By Ed James Cadets and officers of the Virden and Brandon Army Cadet Corps were active participants at the recent Brandon Military Museum Vimy Ridge banquet. The museum is dedicated to the 26th Field Regiment, R.C.A. and the XII Manitoba Dragoons who were both Westman regiments during the world wars and other conflicts. The evening event was held at the Brandon Armouries and attracted a crowd of almost one hundred people for the dinner, entertainment and fundraising auction for the museums. Before the dinner the XII Manitoba Dragoon Army Cadet Corps of Virden presented an engraved medallion to the WWII XII Manitoba Regiment of the Belgian city of Bruges. The medallion was a thank-you to the members of the XII Manitoba Dragoon Regiment for the liberation of their city from the Nazi’s. The medallion was given by Cadet Serena Peacock of Elkhorn to Colonel Don Berry, the former commanding officer of the 26th Field Regiment, R.C.A. and will be put on display in the museum. A second presentation of a $5,000 cheque was made to Brandon Mayor Shari Decter Hirst for the city of Brandon towards the cost of a new veteran’s memorial. Table selections for the Chinese buffet was decided by a number of skill testing questions about the Battle of Vimy Ridge, compiled by McArthur, and read off in sharp order by a staff sergeant of the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifle’s in WWII uniform. In brief speeches made by museum curator Edd McArthur, Mayor Decter Hirst and others during the evening, all stressed the importance of the armoury museum in preserving our local military history and heritage in the Westman area. Following supper there was a half hour of entertainment by the 26th Field, R.C.A. Pipe and Drum band, playing a collection of traditional pieces. The entertainment was followed by a fundraising auction, with McArthur doing his best to bid up the crowd. On offer were a wide variety of donated items from Brandon, Westman and Virden companies and the auction raised almost $2,000 for the museums’ operations. The commanding officer of the XII Manitoba Dragoon Army Cadets, Captain Kelvon Smith said, “The XII Manitoba Dragoons Museum is an important part of Western Manitoba history and this fundraiser will help it continue on in its preservation of our military history from Red Coated Cavalry to Stag Hounds. The XII MB Cadet Corps in Virden and the museum in Brandon carry on its tradition of service to the community. The volunteer Cadet Dragoons of the XII MB and the volunteer Cadet Gunners of the 71st Battery are happy to have been able to help out the museum this evening. It was an honour to have been asked to assist in the event.”