Full
Membership List
- Link to
a full list of past members of the Drum Corps 
11/18/10
Phil John passed away in September, 2004. Phil was a
long
time member of the HFFDC. A bass drummer in the original "Colonel"
line.
Phil had been in ill health for the past few years.
Ron MacIntyre Sr.
Mac passed away Friday, August 20, 2004
I
am
John Bratschitsch, a 1 year member of the band (1976-1977), a 7 year
Riley
(between 1969 and 19'76), and a RCSCC band member (1968-1969). My best
memories
are
from those days, and now I'm just a 50 year old corporate creature with
a lot of responsibility and no fun. I've been acquainted with a lot of
band members past and
present,
and I was a pretty good first soprano. I was actually one of the guys
that
respected Roy Collins. My big mistake was giving up music to become an
infantry officer
(mainly
out of resentment because Collins passed me over for corporal). But I
realized
my mistake when it came time to pay mess dues. Anyway, there are several
reasons
for this e-mail. One: I am not deceased, though I've had lots of fun
telling
people that the internet says that I'm dead; Two: I think that I'd like
to attend the reunion,
but
I'm not sure that I qualify because I was in the Firefighters for only
1 year; and lastly, because I'm starting to believe the website about
my
demise, and I'd like to be
present
at my wake in the event deceased mermbers are recognized more so than
when
they were alive (more attention than I get at home).
Anyway, if I don't qualify as an alumni can you please correct your website so my mother can be assured that I am not dead, as such things are very upsetting to her? .
Best
Regards,
John
Bratschitsch
James Inrig Jr. "Jimmy", "The Colonel" passed away on
Friday,
December 26, 2003.
Jimmy was the original percussion intsructor of the HFFDC. Jim
continude
to instruct the Firefighters drum line abd compose all percussion music
for over thirty-five years. Jim was and "Honorary Member For Life" of
the
HFFDC.
Jimmy produced top level drum lines for all of those years. The
"Colonel"
was in the RHLI Bugle Band, The Viscounts Drum Corps and the Canadian
Commanders
Drum Corps.
He will be sadly missed by many drummers across Canada and the U.S.A.
Ronald Falla Sr. passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2003, in
his 77th. year.
Ron was the original brass instructor of the Hamilton Firefighters
Drum Corps when it was started, in 1961 and one of its' founding
members.
He was the first "non-firefighter" to be a member of the Corps. Ron
served
as drum major in 1990 an 1991. He had a long and distinguished career
in
the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Bugle Band, serving as Bugle Major
for
many years. Ron was one of the original members of the Viscounts Drum
Corps.
Still serving member sof the HFFDC are Ron's son Ron Jr, his
daughter-in-law
Laura Jean, his granddaughter Victoria and Mat Falla.
Ron had been an "Honorary Member For Life" of the HFFDC, an honor that
is not bestowed on very many people.
Bill Hart, a founding member and past-president
of
the Corps', mother-in-law passed away on September 1, 2001.
In the early 1960's, Mrs. Nellie Heddle designed and
constructed, three of the flags that the HFFDC has carried for many
years.
1) The Drum Corp Flag; 2) The flag with the fire-axe head;
3) The flag with the Maltese Cross. The photo at the right shows
all three flags being carried in the New York City St. Patrick's Day
Parade
in 1990.
The photo shows the Corps on 5th. Avenue, in front
of St. Patrick's Cathedral. After the Corps played "Danny Boy", the
Bishop
of New York came down onto the street and shook the Drum Major's hand.
Two of the three flags are still in regular use to
this day.
In Memorium
John (Jack) Hargrove, Colour
Guard, Drum Line, Glockenspiel, Cymbals
Passed away February 16, 2001
in his 71st. year
In Service with HFFDC 7 years.
In Memorium
Jim Lisson, Drum Line, Bass
&
Specials
Passed away January 24, 2001
In service with HFFDC approx.
10 years.
There aren't many pictures of
Jim. This is the only one we could find. It was taken
marching
in the 1969 Grey Cup Parade, in Montreal.
Lynda is on the far right in this picture of the Guard.
In this photo, Milt is the second man
from the left, carrying the Canadian flag. He served with the Royal
Canadian Navy during the Second World War, running convoy escort for
the merchant marine in the triangle from from New York City to
Newfoundland to England.
Milt was an active
Hamilton
firefighter for 37 years. He was one of the original founding members
of
the HFFDC. Along with sixty other firefighters, he canvassed the
downtown merchants of Hamilton, raising the initial funds to start up
the
Corps. He served on the executive board of the Corps for several years
during the early 1980's.
Although he had been sick for the past
two years, Milt remained on the Corps' "active" roll, because he always
wanted to be an active member and, after 39 years of continuous
service,
couldn't bring himself to retire.
Milt was actively marching with the Corps up until about two years ago, and even after that, he and his wife Eileen, still participated in many Corps activities.
"Uncle Miltie" always attended, and
enjoyed
the G.A.S. reunions, wherever they were held. The picture to the right
shows him at the Y2K G.A.S. Reunion in Baltimore this past May. Milt is
seen wearing his (now famous) Hamilton Tiger-Cat pyjamas, talking to
Carmen,
of the Audubon Bon-Bons Chorus.
In Memorium - Ray Andrew,
1st.
Soprano
August 5, 1945 to April 4, 2000
In Service with HFFDC
- Sixteen years
This image is from a 35mm slide, taken in
1972 by Eric's long time friend,
Bill Hart.
It was stored in damp conditions and has deteriorated somewhat.
1959
1963
To contact the AA by e-mail: Bob
Saunders, President; Gary
Zoskey,
Communications Chair or Wayne
Peters,
Treasurer
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