_________image_________ …Come here and say that… Training photo submitted by Camp Wainwright MWO Ed Wheeler, PPCLI, completed a three year posting in Wainwright during the early 80’s before transferring to Calgary and retuiring from the forces. He is now with Courthouse Security in that city. Ed was in Wainwright for various training exercises over the years recalling sharing his bunker space with gophers, and being chased - all wrapped up in his sleeping bag - across camp by a merciless buddy with a snake. He also remembers an exercise in late June (1966 or 1967) when a snowstorm necessitated sending to Calgary for winter gear. Ed made a few chilling trips between Wainwright and Calgary strapped to a 106mm gun in an open jeep during his time with the army. There were always brigade sports meets upon the completion of an exercise which was indicated by the firing of Honest John (missile). The troops participated in shotput, discus, javelin, tug-o-war, foot and relay races. One particular event involved 10 men pulling a 5/4 ton trailer on a quarter mile track, dismantling and assembling the entire unit during the race. Another incident Ed remembers involved a Sgt from Quebec (Lemieux) and a 106 RCL anti tank .50 cal spotter that fired tracer… the Sgt was an observer on the firing pad and the fellows promised him no noise. When the tracer fired, the 106 immediately let loose with a powerful blast and flame. Lemieux was 10 feet up and out of there, with his smoke bent up to his nose. When asked about tear gas exercises, Ed remembers a few unfortunates who either panicked or left the plug in their apparatus and couldn’t breathe, ripping their masks off and losing their sense of direction before having to be dragged out of the building. It’s all part of training though and things have to be done just as efficiently in the dark as in daylight. As in any line of work, there’s always a trick or two played on the rookies, one Ed remembers is asking a recruit to pick up paint and a bruxh at QM stroes to paint the “Last Post", which of course is a bugler’s tune, not a fence post at all.