LCol Colin Mouatt

Commanding Officer

1982-1985

 

LCol Colin Mouatt was the Commanding Officer for 7^th 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 29^th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA. He progressed to the rank of Bombardier before taking his commission in 1965, which was when 7^th 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 7^th Toronto Regiment, RCA formed the regiment with 11^th 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 (4^th 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 4^th 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.

v2017