Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) honour their history with Building 418 rededication

January 12, 2024 - Capt Phil Webster, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians)

Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) (LdSH(RC)) had the rare privilege of rededicating and renaming a building in honour of a Canadian hero last year.

Building 418 at 3^rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton, or the "Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) Storage Facility" (the TAPV Barn to its friends), had recently been repurposed to hold, house and maintain LdSH(RC)’s Leopard 2 tanks. As such, it needed a new name befitting its important task.

A naming committee was stood up last year to identify a worthy namesake for the building. With the assistance of experts and interested parties, Warrant Officer Trevor ‘Trapper’ Allen was chosen.

‘Trapper’ Allen is no stranger to the Armoured Corps community or to the Engineers or Logistics regiments of the Canadian Army. He is perhaps best known to historians as the subject of the event captured by artist Joan Wanklyn in "Recovery Under Fire: Korea," a piece commissioned by the LdSH(RC) Society.

The painting depicts the harrowing 18‑hour recovery of one of C Squadron's tanks on May 21, 1952 by then‑Sergeant Allen. The recovery took place under constant fire from the enemy, and all vehicles involved were hit multiple times. Amazingly, the tank was recovering intact and safe, and for this action Sgt Allen would receive the Military Medal.

That painting, along with a picture of the Warrant Officer himself, can be seen as part of the dedication display that greets visitors to the building.

The regiment formed up for a brief but meaningful parade on Nov. 30, 2023, and was joined by WO Allen's family, the brigade commander, Colonel of the Regiment and numerous other regimental personalities and luminaries, as well as members of the Engineers and Service Battalion.