Lcol Leo Atkins

 

Col Leo Atkins was the founding Commanding Officer of the 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA and as such holds a unique position within the history of the Regiment.

Col Atkins was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on March 23, 1929. He grew up in Mount Stewart, PEI and attended St. Dunstan’s University which overlapped with the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1943, he put his University education on hiatus and enlisted in the Canadian Army by lying about his age at which point he was sent to Shilo, Manitoba to train in 1943. As it became evident that he was not going to be sent overseas to fight in Europe, he returned to St. Dunstan’s to complete his university education as a member of the university’s ROTC programme , finally graduating in 1945 with a Bachelor of Science at the inspiring age of 16.

With the war over and now a commissioned officer and active member of the militia, Col Atkins moved to Val D’Or, Quebec where he worked as a miner before moving to Toronto in 1952. In Toronto, he took up a career with the Independent Order of Foresters, beginning as a clerk however rising to the position of Vice President of Marketing in 1967 and Senior Vice President, reporting directly to the CEO in 1970. He would be one of the first persons to use a computer, when in 1959, as part of his position at IOF, he would be selected to become Data Processing Manager and receive training on IBM’s 360 Computer in Endecott, New York.

Col Atkins married Lois Roper in 1953 and had their first child, Tom in 1954 before purchasing their first house together in 1955, and saw their family expand with the addition of their daughters Jill, born in 1956 and Susan, born in 1957. 1963 would be the year in which he became Commanding Officer of 29th Field Regiment, the predecessor of our own unit, at which point he was the youngest CO in Canadian Army history during peacetime, being only 34 years old. As was the custom of the time, he then travelled to Buckingham Palace to be invested by the Queen as Commanding Officer. Upon the amalgamation of 29th Field Regiment, 42 Medium Regiment, and 1st Locating Regiment in 1965 to form the 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA, LCol Atkins was appointed as the first Commanding Officer of the new unit. Upon completion of his time as CO, he would then go on to become Honorary LCol and then Honorary Col of 7th Toronto, as well as a founding member and first president of the Toronto Artillery Foundation.

Col Atkins would retire from his civilian career in 1983. He would then go on to travel the world with his girlfriend and enjoyed playing cards, particularly cribbage and euchre. Tragically, Col Atkins passed away on April 27, 1997 at the age of 68. Today, he is survived by his children, as well as his grandson who was born in 1977 and bears the same name, as well as his two grandchildren Rein and Raili.

 

 

Colonel J. (James) R.M. Hubel, CD

 

Honorary Colonel Hubel was born in Cornwall, Ontario on 6 April 1938. He completed his education at Stirling High School (Grade XIII), Peterborough Teachers’ College, Queen’s University (B.A.) and the University of Toronto (M.Ed.).

 

He began his military career in 1955 as a Private, later Lance Corporal (Paid), in the Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment. In 1961 he enrolled in 29th Field Regiment (Self Propelled), Royal Canadian Artillery as a Provisional Second Lieutenant. During the years 1961-74 he assumed nearly every regimental appointment in the amalgamated 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA. In 1975 he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer completing that appointment in 1979. In that year the regiment gained the distinction of winning second place in the national artillery firing competition, the highest indicator of operational readiness. Thereafter, Lieutenant-Colonel Hubel served at Toronto Militia District Headquarters, commanding in successive summers of 1980 and 1981 the 700 strong Student Employment Program in Toronto/CFB Borden, and in 1982 the National Rank Qualifying School (Artillery) at CFB Shilo, Manitoba. In the fall of 1982 Lieutenant-Colonel Hubel became a member of the Directing Staff at the Militia Officer Training School in Toronto and was its Director from 1985-91. In the fall of 1991 he was appointed Senior Staff Officer Artillery at Land Force Central Area Headquarters. In 1992-93 he returned to 7th Toronto Regiment as Commanding Officer for the second time, completing his thirty-sixth and final year of active military service.

 

Lieutenant Colonel Hubel was President of The Royal Canadian Artillery Association in 1985 and was its national secretary from 1994-2002. On 1 February 1999 he was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA. Effective 10 March 2005 he was appointed Honorary Colonel, 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA completing this duty on 10 March 2009, his 46th year of service  in the Canadian Army Reserve.

 

Now retired from his civilian and military careers, Colonel Hubel is a former elementary school principal with the Scarborough Board of Education. He was a principal/vice-principal of nine different schools including junior elementary, senior elementary and French Immersion schools. Close ties with the Children’s Breakfast Club and Meals on Wheels were forged at his last school – John McCrae Senior Public School.

 

Colonel Hubel is married and his family includes his wife Irene and adult children, William, Donald and Leslie. James and Irene are members of St. John’s Norway Anglican Church.  He remains active with the Royal Canadian Legion, Veteran Advisory Committee at Sunnybrook Hospital, as well as the Sunnybrook Comfort Fund.

 

Awards:

  • 4 September 2007.ViceRegal Commendation presented by Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman.
  • 19 September 2003. Colonel Commandant’s Commendation presented by Major General J.A. MacInnes, CMM, MSC, CD
  • Community Volunteer Services Award 2016, presented by Premier Kathleen Wynne, M.P.P.
  • 19 May 2016 Minister of Veteran’s Affairs Commendation, presented by General (retired) Walter Natynczyk, Deputy Minister

 

LCol (ret’d) George Haylock

 

LCol (ret’d) George Haylock was born October 1941 in Toronto. He attended Northview Heights Collegiate Institute before studying business administration at what was then the Ryerson Institute of Technology. Following his graduation from Ryerson in 1964, LCol (ret’d) Haylock worked in business before beginning his career with the Ministry of Labour.

As a high school student in 1958, LCol (ret’d) Haylock enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces through the student militia program. He served first as an NCM in the 42nd Medium Artillery Regiment (RCA), then was transferred to 7th Toronto Regiment (RCA) in 1965. He rose through the ranks as an NCM, reaching the rank of Sergeant, then received the Queen’s commission in 1963. As an Officer, he served both within and outside the unit, taking on Class B opportunities in the 1970s.

LCol (ret’d) Haylock served as CO from 1979 to 1982. As a reservist, he balanced military duties with considerable civilian responsibilities: during his years as CO, he took on a new position in the provincial government and also greeted the birth of his first child—all while commuting from Kitchener.

Nonetheless, LCol (ret’d) Haylock enjoyed his tenure as CO. A memorable highlight took place at the RCAA meeting at St-Jean in 1980. Prior to becoming CO, he served for a second time as BC 9 and, in 1979, he led the Battery to victory in a national Gun Battery competition. Since he took command of the Regiment soon afterward, LCol (ret’d) Haylock was honoured personally to receive—on behalf of the Regiment—the Cape Challenge Cup that 9 Bty had won under his leadership.

Having retired in 2006 from his career as a civil servant, LCol (ret’d) Haylock continues to reside in Kitchener, where he enjoys his well-deserved retirement. In his words, he is “going strong”! He is particularly grateful for opportunities to see his two adult children (who live in Alberta and the United States, respectively).

 

LCol (ret’d) Haylock reflects that, when he served as CO, he worked to ensure that the unit would continue to flourish for years to come. Thus, in the legacy of 7th Toronto Regiment (RCA), LCol (ret’d) Haylock is yet another valuable link in the chain of leadership that displayed the dedication and foresight needed to carry the unit to the many successes we enjoy today.

 

Lcol Colin Mouatt

 

LCol Colin Mouatt was the Commanding Officer for 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA from November 1982 to November 1985.

LCol Mouatt was born in London, England on 21 March 1947. He moved to Canada with his mother and two sisters at the age of 13. He served in the reserves while working full time in the civilian sector. Various titles were held from being a manufacturing manager for a paper company and later worked for a subsidiary of General Electric as an electrical manager.  Afterwards he transferred to another GE subsidiary to train and empower employees on the production lines before going full time in the reserves in 1987.

 

The start of LCol Mouatt’s military career began when he joined the Student Militia program in high school at the age of 16 where he was assigned to130 Battery with 29th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA. He progressed to the rank of Bombardier before taking his commission in 1965, which was when 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA was formed.  He advanced through every position in the Regiment and took over as the Commanding Officer on November 1982.

LCol Mouatt had encountered surprising outcomes through his career as the Commanding Officer where he had positive support from Gen Belzile. LCol Mouatt was tasked by Gen Belzile in creating an artillery regiment for the defence of North America. The 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA formed the regiment with 11th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA to create 7 RCA. As Gen Belzile wanted to see how the regiment progressed, he wanted all of the equipment to be consolidated in John Foote Armoury.  For any deficiencies, a chair was used to represent vehicles that the Regiment did not have. Returning from a week’s vacation, LCol Mouatt came back with numerous vehicles and trailers that supported two batteries and the Regiment HQ.

A second surprise came from the summer of 1983 where LCol Mouatt was training in Petawawa with Gen Belzile in attendance.  In order for the guns to be hidden tactically, helicopter cam net was the only cam net available for use. The nets immediately disintegrated with the first fire. With Gen Belzile’s support, a trailer full of cam nets for the guns was given.

After his term of CO, LCol Mouatt transferred to the Militia Officer Training School where he was a member of the directing staff for the Militia Command and Staff course for two years.  Later, he was appointed as a senior staff officer for Operations in Training in the Toronto Militia District Headquarters (32 Canadian Brigade Group) for another four years. He then transferred to Central Militia HQ to write an exercise for territorial defense. When the exercise was completed, he was placed on the implementation team for the Land Force Central Area (4th Canadian Division).  Following, he had a number of staff appointments for G3 operations and land force restructure.  LCol Mouatt retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2007.  He continued his passion for the military as a civilian with the 4th Canadian Division for another five years.

LCol Mouatt is currently married for 47 years with three children and five grandchildren.  Besides spending time with his family, he enjoys fishing and reading. Currently he is writing about the history of the Regiment from 1812 to 1912 and is expecting to complete the novel in mid-2017.

His words to the Regiment are “Keep at it”. The Regiment is worth caring and worth the time and investment from everyone: the troops, the officers, and the community.