Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS DRESS BLUES

Date

1956

Materials

WOOL, SYNTHETIC FABRIC, BRASS

No. Pieces

3

Length

82.5

Description

1. JACKET. ABOVE DIMENSIONS. NAVY BLUE WOOL. HAS 4 FLAPPED PATCH POCKETS ON FRONT OF JACKET. TWO BREAST POCKETS HAVE A BOX PLEAT IN THEM AND CLOSE WITH A SILVER BUTTON WITH "ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS" ON IT. FRONT OF JACKET ALSO CLOSES WITH 5 SILVER BUTTONS (AS ABOVE), AND THERE IS ONE BUTTON ON EACH SHOULDER. HAS TWO BRASS COLLAR BADGES: A SPHERICAL SHAPE WITH A BUNCH OF LEAVES COMING OUT THE TOP AND A BANNER BELOW THAT READS "UBIQUE". ON EACH SHOULDER IS A BRASS SHOULDER FLASH THAT READS "RCE". RIGHT ARM HAS A PATCH WITH A RAISED QUEEN'S CROWN IN THE CENTER, FLANKED BY GOLD LEAVES. INSIDE OF JACKET IS LINED WITH BLACK SATIN AND HAS A LABEL THAT READS "SAINTHILL-LEVINE TORONTO MONTREAL". 2. PANTS. NAVY BLUE WITH A RED WOOL STRIPE DOWN EACH LEG. THERE ARE 6 BLACK PLASTIC BUTTONS AROUND EXTERIOR OF WAISTBAND (FOR SUSPENDERS). THERE IS A POCKET IN EACH SIDE OF PANTS. TAG INSIDE WAISTBAND READS "TAILORED BY SAINTHILL-LEVINE & CO. LTD. TORONTO MR, B, CHENGER W32 1.32 1/2 4-4-56 398 MCGUIRES LTD" 3. SUSPENDERS. MADE OUT OF BROWN ELASTIC WEBBING WITH BROWN LEATHER ENDS. HAS STEEL ADJUSTMENT SLIDES WITH BRASS PLATING (WEARING OFF). ELASTIC IS STRETCHED AND FRAYED IN SOME AREAS.

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

INCLUDED IN POCKET OF COAT (REMOVED BY CATALOGUER) WAS A FOLDED CARD THAT READ "MWO SCHANDOR" ON ONE SIDE AND "WO2" SCHANDOR ON THE OTHER. UNIFORM JACKET WORN BY SQUADRON SERGEANT MAJOR A. W. ‘JOE’ SCHANDOR. A NATIVE OF EARL GREY, SASKATCHEWAN, SCHANDOR CAME TO LETHBRIDGE AND JOINED THE 33RD FIELD SQUADRON, ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS (RCE) (MILITIA) AS A SAPPER IN 1954. AFTER A JUNIOR N.C.O. COURSE, SCHANDOR BECAME A CORPORAL, THEREAFTER COMPLETING A FIELD ENGINEERING COURSE TO BECOME A GROUP (2) FIELD ENGINEER, AS ONLY 1 OF 5 IN THE MILITIA REGIMENT. HE ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS AND WAS EVENTUALLY NAMED SQUADRON SERGEANT MAJOR, THE HIGHEST NON COMMISSIONED RANK IN THE SQUADRON, IN MAY, 1965. IN 1966, HE RECEIVED THE CANADIAN FORCES DECORATION FOR TWELVE YEARS MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN THE FORCES. HE MAINTAINED THE RANK OF SQUADRON SERGEANT MAJOR UNTIL THE TIME OF THE SQUADRON’S DISBANDMENT IN 1968. DURING HIS SERVICE, HE SPENT TWO WEEKS OF EVERY YEAR - AND SOMETIMES A MONTH - AT CANADIAN FORCES BASE CHILLIWACK -HOME OF THE ENGINEERS - AS WELL AS AT CAMPS SARCEE AND WAINRIGHT. THERE, HE WAS INVOLVED IN BRIDGE BUILDING, DEMOLITION, LIVE EXERCISE FIRING, LEADERSHIP, WIRELESS, AND NUMEROUS OTHER TRAINING EXERCISES. THE 33RD FP SQUADRON, RCE WAS FOUNDED IN LETHBRIDGE IN 1946 AND WAS LOCATED AT THE NORTHSIDE ARMOURIES IN LETHBRIDGE. AT ONE TIME, IT WAS THE LARGEST ENGINEER SQUADRON IN WESTERN CANADA, PARADING OVER TWO HUNDRED SOLDIERS WEEKLY. IT WAS DISBANDED IN 1968 ON ACCOUNT OF A CANADA-WIDE REORGANIZATION OF THE MILITIA WHICH EMPHASIZED A NEED FOR CONSOLIDATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE AND ARCHIVES DONATION P20081079000. ADDITIONALLY, SCHANDOR MADE A PRESENTATION AT THE GALT RELATED TO HIS SERVICE IN NOVEMBER 2008.

Catalogue Number

P19990086001

Acquisition Date

2003-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail