We were invited to an event at RAF Chicksands, which was their annual Corps day, and they decided to hold a re-dedication service for a memorial wall for certain members of the Intelligence Corps that have been killed. They normally hold Corps day in mid-July, around the anniversary of the formation of the Intelligence Corps, but the pandemic caused a delay, and they thought it fitting to have the service on a day when many people would be likely to visit the base due to Corps day and also because it happened to coincide with the 20th anniversary of 9/11, a time to remember other lives that were sacrificed. As for the Intelligence Corps deaths, while most were killed in service, a surprising number of them were killed in motorcycle accidents, around 37, I think we were told, out of the 500+ Corps members who have been killed. In any case, we looked at it as another weekend day trip since we'd be going to a new place, so we were excited about what adventures the day might bring. The base is in a beautiful location with old trees, some of which are thought to be at least 300 years old, and a few old buildings. The officers' mess, called the Priory, is the oldest building there, being around 1000 years old. It was initially used as a monastery and then has had several other uses up until the time the military acquired it in the early 1900s. We couldn't go inside because it's currently closed to guests due to the pandemic, but as we will probably be invited back for Corps day next year, we hope we get to go inside. Anyway, when I've visited the military base in Edmonton, it's pretty utilitarian-looking: lots of straight lines on rectangular buildings. It's also not the original location for it, so it's not that they have the option for old buildings, but there is even very little by way of trees and pleasant pathways, so it was quite interesting to see how all the greenery softening the edges of of what can be a stark-in-appearance kind of place.
We met a variety of interesting people, as well. One was a colonel who was a veteran but who also has been given an honorary position and so can still wear his uniform. He got to talking with us, and we learned that he and another fellow, whom he introduced us to later, have been doing some research for the University of Toronto about two Canadians, one who served in the Canadian military and one who served with the British, who were killed in WWII. They were apparently both captured by the Nazis, and when they refused to participate in a propaganda campaign, they were killed at a concentration camp. Should you be interested in reading about Ken Macalister and Frank Pickersgill, the colonel recommended this book that was written about them. You might wonder why he was doing this research when there is already this book, but he said that most of what they know about these two is old and that there hasn't been any recent investigation to find out any new information that might be out there about them, so that's what he and the other fellow were attempting to do.
Another interesting person we met was wearing a tie with small, embroidered menorahs strewn across it. It caught my husband's attention, so he asked the guy wearing it what it represented, and he told us it represented the Armed Forces Jewish Community. We were quite fascinated to learn about the existence of this group--at least in such a formal way. I mean we know that there would be Jewish people who serve, but we thought it was fascinating that the group exists in such a formal way. He and his wife were really nice, and we enjoyed meeting and talking with them.
Surprisingly, there was also a museum on the base, the Military Intelligence Museum. They are in the process of re-vamping it, and it is actually open to the public, but if you were to go there, you'd have to book in advance because you can't just walk onto the base to visit it. But it's free entry, and they also offer free guided tours.
One of the things I found interesting during our visit was how members and vets can buy clothing and accessories with their regiment's or division's colours. I happened to wear a bright green scarf with my outfit, that everyone thought was so strategic, because apparently that's the colour of the berets of the Intelligence Corps! But it was really because it matched my shoes--no one had to know, right? But I looked around and saw that the colour was not just on the berets, but also on the jackets of some of the men as well as the band around their Panama hats. I don't think Canada's military has that--like it's just not a thing there. At most you'll see vets wearing their ribbons on a suit jacket or sport coat on Remembrance Day, but I've never seen or heard of these clothing items you could wear to identify yourself to other members or former members. It was kind of nice, actually.
Included are a few photos from the memorial re-dedication service, and the remaining are scenes around the base as well as the museum. I'd also love to go birding there as I ended up seeing a beautiful red kite that I couldn't get a photo of without my good camera, but it was taking off from the ground, and I could have otherwise got a fantastic photo! The area has some lovely forest near it, so I wanted to show that, even though it's a bit in the distance. Rather than put them in a slideshow, there were few enough that I've just arranged them all here. Remember that you can click on any photo (in the slideshows, too) to enlarge them.
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