Blood of Heroes - WAR ZONE

RULES OF GUNFIGHTING - NO 4

2012-02-15T01:00:00.001-04:00

RULES OF GUNFIGHTING - NO 1 B

2012-02-08T01:00:00.001-04:00

BRING ALL YOUR FRIENDS THAT HAVE GUNS....

RULES OF GUNFIGHTING - NO 1

2012-02-01T01:00:00.000-04:00

REDUNDANCY

2012-01-25T11:09:00.000-04:00

GIRLS WITH GUNS (GWG)

2012-01-25T01:00:00.000-04:00

MARINES

2012-01-18T01:00:00.000-04:00

ICBM

2012-01-11T01:00:00.000-04:00

TRANSITIONS

2012-01-04T01:00:00.001-04:00

MARKSMANSHIP

2011-12-28T01:00:00.000-04:00

A BOY NAMED SUE

2011-12-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

A guy was telling about this girl Sue who disguised herself as a man and joined the army.

"But, wait a minute," said his friend, "She'll have to dress with the boys and shower with them, too, won't she?"

"Sure," replied the guy. "Well, won't they find out?"

The guy shrugged. "Who's gonna tell?"

ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT, REGIMENTAL BIRTHDAY

2011-12-21T02:00:00.000-04:00

The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR) is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The RCR is the senior infantry regiment in the Regular Force, but its 4th Battalion (formerly the London and Oxford Fusiliers) is ranked 11th in the order of precedence among Reserve Force infantry regiments. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Reserve Force (militia). The regiment's four battalions are stationed in Ontario and New Brunswick. With many of its soldiers drawn from Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces in recent decades, the regiment maintains a general connection as the "local" infantry regiment for eastern Canada.
The RCR maintains a Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) in Petawawa, Ontario, which has no operational command role but handles regimental affairs outside the responsibility of the individual Battalions. The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum is also located in London, in the historic Wolseley Hall. Wolseley Barracks in London has been continuously occupied by some element of the regiment since construction of Wolseley Hall was completed in 1888. At various times Wolseley Barracks has been the home of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, and remains the home of the 4th Battalion today.

MORAL HIGH GROUND

2011-12-21T01:00:00.000-04:00

the ROYAL CANDIAN DRAGOOS, REGIMENTAL BIRTHDAY

2011-12-21T00:01:00.004-04:00

The Royal Canadian Dragoons trace their lineage back in 1883 with General Order 13/83 and their formation in the Citadel in Quebec City. The RCD have seen a succession of personalities in various levels of its’ organization. Included here are also lists of successive Colonel’s In Chief of the Regiment, Honorary Colonels of the Regiment, Colonels of the Regiment, Regimental Commanding Officers and Regimental Sergeant-Majors. Other personalities who have left their mark on the Regiment can be found in the Historical Section.

WHY REDNECKS MAKE GOOD SOLDIERS

2011-12-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Ma & Pa:

Am well. Hope you are. Tell brother Walt & brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt & Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.

Men got to shave but it is not so bad, they git warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc..., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie, and other regular food. But tell Walt & Elmer you can always sit between two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon, when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on "route" marches, which the Platoon Sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys gets sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The country is nice, but awful flat. The Sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Capt. is like the school board. Majors & Colonels just ride around & frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt & Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk and don't move. And it ain't shooting at you, like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes. Be sure to tell Walt & Elmer to hurry & join before other fellers get into this setup & come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,

Gail

P.S. Speaking of shooting, enclosed is $200 towards a new barn roof & ma's teeth. The city boys shoot craps, but not very good

THE ARMY

2011-12-14T01:00:00.000-04:00

THE INFANTRY

2011-12-07T01:00:00.000-04:00

RESPECT YOUR ENEMY

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Respect: (2011-7-23)

“Know, understand, and most importantly respect your enemy because you may underestimate him even before you engage him, and, therefore you will already be defeated even before that battle has begun.”

~ BoH ~

TIME CHECK

2011-12-05T08:00:00.001-04:00

Time Check On some air bases the Air Force is on one side of the field and civilian aircraft use the other side of the field, with the control tower in the middle.

One day the tower received a call from an aircraft asking, "What time is it?"

The tower responded, "Who is calling?"

The pilot replied, "What difference does it make?" The tower replied.

"It makes a lot of difference. If it is an American Airlines flight, it is 3 o'clock. If it is an Air Force plane, it is 1500 hours. If it is a Navy aircraft, it is 6 bells. If it is an Army aircraft, the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3. If it is a Marine Corps aircraft, it's Thursday afternoon and 120 minutes to "Happy Hour".

HONOUR

2011-11-30T01:00:00.000-04:00

FIGHTER PILOTS

2011-11-28T05:30:00.001-04:00

Fighter Pilots Q: How do you know if there is a fighter pilot at your party?

A: He'll tell you.

Q: What's the difference between God and fighter pilots

A: God doesn't think he's a fighter pilot.

Q: What's the difference between a fighter pilot and a jet engine?

A: A jet engine stops whining when the plane shuts down.

HAPPINESS IS..........

2011-11-23T01:00:00.001-04:00

SACRIFICE: NOBLEST OF MANKIND

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

"The soldier, above all other men, is required to perfom the highest act of religious teaching - sacrifice. In battle and in the face of danger and death he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when He created man in his own image. No physical courage and no brute instincts can take the palce of the divine annuncation and spiritual uplift which will alone sustain him. However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country is the noblest develoment of mankind."

~ General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, 14 July 1935, address to the verterans of the Rainbow (42nd) Division, A Soldier Speaks, 1965

SHAVE AND A HAIR CUT

2011-11-21T05:30:00.001-04:00

A Navy Chief and an Admiral were sitting in the barbershop. They were both just getting finished with their shaves, when the barbers reached for some after-shave to slap on their faces.

The admiral shouted, "Hey, don't put that stuff on me! My wife will think I've been in a whorehouse!"

The chief turned to his barber and said, "Go ahead and put it on. My wife doesn't know what the inside of a whorehouse smells like."

FAIRNESS

2011-11-16T15:05:00.001-04:00

SACRIFICE: GLORY BORN

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

"Out of the depths of sorrow and sacrifice will be born again the glory of mankind."

~ Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) ~

MILITARY TRUISMS

2011-11-14T05:30:00.001-04:00

Military Truisms

• "Aim towards the Enemy." [Instruction printed on US rocket launcher]

• When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is no longer our friend. [From a US Field Manual]

• Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs always hit the ground.

• Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.

• Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't ever volunteer to do anything.

• If your attack is going too well, you are walking into an ambush.

• If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly.

• Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you.

• No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection.

• Any ship can be a minesweeper . . . . once.

• If the enemy is in range, so are you.

• Tracers work both ways.

• Friendly fire isn't.

• Five second fuses only last three seconds.

• Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.

• The problem with taking the easy way out is that the enemy has already mined it.

• Incoming fire has the right of way.

• The quartermaster has only two sizes: too large and too small.

• If you can see the enemy, he can see you.

• And never tell your Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do.

REMEMBER ME

2011-11-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

~REMEMBER ME~

We bid farewell to family and friends,

In hope that someday we'll live as brothers.

I pray for the day all wars will end,

and my fate shall be spared to others.
It was the war to end all wars,

That is what they had said.

After all these years,

Canada still counts her dead.
I was a true Canadian;

I wish you could see,

All I ask is,

Remember Me.
In war I fought and died,

I thought it did cease.

Now under the Blue Beret,

I die for World Peace.
Like Michael Ralph, John Ternapolski,

Plus the thousands of soldiers before.

On November 11th Remember

I died for Peace not War.
I was a true Canadian,

I wish you could see.

All I ask is,
Remember Me.

**
~ In Memory of MCpl John William Ternapolski ~

COURAGE

2011-11-09T00:01:00.002-04:00

...A WEEK OF REMEMBRANCE...

REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN, AND THANK THOSE WHO SURVIVED

SACRIFICE: UNIVERSAL GOOD

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

"Who lives for honour must know how to die for the universal good."

~ Gustavus II Adolphus, 30 Apr 1632, to his commanders, who commented on how close he had come to death in the day's fighting along the River Lech, quoted in Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Gustavus Adolphus, 1895 ~

KOREAN WAR BY Charles Joseph Stevens

2011-11-07T13:58:00.003-04:00

Fellow Canadians,

This was forwarded by Ms. Catherine Stevens. Ms. Stevens is the daughter of Charles Joseph Stevens, a 1 RCR veteran of the Korean War. She has established the a website (click picture) so that her father's extensive collection of wartime photos can be viewed by other veterans and by those who are interested in the Korean War. She has been endeavouting to identify persons in these photos and place the pictures in some kind of context. She is thereby hoping to share these pictures with other veterans and families of veterans. The hope is that people will view these photos at their convenience and then communicate with her if there is any information they can share about individual pictures. It is encourage that people communicate directly with Catherine (atinfo@charliesphotographs.com) if you can be of any assisitance.

Thanks,

Johnny H.

THE PRAYERS OF OFFICERS

2011-11-07T05:30:00.003-04:00

One day, three Full Colonels were hiking together and unexpectedly came upon a wide, raging, biolent river. They needed to get to the other side, but had no idea of how to do so. The Air Force Colonel called out to God, praying, "Please God, give me the strength to cross this river."

POOF! God gave him big arms and strong legs, and he was able to swim across. It did, however, take him more than an hour and he almost drowned a couple of times. Seeing this, the Army Colonel played to God saying, "Please God, give me the strength and tools to cross this river."

POOF! God gave him a rowboat and oars. He was able to row across but it still took almost an hour, it was very rough, and he almost capsized several times. The Navy Captain saw how things worked out for the other two, so when he prayed to God, he said, "Pleae God, give me the strength, tools, and the intelligence to cross this river."

POOF! God turned him into a Infantry Sergeant. He looked at the map, hiked upstream a couple of hundred yards, and walked across the bridge.

FOUR WORDS

2011-11-04T13:45:00.001-03:00

HOT CUP OF...

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-03:00

CANADIAN SOLDIER

2011-11-03T11:00:00.001-03:00

~Canadian Soldier~

Author unknown

He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach,

staring at all the pretty girls.

He walks the streets,

searching for insurgents and terrorists.

You complain about how hot it is.

He wears his heavy gear,

not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

You go out to lunch,

and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.

He doesn't get to eat today.

Your wife makes your bed and washes your clothes.

He wears the same things for weeks,

but makes sure his weapons are clean.

You go to the mall and get your hair done.

He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.

He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.

He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.

He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.

He gets a letter with pictures of his new child,

and wonders if they'll ever meet.

You criticize your government,

and say that war never solves anything.

He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war,

and make fun of men like him.

He hears the gunfire,

bombs and screams of the wounded.

You see only what the media wants you to see.

He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents.

You don't.

He does exactly what he is told.

You stay at home and watch TV.

He takes whatever time he is given to call,

write home, sleep, and eat

You crawl into your soft bed,

with down pillows,

and get comfortable.

He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap,

only to be woken by gunfire.

You sit there and judge him,

saying the world is probably a worse Gothic.

SACRIFICE: KAMIKAZE MOON

2011-11-03T08:00:00.000-03:00

"Refreshingly,

After the violent storm,

The moon rose radient."

~ Vice-Admiral Takijiro Ohnishi,

Commander, Kamikaze Special Attack Force

- his final haiku before committing suicide, 15 Aug 1945, quoted in Inoguchi and Nakajima, The Devine Wind, 1955

DUALING GUNS: THE NEW METHOD

2011-11-02T15:05:00.000-03:00

F**KING INSURGENT, TALIBAN, TERRORITS RETRARDS!

EXPERIENCE WANTED

2011-10-31T05:30:00.003-03:00

Experience Wanted:

Shortly after joing the Army, I was in line with some other inductees when the Sergeant stepped forward with that day's assignments.

He handed several tasks out and then asked, "Does anyone here have experience with radio communications?" A longtime ham radio operator, I shouted, "I do!"

"Good," he said. "You can dig the hole for the new telephone pole."

GURKHAS

2011-10-31T05:30:00.002-03:00

PHILOSOPHY: A GROUCHES PERSPECTIVE

2011-10-28T13:00:00.000-03:00

THE DUKE: A MAN GOT TO...

2011-10-28T12:00:00.000-03:00

THE "DUKE'S" PHILOSOPHY

RULES OF GUN FIGHTING

2011-10-28T02:15:00.000-03:00

You may someday need to apply one or more of these
The absolute First Rule of a Gunfight, in Mark Moritz' brilliantly enunciated aphorism, is "Have a gun!" The rest will supplement that first rule….

1. Have a gun.
a. Preferably, have at least two guns.
b. Bring all of your friends who have guns.
2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
a. "Why did you shoot only once? There's no additional paperwork for shooting someone twice!" -- Firearms Instructor P.O.J.D., MOS debriefing after a shooting.
b. Bring ammo.
i. The right ammo.
ii. Lots of it.

3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.
4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.
5. Proximity negates skill. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movement are preferred.)
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun… and a friend with a long gun.
7. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
8. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading and running.
9. Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun. Use a gun that works every time. "All skill is in vain when an Angel pisses in the flintlock of your musket."
10. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
11. Always cheat, always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
a. "If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly."

This is the law:
The purpose of fighting is to win.
There is no possible victory in defense.
The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either.
The final weapon is the brain.
All else is supplemental.
- John Steinbeck (courtesy of Ken Campbell)

12. Have a plan.
a. Have a back-up plan, because the first one won't work.

13. Use cover or concealment as much as possible.(Consequences of not enough of the above.)
14. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect your own flank.
15. Don't drop your guard.
16. Always perform a tactical reload and then threat scan 360 degrees.
17. Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God we trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them.)
18. Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
19. The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.
20. Be polite. Be professional. But… have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
21. Be courteous to everyone. Friendly to no one.
22. Your number one option for Personal Security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
23. Do not attend a gun fight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a "4."
a. Nothing handheld is a reliable stopper.

24. Carry the same gun in the same place all the time.

GRENADE!!

2011-10-26T15:05:00.000-03:00

SUBORDINATES: GOLD THERE-IN

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-03:00

"Encourage and listen to your subordinates. It is well known that gold lies hidden underground."

~ Nabeshima Naoshige (1538 - 1618), quoted in William Wilson, Ideals of the Samurai, 1982 ~

The Battle for Kowang-San (Hill 355), 22-24 October 1952

2011-10-24T01:00:00.000-03:00

Between 1950 and 1953 Canada was involved in a “police action” in Korea. Our country, as part of the United Nations (UN), had dispatched the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade to help defend embattled South Korea in the face of invasion by Communist North Korea.[i] South Korea had been saved, but the sudden intervention of over a quarter of a million Red Chinese troops had tipped the balance once again in favour of the Communists.[ii]

By 1952 the front line between the opposing Chinese and U.N. forces was more or less stabilized east to west in the mountains north of the 38th parallel, roughly half-way up the Korean peninsula. The conflict had entered a static phase which would prevail until the conclusion of hostilities and was known as the “twilight war.” The Chinese, though possessing almost limitless manpower, lacked the air power, long range support weapons and sophisticated logistics to affect the conquest of the South. The United Nations, led by the Americans, sought to negotiate a political settlement rather than win an outright military victory. The result was stalemate with the war becoming one of attrition and fixed positions. In this respect the Korean War had come to resemble the Italian Campaign of the Second World War or the Western Front in the First World War. Fighting was bitter and incessant, conducted locally and on an almost primitive level. It was an infantryman’s war!

The Chinese infantryman had proven to be a formidable and at times superior opponent. Hardened by decades of civil war and conflict with the Japanese he was tough, resilient, disciplined, and capable of operating without the lavish service support and fire support that his Western counterpart was so dependant on. The rugged terrain, lack of roads, and extreme weather favoured the qualities inherent in the Chinese soldier.

2. 1RCR in Korea

In April of 1952 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (1RCR) had arrived in Korea to relieve 2RCR.[iii] Lieutenant-Colonel P.R. Bingham was the Commanding Officer (CO) of 1RCR and had been since December 1948.[iv] The Battalion would be part of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade, along with the first battalions from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) and the Royal 22nd Regiment (R22eR or the “Vandoos”). The 25th Brigade was commanded by a longtime RCR officer, Brigadier M.P. “Pat” Bogert, DSO.[v] The Canadian brigade was part of the 1st Commonwealth Division (commanded by Major-General Sir James Cassells and later Major-General Michael Alston-Roberts-West), a predominantly British and Canadian formation, but with Australian and New Zealand components.[vi] The Commonwealth Division consisted of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade, the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade, and the 29th Infantry Brigade (UK). This division was a part of 1st U.S. Corps, an army corps of the U.S. Eighth Army (General James Van Fleet). The 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade occupied 11,000 yards of the front line in a mountainous region known as the Iron Triangle, 50 miles north of the South Korean capital, Seoul. The soldiers of 1RCR were professionals, regular army men and almost all were tough paratroopers (the Battalion had been designated as an airborne unit in May 1949).
By October they had accumulated considerable experience in defensive operations and patrolling against the enemy. Patrols included recce patrols, standing patrols, contact patrols, raids, and ambushes. Another type of patrol was the ‘jitter’ patrol. The purpose of this was to go out in ‘No Man’s Land’ and deliberately draw the fire of the Chinese thereby discovering his exact positions. On one such ‘jitter patrol’ a rather imaginative group of Royals brought musical instruments with them, borrowed from the Corps Drums. Establishing themselves as close as they dared to the enemy lines the Canadians now began their musical serenade. After five minutes of this performance the Chinese unleashed a furious fusillade of mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire. When an enemy bayonet charge seemed imminent the 1RCR patrol withdrew with one man wounded. It seemed the Chinese just couldn’t appreciate the finer points of Western music.

3. 1RCR arrives at Kowang-San

On 10 August, 1RCR relieved the 1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment (29th Infantry Brigade), assuming the defence of Hill 355 or Kowang-San as it was known locally. It was also referred to as ‘Little Gibraltar’ by the Americans. It was a dominating feature and a key to the U.N. Line. Control of Hill 355 conferred control of the highways running south to Seoul. To the immediate left of 1RCR was 1R22eR and to the right was 1PPCLI. Over the next three months the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade would experience the heaviest shelling and mortaring of any period that it spent in the front lines. The Battalion was opposite a junction point in the enemy lines that marked the boundary between the Chinese 39th and 40th Armies (commanded by Generals Xinquan and Yucheng respectively). On 25 August, from the highest point on Hill 355, Company Sergeant-Major Richard McNally of D Company unfurled the Regimental banner, a challenge that sooner or later would be answered by the Chinese.

The arrival of autumn brought the end of the monsoon and a dramatic change in Chinese tactics. They now possessed artillery and mortars in abundance and were increasingly prepared to use these supporting aggressive attacks on U.N. positions. The Chinese would skillfully infiltrate our lines, isolate an outpost and suddenly overwhelm it. Canadian casualties began to mount, though the blood letting was not all one-sided. During a fighting patrol, mounted by Lieutenant H.R. “Russ” Gardner and five men of B Company, including Corporal K.E. Fowler, a Chinese signaller was snatched from an enemy kitchen area, while five other Chinese soldiers were shot dead. The prisoner proved to be from the 346th Regiment, 116th Division, of the Chinese 39th Army. For this action Gardner was awarded the Military Cross (MC) and Fowler won the Military Medal (MM).

On 01 October the Chinese began a relentless bombardment of Hill 355 that increased rather than decreased in violence as the days passed. Enemy raids and patrols were now probing our main defensive positions on a nightly basis. Kowang-San became so dangerous that American brass stopped visiting it. Chinese prisoners, captured by 1RCR patrols, revealed that an all-out assault on Hill 355 was in the offing.

4. The Fight for Kowang-San

As of 22 October, Hill 355 was divided into five defensive sectors, each held by one of the five rifle companies of 1RCR (the fifth rifle company, E Company, had only recently been raised, in September). Area 2 lay directly between the main feature of Hill 355 and the Chinese-held Hill 227, less than two miles to the west. It was the closest sector to the enemy and the most exposed. Area 2 was forward-centre in the 1RCR defensive line and had borne the brunt of the Chinese bombardment since 01 October.

At this time Area 2 was manned by B Company under the command of Major J.E.L.Cohen. He had deployed his three platoons forward with no company reserve. 4 Platoon commanded by Lieutenant S. MacDonald was on the left and in contact with E Company (Captain H.G. “Herb” Cloutier); 5 Platoon under Lieutenant John Clark was in the centre, and Lieutenant Russ Gardner’s 6 Platoon was on the right and in contact with A Company (Major George G. Taylor). D Company (Major R.S. “Bob” Richards) and C Company were dug in in depth, left-rear and right-rear respectively, and both available as necessary for counter attack. With battle looming, the CO, Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham was on leave and command had devolved on the Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO), Major Frank Klenavic (Klenavic commanded the Battalion from 10-25 October).[vii]

As of last light, 22 October, B Company’s field defences had been reduced to a deplorable state by the continuing Chinese bombardment. Many bunkers had caved in, most of the reserve ammunition buried and telephone lines cut. With enemy mortar and artillery fire continuing to intensify on Area 2 an attack was anticipated that night. As a result B Company remained at 50% alert throughout the night with one man up in each weapon pit while his partner slept. Chinese sappers worked in close to B Company’s positions, destroying wire obstacles with crude bangalore torpedoes.

At 1845 hours (hrs), a Chinese infiltration group blundered into 4 Platoon’s trenches on the left and was shot down to a man. At 2045 hrs A Company, 1st Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, arrived to take over the defense of Area 5, freeing D Company for a possible counter-move. There was no further contact with the enemy on this night, though the heavy shelling and mortaring continued.

By dawn on 23 October, the situation in Area 2 was precarious in the extreme. All communication with the rear had been cut and enemy shelling had destroyed all of 6 Platoon’s bunkers, forcing the soldiers of this platoon to move to their left and take shelter with 5 Platoon. Lieutenant Gardner assumed command of the two combined platoons and Lieutenant Clark acted as a runner to Company Headquarters (HQ) and Battalion HQ to the rear. The weight of Chinese fire kept B Company pinned down during the day; any movement above ground was next to impossible. As a result, neither food nor ammunition could be pushed forward to the beleaguered platoons of B Company.

At great personal risk Lieutenant Clark finally reached Battalion HQ and advised Major Klenavic of the desperate situation confronting B Company. The acting CO promptly ordered that 5 and 6 Platoons withdraw from their forward positions and re-organize. Major Cohen and Lieutenant Clark made their way to 5 and 6 Platoons to organize their withdrawal. They arrived towards sunset at 1800 hrs.

At this precise moment the enemy barrage on B Company increased dramatically for ten minutes then rolled on to the rear and flanks. A massive Chinese infantry assault on Area 2 was only minutes away and withdrawal was impossible. Major Cohen and Lieutenants Gardner and Clark and Sergeant Gerald E.P. Enright (5 Platoon Sergeant) hurriedly organized the 30 survivors of 5 and 6 Platoons into some semblance of defense. Blocking positions among the shattered trenches were established and men who had lost their weapons organized into bombing parties. Enemy small arms fire was heavy to their front and large numbers of Chinese began to move in from the flanks. Area 2 was now being attacked by the equivalent of two enemy battalions.

On the left 4 Platoon was overwhelmed, the loss of their position being reported to Major Klenavic by survivors at 1830 hrs. On the right Lieutenant Clark and twelve men stubbornly fought on but were eventually forced to take up a blocking position further to the north where B Company’s trenches met A Company’s. They were able to hold this position for the rest of the battle, successfully fighting off swarms of Chinese.

In the centre Lieutenant Gardner and another small band of B Company men fought desperately against hundreds of Chinese attacking from the south. On the verge of being overrun, Gardner ordered his men to make for the safety of A Company’s trenches. He bravely remained to cover their retreat emptying his automatic carbine at the oncoming Chinese. In this action Lieutenant Gardner was repeatedly hit by enemy fire and eventually went down, but not before he personally shot five Chinese soldiers. He pretended to be dead as hundreds of Chinese moved through B Company’s position, ruthlessly bayoneting the bodies of any fallen Canadian soldiers that they found. In the darkness and confusion Lt. Gardner was able to crawl to A Company’s trenches, dragging with him a wounded comrade. They had been the last Canadians alive in Area 2.

By 1943 hours the news had reached Major Klenavic that there were now no friendly troops left in Area 2. He immediately brought down a fire mission on B Company’s former position and ordered every available support weapon in the Battalion, including mortars, machine guns, and recoilless rifles to engage the enemy in Area 2. The heavy and accurate Canadian fire now stopped the Chinese dead in their tracks.

At 2100 hrs developing enemy attacks on A Company in the north and E Company in the south were broken up by artillery salvoes from 1st Commonwealth Division, including A Battery, 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1RCR had a very special relationship with this particular Battery throughout the tour in Korea). At 0110 hrs, 24 October, Major Klenavic ordered D Company to counter-attack and drive the Chinese from Area 2. The assaulting platoons from D Company were at first heavily engaged but as they pushed home their attack Chinese resistance crumbled and the enemy evaporated into the night. D Company re-occupied Area 2. By 0330 hrs the Battalion’s forward lines had been re-established and the battle was over.

The Battle of Kowang-San, fought between 22 and 24 October, 1952 had lasted 33 hours. In that period 1RCR had suffered 18 killed, 14 missing, and 35 wounded. Enemy casualties were unknown but believed extremely heavy. In fact, in the aftermath of the battle, helicopter observers counted up to six hundred Chinese bodies scattered across the battlefield. As a result of the action at Kowang-San soldiers of the Battalion won three Military Crosses and four Military Medals for gallantry. The Military Crosses were won by acting Major George Taylor, OC of A Company; Captain Cloutier, commanding E Company; and by Lieutenant Clark of 5 Platoon, B Company. It is also worth noting that for his sterling service as the Forward Observation Officer (FOO) during the battle, Captain D.S. Caldwell was also awarded the MC. Sergeant Enright, also of 5 Platoon, was one of the recipients of the Military Medal (MM), as was Warrant Officer 2nd Class (WO2) George Fox, CSM of E Company. For his strong leadership throughout the battle Major Klenavic won the award of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). At the conclusion of the Battalion’s tour in Korea, Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham would be awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), in recognition of the outstanding achievements of 1RCR over the past 11 months.

The defence of Hill 355 had been the bloodiest and most significant action fought by 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment during its eleven month combat tour in Korea. Throughout this period, the Battalion would suffer a total of 282 casualties, including 51 killed in action, 204 wounded, and 14 taken prisoner. The Korean War, 1950-53 had only been the second occasion in its history that The RCR became a three battalion regiment (the first being during the South African war, 1899-1902). Each Battalion in its own turn would serve a combat tour in the theatre of conflict. Total casualties suffered by the Regiment in Korea were 117 killed and 408 wounded.

The Korean tour for 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment ended officially on 25 March, 1953. This event was marked by a handover with its sister Battalion, 3RCR. On an earlier date, 01 November, 1952, 1RCR had been relieved in the line by the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (28th British Commonwealth Brigade), following the successful defence of Kowang-San. On that occasion, the Regimental banner of The RCR, tattered and stained, nevertheless still flew proudly from the highest point on Hill 355. Once again, the proud traditions of The Royal Canadian Regiment had been upheld.
[i] North Korean forces, in an act of unprovoked aggression, invaded South Korea (the Republic of Korea) on 25 June 1950. This conflict, referred to in the West not as a war, but as a police action, was only concluded three years later on 27 July 1953, with the signing of an armistice at Panmunjom
[ii] Chinese forces in Korea were part of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA), as distinct from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The PVA, created on 23 November 1950, was commanded by Marshal Peng Dehuai (P’eng Te-huai), generally regarded as China’s ablest field commander of the day and subsequently Chinese Minister of Defence, 1954-59. He was a onetime Kuomintang brigade commander, but a Communist soldier since 1927. Like most senior PVA officers, Peng was a veteran of the Chinese Civil War (1927-49) and had seen extensive action against the Japanese during the Second World War (i.e. Second Sino-Japanese War, 1937-45). During the period of the Korean War, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953, some 2.3 million Chinese troops were deployed to Korea. Of these, it is estimated by Western sources that about 400,000 were killed and a further 486,000 wounded. The Chinese themselves admit to 148,000 killed, 380,000 wounded, and 29,000 missing (including 21,400 taken prisoner). Peak strength of the PVA at any given time was 270,000 men. The PVA consisted of two army groups, the 13th Army Group and the 9th Army Group, including a total of 30 infantry divisions. The 13th Army Group, commanded by General Yongsheng, with 150,000 men and 18 infantry divisions, was comprised of six armies (with three divisions in each army): 38th Army (General Xingchu); 39th Army (General Xinquan); 40th Army (General Yucheng); 42nd Army (General Riulin); 50th Army (General Zesheng); and 66th Army (General Su Ching-huai). Additionally there were three motorized artillery divisions (the 1st, 2nd, and 8th), each consisting of three artillery regiments. The 9th Army Group, commanded by General Shilun, with 120,000 and 12 infantry divisions, was organized in three armies (each with four divisions): 20th Army (General Fei); 26th Army (General Renchu); and 27th Army (General Fengzhi). In the PVA an army group was in fact equivalent to an army, an army to an army corps. Each infantry division was comprised of three infantry regiments (each regiment the equivalent of a brigade).
[iii] On 07 August 1950, the Department of National Defence (DND) announced the creation of a Special Force consisting of additional or second battalions of the existing Permanent Force battalions of The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), and the Royal 22nd Regiment (R22eR). These Special Force units (i.e. 2RCR, 2PPCLI, and 2R22eR) once organized and trained, would be dispatched to Korea as the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade (initially commanded by Brigadier J.M. Rockingham, MBE, DSO). The Permanent Force units would therefore become the first battalions of their Regiments. These regular battalions would initially remain in Canada constituting the Mobile Striking Force and eventually rotate with the Special Force battalions. Thus, The RCR became a multi-battalion regiment for only the second time in its history (the South African War, 1899-1902, marked the first occasion when there were three battalions serving concurrently: the Permanent Force battalion remained in Canada; the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry served overseas in South Africa and was in existance from October 1899 until December 1900; and a third battalion came into being to provide a garrison for the Citadel in Halifax during the war; the second occasion occurred briefly towards the end of the Second World when a second battalion of The RCR was raised to fight the Japanese as part of Pacific Force; the Japanese surrendered before the Force could deploy to the Far East). The Special Force men were recruited for a fixed period of 18 months. The Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment was quickly raised in Petawawa and by 17 August consisted of 1,203 all ranks. Many of the officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) came from the Permanent Force. Some two-thirds of the enlistees had served during the Second World War. On 25 August 1950 Lieutenant-Colonel R.A. Keane, DSO, took command of 2RCR. He too was a war veteran of thr war and had served with distinction in the First Special Service Force. After training at Fort Lewis, Washington, 2RCR sailed for Korea, arriving at the port of Pusan on 05 May 1951. This Battalion remained in Korea until relieved by 1RCR from 21-23 April 1952.
[iv] Bingham had enlisted in D Company, The RCR, at St.-Jean, Quebec in 1931. In the early days of the Second World War, on 22 December 1939, Warrant Officer 2nd Class Bingham had sailed with the Regiment from Halifax to England as Company Sergeant-Major (CSM) of Headquarter Company. By August 1940 he had been selected for officer candidate training and was eventually commissioned. By the end of the war Bingham was a lieutenant-colonel sewrving on the staff of First Canadian Army. Interestingly, Bingham had also served with British 14th Army in Burma during 1944. Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham would be awarded the Distinguished Servcice Order (DSO) for his leadership of 1RCR in the field during the tour in Korea.
[v] Lieutenant Bogert had been a subaltern in The RCR in 1934 along with Charles Foulkes, Ralph Crowe, and Dan Spry; later, during the Second World War, Bogert had been Officer Commanding (OC) D Company, The RCR, in England, had then become CO of the West Nova Scotia Regiment in Italy, where he had been wounded in action, and finally commanded the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade from October 1944 until June 1945, first in Italy, then in Holland. Brigadier Bogert would be awarded the DSO for his tenure of command of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Korea.
[vi] 1st Commonwealth Division, as of June 1952, consisted of the following units and formations:
5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards
B Squadron, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (LDSH)
1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1RCHA)
14th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (RA)
16th New Zealand (NZ) Field Regiment
61st Light Regiment, Royal Artillery (RA)
25th Canadian Infantry Brigade: 1RCR, 1PPCLI, 1R22eR.
28th British Commonwealth Brigade: 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers (1KOSB), 1st Battalion,
King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (1KSLI), 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), and
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR).
29th Infantry Brigade (UK): 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment (1RNR), 1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment
1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment).
1st Commonwealth Division Signals

[vii] In 1933 Klenavic had been a private with B Company in Toronto and by 1936 was a corporal. At the outbreak of the Second World War he had proceeded overseas with the RCR in December 1939 as a Platoon Sergeant-Major with the rank of Warrant Officer 3rd Class. In August 1940, along with Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham, he had been selected for officer candidate training and been commissioned. In November 1942, Captain Klenavic was attached to the British First Army in Tunisia for a three month period. This was part of a programme whereby Canadian officers and NCOs could gain battle experience with British units. Klenavic thus became the first member of the Regiment to see combat in the Second World War (Captain Strome Galloway would also serve with the British in North Africa prior to the invasion of Sicily)). He had risen to the rank of Major by the war’s end.

By Capt Ross A. Appleton

AN ARTILLERY TOAST

2011-10-23T18:00:00.001-03:00

A Toast to the Guns

By them we live,

For them we would die.

Whatever the Mission,

We'll give it a try.

We'll serve them with Honor

For they are the ones;

That make us Artillerymen,

So here's to the Guns:

TO THE GUNS!!

~ Unknown ~

ALEKSANDR TVARDOVSKIY'S ARTILLERY

2011-10-22T06:00:00.000-03:00

"You can't describe the moral lift,

when in the fight your spirits weary hears above the hostile fire,

Your own artillery.

Shells score the air like wavy hair

from a forward battery.

As regimental cannon crack

While from positions further back,

in bitter sweet song overhead

crashing discordantly

Division's pounding joins the attack;

Mother like she belches shell;

Glorious it flies, and well,

As, with a hissing screaming squall,

A roaring furnace, giving all, she sears a path for the infantry...."

~ by Aleksandr Tvardovskiy, from the poem "Vasily Tyorkin" 1943 ~

ST BARBARA & the ARTILLERY

2011-10-21T18:00:00.001-03:00

"St Barbara of the Artillery Corp,

Be at the bursting of the doors of doom,

And in the dark deliver us,

Amen."

~ Unknown ~

the ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILERY BIRTHDAY

2011-10-20T00:01:00.005-03:00

A and B batteries Garrison Artillery, which were the first regular components of the Canadian Forces, were formed on 20 October 1871.

While a number of Militia artillery units pre-date this, The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery has adopted the 20th of October as its birthday.

It is also celebrated as 1 RCHA’s unit birthday. As with Artillery Day, the Artillery Birthday may be celebrated with special parades, sports days, guest nights, parties, open houses and the like.

TALENT

2011-10-19T01:00:00.000-03:00

the ROYAL 22nd REGIMENT, REGIMENTAL BIRTHDAY

2011-10-14T12:16:00.004-03:00

The Royal 22e Regiment, or the "Van Doos" is an infantry regiment, and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the army.

The ceremonial home of the regiment is La Citadelle in Quebec City, where the regimental museum is housed. The regiment is nicknamed the Van Doos, a corruption of vingt-deux, French for "twenty-two." The regiment's RHQ is located in Quebec City, with all three of its regular battalions stationed at various bases in the province of Quebec.

The regiment serves as the "local" infantry regiment for Quebec.

LUCKY CHARMS

2011-10-12T01:00:00.000-03:00

WE OWN IT...

2011-10-05T01:00:00.000-03:00

QW - THE REQUIREMENT FOR INTELLIGENCE IN THE INFANTRY

2011-10-03T01:00:00.000-03:00

“The art of the infantryman is less sterotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than any other arm. The role of the average Artilleryman, for instance, is largely routine; the setting of a fuse, the locating of a gun, even the laying of it, are processes which once learned, are mechanical. The Infantryman has to use initiative and intelligence in almost every step he moves, every action he takes on the battlefield.

We ought, therefore, to put or best intelligence in the infantry.”

~ Unknown ~

THE PASSING OF CAPT. ROBERT H. MAHAR

2011-09-30T11:13:00.003-03:00

Sad news today concerning the passing of a gallant soldier of The Royal Canadian Regiment. ZF657 Captain Robert H. "Bob" Mahar, veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, passed away this morning, 29 September 2011, 0630 hrs, at Parkwood Hospital, London, Ontario. Captain Mahar had a very distinguished military career, serving in the Second World War, then with 1 RCR in Korea, 1952-53, and in Viet Nam as part of the ICSC from 1962-63. Bob Mahar was OC of "C" Company during I RCR's combat tour in Korea, April 1952 - March 1953. Capt Mahar is the father of Lieutenant-Colonel R.J. "Bob" Mahar, another distinguished officer of the Regiment. Officers and men of 1 RCR will want to take a look at the baby grand piano prominently displayed on the second floor in 1 RCR Lines. This piano was originally donated to the 1 RCR Officers Mess by Captain Mahar and Colonel Fred Vine.
As a High School student in the 1950s, and soon-to-be young Army recruit, Lieutenat-Colonel R.J. Mahar wrote in obvious pride of his father and his father's vocation:
"These have I loved: The effortless scrape of a fresh razor blade, A squared-off bunk that you've just made; A soldier's boots that shine like glass; His buckle and badge of gleaming brass; His sharply pressed pants, The acrid taste of a rifle when fired, Vehicles mesh, pant and groan, The whine of a ricochet; The feeling of pride in Dad's job well done. The excited wink from his admiring son."
(Quoted by G.R. Stevens on Page 315 of,"The Royal Canadian Regiment, Volume Two, 1933-1966")
This morning, the son of Capt Mahar, Lieutenant-Colonel Mahar, described his father as "his hero." When Captain R.H. Mahar retired from active service he presented his son, 2/Lt R.J. Mahar, with his own sword, on parade. LCol R.J. Mahar is the President of the Army Sniper Association (Ft. Benning, Georgia), and is currently in London. He will advise the Regiment when arrangements have been finalized. In the meantime he has stated that, tentatively, visitation will take place on Monday, 03 October, with funeral services to follow on Tuesday, 04 October.

R.I.P.

SOLDIER

2011-09-29T08:00:00.002-03:00

Some people say I'm a fighter
Some people hate what I do
I stand for my country
I stand for you
I have a family that loves me
They respect what I do
Try telling your child you're leaving
Believe me it's a hard thing to do
If I die don't judge me
I will not judge you
If I die, please accept it
I would die for you
We have our reasons
Rules, morals, beliefs
I won't slander your opinions
I'm just searching for peace
If I die don't judge me
I will not judge you
If I die, please accept it
I would die for you
I would die for you

RESERVISTS

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-03:00

(FALLING) MAPLE LEAFS

2011-09-22T08:00:00.003-03:00

The Maple Leafs are falling

On foreign soil once again,

To be scattered cross the desert

By unforgiving Asian wind.

This dust is barren, unprotected,

Unlike his field of wheat;

The sand is so unlike his Maritimes,

No majestic Rockie peak.

He hears a lonely Piper now,

Black boots marching through the snow,

The warm drape of the Maple Leaf,

Tells him all he has to know.

Four winds have gently cast the Leaf,

To land on home terrain,

Flying freely there, he will declare,

His fall was not in vain.

**

J.S. McGregor

NANCIES

2011-09-21T08:00:00.001-03:00

***

Don't forget to insert your mouth guard before going into combat....it should be in your left breast pocket according to your Nato Standard kit list

***

(loo-s-a-her)

I AM THE INFANTRY (Poem)

2011-09-15T08:00:00.002-03:00

I am the Infantry.
I am my country's strength in war,
her deterrent in peace.
I am the heart of the fight-
wherever, whenever.
I carry Canada's faith and honor
against her enemies.
I am the Queen of Battle.

I am what my country expects me to be-
the best trained soldier in the world.
In the race for victory,
I am swift, determined, and courageous,
armed with a fierce will to win.

Never will I fail my country's trust.
Always I fight on-
through the foe,
to the objective,
to triumph over all.
If necessary, I fight to my death.

By my steadfast courage,
I have won 150 years of freedom.
I yield not-
to weakness,
to hunger,
to cowardice,
to fatigue,
to superior odds,
for I am mentally tough,

physically strong,

and morally straight.

I forsake not-
my country,
my mission,
my comrades,
my sacred duty.

I am relentless.
I am always there,
now and forever.

I AM THE INFANTRY!
FOLLOW ME

SAS: GUARRANTEED DELIVERY

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-03:00

QW - WAR AVOIDED

2011-09-14T07:01:00.000-03:00

"A war put off is not a war avoided."

~ Charlton Heston ~

"JUST A COMMON SOLDIER" by Lawrence Vaincourt

2011-09-08T08:00:00.002-03:00

~JUST A COMMON SOLDIER~

http://www.vaincourt.homestead.com/Common_Soldier.html
***

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion telling stories of his past
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies - they were heroes, every one.

***

And tho' sometimes to his neighbours, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke
But we'll hear his tales no longer, for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for the soldier died today.

***

He won't be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary, quick and uneventful life
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way
And the world won't note his passing, tho' a soldier died today.

***

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great,
Papers tell their life stories from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

***
In the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
One guy breaks his promises and cons his fellow man
But the ordinary fellow, who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country and offers up his life.

***

A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives
While the ordinary soldier who offered up his all
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps a pension small.

***

It's so easy to forget them, for it was so long ago
That the old Bills of our country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys
Who won for us the freedom that our country now enjoys.

***

Should you find yourself in danger with your enemies at hand
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand
Or would you prefer a soldier who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and country and would fight right to the end?

***

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin
But his presence should remind us we may need his likes again.
For when countries are in conflict then we find the soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

***

If we cannot do him honour while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY!!"

CANADIAN MILITARY BASE

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000-03:00

QW - IF THE UN ADMITS ON FORCE

2011-09-07T07:01:00.001-03:00

"If the United Nations once admits that international disputes can be settled by using force, then we will have destroyed the foundation of the organization and our best hope of establishing a world order"

~ Dwight D. Eisenhower ~

"PROUD OF YOU" BY HOLLY McNEIL

2011-09-01T08:00:00.000-03:00

~PROUD OF YOU~

Written by Holly McNeil

In good times and in bad you always stand tall,
You show your best--the best of all.
As you left port my heart went too--
Although I was scared, I was proud of you.

Apart we were for many days,
As you were sailing over oceans of waves.
It was hard to be alone for months without you--
Because inside, I carried a bundle to be wrapped in blue.

I wished every day--your safe return--
As you kept ship from bow to stern.
Months had gone by and Christmas had come.
But you--your job was not yet done.

I prayed that you would return for the special day.
The day that our precious baby boy came our way.
My dream had finally come true--
We were soon to be reunited--the days numbered to a few.

To the Persian Gulf, you made your last call of duty.
Now you are in my arms--the man I love so truly.
But it is no longer just us two--
Therefore, we are so proud of you.

QW - UNTRAINED PERSONNEL

2011-08-31T07:01:00.000-03:00

"In no other profession are the penalties for employing untrained personnel so appalling or so irrevocable as in the military”

- General Douglas MacArthur -

BASIC MATH

2011-08-31T01:00:00.000-03:00

MILITARY ETIQUETTE

2011-08-29T06:45:00.000-03:00

Military Etiquette - Officer & the Soldier:

"Soldier, do you have change for a dollar?"

Soldier: "Sure, buddy."

Officer: "That's no way to address an officer!

Now let's try it again. Do you have change for a dollar?"

Soldier: "No, SIR!"

Revelations 8 – 1

2011-08-28T11:00:00.001-03:00

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about half an hour.

NATIONAL AFGHANISTAN VETERANS APPRECIATION DAY

2011-08-28T00:01:00.001-03:00

From the Legion,"Thanks to the troops

As the combat mission in Afghanistan transitions into other military activities, The Royal Canadian Legion would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to those service men and women, and their families, who have served with distinction and sacrificed on behalf of Canadians during these past several years. Their contribution to the well-being and care of another country’s populace is a tremendous reflection of Canada’s efforts toward maintaining global peace and we are proud of the way you have represented us.

(more at the link)

Working with Civilians - Part 1: Understanding Respect

2011-08-26T18:00:00.000-03:00

Working with Civilians: Part 1

Understanding Respect

First of all this does not apply to all civilians, and that this does not apply to other branches that provide a service in a way that their lives are placed on the line a majority of the time, such as police, fire and rescue personnel. This is specifically directed to those whom place themselves above those who could potentially die in their daily duties as if that that was their place and their duty to die.

I have worked in several places on different occasions where I have worked with people that have treated me and others as if we were servants or peasants. Since they were more scholastically inclined and formally educated and we were the “grunts” we were treated as lesser beings that did not deserve their respect, which is funny because with just minimal thought, a slight squeeze, and absolutely no guilt one of us could terminate their negative attitude. Of course, this action would then reinforce their interaction with us and that we are brutes.

Instead we try to communicate with them in their own manor and treat them in kind but again we are viewed as rude. Who is rude, the initiator or the individual who confronts the initial culprit? On one such occasion I had this Other Government Department (OGD) person called out to me by my last name at which I responded with a glare. The next time he used my first name, again I glared. From then on, and for other reasons, I gave this person the cold shoulder.

Eventually, he finally asked me what he was to refer to me as, well, I told him that we had only been introduce on a professional level with only my rank and last name, and not on a personal level. His response was that he noticed that We all use last names between each other. I explained that that was between the upper and lower ranks in order to maintain discpline and command but in some cases and after a soldier has earned his respect nick-names may get used. First names were never used going up the chain but if a soldier has earned enough respect the senior person may opt to use the soldier’s first name. This is a very high level of respect. Professionally, a soldier should always be referred to as rank, then last name. The more that is dropped, the rank, then to nick names, then to first name displays the level of respect and experience a soldier has achieved. To call a high ranking NCO by his last name is to go in reverse, therefore disrespecting him.

The second problem, I emphasized on was that we were never introduced on a personal level, only rank and last name. Therefore, that is what he should use until we possibly became friends, because only my friends use my first name.

Finally, I asked if he would call a doctor “Mister”. He only laughed until he noticed that I was only glaring again. I emphasized that a doctor has spent a shit load of time and achieved considerable experience to become what he has become, so his title of Doctor is important, so how different is that of a career soldier who has achieve his level of rank?

So, if you are this type of fucker who cannot understand basic respect than this is for you. Respect goes both was, and is earned and those who have “been there, and gotten the T-shit” have earned it. Therefore, give them the respect they are due….and if you don’t….well….don’t bitch about the repercussions.

"THE FINAL INSPECTION"

2011-08-25T08:00:00.002-03:00

THE FINAL INSPECTION

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"

The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets;
You've done your time in Hell."

PICK A WINNER

2011-08-24T08:00:00.000-03:00

RULE 1 - SURVIVAL IN WAR

2011-08-24T07:05:00.003-03:00

Survival in War

Rule #1:

"When you can't run, you crawl....

when you can't crawl...well...

you look for someone to carry you"

~Sgt Malcolm Reynolds~
the Starship Serenity

(TV Seris Firefly)

TOUGH MUDDER: Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet

2011-08-23T19:44:00.005-03:00

UP FOR A CHALLENGE

Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet

Tough Mudder is not your average lame-ass mud run or spirit-crushing ‘endurance’ road race. Our 10-12 mile obstacle courses are designed by British Special Forces to test all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. Forget finish times. Simply completing a Tough Mudder is a badge of honor. Tough Mudder has raised over one million dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project.

WORST PUNISHMENT

2011-08-22T06:45:00.000-03:00

Worse Punishment?

An Air Force cargo plane was preparing for departure from Thule Air Base in Greenland. They were waiting for the truck to arrive to pump out the aircraft's sewage holding tank. The Aircraft Commander was in a hurry, the truck was late in arriving, and the Airman performing the job was extremely slow in getting the tank pumped out.

When the commander berated the Airman for his slowness and promised punishment, the Airman responded: "Sir, I have no stripes, it is 20 below zero, I'm stationed in Greenland, and I am pumping sewage out of airplanes. Just what are you going to do to punish me?"

Revelations 7 – 12

2011-08-21T11:00:00.001-03:00

I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.

THE DIEPPE RAID - the 69th Anniversary

2011-08-19T10:00:00.001-03:00

History

The Raid on Dieppe, France, on August 19, 1942, was a pivotal moment in the Second World War. With virtually all of continental Europe under German occupation, the Allied forces faced a well-entrenched enemy. Some method had to be found to create a foothold on the continent, and the Raid on Dieppe offered invaluable lessons for the successful D-Day invasion in 1944, saving countless lives in that momentous offensive.

Publications

The 1942 Dieppe Raid

M.I.9 - Partners in Evasion (from Uncommon Courage)

The Dieppe Raid Historical Sheet

Historical Information

Dieppe Raid Regiments

Map of Dieppe (Opens a New Window)

Photo Gallery

Dieppe Raid Photo Gallery

Remembrance

By remembering Veterans' service and sacrifice, we recognize the tradition of freedom they fought to preserve. Those who fought in the Dieppe Raid were everyday citizens who became heroes by standing up for what we as a nation believe in: peace, freedom and justice. The resources found on this page can help ensure that the torch of Remembrance continues to burn brightly in the hearts of all Canadians.

Memorials

Pourville Memorial

Puys (Royal Regiment, Black Watch)

Square du Canada

UK Memorial The Village Hall, East Dean, East Sussex

UK Memorial Beach Road, Newhaven, East Sussex

Cemeteries

Content courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commision

Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery

Saint-Sever Cemetery Extension

Victoria Cross Winners

Charles Merritt (Opens a New Window)

John Weir Foote (Opens a New Window)

Books of Remembrance

Second World War

Merchant Navy

Newfoundland

Medals

Dieppe Bar

Diaries, Letters and Stories

He Traded Places to Escape

Ron Beal Story

Additional Resources

1992 Poster

1994 Poster

The Dieppe Raid stamp (Opens a New Window)

"THE MILITARY WIFE"

2011-08-18T08:00:00.006-03:00

~The Military Wife~

Author - Unknown

The good Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into His sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared. She said, "Lord, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?"

The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order. She has to be completely independent, possess the qualities of both a father and mother, be a perfect hostess to four or forty with an hour's notice, run on black coffee, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully, even if she is pregnant and has the flu, and she must be willing to move to a new location ten times in seventeen years. And, oh yes, she must have six pairs of hands!"

The angel shook her head, "Six pairs of hands? No way.

“The Lord continued,” Don’t worry; I will make other military wives to help her. And I will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride in her husband's achievements, sustain the pain of separations, beat soundly when it is overworked and tired, and be large enough to say, 'I understand' when she doesn't and say 'I love you', regardless."

"Lord," said the angel, touching his arm gently. "Go to bed and get some rest. You can finish this tomorrow."

"I can't stop now," said the Lord. "I am so close to creating something unique. Already this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six unexpected guests for the weekend, wave good-bye to her husband from a pier, a runway or a depot, and understand why it's important that he leave."

The angel circled the model of the military wife, looked at it closely and sighed, "It looks fine, but it's too soft."

"She might look soft," replied the Lord. "But she has the strength of a lion. You would not believe what she can endure."

Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Lord's creation. "There's a leak," she announced. "Something is wrong with the construction. I am not surprised that it has cracked. You are trying to put too much into this model."

The Lord appeared offended at the angel's lack of onfidence."What you see is not a leak," He said. "It's a tear." "A tear?" What is it there for?" asked the angel.

The Lord replied, "It's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, pride and a dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear."

"You are a genius!" exclaimed the angel.

The Lord looked puzzled and replied, "I didn't put it there."

KILLER SQUIRLES

2011-08-17T08:00:00.001-03:00

EVERYBODY DIES.....

2011-08-17T07:01:00.004-03:00

"Everybody dies...someone is carrying araound a bullet with your name on it and don't even know it. The trick is to die of old age before they find you."

~Sgt Malcolm Reynolds, captain of the space vessel Serenity~

(from the TV series Firefly actor Nathan Fillion)

GOD WORKS IN MISTERIOUS WAYS

2011-08-15T07:00:00.000-03:00

If you don't know GOD, don't make stupid remarks!!!!!!

A young Canadian soldier was taking some college courses between assignments. He had completed 3 tours of duty in Afghanistan one of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA).

One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "GOD, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform... I'll give you exactly 15 min."

The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am GOD, I'm still waiting."

It got down to the last couple of minutes when the soldier got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him; knocking him clean off the platform. The professor was out cold.

The young soldier went back to his seat and sat there, silently.

The other students were shocked and stunned, and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the soldier and asked, "What in the world is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"

The young soldier stood up and calmly replied,"GOD was too busy today protecting Canada 's
soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an idiot. So He sent me."

The classroom erupted in cheers!

Revelations 6 – 1

2011-08-14T11:00:00.003-03:00

Then I when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come. I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow: and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.”And another, a red horse, went out: and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given him. When He the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse: and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.” When the Lamb broke, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

NEW ARTICLES, "WHAT PISSES ME OFF..."

2011-08-12T11:00:00.003-03:00

I am beginning a new line of articles that I will be posting that focus on topics that cause some irritation or get under my skin. These articles will be titled as "What pisses me off...". Since, I have been told, that that is what I begin my sentences with when I begin to vent, complain or voice a certain grievance.

These may you may agree with or not. Either way, contemplant on the perspective and arguments I have put foreword before posting your rebuttal or agreement. As well, don’t bother with brazen attacks short posts that contain little substance like you’re “right out of ‘er” because a response will not be wasted on these posts, just deletion. Since, I really don’t care which way you go because that this is my way of distressing about issues that are not quite right – and will probably never change – it is my prerogative. Otherwise, if your rebuttal or agreement merits of worth in respects of content it will remain posted.

Finally, I hope that you get a laugh out of them or that they may spark some new and interesting thoughts on how we carry out business.

Johnny

PRINCES PATRICIA'S CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY BIRTHDAY

2011-08-10T12:13:00.010-03:00

"10th of August Regimental Birthday

The Regiment was born in Ottawa in August 1914 as a result of the offer of Captain Hamilton Gault to provide $100,000 to finance and equip a battalion for overseas service.

On 6 August 1914, Captain Gault's offer was provisionally accepted by the Canadian Government. Authority was granted on 10 August 1914 to raise and equip an infantry battalion with the remainder of the cost being defrayed by the Department of Militia and Defense.

On 10 August 1914 the Charter of the Regiment was signed"Taken from the Regimental Manual of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

QW - THE INFANTRYMAN FROM A GUNNER

2011-08-10T09:00:00.000-03:00

~ The Infantryman ~

He was born of the earth, on the day he enlists

He is sentenced to life on the soil,

To march on it, crawl on it, dig in it, sprawl on it,

Sleep in it after his toil.

Bee it sand, rock or ice, gravel, mud or red loam

He will fight on it, and die,

And the crude little cross, telling men of his loss

Will cry mutely to some foreign sky.

He’s the tired looking man in untidy garb

Weather-beaten, footsore with fatigue,

But his spirit is strong, as he marches along

With burdens for league upon league.

He attacks in the face of murderous fire

Crawling forward, attacking through mud.

When he breaks through the line, over wire and mines

On the point of his bayonet is blood.

Should you meet him, untidy, begrimed and fatigued

Don’t indulge in unwarranted mirth.

or the brave infantryman deserves more than your sneer,

He is truly the salt of the earth.

~ A Gunner ~

FIREFIGHT

2011-08-10T08:00:00.000-03:00

"MONSTERS IN THE DARK" by MCpl Jeff Walsh

2011-08-09T08:00:00.002-03:00

Deceased

9 Aug 2006

~ Monsters in the Dark ~

by MCpl Jeff Walsh

I know that they are out there:
I will not be ignorant anymore:
Pulling the blanket over my head will not keep them
from coming ashore;
Instead I choose to confront them
as afraid as I might be;
Because if I don't stop the monsters
our children can never be free.

LEAFs, TALIBAN & the STANLEY CUP

2011-08-08T07:00:00.003-03:00

~ From the Toronto Star ~

Point 1: Forty years ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup.

Point 2: Canadian Gen. Rick Hillier took the Stanley Cup to Afghanistan to cheer up the troops.

Conclusion: The Taliban are closer than the Leafs to capturing the Stanley Cup.

DESERT LIONS: Video

2011-08-07T19:21:00.002-03:00

DESERT LIONS

Desert Lions delivers a gritty, candid view of Canadian army mentors working to professionalize the Afghan National Army during the summer of 2010.

For more information on the Canadian Army and other videos visit: http://www.army.forces.gc.ca

Four soldiers leave for once-in-a-lifetime trek:

2011-08-07T19:15:00.002-03:00

Corporal Lucas Mullens, Corporal Dallas White, Warrant Officer Quinn Beggs and Corporal Mark Fuchko share a laugh before leaving Edmonton on Saturday, August 6.

As the start of an expedition to climb Africa's tallest mountain draws near, a group of Edmonton-based soldiers left on the several thousand kilometre flight to the continent.

The four soldiers have already climbed their own mountains to recovery from debilitating injuries sustained outside the wire.

"It's [going] to be painful for sure," Corporal Lucas Mullens said. "But I think I can do it, no problem."

You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but he's come a long way since an improvised explosive device went off beneath the tank Mullens and his team was in while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2009.

"It detonated and buckled the floor; [it] crushed both my legs and my spine," Mullens said.

Nearly a dozen procedures and months of rigorous therapy later, he took his first steps after the explosion.

"It took eleven operations to put me back together," Mullens said. "I didn't walk for three months."

The other three soldiers joining in the climb have their own stories of beating the odds – Corporal Mark Fuchko encountered an I.E.D. while on duty in Afghanistan in March of 2008, sustaining injuries so serious he lost both of his legs.

Corporal Dallas White was nearby when one of his friends accidentally triggered a hidden explosive while the team was on patrol southwest of Kandahar in May of 2010.

The blast injured many of the soldiers in Corporal White's team, and killed his friend.

Corporal White lost muscle in his left leg, and his left arm was damaged.

It wasn't clear if Warrant Officer Quinn Beggs would walk on his own again after a roof he was standing on in Afghanistan in 2009 gave way, severely breaking his pelvis.

"They weren't sure if I was [going to] walk, [or] how I was [going to] walk again," Warrant Officer Beggs said.

It took several hours of surgery just to repair the break.

"I really smashed mine up, so I had two twelve hour operations [to fix it]."

The group credits the Canadian Forces for helping them prepare for the journey.

"The army has a great mentality of helping those that need help, and also pushing yourself to achieve goals," Corporal Mullens said.

They will be joined by more than thirty other climbers, with the common goal of raising more than $500,000 for the Royal Alexandra Hospital's Orthopedic Surgery Centre.

The group has been training for several months, including climbing and hiking in Jasper.

The four soldiers departed from the Edmonton Area Saturday night, and the team will complete the climb from August 10th to 18th, before returning to the capital region.

More information can be found on the Kilimanjaro Climb 2001 website.

(the Canadian Veterans Advocacy)

Revelations 3 – 11

2011-08-07T11:00:00.003-03:00

He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.

"A MILLION MILES AWAY"

2011-08-04T08:00:00.004-03:00

~A Million Miles Away~

Author Unknown

A Soldier by title ~ A Soldier all day and night.
When will you have time to be a husband to your wife?
You will be there for her in spirit and always in her thoughts.
You try to make her happy, though the Army twists your plans in knots!

An Army Wife by title ~ Called a privilege by the few.
She'll Stick by her husband, that's what she will do.
He may be at home or a million miles away, But in her heart he will always stay.

ARMY OF ONE - TANK ROLL OVER

2011-08-03T08:00:00.000-03:00

CANADIAN GIRLS

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000-03:00

APPEARENCES

2011-07-18T08:00:00.000-03:00

30 MM CANNONS

2011-07-11T08:00:00.002-03:00

SEGWAY ARMY

2011-07-04T08:00:00.000-03:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA

2011-07-04T00:01:00.001-03:00

!!HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA

2011-07-01T00:01:00.001-03:00

!!HAPPY CANADA DAY!!