Drill Cane of the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers with tribute and honour offered by the Regiment Sergeant Major Luc Moreau, to the Royal Canadian Legion 005 Liberation of the Netherlands.
It was not only an honour to participate again in the Canadian Army ceremony at the Canadian cemetery in Groesbeek on the third day of the Nijmegen Four Day Marches with our colour party, but there was also an impressive moment for our Legion Branch.
Since the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 005 has participated in the 4-Days Canadian Ceremony for many years at the Groesbeek Cemetery, the Canadians found that, by now, this was the time and moment for a good symbol and gesture of our Branch 005. How beautiful and overwhelming to announce that the RCEME Regiment Sergeant Major Luc Moreau offered his personal “Drill Cane” to our President Gerard Hendriks and then accepted and passed it on to our Sergeant at Arms, Martin Reelick, with the promise that this will be honoured and passed on to the next upcoming Sgt at Arms’s in the future. An historic moment for the entire RCL Branch 005 Liberation of the Netherlands. The following units which participated in the Nijmegen four-day marches supported this special transfer with full approval.
Royal Canadian Navy
Team MARLANT (Halifax)
Team HMCS Donnacona (Montreal)
Royal Canadian Air Force
Team 12 Wing / 423 MH Squadron (Shearwater)
Team 22 Wing (North Bay)
Canadian Army
Team Royal Canadian Artillery School (Gagetown)
Équipe 3e Bataillon Royal 22e Régiment (Valcartier)
Team Calgary Highlanders (Calgary)
Team Ontario Regiment (RCAC) (Oshawa)
Team Saskatchewan Dragoons (Moose Jaw)
Team Queen’s Own Rifles (Toronto)
Équipe 5e Bataillon de Service (Valcartier)
Military Personnel Command
Team Royal Military College of Canada (Kingston)
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
Team National Capital Region (Ottawa)
The compliment of Brigadier-General Holt (ret) was also overwhelming for the performance of the Colour Party at the Canadian cemetery in Groesbeek.
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 005 Liberation of the Netherlands thanks the Canadian Contingent and especially the RSM of the RCEME for this historical gift. Friends for life.
Lest we Forget !
From July 18 to July 21, 2017, a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) contingent will continue an annual tradition, participating in the International Four Day Marches Nijmegen. Thirteen CAF teams, generally of 11 members each, plus special guests, will march approximately 40 km a day for a total of 160 km, through the countryside and towns around the city of Nijmegen, in the Netherlands.
The Nijmegen Marches, originally a means for Dutch infantry to increase their long-distance marching and weight-carrying abilities, have evolved into an international four-day event, which draws 40,000 civilian marchers from over 50 countries, in addition to 5,500 military participants, seeking to challenge their physical and mental endurance. The Marches are now the world’s largest walking event.
This year marks the 101st anniversary of the Nijmegen Marches, although the CAF has been participating since 1952, making this our 65th year.
Thank you Canada.
Transferal Drill Cane during 4-Days Marches in Nijmegen