Sunset Ceremony at RMC

This is the second part of our visit with Jeffrey in Kingston last week. To catch up on the first part, please read the previous blog post.

Before the ceremony began, our Skyhawks did a couple of flybys, dropping streamers in order to determine wind direction and whether or not it would be safe to demonstrate their signature Canadian flag parachute jumps. Shortly afterward, they decided to cancel the jump due to the increasingly inclement weather. It was disappointing but, unlike last year when they canceled the full evening's events, the rest of the show still went on.



Once 7:30 rolled around, the rain clouds joined in. First with a spit, then a spatter and finally with a steady downpour. We watched as umbrellas in front of us dripped onto our laps, which were gratefully covered with a ground sheet. One of the good things about having a son in the military, is that he's always prepared.



RMC is the only Canadian university which has Tai Kwon Do as an official varsity sport. The evening started out with a demonstration of their skills.




Though the mats had been turned upside down until the demonstration was about to begin, they quickly became wet, causing this fellow to miss his footing on his first attempt to jump over his teammates and break the board. This second jump proved successful.




Old Eighteen refers to the first 18 cadets who entered RMC in 1876. Tradition dictates that first year cadets are required to memorize their names. The Old Eighteen Historic Drill Team demonstrated their daily training from over 130 years ago.



The Naval Gun Run was first used toward the end of the 19th century and into the 20th as a means to supply the army with artillery support. The guns were removed from their fixed mountings on naval ships and transferred to shore, where naval crews fought alongside the army troops.




Shortly after the drill demonstrations, Old Eighteen had some help from some faux American soldiers to reenact a battle from the War of 1812. Ready, aim...




Fire!




There were many casualties on both sides.




And the dead bodies littered the parade square where they fell.




After the historic battle reenactments, the RMC Sandhurst Military Skills Team demonstrated the skills they've learned and used in competition against military academies in other countries such as Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK and West Point in the US. They are the proud World Champions for 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The Sandhurst team arrived on campus in a helicopter, which hovered over the field behind us. They then rappelled out of the helicopter and headed into the parade square for their demo. Don captured this film on his video camera.




The team showcased the various skills required to compete in combat.




These soldiers demonstrated the teamwork required to climb up and over a twelve-foot wall.

At some point in the evening, the rain began to let up. After another few minutes, it stopped completely, and umbrellas that had partially obscured our view were put away. I was already finding the photography challenging since the subjects were at a distance and it was overcast, but even more so now that it was getting darker, which shows in the grainy appearance of the pictures. This was a sunset ceremony after all. Not that we had actually seen the sun, but at least now we were no longer being rained upon.

I have a few more photos from the rest of the ceremony that day in Kingston which I'll save for next time. Stay tuned for part three which I'll post in a few days.

A Visit With Our Boy

Last week, we took advantage of what might be our last opportunity to see our older son, Jeffrey before sometime in August. He finished his second of four years of academics, and is now awaiting the information which will tell him where he'll be spending most of his summer in training. Recent course changes have left his plans to be at the Canadian Forces Base in Gagetown, New Brunswick up in the air for now. As soon as he knows, he may find himself on his way there, to nearby Trenton, Ontario or to somewhere in Alberta. If it weren't for the fact that the course in Trenton would be teaching him how to jump out of planes, I'd be hoping for the nearby location. But that choice is not mine.

About a month ago, Jeffrey began telling his Dad and me about the upcoming Sunset Ceremony at RMC (Royal Military College), suggesting that we take the time to come visit for the day. Don and I decided to take him up on it, and drove there together on Wednesday. We left after the morning rush hour and arrived in Kingston shortly after one o'clock. We picked up our hungry and tired son, who greeted us in uniform, and headed into town to share a lunch at Morrison's where we knew we could order a classic all-day breakfast.



The restaurant was as I remembered it from previous visits to this university town - an old-fashioned diner-style setting where they care about their customers and the food they're serving. If you're ever in Kingston, you won't regret giving them a try.

Once our appetites were sated, we spent some time wandering around the campus. RMC is situated on Point Frederick peninsula at the point where The St. Lawrence River begins its journey from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean.


The centerpiece of the entire campus is the Mackenzie building with its clock tower which overlooks the parade square. Built in 1878, it's one of the many historic buildings on the peninsula.



This is one of four Martello towers built in Kingston. The one you see here, is contained in Fort Frederick, a fort made mostly of earth mounds and a stone wall. It's situated on the point of the peninsula and now serves as a museum.


This view is looking toward the Martello tower through the doorway of the stone wall.



Small sets of steps like these can be found all around the earth walls. That's my boy at the top of them.



You'll also find cannons strategically spaced along the earthen mound. This little sparrow was perched at the end of one of them.



Meet Brucie. He represents the cadets with their motto "Truth, Duty, Valour."



The folks at RMC have a casual approach when it comes to Brucie. He can often be found dressed up for various occasions. During the last hockey playoff series, he was sporting a Montreal Canadien's uniform.

Jeffrey was very tired when we arrived. He had been out celebrating the end of the academic school year with friends, since he was free of obligations for the next day's Sunset Ceremony. That was a rare treat for us, as we usually sit through these events while trying to keep an eye peeled for a glimpse of our son, dressed identically to hundreds of others. This time Jeffrey would be able to spend the full time with Don and me. The only problem was this growing fatigue he felt from an inadequate night's sleep. Knowing he'd feel better after a short nap, Jeffrey sent us into town for a while so that he could catch up on some missed sleep. Don and I wandered along the harbour and through the city streets, stopping for a coffee and waiting for the "I'm awake" phone call from our son.


It was a hazy, drizzly day, but that didn't keep people from enjoying the waterfront. Kids fed and chased seagulls, and groups strolled along the walkway.



As we continued toward the city streets, this curious site caught my eye. The mismatched footwear seemed to be abandoned in just this manner, nowhere near any of the many people who dotted the pathways and grassy area. There was no apparent reason for these "sole mates" to be there, except to be photographed - so I did. Don commented that he'd be willing to bet that there's another pair just like it somewhere...




This locomotive was built in 1913 for the Canadian Pacific Railway on the exact spot where it stands today, in front of what used to be the train station, now serving as a tourist office. The city of Kingston has plans to restore it by the time it reaches its 100th birthday in 2013.

We soon got the phone call from a much refreshed Jeffrey, who had worked up an appetite and was ready for dinner. While we ate, we made our plans to be back at the parade square with about 45 minutes to spare before show time. The sky was getting grayer and the rain we had been promised all day looked as if it was planning to put in an appearance just about.. now. We grabbed an umbrella, ground sheets to cover our laps, and towels upon which to sit, and settled in for the show.

I'll post some photos from the Sunset Ceremony in a few days.