Activities of the 17th DYRCH during the 1950s

Activities of the 17^th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars during the 1950s (Sgt G. Yorgan)

This collection of pictures was taken by Sergeant George John Patrick Yorgan who served with the unit during the 1950s.  During the Second World War, he had served in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals at the 2nd Division Headquarters, and during the Korean War, he had served at Camp Petawawa.  He passed away at the age of 89 at the Veteran’s Hospital in Ste. Anne de Bellevue on November 14, 2011. This collection of photos was donated to the Royal Canadian Hussars Museum by his family.  We thank him and his family.

George Yorgan’s pictures give a good indication of the training conducted in the 1950s, as well as the vehicles used.  The training was carried out mostly in Camps Petawawa, Gagetown, and Farnham, however the unit also made use of the rifle ranges in St-Bruno.

Most of the vehicles used for training were those acquired during the Second World War or shortly afterwards.  The large, wheeled armoured cars are Staghounds, which were used by the unit between 1957 and 1960.  The Otter Scout Cars were probably used from around 1954 to 1956.  The Ferret Scout Cars were used for several years from around 1955 until they were needed for overseas peacekeeping missions.  Throughout the 1950, a pool of Sherman Tanks at Camp Petawawa was used for training and range practice.  Universal carriers were also used for training and administration.

Some of the training depicted in these pictures is in preparation for the civil defence role, where members of the reserves would be expected to help the population deal with the aftermath of a nuclear attach.

In 1955, a ceremony was conducted to commemorate the members of the unit who had lost their lives during the Second World War.  The next-of-kin and many quests were invited to this ceremony.

Photo Album Regiment