Sailor's Cap. This cap belonged to John Kearn, Ship's Carpenter on HMS Satellite, a Corvette built in 1881. He was born on 8 July 1864, joined the Royal Navy in 1886, and purchased his discharge in 1890. During his time in the service, it was customary for a man to supply his own uniform. This cap is an example of that custom. |
The Military Museums HistoryThe History of The Military Museums (TMM)The Museum of the Regiments In the mid-l980s, a group of civic-minded Calgarians formed the Calgary Military Museums Society (CMMS) to promote an interest in military history in Western Canada. When the Sir Sam Steele Junior High School was declared surplus by the Department of National Defence (DND), CMMS steered a fundraising campaign to raise $6.5 million to convert the school into the Museum of the Regiments (MOR). With the support of DND, they brought Calgary‘s four regimental museums under one roof, thereby enhancing the esprit de corps of veterans and serving members of the Canadian Forces and connecting the Canadian public, particularly youth, to Canada’s military heritage. In l990, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the MOR to the public as the upgraded home to four regimental museums: Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), The King’s Own Calgary Regiment (Royal Canadian Armoured Corps), and The Calgary Highlanders. Later, a fifth museum was added, the Alberta Gallery (later renamed by TMM' Council to the Army Museum of Alberta), which tells the proud story of the province’s army heritage; less that of the four regimental museums. In the following decade, when 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group moved to Edmonton, the MOR came to be viewed by Calgarians as the public face of the Canadian Forces in Calgary. The Military Museums In the early 2000s, CMMS joined forces with the Naval Museum of Alberta, Canadian Air Force veterans, three levels of government, corporations, charitable foundations, and the Canadian public to raise $26 million to expand the scope and size of the MOR and to complete extensive interior renovations to the existing structure. CMMS, in concert with DND, aimed to convert the MOR into Western Canada’s only tri-service museum and military history education centre. Construction began in 2006 and the MOR changed its name to The Military Museums (TMM). In this same year, DND devolved to CMMS TMM's education, volunteer, special events, communications, and marketing programs. Attendance at TMM increased by 30% within two years. On 6 June 2009, the 65th anniversary of D-Day, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex officially opened the new and expanded TMM, which included the addition of the Naval Museum of Alberta, the Air Force Museum of Alberta, TMM's Library & Archives, The Founders’ Gallery, the Education Centre, and the Discovery Centre. TMM's Library and Archives is managed by the University of Calgary Library and Cultural Resources. |
