Change of command at 2nd Irish Regiment

The Irish Regiment of Canada Second Battalion is now under the command of Lt-Col. Ken McClure, after a change of command ceremony on Feb. 27 at the Sudbury Armoury.

McClure brings more than 30 years of experience with the Canadian Forces Reserves, and takes over command from Lt-Col. Kenrick Sproul, who announced his retirement after 22 years of service, 12 of those in Sudbury.

“We have had outstanding support in Sudbury, we've been visible in the community and I'm excited about the work we've done here,” said Sproul.

“But now it's time for me to to catch up on some lost time with my family. I've missed a lot of holidays and events due to my service and this is a great end to a great run.”

McClure was born in Sudbury and spent the first 20 years of his life in Peterborough. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on Feb. 26, and will now be the commanding officer of the Irish Regiment of Canada Second Battalion for the next five years.

The five-year commitment is two years longer than the standard three years that most commanding officers serve, but there are some difficulties with retention and succession in Northern Ontario, an issue that Sproul had to contend with and one that McClure is ready to face.

“What a unit tries to do is recruit and generate enough soldiers and officers and progress them through their career so that when the unit is at the point that it's ready to hand over after the normal three-year term there is somebody there,” said Sproul.

“Being the Reserves however, where this is not our full time job, whether it be due to school, change in life situation, change of employment, we lose people along the way. We also have component transfer where we a number of our soldiers have gone to the regular force full time. It's about retention and being able to retain those (soldier) through those situations enough that we can address succession.”

McClure was promoted from his rank as Major to Lieutenant-Colonel and will likely serve a full five years as CO.

“The succession issue will not be resolved during my tenure because it takes 20 years to get someone to this level,” said McClure.

“I've been asked to expect to serve five years and I'm good with that. Beyond that I'm not really sure, I had never really planned to stick around much beyond the age of 50. I've always enjoyed it and I liked to think that I was good at it, and now I'm a lieutenant-colonel it the Armed Forces and in charge of an infantry regiment and it doesn't get any better than that.”

The Second Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada is the country's only remaining Irish unit and proudly represents the military presence in Sudbury.

The battalion is established as a company with battalion headquarters reflecting a recruiting strength of roughly 120 soldiers.