The Roadants by Douglas ‘Copious’ Cope, 6611
I have published a book about my time at Royal Roads. The book, titled ‘THE ROADANTS’, covers one academic year at Roads and combines stories from my first and second years. However, it is not just a series of vignettes, but a novel that follows the first and second year cadets from their arrival to graduation.
And, while all of the stories are fundamentally true, the book is a work of fiction. For the purposes of the story and to protect myself, I have changed the names of all of the cadets and the staff plus I have altered a few of the events. I also did not give the story a specific year since it melds events and stories from a period from 1960 to 1963 and could relate to any year in or around that period.
Be advised that this novel is the story of a group of average cadets and tells the tale of cadets ‘in the trenches’ so to speak. As such, both the events and the language are colourful.
Some may ask, “Why did you bother to write the book?” I did it because that period at Royal Roads had a profound and, some might say, traumatic effect on my life. Also, as most of you will know, in the early decades Royal Roads was unique. Cadets only attended for two years and went from being lowly recruits and juniors in year one to being the cadet officers and seniors in charge in year two. Royal Roads is no longer a military college and as time goes by the story and the legends fade. My purpose was to preserve this little bit of Canadian history for all and to help my old Roadant buddies and others to remember what we went through.
I have received unsolicited, encouraging reviews from classmates on each coast and from others both civilian and military. I think you will enjoy the read.