R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe Ottawa Ontario
Carey Craig
I would love to hear from those
of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
through out the years by their base brat experiences.
Carey
Craig
Dan Bedell
the new school) but later than you're asking about (66-73, by far the
longest we ever stayed in one place).
Lise-Anne Beaudry
Was that the elementary school on Rockliffe base? Sounds familiar.
If yes, I didn't go there but my two older brothers did from '56-58. I was
sent to the local french school in Vanier (anyone remember what Vanier was
called before it was changed to that name?) I don't remember the name of
the street we lived on in Rockliffe, but I remember it was near the woods,
and my older brothers would always threaten me tales of strange men
lurking in those woods, waiting to "get me".
Seems to me the bases were divided up by ranks; I think the living
quarters were segragated according to whether your father was an officer
or not. Dad was an airframe technician and we always had comfortable
housing on the bases we lived, but I vaguely remember officers children
having a little bit better/bigger bedrooms. Or am I totally delusional
here? Anyone else remember this being the way of life on base?
Lise-Anne
Dan Bedell
areas for offrs and (as the saying goes) those who worked for a living. We
lived on (working class) Jupiter Ave.
To answer another of your questions, Vanier used to be called Eastview, a
rather English name for a rather French community. Was changed in 1969 in
honour of former Governor General (1st francophone to hold the post) Georges
Vanier, who had died two years earlier.
D. Stoner
wrote:
And I was there from about 1953-1957 (grades 2-6). In fact I think
Viscount Alexander School had a different name when I first moved to
Rockcliffe (not sure what it was, but I went to a Woodfalle School
before that - but that could have been the name of a school in
Washington D.C.).
In total, I went to 7 schools (8 if you count the Viscount Alexander
name change while I was there) : ).
Anyway, I lived on Castor Ave. which was right in front of the
schoolyard.
Someone here mentioned the different PMQ's for officers and airmen.
There were also different swimming pools in Rockcliffe - and officers'
kids wore red badges on their bathing suits, and airmens' kids wore
blue badges. If you had a red badge, you could go to either pool, but
if you had a blue badge, you could only go to the airmens' pool. I
had a blue badge - and the only time I was allowed in the officers'
pool was when the airmens' pool was closed down for a while for
cleaning.
Darryl Stoner
Air Force Brat
lahrbrat
>
> Dear Fellow Base Brats;
> I would love to hear from those
> of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
> 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
> on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
> through out the years by their base brat experiences.
> Craig
>
Hi Craig. What grades were you in during your time in Rockcliffe? I was
there from 1959 to 1963 for grades 1 thru to (and including) 5, both in
Viscount Alexander (for grades 2 and 3) and the annex schools. I lived
on Bishop Blvd, along the woods. Really enjoyed my years there, dodging
the "Frenchies" in the woods, building forts, soap box derbies on Bermer
Road (by the annex schools) I have about 25 names of people from there
during that time period. Anyone want me to list them, see if anyone
knew them/know their whereabouts? I loved that base. First time I was
really aware of my surroundings. When I go to the Ottawa 2000 reunion,
I'm going to see if I can find my way around the base again. A trip down
memory lane, as it were.
L&L Acton
> When I go to the Ottawa 2000 reunion,
> I'm going to see if I can find my way around the base again. A trip down
> memory lane, as it were.
>
Les - RaDaR Brat
Colin R. Leech
Lise-Anne Beaudry (bg...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA) wrote:
> Carey Craig (carey...@ns.sympatico.ca) writes:
>>
>> I would love to hear from those
>> of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
>> 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
>> on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
>> through out the years by their base brat experiences.
>
Yes, as well as the name of the PMQ enclave.
> If yes, I didn't go there but my two older brothers did from '56-58. I was
> sent to the local french school in Vanier (anyone remember what Vanier was
> called before it was changed to that name?) I don't remember the name of
Eastview.
> Seems to me the bases were divided up by ranks; I think the living
> quarters were segragated according to whether your father was an officer
> or not. Dad was an airframe technician and we always had comfortable
> housing on the bases we lived, but I vaguely remember officers children
> having a little bit better/bigger bedrooms. Or am I totally delusional
> here? Anyone else remember this being the way of life on base?
The bases I'm familiar with did have some streets (if not entire areas)
that were deciated to certain ranks. For example, in St-Hubert, Maple
Drive (now de la Verandrye) at the east end was "officers' row", as were
certain streets in Lincoln Park and Currie in Calgary.
Of course, some PMQ areas had come from the different services. Lincoln
Park had been Air Force and Currie was Army in Calgary, and of course
Borden had started life as separate Army and RCAF bases.
--
#### |\^/| Colin R. Leech ag414 or crl...@freenet.carleton.ca
#### _|\| |/|_ Civil engineer by training, transport planner by choice.
#### > < Opinions are my own. You may consider them shareware.
#### >_./|\._< "If you can't return a favour, pass it on." - A.L. Brown
lahrbrat
>
> The bases I'm familiar with did have some streets (if not entire areas)
> that were deciated to certain ranks. For example, in St-Hubert, Maple
> Drive (now de la Verandrye) at the east end was "officers' row", as were
> certain streets in Lincoln Park and Currie in Calgary.
>
I was quite surprised to hear that Rockcliffe no longer exists. So much
for my trip down memory lane. How upsetting. Colin, you mention St.
Hubert. I was there, too, '64 to '67 before going overseas. Any idea how
that base fared? Is it gone, too? How can brats ever go home when they
never leave home there?!? Now I know where the saying "You can never go
home" came from....the military!
Colin R. Leech
lahrbrat (lahr...@cadvision.com) wrote:
>
> I was quite surprised to hear that Rockcliffe no longer exists. So much
> for my trip down memory lane. How upsetting.
You'll still find the PMQs and the elementary school (*), but that's about
it. You'll still find the streets and perhaps some building foundations
(haven't checked closely), but don't expect to see rec centres, swimming
pools, etc. Almost all of the buildings for the employment are gone.
There's a large parking lot that I'm guessing used to be a parade square
(just at the base of the hill coming in from Montreal Road).
(*) From the descriptions given, I'm wondering if there were two buildings
given the Viscount Alexander name over the years. The one I know is brick
and looks like it might have been a 1960s vintage. You find it at the
bottom of the hill on the left coming in from Montreal Road, at the
four-way stop sign, and there used to be a military police shack on the
right across from it. Was there an older one in a more rickety building?
Today it's used for just about everything from the police station to arts
and crafts groups. Possibly a barber (not sure if there's still one in
there).
> Colin, you mention St.
> Hubert. I was there, too, '64 to '67 before going overseas.
I was there '78 to '80.
> Any idea how
> that base fared? Is it gone, too?
Not sure. I still travel to Montreal a few times per year (most
recently about a week ago), but it's rare that I have a chance to visit
St-Hubert on those trips. I'm fairly sure that the PMQs are still there,
but I don't know about anything else. It's been at least a couple of
years since I've been there. Anybody else know?
> How can brats ever go home when they
> never leave home there?!? Now I know where the saying "You can never go
> home" came from....the military!
D. Stoner
Leech) wrote:
>
>lahrbrat (lahr...@cadvision.com) wrote:
>>
>> I was quite surprised to hear that Rockcliffe no longer exists. So much
>> for my trip down memory lane. How upsetting.
>
>You'll still find the PMQs and the elementary school (*), but that's about
>it. You'll still find the streets and perhaps some building foundations
>(haven't checked closely), but don't expect to see rec centres, swimming
>pools, etc. Almost all of the buildings for the employment are gone.
>There's a large parking lot that I'm guessing used to be a parade square
>(just at the base of the hill coming in from Montreal Road).
>
>(*) From the descriptions given, I'm wondering if there were two buildings
>given the Viscount Alexander name over the years. The one I know is brick
>and looks like it might have been a 1960s vintage. You find it at the
>bottom of the hill on the left coming in from Montreal Road, at the
>four-way stop sign, and there used to be a military police shack on the
>right across from it. Was there an older one in a more rickety building?
>Today it's used for just about everything from the police station to arts
>and crafts groups. Possibly a barber (not sure if there's still one in
>there).
>
I went to that school (and lived right in front of it on Castor Ave.)
from about 1953 to 1957. The school building is the same now as it
was then (unless some small annex has been added) but it is the same
red brick as it used to be.
However, I have a grade 2 report card from that school, (1953 I
believe) and at that time it was called Woodfalle School. I remember
the school name changing to Viscount Alexander during the time I was
there, so that would have been sometime between 1954 and 1957.
I seem to recall them explaining at the time who "Viscount Alexander"
was, although I can't remember who he was, or why he was important
enough to have a school named after him - never heard of him since.
However, I do seem to recall seeing some kind of scandal about the
school in the news many years later - cannot recall what that was
about, and I know it didn't happen during my time there.
>snip
Dan Bedell
renamed after his death. You get a week of after-school detentions for
not knowing/remembering that!
The original part of the school (probably 1950s vintage) remains and had
a fairly large (one-level) addition with new classrooms, labs, library,
etc. completed when I was there (opened, I'd guess in 68-69). For a
long time, before the new section opened, there were two sets of annexes
about a block or two apart at the far end of the base past the arena and
the really old Canex store. The annex I spent two years I just knew as
Building 97!
The scandal you likely read about at Viscount Alexander involved the
principal, A.K. Nielsen, who was charged, if memory serves correctly,
with fraud (it was soon after I graduated, so probably in 1972-73. To
finance sports activities, he created a few ficticious staff members,
complete with social insurance numbers, etc. and had them on the
payroll, with their pay going into account(s) he controlled. I seem to
recall the evidence being that he didn't personally profit from this,
that ultimately it was the school and sports programs that got the
money.
Here are a few names of teachers I recall from Viscount Alexander. Jog
any memories? Mrs. Martin (Grade 3 - she was a sweetheart!) Mrs. D.
Cantin (Gr 4), Mrs. Neely (Grade 5), Miss L. Gaw (music) Mr. R. Lunman.
Miss Gilbert. Mrs. Taylor.
Some of the kids I hung around with or were in my classes (only know
where one is now) in case, these also jog some memories: Steve Malone,
Mike Krewski, Mona Johnson, Margaret McKenna, Ernie Gratton, Andrew
Ledger, Nick Haas, Donna Allen, Kathryn McEvoy, Robert Burch, Linda
Fraser, Susan MacDermid, Elaine Blier, David Heenan, Laurie Dell, Sandra
Swain, Monica Upton, Keith Fuller, Dianne Gammon, Lynda Coe, Elizabeth
MacRury, Judy Smith, Judy Gruson, Richard Potvin, Hugh Craig, Susanne
Vachon, Doug or David (?) Voisey, Tom Hickey, Tim Hulan, Robert
Parsons, Eddie Snow. Could come up with others I think...
.
lahrbrat
>
> Here are a few names of teachers I recall from Viscount Alexander. Jog
> any memories? Mrs. Martin (Grade 3 - she was a sweetheart!) Mrs. D.
> Cantin (Gr 4), Mrs. Neely (Grade 5), Miss L. Gaw (music) Mr. R. Lunman.
> Miss Gilbert. Mrs. Taylor.
>
her. Then I got put into Mrs. Bergen's grade 3 class. What a bear! Any
one else have her? Totally different from Mrs. Martin! Of course, the
year before, she taught my older brother, and I think shit flows downhill,
if you'll all please pardon the expression. Mrs. B. must have assumed that
I was as *difficult* as my brother. (I wasn't, but she scared me so bad
I used to skip school, thus giving the impression, falsely, that I was.)
Other teachers I had were Miss Morrow (grade 1) Miss Norrie (grade 4) and
Mr. Brown (grade 5, who was my first male teacher and also scared the wits
out of me, tho not as much as Mrs. B.)
Here are some of the names (as discussed in one of my other posts) of
some of the kids I remember from Rockcliffe. Anyone remember any of
them: (remember, the years are 1959-64) Janice Barber, Harold Cruickshank,
Holly Day, Stephen Foley, Robert Manion, Donna Desrocher, Judy, Keith and
Robbie Boguski, D'Arcine, Shelly, Timmy and Kevin McCart, Sherry Marshall,
Denise, Susan, Yvonne and Steven Beaune, Anne Cleol, Joyce Tasker, "Binky"
Powers (can't remember his real name), Phillip and Kenny Van Ness, Gret
Parker, Danny and Mike Neville (we met up with them again in Lahr), Nancy
St. John, Mark and Ned Desaunlier, Ricky Hickey (swear to God, that was
his name, we knew them in Edmonton, too), Barbara and Charlie Guy, Marilyn
Williams (her blond hair was always green because she swam so much), Patricia
Black (her mom died of cancer when we were in grade 3, it must have been
awful for her, but I was too young to understand, unfortunately),
Elizabeth Patrick-Maxwell, Paul Delaney, Joyce Dunn, Madeline Oulette, Mary
Scott, Kenny and Debbie Crosby, Linda Bristol and Mary-Jane Seaman.
How's that for a memory? No year book!! :)
bwwe...@gmail.com
> Dear Fellow Base Brats;
> of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
> 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
> on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
> through out the years by their base brat experiences.
> Craig
I do not remember you but I had Mr. Brown in grade 6 and Mrs. Taylor in grade 7. My name is Brent Webley. grade six was in 65 and seven in 66. I now live in Stratford Ontario. I move their in 1969 on my own to pursue a hockey career and stayed . Love it Brent
rm2...@gmail.com
> Dear Fellow Bae Brats;
> of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
> 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
> on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
> through out the years by their base brat experiences.
> Carey
> Craig
Alexander between 1953 and 1957. When I first started there, if I recall correctly,it wasWoodfalle School. Not sure when it was renamed to Viscount Alexander. Went to Rideau High School in 1957. Lived in Ottawa subsequently between 1979 and 1995. Base Rockcliffe PMQ's were still there then, and I was able to return to 21 Via Vega in Area 5 where we used to live. Was like walking into a bit of a time warp. Only thing different was the size of the trees.
At anyrate. teachers when I was there: Lucille Wheeler, Veronica Ryan, Miss
Sharkee, Mr Smith. Mr. Carlson.
Dad got transferred to 1 Fighter Wing Marville France in August 1958.Wzx there until 1961.
Ron Mitchell
paulme...@hotmail.com
> Dear Fellow Base Brats;
> of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
> 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
> on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
> through out the years by their base brat experiences.
> Carey
> Craig
William Yeo
(in article<4018bedd-2673-4eb5...@googlegroups.com>):
You might find CAFBA to be of interest to brats see<http://www.cafba.ca>
the...@agelessnb.ca
the...@agelessnb.ca
walterb...@gmail.com
info...@shaw.ca
> Dear Fellow Base Brats;
> I would love to hear from those
> of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
> 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
> on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
> through out the years by their base brat experiences.
> Carey
> Craig
Would love to reconnect with others there . I lost a lot of friends when Dad was transferred to Edmonton. info...@shaw.ca
rabb...@gmail.com
randy...@sympatico.ca
randy...@sympatico.ca
Been a while but my sister a I attended Woodfall School which later became Viscount Alexander. We lived in Area 7, on Mars Street in the very first PMQs constructed at the base. My favorite memory is seeing all the Airforce Day flying practices prior to the actual event., which was the 2nd weekend every June. I'm Randy, and my sister is Sharron - last name Hunter. My dad was a career airman (CEPE), and served two terms of office as the Mayor of Rockcliffe. My best friend was Jimmy Lavigne, and his dad was 408 Sqdn.
That was many moons ago - and it's all gone now, except for the memories !
rick....@gmail.com
I remember Miss Ryan, a really nice teacher, one of the best I had. Lived at 13 Mynarski Crescent and did grade 6 at auxiliary school, in an old barracks, near the National Research Center. Was in France from 59 to 62
Rick Fader
rick....@gmail.com
> Carey, we were in area 3 on Mynarski from 1956 until 1962. For me those were the grades ending with fourth in '61-'62. Coinciding with your years/grades yet I never left the Annexes. My sisters were in seventh and eight at Viscount in 1962. We are the Bambrick's who lived at the bottom of the Arcturus hill at 49 Mynarski, the second to last house in the dead end, one of only eight single family two story four bedroom houses built. ...wally bambrick
Rick Fader
math...@gmail.com
> Carey Craig (carey...@ns.sympatico.ca) writes:
> > of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
> > 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
> > on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
> > through out the years by their base brat experiences.
>
> sent to the local french school in Vanier (anyone remember what Vanier was
> called before it was changed to that name?) I don't remember the name of
> and my older brothers would always threaten me tales of strange men
> lurking in those woods, waiting to "get me".
>
> quarters were segragated according to whether your father was an officer
> or not. Dad was an airframe technician and we always had comfortable
> housing on the bases we lived, but I vaguely remember officers children
> having a little bit better/bigger bedrooms. Or am I totally delusional
> here? Anyone else remember this being the way of life on base?
>
Vanier was Eastview, and before that was Clarkstown.
superic...@gmail.com
superic...@gmail.com
superic...@gmail.com
careyc...@gmail.com
gwg...@gmail.com
Didn't go to Viscount Alexander School, but I did attend Rideau High School from 1961-1965. My girlfriend, Bonnie Riseley - now wife - went to Lisgar Collegiate Institute. We lived at 56 and 58 McLeod Crescent (same duplex).
Sad to see the Base and PMQ's levelled.
Anyone there at that time remember us?
furk...@gmail.com
> Dear Fellow Base Brats;
> I would love to hear from those
> of you who attended the Vicount Alexander School during the period
> 1956-62 . I am especially looking for old childhood friends who lived
> on Altair Avenue. Also others who may have been profoundly influenced
> through out the years by their base brat experiences.
> Carey
> Craig
