AWOL – WOT?

There were 50 officers and men of the 3rd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, “not on parade” when MGen John M. Rockingham strode down the ranks on his annual inspection Thursday.
The men were away from Fort Osborne Barracks on a special mission — helping the citizen of Emerson ward off the rising Red River.
MGen Rockingham, although he missed the men not on parade, said he was happy they had been useful in the emergency. Later, he saw Premier Duff Roblin, exchanged greetings, and received official thanks from the province.
“I’m proud the troops under my command are ready to do anything they are called on to do, whether it’s flood-fighting or going to Cyprus,” he said in an interview.
The Army’s response to the Emerson emergency “gives me and the rest of the soldiers the feeling we’re doing something tangible. If the 49 men who went to Emerson, and who came back to their unit Thursday afternoon, had been needed there longer, they would have stayed. But that would have meant they would have missed part of the regiment’s gunnery training at Camp Shilo, which started Friday.”
He had nothing but praise for the troops he visited in Winnipeg and other parts of Manitoba, under the area command of Brig H.W. Sterne, but he had a special word of praise for the RCHA regiment he inspected Thursday.
“You can tell at a glance whether a unit is in good shape or not. These men are in extremely good condition and extremely proud of themselves.”
Shilo Stag May 13, 1965

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Have you ever wondered why Shilo has such a decapitated building for a service station and why it isn’t replaced?
Or why it takes several days to squeeze into one of the small service bays for an oil change?
Or why you must wait in long lines to take advantage of discount days for purchasing gasoline from one of two pumps?
Or why your son blows-up his bicycle tire because he has no way of telling how much air he is putting in?
Or why you must fight traffic trying to enter the station lot from the southbound lane of Royal?
Well, we believe we have the answer to all these problems — A NEW CANEX SERVICE STATION.
We are pleased to announce the signing of a contract with Central Canadian Structures Limited of Brandon for the construction of a new service station to be located directly behind the existing building.
Construction will commence shortly and will continue throughout the summer and fall months with as little inconvenience as possible to patrons and regular operation.
It is expected that the new building and facilities will be completed by Nov. 1 upon which time the existing structure will be demolished.
The new structure will be 50 feet wide by 70 feet long and will include a showroom/sales area, office, public and mechanic’s washrooms, equipment room, storeroom, and a four-bay shop service area complete with two electric hoists.
Other facilities which have been designed into the project include an additional two-pump service island, greatly increased parking areas, a digital air compressor outlet, a new access thoroughfare from Royal Avenue, and an aesthetic appeal which will enhance both the intersection as well as the community as a whole.
With all of these added amenities, it is hoped that the CANEX service can better serve the community of Shilo.
Shilo Stag July 12, 1979

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Kaffe Klatsch

Greetings Shilo! Come into my igloo and join me in a cup of coffee. It might be a little crowded with all of us packed into one little cup, but I can sure save on the coffee that way! I don’t know about you, but I’m literally counting the days until mid-March, at which time according to that reliable weather forecaster, the groundhog, we should start to get some good weather.
This is only my third winter in Shilo (I was here one winter before I was married at SMH) but several Shilo veterans have told me that this is the worst winter both for temperatures and amount of snow that they can remember. Still, let’s be cheerful — as the poet said, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
There doesn’t seem to be very much going on in the way of group activities in Camp just now, except for curling — I hear one of our rinks did very well in the ‘spiel in Brandon, something about losing by the width of a 10 dollar bill or something (so who has a 10 dollar bill to judge with?) and, of course, the Junior variety show, Bits and Pieces of ’64, the last performance of which will be held tonight in the Camp theatre.
Reports I’ve heard of the rehearsals up to the time of writing this indicate it should be a good show, it seems they have a very funny version of the Shooting of Dan McGrew, so I’d advise all of you to brave the chilly weather and trot up there to see it.
Everyone knows that nothing inspires a performer as much much as an audience, and there’s a lot of talent in our Shilo youngsters which it behooves us adults to encourage.
Who knows, we may be harbouring a young Bob Goulet, Kate Reid or Carla Carter in our midst!
Or even another Ringo, although I imagine his appeal to the younger generation has diminished somewhat since his marriage last week! I’m kind of glad that my teenage idol, Elvis Presley, hasn’t married yet. I’d feel robbed if he had.
THIS WEEK’S SERMON
Our youngest monster, Judy, aged three, outdid herself a couple of weeks ago by swallowing a large and sharp screw — this is the kind of thing that makes mothers so grey — and spent a few days in the Brandon General as a result of this.
This has brought home to us, with renewed vigour, the importance of keeping potentially lethal substances out of reach of little children. It’s all very fine to say one should teach kids to keep their grubby little paws off things, but the fact remains it is a parent’s duty to protect his child from ALL danger, including danger which he might cause himself.
Every day, children are brought into the casualty departments of Canadian hospitals by frantic parents because they have swallowed something poisonous or in some other way dangerous.
In the last few weeks, in this small corner of Manitoba, children have been treated after swallowing screws, key chains, aspirins (by the handful), stay awake pills, iron and vitamin pills (again by the handful), shampoo, bath oil, humidifier fluid, fishbones, whole bay leaves, safety pins, etc, etc, etc.
GET WELL WISHES
… go out this week to Mrs Jack Pierce, 31 Alfriston, from her many friends. Eleanor has been busily battling a nasty little bug, but at last report, was feeling much better, and looking forward to going home soon.
NEWS FROM GERMANY
I hear that Mrs Mac Greene, the former Iris Gordon of 20 Citadel, parted company with her appendix in a German hospital a few weeks ago — now, when she returns to Canada, she will be able to say truthfully, “I feel as if I’m leaving a part of myself in Germany.”
Like I left my heart in San Francisco, only not quite so drastic. I imagine a person’s pulse could get pretty weak, leaving his heart in San Francisco and going to St. John’s, Newfoundland.
BIRTHS
Congratulations are in order this week to Mr and Mrs Bob VanDine, 18 Halifax. On Feb. 2, Gwen presented Bob with a bouncing 10-pound, eight-ounce baby boy in the Brandon General. Michael John who is a beautiful baby (I saw him) is a brother for Janice, Carol, Brenda and Bobby.
That just about does it for now. I look forward to our next little visit in this spot. If you have any news of any kind, please give me a call at 4645 after supper. Bye.
Editor note: Column predates the CFB Wives Facebook page – Shilo Stag Feb. 18, 1965