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 As we put the stories together, we discovered that many people have been dedicated to the idea of creating a historical document, rich with memories and photographs.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. viii 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