For a couple of years the dog house was heated by a small wood burning heater known as a cutter heater. When wood was added or the fire was stirred, sparks would fly out of the chimney. As all young guys are practical jokers, this next incident always stays in my memory.

Some fellow employees of the Camp rode in a car driven by Doug Burnett. Our two vehicles travelled somewhat together to and from work. On one trip we were heading home down the highway at about 45 or 50 miles an hour. Doug and his passengers in the car were about 500 feet behind us. One of us in the truck, a corporal by the name of Don Birdsell, happened to look out the back door and said, “Hey, I think Doug is getting a little too close, stir up the fire!” So somebody took a stick and stirred the fire and the sparks started coming out of the stove pipe at the top of our dog house. Of course, Doug had to slow down to avoid the sparks and a good laugh was had by all.

The road from Edgerton to Wainwright was only gravel at that time and was never in very good condition so a vehicle didn’t last very long. The winter following the sparks episode, we rode in another dog house built in the back of a truck and driven by Dud Sawyer of Edgerton. This dog house was very modern and heated by a propane heater. No more stirring the fire! The fact that 11 people rode in the half ton truck, 8 in the back and 3 in the front seat, gave a lot of good comradeship to those riding together. We even had a light in the back so we could play cards. Somebody invented a board, 2’ by 2’ with a bordering rim so the money and cards wouldn’t fall off.

I moved to Wainwright in 1957 with my parents when my dad got a job in Camp. In 1958, the Engineer Stores Depot was about to close down, due to consolidation of stores and I was moved to the Qartermaster Stores where I was to take over the clothing stores section. This job proved very interesting as I was eventually to meet all military personnel in Camp Wainwright. These people were all very friendly and many a good chat was had at clothing parades and at outside functions.

During the next three years I was a member of a four piece orchestra (the Swingsters) and we played for all the dances put on by the different sections of Camp Wainwright. In 1961 the clothing section of QM Stores was absorbed by the Ordnance Depot, now known as Camp Supply Section. I was back where I started.

Time went by and I was moved to the Warehouse Section as receiver. Here I learned how incoming stores were distributed to different sections. During slack periods I drove a truck and forklift to keep busy. During a visit by the Deputy Minister’s Auditors, with whom I had talked many times, it was decided I should have a promotion and a move to another section.

I was given charge of 10 quonsets full of defence stores, 2 forklifts and the job of arranging the sale of surplus equipment through Crown Assets Disposal Corporation. Again I got to know a lot of people from all over Alberta, Saskatchewan, and B.C. These were scrap dealers who bought surplus equipment for re-sale through various outlets.

In 1982 I decided it was time to retire. As of 30 June 1982 I was formally released from the Civil Service and free to pursue my hobbies of antique car restoring, music, and piano tuning and repair. During the next 6 years, I restored to original condition a 1930 Model “A” Ford sedan and rebuilt 3 pianos which I sold to various people. At the present time I am restoring a 1929 Ford Roadster for a friend in Edgerton.