27

Some BCDs are cleaning their Browning machine guns.
1971
Sarcee Range, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

28

In January 1981, a modern two storey brick building on the same site, behind the 'temporary' Kelowna Armoury, replaced the old Atco modular Headquarters building. The Armoury was originally a school and was purchased as a temporary facility that has been utilized to the present day. In 1980, the Regimental Armouries were named and dedicated to two former Commanding Officers of the Wartime unit, who had achieved the rank of Brigadier. Kelowna's became the Brigadier Angle Armoury and Vernon's became the Brigadier Murphy Armoury.

It was in April 1982 that the Regiment had its first armoured Gun Camp in many years, with six gunners firing 200 tank rounds in the new Cougars, on the US Army's Yakima Range, in Washington State.

In May 1983, a contingent of former and current members of the BCD travelled to Veendam, Holland, and Kelowna's sister city. There was an official welcome in the Veendam City Hall Chambers, a tour of the City, a visit to their museum, and the opening of an exhibit documenting the German occupation of 1940-1945. Later, there was an evening commemoration service, and a walking visit to the City's cenotaphs, to lay wreaths of Remembrance. Recall that the BCD's were billeted in this city after VE-Day. A Polish armoured unit actually liberated it in May 1945.

In addition, Penticton awarded the Regiment the 'Freedom of the City.' After a ceremony at City Hall, a parade, led by the band of the 15th Field Regiment, RCA, of Vancouver, marched down the wrong way on a one-way street, to Penticton High School. This seemed an appropriate way to verify that Freedom. The Dragoons were accompanied by a large group of the "Old Guard" from the BCD Whizzbangs Association (Whizzbangs), led by the Honorary Col. D. Kinloch. This was a major element of the unit's 75th Anniversary celebrations marking the founding of the unit. In April, the Regiment hosted a Gala Ball at the Parkinson Recreation Centre following a parade through the streets of Kelowna.

On 1 May 1985 in the Veendam City Hall Square, the Dragoons, accompanied by a contingent of Whizzbangs, and the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 26 (Kelowna) Pipe Band, received the 'Freedom of the City.' Over 400 members of the Regimental family, consisting of the veterans and their spouses and serving members of the unit, attended. In the Square, the Chief Constable halted the advancing parade, led by the CO of the day, Lt. Col. M. Hughes. The Chief then knocked three times on the doors of City Hall. Burgomaster Boekhoven emerged with the entire Veendam Council to greet the Regiment and to proclaim the Freedom. A detachment of the Regiment then entered City Council Chambers where LCol. Hughes received a ceremonial parchment, and addressed the Council on behalf of the current and past members of the unit. This trip once again demonstrated the genuine love and respect felt by the Dutch people for the Canadians in general, and by the citizens of Veendam and area in particular, for the Dragoons. At Loppersum, for example, a memorial service attracted 2,400 Dutch anxious to convey their thanks. For their part, many Whizzbangs were able to revive old memories with visits to the families with whom they had billeted in 1945. A visit was arranged to the garden, in Veendam, in which a mere sapling of a Maple had been planted in 1945, where a mature tree stands proud today.

29

The Guidon of the BCDs is marched on parade during the Okanagan Military Pageant.
18 May 1980
Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, BC, Canada

30

The bands play during the Okanagan Military Pageant.
18 May 1980
Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, BC, Canada

31

Okanagan Military Pageant.
18 May 1980
Kelowna Memorial Arena, Kelowna, BC, Canada

32

Kelowna's armoury became the Brigadier Angle Armoury.
17 May 1980
Kelowna, BC, Canada

33

Mrs. Harry H. Angle.
17 May 1980
Kelowna, BC, Canada

34

Miss M. Patricia Murphy, daughter of Brigadier W.C. Murphy.
17 May 1980
Vernon, BC, Canada

35

Lt. Col. J.R. Young addresses the regimental family.
17 May 1980
Vernon, BC, Canada

36

BCD contingent to Veendam, Holland led by Lt. Jilg, Sgts. H. Schindel, K. Cmolik, and J. Stecyk.
May, 1983
Veendam, Groningen, Holland

37

During this period, weekend field training exercises on a squadron level consisted of two Recce troops in Jeeps, a four-car Cougar troop, an infantry troop and an echelon component. Trained personnel manned the Recce and Cougar troops. New recruits and the untrained generally started in the infantry troop.

Since the national survival period, summer camps, or "Milcons" (Militia Concentrations) as it has come to be known, has occurred mainly at Wainwright, Alberta. This Camp has ranges large enough to accommodate the firing of most forms of ordnance and all the equipment used by the Regiment is available there for gunnery and Recce training. The US Army facility at Fort Lewis, Washington was adequate for Recce training but after the Regiment went Armoured that facility was simply too small to accommodate live fire gunnery practice. This meant that the Dragoons began to make ever more frequent trips to the much larger range at Yakima, Washington, in addition to attending Milcons in Wainwright.

Over the years, the high standards maintained by the unit was rewarded with overseas postings to UN peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, deployment of 30 personnel to Montreal, Quebec for the 1976 Olympic Games for security, and personnel have regularly been seconded to the LdSH and the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCDs), on NATO missions in Lahr, Germany.

Since 1977, the Dragoons have maintained their presence in competitions, winning the Howard Trophy in 1984 as the most improved Militia unit in the country. This honour was perhaps, in large measure, due to the Regiment's excellent showing at the Ramshead Gunnery Competition at CFB Gagetown in June of that year. This was the first time this competition, normally restricted to Regular Force units, was open to the Militia or 'Reserve' units. The BCDs won the Howard Trophy again in 1987.

Started in the mid-1980s and run intermittently, LCol. Peter Nichita instituted a regimental sports day, usually scheduled as close as possible to 1 April to mark the anniversary date of the formation of the unit. The event is often held at Vernon because the various facilities nearby. Intended as a training day, the BCDs and their families play baseball, soccer and the like while socializing, finishing the day with a barbeque.

38

A BCD recce patrol is dropped off by a US Army Chinook helicopter.
1980
Fort Lewis, Washington, USA

39

The BCDs had 4 Cougars.
1981
CFB Petawawa, Ontario, Canada

40

Leopard C1A2.
1984
Probably CFB Petawawa, Ont., Canada