Canada in Afghanistan

[John McGillivray]

CTV first reported that he was from PPCLI as shown in my first post. On the CBC site they reported him as being LdSH (which I took the quote from), however, they updated their article and added the picture after I made the second post.

[Paul Heise]

Hey Guys, there's a new thing happening to the fact that there are members from other units POSTED to the LdSH. That is how the "new" army is!!!!

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Our men are on their way home. I saw this on the early morning news. I need not say anything more.

[Rob McCue]

Cpl Warren was one of the soldiers in my PSYOPS Det, 6 of the 8 injured were also from my PSYOPS team.

Jason was due to rotate home in less than 20 days, and was looking forward to returning to Montreal.

He was a courageous and dedicated soldier who truly believed in the Canadian mission to Afghanistan.

Jason saved my life during the firefight in May when we lost our FOO, Capt Goddard. He had also attempted to save a wounded ANA soldier while under fire, and later attempted to assist with the care to Capt Goddard. He never once was concerned for his own safety or well being but was more worried about those around him.

Canada has lost a truly magnificent soldier, and I am proud to have served with him over the past 8 months.

Please send your prayers to his family, friends and comrades as they will need as much support as they can over the coming weeks.

The photo Geoff has placed on the forum shows Cpl Warrens transfer case being carried on the left side of the photo, I was proud to be able to carry Jason for his last flight home. I am the soldier to the left front side of the photo.

Rob McCue
Sgt
Tactical PSYOPS Team 2IC
TF ORION
Kandahar Airfield
Afghanistan

My prayers and condolences definately going out to these men's families and loved ones, and fellow soldiers ... and to these men's spirits.

The sacrifices of lives are so heartbreaking for every life lost. I feel that every time I learn of another and each loss Their lives are to be remembered and celebrated. They gave their everything for the most altruistic reasons there are

Karmen.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Rob, our prayers ARE with them and you... most of us here, while not having been in Harm's Way ourselves, have had generations in our familes which have been, and at the very least, an understanding of this mindset not possessed by the average Canadian.

I do don my old beret and render the proper salute for every ramp ceremony which appears on TV. It seems only right and proper.

You have our respect, Sgt McCue. In case no one else says it, thank you for your service.

Geoff

[John McGillivray]

There is more sad news tonight that there may have being a Canadian Peacekeeper killed in Lebanon as a result of an Israeli bomb hitting an UN outpost. Let's hope that it is not ture.

Today is the 25th of July, the anniversary of Operation Spring, another black day for RHC.

Canadian reported killed as UN post hit by bomb
Updated Tue. Jul. 25 2006 10:05 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Four UN observers were killed Tuesday when an Israeli aerial bomb struck their base in southern Lebanon. There are unconfirmed reports a Canadian is among the dead.
A bomb directly hit the building of the observer force in the town of Khiyam near the eastern end of the border with Israel, said Milos Struger, spokesman for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL.
Struger said UNIFIL had dispatched a rescue team which was trying to clear the rubble when it came under more fire from Israeli forces.
A senior Lebanese military official said the dead included observers from Canada, Austria, China and Finland.
However, the Department of National Defence has not confirmed the report.
One Canadian soldier, with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, is currently serving with the UN at the base in Khiyam as part of a mission called Operation Jade.
Anan reacts strongly
"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces of a UN Observer post in southern Lebanon that has killed two UN military observers, with two more feared dead," said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, after rushing out of a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.

"This coordinated artillery and aerial attack on a long established and clearly marked UN post at Khiyam occurred despite personal assurances given to me by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that UN positions would be spared Israeli fire."
But, Israel's ambassador to the UN denied his country would deliberately target a UN post.
"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the hasty statement of the secretary-general, insinuating that Israel has deliberately targeted the U.N. post," said Dan Gillerman.
Gillerman said Israel would investigate: "We do not have yet information what caused this death: it could be the IDF (Israel's military) it could be Hezbollah."
Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, said he was surprised by Annan's comments.
"Israelis have generally gone out of their way to avoid civilian targets," said Kupchan. "So why Anan would come out with a statement like that is, I think, quite surprising."
Kupchan said it was too early to speculate on how or why the post was bombed, but said that in some cases UN and Hezbollah camps are right next door to each other.
But, Sunil Ram, a defence and security analyst, told CTV Newsnet that the Israelis had shelled the base at least 14 times before bombing it with what was clearly a guided bomb.
"UN posts like this are very well marked. The Israelis knew it was there; it's been there for years.
"But then when the Indians tried to send a rescue mission in there, they then shelled the troops who were trying to get to the post. So how much more deliberate do you want it to be?"
Beirut struck again
Tuesday's bombing came as Israeli forces pushed deeper into southern Lebanon, part of a campaign to stop Hezbollah missiles.
Israel also pounded Beirut with new air strikes, marking the first attacks in Lebanon's capital in almost two days.
At least four large blasts were heard as a heavy gray cloud was seen billowing from the southern district -- a Hezbollah stronghold that has been heavily bombarded.
Al-Jazeera TV reported 20 Israeli rockets hit the Dahiyah neighborhood as a succession of blasts set off car alarms in central Beirut and sirens were heard.
In return, Hezbollah rained rockets down on the northern Israeli city of Haifa, injuring at least five people.
Hezbollah's leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, issued a taped television message saying guerrillas would now start firing rockets deeper into Israel, beyond the northern port city of Haifa.
with files from Associated Press

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

A Canadian soldier's report from South Lebanon
Updated Wed. Jul. 19 2006 10:58 AM ET
After the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah, and the subsequent bombing campaign began against Lebanon, we received an email from Major Paeta Hess-von Kruedener, a Canadian Forces soldier serving with the UN in South Lebanon.
"If you are interested in a Canadian perspective on the events of yesterday and what is happening here in the area I am serving in, I can provide some concise info for you about the current situation," he wrote.
With the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Major Hess-von Kruedener is the only Canadian serving as a United Nations Military Observer in Lebanon. He is stationed at the UN base about 10 kilometres from where the Syrian, Lebanese and Israeli borders meet. The UN's mission there is to report ceasefire violations.
Here is his full email, written July 18, with background on the mission and the current situation:
We have had a brief "tactical Pause" in the action here, so I am taking this opportunity to provide you some information on the situation here in south Lebanon. At the outset, I will provide you with a brief background on who I am, What the Org and Mission is here and then answer some of the bank of questions you provided.

Background
My name is Major Paeta Hess-von Kruedener, and I am an Infantry Officer with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, of the Canadian Forces. I was sent to this Mission (United Nations Truce and Supervision Organization -UNTSO) last October 05, and am currently serving as an unarmed Military Observer. I have now been stationed here in south Lebanon for Approximately nine months.
I am currently writing to you from the UN Patrol Base Khiam, which is situated approximately 10 km from the nexus of the Israeli, Lebanese and Syrian Borders. I am serving with Observer Group Lebanon, or OGL, and I am on Team Sierra. The Patrol Base is named after the village it is situated in, El Khiam, which sits on one of four ridges which dominates both the Hasbani River valley, which then changes to the Houla Valley when it crosses the Lebanon-Israel border 10 km to our south.
The patrol base was initially an observation post and was built in 1972, but was later destroyed in 1976 during the fighting between the PLO and the South Lebanese Army (SLA). In 1978 it was rebuilt again and manned by elements of the Norwegian Battalion serving with UNIFIL. In 1980, Observer Group Lebanon (OGL) assumed responsibility for it. Historically, the area of the El Khiam and Hasbani valleys to the north and the Houla valley to the south have been the main axis for invasion in to Lebanon and Palestinian Territories.
Mission

The mission of Team Sierra and OGL within the greater context of UNTSO is to maintain the integrity of theWithdrawal Line (Blue Line), and report on any and all violations or activities that threaten the cease-fire and international peace and security here along the Lebanese/Israeli border, and Israeli Occupied Lebanon, and to support the UNSC resolution 1559, within our mission mandate.
Information Requested

(1) Currently, there are several nationalities that are here on the patrol base with me. I am serving with an Australian, Chinese, Finnish, Austrian, and Irish Officers. They come from various different backgrounds, levels of experience and services (Army, Navy and Air Force) from within their militaries.

(2) I have been here for nine months of a one-year tour of duty. Since I have arrived here in Lebanon, this current incident is the fourth I have seen and by far the most spectacular and intensive.
The first was 21 Nov 05, when the Hezbollah tried to capture IDF soldiers from an IDF observation position overlooking the Wazzani river near the town of Ghajjar on the Blue Line. This action was unsuccessful and resulted in the deaths of the Hezbollah raiding force.
On 01 Feb 06, a young shepherd boy was Killed by an IDF patrol near an abandon goat farm called Bastarra. Hassan Nasrallah (note: Hezbollah's leader) vowed that there would be consequences to this action. Team Sierra was tasked on 2 Feb 06, to assist in the investigation of the incident, and we sent one team to do so while the other team conducted its normal mobile patrolling activities.
On 03 Feb 06, a limited engagement took place initiated by the Hezbollah on several of the IDF defensive positions located in occupied Lebanon.
Then on 28 May, the Islamic Jihad (PLO) fired rockets from South Lebanon, into Israel, which elicited an immediate aerial bombardment of positions near our patrol base and in the Bekka valley.
(3) Our Team's normal operational activities are to plan, and execute daily vehicle and foot patrols of the Blue Line area within our area of responsibility. Unfortunately, with the current artillery and aerial bombing campaign being carried out by the IDF/IAF, it is not safe or prudent for us to conduct normal patrol activities. Currently, we are observing and reporting on all activities in our area of responsibility, with specific attention to activities along the Blue Line, which is clearly visible from our hilltop position.
(4) Team Sierra is currently observing both IDF/IAF and Hezbollah military clashes from our vantage point which has a commanding view of the IDF positions on the Golan mountains to our east and the IDF positions along the Blue Line to our south, as well as, most of the Hezbollah static positions in and around our patrol Base. It appears that the lion's share of fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah has taken place in our area. On the night of 16 July, at 2125 hrs, a large firefight broke out between the Hezbollah and the IDF near a village called Majidyye and lasted for one hour and 40 minutes.
(5) Based on the intensity and volatility of this current situation and the unpredictability of both sides (Hezbollah and Israel), and given the operational tempo of the Hezbollah and the IDF, we are not safe to venture out to conduct our normal patrol activities. We have now switched to Observation Post Duties and are observing any and all violations as they occur.
This is all the information of a non-tactical nature that I can provide you. I cannot give you any info on Hezbollah position, proximity or the amount of or types of sorties the IAF is currently flying. Suffice to say that the activity levels and operational tempo of both parties is currently very high and continuous, with short breaks or pauses. Please understand the nature of my job here is to be impartial and to report violations from both sides without bias. As an Unarmed Military Observer, this is my raison d'etre.
What I can tell you is this: we have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both artillery and aerial bombing. The closest artillery has landed within 2 meters of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 meters from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but has rather been due to tactical necessity.
I thank you for the opportunity to provide you with some information from the front lines here in south Lebanon.
Maj Hess-von Kruedener

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...0716/20060718/

Too many more coming home

"Multiple" NATO casualties in Afghan suicide blast
Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:23 AM BST

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber on a bicycle attacked a NATO patrol in southern Afghanistan on Monday killing several soldiers, Afghan police said, a day after NATO declared the area free of Taliban insurgents.

The Taliban, who have unleashed a wave of attacks on government and foreign troops this year, claimed responsibility for the blast in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province.

Afghan police said a suicide bomber on a bicycle attacked Canadian troops while they were giving out aid.

Several Canadian soldiers had been killed and about a dozen wounded, said a police officer. About 25 civilians, most of them children, had also been wounded, said the officer, who declined to be identified.

NATO said the blast had caused "multiple casualties" among the troops. It did not elaborate except to say there were also civilian casualties.

The Taliban and their militant allies have unleashed a wave of attacks on government and foreign troops this year. Security forces have responded with offensives in the south and east.

The commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan said on Sunday NATO and Afghan government troops had forced Taliban insurgents out of Panjwai district, about 25 km (15 miles) west of Kandahar city, after a two-week offensive codenamed Operation Medusa.

A Taliban spokesman, Qari Mohammad Yousuf, said by telephone the bomb was set off by a young Taliban suicide bomber from Kandahar.

The level of Afghan violence, the most intense since the Taliban were ousted five years ago, has raised concern about the prospects for a country that had been seen as a success in the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

About 130 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year, most of them Americans, British and Canadians.

Here is an update already ...

Four NATO soldiers killed in Afghan suicide blast
Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:01 AM BST

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed four NATO soldiers in an an attack in the Afghan south on Monday, a force spokesman said.

The spokesman did not identify the nationality of the dead. An Afghan police officer said the bomber, who was on a bicycle, attacked Canadian soldiers handing out notebooks and pens to children in Kandahar province.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Confirmed four Canadians dead, unknown number wounded. No IDs at present. This makes 36 so far.

Condolences to their families, who must be living in a veritable hell right now.

And RIP, laddies... you did our country proud and will never be forgotten.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

This link was sent to me this afternoon. It is worth viewing, but DO NOT download unless you have a high speed connection.

http://members.shaw.ca/travner/CFTribute800x600.wmv

Thank you,

Extremely sad and emotional.

K.

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi

Just a few lines to let you all know that my Wife's li'il brother (MCpl in the Reg Force Engineers from Pet) was one of the wounded.

He received a broken arm and multiple fragments to the right side of his body. He will be evac-ed to Germany for further surgery and eventual repatriation to Canada. No suprise as he was also lightly wounded a few weeks ago where he lost his Section Commander. He has been verbally commended for his actions that day.

Not bad for 29 days in-country, eh!!??

He's a good lad and actually wanted to not be sent home. He wanted to finish his tour with his fellow soldiers. Maybe forcing him into the Reserve Engineers so long ago, after watching him sit in my basement and watch my TV and drink my soda, wasn't such a bad idea.

regards
Darrell

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Darrell, wouldn't light duties be an option, or is he worse off than he says he is? I can understand how a young'un full of p&v would be pissed at being forced out so quickly...

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Geoff

I don't think LD's would have done it. I should have said his arm was "shattered" rather than just "broken" and has a temporary metal bar screwed into the exterior of his arm to stabilize it.

His Crew Commander is a friend of mine and confirmed to me via email this AM that the lad had been shipped out. He'll need a bit more surgery in Germany and then be sent back to Canada.

No matter how much he wanted to stay with his mates, it's better that he return and they replace him from the standby pool in Pet.

As I'm training now and leaving myself for Kandahar in the new-year, I'm sorry I won't get to see him as we handover with his Btl Gp. Right now, I plan to get the wife up to see him when he gets in from Germany. His Mother will likely go to Germany to see him too.

regards
Darrell

[John McGillivray]

It is indeed sad to hear about the lost of the British personnel. The aircraft was supporting the latest NATO offensive (Operation Medusa) in the Panjwai region. There are about one thousand Canadian troops taking part in this Operation. The Canadians have being heavily engaged there since July. The Soviets were never ever to get control of the Panjwai, and it is here that the Soviets suffered their final defeat of their War. The Canadians have taken on the hardest nut in Afghanistan.

Cdn. troops launch offensive into Taliban hotbed
Updated Sat. Sep. 2 2006 11:30 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Canadian troops suffered no casualties as they swept into a Taliban hotbed west of Kandahar on Saturday, but a nearby plane crash killed 14 British soldiers.
Canadian combat units, along with other NATO and Afghan forces, have launched a major offensive against insurgents in the violent Panjwai district. The mission is dubbed Operation Medusa.
"It's in an area where Canadian troops have taken casualties," said CTV's Matt McClure on Saturday from Kandahar, ". . . and where they've also been involved in heavy battles trying to take this territory early this year."
Canadian battle group commander, Col. Omer Lavoie, told CTV News that his soldiers have gained the upper hand against the militants despite meeting some resistance.
"We were ambushed en route about four o'clock in the morning. But my platoon . . . dealt with the ambush, engaged and destroyed the enemy, and for the rest of it we moved in here with no resistance," said Lavoie.
"We certainly own the dominating ground now in Panjwai district."
Pro-government forces then proceeded to move into the district, backed by artillery and air support as they prepared to move across the Arghandab River into Pashmul area -- known as the heart of the Taliban stronghold.
The commander of the Canadian contingent said fierce fighting is expected with Taliban guerrillas in this latest mission.
"I think we're talking in the neighbourhood of hundreds" of fighters, said Col. Fred Lewis. "Certainly not thousands, not tens. Might they just fade away? If they're smart, they will."
At least six Canadians have died and 32 were wounded in dozens of bomb attacks, ambushes and pitched battles in the area, according to reports compiled by The Canadian Press.
The area was the scene of a major operation at the start of the summer, known as the Battle of Panjwai.
Commanders then claimed to have broken the back of the insurgency there, but coalition troops withdrew and the Taliban took over again.
Brigadier General David Fraser said this time it's going to be different, and that that they're going to hold this area.
"I don't have any worries as we move forward," said Fraser. "We've got all the resources we need right here. We've got close air support, we've got intelligence, we've got artillery and lots of firepower here. The enemy's got more worries than we do."
He also had strong words for the Taliban.
"You've got three choices," he said. "You can either support the government of Afghanistan or you can leave, or we'll give you the third option."
NATO plane crash
Meanwhile, officials said a NATO aircraft crashed about 15 kilometres west of Kandahar city on Saturday, killing 14 British troops.
The British Defence Ministry said the dead included 12 Royal Air Force personnel, a Royal Marine and an army soldier.
The "aircraft was supporting a NATO mission. It went off the radar and crashed in an open area in Kandahar," said Maj. Scott Lundy, spokesperson for the International Security Assistance Force.
The plane was a Nimrod MR2, capable of carrying a maximum of 25 people with a crew of 12. The aircraft is used for reconnaissance missions.
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement the plane had declared a technical problem before it went down.
"Enemy action has been discounted at this stage," the ISAF statement said.
Shortly after the crash, Abdul Khaliq, a purported spokesperson for the Taliban, had claimed insurgents managed to shoot down the plane with a Stinger missile.
A witness in Chalaghor, about 19 kilometres west of Kandahar city, told The Associated press he saw a fire at the back of the plane before it struck the ground.
He added that the impact's explosion "shook the whole village."
With reports from CTV's Matt McClure and The Canadian Press in Kandahar, Afghanistan

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

It's very sad to read that 4 Canadian soldiers were killed and many others injured in that operation today. So many losses happening, for everyone.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

Karmen.

[John McGillivray]

This time from blue on blue fire from an A-10.

Canadian killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan
Updated Mon. Sep. 4 2006 7:47 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A Canadian soldier was killed during a friendly fire mishap in Afghanistan on Monday when a NATO warplane accidentally strafed troops.
The death comes just one day after another four Canadian soldiers were killed and six wounded during a major NATO offensive in the volatile Panjwai district of southern Afghanistan.
The friendly fire mishap occurred around 5:30 a.m. when an A-10 Warthog was called in to support soldiers trying to seize a Taliban stronghold along the Arghandab River.
"Canadian troops were very close to enemy lines, air support had been called in and this A-10 Warthog came roaring in. Instead of hitting the Taliban positions, it hit the Canadians very heavily," CTV's Matt McClure reported on Newsnet from Afghanistan.
"We'd told that dozens of others were injured, including these five who are going to be evacuated. Most of the soldiers received light injuries, however, and are expected to return to duty."
The injured troops were evacuated by helicopter, including a giant twin-rotor Chinook.
"It was a scene of absolute chaos this morning at the airport near the hospital. We were there as helicopter after helicopter ferried in the wounded," McClure said.
The identity of the soldier killed in the friendly fire incident was not released.
"This has been a tough hit, but Canadians are continuing the fight and continuing with operation Medusa," Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, the Canadian in charge of NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, said in a statement released Monday.
Fraser told reporters that an investigation has been launched.
"We do have procedures, we do have communications, we do have training and tactics and techniques and procedures to mitigate the risk but we can't reduce those risks to zero,'' he said in a news conference at Kandahar Airfield.
"The Canadian forces and the rest of armed forces of the world and the international community wouldn't be here if it wasn't dangerous.''
NATO said in a statement that the incident occurred after ground troops called for air support.
"Two ISAF (NATO's International Security Assistance Force) aircraft provided the support but regrettably engaged friendly forces during a strafing run, using cannons," the statement said.
Monday's friendly fire incident was the second similar incident since Canadians began operations in Afghanistan more than four years ago.
Four soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in April 2002 when an American F-16 fighter mistakenly bombed Canadians on pre-dawn training exercise.
The recent casualties came as NATO forces launched Operation Medusa, a mission aimed at purging militants from the Taliban stronghold of the Panjwai district west of Kandahar.
Canadian troops met fierce resistance from Taliban fighters early Sunday in fighting that killed four Canadian and wounded six others.
The deaths occurred when the Canadians moved in with light armoured vehicles after NATO forces had pounded enemy positions for more than 24 hours with helicopter gunships, artillery and bombs.
Taliban insurgents put up a stiff fight, using small arms and rocket propelled grenades to defend their positions.
Two of the dead were identified as Warrant Officer Frank Mellish and Warrant Officer Richard Nolan, both of 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based at CFB Petawawa.
The names of the other two soldiers killed have not been released at the request of their families.
Despite the casualties, NATO officials are maintaining that the offensive has been a success, estimating that 200 Taliban militants had been killed and 80 seized.
The latest fatalities came as NDP Leader Jack Layton repeated his call for ending the Afghanistan mission in February 2007.
"Young people have stepped forward to put their lives on the line, fulfilling a mission that they were asked to fulfill," Layton told reporters in Toronto.
"What we as Canadians need to do is consider whether this is indeed the right mission for Canada going forward. Our view is that it is the wrong mission."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not address the possibility of a troop withdrawal in a statement on Sunday, in which he offered his condolences to the friends and families of those killed.
"We are proud of these soldiers' contribution to bring stability and hope to the people of Afghanistan," said Harper.
"These soldiers lost their lives in the service of their country. Canada is grateful for that service, and saddened by this loss."
In total, 32 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.
With files from The Canadian Press

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Please note - in the interests of maintaining some sort of subject fluidity, I have elected to keep all the A-stan related stuff in one thread. To that extent, I have merged the Leo thread as well as Alex's decorations thread in with CANADA IN AFGHANISTAN. Let's see if we can keep it this way for the time being, with the following exception:

... if anyone there already or on their way over wishes to maintain a log of their experience, I will encourage a separate thread accordingly. Contact me via email or PM if you have any questions regards this, and note that if there are any potential OPSEC concerns regarding identities etc, I can (1), arrange a new ID for you or (2), make appropriate judgements as to what may be too sensitive. Regards the latter, I'll mostly leave it to you to know what's ok or not.

Questions as above.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

RIP Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, Cpl. Dany Fortin and Cpl. Kenneth O'Quinn...

March 4, 2009

Three Canadian soldiers dead

Two wounded in roadside bomb attack
By Murray Brewster, THE CANADIAN PRESS

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Three Canadian soldiers died Tuesday and two others wounded following a massive roadside bomb attack northwest of Kandahar.

Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, Cpl. Dany Fortin and Cpl. Kenneth O'Quinn were killed when the explosive detonated near their armoured vehicle in Arghandab district, a normally a quiet region.

The soldiers were part of a quick reaction team that responded to a report of roadside bomb in the district, which is often used as a transit point for Taliban fighters coming down from the mountains towards the city.

"As they were returning from a call to clear an IED found on the road, their armoured vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb," said Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, the commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

He said the casualties were evacuated to the multi-national hospital at Kandahar Airfield.

There have been 111 Canadian soldiers, one diplomat and two aid workers who've died as part of the Afghanistan mission since 2002.

The wounded are listed in fair condition, but their names will not be released.

The Canadian military, with the addition of surveillance helicopters and unmanned drones, have stepped up patrols looking for roadside bombs, which have accounted for more than half the deaths.

In the last three years, the Canadian battle group has only fought two major engagements in the Arghandab district, a lush farm valley that's divided by a river and isolated from the city by ridge of mountains.

Known as the northern gateway to Kandahar city, Taliban forces tried to take over the Arghandab in the fall of 2007 following the death of Mullah Naquib, a powerful tribal leader.

They were beaten back by Canadian troops.

And following last summer's attack on Sarpoza prison, hundreds of freed Taliban militants fled into the leafy growth and twisted laneways of the region, resulting in several pitched battles.

Vance described Brown, a reservist with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, as someone who "always had an infectious smile on his face, no matter what the challenge."

The Niagara-area native leaves behind a wife and four children. In civilian life, he served as a police special constable.

Fortin, an air force member based in Bagotville, Que., who's middle name was Olivier, was known to his comrades as Danny-O.

He was an ardent fan of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League.

Vance said O'Quinn was "a proud, dedicated soldier, who had a bright future ahead of him."

Known to his friend by his middle name, Chad, O'Quinn "believed he could accomplish anything in his life and everyone had the same faith in him," the general added.

[John McGillivray]

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/sold...ed/#clip146214

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/sold...ed/#clip146222

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/sold...ed/#clip146481


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew..._name=&no_ads=

[John McGillivray]

1 Canadian soldier killed, 4 injured by roadside bomb in Afghanistan
Last Updated: Sunday, March 8, 2009 | 4:14 PM ET
One Canadian soldier was killed and four were injured when a roadside bomb exploded near an armoured vehicle on patrol northeast of Kandahar city in Afghanistan, the military said Sunday.
The soldiers were conducting security operations in the Sha Wali Kot District when the explosion occurred at about 1:15 p.m. local time on Sunday, the military said.
Trooper Marc Diab from the Royal Canadian Dragoons was killed. He was serving as a member of the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, the military said.
The injured soldiers, whose names are being withheld in to adhere with military policy, were taken by helicopter to a medical facility at the Kandahar Airfield. All are in stable condition and three of them will be taken to the Landstuhl medical facility in Germany.
More to come

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/0...-soldiers.html

[Darrell Zinck]

Tpr Diab Funeral/Iterment Details

FUNERAL

Visitation: 1700 -2100 hrs Monday - 16 Mar 09
Scott's Funeral Home
420 Dundas East, Mississauga, ON
905-272-4440

Funeral: 1000 hrs Tuesday - 17 Mar 09
Our Lady of Lebanon
1515 Queen St, Mississauga, ON
416-821-7070

Interment: 1300 hrs Tuesday
Assumption Roman Catholic Cemetery
6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga, ON
905-670-8801
Reception to follow interment

Dress: DEU 1A (Medals)

Unit Memorial Service - RCD - CFB Petawawa

Location: St Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Chapel, CFB Petawawa
Date: 25 Mar 09
Timing: 1045 hrs for 1100 hrs
Dress: DEU 1A (Medals)

These are the details to date.

Please check our Regimental Website for any last minute changes at www.dragoons.ca

regards
Darrell

[John McGillivray]

Four Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Updated Fri. Mar. 20 2009 5:52 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Four Canadian soldiers have been killed and another eight injured in Afghanistan in two separate improvised explosive attacks.
The dead have been identified as: Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli, 28, Cpl. Tyler Crooks, 24, Trooper Jack Bouthillier, 20, and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes, 22.
Vernelli and Crooks died in an early morning blast at about 6:45 a.m. local time while on foot patrol in the Zhari district west of Kandahar. Another five Canadian soldiers were injured in that attack and a local interpreter was killed.
Bouthillier and Hayes were killed about two hours later when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb attack in the Shah Wali Kot district, about 20 kilometres northeast of Kandahar city. Three others were injured.
All the deaths occurred as the Canadians were taking part in a major operation attacking Taliban command centres and supply lines.
The operation was described as the largest joint Canadian-American military operation since Korea, CTV News' Jennifer Madigan reported from Kandahar.
All the wounded soldiers were evacuated by helicopter and are listed in stable condition.
Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, the commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan, urged Canadians in a statement to not consider the deaths a failure of any particular person or the mission.
"Success in war is costly. We are determined to succeed so that Afghan lives improve, but the insurgents are equally determined to challenge and prevent Afghanistan from flourishing as the nation it so wants to be. Remember, the deaths of these superb Canadians occurred as Canadian Forces were bringing safety to those in peril. Today, they succeeded," he said.
Vance added that the soldiers died protecting the Afghan people.
All of the soldiers were based out of CFB Petawawa.
Madigan said the news of the deaths quickly spread around the Canadian base in Kandahar.
"The mood was very somber, it was very quiet . . . people sitting around breakfast without saying a word," she said.
Vernelli was described as an experienced and well-respected soldier. He is survived by his spouse and six-month-old daughter.
Madigan said that Vernelli's tour of duty was postponed earlier so he could be home for his daughter's birth and he was a "proud father."
Crooks was described as a keen soldier, an excellent athlete who "would do anything for you without even being asked."
Madigan said Crooks was very popular and often was seen sitting with much higher ranked officers.
Both Vernelli and Crooks were of November Company, 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
Bouthillier was known for his sense of humour, Vance said, and practiced martial arts.
Hayes was a "proud and dedicated soldier . . . who stood up for what was right," Vance said.
Both Bouthillier and Hayes were of the Royal Canadian Dragoons.
The deaths bring the total number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 116.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Rest in peace, Pte. Peloquin...

June 8, 2009
IED claims life of Canadian soldier in Afghanistan

By Colin Perkel, THE CANADIAN PRESS



KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A period of relative calm for Canadian soldiers trying to bring stability to Afghanistan was shattered Monday when a makeshift bomb cut short the life of an infantryman on foot patrol in the treacherous Panjwaii district of Kandahar province.

Pte. Alexandre (Pelo) Peloquin, 20, of the 3e Bataillon, Royal 22e Regiment, was based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier near Quebec City.

"Pelo, as named by his friends, was a strong man, remarkably fit and very courageous," said Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, the senior commander in Kandahar province, cradle of the Taliban.

"His family and friends should be very proud of him, and so should all Canadians, for he represented the very best of Canada."

No one else was hurt in the blast.

Peloquin is survived by his mother Monique.

The incident occurred in the village of Nakhoney, about 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city in an area where insurgents have stepped up their attacks on Canadian forces in the region.

Peloquin had been serving as a member of the 2e Bataillon, Royal 22e Regiment Battle Group during a six-day operation to find and neutralize improvised explosive devices.

The group removed material for hundreds of IEDs, and 15 of the terror weapons were taken out of circulation on Monday, Vance said.

"The local population is extremely happy and wants us to continue," Vance said.
"Pte. Peloquin was part of a successful operation, and he contributed to that success today."

It was Canada's first death in Afghanistan since April 23, when 30-year-old Maj. Michelle Mendes, an intelligence officer based in Ottawa, was found dead in an accommodation room at Kandahar Airfield.

Canadian soldiers routinely leave the safety of their operating bases to walk city and village streets, searching for improvised explosive devices or stopping to talk to locals in an effort to bridge the vast divide between them.

It was during such a patrol that Peloquin was killed.

The death comes as Canada attempts to move away from a hard-edged combat role to a more supportive mission ahead of its scheduled military departure in 2011.

Peloquin's death brings to 119 the total number of Canadian soldiers who have died on the mission to Afghanistan since it began in 2002.

"This young man sacrificed his life for a greater cause; he believed in his role as a soldier and his dedication to the overall mission was truly outstanding," Vance said.

"Alexandre was proud to be a soldier. He will be missed."

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

RIP to a good sapper - that they know what they're dealing with every day and do it anyway amazes me.

Canadian soldier killed trying to defuse bomb
Updated Sun. Jun. 14 2009 5:08 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

A Canadian soldier was killed in Afghanistan Sunday when one of two roadside bombs he was trying to defuse exploded.

Cpl. Martin Dube, 35, was the second Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan in a week.

The explosion also killed an Afghan police officer and gravely injured a local interpreter.

Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance described Dube as "energetic" and as someone who believed in the Afghan mission. He said the combat engineer was always willing to help anyone in need.

"The IED that Martin was dismantling could have killed an entire family, as it was deliberately aimed at passing traffic," Vance, the senior Canadian solider in Kandahar, said. "His actions, his sacrifice, saved the lives of innocents."

Dube was from 5e Regiment du Genie de Combat based at CFB Valcartier near Quebec City.

The explosion occurred just after noon in the Panjwaii district, which is about 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.

Last Monday, Pte. Alexandre Peloquin died in the same district when he stepped on an explosive device.

Dube was the 120th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.

Vance, seemingly addressing civilians back in Canada, said that grief over the soldier's death would not get in the way of the mission.

"The loss of a soldier is not an indication of failure, nor cause for hopelessness -- Martin Dube knew that, and so should you," Vance said. "We are determined to succeed so that Afghan lives improve; but our enemies are equally determined to challenge and prevent Afghanistan from flourishing as the nation it so wants to be."

Dube is survived by his girlfriend, Julie, his parents, Marie-Paule and Roger and his brother Vincent.

The interpreter was flown to Kandahar Airfield Hospital. His condition is not known.

With files from The Canadian Press

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Out today..
God bless our troops..

Governor General of Canada


Governor General of Canada
Nov 04, 2009 10:25 ET
Governor General to Preside Over the Inaugural Presentation of the Sacrifice Medal

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 4, 2009) - Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, will present the first 46 Sacrifice Medals to members of the Canadian Forces and, posthumously, to a Canadian diplomat. The inaugural ceremony will be held on Monday, November 9, 2009, at 11 a.m. at Rideau Hall, in the presence of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada.

The Governor General will present 46 Sacrifice Medals of which 21 are awarded posthumously. The recipients come from all regions of the country and from a variety of Canadian Forces regiments. The list of recipients is attached. .

The Sacrifice Medal was created to provide a tangible and lasting form of recognition for the members of the Canadian Forces and those who work with them who have been wounded or killed by hostile action and to Canadian Forces members who died as a result of service.

Members of the media who would like to conduct interviews with the recipients are asked to contact the National Defence Media Liaison Office. Members of the media wishing to cover the event are asked to inform the Rideau Hall Press Office, and must arrive at the Princess Ann Entrance for 10:30 a.m.


RECIPIENTS OF THE SACRIFICE MEDAL

To receive the Sacrifice Medal and Bar:

Sergeant Lance Thomas Hooper, M.S.M., C.D.

To receive the Sacrifice Medal:




Captain Casey Balden
Corporal Cole Daniel Bartsch (posthumous)
Corporal Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger (posthumous)
Dr. Glyn Raymond Berry (posthumous)
Master Corporal Roger Dennis Boudreau, C.D.
Private Darryl James Caswell (posthumous)
Sergeant Joseph Anatole Serge Charette, C.D.
Corporal Ryan E. G. Elrick, C.D.
Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom (posthumous)
Master Corporal Paul Milson Franklin
Master Corporal Michael Christian Gauthier, C.D.
Corporal Vincent C. Gauvreau-Roussin
Master Corporal Dave Gionet, M.M.V.
Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard, M.S.M.
(posthumous)
Corporal Joseph Francois Etienne Gonthier (posthumous)
Private Richard Anthony Green (posthumous)
Captain Charles Trevor Greene
Corporal Phillip J. Guy
Private Michael Yuki Hayakaze (posthumous)
Sergeant Sheldon Herritt, C.D.
Private Arielle Marie Keyes-Oliver (posthumous)
Major Paeta Derek Hess-von Kruedener, M.S.C., C.D.
(posthumous)
Private Joseph Simon Maurice Serge Longtin
(posthumous)
Captain Juli-Ann Dawn Mackenzie (posthumous)
Captain Simon Jean Mailloux
Corporal Nicholas George Makischuk
Master Corporal Bounyarattanaphon Makthepharak
Corporal Joseph Francois Maurice Malboeuf, C.D.
Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, C.D. (posthumous)
Officer Cadet Jesse Lee Melnyck
Master Warrant Officer
Joseph Christian Michel Mario Mercier, M.S.C., C.D.
(posthumous)
Master Corporal Jody Allan Mitic, C.D.
Master Corporal Kirk Bradley Noel (posthumous)
Corporal Michael P. O'Rourke, M.M.V.
Master Corporal Darrell Jason Priede (posthumous)
Corporal J. Y. Martin Renaud
Master Corporal Joel Emile Richard
Master Seaman Crysta L. Rutherford
Lieutenant(N) Christopher Edward Saunders, C.D.
(posthumous)
Sergeant John Sloan, C.D.
Sergeant Mark William Soper, C.D.
Sergeant Shane Hank Stachnik (posthumous)
Master Corporal Jeffrey Scott Walsh (posthumous)
Sergeant Gregory Owen White
Private Joel Vincent Wiebe (posthumous)






The Sacrifice Medal

The Sacrifice Medal was created to provide a tangible and lasting form of recognition for the sacrifices made by members of the Canadian Forces (CF) and those who work with them who have been wounded or killed under honourable circumstances as a direct result of a hostile action or action intended for a hostile force. The medal is also awarded posthumously to any member of the CF who served on or after 7 October 2001, and dies under honourable circumstances as a result of an injury or disease related to military service.

Applications

A commanding officer will submit an application through the usual military chain of command for eligible members of their unit.

Description of the Medal

The Medal consists of a silver circular medal that is 36 mm across, has a claw at the top of it in the form of the Royal Crown, and is attached to a straight slotted bar.

On the obverse of the Medal appears a contemporary effigy of Her Majesty the Queen of Canada, facing right, wearing a Canadian diadem composed alternately of maple leaves and snow flakes, and circumscribed with the inscriptions "ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA" and "CANADA", separated by small maple leaves.

On the reverse of the Medal appears a representation of the statue named "Canada" -that forms part of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial - facing right, overlooking the horizon. The inscription "SACRIFICE" appears in the lower right half of the Medal.

The Medal is suspended from a watered ribbon that is 32 mm in width, consisting of a 10-mm black stripe in the middle that is flanked by 11-mm red stripes, on which are centred 1-mm white stripes.

The bar to the Medal is in silver with raised edges and shall bear a centred, single silver maple leaf overall. The Bar is presented for subsequent awards of the Medal.


Related Information: For more information on military honours, please see the Department of National Defence Web site for Canadian Forces Honours and Awards: http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhr-ddhr/index-eng.asp. For more information on the Sacrifice Medal, visit http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhr-...eng.asp?ref=SM.

For more information, please contact
For information on the ceremony:
Annabelle Cloutier
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-993-2569
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca

or

For information on the Sacrifice medal and its recipients:
Department of National Defence
Media Liaison Office
1-866-377-0811
613-996-2353
www.forces.gc.ca
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[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

RIP, Lieutenant Nuttall. You shall not be forgotten.

Canadian soldier killed by IED in south Afghanistan

CTV.ca News Staff
Updated: Thu. Dec. 24 2009 6:44 AM ET

A Canadian soldier was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on foot patrol in Afghanistan, the military announced early Thursday.

Lt. Andrew Nuttall, 30, of Prince Rupert B.C., died along with an Afghan soldier in the town of Nakhoney in the Panjwaii district of southern Afghanistan on Wednesday. An Afghan interpreter was also seriously injured in the IED attack.

Nuttall belonged to the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton. He is survived by his mother Jane and father Richard, who said they were proud of their son's decision to join the military.

"We have lost a bright light in our lives," said the family in a statement.

In total, 134 Canadian soldiers have now been killed while serving in Canada's mission in Afghanistan which begain in 2002. Nuttall is the first soldier to die since Sapper Stephen Marshall was killed on Oct. 30 in a similar IED attack.

Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard, commander of coalition forces in Kandahar province, desribed Nuttall as a generous person who came to Afghanistan because he thought he could make a difference to the Afghan people.

"He wanted to lead from the front and set the example -- attributes he passionately displayed every time he was in front of his platoon," Menard said Thursday morning in a statement from Kandahar.

His death comes during a period of relative calm after a summer that saw a spike in violence, and as NATO forces are seeing an infusion of hundreds of fresh U.S. troops who are helping in the effort to secure areas in and around Kandahar City.

Nakhoney, about 25 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City, is part of the Panjwaii trangle -- an area where Canadian forces have found factories used by Taliban to make IEDs, as well as large quantities of other weapons.

Menard said Nuttall was searching for Taliban transit routes at the time of his death.

"His patrol was part of our efforts to protect the people of the village from insurgents," said Menard.

In a statement, Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean said Nuttall's death comes at the end of a "particularly difficult year," and during the holiday season, "an important time for families."

"It is a harsh reminder of the enormous sacrifices our soldiers and their loved ones have agreed to make so that stability and security can be re-established in a dangerous region of the world and to help people who have been deprived of their most fundamental rights, distressed by years of violence and oppression," said Jean.

With a report from the Canadian Press

[Brian Gough]

Four Canadian soldiers and a Canadian journalist have been killed in a powerful blast in Kandahar city.

The deaths Wednesday afternoon occurred as they drove through a supposedly safe part of the city on a regular patrol.

The military did not immediately release any names, but reporters at the base at Kandahar Airfield has identified the journalist killed as Michelle Lang of the Calgary Herald.

She had been in Afghanistan for just over two weeks on her first assignment in the country for Canwest News Service.

The four soldiers were based at the Canadian military-civilian outreach compound in Kandahar.

In all, 138 Canadian soldiers and two civilians have died on the Afghan mission.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1415241/

[Mark W. Tonner]

DND News Release:

Four Canadian soldiers and one Canadian reporter killed and five injured in an IED strike

CEFCOM NR - 09.034 - December 30, 2009

OTTAWA – Four Canadian soldiers and one Canadian reporter embedded with Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg) were killed, while four other Canadian soldiers and one Canadian civilian official were injured in an IED incident in Kandahar province, on Wednesday December 30, 2009.

The incident occurred 4 km south of Kandahar City at approximately 4:00 p.m., Kandahar time, Wednesday afternoon as a result of an improvised explosive device attack on an armoured vehicle during a patrol.

We will not release the names of the soldiers, as notification of next-of-kin is ongoing at this time. Further information on the incident will be provided once this has been completed.

All of the injured personnel were evacuated to the Role 3 Multi-National Medical Facility at Kandahar Airfield. They are undergoing medical examination and treatment, and their names will not be released.

Members of Task Force Kandahar are committed to improving security and increasing development in Kandahar Province. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of our fallen comrades and our prayers go out to the family and friends of our fallen civilian reporter during this sad time, but we are determined to continue working with our Afghan and international partners towards a better future for the people of Afghanistan.



... At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them