Good afternoon everyone.  Hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

This week marks the first week of in-person training activities.  It’s been a long time coming and I know we, the staff, can’t wait to see each and every one of you.    So, get your hair cut, and your uniforms ready and we’ll see you on Wednesday night for the start of training.   Watch your inbox for this week’s WRO’s from Capt Lemoine for further details.  Now for the going’s on:

Welcome Back:

1st off, let’s join Brigadier-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, Commander Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers, as she welcomes program participants and leaders to the 2021/22 training year.

https://fb.watch/8pQ_fwFXVG/

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

As you may be aware, the government recently passed legislation to make September 30^th a federal statutory holiday called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.  The intention of this day is to provide an opportunity for Canadians to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools. Our thoughts are with our indigenous Cadets and their families across Canada. Everyone in Canada has a role to play in learning about and addressing the ongoing impacts of residential schools and of the many children who never returned home.

Lt Nicolescu – Completes her AETC

Congratulations on the completion of your AETC over the past 10 days up at Connaught.  Bravo Zulu.

That’s all for now.   See you Wednesday night

2Lt Couroux

From the Ontario Cadets Facebook page, for cadets attending vCTC and CAP programs this summer:

‼️ ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ‼️
☀️ Back by popular demand, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) will be offering their high school credit co-op program for all #OntarioCadets again… but this time, the summer version!
🌐 Make sure to visit the UCDSB website for additional info and to register for this great opportunity: http://www.ucdsb.on.ca/programs___initiatives/school_programs_k-12/summer_semester_programs/summer_semester_cadet_coop

Regards,

2Lt Couroux

Attention Level 3 and 4 Cadets,

The Google Meet link for the prep session has been posted in the Level 3 and 4 Classrooms.

The refresher starts at 10 am and goes up until around 1:30 pm. Please be punctual and log in the latest 5 minutes before the class. Be ready to ask questions, 2 Lt Silva will be happy to answer them all.

WO1 Abt will be present, please refer to him if you need assistance of any kind.

Good luck and have a great long weekend!

2Lt Nicolescu

A year end message from our outgoing commander, Commodore Kurtz, and CPO1 Bliss.

OCdt Couroux
DCO
809 Newark RCACS
“Immortal”

How could I miss this one.  May 1945, Canada liberates Holland from the German army. To this day, Canada and Holland have a special relationship.

OCdt Couroux
DCO
809 Newark RCACS
“Immortal”

Good Day 809.

This weekend was packed with special days to be observed. 

WW2 – Germany Surrenders
On May 7, 1945, Germany surrenders to the Allied armies at Reims, France. Leading to the end of WW2 in Europe

May 8, 1945 – Victory in Europe Day,
This day marks the official end of fighting in Europe in World War 2. More than 1million Canadians served, with 42,000 killed, and 10’s of thousands more wounded.  The war wasn’t over yet, however.    Fighting would rage on in the Pacific against Japan for another 3 months.

Happy Mother’s Day, 09MAY21
A special shout out to everyone’s mom. Without any of you, we wouldn’t have the squadron we have today. I hope your cadets, or adult children (officers, CI’s & volunteers) for that matter, did something special for you today.

So, some things to think about.   Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.

OCdt Couroux
DCO
809 Newark RCACS
“Immortal”

Good day, 809,

Little late on this one, but bear with me.

To the best of my knowledge there are 3 big milestones this week with regards to our Military:

1/ In Flanders Fields, the poem we’ve all grown to know well as symbolizing the remembrance of our fallen soldiers, was written on May 3, 1915 by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrea of Guelph, Ontario. He was inspired to write it after presiding over the funeral of a friend of his, and fellow soldier, Alexis Helmer during the Second Battle of Ypres during World War 1. “In Flanders Fields” was first published on December 8, 1915 in the London magazine “Punch”.
More on the history of this important poem can be found here:

In Flanders Fields

2/ Happy birthday to the RCN. The Royal Canadian Navy was born on May 4, 1910. It was founded as the Naval Service of Canada and given royal sanction on 29 August, 1911. More about the history on the Royal Canadian Navy can be found here:

Royal Canadian Navy

3/ The 76th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.  In keeping with the Navy, and partnering with the RCAF,  The first Sunday in May (May 2nd this year) marks the day where we remember the participants of the Battle of the Atlantic. The battle occurred throughout World War 2 and has been observed by the RCN and RCAF for since 1945.  

Battle of the Atlantic

That’s it for now. See you all Wednesday night. And, before I forget, May the 4th be with you.

OCdt Couroux
DCO
809 Newark RCACS
“Immortal”

From WO2 Bell:

Hello, rocketeers! On Saturday May 1st at 3 PM, come down to the SQN to drop off your orange model rockets that you made during the last session. If you cannot be there at that time, let me or CI Dau know by email and we can organize a time to pick it up.

OCdt Couroux
DCO
809 Newark Sqn
“Immortal”

Michael Collins, the NASA astronaut who was the command module pilot for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, died today at age 90 after battling cancer.

His family shared the news Wednesday after his passing on Collins’ Facebook page.

More info here:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/28/us/nasa-astronaut-michael-collins-obit-scn/index.html

OCdt Couroux
DCO
809 Newark RCACS
“Immortal”