Queen's York Rangers will march through Aurora in full dress uniform, and then participate in a gruelling army competition
Ceremonial parade and gruelling army training in Aurora on D-Day anniversary
AURORA - The Queen’s York Rangers will march through Aurora in full dress uniform, and then participate in a gruelling army competition all in the same day, on 6 June.
“We are indebted to the support of the Mayor of Aurora and the Town Council,” says Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Zdunich, Commanding Officer of the Queen’s York Rangers. “This series of events will highlight for the community we live in, military skills that have been honed over the past year and in many cases, refined during overseas deployments in the service of our nation.”
The weekend will kickoff officially on Saturday, 6 June at 10 a.m., when the Regiment parades from Aurora Armoury to Town Hall to renew their Freedom of the City. The tradition dates back to the days of walled towns, which selectively granted access to military units as a sign of appreciation.
After the parade, soldiers of the Regiment will conduct “Roger’s Challenge,” a gruelling annual competition that will have small teams of Rangers follow a route through the outskirts of Aurora, conducting military tasks to challenge their acquired skills in the face of mental and physical hardship. Teams will begin with a 13 km heavy pack march departing Aurora Armoury at 2 p.m. on Saturday, and continue without pause through various stands until Sunday morning.
The Queen’s York Rangers trace their history back to the American War of Independence, when under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John Graves Simcoe it earned, as the premier Loyalist unit, the title 1st American Regiment. Upon the conclusion of the war, it became the core of the defence of Upper Canada. Rangers were set to work building the original Fort York. Its members carried on in the battalions of the York Militia, renamed the Queen’s Rangers in 1837. Thousands of Rangers served overseas in World War One and Two. More recently, dozens of Rangers have served the UN or NATO in Cyprus, Namibia, the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Afghanistan.
At the conclusion of the competition at noon, on Sunday 7 June, the Regiment welcomes the public to join them for a barbecue to include a live band, a series of sports competitions, and activities for the family which will take place in the park adjacent to Aurora Armoury.
Media are asked to arrive at the Town Hall no later than 9:30 a.m. The Aurora Armoury is located at 138 Lamont Street, Aurora, Ontario. For further information, please contact Second Lieutenant Bryan Weir, Unit Public Affairs Representative at 416-568-1552, or at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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