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|established=
|established=
|location= [[Hatley Park National Historic Site|Hatley Castle]], on the campus of the Royal Roads University
|location= [[Hatley Park National Historic Site|Hatley Castle]], on the campus of the Royal Roads University
|website= [http://www.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html www.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html] (Official)
|website= [https://web.archive.org/web/20081022134208/http://www.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html www.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html] (Official)
}}
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The museum is located in [[Hatley Park National Historic Site|Hatley Castle]], on the campus of the [[Royal Roads University]] and former campus of the Royal Roads Military College of Canada. The Museum mandate is to collect, conserve, research and display material relating to the history of the Royal Roads Military College, its former cadets and its site.
The museum is located in [[Hatley Park National Historic Site|Hatley Castle]], on the campus of the [[Royal Roads University]] and former campus of the Royal Roads Military College of Canada. The Museum mandate is to collect, conserve, research and display material relating to the history of the Royal Roads Military College, its former cadets and its site.


The Royal Roads Military College Museum is a member of the [[Canadian Museums Association]] and the Organization of Military Museums of Canada Inc. The Royal Roads Museum is an accredited museum within the [[Canadian Forces]] Museum System.<ref>[http://www.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html Royal Roads Museum]</ref>
The Royal Roads Military College Museum is a member of the [[Canadian Museums Association]] and the Organization of Military Museums of Canada Inc. The Royal Roads Museum is an accredited museum within the [[Canadian Forces]] Museum System.<ref>[http://www.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html Royal Roads Museum] {{wayback|url=http://www.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html |date=20081022134208 }}</ref>


The museum has formed a cooperating association of friends of the museum to assist with projects.<ref>[http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/027-05_e.asp Canadian Forces Museums]</ref>
The museum has formed a cooperating association of friends of the museum to assist with projects.<ref>[http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/027-05_e.asp Canadian Forces Museums] {{wayback|url=http://www.admfincs.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/subjects/cfao/027-05_e.asp |date=20081018184438 }}</ref>
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File:Royal Roads Military College mace @ Royal Roads University.jpg|Royal Roads Military College mace
File:Royal Roads Military College mace @ Royal Roads University.jpg|Royal Roads Military College mace

Revision as of 16:01, 16 July 2016

Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College Crest
MottoTruth, Duty, Valour
TypeMilitary college
Established1940
ChancellorDavid Collenette (1993-1995ex-officio as Minister of National Defence)
PrincipalDr. John J.S. Mothersill (1984-1995)
Undergraduates200+
Location
Victoria
,
British Columbia
,
Canada

48°26′04″N 123°28′22″W / 48.43444°N 123.47278°W / 48.43444; -123.47278
CampusHatley Park
Closed1995
Websiterrmc.ca

Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) was a Canadian military college (1940 to 1995) located in Hatley Park, Colwood, British Columbia near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The facility is currently being used as the campus for Royal Roads University, a public university that offers applied and professional academic programs on campus and via distance education. The centrepiece of the campus is Hatley Castle, constructed by architect Samuel MacLure in the early part of the 20th century for B.C. coal baron James Dunsmuir and his wife, Laura.[1] The house had been purchased as a wartime residence for the King, Queen, and their daughters.

History

Military Colleges at Royal Roads commemorative paverstone
Royal Roads Military College Stained-Glass Window
Memorial Stained Glass window, Class of 1958, Royal Military College of Canada features an image of Hatley Castle, then home of Canadian Service College Royal Roads
Royal Roads Military College Stained-Glass Window Grant Pavilion

The property owned by industrialist James Dunsmuir, along with his mansion Hatley Castle, was acquired by the Dominion Government in 1940. The initial plan was that the site would be used to house the British royal family during World War II. However, as the Queen Mother put it, "The children will not go without me and I will not go without the King and the King will never go".[2]

Designed to support Canada's naval war effort, the facility began operating in December 1940 as an officer training establishment known as HMCS Royal Roads. Many of the 600 volunteer reserve officers who underwent training during this time served in the Battle of the Atlantic. HMCS Royal Roads was used to train short-term probationary Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) sub-lieutenants to serve in World War II.

In 1942, because of wartime expansion, the Royal Canadian Naval College was established. In 1947, the facility became known as the RCN-RCAF Joint Services College where Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel were trained. The facility changed its name to Canadian Services College, Royal Roads in 1948 where personnel from all three services - the Navy, Air Force, and Army were trained during a two-year program.

In 1968 the college's name was changed to Royal Roads Military College, and in 1975, the college began granting degrees.

The gentlemen cadets of RRMC were not only required to excel in their respective academic fields, but to achieve the standard in the three other components as well, the Second Language Training component, Physical Fitness component and the Military component. Failure in any of these four components resulted in the officer cadet not being awarded the coveted RRMC degree.

In February 1994, after the end of the Cold War and under the pressure of massive spending cuts from the Government of Canada, the Department of National Defence announced that it would close Royal Roads Military College. The final class graduated in May 1995.

Hatley Park and former Royal Roads Military College was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995 to commemorate the Dunsmuir family (1908–1937) and RRMC (1940–1995). The site was plaqued in 2000 as a Canadian example of an Edwardian park, with gardens, which remains practically intact. HMCS Royal Roads is a Canadian naval training centre commissioned on 13 December 1940. This was the first of a series of related institutions to be set up by the Department of National Defence at Hatley Park in Esquimalt, British Columbia.

The name Royal Roads was drawn from geography. The name refers to an anchorage located in Juan de Fuca Strait between the city of Victoria, British Columbia and Albert Bay. HMCS Royal Roads was located on a property originally purchased by James Dunsmuir in 1902. Dunsmuir was a former British Columbian premier and lieutenant governor. The Hatley Park Estate originally comprised 650 acres (2.6 km2). The Dunsmuir family added Hatley Castle, which was completed in 1908. The Canadian Department of National Defence purchased Hatley Park, almost in its entirety, in 1940, for $75,000. This sum was roughly the value of the fence surrounding the property.

As Executive Officer, Commander Reginald Amand (Jumbo) Webber D.S.C., C.D. served there till late 1942. On June 21, 1995, after negotiations with the Department of National Defence and the Government of British Columbia, the British Columbia government passed the Royal Roads University Act, creating Royal Roads University. The campus is currently leased from the federal government under a $1, 50-year lease agreement with Royal Roads University which was announced in 2001. The Department of National Defence leases approximately 55 hectares of land for the campus to Royal Roads University, and has entered into a five-year Renewable Management Agreement with the University for the maintenance of the remaining 175 hectares of property owned by the Department of National Defence.

The athletic facilities at Hatley Park included a swimming pool, five tennis courts, two squash courts, three soccer pitches, one rugby field, two ball diamonds, a quarter- mile track, a 6.1 km cross country course, jetty and boat house. Cadets played sports including rugby, soccer, baseball, golf, scuba diving, track and field, wrestling, ball hockey, broomball, and hockey.

Squadrons of the Cadet Wing

Royal Roads Military College Squadron No. 3 patch

The undergraduate student body, known as the Cadet Wing, was sub-divided into four smaller groupings called squadrons, under the guidance and supervision of senior cadets. Until the late 70's the four squadrons were populated by undergraduate cadets. When the college started training NCMs it was reorganized so that the first three squadrons were for cadets while 4 Squadron was for mature students from the University Training Program Non-Commissioned Members program. Although squadrons were not named, they were represented by embroidered patches bearing mythological figures, which were worn on the sleeves of the cadet workdress. The squadrons were subdivided into flights, which were named after historical figures (explorers). Cadets competed by squadron in drill and intramurals.

Squadron # Flight Flight
1 Cartier Fraser
2 Champlain Mackenzie
3 Hudson Lasalle
4 Vancouver Thompson

Band

Royal Roads Military College album
Murray of Atholl Tartan

By 1955, Royal Roads had a drum and bugle corps. The Brass and Reed Band had already been formed by 1975.

WO George Dunn, the first full-time Bandmaster, served from 1975 to 1979. During WO George Dunn's last year at RRMC, he obtained enough equipment to start up a Pipe Band which performed as a unit along with the Brass and Reed Band. Royal Roads Military College was authorized to form a 15 piece voluntary Pipe Band effective 12 Jan. 1978. The pipe band consisted of 10 Pipers and 5 Drummers, including bass and tenor drums. The Ex-Cadet Club of Canada provided all the kilts in 1978, and the feather bonnets in 1980.[3] The Pipes and Drums performed at parades, public relation trips and recruit shows. The Pipe Section and the Drum Section performed at mess dinners; parades; sporting events; ceremonies (official or squadron); weddings; funerals; public relations; wing events; Christmas and Graduation Balls; private events; and holidays.

PO1 Gabby Bruner served as bandmaster from 1979 to 1985. For the Royal Visit of HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1983 PO1 Gabby Bruner composed a Slow March entitled "Dunsmuir Castle" (1983), an arrangement for the combined bands at RRMC.

The Cadet Pipe Major, OCdt. Daniel V Ferguson [#M0341 RRMC 1986] composed a March appropriately titled "Colonel George Logan" (1983) for the Graduation Parade and departure of the then Commandant Col. George Logan [#3912 RRMC 1957]. Col. Logan presented the Pipe Major with a banner worn on all special occasions and during the yearly Sunset Ceremony and Graduation Parade, which shows the Logan family crest on one side and the Royal Roads College crest on the other.[3]

Since the MacKenzie tartan was initially adopted by RMC, the senior military college, it became the tartan for all military college pipe bands. In 1990, a request to adopt the Clan Murray tartan, was endorsed by NDHQ, in honour of the Dunsmuir Castle. The 1991 Graduation [saw] the Pipe Band in its new Murray tartan.

Capt. John Slater [#12337 RRMC 1979] PPCLI, under the direction of PO Gabby Bruner produced a recording of the Pipes and Drums at RRMC in 1984. It contains "Colonel George Logan" (1983), "Dunsmuir Castle" (1983), as well as some traditional pieces. The band, augmented by Highland Dancers at the Sunset Ceremony, took an active part in the Sunset Ceremony and Graduation Parade during the 5Oth Anniversary celebration in 1990.[3]

The bands performed traditional military, pop, modern and highland music, as well as a few jazz and contemporary numbers. To honour the College, the band played "Hatley Park", composed by PO1 G.R. Bruner, and "Royal Roads Slow (Going Home)" the official quick and slow marches of the Royal Roads Military College, preceded by "The Standard of St. George" (the former unofficial march). The band also played "Dunsmuir Castle" composed by PO1 G.R. Bruner for the royal visit by Queen Elizabeth II to RRMC in 1983.

To honour the academic staff of Canadian Military Colleges, the bands played "March of the Peers: from Iolanthe" (1881) words Sir William S. Gilbert, music Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842–1900), arrangement Bryceson Treharne which opens with a fanfare leading to a swaggering march from Sullivan's "Iolanthe".[4]

To honour the environments, the bands played the Tri-Service March Past: "Heart of Oak" (Maritime Command); "Celer Paratus Callidus" (Land Force Command) and "RCAF March Past" (Air Command). To march on the colours at RRMC parades, they played "The Maple Leaf Forever". During the annual Sunset Ceremony at RRMC, "Pathfinders" was performed during the Precision drill display.

They played "The British Grenadiers", which is the advance in review order, regimental quick march for the Canadian Armed Forces. They played traditional pipes and drums tunes such as "The Skye Boat Song", "Flower of Scotland", "The Barren Rocks of Aden/Mary's Wedding".

To honour the Royal Marines, the band played the slow march "The Globe and Laurel".

Notable historical milestones

Year Significance
1940 The Canadian Government purchased the land for Royal Roads.
1941
  • HMCS Royal Roads was used by the Royal Canadian Navy to train five classes of officers, each with 100 Acting Sub-Lieutenants.
  • A decision was made to phase out the Sub-Lieutenant Officer training at HMCS Royal Roads and to establish a Naval College which would open in September 1942.
  • A recruiting campaign to attract 100 Naval Cadets was conducted in 1941-1942.
  • Auxiliary buildings on the Hatley estate such as the Mews stables and garage were converted into classroom space.
  • A new building called the Grant Building located behind Hatley Castle was built in order to provide a mess hall and dormitories, as well as classrooms and laboratories.
  • Architects John Young McCarter and with Robert W. Chadney constructed the Royal Canadian Naval College buildings 1942-3.[5]

1942-47
  • The Royal Canadian Naval College was established to train marine and naval officers.
  • Vice-Admiral Percy W. Nelles, Chief of Naval Staff: "While you are here, work hard and play hard, and make yourself tougher than any enemy you will ever meet."[6]
1946 The Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force College offered the first two years of university-level programs to Royal Canadian Air Force and Navy officers
1947
  • The Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Canadian Navy became partners in the college life at HMCS Royal Roads,
  • The college name was changed to the Royal Canadian Navy-Royal Canadian Air Force College at HMCS Royal Roads
1948
  • The Canadian Army became partner in the college.
  • The tri-service college name was changed to Canadian Services College Royal Roads
  • The College offered the first two years of university- level programs to 345 Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force officers.
  • The Stone Frigate HMCS Royal Roads was paid off
1950 The Old Brigade, alumni celebrating 50 + years since they entered one of the military colleges, are inducted.
1956 Scarlet tunics [7] introduced
1968 Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) offered the first two years of university-level programs to Royal Canadian Air Force and Navy officers.
1975 The Royal Roads Military College Degrees Act was passed by the Government of British Columbia, allowing RRMC to grant degrees.
1983/4
  • The Royal Roads Military College band consisting of 15 pipers and drummers and 30 brass-and-reed musician recorded an LP.
  • Petty Officer First Class Gabby R. Bruner, RRMC bandmaster from 1979-85 composed "Hatley Park" as the official quick march for RRMC and "Dunsmuir Castle", for the Visit of Queen Elizabeth to RRMC in 1983.[8]
1984 The first female cadet enrolled at RRMC creating a slight shift culturally in the Canadian Military Colleges, as well as in the CF as a whole.
May 11, 1986
  • RRMC was granted the Freedom of the City for outstanding military service to the community
1990
  • Prometheous and the Vulture, an abstract stone sculpture was created by Jay Unwin for the 50th anniversary of Royal Roads Military College.
1995
  • following the end of the Cold War and massive government cutbacks on defence spending, the Department of National Defence closed Royal Roads Military College (RRMC).
  • RRMC Royal Roads Military College is no longer a military institution, and is now maintained by the Government of British Columbia as Royal Roads University.
  • The loss of RRMC along with their many traditions and history as military colleges still remains a bitter event for many cadets and alumni.[9]

[10]

Facilities

The Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings lists 9 recognized buildings and 1 classified building on the former grounds of the Royal Roads Military College.

Name Address Coordinates Government recognition (CRHP №) Wikidata ID Image
Belmont Road Main Gatehouse BEL 13 (1908), Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College Hatley Park National Historic Site; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000
Colwood BC 		48°26′13″N 123°27′40″W / 48.4369°N 123.4612°W / 48.4369; -123.4612 (Belmont Road Main Gatehouse) Federal (2840)
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Cow Barn and Dairy RR6 (1912–16) Hatley Park National Historic Site; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000; The original Tudor-style dairy and cattle barns were converted into laboratories and classrooms for physics and oceanography. The building was refurbished in 1998 into research and computer laboratories
Colwood BC 		48°25′49″N 123°28′52″W / 48.4304°N 123.4811°W / 48.4304; -123.4811 (Cow Barn and Dairy RR6) Federal (2841)
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Grant Block, Building 24 (1942) Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College Hatley Park National Historic Site; main academic building, laboratories, cafeteria, and offices named for first Commanding Officer of HMCS Royal Roads, Captain John Moreau Grant. The building, which was designed by architects John Young McCarter with Robert W. Chadney,[11] was recently renovated.
Colwood; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 1990 BC 		48°26′07″N 123°28′24″W / 48.4353°N 123.4732°W / 48.4353; -123.4732 (Grant Block, Building 24) Federal (3664)
Gymnasium RR22, - sports complex (1942) Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College Hatley Park National Historic Site includes gymnasium, weight room, fitness studio, squash courts, outdoor tennis courts. The building was designed by architects John Young McCarter with Robert W. Chadney.
Colwood BC 		48°25′56″N 123°28′42″W / 48.4322°N 123.4783°W / 48.4322; -123.4783 (Gymnasium RR22) Federal (2844)
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Hatley Park National Historic Site (1908)/ Former Royal Roads Military College/Royal Roads University 2005 Sooke Road; administrative centre of Royal Roads University. From 1941 until 1943 when Grant Block was completed, the Castle served as dormitory and mess hall for cadets and staff officers at RRMC. Classified Federal Heritage Building 1986, Registry of Historic Places of Canada
Colwood BC 		48°26′04″N 123°28′22″W / 48.4344°N 123.4728°W / 48.4344; -123.4728 (Hatley Park / Former Royal Roads Military College National Historic Site of Canada) Federal (15749)
Nixon Block RR24A (1954 to 1956) Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College Hatley Park National Historic Site classrooms, dormitories named after the former LCdr. Edward Atcherley Eckersall Nixon, Royal Navy (RN), Commandant of Royal Naval College of Canada 1911-22, in particular when it was re-established in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1918
Colwood; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 BC 		48°26′06″N 123°28′28″W / 48.4351°N 123.4744°W / 48.4351; -123.4744 (Nixon Block RR24A) Federal (2843)
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Stable / Garage RR4 (1914) Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College Hatley Park National Historic Site; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000
Colwood BC 		48°25′52″N 123°28′43″W / 48.4312°N 123.4786°W / 48.4312; -123.4786 (Stable / Garage RR4) Federal (2842)
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Swimming Pool RR22A (1959) Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College Hatley Park National Historic Site; two-storey, white concrete building composed of horizontal cubic volumes.
Colwood; Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000 BC 		48°25′54″N 123°28′43″W / 48.4318°N 123.4785°W / 48.4318; -123.4785 (Swimming Pool RR22A) Federal (2845)
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Warrant Officer's Quarters Royal Roads University formerly Royal Roads Military College Hatley Park National Historic Site
Colwood BC 		48°25′57″N 123°27′08″W / 48.43251°N 123.45228°W / 48.43251; -123.45228 (Warrant Officer's Quarters) Federal (4277)
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Other buildings

[12]

Building (Year built) Significance Photo
Arbutus Building academic classrooms, administrative offices, a computer lab, and a canteen
Boat House (1989) boat house
Coronel Memorial Library memorial library honours Battle of Coronel
dock (1990) dock
Guard House Building 38 Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2002[13]
Gatehouse Lodge RR8 (1912 to 1916) Recognized Federal Heritage Building 2000[14]
Hatley Park / Former Royal Roads Military College (1908–13) designated National Historic Site of Canada 1995[15]
Mews Conference Centre (1912) James Dunsmuir's stables and garage later converted to classrooms, dormitory, social centre and conference centre. Registered Federal Heritage Building[16]
Millward Wing (of the Nixon Building) (1991) Offices, dormitories, named for former Commandant Air Vice-Marshal James Bert Millward DFC (Bar), GdG(F), CD, RCAF 1949-52 the 4th Commandant of RRMC.

Royal Roads Military College Museum

Royal Roads Military College Museum
Map
LocationHatley Castle, on the campus of the Royal Roads University
Websitewww.rmc.ca/other/museum/index_e.html (Official)

Hatley Castle is home to the Royal Roads Military College Museum.

The museum is located in Hatley Castle, on the campus of the Royal Roads University and former campus of the Royal Roads Military College of Canada. The Museum mandate is to collect, conserve, research and display material relating to the history of the Royal Roads Military College, its former cadets and its site.

The Royal Roads Military College Museum is a member of the Canadian Museums Association and the Organization of Military Museums of Canada Inc. The Royal Roads Museum is an accredited museum within the Canadian Forces Museum System.[17]

The museum has formed a cooperating association of friends of the museum to assist with projects.[18]

  • Royal Roads Military College mace
    Royal Roads Military College mace
  • Royal Roads Military College chair
    Royal Roads Military College chair
  • Canadian Military College uniforms
    Canadian Military College uniforms
  • Canadian Military College rank and year bars
    Canadian Military College rank and year bars
  • Canadian Military College badges and buttons (post-1953 crown)
    Canadian Military College badges and buttons (post-1953 crown)
  • The Log Royal Roads Military College yearbook
    The Log Royal Roads Military College yearbook
  • Royal Military College of Canada alumni button
    Royal Military College of Canada alumni button
  • Royal Roads Military College Plaque
    Royal Roads Military College Plaque

Traditions

Tradition Significance
Blanket toss Blanket toss of senior class members after the last waltz at the Graduation ball
Ceremonial mace Symbolizes the authority of the college, as granted in the name of the Sovereign (currently Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II). When carried into the ceremony and placed on stage, the mace signals the opening of the convocation. It was last used at the RRMC postgraduate convocation in 1995. The mace's four sides commemorate the sequence of institutions at Royal Roads. It was made prior to the first graduating class from Royal Roads Military College in May 1977.
'Change of command ceremony' The former commandant offers farewell and best wishes to the college and to the new commandant. The new commandant accepts a first salute as the cadet wing marches past.
Christening bell Following naval tradition, a ship's bell was used as a baptism font in the college chapel for christenings and the names of the children were later inscribed on the bell. The ship's bell from RRMC is currently used in the chapel at Royal Military College of Canada.
HMCS Royal Roads' bell During the life of the college, HMCS Royal Roads' bell was displayed in the porte-cochere of Hatley Castle. After the closing of RRMC, HMCS Royal Roads' bell was kept in the museum at CFB Esquimalt. It was officially repatriated on 10 September 2010 during the Royal Roads University 2010 Homecoming. The bell is prominently displayed in the new entrance to Grant block in the foyer that links Grant block and the new academic building.
College toast RRMC club toast to absent comrades meaning those who have fallen in action or otherwise died
Colours After the last parade of RRMC in spring 1995, the colours were deposited into the care of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia where they are on display with several other retired colours including "Royal Canadian Navy" and "Royal Canadian Air Force".
Feu de Joie An honour guard perform a rifle salute with field artillery, or more commonly, rifles using blank ammunition.
Ghosts and haunting The B.C. Society of Paranormal Investigation and Research into the Supernatural have investigated stories of paranormal activity in and around Hatley Castle[19]
Grace
  • Officer cadets ate meals cafeteria style;
  • A senior term was responsible to say a traditional Navy grace for the table “For what we are about to receive, thank God. Carry on…”
Graduation and Commissioning Parade in honour of graduating cadets:
  • Graduating students are presented with their Officer's Commissions in the Canadian Forces.
  • Officer Cadets display their foot drill and sword movements,
  • Feux de Joie an honour guard performs a rifle salute with field artillery
Jacket exchange The RRMC Director of Cadets exchanges tunics with a I Year Officer Cadet at RRMC Christmas Dinner.
Just Passing By When a graduate of the RRMC pilots an aircraft in the vicinity of Victoria, British Columbia he or she conducts an impromptu airshow over the college.
Lord Horatio Nelson's quote hung over the entrance to the Grant Building A replica of the quote, "Duty is the great business of a sea officer: All private considerations must give way to it however painful it is." was returned to Royal Roads University campus for Homecoming in 2011.
Marches Quick - Hatley Park; Slow - Royal Roads Slow (Going Home)
Naval heraldry
  • Royal Roads badge 1 features a name on a shield; Royal Roads badge 2 features crown plus anchor, open book & spray of three maple leaves.
  • Royal Canadian Naval College badge features maple leaf, sword, book, anchor[20]
Obstacle course race Course for recruits set up by the cadets' immediate predecessors
Old Brigade Alumni who entered military college 50+ years before wear unique berets and ties, have the Right of the Line on reunion weekend memorial parades, and present the College cap badge to the First Year cadets on the First Year Badging Parade. Each class traditionally marks its 50-year anniversary and entry into the Old Brigade with a gift.
Skylarks
  • Annual class practical joke or prank
  • Apples taken from the Commandant's trees at 2am were brought back to the doors of popular seniors.
  • A whaler was taken to dockyard and the Navy Dockyard flag was liberated and run up the RRMC mast.
  • A dinghy was strung up the mast in front of the Castle and left there.
  • A cow was chained to the top of Neptune stairs where the Director of Cadets held his morning parade.
  • The Cadet Wing Commander had the 1st year cadets muster in the common rooms while 2nd years took their rooms apart, moved their mattresses out and ran their sheets from building to building. The cadets scrambled back to their rooms to prepare for an inspection of their rooms to find no beds.
  • During 100 days to grad parties, 4th years were not allowed to sleep in their dorm. Instead, the 3rd years took their beds and moved them around the college. Cadets might find their bed - up a tree or in a hall. The DCadet found a cadet's bed in the DCadets residence and another in the yard.
  • University of Victoria copper dome was painted 'RRMC #1' in 1982.
  • Cadets took a whaler to Esquimalt dockyards and attached a can painted to look like an explosive device to the side of destroyer.
  • Cadets would routinely kidnap senior cadets and/or staff members, transport them to the rock (a tiny rock island in the lagoon) and maroon them there. On at least one occasion, tables were turned and the "victims" were able to maroon one or more of the kidnapper cadets themselves.
Sweetheart broach Officer cadets gave their dates an enamel brooch in lieu of a corsage for formal dances at Christmas, and Graduation.
White peacock Blue Indian peafowl have lived free on the college grounds since the 1960s. Albert, a rare white peacock resident since RRMC days, died in 2003.[21]

Commandants

# Name Year Significance Photo
Captain John Moreau Grant, CBE, RCN 1940-42, 1942–46
  • First commanding officer of HMCS Royal Roads 1940-4
  • He was in command of Royal Canadian Naval College 1942-4
  • Grant Building was named in his honour.
Captain W. B. Creery, CBE, CD, RCN 1946-48 2nd Commandant, RRMC
Captain Herbert Sharples Rayner, DSC (& Bar), CD, RCN 1948-49 3rd Commandant, RRMC; As Vice Admiral, Rayner was 8th & last Chief of the Naval Staff 1960-1964.
Air Vice Marshal James Bert Millward DFC (Bar), GdG(F), CD, RCAF 1949-52 4th Commandant, RRMC[22]
2253 Major General Cameron Bethel Ware DSO, CD, PPCLI (RMC 1931) 1952-54 5th Commandant, RRMC
2444 Captain John A. Charles, CMM, CD RCN (RMC 1935) 1954-57 6th Commandant, RRMC
Colonel P.S. Cooper OBE, CD, L Edm R 1957-60 7th Commandant, RRMC
Group Captain Alan Frederick Avant DSO, DFC, CD, RCAF 1960-63 8th Commandant, RRMC[23]
2576 Captain William Prine Hayes CD, RCN 1963-65 9th Commandant, RRMC
Group Captain O.B. Wurtele, CD, RCAF 1965-68 10th Commandant, RRMC
RRA18 Colonel Kenneth E. Lewis CMM, CD CF (RRMC ‘47) 1968-70 11th Commandant, RRMC
Capt(N) R.C.K. Peers CD CF 1970-76 12th Commandant, RRMC ]
Colonel J.H. Roddick CD, CF 1976-79 13th Commandant, RRMC
3912 Colonel George L. Logan CD CF (RHC) (RRMC/RMC ‘57) 1979-83 14th Commandant, RRMC; `Colonel George Logan` (1983) march composed by OCdt David V. Ferguson in his honour
4271[24] Capt(N) William J. A. Draper CD CF Adec 1983-84 15th Commandant, RRMC
6440 Captain (N) A.J. ('Tony') Goode CD CF (Royal Military College Saint-Jean/RMC 1965) 1984-87 16th Commandant, RRMC
7264 Colonel Ross K.R. Betts CD CF (RMC 1967) 1987-89 17th Commandant, RRMC
8335 Colonel Claude J.E.C. Naud CD A de C. CF (CMR/RMC 1970) 1989-91 18th Commandant, RRMC
8241 Lieutenant-General (ret'd) Vaughan Michael Caines, A de C, CF (CMR/RMC 1970) CMM, CD 1991-94 19th Commandant, RRMC; Chair of the DND/CF Ombudsman Advisory Committee
9318 Captain (N) David B. Bindernagel CD (RRMC RMC 1972) 1994-95 20th Commandant, RRMC
Royal Military College of Canada embroidered patch

Principals

Name Year
Commander Ketchum 1942-45
Captain Ogle 1945-51
Professor Brown 1951-55
Professor Cook 1955-61
Professor Graham 1961-84
3237 Doctor John J.S. Mothersill (RMC 1954) 1984-95

Notable professors

# Name taught Significance
Sir C. S. Wright RRMC 1967-69 explorer, Terra Nova Expedition
Frank Davey RRMC 1963-1966; 1967–1969 poet, author

Notable alumni

# Name Grad Significance Photo
13705 Constable José Manuel Agostinho RRMC 1982

Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, was killed in the performance of his duties near Millet, Alberta, on 7/4/2005. He is remembered on the Canadian Police and Peace Officer's Memorial (panel 14-26).[25]

14008 Alan Cumyn RRMC 1983 Canadian novelist
RCNC115 Honourable Douglas Everett RCNC 1943-45 Canadian automobile dealer, lawyer, and retired Senator
11510 Barry Kennedy[26] RRMC ‘77 fighter pilot, comedian, author, host of Discovery Channel's Out In The Cold
RCNC40 Bev Koester RCNC40 1944 Canadian naval officer, civil servant and Clerk of the Canadian House of Commons
3528 General (Ret) Paul David Manson O.C., CMM, CD, B.Sc., D.M.S. RRMC 1956 Military leader, business executive and volunteer; former Chief of Defence Staff
13738 Colonel (Ret'd) Chris Hadfield RRMC/RMC 1982 Astronaut
5576 Leonard Lee 1960 (RRMC); 1962 (RMC) founder of Lee Valley Tools and Canica Design.
12320 General Walter Natynczyk CD RRMC CMR 1979 Military leader, Chief of Defence Staff
Hubert Seamans RRMC 1973 businessperson, banker, politician
RCNC205 Jim Thompson (powerboat racing) RRMC 1944 businessman, athlete
RCNSE54 Rear Admiral Robert Timbrell, CMM, DSC, CD RCNC 1937 Military leader
14098 Chris Wattie RRMC 1979 soldier, journalist, author

Quotes

# Name Quote
Mr. Kasper, 3rd Session, 35th Parliament, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
  • "Be it resolved that this House strongly condemn the Government of Canada's unfair decision to close five defence installations in British Columbia, including the Royal Roads Military College, resulting in the elimination of nearly 900 civilian and military jobs; and be it further resolved that this House, noting the reputation of academic excellence offered at the Royal Roads Military College during its 55-year history, and in light of the recent $20 million upgrade, urge the Government of Canada to re-examine the utility of closing the only military college in Western Canada, affecting 230 civilian and military jobs."[27]
Prometheous and the Vulture, sculpture by Jay Unwin 1995, Royal Roads Military College

Filming location

The campus of Royal Roads has been used as a film set for:

  • Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in the "X-Men (film)" movies.[28]
  • The Luthor Mansion, the estate belonging to Lex Luthor in TV series Smallville
  • The Shady Glen School in the 1997 movie, Masterminds
  • The hideout in MacGyver, season 5, "The Legend of the Holy Rose, part 2"
  • The home for the Royal Family in the Seven Days TV series, episode 9, season 2, "Love and Other Disasters"
  • Little Women, starring Winona Ryder (1994)
  • The Changeling, starring George C. Scott (1979)
  • The Queen mansion in the CW series "The Arrow" (2012)

Books

Royal Roads Military College carving
  • Doug Cope "The Roadants" (Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, BC 2013)
  • Peter J.S. Dunnett & W. Kim Rempel Royal Roads Military College 1940-1990, A Pictorial Retrospective (Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, BC 1990)
  • Maurice Robinson, Bev Hall, Paul Price Royal Roads : a celebration (Natural Light Productions, Victoria, BC, 1995)
  • "Royal Roads - a public university with a difference" : a proposal prepared by Hatley Educational Society for presentation to the Advisory Panel on the Future of Royal Roads (Hatley Educational Society, British Columbia 1995)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Residence of James Dunsmuir, British Columbia, Architect: Samuel MacLure". Construction (Toronto). 9 (7). Victoria: 214. July 1916.
  2. ^ "Speech by Iona Campolo, Retired Heads of Mission Association's Gala Dinner", Royal Roads University, Hatley Castle, 5 February 2007, Office of the Lieutenant Governor
  3. ^ a b c PO1 T.R. Vickery POl, Bandmaster, "Royal Roads Military College Pipe and Drum Band" in “Pipe Bands in British Columbia.” (British Columbia, 1990)
  4. ^ Regimental Marches
  5. ^ "McCarter, John Young". Dictionary of architects in Canada. Retrieved 19 Aug 2014.
  6. ^ A history of Sport at Hatley Park
  7. ^ Attendance at RR 1954-6. Measured for but not issued. Scarlets were not used at RR previously.
  8. ^ RRMC band
  9. ^ The Future of the Reserves - Dr. Klepak
  10. ^ Royal Roads Homecoming 2011
  11. ^ "John Young McCarter". Dictionary of architects in Canada. Retrieved 19 Aug 2014.
  12. ^ Directory of Federal Real Property Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
  13. ^ Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings
  14. ^ Registry of Historic Places of Canada
  15. ^ Registry of Historic Places of Canada - Hatley Park
  16. ^ Registry of Historic Places of Canada - Stables
  17. ^ Royal Roads Museum Archived 2008-10-22 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Canadian Forces Museums Archived 2008-10-18 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ Royal Roads University - Ghosts in Hatley Castle
  20. ^ CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum badge project
  21. ^ InRoads - February 2003
  22. ^ Major J.M.Stephens, CD. "Millward, James B". Kilby.sac.on.ca. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
  23. ^ Veterans of Valour Colonel Avant
  24. ^ A classmate. Biographies 1953-1954 to 2003-2004 ed. by Howard Ross Wheatley
  25. ^ "Canadian Police & Peace Officers Memorial - Profile - José Agostinho". Cacp.ca. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
  26. ^ Barry Kennedy
  27. ^ Robinson completes family circle at Royal Roads
  28. ^ Most Popular Titles With Location Matching "Royal Roads, Colwood, British Columbia, Canada"
  • Royal Roads University Archives Digitizes Royal Roads Cadet Yearbooks 1943-95
  • Karen Inkster 'The best two years…: Narratives of Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) Ex-cadets (1940–1995)' at the Military and Oral History Conference: Between Memory and History on May 7, 2010, Victoria University, British Columbia.
  • Karen Inkster 'Coming Full Circle: Remembrances of Royal Roads Ex-Cadets' DVD documentary Victoria, British Columbia
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