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12 SINGALONG: Kent Tocher, an inimitable popular entertainer, had the veterans of the Royal Canadian Dragoons and their wives and families singing along with the old favourites, Saturday. Royal Canadian Dragoons' reunion a nostalgic time The annual reunion of the Royal Canadian Dra- po was held in the idyl- Ic setting of Acton's Royal Canadian Legion hall Sat- urday, in beautiful summer weather beside a sparkling Fairy Lake. The regiment which converted from mounted dragoons to tanks when World War 2 broke out, has a long military tra- dition and it was a nostal- gic time for many of the veterans attending. One noted he had been part of the Dragoon's mu- sical ride which paraded down Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1938. He re- called the very next year they traded their horses, which were sold to France, for tanks and they become a mechanized unit. But tradition was not forgotten. One member of the regiment in full dress uniform complete with red coat, burnished plumed helmet, white gloves and dark breeches, was at the reunion mounted on a bay. Others in dress uniform carried lances and took part in the official ceremonies on the Legion patio. The reunion and family barbeque were a joint project of the Royal Cana- dian Dragoons and Acton branch of the Royal Cana- dian Legion. Members of the regiment had visited the Acton Legion at an earlier mini-reunion and were so impressed with the setting and the hospitality they picked Acton as the site for their annual get-together. The event gave much personal satisfaction to le- THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1998 SPECIAL THANKS: Official ceremonies at the Dra- goons' reunion Saturday were short but special. Here the regimental head delivers a vote of thanks to Acton Legion President Gary Munday, left, while organizer Frank Spielvogel, right, looks on. gion member Frank Spielvogel, a soldier with the regiment in Germany as well as Canada, who spear- headed the organization of the event along with other member of the Legion in- cluding Mike Manuel and Joyce Buchanan. It is now hoped to make Acton the site of future reunions. The program for the af- ° ternoon included a concert by Acton Citizens' Band under the baton of Dr. George Elliott. A favourite was the regimental march which brought the veterans to their feet. A short offi- cial program included a presentation to Acton Le- gion president Gary Munday by Dragoon offic- ers. Entertainment after- wards was provided by the always popular Kent To- BAND CONCERT: Acton Citizens' Band provided an entertaining concert for the regimental reunion of the Royal Canadian Dragoons. Dr. George Elliott con- ducted the band which among their numbers included the regiment's march. cher. A family barbeque fol- lowed which featured a roast pig transferred trom a spit to the plates of doz- ens of hungry veterans, their wives and families who attended from all over Ontario. TRADITION REIGNS: At right, Former Royal Canadian Dragoon mem- ber Frank Spielvogel en- joys the symbolism as he checks the full dress uni- form of the regiment worn by a member of the RCMP who was made an honourary member ofthe - ~~ unit for ceremonies at Acton Legion Saturday with the mounted fighter plane in the background. PERFECT SETTING: Acton visitors to the reunion of the Royal Canadian Dra- goons enjoyed a perfect summer afternoon at the Legion hall on the shores of Fairy Lake while the Acton band and Kent Tocher entertained.