Thomas Bata, longtime HCol of the Hastings & Price Edward Regiment, dies

[dapaterson]

CBC news is reporting the death of HCol Bata:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/09/01/bata-dies.html

Industrialist Thomas J. Bata has died in a Toronto hospital at age 93, an official from the Thomas Bata Foundation said Monday.

More background information is available at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Bata
http://www.cbc.ca/lifeandtimes/bata.html

 

[Redeye]

What a loss for Canada.  I've had the honour of spending quite a lot of time in the company of HCol Bata.  His transfer to the White Battalion is a great loss to the Regiment and to our nation.  His life story is incredible.  When he picked out the location for his factory in Batawa and brought over his workforce they set on building their own piece of paradise.  When WWII broke out the Canadian government wanted to intern them as Czechs were associated with Nazi Germany.  Instead, citing the fact that virtually all of them had military experience serving in the Czech Army they all volunteered to join the Canadian Army and basically became the foundation of the Second Battalion of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment.

In the seven years I knew him I never ceased to be amazed by the stories I heard of him and his company.

RIP, Sir. 

 

[vonGarvin]

RIP

 

[dredwulf]

What a loss for Canada.  I've had the honour of spending quite a lot of time in the company of HCol Bata.  His transfer to the White Battalion is a great loss to the Regiment and to our nation.  His life story is incredible.  When he picked out the location for his factory in Batawa and brought over his workforce they set on building their own piece of paradise.  When WWII broke out the Canadian government wanted to intern them as Czechs were associated with Nazi Germany.  Instead, citing the fact that virtually all of them had military experience serving in the Czech Army they all volunteered to join the Canadian Army and basically became the foundation of the Second Battalion of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment.

In the seven years I knew him I never ceased to be amazed by the stories I heard of him and his company.

RIP, Sir. 

Truly a legend.  If any man has deserved a rest, it is he.

 

[geo]

Another good man has passed away.

Rest in Peace!

CHIMO!

 

[Redeye]

Well, his funeral is this afternoon, and just to make it fun the CO handed out four promotions last night (mine included!), some people are scrambling to get tailoring done quickly even though he immediately told us that we had CO's Dispensation to be out of dress for the funeral.

Being resourceful, something I'm sure HCol Bata would have admired, I hit up a friend of similar displacement from another Regiment for his CF jacket already sporting the correct rank.  A simple matter of changing accoutrements will allow me to take the piss out of one of my junior officer colleagues for at least a good ten minutes.

I'm actually looking forward to the service as I expect that some of the stories that are likely to be shared should be very interesting.