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#134 Cadet Corps

Name - Calgary High Schools Cadet Battalion

Location  Calgary, AB

Formed  March 24, 1905                 Disbanded  Dec 1, 1933

Commanding Officers/Chief Instructors- 

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History -   

   134 Calgary Public School Cadet Regt.

This corps formed as The Calgary Public School Cadet Company 24 Mar 1905. redisig: Cadet Regt Calgary Public Schools, Feb 10, 1912. reorganized: into 4 Bns Calgary Cadet Regt, Nov 16, 1914. All companies were disbanded 1 Dec 1933. Pre-dating #134 CC, was a cadet corps at the "High School Cadet Corps" at least from Jan 1901 (RG18, Vol 208 RCMP file #218). An issue of 45 (quantity) Snider Carbines was loaned to the cadet corps on March 28th 1901. James Short was the secretary of the school board.

1897-98

The Cadets in Calgary can trace back there roots to 1897 when Sgt. Fred Bagley of the NWMP was hired by the school board at $15 per month to teach military drill to the school pupils. Central school,

1898-99

 In 1898 RL Parker was appointed drill instructor for the schools and he organized the first cadet corps of 50 cadets. 25 were mounted and 25 were infantry cadets.

1899-1900

1900-01

The cadet corps received their first rifles[1]

1901-02

August, Coronation day, The manly looking cadets under command of R.L. Parker, recently appointed as drill intsructor, also put on a good show and were presented wit ha silk banner by Mr. R.B. Bennett on behalf of the Fire Brigade. the school cadets alos receiveed medals donated the Calgary School board.

1902-03

1903-04

.

1904-05

The corps performed drill at the laying of the corner stone of the James Short School. The school cadet movement officially came to Alberta in 1905 when the following corps were authorized: #134 Calgary Public School Company; 135 Macleod CC and 136 Western College CC. The latter started out as a mounted cadet corps. In 1910 the title was changed to Western Canada College Cadets.

Western Canada High School today, (F. Arseneault, 2005)

1905-06

1906-07

Military District #13 is formed with headquarters in Calgary . Military District #13 would be responsible for all activities and training supervision for the cadet corps through out the province.

1907-08

1908-09

Strathcona trust fund started for cadets, $500,000. invested for the cadet’s future.

1909-10

Sergeant Major Alex H. Ferguson appointed Drill & Physical Training Instructor within the Calgary Public school board. A position he would have for the next 23 years.

In 1910 a system was put into effect that lasted for 22 years

1910-11

Cadets formed up on the grounds outside the school, 1911 (Glenbow Archives NA-2622-37)

1911-12

A large school cadet camp was organized and held at Reservoir Park (south Calgary) July 1-16. About 700 young lads were under canvas. The Calgary cadets brought shooting honours to the province by winning the King’s Cup and the IODE Challenge Cup.

Winners of the A.R.A., O.R.A., and D.R.A. cadet matches, 1912.
L-R: Dalton MacWilliams; Doctor A. Melville Scott, superintendent of schools; Jack Fraser; Colonel J. S. Walker, chairman of school board; Orley Louden; Sergeant-Major Alex H. Ferguson, instructor; Douglas Mackenzie; J. Schmick. (Glenbow Archives NA-3232-60)

1912-13  

L-R: Colonel James Walker; Sergeant Dalton McWilliams; Cadet A. Penny; Cadet W. Baker; Cadet D. Mackenzie; T.E.A. Stanley; Cadet D. Ashby; Cadet J. Fraser; Colour Sergeant O. Louden; Doctor A.M. Scott; Cadet J. Schmick; Cadet Gratz; Cadet J. Comer; Sergeant Major A.H. Ferguson (instructor). (Glenbow Archives NA-2380-5)

 

 

Back row L-R: ---?; ---?; Orley Louden; Douglas Mackenzie; ---?; Bill Baker; ---?; Jack Fraser.
Middle row L-R: ---?; ---? Ashby; ---?; ---?; Colonel J.S. Walker; Alex Ferguson, instructor; ---?; ---?; ---?
Front rear L-R: ---/; ---?; Jeff Comer.
Front L-R; Dalton MacWilliams; ---? (Glenbow Archives NA-3232-61)

 

Alberta rifle team at Rockcliffe range, Ottawa, Ontario, 1913. With sign, "Sunny Alberta". Rifles on their laps.
L-R back row: Orly Louden; unknown; William Brankley, Royal North-West Mounted Policeman; Captain Alex Ferguson; unknown; unknown; unknown; unknown; unknown; Jack Fraser.
L-R centre row: unknown; unknown; Captain J.S. Gilker; Colonel W.C.G. Armstrong; Colonel James Walker; Major Martin; unknown; unknown.
L-R front row: Doug Mackenzie; Jeff Comer; Mr. Penney; Dalton McWilliams; Bill Baker; unknown; Doug Ashby; Charles Gratz. (Photographer/Illustrator: Pittaway, A.G., Ottawa, Ontario) (Glenbow Archives NA-2380-1)

1913-14

                CO: Lt. W McNeil  22 Jan 1914

Western Canada College : 3 companies of cadets

L-R back row: C. Henderson, Orley D. Louden, F. W. Huggins, R. Harvie, C. M. Gratz.
L-R middle row: W. McCamon, H. McJanet, J. A. C. Macpherson, Alex H. Ferguson, G. Carr-Harris, W. Baker.
L-R front row: L. Sinclair, Dalton MacWilliams, J. Comer. (Glenbow Archives PB-855-3)

Cadet Dalton McWilliams, 134th Cadet Corps, Calgary, Alberta. (Glenbow Archives NA-1956-1)

Cadets in front of King Edward School, ca.1914  (Glenbow Archives NA-2517-2)

1914-15

                CO: Lt. W McNeil / Western Canada College

A company and B company

1915-16

CO: Lt. W McNeil

1916-17

                CO: Lt. W McNeil  Sgt Maj Alex H. Ferguson

1917-18

CO: Lt. W McNeil

Capt. Fred McCall DSO MC & Bar DFC had 34 victories over Europe . He was a former cadet from # 134 Cadet Corps Calgary .

1918-19

CO: Lt. W McNeil

CSC officers on stength, Military District 13:

                                                                Lt. J.J. Stapleton #139 CC, 1 May 1909

                                                                Lt. K.P. Stewart #301 CC, 26 Nov 1910

                                                                Lt. J.J. LeBlanc #196 CC, 1 Dec 1910

                                                                Lt. C.L. Coffey #134 CC, 4 Mar 1911

                                                                Lt. W.R. Dyer #134 CC, 11 Mar 1911

                                                                Lt. G.W. McKenzie #292 CC, 1 Apr 1911

                                                                Lt. E.B. Asselstine #139 CC, 1 Dec 1911

                                                                Lt. W.H. Pedley #180 CC, 15 Mar 1912

                                                                Lt. A.D. Cowper #180CC, 14 Mar 1912

                                                                Lt. S.J. Davies MC #278 CC, 20 Sept 1912

                                                                Lt. A.E. Torrie #317 CC, 1 Oct 1912

                                                                Lt. H. Kennedy #180 CC, 15 Oct 1912

                                                                Lt. L.B. Yule MC #139 CC ?, 15 Oct 1912

                                                                Lt. A.J. Watson #180 CC, 17 Oct 1912

                                                                Lt. P.E. Bell #179 CC,  18 Oct 1912

                                                                Lt. R.J. Scott #293 CC, 1 Nov 1912

                                                                Lt. G.C. Beazley #293 CC, 1 Nov 1912

                                                                Lt. J.P. Page #179 CC, 11 Nov 1912

                                                                Lt. L.W. Taylor #179 CC,  28 Nov 1912

                                                                Lt. M.E. LaZerte #325 CC, 1 Dec 1912

                                                                Lt. F.W. French #179 CC, 5 Dec 1912

                                                                Lt. E.G. Grant #134 CC, 1 Feb 1913

                                                                Lt. W. McNeil #134 CC, 22 Jan 1914

1919 Rifle Team #134 Calgary High Schools Cadet Corps (courtesy: Capt George Picken)

1919-20

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

The Alberta Military Institute is formed.

The cenotaph, Western Canada High School (photo: F. Arseneault, 2005)

1920-21

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

The corps won the Mayland Shield cadet drill championship

1921-22

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

??Dan Gardiner VC...mystery...listed as a WWI Victoria Cross winner...was an army cadet in Calgary . Was he enlisted with the British? Did he win the VC? What happened to the records?

1922-23

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

1923-24

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

The corps won the Mayland Shield cadet drill championship

1924-25

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

2nd year in row winning the Mayland Shield cadet drill championship

1925-26

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

3rd year in row winning the Mayland Shield cadet drill championship

Annual Cadet Services - Annual Magazine 31 Aug 1926 editor  Maj. L.W. Miller DSO

Cadet Corps in Alberta :

School                                                   instructor                              unit                         no. of cadets

Calgary Public Schools                     Capt. A.H. Ferguson           CSC                        1,219

Calgary Public Schools                     Capt. H Flood                      CSC                        829

Mount Royal College                          Capt. G.M. Miller                50th Bn                  26

Western Canada College                    Lt. F. Gardiner                     CSC 47th              47

Normal Practice, Calgary                 Capt. G. Lunn                       CSC                        55

St. Mary’s Calgary                               Mr. J. Clancy                                                        87

66 corps in the province

During the school year ending 31st August 1926 , there were 5924 cadets enrolled together with 63 Cadet Instructors in all of Alberta . [2]

1926-27

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

June, the 1292 AMI Cadet corps formed.

1927-28

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

1414 cadets enrolled in 134 PS Cadet Regt, divided between Western Can HS and several public school

for the 5th time in 8 years the corps won the Mayland Shield cadet drill championship

1928-29

CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

the corps paraded 130 cadets in three platoons.

Cadets at Earl GrePublic School (Oliver, W.J. - NA-4341-6, Glenbow Archives)

1929 DCRA Winter series Cadet Matches with .22 rifles. Galer Hagarty Memorial Results

Cadet M.R. Shantz (134 CC) combined score of 388 out of 400 5th place national.

East Calgary High School and later renamed Col Walker School, home to 1st Bn D coy and respectively 2nd Bn H Coy (Sept, 2005 - F.Arseneault)

 

 

1929-30

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

March, the 134 Calgary Public School Regiment Cadets is split into two units: 1st Bn consisting of the 800 high school based cadets becomes the 134 Calgary High School Cadet Corps with companies and platoons in Western Canada HS, Central HS, Crescent Heights HS, and East Calgary HS. 2nd & 3rd Bns consisting of all the public school cadets (junior high) became the 136 Calgary Public School Cadet Corps, some twenty schools with 1200 cadets. 135 Mount Royal College Cadet Corps continued unchanged as did 1292 AMI cadet corps.

1930-31

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

                cadet corps parading over 200 boys in 4 platoons

1931-32

                CO: Capt. Alex H. Ferguson

The corps won the Mayland Shield cadet drill championship

Oct. 10, 1939 Calgary Herald:

The school board disassociated cadets from the school system in June of 1932, Alberta Military Institute (associated with RAUSI) took over.

see also #136, 1622, 1955 Cadet Corps;