Researching The Royal Canadian Regiment
"The Good Old Days"
From the shelves in the Museum's library comes a very interesting ledger prepared by Major I.S. Hill, the OC of "A Coy, 2RCR" during the years 1954 and 55. This ledger contains detailed stats throughout those years on his company up to their date of redeployment to Canada in November 1955.
"A" Coy, 2RCR (as of January 1955)
1. Parade State - 131 (all ranks)
2. Sick parade (average weekly attendance in 1955) - 8
3. Venereal Disease (total incidence 1955) - 6
4. Parachutists - 33 (at start of 1955, down to 24 by October)
5. Marital Status - 80% of the company was single
6. Religion (with the army of the day only recognizing RC and Protestant) -
- RC - 36%
- Protestant - 64%
7. Previous Service - (as of Jan 1955)
- Korea vets - 44
- WWII vets - 27
- Korea + WWII vets - 17
- Reserve Force training - 41
- Non vets - 49
8. Age Groups - (as of Jan 1955)
- Under 20 - 37
- 20-24 - 52
- 25-29 - 30
- 30-35 - 13
- Over 35 - 3
9. Educational Standards - (as of Jan 1955)
- Grade IX and above - 31
- Grade VIII - 54
- Grade VII - 30
- Grade VI - 12
- Grade V and below - 7
10. Absence Without Leave (monthly average 1955) - 5
11. Province of Origin -
- Maritimes (including Newfoundland) - 33 (39.7 %)
- Quebec - 8 (9.5 %)
- Ontario - 31 (37.3 %)
- Manitoba - Nil
- Saskatchewan - 4 (3.8 %)
- Alberta - 2 (2.4 %)
- British Columbia - Nil
- Outside Canada - 5 (6 %)
12. Training Standards -
- Group 3 - 3
- Group 2 - 16
- Group 1 - 25
- Pte (HR) - 38 ("Higher Rate", eligible after 18 months service)
- Pte (T) - 50 ("Private (Trained)"; this was the basic soldier as received from the Depot)
13. Weapon Training -
- Rifle -
- marksman - 6
- 1st class - 20
- 2nd class - 25
- failed - 5
- not qualified - 25
- BREN - (comparable to C-9)
- marksman - 1
- 1st class - 9
- 2nd class - 15
- failed - 3
- not qualified - 51
Another item in the ledger is a copy of a memorandum summarizing trials and charges in the Company:
Incidence of Crime - "A" Coy, 2RCR - Nov 53 to Jul 55
- 40 cases - NDA 74 - Disobeyed a lawful command
- 6 cases - NDA 75 - Striking a superior Officer
- 18 cases - NDA 76 - Using threatening language
- 3 cases - NDA 77 - Quarrelling or fighting
- 21 cases - NDA 78 - Refusing to obey command while quarrelling, resisting escort, breaking out of camp
- 115 cases - NDA 81 - Absence without leave
- 20 cases - NDA 88 - Drunkenness
- 1 case - NDA 89 - Malingering or feigning disease
- 4 cases - NDA 92 - Being in arrest escaping
- 1 case - NDA 93 - Wilfully obstructing an officer
- 1 case - NDA 101 - Driving a vehicle recklessly
- 3 cases - NDA 106 - Wilful destruction of government property
- 1 case - NDA 112 - Knowingly make false answer on enrolment
- 10 cases - NDA 114 - negligently performing duty imposed on him
- 1 case - NDA 115 - Wilfully making false statement on document
- 140 cases - NDA 118 - Conduct/Neglect to the prejudice
- 7 cases - NDA 119 - A civil offence (The Battalion was in Germany at the time)
TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES - 392
The number of charges per man is broken down as follows:
- Men having a clean conduct sheet - 27 (incl 9 NCOs)
- Men having 1 charge - 11 men (incl 4 NCOs)
- Men having 2 charges - 7 men (incl 3 NCOs)
- Men having 3 charges - 9 men (incl 3 NCOs)
- Men having 4 charges - 3 men (incl 1 NCOs)
- Men having 5 charges - 4 men
- Men having 6 charges - 2 men (incl 1 NCOs)
- Men having 7 charges - 4 men (incl 2 NCOs)
- Men having 8 charges - 4 men
- Men having 9 charges - 2 men
- Men having 10 charges - 2 men
- Men having 11 charges - 2 men
- Men having 12 charges - 2 men
- Men having 14 charges - 1 man
- Men having 20 charges - 1 man
- Men having 23 charges - 2 men
- Men having 26 charges - 1 man
- Men having 35 charges - 1 man
"... it will be seen that 54 men have 3 or less charges on their CFAB 1586's and 12 men share between them 217 charges, or more than half the company total."
Pro Patria