A Time of Commemoration and Hard Work: HQ Sqn Reflects on March and April

By: Cpl Terry Haas
3 June 2008

Throughout the months of March and April, HQ Sqn continued to work hard to support the Regiment. The quick tempo increased towards the end of March while HQ Sqn prepared for the annual Moreuil Wood festivities and despite the many ongoing activities, HQ Sqn enjoyed a very productive period with many accomplishments.

As all Strathcona’s are aware, the celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of Moreuil Wood is steeped in tradition. The memorable battle occurred during the First World War, in which C Sqn fought courageously and victoriously to defeat the Germans at Moreuil Wood. Their victory marked the end of the German’s last great offensive. This year’s commemorative activities were a great success and were well enjoyed by all participants. Some of the high-lights were the Sports Day, the Parade, and the Mixed Dinner and Dance event. This year marked the return of the Mixed Dinner and Dance to Regimental Lines on 29 March 2008, allowing HQ Sqn to be more heavily involved in the planning and preparations. The OPI of the Mixed Dinner and Dance, Capt Amanda Grimsrud, was instrumental in making the dance an overwhelming success. She and her team from HQ Sqn organized the night’s activities, setting up chairs and tables, and ensuring that the lines were well decorated to host guests. An honourable mention goes out to Cpl William Rekrut for building an amazing dance floor on fairly short notice. The dance event included a reputable hypnotist, a stylish DJ for the dance, and a great meal. The event was thoroughly enjoyed by all soldiers and their guests.

Because the Moreuil Wood activities traditionally involve a lot of meals, the cooks were especially busy working in the kitchen. WO Martin St-Onge led the cooks to success as they put on some great meals for Moreuil Wood. They prepared the Senior NCO’s Mess dinner on 27 March in a trench style meal. On 29 March they worked hard to prepare the food for the main parade’s reception. Later that evening, the cooks prepared the meal for the Mixed Dinner and Dance. The roast beef meal was delicious, along with all the accoutrements. The Chief Cook received numerous compliments on the quality of the dinner buffet. The cooks deserve a huge pat on the back for the wonderful work they did during the Moreuil Wood week. It is also important to mention that many cooks from outside the Regiment assisted in serving the meal. Because of their support, soldiers and their spouses were able to enjoy the night of festivities without having to work at the function.

As the Moreuil Wood activities came to an end, HQ Sqn continued to work on a variety of ongoing projects. With a Safety Inspection at the end of April, SHQ Sqn worked hard to ensure that every Tp was properly implementing the safety policy. QM Tp worked hard to keep up with the year end purchasing frenzy, included purchasing last minute items for the whole Regiment. Maintenance Troop continued to put in long hours, ensuring that vehicles were up and running for upcoming exercises and Transport Troop continued to support vehicle tasks. In the upcoming months the training and operational tempo doesn’t look like it is going to slow down and we are all look forward to summer leave to get some well deserved down time before the busy fall training cycle begins.

Perseverance