Any retired 3 PPCLI here? Say from 1980 thru 1989? I've ran into a few in my air force days, but that's it!
Not retired, still plugging away! 3rd from 1982-1984 and again from 1988-1989! Charlie Company the first time and Alpha the second.
I was in C-Company, 7 platoon from 1981 till 1984. Then I was snapped up for the drum line and place in armoured Defence. I bailed out in 89 when it became clear the infantry held no future for me. I really began hating the field work as it was becoming repetative. I could tell folks almost to the day what exercises and training were coming up next. Pure bordom killed me. I was actually going to get out in 87, but my Mcpl talked me into a remuster instead. Smart move. I still look at my army days as being the highlight of my career. I had a lot of fun in the early days of the infantry, but it was the air force that gave me the brain candy I needed to have good job satisfaction. What the army did was give the foundation I needed...waht every soldier needs to be a good member of the military...Shit, I sound like a damn recruiting drive!
I served with the 3rd Bn at Work Point Barracks in Esquimalt and after my pennance, went back to sea again!
You Hollywood Battalion types were a bunch of wimps. All the real soldiers were in 2nd Battalion.
After all, it takes a real man to survive a winter in the 'Peg!
I'd agree with that 2Cdo. Almost all my Snr NCOs were from the Borne. Morning PT took a series turn for the better, and all sorts of good infantry training came out of it. Training that to my knowledge only occurred in the Airborne. Field craft was a whloe new experience, and un-armed combat took a more serious kick. We may have been the Hollywood bunch, but we worked damn hard. It wasn't anything as relaxed as some think it was. I had a roommate named Terry Dodds from the 2nd who was posted in and thought he would have an easy go of it. He was quite surprised of the training program we had. H spent a few weeks puking on the side of a road during our hour long runs that were followed up with PT!
I did my Machine Gun course with the 3rd. Lots of fun having to do PT with the .50, ahh the memories. It was way better than doubling around the Dry Gap with Bailey transoms.
Working with any one of the Bn's was always good.
I have yet to meet someone who didn't think their unit had it worse then the others! With that said, I must say that having some of the airborne guys around did make it a lot tougher. Their level of readiness was one hell of a lot differnt from ours but I never heard one person complain after we did our 2 by 10s and found it extremely easy after having done the revised airborne PT for eight months.
But with success comes payback. Twenty years later I'm sitting in line for two new knees because of all the "fun" I had. My one saving grace was that I also had an Air Borne sgt that believed in reporting things like slightly injured knees. Not everyone was motivated like I. CF 98's do work for you if used right.
To this day I have fought DVA several times with several different injuries and have "won" my pension monies from them! I constantly harp on the new troops to get everything documented, regardless of how minor an injury might seem! You might need that documentation 20 years down the road!
Jesus who let the damn sappers in? Now property values are going to plummet, cats and dogs being molested! Damn, damn, damn!
Last time I saw Terry was at his Wedding in Victoria in 1987...or 88. he had married an Admiral's daughter. I heard through my x-wife that he had remustered to the navy and was working in the engine room of a floating object. Beyond that I have no idea. He was a good guy who played well with the others.
I know the PPCLI Association exists. Has anyone tried asking them for an address on anyone who's on their membership list?
I'll ask again since I know some RCRs are amoung us. Does anyone here know Chris Norquay in Petawawa?