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CANADIANARMEDFORCESDAYANDAIRSHOWATCFBBORDEN

“Ican’tbelievethey’vejustcrushedmyHeliographtarget!”FromtheVintageSignalsTeamDisplayatCFBBorden,thetaillightsofthecarparkedunderthetreewereperfectforflashingMorsecodesignals.Ourvisitor,TheBaseCommanderhandedhisMorsecodecardtohisAideandhurriedovertogetacloserlookastheBattletankrockedbackandforthovermytarget.

Onthe2rdJune2018,theVintageSignalsteamcombinedwithCaptainCaron,RSMGrahamandWOWhelantosetupthe32SignalsDisplayattheBordenAirshow.SgtPalikscrambledcanvaswhileMCplStubbingsandCplCoffinweavedandliftedasthedisplaytookshape.

TheVSTofRickLittle;DaveHaywardandTerriandDonMCGillvrayquicklypopulatedthedisplayandtheSignalsstoryofthe100daysandthecrossingoftheCanalDuNordcametolife.

WhatbeganascoolandcloudriddenclearedintoperfectHeliographdaywithvisitorsincreasingasthebeginningfortheairshowdrewcloser.The500ormorevisitorstook250SignalsPostCardswithfamiliesenjoyingthefascinationoftalkingtoeachotherthroughamanualswitchboardusingthemagnetophones.

WithsuchaperfectdaytheHeliographdemonstrationwasmuchindemandwithasharedamazementatthecapabilityofequipmentover100yearsoldtosendencodedmessagesover70miles.“Really?”avisitorasked,“Well,wehaveusedittosendamessageacrossLakeOntariofromTorontotoHamilton.It’sgettingtheheightthatmakesitpossible.”

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ThisisthecueforRicktocomeinwithhisdemonstrationofwhathappenswhenthesungoesaway.ThelampsarepairedandfamilymemberssendMorsecodemessagestoeachotherwithsquealsofdelightorremonstrationsof“that’snotwhatIsaid”echoingaroundthetent.

Forthemanyhistorian’sandschoolteachers,Davehashisdisplayandmapsofthe100daysBattleof1918.ThisfineachievementofCanadianArmsisanotableachievementforCanadianSignalsaswentfromstaticwarfaretomobilejointoperationswithAir,Artillery;Armour;rapidRecce,cavalryandinfantry.Thisis

anamazingachievementthatdemonstratestheflexibilityandinnovationsocharacteristicoftheCanadianCorpsof1918.

Bytheendoftheday,theteamweretiredandhappywhenCaptCaron,RSMGrahamandWOLimbertarrivedtoretrievethetentageandtables.OnsuchabeautifuldayimmersedinBordenwherethefirstSignallingSchoolwassetupandseeingtheCanadianSignalCorpsCampflagflyingoncemoreoverequipmentthattheSignallersinBordenwouldhavetrainedon,itwasatimeforreflectiionnostalgiaandacoldbeer.

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TheVintageSignalsTeamisproudlysupportedby32SignalRegiment