Breaking New Ground—Stories from Defence Construction Breaking_new_ground | Page 10
Acknowledgements
This compilation of DCC stories owes a great deal to
those who, throughout the Corporation’s existence, took
the time to put their recollections down on paper or—
more recently—speak to our researchers. We are very
grateful for all of your observations and anecdotes, as
they add an uplifting sense of life and personality to the
events and projects of which history is made.
As we put the stories together, we discovered that
many people have been dedicated to the idea of
creating a historical document, rich with memories and
photographs. We would particularly like to thank retired
DCLer George Moennich for providing not only his own
historical writings about DCC, which are incorporated
into this document, but also his support for the current
project in the form of countless hours spent helping to
guide the research and review the text (not to mention
his sense of humour).
We would also like to acknowledge the work of Jeff
Noakes, who in 2001 and 2002 spent many hours
poring over the archives and creating a detailed history
of DCC’s first 50 years. Much of this current publication
is based upon his research, including some of the
opinions that are expressed throughout the text. Without
this dedication to historical documentation, many of the
voices of the past would be lost.
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Our writer and lead interviewer on the project, Yvonne
Jeffery, came to us as a seasoned journalist, and—
having served for a decade in the Canadian Forces—
an enthusiastic supporter of DCC. Her understanding of
the relationship between the two organizations, and
firsthand knowledge of many of the locations, proved
invaluable during interviews with sources from both
DCC and the Department of National Defence. We
thank her for synthesizing a significant volume of
information and research into a lively and readable text
that captures DCC’s history, culture and achievements
with accuracy and warmth.
We are also grateful for the steady hand of Stephanie
Ryan, Manager, Communications for DCC, who has
guided this project from beginning to end. Her vision for
telling our history through conversation and anecdotes
has allowed us to bring the voices of the past, in their
own words, to every page. This has done much to fully
realize the project theme she developed, of preserving
the past, while making it meaningful and inspiring to
new employees.
And finally, a vote of thanks to the entire DCC Commu-
nications Department, for the production work involved
in the project: from translation to photo research, your
work has been exemplary—and very much appreciated.
BREAKING NEW GROUND
DEFENCE CONSTRUCTION CANADA