Regimental Society Newsletter - Lord Strathcona's Horse

Sadly Imust onceagain passon the newsof the deathof one ofthe family.MGenA. JamesTedliepassed away in Victoria on I January.Gen Jim served the Regiment andthe Corps with distinction, havingserved as Commandant of theSchool, Director of Armour, andas Commander 4CMBG whenthe Regiment arrived in Iserlohn,Germany in 1965. He was one ofour more colorful senior officersand blessed with a great sense ofhumour, although that wasn’t quiteso obvious the time that I, as a 2Ltand his designated aide, oversleptand made him late for a Regimentalparade. Nevertheless he wasobviously a man who did not holda grudge and I was fortunate enoughto enjoy his company on manysubsequent occasions.One of my favourite recollections ofhis sense of humour was a commenthe made at a meeting at 4CMBGHQ in late 1965. The Commander1 British Corps was to visit andthe Brigade was going to put on aparade that replicated one done forthe Queen earlier in the year. Allunits were to be in their vehiclesexcept the Strathconas (tanks werenot permitted on the Fort Henryparade square) so the Regiment wasto provide a 100 man dismountedguard. At this particular meetingDick MacDonald was representingthe Regiment and I, a Garry at thetime, was representing Recce SqnFGH. Dick mentioned that there wasconcern that, as the Regiment wasStrathconas NewsletterStrathcona ENewsjust moving into Germany, the dressblue uniforms might not arrive intime. The rest of the Brigade was tobe in combat clothing. BGen Tedlielooked down the table, smiled, andsaid “Dick, I know the Strathconaswould like to be mounted but on thisoccasion I think shaking hands willsuffice!” As a Garry I thought thatwas a great line and, come to thinkof it, having now been a Strathconafor 31 years, I still think it is funny.I’m sure others will have similarrecollections that will find a place inour Newsletter, so send them in toKathy please.Farewell General Jim, you will bemissed.Colonel John E. Roderick, CD (Ret’d)Colonel of the RegimentIn Oct 1946 I was as an RCDTrooper posted to Fort Churchill onthe windswept shores of the GreatHudson Bay.I fi rst met Major Tedlie on the hillcoming down from the base hospital,he was driving a jeep and wearingan RCD Battle Dress Tunic and ofall things a Cameron Kilt underwhich he wore nothing. I was quiteastounded and approached him andtold him he was improperly dressedand we became good friends ashe told me he was commandantdesignate to Col D Cameron of FtChurchill.He was a well liked by all ranks,,,My next encounter was whenhe commanded the brigade inPetawawa, on his Unit Inspectionhe opened one of my drawers in SgtsQtrs and took out an apple and tooka bite out of it and said “Where doyou keep your dirty laundry” andPage 8I replied that I had none as I do itevery night. He responded “Oh, Iwear mine”. He had a terrifi c senseof humour.In 1970 he visited National DefenceCollege where I was employedas Training Sgt Major. During asymposium including many highranking Offi cers, he spotted me andimmediately came over and gave mea hug and re-newed aquaintences.Gen McLellan remarked that weshould talk later as the Minister ofNational Defence was waiting for usto be seated.He was a great guy and a realtrooper I found when I visited athis home in Sidney BC in 1986,he said he wanted me to see hisback kitchen where he was in theprocess of writing a book. He had ashingle over the door “TROOPERSROOST”.Submitted byNorm WoodHe will indeed be missed by many! Iwould like to offer my condolences toGeneral Jim’s family and friends.I had the personal pleasure ofserving as his Batman/PersonalSteward at Hill Top House duringthe last months of his serving asCommander of Canadian ArmyNational Forces (Europe). I wasalso present at his Farewell Dinner,September 1, 1966 and to this datestill cherish the Menu with Jim andMarg’s best wishes and Thanks.General Jim exemplifi ed whatit takes beyond the Rank to be aleader of Men. This evening I willtoast him with a bottle of HeidsekDry Monopole Brut, the samewww.strathconas.ca