Canada in Afghanistan

[John McGillivray]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
I heard that earlier... but if it was that kind of penetrating hit, why was none of the other crew hit as well?

In any case, I hope it was quick for her.

Some more info from CTV

She was serving as a forward artillery observer -- helping direct fire at enemy positions from near the front lines -- when the LAV III she was riding in was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade.
CTV's Middle East bureau chief Janis Mackey Frayer said there is no official report yet, but it's been suggested "she was standing in the hatch of that vehicle. She apparently ducked her head, but was hit with the shrapnel from the impact of the grenade on the vehicle's turret."

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

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

The "Mother Battery of the artillery,late of Kingston Ontario,the home of artillery.
I had the privilage to tour the regimental museum a few years ago in Kingston with my wife and daughters.The curator(I forget his name at the moment)was exemplory.I explained that my two grandfathers were artillarymen from Kingston.He asked me their names and service.I told him that Walter Shipton served in the Boer War with C battery detached from A Battery and that Steve Williams came out to Canada from the Royal School of Artillery and that, my three Williams uncles,who he knew were artillerymen.This gentleman got on his computer,and led ud to pictures of family.When my daughters saw great grandpa Shipton's picture on a wall,sitting astride a horse,made them very proud,plus seeing photos of their great uncles Williams brothers .Later that day,I took them to Cataroquai cemetary(between shopping trips to the malls),where,not fifty feet from John A,McDonalds' grave,showed them their great grandpa's military gravestone,which freaked them out ,as it did to me the first time I saw the grave with my last name on it.So I think that this lady's death in combat will enrich our society,showing that anything can happen,even to an Artillary Forward Obersatio n Officerwoman.

UBISQUE

[John McGillivray]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
UBISQUE

???? Is this some type of do-it-yourself biscuit mix??? Or is it a doggie treat?

Canadian and Afghan troops may have caught a big fish.

Coalition forces may have caught Taliban official
Updated Fri. May. 19 2006 3:44 PM ET
CTV.ca News
A top Taliban leader may have been captured earlier this week in a joint operation by Canadian and Afghan coalition forces during the firefight that killed Capt. Nichola Goddard, an Afghan general said Friday.
The rebel fighter with only one leg was seized in a battle in Kandahar province on Wednesday, Gen. Rehmatullah Raufi, head of the Afghan military's southern region, told The Associated Press.
He is currently said to be unconscious in a military hospital.
Raufi said there was a good chance that the captive was Mullah Dadullah, who was the top general in the country's north during the Taliban regime, but he didn't know for sure.
"If this does prove true it means that this is one of the most dangerous Taliban commanders in this part of Afghanistan," CTV's Middle East Bureau Chief Janis Mackey Frayer reported from Kandahar.
Dadullah, who lost a leg fighting for the Taliban during its rise to power in the mid-1990s, is responsible for operations in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan.
He later became one of the Taliban's most feared field commanders and has been accused of orchestrating attacks across much of Afghanistan's violence-ridden south.
Neither the coalition nor the Afghan government in Kabul said they could immediately confirm that forces had captured Dadullah.
"We currently do not have any information but are looking into the claim,'' Lieut. Tamara Lawrence, a U.S. military spokeswoman, told AP. "Right now we don't have any information that would support it.''
But Raufi claims the insurgent was captured during the firefight in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province on Wednesday, that killed Capt. Nichola Goddard and 18 militants. About 35 rebels were reported captured in the battle.
A spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai told Reuters some high-ranking Taliban had been captured this week but could not confirm the report.
"There was an operation and three high-ranking Taliban commanders have been captured but I cannot confirm that Mullah Dadullah was one of them," Karim Rahimi told the wire agency.
Mackey Frayer said that more than 20 Taliban suspects were taken into custody in the Canadian operation over the past few days
"They are now in the hands of the Afghan National Army, they will be detained and questioned. We may learn more in next couple of days of exactly who they are and what their roles were in the Taliban."
In December 2005 a court in Pakistan sentenced Dadullah to life in prison for trying to kill a member of parliament Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani.
In an interview with The Associated Press via satellite phone in December, Dadullah claimed that more than 200 insurgents were willing to become attack U.S. forces and their allies as suicide bombers.
Dadullah dismissed the possibility of reconciliation and talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government, saying it "owed its existence'' to non-Muslims, and to do so would amount to "joining Christianity and working for Christians.''
Meanwhile, the casket carrying Goddard began the long journey home from Kandahar Friday.
The casket is expected to arrive at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario on Saturday, before being flown back to Goddard's family in Calgary, Alta.

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

Ubique

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Interprate it as you will.Perhaps a slip of the typing finger !!

Anyway "Right of the Line"

UBIQUE

[John McGillivray]

Goddard died in Taliban ambush: commander
Updated Fri. May. 19 2006 11:46 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
The commander who led Canadian troops into one of the biggest and fiercest battles they've faced in Afghanistan described Friday how Capt. Nichola Goddard met her death in a Taliban ambush.
"We were in the process of doing final searches in the village when one of our call signs came in 'ambush,'" said Lt.-Col. Ian Hope, commander of Task Force Orion's battle group.
"A well co-ordinated Taliban ambush which unfortunately resulted in the death of one of our soldiers."
Hope confirmed that Goddard was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade, or RPG, on Wednesday while riding in a light-armoured vehicle during an intense firefight with Taliban insurgents near Panjwai -- 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city.
As crew commander, Goddard was exposed from the shoulders up. "She was our eyes and ears," said Hope.
"She was standing in the hatch of that vehicle," CTV's Middle East Bureau Chief Janis Mackey Frayer reported from Kandahar on Friday. "She apparently ducked her head, but was hit with the shrapnel from the impact of the grenade on the vehicle's turret."
Canadian troops returned fire from LAVs and 155-millimetre M777 howitzers. Hope then called in an air strike from a U.S. B-1B bomber, which dropped a 225-kilogram bomb on the compound sheltering enemy forces.
"That ended the engagement," said Hope.
After about 45 minutes, Afghan forces were able to go in and clear out the area, which included mud-walled compounds, a complex of farms houses and a mosque in which armed Taliban were hidden.
"It was very canalized terrain -- a series of connected compounds and villages with orchards,'' said Hope."You can't see behind every wall and into every compound."
Military officials said by Thursday about 40 Taliban were killed, another 40 wounded and 17 captured.
The operation involved 200 Canadian soldiers, and another 200 from the Afghan army and police. Intelligence sources said the Taliban were planning an attack against government offices in Kandahar.
"We have detailed reports that there were as many as 300 Taliban fighters from three different provinces concentrating in the Panjwai area with the intent of operating in Kandahar city against the Afghan government, against the provincial governor himself," said Hope.
Casket begins journey home
Meanwhile, Goddard's casket began the long journey home from Kandahar Friday, after eight pallbearers carried her remains aboard a waiting Hercules transport aircraft.
Goddard's coffin, draped in the Canadian flag, first passed long lines of soldiers from countries around the world, including Afghanistan's own national army.
"Go forth upon your journey, Nichola, go forth from this world," a chaplain said in prayer.
The casket is expected to arrive at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario on Saturday, before being flown back to Goddard's family in Calgary, Alta.
The pallbearers, all from the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery where Goddard served, will stay with her body for the duration of the journey.
Goddard's fellow soldiers in Afghanistan remembered her Thursday as a strong leader who inspired in them loyalty and courage.
Her contribution to the mission in Afghanistan was noted during a musical revue put on by some of Canada's top performers, including country singer-songwriter Michelle Wright.
Goddard was the 17th Canadian to be killed in Afghanistan since the current mission began in 2002, and Canada's first female combat death since the Second World War.

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

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Well, Captain Nichola Goddard is on Canadian soil this night. The ramp ceremony, as always, was solemn and impressive, even if only viewed from afar.

Her funeral will be next Friday in Calgary, and the family has invited both the public and the media to attend.

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Just watched her dad's eulogy on Newsworld for the funeral of Capt. Nicola Goddard,Mother "A"Battery of the RCHA.This has to be the most moving speech that I've heard in a long time.I don't know about you members that viewed the funeral,but I was driven to tears.What really moved me was when the choir sang "Lord of the Dance",the same tune they played when we buried my good friend,Flight Lieutenant Stan Mathews,navigator,RCAF,433 Squadron.Halifax bombers.At the end of Stan's eulogy,I ordered the Airforce Piper in a loud command which all present in the church could hear to play "The Airforce Marchpast"Boy,did we play right on,with applause as we marched down the central aisle of the church.I couldn't see because of the tears.Somehow I made it down the stepasfrom the altar.But we celebratwd a lost life.

God bless Nicola Goddard
"UBIQUE" " RIGHT OF THE LINE"

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Who owns the Ford FAT-caisson-25 pouder in calgary ??Beautiful piece of history.

[Al Nickolson]

Photo of FAT

Al

[rob love]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
Who owns the Ford FAT-caisson-25 pouder in calgary ??Beautiful piece of history.

I believe the FAT belongs to the RCHA museum here in Shilo. I think it was one of Bill Gregg's.
The limber looks like the one that used to grace the base commanders front lawn (painted semi-gloss green), and there is one 25pdr set up with the shortened shield and tray for this purpose. There is at least one and possibly two more of the modification kits floating around the base.
I found one of the kits laying in the dustbowl years ago; it had layed there so long it had sank into the ground.

[Col Tigwell]

I always enjoy and have learnt a great deal from Garry's post. but his latest one really got me thinking.

We as men are often taught not to show emotion, but now in my old age, I am learning one more lesson of life.

We should allow the emotive moments, to agena feelings of joy, gratitude and sorrow.

This latest loss of life, proberly brings its home more, because she was an attractive young lady, with a very good life ahead of her. I feel very sad for her husband and her family, and was proud and gratefull, that in this screwed up world there are people like her who not only put their life on the line, but often have given up their life, so that we in our older years can live in peace and relative safety.

My old CO was an ex NCO pilot from WW2, and when I was posted in to his unit, the Wing Commander in welcoming me on board gave me some very serious advice.

He said son, here you will learn the real lessons of life. You will put your life in the hands of your brothers, and they in turn will trust you likewise, do not betray that trust, or it will haunt all your life.

Then he said three rules for you to remember

DUTY

HONOUR

COUNTRY

Those same comments apply just as much today in my life, as they did in 1965.

I think they also describe the Captains service, and I for one am glad, they could bring her home, to lie amonst her friends and family.

Sleep well fair lady, your duty has been nobley done.

Col Tigwell

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Well-spoken, Col, and thank you.

[RHClarke]

At 1400 hrs, the remains of Capt Nichola Goddard were interred at a military ceremony at Beechwood National Cemetery in Ottawa. The next of kin of Capt Goddard requested that her remains receive the full entitlement to military honours at the interment ceremony in accordance with her rank, and the customs and traditions of the CF.

Freedom isn't free...

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

The funeral was different.Have done a lot with me piper.It was unusual in that the piper played "The Skye Boat Song"We usually play "Going Home".Amazing Grace",then rhe tune she did play "Lochaber no more".Different but good for a Canadian hero.

[John McGillivray]

Here is a link to some videos of Canadian Troops in combat in Afghanistan. It takes some time to download.

http://media.militaryvideos.net/vide..._firefight.zip

Wow. Certainly makes it far too real when I can't do a thing to fix and stop it all so stuff like this isn't necessary. I pray for them all. Want them all home and safe. I feel great proudness for what these guys are doing ... and fear for them.

[sapper740]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
Here is a link to some videos of Canadian Troops in combat in Afghanistan. It takes some time to download.

http://media.militaryvideos.net/vide..._firefight.zip

As a former Peace Keeper its good to see Canadian soldiers doing some Piece Kicking for once.
Like ma Yappy I pray for their safe return.
That one Troopie might want to raise his rifle a little higher though...I don't think shooting that mud wall 3 feet in front of him is going to kill many bad actors.

CHIMO!

Originally posted by sapper740
That one Troopie might want to raise his rifle a little higher though...I don't think shooting that mud wall 3 feet in front of him is going to kill many bad actors.

CHIMO!

I wondered about the wall shooting too ... he got it good though, a number of times!!! KILL KILL KILL

[John McGillivray]

Are you referring to the guy in the second video? If so he is just firing over the top of the wall, but the muzzle blast is kicking up debris and dust. If you pause the video and trace a straight line along the barrel it passes above the wall. The “impacts” are below the level of the muzzle.

[John McGillivray]

Two more Canadian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. According to reports on CTV News Net one was from the PPCLI in Edmonton, while the second was a reservist from Montreal.

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

[John McGillivray]

“Cpl. Francisco Gomez of the Lord Strathcona's Horse of Edmonton and Cpl. Jason Patrick Warren of Montreal's Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment were killed,…”

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation.../soldiers.html

[Dan Sicotte]

He's a Patricia. Look at the cap badge.

Dan

[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/

[John McGillivray]

Here is a copy of an e-mail written by a FOO in Afghanistan, which was forwarded to my son yesterday. Looks like our troops once more had to pull British chestnuts out of the fire. Nothing new about that.

Sent by an artillery officer in Afghanistan
Sat, 29 Jul 2006

BATTLE OF PANJAWAI AND BEYOND

Hey everybody! First off I apologize for the length of this email, as it contains two weeks worth of Afghanistan fun. I am doing well and brutally honest I have enjoyed this last couple of weeks. Seven years of training culminating in 14 action packed days. At first I wasn't going to write a lot of detail about what happened, because some people might find it upsetting. However, when I got back to Kandahar Air Field (KAF) and read the deplorable media coverage that the largest operation Canadians have been involved in since Korea, I really felt I had to write it all down, to give you all (and hopefully everyone you talk to back in Canada) an appreciation for what we are really doing here in this "state of armed conflict" (lawyers say we can't use the word "war", I don't know what the difference is except for it being far more politically correct.)

We received word while down at our Forward Operating Base (FOB) that we were going to be part of a full out three day (HA HA) Battle Group operation. This was going to be the largest operation Canada had undertaken since the Korean War. When we arrived back in KAF for orders we found out that we were rolling for Pashmul in the Panjawai District of Kandahar province. That was hard for my crew to hear, as that was the same town where Nichola had died and where Bombadier Chris Gauthier (a signaler in the party before I arrived) had been injured in an ambush. Participating in this attack were A, B and C Company (Coy.) Groups, both troops of artillery from A Battery, an Engineer squadron, two Companies of Afghan National Army (plus all of their attached American Embedded Training Teams - ETT), as well as a huge lineup of American and British Fixed and Rotary wing aircraft. Additionally, we had elements of the 2/87 US Infantry and 3 Para from the UK conducting blocks to prevent the enemy from escaping. From an Artillery perspective beyond the two gun troops (each equipped with 2 x155mm Howitzers and 4 x 81mm mortars) we had three Forward Observation Officers (FOO) and their parties as well as the Battery Commander and his party going in on the attack.

On the night of the 7th around 2200 hrs local C Company Group (with yours truly attached as their FOO) rolled for Pashmul. As we arrived closer to the objective area we saw the women and children pouring out of the town.

Not a good sign. We pushed on and about 3 km from our intended Line of Departure to start the operation we were ambushed by Taliban fighters. At around 0030hrs I had my head out of the turret crew commanding my LAV with my night vision monocular on. Two RPG rounds thundered into the ground about 75m from my LAV. For about half a second I stared at them and thought, "huh, so that's what an RPG looks like." The sound of AK 7.62mm fire cracking all around the convoy snapped me back to reality and I quickly got down in the turret and we immediately began scanning for the enemy. They were on both sides of us adding to the "fog of war". We eventually figured out where all of our friendlies were, and where to begin engaging. We let off about 20 rounds of Frangible 25mm from our cannon at guys about a 100m away before we got a major jam in our link ejection chute. We went to our 7.62 coax machine gun, and fired one round before it too jammed!! Boy was I pissed off. I went to jump up on the pintol mounted machine gun, but as I stuck my head out of the LAV I realized the bad guys were still shooting at us and that the Canadian Engineers were firing High Explosive Incendiary 25mm rounds from their cannon right over our front deck. I quickly popped back down realizing that was probably one of the stupider ideas I have ever had in my life J. Eventually after much cursing and beating the crap out of the link ejection chute with any blunt instrument we could find in the turret, we were back in the game. The first Troops in Contact (TIC) lasted about two hours. The radio nets were busier than I had ever heard before and we realized that A and B Coys. as well as Reconnaissance Platoon had all been hit simultaneously, showing a degree of coordination not seen before in Afghanistan. The feeling amongst the Company was that was probably it, as the enemy usually just conducted hit and run attacks. Boy, were we wrong! We continued to roll towards our Line of Departure and not five minutes later as we rolled around a corner, I saw B Coy. on our left flank get hit with a volley of about 20 RPGs all bursting in the air over the LAVs. It was an unreal scene to describe. There was no doubt now that we were in a big fight.

We pushed into the town following the Company Commander behind the lead Platoon. This was not LAV friendly country. The entire area was covered in Grape fields, which due to the way they grow them are not passable to LAVs, and acres of Marijuana fields which due to irrigation caused the LAVs to get stuck. The streets were lined with mud compounds and mud walls just barely wide enough to get our cars through. After traveling about 300m our lead platoon came under attack from a grape drying hut in the middle of what can only be described as an urban built up area. The Company Commander then issued a quick set of frag orders and I was about to participate in my first ever Company attack. He signaled for me to dismount and follow him. It was an uncomfortable feeling dismounting from the turret, as the only way out is through the top of the turret. I was standing probably 15 feet high in the air with friendly and hostile rounds snapping and cracking in the air everywhere. Needless to say I got down quick. I went to the back of my LAV and banged on the door to signal we were dismounting. As the Master Bombardier opened the door he went pale as we were only 20m from where they had previously been ambushed and where Nich had died. Regardless, we soldiered on. We grabbed our radios and followed the Company Commander. We went into a compound that was actually the same one Howie Nelson had dropped a 1,000lb bomb on after the attack in May. We went up to a second story ledge on a mud wall, and the Company Commander pointed out a compound and said "can you hit that?" I lased the building and found out it was only 89m away. Back in Canada we never bring Artillery in much closer than a 1000m, so you can imagine what I was thinking. I sat down and did the math (those of you who know my mathematical skills are probably cringing right now!). I looked at him and said that in theory and mathematically we would be okay where we were, but I made him move one of the other Platoons back 150m. A funny story as I was doing the math, an American ETT Captain working with the ANA looked down at me and said "There are no ANA forward of us" I responded "Roger", to which he said "good" fired three rounds and said "Got him". I then realized that he had asked me a question and had not stated a fact (for some reason everyone seems to think that the FOO magically knows where all the friendlies are). Through all the gunfire I had missed the infliction in his voice. I looked at him and said, "Hey, I have no idea where your ANA are, you're supposed to look after them!" Luckily it wasn't a friendly he had shot at.

We started the Fire Mission with the first round landing about 350m from my position. The noise of Artillery whistling that close and exploding was almost deafening, the FOO course sure hadn't prepared me for this! Master Bombardier and I debated the correction for a second and eventually agreed upon a Drop 200m, mostly because we needed to get rounds on that compound ASAP as we were taking heavy fire. The round came in and landed a bit left of the compound. We lased the impact and found out it was 105m from us. We gave a small correction and went into Fire For Effect with 50% Ground Burst and 50% Air Burst. The rounds came in 85m from us, right on the compound. Truly I did not appreciate the sheer frightening and awe-inspiring nature of proximity (the air burst rounds). I then had the worst moment of my military career as one of the Sections began shouting "Check Fire, Check Fire!" on the net, followed quickly by their Platoon Commander saying they had casualties and to prepare for a 9 Line (air medical evacuation request).

It turned out the two events were unrelated but for a while I thought I had injured or even worse killed a Canadian. In actuality the Section that called Check Firing was actually the furthest of anyone in the Company from the shells and had panicked (which led to a lot of ribbing and jokes from their buddies afterwards who had all been closer). The 9 Line was for an ANA soldier who had been struck 5 minutes before. However unfortunate, I was definitely relieved to here all that.

Day one carried on with several more small skirmishes and me moving from compound to compound to set up Observation Posts (OPs), from which I could support the Company's movement. I never thought that in my career I would literally be kicking in doors and leading a three man stack, clearing room after room to get to my OPs.

We ended the day, which had seen us in contact for 12 straight hours, by sleeping beside our vehicle in full battle rattle for about an hour with sand fleas biting us. They are the single most ignorant and annoying bug ever. The next morning started off with what seemed like a benign task. We were to clear the grape fields to the south of our objective area. Intelligence said there was nobody there and this would only take us a couple of hours. About an hour into the clearing operation we came under contact from a heavily fortified compound. Unfortunately we had a young fellow killed early in the engagement when the infantry tried to storm the compound. They met fierce resistance, far greater than expected. (I didn't know the young soldier personally, but do recall thinking how fearless he was a week earlier when I saw him running around the Brit compound with a Portuguese flag right after England had lost in the World Cup. I was impressed by his peers and friends and how professionally they carried on after his death.) After the attempted storming of the compound, the Company Commander came to me and said "right, we tried that the old fashioned way, now I want you to level that compound." As I was coming up with a plan for how I would do this, we had a call sign I had never heard before check in. It was Mobway 51. Ends up he was a Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle armed with a hellfire missile. I don't know how he knew we needed help or what frequency we were using, and frankly I don't care, he was a blessing. When the Company Commander asked me what the safety distance for a hellfire was I literally had to go to the reference manual I carry (J Fires Manual) because I had never seen one before and had no idea what it actually could do. I told him the safety distance was 100m. To which he asked how far we were from the compound - the laser said 82m. We debated the ballistic strength of the mud wall beside us and in the end he decided to risk it. Nothing like seeing an entire Company in the fetal position pressed up against a mud wall! The hellfire came in and it was the loudest thing I have ever heard. Three distinct noises: the missile firing, it coming over our heads and the boom. For about 30 seconds we couldn't see anything but a cloud of dust. Then when the dust settled the Platoons started hooting and hollering. The compound barely even looked the same. (At this point our embedded journalist Christie Blanchford from the Globe and Mail had enough and left us, can't blame her I guess.) The Company again tried to clear the compound but still met resistance. So we lobbed in 18 artillery shells 82m from us (even closer than the day before) and then brought in two Apache Attack Helicopters. On the second rocket attack (I actually have video of this) the pilot hit the target with his first rocket and the second one went long and landed just on the other side of the mud wall from us. It engulfed us in rocket exhaust, but thankfully no one was hurt. When the hellfire had gone off it had started a small building in the compound on fire and suddenly we started getting secondary explosions off of a weapons cache that was in it. Everything started exploding around us, and the two guys that had not listened to me to press up against the wall got hit with shrapnel, both in the legs. One was the Company Commander's Signaler, a crazy Newf, who was cracking jokes even with shrapnel in his leg. The medic dealt with him and I went over to the American ETT Captain who was only a few feet from me and began doing first aid on him. He looked liked he was going into shock, until his American Sergeant came up behind me and said "Shit Sir, that's barely worth wearing a Purple Heart for!" I was surprised how much first aid I actually remembered, and the only difficult part was trying to cut off his pant leg because American combats are designed not to tear, making them particularly difficult to cut! In the end we took the compound and captured a high level Taliban leader who was found by the infantry hiding in a sewage culvert, begging for the shelling to stop. As well, we found a major weapons cache, which the engineers took great delight in blowing up. Unfortunately the assault had cost us one killed, two wounded, a Section commander had blown his knee throwing a grenade and four guys had gone down to extreme heat exhaustion. We found out though that this was a Taliban and Al Qaeda hot bed and that they had been reinforced by Chechen and Tajik fighters (which I guess means we really got a chance to take on Al Qaeda and not just the Taliban).

Day three was uneventful for C Coy. and we prepared to go back to our FOB. Which would have been good because I had come down with a cold. Not what I needed in combat (umm, I mean state of armed conflict!) Unfortunately that was not to be. A British Company from 3 Para had been isolated and surrounded by Taliban in the Helmand Province in the Sangin District Center.

They were running out of food and were down to boiling river water. They had tried to air drop supplies but they ended up landing in a Taliban stronghold (thank you air force). C Coy. was tasked to conduct an immediate emergency resupply with our LAVs. We headed off to what can only be described as the Wild West. The Company (B Coy) of the Paras that was holding the District Center had lost four soldiers there and was being attacked 3 to 5 times a day. We rolled in there after a long and painful road move across the desert. When we arrived in Sangin the locals began throwing rocks and anything they could at us, this was not a friendly place. We pushed into the District Center, and during the last few hundred meters we began receiving mortar fire. They never taught me on my LAV Crew Commander course how to command a vehicle with all the hatches closed using periscopes in an urban environment. I truly did it by sense of touch, meaning as we hit the wall to the left I would tell the driver to turn a little right!! We resupplied the Brits and unfortunately it turned dark and we couldn't get out of there, so we had to spend the night. We were attacked with small arms RPGs and mortars three times that night, I still can't believe that the Brits have spent over a month living there under those conditions. They are a proud unit and they were grateful but embarrassed that we had to come save the day. And as good Canadians we didn't let them hear the end of being rescued by a bunch of colonials!!

We left Sangin again thinking we were headed home. We made it about 40km before we were called back to reinforce the District Center and help secure a helicopter landing site. As we sat there we received orders that we were now cut to the control of 3 Para for their upcoming operation north of Sangin. This was turning out to be the longest three day operation ever!!! Enroute we were engaged by an 82mm mortar from across a valley. I engaged them with our artillery, it felt a lot more like shooting in Shilo as they were 2.8km away as opposed to the 100m or less my previous engagements had been. We went round for round with them in what Rob, the Troop Commander firing the guns for us, called an indirect fire duel. In the end he said the score was Andrew 1 Taliban O and there is no worry of that mortar ever firing again. We rode all through the night (with my LAV on a flat tire) and arrived right as the Paras Air Assaulted onto the objective with Chinook helicopters. There were helicopters everywhere. It was a hot landing zone and they took intense fire until we arrived with LAVs, and the enemy ran away. It was a different operation as we were used to a lot more intimate support tanks to shoot the Paras in. It was impressive to watch them though, they are unbelievable soldiers.

We left the operation about 25 hours later (still3 going on no sleep) and thought that for sure we were now done this "three day op". But as we were withdrawing to secure the landing zone for the Brits (under fire from 107mm rockets and 82mm mortars) we received Frag orders to conduct a sensitive sight exploitation where the Division had just dropped two 1000lbs bombs. Good old C Coy. leading the charge again!

We drove to the sight and saw nothing but women and children fleeing the town. I thought, "here we go again." Luckily this time I found a good position for observation with my LAV and did not have to go in on the attack. The Company quickly came under attack from what was later estimated as 100+ fighters. For about 15 minutes we lost communications with the Company Commander and a whole Section of infantry as they were basically overrun. The Section had last been seen going into a ditch that was subsequently hit with a volley of about 15 RPGs; I thought we had lost them all. I had Brit Apaches check in and they did an absolutely brilliant job at repelling the enemy. The only problem was I couldn't understand a word the pilot was saying because of his accent! Luckily I had the Brit Liaison Officer riding in the back of my LAV. I ended up using him (a Major) as a very highly paid interpreter to help me out. After about an hour long fight the Company broke contact (but lived up to the nickname the soldiers had given us, "Contact C") and we leveled several compounds with artillery. Somehow we escaped without a scratch, truly amazing.

We were again ordered back to the Sangin District Center with 3 Para and spent the next few days fighting with the Paras. For four days I did not get a chance to take off my Frag vest, helmet or change my socks, etc. We were attacked 2-3 times a day, and always repelled them decisively. I also discovered during this period that exchanging rations with the Brits is a really bad idea. Not only were they stuck in this miserable place but their food was absolutely horrible!

After saying our good byes to our Brit comrades (the enemy learnt their lesson and finally stopped attacking the place), we again prepared to go back home. Alas, it was not to be again. We were ordered South to take back to towns that the Taliban had just taken. Luckily this time after 11 straight days in contact, C Coy. was the Battle Group reserve. We headed to the British Provincial Reconstruction team (PRT). We rolled into the town to the strangest arrival yet. This was coalition country. The locals (unlike Kandahar and even more so in Sangin) were excited and happy to see us. We had kids offering us candy and water instead of begging. There were no Burkhas. The women were in colorful gowns with their faces exposed. The town was booming with shops everywhere and industry flourishing. We went to the PRT and it didn't even seem real. I took off my helmet, Flak vest and I had a shower and changed my clothes for the first time in two weeks. I ate a huge fresh meal (until my stomach hurt), and then went and sat on the edge of a water fountain in garden and watched a beach volleyball game between the Brits and Estonians. I laughed as I had supper and watched the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) which was reporting that we had taken back the towns, but H Hour was still 2 hours away, so much for the element of surprise. After what we had been through it was hard to believe this place was in the same country. I slept that night (still on the ground beside my LAV because they did not have enough rooms) better than I think I have before in my life. The next couple of days were quiet for us as they did not need to commit us as the reserve. On day 14 of our 3 day op we conducted the 10 hour road move back to KAF, literally limping back as our cars were so beat up (mine was in the best shape in the entire Company and we had a broken differential . again).

There are more stories I could tell of these last two weeks but this email has become long enough as it is and if I did that I would have no war stories (I mean state of armed conflict stories) to tell you when I get home. I will end by saying that I have truly enjoyed this experience. Combat is the ultimate test of an officer, and on several occasions I did things that I didn't know I was capable of. I am so proud of my crew and the entire Company Group, we soldiered hard and long and showed the enemy that messing with Canadians is a really bad idea. We accomplished something in the last two weeks that Canadian soldiers have not done since Korea. The Afghan Government, elected by the Afghans, requested our assistance and we were able to help. We were the equal, if not superior of our allies in everything we did. I hope that I gave you all an appreciation of what these young brave men and women are doing over here, and even if the media can't find the time or effort to report what we are doing and the difference we are making, hopefully you can pass it on. I will see all of you real soon. I hope all is well with all of you, and please keep the emails coming, I read every one and enjoy hearing from you, even if I cannot respond individually.

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