10 FTTS member receives special honour

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Warrant Officer Robert Stobbart (centre) receives the Memorial Cross in honour of the passing of his grandfather, Sergeant (retired) Robert E. Long, presented to him by Major Renaud Durand and accompanied by Master Warrant Officer Darryl Poole at 10 Field Technical Training Squadron, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta on 13th December 2021 – Image by MCpl J.W.S. Houck 10 FTTS Imaging

This December 10 Field Technical Training Squadron (10 FTTS) presented a memorial cross to one of its members, WO Robert Stobbart. The memorial cross is a very unique medal. It represents the ultimate sacrifice paid by Canadian Armed Forces member’s while protecting Canadian values. It is awarded to close family members so they can remember their loved one and never forget their sacrifice.

The memorial cross was presented to Warrant Officer Robert Stobbart to remember the sacrifice made by his grandfather, Robert Ernest Long, who passed away in Sept 5th 2019 due to complication related to his service in Korea.

Robert came from the East Coast, he married Shirley and soon after his honeymoon, he was asked to deploy to Korea as a member of the Canadian Military Provost Corps. Robert answered the call.

When he returned to Canada, Robert settled down with Shirley and their four Daughters, Susie, Debra, Roberta and little Shirley. Robert continued serving the military, in Alberta and British Columbia, at Dawson Creek, where he patrolled the Alaska highway, keeping an eye on American military convoys heading to the 49th State. He served as an instructor in Borden Ontario where he delivered what he called “super high intensity training” to young provost corps recruits.

The Armed Forces found his training too intense so they posted him and his family to Hemer in Germany. There, Robert and his family happily traveled to new places such as the Netherlands, Belgium and France. They loved to explore. Robert came back from Germany with a lifelong love for sausages and an unmatched admiration for the Heidelberg castle. He would say that the military makes you see the world, but it hardly feeds a family of six. So Robert retired and joined the Hudson Bay Company, just as he had joined the military, with enthusiasm and dedication.

He was in charge of security, which he did thoroughly and with courtesy and kindness to everybody. The same kindness he showed to his family and friends and everybody all his life. He spent thirty years serving the Bay, and soon after his farewell party, the company got sold. They had to wait until Robert was gone.

Robert served in a war that is often referred to as the “forgotten war”. It is fitting that his grandson, WO Stobbart, be awarded the memorial cross which he can proudly wear to remember this great Korean war hero, his grandfather.