On 27 February 2014 our Colonel Commandant, BGen DesLauriers (Ret’d), handed over the latest volume in our set of RCE/CME Books of Remembrance to the MGen Whitecross, CAF Chief Military Engineer, for display at CFSME and safekeeping in the CME Museum.
The dedication and display of this volume complements the existing RCE Books of Remembrance that honour our Fallen in the First and Second World Wars, and the Korean War. This latest volume includes those who have deaths have been attributed to Military Service since WW II and currently lists about 100 Canadian Military Engineers. It is now displayed in the Remembrance Lane hallway at CFSME outside the Museum.
LCol Ken Holmes (Ret’d) started the research into these deaths a decade ago in support of the work that Veteran’s Affairs Canada was undertaking for the national 7th Book of Remembrance. It was apparent that DND’s central records had been very weak in recording the deaths of service personnel in the post-war period. A good basis in the ‘corporate memory’ was therefore vital and CWO Harry Poile (Ret’d) willingly agreed to come on-board and use his connections with the Retired Sapper community to recall such deaths. The network soon expanded to include many more CME personnel – both Serving and Retired - who might recall such incidents. Each suggested name was researched against CF files in National Archives and the CF Directorate of History and Heritage as well as archived newspapers and other ‘open’ public sources.
Research was well underway in 2006 when CFSME expressed interest in creating a display of the names of CME ‘Service Deaths’ - particularly to honour those recent Fallen Sappers of the Afghanistan War.
CME Branch Council had agreed that the criteria for determining entry were to be similar to what had been agreed to between Armed Forces Council and Veterans Affairs 7th Book of Remembrance.
As the list was still growing with recent deaths and archive deaths, a presentation format was selected that could be updated easily. That display was developed as a joint project with CFSME CWO Blaine Thurston and comprised a series of separate illustrated pages laid out in a specially constructed glass display case in SME hallway. It was delivered in time for the CFSME Centennial Anniversary in 2007.
Research continued and, in 2013, the CFSME CWO, Ron Swift expressed interest in the production of a 'proper book format.' CME CWO Kevin Patterson received Branch Council support for such an undertaking. CFSME took on the task of building a display case to match the WWI & II displays and CME Association agreed to sponsor the production of the book.
The CME Book of Remembrance has been designed in a manner that can be updated as the list of Fallen Sappers, unfortunately, increases. Its style was developed to borrow elements from the previous books but it has crisp, modern layout with appropriate and colourful illustrations. In addition to the Gagetown display, it is intended to post this work online on the CMEA website as part of the current up-date project. An online 'flipbook' version is available at: https://fliphtml5.com/pybxd/lckz
This Book of Remembrance will be on permanent display in the Canadian Military Engineer Remembrance Lane at CFSME in a specially constructed display case. The pages will be turned monthly, but the Museum Staff will always be available to show you a name you might want to see.
The attached PDF file shows the names that are currently displayed in the CME Book of Remembrance. Theses names cover the period up to 2010 and the list will be updated after Veterans Affairs has completed their review of each file.
