Members of the Ferret Club in Oshawa aren't your average old-vehicle enthusiasts.
When members want to go for a spin in something interesting, they might choose one of the eight sporty, little, Rolls-Royce-engined two-seaters the club owns -- and was named for. Or they might opt to take some friends along, in which case they'd need one of the big tanks in the collection -- say a black-smoke-belching diesel-powered Second World War vintage Sherman.
Creature comforts may be somewhat lacking, but these and the other vehicles associated with the club do deliver off- and on-pavement flexibility along with plenty of protection from that modern affliction of road rage. Button up the Ferret reconnaissance vehicle's armoured flaps and it becomes immune to the heaviest verbal blasts -- a Sherman, well, it's proof against even the most pointed high-velocity epithets.
Ferrets and Shermans make up part of the 72 vehicle collection of the Oshawa Aeronautical, Military and Industrial Museum located at the municipal airport. This is a fitting site as it served as a Second World War Commonwealth air-training base, as well as the drop-off point for those attending the nearby Camp X spy school (a private air force museum just across the road contains a collection of Camp X artifacts).
Despite the name, it is in fact the museum of the Durham Region-based Ontario Regiment, a militia unit that traces its proud and colourful history back to 1866. It was founded as an infantry outfit, but switched to armour in 1937. Some of its members are currently serving with the regular army in Afghanistan.
Patrick Dooley -- "I'm not the curator. I've got no title. I just do everything" -- is a retired high school history teacher who, in his 40-year involvement with the military, served as a major in the Ontario Regiment and was at one time its adjutant. As his comment suggests, he's the museum's general factotum, turning his hand to anything that needs doing in this all-volunteer operation which currently involves about 70 members, many ex-military, who restore and service the vehicle collection and act as guides for visitors.
Dooley says the museum began as a bunch of "stuff" stored in a room above the sergeant's mess. It was then relocated to General Motors of Canada founder, and honorary colonel of the regiment, R.S. (Sam) McLaughlin's Parkwood mansion. GM still lends the group a helping hand to keep its vehicles operational.
The current museum was created about 20 years ago by the Ferret Club, a group established within the regiment to operate a troop of Ferret recce vehicles for use in parades and ceremonies. Dooley says eight vehicles were acquired from the 8th Hussars "after it went out of the Ferret business" and maintained by individuals until brought together in the current location. Additional vehicles were then acquired, including a number from the Second World War. To these were added the Ontario Regiment memorabilia, weapons and equipment that provide an interesting history of its activities.
One of the goals of the museum volunteers is to have all the vehicles actually run, and more than 40 currently do. The group and its vehicles participate in a variety of military shows and events throughout the year, and some of its vehicles have been rented out for movies, commercials and even a rock video. This, along with a Ferret Club membership fee; a building provided by the city; and the $4 entry fee paid by the 2,000 or so visitors a year (group tours can be accommodated, and it would make a great car club outing) keeps the museum running.
