Branch & Alumni present the completed display to the Corps at HMCS Chippawa, September 7, 2017.
CPO1 Riley Howells, Lt(N) Kevin Daeninck, John Jamieson and Don Bullee.

 

On Thursday, September 7, 2017, the Cornwell (Winnipeg) Branch and the JTCVC Alumni unveiled a permanent display for the Cornwell at his Gun print and formally presented it to the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps John Travers Cornwell VC. Making the presentation on behalf of the Branch was Branch President Don Bullee and on behalf of the JTCVC Alumni was Alumni Chair John Jamieson. Receiving the presentation on behalf of the Corps was the Corps Commanding Officer Lt(N) Kevin Daeninck and Corps Coxswain CPO1 Riley Howells.

During RCSCC John Travers Cornwell VC’s Annual Inspection in 1975, LCdr. Derek Eggleton of T.S. York Sea Cadet Corps in York, England, presented RCSCC John Travers Cornwell VC with an original print of the Cornwell at his Gun painting. This print of John Travers Cornwell, VC standing his station, was one of 12,000 that hung in a position of honour in the schools across the United Kingdom that had contributed to a World War I memorial fund in his honour.

Presentation of Cornwell at his Gun print at HMCS Chippawa, Annual Inspection 1975.
LCd. Al McInnes and LCdr. Derek Eggleton.

After about 50 years the print and frame required restoration, which the JTCVC Alumni undertook. When that restoration was complete, the Alumni re-dedicated the Cornwell at his Gun print back to the Corps on June 2, 2016 (see full story). The date marked 100 years, to the day, of the death of Jack Cornwell, VC.

Re-dedication of the Cornwell at his Gun print at HMCS Chippawa, June 2, 2016.
Don Bullee, Lt(N) Sadie Pelland, CPO1 Drake and John Jamieson.

After the rededication ceremony, the Cornwell at his Gun print spent the month of June 2016 on display at the Winnipeg Centennial Library and then a year on display at the Manitoba Naval Museum at HMCS Chippawa (see full story). But since the rededication the Alumni had been looking for a permanent home for the print. The path to that home started with a conversation between Larry Schenkeveld, Branch President, and PO John Tanchyk, HMCS Chippawa’s Buffer. After negotiations between John Jamieson, Alumni Chairman, and LCdr. Ian Gillis, HMCS Chippawa’s Commanding Officer, the Alumni received approval to hang the print on the walls of HMCS Chippawa permanently. Lt(N) Clay Ridd, HMCS Chippawa’s Administration Officer, was appointed our liaison to guide us through the process.

Once that permission had been received, the Alumni solicited the assistance of Peter Menge, of PDM Custom Design, in the construction of a plexiglass case to protect the print. On May 24, 2017, the case was installed on the wall across from the CO’s and XO’s offices (beside the JTCVC bulletin board) in HMCS Chippawa; then on September 6, 2017, with the permission of HMCS Chippawa’s new Commanding Officer, LCdr. Colin Stewart, the Cornwell at his Gun print and a new storyboard were installed in the case.

Display case after installation complete at HMCS Chippawa, May 24, 2017.
Lt(N) Clay Ridd, John Jamieson, Peter Menge and Phillip Bingham.

Display case after installation of Cornwell print and storyboard at HMCS Chippawa, September 6, 2017.
John Jamieson, Phillip Bingham and Don Bullee.

For more pictures and additional details, see the story and storyboard text on the JTCVC Alumni website.