History

The Gronk/Son of Gronk

One of the kookier pieces of 872 history and lore is that of the Gronk and the more recent addition, Son of Gronk. Let’s start with the original.

Gronk

                At some time in the 1980s, a former Cadet named Trevor Thomlinson was given a 4-foot-long, 9 inch diameter piece of ironwood. It was roughly the shape of a baseball bat or club. At an 872 field training exercise a cadet named Brian Field (who has a memorial award named after him) saw the piece of wood and asked Cadet Thomlinson what it was. In response, Cadet Thomlinson said, “it’s a gronk…obviously. Duhhh.” This fateful conversation set off 20 years of history. Eventually, “Gronk” and “872” were carved into the business end of the length of wood and rope was added to the narrow end.

                The Gronk went everywhere with 872. It went to FTXs, it went to parade nights, it went to some sporting events, but most importantly, it went to inter-squadron competitions. No other squadron had anything as strange (or as awesome) as our Gronk, so it was often the focus of theft attempts and other shenanigans. At one broomball tournament with 211 Ottawa Kiwanis Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, it was stolen. Apparently, the plan was to cut Gronk into pieces and send them back to 872 but the culprits clearly didn’t have the right tools to defeat the ironwood. When it was returned to us in one piece, it had ballpoint pen all over it. This saddened many members of 872 but after some sanding and stain, it was as good as new.

Gronk was also used to swear in new cadets. The cadet commander and deputy cadet commander would hold the Gronk between them and groups of new recruits would place one hand on it, say the oath, and officially be members of 872 Squadron.

In the early 2000s, a miniature Gronk was formed and was used to demonstrate the proper technique to kill rabbits as humanely as possible during 872 field training exercises. It was used at FTXs in Bonnechere and at Connaught Range here in Ottawa. Even though it was not Gronk that was used to do the deeds, at some point a few years later, it was decided that Gronk had to be retired. Its whereabouts are, sadly, unknown.

Son of Gronk

                At a bush weekend at Camp Smitty in October 2018, it was decided that a little bit of 872 Squadron history needed to be brought back. A perfect length of thick branch was found and while it was not ironwood, it was decided that an homage to the original had to be crafted; Son of Gronk was born. Some work had to be done to it, but on December 5, 2018, a batch of new recruits was sworn in on 872’s newest symbol.

It has since gone everywhere with 872, including our shared field training exercise with 75 Barrhaven Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron at Camp Awacamenj Mino in Wakefield, Quebec. By this point, other squadrons were becoming familiar with Son of Gronk and 75 Squadron had hatched a plan to steal it. While the senior cadets were out teaching their lessons, the sponsoring committee was hard at work preparing dinner, and staff were supervising the site, a raiding party of officers and cadets from 75 Squadron snuck into the headquarters building and stole Son of Gronk.

                Fortunately, it was all in good fun and even though 75 marched Braveheart-style into the open field separating our two squadron’s they returned Son of Gronk to us unharmed. It was a friendly prank that actually brought the units quite close together and gave our cadets a reason to plan a revenge plot in the future.