'Owning' Military History

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

The Canadian Armed Forces has a Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH). It is mostly civilian academic historians. Do you see any vehicle restorers on the staff list? Note in their mission statement that their activities are in support of government policy.

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-.../index-eng.asp

I had a chance to have a Professional Development visit to DHH. They are busy with everything Past Present and Future. That does not include vehicle restoration or artifacts, in the conventional sense.

DHH's Navy CPO1 explained just one of their challenges. Who issues regimental colours? They do. (Heads up - RCD's your guidon is ready.) Who gets new ones embroidered? They do. Who researches and monitors production all badges, crests, insignia, flashes and accoutrements? They do. Who controls the official symbols, like base flags and brigade patches? They do. Where are the physical records for operations kept? There. What happens when units go off on their own? Chaos and unapproved symbols. Sure it looks right, but there is the equivalent of copyright on the parts of an official symbol.

As I stated above, DHH has academics. They control the records they have. One worker commented that one group of records only starts in 1968, when one function changed from the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps to a central office. If he wants to get older information, he has to go to a militaria show and buy it. This is the situation the Australian LCol was griping about. Is it wrong for information to be in the public realm? Is it better looked after? Dunno, but I would not begin to expect that organization as it is currently mandated, to hold an example of every vehicle or piece of equipment Canada ever issued.