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Beaumont Hamel Armoury
In 1950 an armoury was built in Grand Falls and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was reactivated as a militia regiment in Grand Falls, Corner Brook, and St. John's forming a component of the Canadian Armed Forces. On June 9, 1951 the Grand Falls Armoury was officially opened by Sir Leonard Outerbridge. It was renamed the Beaumont Hamel Armoury in honour of the First World War battle at Beaumont Hamel in France where the Royal Newfoundland Regiment suffered great losses. The archway that was built on High Street this year for the Centennial Celebrations was very similiar to the Peace Archway built in our town in July of 1919 to commemorate the third anniversary of the July Drive and the Battle of Beaumont Hamel in 1916. The Beaumont Hamel Armoury is located on Memorial Avenue in Grand Falls-Windsor.
The people who work at the Beaumont Hamel Armoury are members of “B” Company of the 2nd Royal Newfoundland Regiment. There are also 3 cadet groups there - Air Cadets, Sea Cadets, and Army Cadets. You can join cadets when you are 12 years old. When you are 16 you can join the Reserves. Right now about 30 people work there. They are mostly Infantry Soldiers. Their work is usually training. They train one night a week and one weekend a month. They also train in the summer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. My dad used to be an Infantry Soldier and my mom used to be the Chief Administration Clerk.
The most important job of the Reserves is to protect us if there is a war. Sometimes they go to different parts of the world on peacekeeping missions. They also help in the community if there is a natural disaster, or if something really bad happens.
Michelle Rowe (2004-2005) |
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