the Canadian Forces in 1989 under the Officer Candidate Training Plan (OCTP), was commissioned into The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR) and posted to 3rd Battalion, The RCR at Canadian Force Base (CFB) Baden-Solingen, Germany. During his two years with 3 RCR Germany, he deployed to Croatia and Sarajevo in 1992. Upon return from the Former Yugoslavia, and with the close-out of CFB Baden-Solingen in 1993, he was posted to 2nd Battalion, The RCR at […]
WO2 Paul Baines, MC joined the British Army on the 6th of April, 1996 at the Exeter Recruiting Office. He completed his Basic Training at the Guards Depot in Pirbright, Surrey, then completed Infantry training at the Infantry Training Centre Catterick. He passed in October, 1996 as a Guardsman and joined the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards in Oxford Barracks, Munster in Germany. Throughout his Army career he has participated in high profile state ceremonial events such as the Trooping of […]
Sgt Sean Wickett joined The Grey & Simcoe Foresters in 2002, at the age of 18, after serving as a youth in the Royal Canadian Army Cadets. In the past 14 years, Sean has deployed to Afghanistan as part of Roto 3-08, deployed to the Middle East on Op Proteus as well as the Arctic and sub-arctic with the 4th Canadian Division’s Arctic Response Company Group as well as on Operation Nanook. In the summer of 2015, Sgt Wickett led […]
Brigadier-General Omer Lavoie was born and raised in Marathon, Ontario. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1983 as a private soldier in the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment. Upon high school graduation, he transferred to the Regular Force and attended Royal Roads Military College from 1985 – 1989. Upon completion of infantry phase training, he was posted to Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. Brigadier-General Lavoie’s regimental employment includes service with 2RCR, 1 RCR and as the Regimental Adjutant. As […]
Part 2 of the Episode with Chief Warrant Officer Bill Darling continues! Cpl Bill Darling, 1983 – hard at work! Bill’s uncle, HCol (LCol ret’d) Robert Darling, CD (a 3rd generation Highlander) & RSM (CWO) Bill Darling, CD 1999 HEGG David Johnston, CC, CMM, CD presenting CWO Bill Darling with his Military Medal of Merit in 2011
William Darling joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1979 as a Gunner with 2 Field Royal Canadian Artillery, located in Montreal, Quebec. After completing Recruit and Basic training, he completed his TQ1 Artilleryman training at CFB Gagetown. He remained with 2 Field as a Gun Detachment member, being promoted to Bombardier in 1980. In 1982 he relocated to Toronto, Ontario, re-mustered Infantry and joined The 48th Highlanders of Canada, becoming the Regiment’s first 4th generation Highlander. The Darling family has […]
Brigadier-General Garry S. Thomson, CD was born in Dundee, Scotland, attended High School in Thunder Bay and Kincardine, and university at Waterloo College, and holds a B.Sc. in Business from Pacific Western University, Los Angeles. From a police and military family, (his father was a wartime officer in the British Army, captured at Anzio Beachhead as a Platoon Commander, 6th Gordons, 1st British Infantry Division) he was an Army Cadet, then began his own military career as ROTP (Infantry) in […]
WO Glen Moore (Ret’d) CD joined The Royal Regiment of Canada in October 1981. He completed Recruit, Basic and TQ1 Infantry courses and attended MilCon in the Summer of 1982 as a fully trained Private. He was promoted to Corporal in the Fall of 1982 and over the course of the next couple of years he passed the TQ2 Smalls Arms Instructor and TQ2 Communications Courses. Concurrently he was chosen to be a member of the Pioneer Platoon and participated […]
Lieutenant General Peter John Devlin CMM, MSC, CD was a senior officer in the Canadian Army and is currently President of Fanshawe College. He served as Commander of the Canadian Army from 2010 to 2013. Educated at the University of Western Ontario, Peter Devlin was commissioned into The Royal Canadian Regiment, having joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1978. He served in an operational role in Cyprus between 1984 and 1985 and in the Former Yugoslavia in 1992. He commanded […]
Chief Warrant Officer Scott Patterson, CD joined The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada 1 Apr 1979, after transferring from Central Militia Special Training Unit. He completed his Basic Parachutist Course January 1982 and Airborne Indoctrination Course August 1983, making his an original member of The QOR of C Jump Platoon. Scott was a devoted member of the Regimental Pioneers, participating in numerous commemorations and parades. Some of his more enjoyable tasks have been as an instructor and platoon warrant for […]
Colonel Dwayne Hobbs joined the Essex & Kent Scottish in 1988. In 1992, while a student at the University of Toronto, he enrolled in the Reserve Entry Scheme Officer (RESO) program with the Toronto Scottish Regiment. Following completion of Phase IV Infantry at the Combat Training Centre in 1995, he commanded at the Platoon level for multiple iterations of Combat Readiness Evaluation cycles. In 1996, he joined the Staff of Toronto District Headquarters as the G6 and completed the Militia […]
Ranger Cpl Joelie Qaunaq serves with the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group out of Arctic Bay, Nunavut. He has been involved with the Canadian Ranger Program since 1986 and has earned the Special Service Medal with the Ranger Bar and his Canadian Decoration. On NorEx 15, Cpl Qaunaq was awarded both the 4th Canadian Division Commander‘s Coin and the 31 Canadian Brigade Group Commander’s Coin for his outstanding contribution to the success of the exercise. Cpl Qaunaq is an instructor […]
Deputy Chief Thomas Carrique, MOM, MA, CMM III Deputy Chief Thomas Carrique has been a member of York Regional Police since 1990. He is currently the Deputy Chief of Operations and previously served as Deputy Chief of Administration. Before being named deputy chief, he was the officer in charge of Staff Services, which includes Recruiting, Training, Professional Development and Human Resources. Prior to being the superintendent of Staff Services, he was a Special Investigation Unit liaison officer and the officer […]
William Carvel “Bill” Graham PC QC CM (born March 17, 1939) is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Graham grew up in Montreal and Vancouver, and he was educated at Upper Canada College, Trinity College at the University of Toronto, the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law, and the University of Paris. As a student, he traveled in […]
Slade Lerch joined the Canadian Armed Forces out of the 2483 PPCLI Army Cadets in Victoria, British Columbia. Arriving as a new private in November 1986, as a military driver with 11 Service Battalion (now 39 Service Battalion), he decided to make the switch to the Infantry and started that new trade with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. In 1988, he then went on to component transfer to the PPCLI in Wainwright, Ablerta. Having already completed his Basic Para Course, […]
CWO Terry Garand enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces on November 15, 1984 in Ottawa, Ontario. During his career he has served with the 2e Battalion Royal 22e Regiment, 1er R22eR in Lahr, Germany, the Canadian Airborne Regiment, the École de Combat du Royal 22e Régiment, the 3e R22eR, the 5e RGC and the Infantry School in Gagetown. His deployments have been to Cyprus (1987), the First Gulf War (1990-91), The Former Yugoslavia and Sarajevo (1992), Haiti (1997), Bosnia (2002), […]
Col Conrad has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Masters in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario. He was commissioned as a Naval Officer (MARS) in May, 1987. After retraining as an army combat logistics officer he has served in virtually every command billet possible in 1 Service Battalion in Western Canada from platoon commander to Commanding Officer in 2005-2006. Over half of his career has been spent with the Army of the West in 1 Canadian […]
Lewis MacKenzie was born in Truro, Nova Scotia a long time ago. He is a graduate of Xavier Junior College of Sydney Nova Scotia and the University of Manitoba. During his thirty six year military career he served nine years in Germany with NATO forces and managed to avoid service in Ottawa by fitting in nine peacekeeping tours of duty in the Gaza Strip, Cyprus, Cairo, Vietnam, Central America and Sarajevo. In 1990 Lewis was appointed commander of the United […]
Colonel Dawe joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1990 as an artillery officer. Following a tour to Cyprus as a troop commander, he reclassified to the infantry, and joined the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Col Dawe’s regimental experience has included command appointments at the platoon, company and, most recently, at the battalion level as Commanding Officer of 3 PPCLI. Col Dawe’s extra-regimental employment has included tours at the Canadian Forces Recruit and Leadership School as a recruit […]
Blake Goldring was approached by Major General Reginald Lewis to become a successor to the post of Honorary Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Canada. Blake achieved that appointment in 2006 and immediately started identifying with the regiment and the members of the Canadian Armed Forces that he encountered. HCol Goldring is the Chairman and CEO of AGF Management Limited and he has also founded Canada Company, which is a charitable, non-partisan organization that serves to build the bridge between […]
At 17, Warrant Officer Justin Thorn joined The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada in June of 1988. During his 26 years in the Canadian Forces he has completed several taskings and exercises abroad, most notably in France, England, and the United States. Additionally, he has deployed twice domestically during the Ice Storms of January 1998, and during the Toronto winter deployment of January 1999. Warrant Officer Thorn has held several notable Regimental positions: section commander, platoon warrant, and Company Quartermaster. […]
CWO Kelly was born in Montréal, Québec in 1965 and was raised and educated in the Montreal area. In 1982, after five years as an Army Cadet with the 3 Field Engineers and The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, he joined the Black Watch as a private soldier in B Company. CWO Kelly was with the Black Watch from December of 1982 until transferring to The Calgary Highlanders in August of 1995. During his tenure with the Black Watch, […]
Pte Joshua Rigg was born in Walkerton, Ontario. He is currently 19 years old and he is a single child. Though, he considers his closest female cousin as his sister since they grew up very closely together. His immediate family consists of himself, his mother, aunt, sister, grandmother and grandpa. Most of his family lives in Brampton; however he has had to move to Toronto in order to go into grade nine at Jarvis Collegiate Institute. When he was 12 […]
In this episode, I look back at some of the highlights from the first year of the Canadian Military History Podcast as well as one clip from the cutting room floor. The clips come from LCol Mike Vernon, LGen Andrew Leslie, WO2 Sam Magee, WO2 Stan Egerton and Sgt Chris Murdy. Although I would like to include all of my guests as highlights, their words are still preserved within their own episodes. New episodes will be posted in September for […]
Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Tom Riefesel, MMM, CD joined the Royal Canadian Navy on 22 December 1982 as a Signalman Sea 261. In September 1983, he joined his first ship, HMCS Assiniboine. Over the length of his career, he progressed from Signalman, to Yeoman Signals, Combat Chief, Chief Yeoman of Signals NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic, Chief Naval Communicator at Sea Training Atlantic. CPO1 Riefesel served on 8 different destroyers, frigates and AORs, HMCS Assiniboine, HMCS Ottawa, HMCS Protecteur, […]
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Richardson has over 30 years of leadership and management training and operational experience through dual police and military careers. As a police officer, he planned and led over 1000 successful ETU operations in Niagara and on Multi-jurisdictional operations in Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo, Ontario and Niagara Falls and Buffalo, New York. As a soldier Matt was promoted to Battalion Command of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment in 2006. In April of 2010, he embarked on a 10-month deployment […]
In Part 2 of the interview with Brigadier-General MacKenzie, as he continues to describe his back-to-back tours in Afghanistan and the soldiers who influenced him. Follow me on Twitter @MikeLacroix32 and keep track of my results on #Mike100Workouts You can support this site by shopping on Amazon. You still enjoy Amazon’s great prices, but a portion of your purchase goes to supporting the show. LColMacKenzie – Old Kandahar City Gate with MWO Green LColMacKenzie – OC OCC-P Kandahar with MWO […]
Brigadier-General MacKenzie was born in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1963, and spent his early childhood in Regina, Ottawa, and Victoria. In 1976, his family moved to Vancouver, where in 1985 he joined the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada as a Private. He commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1986 and the following summer he won the Canadian Infantry Association Sword as the Top Candidate on his Lieutenant qualifying course, at the Infantry School, in Gagetown. After completing a Bachelor of Science Degree […]
Brigadier-General DesLauriers is the Canadian Military Engineer Branch Colonel Commandant and is celebrating the 111th Anniversary of the Corps on 1 May 2014. Please visit The Canadian Military Engineers Association web site for more information about this proud Corps. Follow me on Twitter @MikeLacroix32 and keep track of my results on #Mike100Workouts You can support this site by shopping on Amazon. You still enjoy Amazon’s great prices, but a portion of your purchase goes to supporting the show. Des […]
Today’s guest is BGen Richard DesLauriers who enlisted as a Sapper Apprentice in 1964. Completing his Basic Sapper Training as part of the two year program at RCSME, Sapper DesLauriers was posted to 2 Fd Sqn, Gagetown, After this tour he returned to Chilliwack to 3 Fd Sqn where he remained until his promotion to Sergeant in 1973. He was then selected as a member of the International Commission for Control and Supervision in Vietnam and returned to 3 Fd […]
Here is the conclusion of the interview with Cpl Frank Reid of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Check out Frank Reid’s and many other blog at The Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies Blogs. Follow me on Twitter @MikeLacroix32 and keep track of my results on #Mike100Workouts You can support this site by shopping on Amazon. You still enjoy Amazon’s great prices, but a portion of your purchase goes to supporting the show. Cpl Frank Reid arrives for […]
Corporal Frank Reid is a veteran, author and playwright who spent 8 years (1972-1979) in the Canadian Army with the majority of the time spent on overseas taskings. Frank is an expert on this military time period during the Cold War. Frank does extensive public speaking on military living history. Frank works with veterans groups to further the cause of veterans’ issues. Frank is a founding member and past President of the Royal Canadian Regiment Association of Waterloo. He has […]
And now, Finally, the conclusion of the interview with CWO Mike Lacroix. Follow me on Twitter @MikeLacroix32 and keep track of my results on #Mike100Workouts You can support this site by shopping on Amazon. You still enjoy Amazon’s great prices, but a portion of your purchase goes to supporting the show. Kieran helps with the clippers at the Cops for Cancer event in Vaughan. Kieran and Aidan gave the RSM a new haircut! The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth, the […]
In an unprecedented third part of the episode, CWO Mike Lacroix describes the arrival of the Toronto Scottish at their new home in Etobicoke and becoming the 32 Canadian Brigade Group Sergeant-Major. Follow me on Twitter @MikeLacroix32 and keep track of my results on #Mike100Workouts You can support this site by shopping on Amazon. You still enjoy Amazon’s great prices, but a portion of your purchase goes to supporting the show. Members of the Toronto Scottish Regiment visit Hoevelakken […]
The interview with CWO Mike Lacroix CD continues. Listen as Mike describes being appointed as the Regimental Sergeant-Major of the Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother’s Own) and planning to march out of Fort York Armoury. Follow me on Twitter @MikeLacroix32 and keep track of my results on #Mike100Workouts You can support this site by shopping on Amazon. You still enjoy Amazon’s great prices, but a portion of your purchase goes to supporting the show. WO Mike Lacroix […]
Chief Warrant Officer Michael Lacroix enlisted in 1988 as a Private in The Toronto Scottish Regiment. He completed his Basic Infantry Reconnaissance, Machine-Gunner and Section Commander’s courses early in his career as an Infantry Soldier. He worked his way up to Sergeant by instructing on countless basic courses and, in 1994, became a full-time Army recruiter. During his first year as a Sergeant he completed his Senior Leaders Course and his Infantry Platoon Second-in-Command Course. In 1998 CWO Lacroix was […]
Tristan O’Neil Bankasingh, the son of Jamaican parents, was born in Etobicoke, Ontario. Deciding to take a career path different than other members of his family, he enrolled in the Canadian Forces after completing high school and was sworn-in as an artilleryman on October 21, 2004 at Moss Park Armoury. He completed his basic training in the spring of 2005 and finished within the top three of his class. After completion of his DP1 Artillery course in the summer 2005, […]
WO Lise Bourgon is an Administrative Clerk by trade and currently holds the rank of Warrant Officer. Her current appointment is the Unit Sergeant-Major of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre (CFRC) in New Westminster, British Columbia. She joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1988, joining the Royal Canadian Air Force. Being an Admin Clerk does not automatically mean that a person will be assigned to their element. WO Bourgon has worked mainly with Army Units and pan-CF units like the […]
Lieutenant-General Hainse joined the Canadian Forces in 1977 and studied at the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean. He was commissioned as an officer in August 1980 and then joined the Royal 22e Régiment. His operational postings began in 1980 with the 2nd Battalion Royal 22e Régiment in Quebec City. He served on five operational missions abroad and participated in two domestic operations, namely Oka and the 1998 ice storm. He also held diverse command appointments at every rank level. In […]
Sergeant Murdy was born in London, Ontario and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1999. He follows his Great Uncle Morris Murdy, a WWII signaler who served in the Italian Campaign, as the last known serving member in the family. Sergeant Murdy has served exclusively with the 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. He joined the military while completing his Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at the University of Western Ontario. Upon completion of his Basic Infantry Qualification, Sergeant […]
This week’s guest is CWO Deroche who enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces in July 1980, initially serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment in Gagetown. After completing the Basic Para Course at CFB Edmonton in 1981 he was posted to the Canadian Airborne Regiment in Petawawa. He served with the Airborne Regiment for a total of eight years and is the youngest person to successfully completed the demanding Patrol Pathfinder Course. He subsequently served extensively in […]
Today’s podcast guest is Brigadier General Gary Stafford, OMM, CD. In 1970, Brigadier-General Stafford joined The Royal Regiment of Canada as a Private and progressed to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer in 1983. He held the position of Regimental Sergeant Major from 1983 to 1987. In 1988, Brigadier-General Stafford commissioned from the ranks, promoted to Captain and posted to Toronto Militia District Headquarters (now 32 Canadian Brigade Group) as the Recruiting Officer for one year. He returned to The […]
Geordie Elms was born in Toronto. In 1967 he followed his grandfather and father into the ranks of the 48th Highlanders of Canada when he joined as a piper. He served with the Pipes and Drums until 1972 when he applied to become an officer under the Reserve Officer University Training Plan (ROUTP). He transferred to the Regular Force, joining 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment. As an RCR officer he has served on regimental duty with the 2nd and […]
This week’s episode is with CWO Grant Lawson. Grant has served as a crewman in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps in two Regiments: the Ontario Regiment and the Queen’s York Rangers. He has deployed to the Middle East, the former Yugoslavia and most recently to Afghanistan. His current appointment takes him out of his usual arcs and into the Infantry, serving as the Regimental Sergeant-Major of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. Grant is a good friend and a trusted advisor. […]
In Part 2, Sam leaves the mountains and training environment of Montana and heads off to Europe where he comes face-to-face with the Foe. He used raw guts and trickery to convince a platoon of Germans to surrender to Sam and his wounded fire team partner. On his way back, he stops to rescue three soldiers that had been pinned down by the very platoon he had captured. Sam goes on to describe his peace-time service with the Royal Canadian […]
Today’s episode highlights the service of World War II veteran William (Sam) Magee. Sam tried to enlist in every branch of the Canadian Military at age 14. After the loss of his father, he was the sole bread winner for his family and the military was the best place to earn enough to care for them. At the age of 17, he managed to sneak past the recruiters and get enrolled in the Toronto Scottish Regiment. During his training he […]
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