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by Jacqueline Chartier
An open-air performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture complete
with bells and gun fire was a fitting way for Calgary's Museum of
the Regiments to officially open its new Alberta Gallery. Pride,
patriotism and a sense of exultation were clearly evident - the
dramatic musical score appeared to fit the mood perfectly.
Since its establishment nearly a decade ago, the Museum of the
Regiments has evolved to become Western Canada's largest military
museum. It honors the courage, commitment and sacrifice of all those
who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces. While its focus is
primarily on the military experiences of Calgary and Alberta, the
museum has significance for all Canadians.
Until recently the museum has consisted of four permanent
galleries. The facility houses the regimental collections of the
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), Princess Patricia's
Canadian Light Infantry, The King's Own Calgary Regiment
(RCAC), and the Calgary Highlanders. The museum is organized so that
each of these four regiments has its own gallery with displays
specific to their own history. In addition there is the Imperial Oil
Gallery which is designed to house special or temporary exhibits and
displays.
The addition of a fifth permanent gallery, the Alberta Gallery,
marks another milestone in the museum's development. The 1,800
square foot gallery cost approximately $250,000 to construct and
contains 15 exhibits. With funding provided by the Department of
National Defence, the Alberta Community Facility Enhancement Program
and Museums Alberta the directive of the project was to provide a
broad overview of Alberta's military history from the 1870s up
until the present day.
 For retired Col. Ian Barnes, the Executive Director of the Museum
of the Regiments, the Alberta Gallery is the culmination of a dream.
"For me it has been a rewarding experience to watch my original
vision become a reality. It has taken many hours of planning,
discussing, meeting and work, much of it by volunteers, to build the
gallery," said Barnes.
Visitors touring the Alberta Gallery go through several corridors
housing displays of provincial Regular Force Units, Militia Units
and Branches. The gallery is arranged chronologically as well as by
theme or topic. The first dominant display is a mural and lifelike
diorama depicting the arrival of the North West Mounted Police in
1874. Their mission was to stop the whiskey trade, establish law and
order and improve relations with the First Nations people. Next, the
gallery turns to 1885 with an exploration of the role of the Alberta
Field Force and others involved in the Northwest Rebellion.
Going through the Alberta Gallery, a visitor is struck
immediately by two things: the use of state of the art technology to
bring the past to life and the use of both official languages. There
are sound and electronic components to virtually all of the major
displays and the visitor is given the choice of experiencing the
displays in English or French.
With the outbreak of the First World War, a large training centre,
known as Sarcee Camp, opened in Calgary. A large display features
the camp as well as the famous numbers on Cairn Hill (Signal Hill)
that were used to signify particular batallions. Today these numbers
continue to be a highly visible landmark. The Alberta Gallery also
recounts the stories of Calgary's historic Mewata Armoury, Currie
Barracks and Sarcee/Harvey Barracks.
Another highlight that visitors will not want to miss is the
display representing the Canadian Air Force. Present in Calgary from
1936 until the early 1960s, the RCAF trained initially at Currie
Airfield and then at Lincoln Park Station. During the Second World
War, Lincoln Park became one of the centres for the British
Commonwealth Air Training Plan. During this period, nearly 132,000
air crew members from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New
Zealand were trained.
 Established on August 13, 1941, the Canadian Women's Army Corps
played a vital role during the Second World War and they are also honored with a prominent display in the Alberta Gallery.
Of the total 21,624 women that served in the Canadian Women's Army
Corps, 1,914 were from Alberta. While not allowed in combat, members
of the corps provided essential support in the clerical and
technical trades.
Additional displays include showcases on 1 Service Battalion, 1
Field Ambulance and the Signal Corps as well as on the Canadian
involvement in United Nations peacekeeping duties and the 41 Brigade
Group that commands the province's 1700 "citizen"
soldiers.
The final display in the Alberta Gallery, "Aboriginals in
the Service," brings the gallery full circle. Starting with the
story of the First Peoples and concluding with a modern story of
those Aboriginals who have chosen to serve with the Canadian
military, visitors are certain to find this an appropriate summation
to over one hundred years of Alberta's military history.
According to Ian Barnes the addition of the Alberta Gallery to
the Museum of the Regiments has been a great benefit. "I hope
that all former members of the army and air force will now consider
the Museum of the Regiments as their home and specifically the
Alberta Gallery as the repository of the units' heritage."
The Museum of the Regiments is located at 4520 Crowchild Tr.
S.W., via the Flanders Avenue exit. It's open daily from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. except Wednesdays. For information phone 403-974-2850 or
visit their internet site at
http://www.museumoftheregiments.ca/
Jacqueline Chartier is a Calgary-based writer. She
received her B.A. in English from the University of Calgary and also
holds a journalism arts diploma from Mount Royal College. She is a
volunteer at the Museum of the Regiments.
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