DICK WALLACE - A TRIBUTE

Dick Wallace has died. We are all going to do that one day. Nonetheless, that fact does not lessen the loss we feel when one of us passes.

Dick was very much part of the fabric of the 1st and 3rd Battalions., particularly in the early days. Some of you who served in the 2nd, and 4th Battalions would not have been privileged to have served with Dick or to be influenced by him in your military and regimental experience.

 A reminiscence arises:

Dick had this damned dog, Grock. The story was that the dog had been Willy Mulherin’s, and he’d gotten it in Hanover when he was serving with the 27 th Brigade in 1951.I don’t remember the details of how the possession of Grock passed from Willy to Dick, nor does it matter The dog, Grock, purportedly a military police dog, was, for certain, an Alsatian German shepherd , big and if not mean, certainly one which commanded one’s respect, and he got it from us junior officers.

The single officers of the 1st Battalion lived in the Brass Castle, a nondescript H hut, east of the Officers’ Mess in Camp Petawawa. Those of us who were married could use it for clothing changes, showers, etc., following the Tuesday afternoon Battalion run ,(how could you run with a stomach full of curry?), Battalion sporting activities, or whatever. Irrespective, you have no idea of the consternation we experienced walking to the shower, towel draped, to be confronted by Grock. I think Dick delighted in watching us try to merge into the wall as he and Grock walked by.

Ah, but revenge is sweet! Dick succumbed to the charms of Blanche, a comely maiden, resident in the teachers’ quarters in Deep River. Asking her to marry him and she agreeing, a wedding date was set and the pre-nuptial preparations were set in motion. Naturally, a stag party was arranged and held in the Officers’ Mess, on, I think, a Tuesday night. That is not significant, except that we didn’t have to go on parade in the morning.

Much merriment ensued. Games were played and we greased the gun many times. Toasted were made, drinks had, and for every one Dick got, Grock got one too.

 Finally, it came that time in the latter stages of the evening to decorate Dick’s privates with shoe polish in preparation for his wedding night. Well, needless to say, a struggle ensued, and in the midst of the melee, Dick could be heard yelling, “ Grock, help me!”

Grock who had been lying on a chesterfield, launched himself off in a valiant attempt to serve his master. On contacting the floor, Grock’s legs failed him, and he spread-eagled, immobile. The only things that moved in that animal were his eyes.

I’m told by the single officers that when Grock walked down the halls of the Brass Castle the next day he walked in the middle of the hallway because he had sore hair supremo, among other things!

Dick and Blanche were posted out of the 1st Battalion before we went to Germany in 1959 and went off to serve elsewhere in a number of postings. Our paths would cross at Home station events and other Regimental activities elsewhere. Eventually they retired to Petawawa Point and Dick took up participation in the Regimental Association in a big way. He became involved in the Regimental Museum, took it under his wing, served it as our Curator and made it what it is today, a testament to us and to the Regiment., and a tribute to himself.

Dick, Up the Guards. See you, buddy .

Ian Inrig, Sebastian, Florida

Memorial donations to the Pembroke General Hospital, 705 McKay St. Pembroke, ON K8A 1G8 or a charity of one's choice would be appreciated by Blanche and Chris. Messages of condolence may be may be sent to
Blanche and Chris at wallacerb@sympatico.ca or tel. 613-687-6135.