From: terry.liston(a)gatewayamerica.ca [
<mailto:terry.liston@gatewayamerica.ca>
mailto:terry.liston@gatewayamerica.ca]
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 7:08 PM
To: jfox(a)bwr.eastlink.ca; caddy(a)sympatico.ca;
<mailto:megener@allstream.net> megener(a)allstream.net;
<mailto:pgaddy@cfncon.com> pgaddy(a)cfncon.com; arforand(a)oerlikon.ca;
ristewart(a)bigfoot.com; defayet(a)gdls.com; cbelzile(a)cyberus.ca
Cc: cote.JRG(a)forces.gc.ca; jacques.valliere2(a)sympatico.ca;
martin.JMC(a)forces.gc.ca; doug.clorey(a)vac-acc.gc.ca;
bob.gardham(a)vac-acc.gc.ca; dolores.griffin(a)vac-acc.gc.ca
Subject: Commemoration Italian Campaign
TO:
Lgén Jim Fox (ret.), « Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC)» Mgén Clive Addy
(ret.), Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD)???? M. Egener (ret), Lord Strathcona
Horse (LdSH) Lgén Paul Addy (ret.) 12e Régiment Blindé (12eRBC)Mgén Alain
Forand (ret.), Royal Canadian Infantry Corps (RCIC)Mgén Tom De Faye (ret.),
Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR)Mgén Robert Stewart (ret.), Princess Patricias
Canadian Light Infantry Lgén Charles Belzile, Royal Canadian Legion (please
forward to appropriate Legion officials)
INFO Veterans Affairs Canada
Mr. Doug Clorey, DG 60th Anniversary Task Force
Mr. Bob Gardham, Italy project
Ms Dolores Griffin
INFO Royal 22e Régiment
Bgén Côté, Président Conseil dadministration La Régie du R22eR
Col Jacques Vallière (ret) Président Association R22eR
Capt Christian Martin Capt-adjudant et secrétaire La Régie du R22eR
Gentlemen,
Enclosed as an attached file (see Message #3) is a translation of the letter
I sent to the Minister of Veterans Affairs on June 28th. We had agreed that
I would send a polite letter in the name of our corps and regiments to DVA
to encourage it to commemorate the Italian Campaign.
Note that, as mentionned in the letter, DVA has placed a communiqué on its
web site, offering a subsidy to 1500 veterans wishing to travel to Italy in
2004. However, it makes no mention of official ceremonies, official
delegation or timetable.
On 29 June, a helpful DVA officer returned a call I had previously placed to
advise that:
- At the moment only the subsidy for privately organized travel by veterans
to Italy had been announced.
- Details of official ceremonies are being finalized and will be announced
shortly.
- The proposed dates for the ceremonies in Italy are 24 October to 4
November 2004 (not yet published). (This leaves very little time for our
vets to get organized and thus I pass on immediately what little information
I have).
- While it is not yet official, it appears that there WILL be an official
delegation and that its membership will be determined, as for the Korean
campaign (with which the Regular Force regiments are familiar), by offering
a number of positions to each unit, through the honorary colonel.
I was led to understand that DVA will work things out first with some of the
Veterans associations, such as the Royal Canadian Legion and publish details
on its web site. DVA realizes, of course, that the Italian campaign vets are
well into their 80s and few are computer literate.
The use of vets associations will hopefully spread the word. However, many
of our older vets are not active in associations other than that of their
regiment. At least for the Regiments that are still in the order of battle,
and therefore have an active regimental association, the latter will
probably be a key means of communication. As well, the official delegation
will undoubtedly be structured from names submitted by regiments (as for the
Korean Commemoration).
In conclusion, our fear that there would be no commemoration of the Italian
campaign is apparently unfounded, even if we have no details as yet. The
next steps are: (1) watch the DVA web site for news and (2) each regiment
(its honorary colonel) to expect a communication from DVA in regard to names
for an official delegation.(3) those that are not official delegates can
apply for a subsidy to travel privately to Italy you will wish to inform
your vets.
On that note, I withdraw from any further "collective" role, other than to
pass on the reply to our letter and look after my own Italian-campaign vets.
Happy Canada Day to all
Mgén Terry Liston
Colonel du Royal 22e Régiment