2 Wing Brats Reunion
Ottawa, 2005

Update of 20 August 2005:

Update of 19 August 2005:

Update of 13 May 2005:

"Hello All 2 Wing Brats - You are invited to Gracie O'Malley's Irish Pub at 6:30pm on Thursday, June 2. Gracie's is easily located just East of the 417 at the North East corner of Oglivy and Cummings Roads in a small strip mall. The 2005 Brats Organizing Committee will be there relaxing and looking forward to seeing you. We'll be happy to tell you all about our Sept 23, 24, 25, Brats Reunion in Ottawa. We think that you will love the program whether you were two or twenty during your days at 2 Wing. Come out and meet old friends or make new ones even if the 2005 reunion is not (yet) in your plans.

Larry Duffield, 1954-1957
2005 Brats Reunion Chairperson.

Update of 16 April 2005:

Minutes of Organizing Committee Meeting
2 Wing Brats Reunion 2005
Saturday 16 April at Gerein’s, Whitby

Present: Larry Duffield – Chair; Judy Moore – Recording Secretary; Bill Gerein, Robyn Gerein, Hazen Gilks, Janis Gilks, Wally Gilks, Virginia Hogan, Patti McGee, Jim Nubel.

Regrets: Ray Campeau, Sally Campeau, Joy Gilbert, Martin Hogan, Pam Stanley, Joyce Young.

Meeting called to order at 315 pm.
Welcome and thank you to hosts Bill and Robyn Gerein.
Minutes from 5 February 2005 meeting approved.

Committee Reports:

1) Budget and Registration – Hazen

Discussed at length, possible methods to increase registrations.

Ren L’Ecuyer will be offered a contribution of $150 to send out a survey to Brats on the 2 Wing database to determine their level of interest in attending the reunion. Responses will be sent directly to Larry via email.

Names & contact information of Brats from the database were divided up between committee members for an individual approach to be made by email or phone. Responses gathered indicating their interest and plans to attend should be emailed to Larry by 8 May as deposits will start being paid in May.

Hazen is to check 2002 registration dates of attendees to determine the pattern of registrations, e.g., Did most people wait until August to register?

Fees were set for attending one event only (not advertised and to be given out solely on request): Friday - $75, Saturday - $100, Sunday - $50. Cost for all 3 days remains at $175.

Mess, Hotel and Band – Jim

Jim is to draw up a reunion weekend schedule and distribute copies to Mess staff and all committee members.

A rough-draft of the schedule was started (below).

Friday 12: noon – 1pm: Set up registration desk – Virginia
2: - 5: pm: Registration and Welcome
- Bar will be open during this time period.
- Charts will be available to sign up for sports.
- Consensus, to omit cancellation policy on registration form.

Saturday am: War Museum Tour
- Pam is to follow her lead about a tour of the museum.
- Those interested will make their own way there and meet up at a set time.
- Larry is to ask Ren for a hyperlink to War Museum.

Saturday Prom Night 6: - 7: pm: Reception.
7: -9 pm: Dinner.
9- 12 pm: Dance - The band will play during hours we request.

Sunday Church Service 10: - 11: am: Chaplains may lead an ecumenical service possibly in an alcove on the 4th floor.

Sunday Brunch: 11: am – 1: pm: Wind-up (guest speaker, awards, recognition??)

3) Program and Registration Desk - Virginia
Virginia is to see Joy about photographs and photographer.

4) Food and Refreshment – Robyn and Patti
Discussed, amendments to registration form now on website (premature) related to food choices. In the interim Larry will have registration form on website revised to indicate general preferences for “beef, chicken or vegetarian”.
Robyn and Patti will provide more concise information about available menus and lead time required for requests after their meeting with Mess staff on 3 June. (Obtaining this information at registration desk is too late).

5) Souvenirs, Memorabilia and Décor - Wally
Decorating will have to be carefully coordinated and the workload spread over several people to avoid heavy demands on the backs of a few.
Discussed, attendees will need something to take away, though souvenirs will be offered only if budget allows.

6) Communications – Judy
Discussion, style colour and size of boutonnieres and corsages for Prom night.
Virginia will purchase supplies and get together with Judy to make them.

Larry volunteered to be the Emcee in Ottawa.

A hospitality suite will be available for both Friday and Saturday nights.

There will be a gathering at Grace O’Malley’s on Ogilvie Rd in Ottawa on Thursday 2 June to promote the reunion to Ottawa-area Brats.

Meeting adjourned.

Next meeting: Friday 3 June at Jim Nubel’s in Ottawa.

Update of 5 March 2005:

Hello Fellow 2 Wing Brats:

Late last year we announced the "Second National 2 Wing Brats Reunion" to be held at the Junior Ranks Club at Cartier Square, Ottawa, from Friday September 23 through Saturday and into Sunday September 25, 2005. This second message is intended to update you on what's been happening over the past couple of months. First, your organizing committee invites you to check out the reunion on our website: .

You will notice the same crazy group which brought you the 2002 reunion will do it again in 2005. This year for basically the same price, $175., as in 2002, we will offer a seamless 48 hour program (all program details on the website). We will definitely retain the three cornerstone events adding some new elements such as:

On Friday evening the theme will be "BISTRO NIGHT". Dig out your net stockings and slit skirts and berets to go with period music and food including the cheapest and harshest red wines we can find to accompany the jambon, baguettes, cheeses and pates. On Saturday night the Mess becomes PROM NIGHT highlighted by 2002's great band, "Eddie and the Sting Rays" complementing your white sports coat and flaring crinolines. The menu will be embellished with a healthy portion of red meat or a fish or a vegetarian option. Our wind-up SUNDAY BRUNCH will have new elements including more recognition and awards to those attending.

New elements in the 2005 program will begin with the first event: "Registration - Welcome" on Friday afternoon which will be orchestrated at the Jr Ranks Club (not the Hotel). First, we will take a 'now' photo hopefully to be contrasted with your 'then' photo. Both photos will go into the Reunion Souvenir Book with your short bio on what have you been doing over the past forty to fifty years. Also on Friday afternoon we will be getting you signed up and started on some mess hall based 'sports' like darts, table tennis, fussball, shuffleboard, and pool. This will be fun for novices as well as those who may have done any of these in years past (ie the emphasis will be fun not competition).

Saturday morning will be a revealing and nostalgic tour of the new War Museum (officially opening the Spring of 2005). Amongst the exhibits will be a replica of a St Avold PMQ apartment reported to be from 'F Block'! Other museum tours will of course, still be available. Also new on Saturday will be a pay-your-own lunch organized at a convenient fine-dining restaurant followed in the afternoon by small group gatherings such as your favourite sports teams or class reunions. New on Sunday will be a church service, led by some of our own who have related experience, which will provide opportunity to give blessings to the 'way we were' and the 'way we are'. This year there will also be a "hospitality suite" in the Holiday Inn (next to the Mess) where all will be welcome to share-in a byob drink.

A couple of caveats: first, the sports will be organized to emphasize particpation NOT competition; second, costume or special dress on Friday and Saturday is NOT mandatory but encouraged (there will be prizes). Our purpose is to encourage interchange and conversation, we will have quiet zones for conversation Friday and Saturday.

Well, I hope this inspires you to fill out the registration form (available on the website) and send it completed to our finance guy, Hazen Gilks. Someone from the organizing committee will be contacting you over the next few weeks. They will answer your questions and encourage you to register plus contact others from your 2 Wing days who may not have a computer or not yet be in our data base.

We look forward to greeting and seeing you in September - let us know if you have suggestions to enhance our proposed program. We hope this year to have more teachers particpate, and more of our friends and perhaps younger siblings, who missed the excellent reunion in 2002.

Finally, we will have a 'prep party' evening in Ottawa, from 5 to 7pm, on Friday, June 3. Mark your calendars to come out and have a little fun before the big event in September. Location to be advised shortly.

Best regards and see ya soon!

Larry Duffield, 1954-1957
2005 Brats Reunion Chairperson.

Update of 31 December 2004:

You are invited to attend the 2 Wing Brats Reunion in Ottawa from September 23 to 25. In 2005 the world will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of VE Day and we more modestly the third anniversary of our successful reunion in October, 2002. Many of us are reaching such important milestones as receiving CPP cheques and even retirement. None of us however, have left behind those rich years we spent together at 2 (F) Wing in Grostenquin, France. Let's rekindle again those fires lit for so many of us in those 2 Wing years!

Most of your 2002 organizing committee have continued to bond and have agreed in the past couple of months to take up the fun challenge of doing it again in 2005 maybe even bigger and better. We have decided to retain some key elements which were so successful on the last occasion. Thus we will retain the same location: OTTAWA - your Nation's Capital; the same venue: JUNIOR RANKS CLUB - centrally located between City Hall and the Rideau Canal; the same host hotel: Holiday Inn, 111 Cooper Street - note the name change but still modern and stagger distance from the club.

The three day week-end program will again be anchored by three major events: the Friday Night Opening Reception, the Saturday Night Dinner and Dance, the Sunday Brunch. We will be elaborating in the next weeks the changes in themes for these key events. Under consideration is a wine and cheese plus event to be the opening reception and the Saturday evening to maybe do a "Prom" theme.

In addition we are expecting to add into the program a number of other events and activities which will include a Friday afternoon registration event, Saturday morning physical activity, Saturday afternoon visit program (note the new War Museum will be inaugurated in 2005) and informal group lunch, Sunday church service....

The Reunion Registration Form link is to be provided at a later date.

In 38 weeks or about 266 days we are looking forward to seeing you all and having a super fun time together. Put those dates on your calendars and those registration forms into the mail to reserve your spot in the event of 2005!

Larry Duffield, 1954-1957
2005 Brats Reunion Chairperson.

Minutes of the Committee Meeting 11 December 2004