Kincardine Air Cadets enjoy annual Christmas Mess Dinner

It was rather a formal affair, as the 183 Typhoon Squadron, Kincardine Air Cadets, wore bow ties with their uniforms for the annual Christmas Mess Dinner, held at the Kincardine Legion, Monday night.

About 60 cadets, officers, family and friends gathered for the meal, with commanding officer Captain Sandra Benbow welcoming everyone, and cadet Julia Ferrier outlining the significance of the Table for the Fallen Soldier which was located beside the head table.

"This symbolizes that they are with us, here in spirit," she said. "We should never forget the brave men and women who answered our nation's call to serve, and served in the cause of freedom in a special way. 
 
"We are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have endured the agonies of pain, deprivation and death."
 
Ferrier explained the table setting:
 

• The table is round - showing our everlasting concern for our fallen soldiers
• The tablecloth is white - symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call of duty
• The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of our fallen soldiers, and the loved ones and friends of these soldiers who keep the faith
• The vase is tied with a red ribbon, a symbol of our continued determination to remember our fallen soldiers
• A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those who will never return
• A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by the families of those who have sacrificed all
• The Holy Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country
• The glass is inverted - they cannot toast with us at this time
• The chair is empty because they are no longer with us

"Let us remember - and never forget their sacrifice," said Ferrier. "May they and their families ever be watched over and protected."
 
The assembly then raised a toast to the Fallen Soldier.

Following a delicious meal, served by Legion volunteers, Lt. Col. (retired) Jim Gale of Ontario Provincial Command, welcomed everyone to enjoy a glass of port (grape juice).

He said the drink is called port because it came from Portugal. It is a fortified wine, made from fermented grapes and added alcohol, so it would not go bad while the troops were travelling. It was taken on by the British military forces.

The navy initiated the tradition of using port to toast the Sovereign at the end of all meals, particularly formal ones. It is handled with some ceremony, and always presented to the left.

Gale held up a ship decanter which has a flat bottom and can be slid along the table for each to have a drink. The army and airforce have a different decanter. And for the airforce, the tradition is for the port to always remain airborne, meaning it never touches the table as it is passed along.

The port was passed, the toast made, and everyone enjoyed a drink.

Benbow then presented cadet Khushali Shah with her promotion to corporal.

Sponsorship committee chairperson Tara Brown thanked everyone for attending and all who helped with the event, and then Benbow wished the crowd a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The evening ended with a thrilling and competitive "Christmas-themed" game of Trivia, led by trivia-master Laura Haight, and then several other games and a social time.