Parliament Hill – New Colours

“The RMC Museum refers to this ceremony as follows:

On the occasion of the Centennial celebrations of the College in 1976, a high point was a presentation of a new Queen’s Colour, identical to that presented in 1969. The Parade was held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on 13 May, 1976, in the presence of a large number of dignitaries including the Minister of National Defence, the Hon. James Richardson, PC, MP, the Chancellor and President of the College; the CDS, Admiral Robert Falls, CMM, CD; the Deputy Minister of National Defence, No. RCNC 193 Commander (Retd) C.R. (Buzz) Nixon, CD; and the Commandant, No. 2816 Brigadier-General W.W. Turner, CD, ADC. After the 1969 Queen’s Colour was saluted and marched off the Hill into retirement, His Excellency The Rt Hon. Jules Leger, PC, CC, CMM, CD presented the new Colour having received it from the Deputy Cadet Wing Commander, No. 10903 GC P.R. Amyotte , the commander of the Escort for the Colour. 

This was again a difference in that the role of a senior officer in the actual presentation, holding the Colour to assist the Presenting Officer, had been given to a Senior Cadet – in 1969, that role had been played by No. S109 Major W.J. McLeod, MC, CD.  On 17 October, 1976, a parade was held on the Square during which the College was granted the Freedom of Pittsburgh Township.  During the parade, the 1969 Colour was handed over to the Rector and Churchwardens of St Mark’s Church, Barriefield, by BGen Turner to commemorate St Mark’s long service to the Garrison where Gentleman Cadets had attended services over the years – a 1932 photograph shows the Cadet Battalion at the Church, in full dress, the two lines stretching from the West Door to the road.  The Colour is displayed in a case on the south side of the Nave, with a plaque reading “This Queen’s Colour was deposited with St Mark’s Church, Barriefield, for its display and safekeeping by the Royal Military College of Canada, 17 October, 1976.  May it forever serve as an inspiration for patriotic service and sacrifice for those who see it.”

In preparation for the 2001 celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the opening of the College in 1876, the Commandant, No. 8850 Rear Admiral D.C. Morse, CMM, CD, ADC, petitioned for the grant of a new set of Colours, and this Stand was presented by the Hon. Peter Milliken, MP for Kingston and the Islands, and The Speaker of the House of Commons, on the Square on 29 September, 2001, Ex-Cadet Weekend. On the marching-off the old Colours into retirement, the Cadet Colour party handed the Colours to five Ex-Cadets from the Class of 1976, which Class had formed part of the 1976 Parade on Parliament Hill as shown above. These individuals were Nos. 10962 Bruce Lazenby, 10966 Mike Maisonneuve, 11115 Ross Matthews, 10982 Chuck Oliviero, and 11027 Ken Watkin.”