75 Toronto Scottish Regiment Army Cadet Corps

iated to the 80th Reserve Company of the Veterans Guard of Canada. The Veterans Guard of Canada was a corps of First World War veterans between the ages of 45 and 65, formed in May 1940, for full-time and reserve service during the Second World War. On 10 February 1945 the Cadet Corps was renamed #1951 East York Kiwanis Club Cadet Corps. Art Whitaker who was a Civilian Instructor. In the spring of 1948 the Cadet Corps underwent another name change, this time it became The Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps and was moved from its original training location in East York to the home of its affiliated unit at Fort York Armoury. Under The Toronto Scottish Regiment’s stewardship, Instructors and Senior NCOs of the Cadet Corps traded in their standard issue cadet uniforms for Regimental uniforms and command of the Corps was undertaken by Captain Robert Summerby. In the fall of 1950, with a large component of the Cadet Corps’ leadership, including Cadet Lieutenant Hugh Stewart and several Senior NCOs, “aging-out” and moving on to the Regiment, along with the simultaneous departure of Captain Summerby, it was decided to stand the Cadet Corps down. Twenty years later, on 10 November 1970 Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Stewart was appointed Commanding Officer of the Regiment. One of his first acts as CO was to seek approval to revive the Regiment’s Cadet Corps. On 01 February 1971 The #75 Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps was formed. Securing the number 75 for the newly formed cadet corps was not automatic. Since 1904 cadet units were numbered in sequence of formation and the potential for an existing corps already having that designation was very high. Prior to The Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps being designated #75, that number had been held by the Jewish Lad’s Cadet Battalion in Montreal, QC from 01 June 1901 to 09 September 1908, the Minnedosa Cadet Corps in Minnedosa, MB from 12 December 1913 to 13 September 1928 and the Minnedosa School Cadet Corps in Minnedosa, MB from 27 January 1931 to 09 November 1932. As luck would have it, #75 was available and Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart received authority to use that number to designate the Regiment’s Cadet Corps. The first Cadet Corps Commanding Officer was Major William Magee, who at the request of Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart, transferred to The Toronto Scottish Regiment from the 2nd Field Engineer Regiment to command the Cadet Corps. During World War II Major Magee had been a member of the 1st Special Service Force, the famed “Devil’s Brigade.”

The following is a list of Cadet Corps Commanding Officers from formation to today. It is based on records held by The Army Cadet League of Canada and supplemented by additional information from various sources. Maj. W.J. Magee (1971-1972)

Maj. J.R. Massingham (1972-1974)

Capt. G.R. Faraday CD (1974-1982)

Capt. J.M. Donohue (1983)

Capt. J.E. Bellis CD (1984)

Capt. B.L. Dumble (1984-1989)

Lt. Kenny CD (1990-1992)

Maj. J.A. Merrill (1992-1993)

Capt. R.E.A. Mayne CD (1993-1996)

Capt. J.H. Bonnar (1996-2001)

Capt. S.E. Bonnar (2001-2004)

Capt. Law CD (2004-2007)

Capt. R.D. Lawrence CD (2007-2011)

Capt A.J. Lawrence CD (2011-2015)

Capt H.E.M. Lawrence CD (2015-2017)

Capt A.J. Lawrence CD (2017-2019)

Capt G. Lizaire CD (2019 - 2023)

Capt M. Jameer (2023 - Present)

On 30 July 1975 Parliament passed Bill C-16 which amended the relevant cadet legislation by changing the word “boys” to “persons” thereby finally permitting girls to “officially” become members of The Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps. In 1977, a new uniform to match the colour of the unified Canadian Forces was issued to cadets to replace the wool tunics, pants and putties. Within the Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps however, the Senior NCOs continued to enjoy the privilege of wearing the Regimental uniform; a tradition that remains today. In 1987, the Cadet Corps saw another change when the enrollment age was reduced to 12 from 14 years. In 1993, a DND initiative designed to provide better service to youth across Toronto resulted in The Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps, and others, moving out of Fort York Armoury and into the outlying community. The Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps was assigned the area of lower Etobicoke to make its new home. The area serviced by the Cadet Corps is bordered by Eglinton Avenue West, the Humber River, Lake Ontario, and the Mississauga border. Although continuing to maintain an HQ office and stores within the lines of The Toronto Scottish Regiment at Fort York Armoury, the Cadet Corps found a training location within a building owned by the Etobicoke Lions Club at Kipling Avenue and The Queensway in Etobicoke. The Cadet Corps conducted training at that location until the Lions Club sold the building a few years later. The challenge of finding another training location for the Cadet Corps then fell to Cadet Corps Commanding Officer Capt. Bonnar who quickly found an enthusiastic partner in Branch #210 of the Royal Canadian Legion located at Bloor Street West and Islington Avenue in Etobicoke. In 2004, under the direction of the Cadet Corps Commanding Officer Captain S. Bonnar and with the assistance of past Cadet Corps Commanding Officer Major R. Mayne, a Cadet Corps Senate was organized to help support the Cadet Corps in accomplishing its mission. Lieutenant-Colonel John Glaysher was approached to Chair the Cadet Senate and he enthusiastically assumed the role. In addition, members of the Cadet Corps leadership and Branch #210 Legion also took their place at the table. The partnership with Branch #210 grew stronger each year and when the Legion decided to close its doors at the Bloor Street building in 2005 and buy a new, more cost effective, building for its members at 110 Jutland Road in Etobicoke, the Commanding Officer of the Cadet Corps Captain W.J. Law was invited into the planning discussions immediately. While renovations of the new Legion took place, the Cadet Corps paraded at Fort York Armoury during the Fall 2005 training session but due to difficulties faced by cadets making the longer trip to Fort York Armoury each week, it was decided to return to Etobicoke in January 2006. On 10 January 2006 the Cadet Corps took up temporary residence at Holy Angels Catholic School at 65 Jutland Road, Etobicoke (opposite the new Legion) until they were able to move into the new facility. As a result of the ongoing and very successful partnership between the Cadet Corps and Branch #210, the Legion was invited and agreed to become a co-sponsor of the Cadet Corps. In the Spring of 2005, Branch #210, Royal Canadian Legion, was approved as a co-sponsor of the Cadet Corps with The Toronto Scottish Regiment, thus creating a formal civilian and military partnership in support of the cadet program. On 19 September 2006, with the new Legion open for business, the Cadet Corps formed up at Holy Angels School for one last time and marched down the street to be “welcomed home” by members of the Legion at a special ceremony to mark the occasion. Since its formation over 35 years ago, the Cadet Corps has carried on – celebrating a number of important milestones. The Cadet Corps has participated in almost every major event and parade alongside the Regiment and other members of the regimental family, has competed in and won First Aid and Shooting Competitions, participated in foreign exchanges with other cadet organizations, sent hundreds of its members to summer training centres across Canada and abroad, and has graduated many of its members onto successful careers within the Regiment and other components of the Canadian Forces. Today, The #75 Toronto Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps is settled into south Etobicoke where it continues building community partnerships, serving local youth, and writing the next page of its history. William J. Law CD

Captain

Commanding Officer (2004-2007)