Full name: Alfred John Gardyne Drummond de Chastelain.
Judgement exhibited in going with “John” as the short form of this name, instead of “Gardyne” or “Fred”: Excellent.
Basic bio:
- Born in Romania in 1937.
- Attended school in England and Scotland.
- Graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada.
- Helped to resolve the Oka Crisis and increased accountability by initiating daily press conferences.
- Served as Chief of Defence Staff. Twice. (I didn’t know you could do that.)
- Tagged by the Somalia Commission for having “failed as a commander.” (If treasures had to be perfect, we wouldn’t have any.)
- Helped the Northern Irish sort out their troubles. (I didn’t know anyone could do that.)
- Recipient of more awards than I felt like transcribing here.
- Had a jig for bagpipes composed in his honour. (I couldn’t pass on that one.)
Would make a kickin’ Senator, age limits be damned. Just sayin’.
Cadets on parade at Royal Military College, October 2008.
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This is one of a series on Canadian national treasures – my sesquicentennial project. They reflect people (living and dead), places and things that I think are worth celebrating about our country, and are done in no order of precedence.
Lovely man, diplomatically schrewd. a real treasure: you are right. And well liked by his department.
When he was Chief of Defense, he came several times to our studio, as a buyer. One time, he had a 6-in sq., thick, black leather-bound cube with him. As he put it down, he said, “Sorry about this thing, but afraid I have to keep that box [early cell phone] within arm’s distance at all times. When the war starts [second Iraq war], I have to be the first person to know.”
“But wouldn’t the person who calls you be the first one to know?” I said.
He laughed. He also offered to bag-pipe us in to our new condo (2205) from 1904. What a magnificent sight he was in his kit; and his wife, too, in her sash (saw photos).
We flew to the Canadian Embassy in Washington when he was Ambassador there to get photographs for a portrait of him commissioned by his wife. John took a dozen roles of film, lining up the spent ones like little troups marching in a row. I kept John deC talking, while John tried to get a relaxed (family man) shot of him: finally had to take him outside on his wide, windy balcony overlooking Capitol Hill “to muss up his (perfect) hair just a little” (without him knowing).
Finally got the shot, the last one on the last roll. It had taken an hour. A generous man to give us all that time.
Barbara – Thanks for this. Quite delightful. Maybe you should write a(nother) book about the wonderful people you and John have met.
It’s all in my 35-year journal — 2.3 million words to date! Somebody stop me!
Barbara – OK, stop. You mean it. Don’t make you come over there.