'It all started out in Edmonton in the spring of 1942.
The Mad Midlands were really mad—fighting mad, and perhaps a bit downhearted.'
'Brothers, twins, father and son combinations and life-long friends were parted by repeated drafts until only a shell remained.'


Last reunion of the Midland Regiment, Lindsay, Ontario 1999
click the image to enlarge and see the names

from The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville  Thursday August 1, 1946
MIDLAND REGIMENT PLANS BIG REUNION WITH ROCHESTER TRIP
On September 8th, Cobourg will be the scene of the first reunion of the 1st Battalion Midland Regiment.
Before a great many residents of that town are up and about, cars and buses will begin arriving from the surrounding district, bringing together men who, in many cases, have not met for two or three years.

It all started out in Edmonton in the spring of 1942.

The Mad Midlands were really mad—fighting mad, and perhaps a bit downhearted. Lt.-Col. J.C. Gamey, M.M., E.D., Officer Commanding, had held a Battalion parade beside the Prince of Wales Armoury, following which the Mad Midlands marched down the main streets of Edmonton to the railway station, escorting the second group of men to leave the Regiment on draft for overseas.
The first group had left from the Niagara area the previous fall and had ended up with the unfortunate Royal Rifles of Canada, in Hong Kong. The present whereabouts of those men was, of course, unknown. And now a second group was filing aboard a waiting train and within minutes would leave for an unknown destination.

HOMESICK
The chaps getting on board the train were happy in one sense. This was what they had waited for! A few days at home, a boat trip and then the Old Country! Looking back at their chums from the open windows of the coaches they felt something akin to homesickness. With last-minute anxiety they shook hands with the lads who were being left behind and tried to remember those little messages they were to deliver to families down East on their way through to the boat.

"See you over there—Take care of yourself—Good Luck" and many similar phrases were heard as those last minute partings were made. When the train gave a jerk and started to creep out of the station those remaining on the platform gave a mighty cheer which effectively drowned out the band which was playing a tune that was to become dreaded, "Auld Lang Syne," despite the fact that many a throat was dry and tense.

REPEATED IN B.C.
Such a scene was not repeated until the battalion moved to Prince Rupert, B.C. After a camp had been built by a battalion of men who had joined up to fight the third blow came, and then a fourth, fifth and sixth. With a tenacity exemplified by Joe Louis one punch followed another, leaving little time in which to recover. Brothers, twins, father and son combinations and life-long friends were parted by repeated drafts until only a shell remained. After each blow the trainers administered a sedative which was to bring the patient back to strengh, an incoming draft of conscripts, a sedative tasting somewhat like vinegar and very hard to swallow.

It was in times like that that the idea of a reunion began to take hold. With the Regiment broken up and dispersed to the four winds a strong determination to keep in touch with those chaps who had collectively earned the admiration and respect of the people of Ottawa, Saint John, the Niagara area, Edmonton and Prince Rupert existed.

OFF ON VOYAGE
On Sunday morning the members of the Old Boys' Association, 1st Battalion Midland Regiment and their wives or lady friends will embark on the C.N.S.S. Ontario for a trip to Rochester. About 300 ex-Mids are expected to attend and an excellent outing is anticipated. The wives will have to take a back seat for those first few moments when pals of Army days are met and the expression "Do you remember the day when—" fills the air. However the wives will have considerable catching up to do too. Many accompanied their husbands right across Canada and have many happy experiences to chat about.

The day will be devoted to pleasure and reminiscing with the exception of about an hour when the men will assemble to discuss the future of their newly-founded organisation and to elect officers for the following year. Once that is over the strains of "We Are the Midlands, Midlands Are We,"—"We're the Men of The Midland Regiment, The Finest in The Land, etc." will drown out any opposition from the boat whistle or the fog-horn.


from The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville  Thursday August 7, 1947
MAD MIDLANDS REUNION HELD AT PORT HOPE
Civic Holiday in Port Hope brought a great throng to town to take part in the reunion of the members of the Mad Midlands, the local regiment whose history dates back to the early days of military affairs in the province of Ontario. More than 200 veterans
of the two world wars gathered to renew friendships and take part in the program planned for the day. Several came from points
as far apart as Manitoba and Quebec just to be with the old boys now back on Civvy Street.

WELCOME
J.T. Deyell, President of the Port Hope area association, was chairman of the business meeting which commenced at 10:30 a.m., and extended a welcome to the visitors.
Mayor W. E. Thompson, on behalf of the people of Port Hope, complimented the ex-Midlands on their war record.
Lt.-Col. J.C. Gamey, who returned to Canada from overseas in 1940 to take command of the Midland Regiment, was introduced by the chairman. The tremendous ovation given to Col. Gamey told a story in itself.

ADDRESSES
Col Gamey outlined the objectives of the Old Boys' Association and informed the gathering as to the steps which had been taken since January, 1946, to conduct a reunion on a yearly basis. He paid tribute to the men of Port Hope who had taken the lead and and made a reunion in Port Hope possible and said it spoke well for the future when such spirit still existed.
Frank Long, secretary-treasurer of the Port Hope area, described the organisation of the Port Hope group and the small reunion held here for local men in the spring. He urged all those who accepted offices to put their whole-hearted efforts into the work of organisation.

OFFICERS
An election of officers followed. Lt. Col. J.C. Gamey was unanimously elected Hon. President and J.T. Deyell, former C.S.M. of "C" Coy., president. John Harwood of Belleville was elected vice-president, and Douglas Chesher of Port Hope, secretary-treasurer. On these officers will fall the work of arranging a reunion next year.

PARADE
In the afternoon the Mad Midlands went on parade and led by the Port Hope Citizens' Band, marched up John Street to Walton and down Queen to the Cenotaph. Lt.-Col. J.C. Gamey, in charge of the parade, assembled the men in front of the Cenotaph and conducted a short but impressive service. After "Last Post" and "Reveille" Col. Gamey placed a wreath on the memorial in respect to the many Midlands who paid the supreme sacrifice during the past war.

MUSIC
The one missing link with the past was the "Standard of St. George," a military air very dear to every Mad Midland.
A special treat, although lost to many due to the confusion and noise made by men who had not, in most cases, met for three or four years, was the playing of a recording made by the Midland Regiment in Edmonton in 1943.
Men from Bowmanville, Cobourg and other neighbouring towns continued to drop in until 8 p.m. when the reunion officially closed.


from The Evening Guide  Monday August 29, 1966
GUARDS HOLD SECOND REUNION - PAY TRIBUTE AT CENOTAPH
PORT HOPE — The second reunion of the Arsenal Guard from Headquarters Company of The Midland Regiment was held Saturday in the Port Hope Legion Hall with some 20 former members of the 'Mad Midlands' and their wives in attendance.

The guard was originally made up of 15 men from Brighton and 15 from Port Hope with their duties at the arsenal in Lindsay, Ontario, running from August 1, 1939 to August 1, 1940, when they were replaced by members of the Veteran's Guard. They then returned to active duty with their regiment.Three former members of the Guard were subsequently killed in action after joining other regiments in the United Kingdom.

The former C.O. of the 1st Battalion Midland Regiment was unable to attend the gathering and was represented by his brother, Major R.S. Gamey of Toronto.
Major Gamey and the party visited the Cenotaph and placed a wreath in honour of the three Guardsmen who lost their lives on active service.

The dinner was followed by a social hour. Flowers were presented to Major and Mrs. Gamey on the occasion of their 54th wedding anniversary and to Mr. and Mrs. G. Lenfoot who were celebrating the 25th year of marriage.
The gathering broke up after the dinner with enthusiastic plans for another gathering in the future and an enjoyable trip into the nostalgic past of military association.


from The Canadian Statesman  Wednesday Aug 31, 1966
REUNION — About 20 members of the Midland Regt. who formed the Arsenal Guard at Lindsay early in World War II held a reunion at Port Hope's Legion Hall on Saturday. A photo in the Port Hope Guide showed some of those who were present, including Major R.S. Gamey, Scotty Broughton and Capt. L.M. Curtis. Later, the Guards became part of the Midlands when they were mobilized. Three of the original group were killed on active service overseas. Their memory was honoured during the reunion.


from Orono Weekly Times  Thursday September 10, 1970
MIDLAND REUNION HELD
Former members of the Midland Regiment paraded to the cenotaph in Colborne Saturday afternoon in memory of their fallen comrades.
Ex-servicemen of the disbanded regiment, which drew its strength from the Cobourg, Port Hope, Bowmanville and Lindsay area assembled at 12 noon at the Colborne Legion Hall.
J.W.I. (Scotty) Broughton, who was formerly regimental quartermaster sergeant, was chairman of the reunion which brought veterans from all over Canada and the U.S.A.
Taking the salute was Col. G.C. Gamey, MC, who was in command of the regiment in 1940 and was responsible for mobilizing it for active service.
A reunion dinner and dance was held Saturday evening.


Former Midland Regiment OC, Joseph Clifford Gamey, at the war memorial in Campbellford, Ontario 1970(?)
Picture from Gamey Lycett


from The Canadian Statesman Wednesday May 17, 1972
MIDLAND REGT. VETERANS HOLD REUNION AT LINDSAY
A beautiful spring day greeted veterans of Midland Regiment as they arrived in Lindsay to register for the unit's reunion being held here for the first time. Many "Mad Midland" veterans from the Bowmanville area attended the event.
More than 200 men took part in a parade Saturday afternoon from Royal Canadian Legion Hall on York Street to the Kent Street West cenotaph for a wreath-laying ceremony. Led by the Lindsay Kinsmen Band, the veterans made a colourful spectacle as they marched along the main street.

At the cenotaph, Major R.S. Gamey laid a wreath in commemoration of the regiment's dead and later took the regimental salute during the march past on Peel Street as the parade made its way back to reunion headquarters. Col. J.C. Gamey, MM., E.D., former CO of the Midlands who was to take the salute, died recently, so his brother took his place on the saluting stand.

Earlier in the day upwards of 150 people attended an ecumenical service in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church to which the public had been Invited. Speaker for the occasion was the wartime padre of the regiment, Rev. E. Donald Stuart.

In the evening 346 people enjoyed a banquet marking the occasion which was catered to by Branch 62 Ladies' Auxiliary of the Royal Canadian Legion. This was followed by an evening of dancing and sociability during which a 50-50 draw was won by Joseph Patrois of Almonte who becams richer by $462.83.

If the reunion was held in Lindsay for the first time it was not the first time that many of the regiment's members had trod its soil. The regiments entire headquarters company of 225 men was recruited from Lindsay and its surrounding district. Other companies recruited were 'A' company in Cobourg, 'B' in Campbellford, 'C' in Port Hope and 'D' in Bowmanville. The battalion itself recruited something like 1,200 men in nine days during World War Two.

The unit as a whole never saw service as a fighting unit on any combat front in World War Two, but reinforcements went out from it to practically every fighting front, including the notorious Hong Kong front where many were taken prisoner and endured great hardship in Japanese internment camps. Several of the Hong Kong veterans were present for the reunion.

The Midland Regiment was first mobilised in 1885 and fought in the Northwest Rebellion emerging with the battle honour 'Batoche.'
—Examiner


from The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville   Wednesday May 25, 1977
MIDLAND REGIMENT REUNION CALLS FOR A UNITED CANADA
More than 200 Midland Regiment veterans and their wives Saturday evening drank a toast to a united Canada in an emotional display of solidarity at the climax of a long day of nostalgic reminiscing with past comrades.

It began in the afternoon with a half hour church service at St. John's Anglican Church on Pine Street, then the traditional march down town under bright sunny skies to the cenotaph on Queen Street for the traditional laying of the wreath for those who gave their lives.
This was then followed by the march past on Walton street with Lieut. Col. P.J. Bigelow taking the salute along with Douglas Chesher of Port Hope and Bruce Hogarth of Pickering.

Roy Burness, an adjutant in the Midland Regiment, who proposed the toast to a united Canada urged his fellow veterans to remember that this was a time for patience and not passion. He recalled that when they were building the Midland Railway in 1871 there was a house built in Port Hope at the time that had these long windows known as French windows. He had lived in this house when he first came to town.
"When you looked outside the view was distorted and when you looked inside it was distorted," he said. I think it is important that we do not pull the blind down on that window." he said, in calling for a toast for a united Canada.

Lieut. Col. P.J. Bigelow spoke about the Midland Regiment at the Battle of Batoche. "It was the first time in the history of this continent that an all-Canadian colonel had led an all-Canadian regiment into a campaign," he said. "Please note that I call it a campaign," said Bigelow. "It was a whole campaign that lasted for months and was waged through Saskatchewan and Manitoba." he said.

The speaker explained how Louis Riel, a half-breed had lead the Red River Rebelliion in 1870, three years after confederation and had attacked Fort Garry and murdered many men including Thomas Scott, the editor of a local paper.

Bigelow noted that Riel was pursued and the settlers forced him to flee to the United States. "Not much was heard about him for 15 years," he said. Then Riel organized the Metis Indians and some of the other tribes and they took over the while territory out there and declared himself independent of Canada." said Bigelow.

This crisis of unity of the country occurred 92 years ago and brought out the anger of Eastern Ontario, he said. The counties of Hastings, Prince Edward, Victoria, Durham, Peterborough and the District of Haliburton began raising volunteers. The train started out from Belleville to Cobourg and then through Port Hope up the old Midland railway line. "They had a terrible ordeal of hacking their way through the bush," said Bigelow. "And portages were sometimes almost vertical. Once they got out on the Prairie, there was still the long March to the North.

"The rebels inflicted heavy casualties to the regiment," recalled Bigelow. He pointed out this was the first time the gattling gun was used in a war campaign in Canada.
—Port Hope Guide


from The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville  Wednesday February 20, 1985
BATTLE OF BATOCHE — We received a note recently from Charlie Wallace of Port Hope advising that the original regimental colours from the famous 1885 Battle of Batoche have been recovered and will be laid at the Port Hope Legion Hall on May 4th, during the Midland Regiment reunion. A plaque will also he put up at Port Hope's town hall at the same time.


from The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville  Wednesday May 8, 1985
by Janine Foster
The Port Hope Royal Canadian Legion hosted the Midland Regiment reunion over the weekend.
The reunion marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Batoche (the Northwest Rebellion, of Louis Riel) at which Durham units, under Col. Arthur Williams, fought.

The regiment has a long and varied history. The Durham militia fought in the War of 1812, the Northwest rebellion and both World Wars. The regiment encompassed a large area and underwent many name changes. Those who served with the Durham Regiment, Northumberland Regiment, the Trenton Guard, the Arsenal Guard (Lindsay), the Midland Regiment (active or the militia) were eligible to attend the reunion.

Registration for veterans took place at the Legion Friday evening. Organisers expected about 200 people to attend. On Saturday there was a service at St. Mark's Anglican church on King Street, followed by the placing of a new plaque on the Col. Arthur Williams monument at town hall and the laying of wreaths at the cenotaph in the park next to town hall. About 100 veterans then marched up Walton Street, past a salute base set up in front of Randall's book store. The salute was taken by Col. John Leuty.

Saturday evening was the re-dedicating of the Queen's colour of the 46th batallion, the forerunner to the Midland regiment. The colours were originally dedicated in 1886 by Queen Victoria and changed hands and were lost several times until they turned up when the old armouries was demolished. Now framed and sealed, the colours were mounted in the George Corbett auditorium in the Legion.
A dinner and dance, attended by about 200, followed.

from Orono Weekly Times  Wednesday August 29, 1990
Last week Albert Naylor, Newtonville, on behalf of Midland Regiment, presented Bill Tomlinson of Orono with a plaque in appreciation of a donation of new colours for the regiment from the family of the late William Tomlinson, Orono. It was a dream of William Tomlinson, who had been a member of the Midlands that it have new colours and they were dedicated early in June of this year at the 50th anniversary held in Port Hope.

The Regiments original commanding officer, Col. Arthur Thorn of Millbrook and Col. John Leuty of Canton took the salute at the Port Hope ceremony.

The Regiment, through its association with the Durham Regiment and the Northumberland Regiment can trace its history back to 1885 when Col. Arthur Williams of Port Hope was ordered to take up a group of 100 volunteers to assist with the Battle of the Batoche.

At its last reunion in 1985, members celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Batoche by unveiling a bronze plaque in front of the Town Hall in Port Hope and in front of the Col. Williams monument.

The Midland Regiment was given orders to mobilise for active service on August 11, 1940 and told to take the unit up to battalion strength as soon as possible. Following the Midland Regiment orders, each company was established and trained in its own area, base headquarters Cobourg, Company headquarters in Lindsay and with four Companies in Bowmanville, Port Hope, Cobourg and Campbellford.

The battalion finally assembled in the Ottawa area training in the area during the winter of 1940 and 1941. The company moved to St. John's, New Brunswick continuing their military training and guarding the ship docks in St. John's. There were many moves for the regiment following the stint in St. John's, taking them to Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Welland canal, Edmonton and along the west coast of British Columbia.

Albert Naylor in making the presentation to Bill Tomlinson said that the Regiment greatly appreciated the donation of the new flag and that it was, indeed, a wish of William Tomlinson that the Regiment have new colours. William Tomlinson did serve under Col. Gamey, also of Orono, for some time, both being with the Midlands.