 On this day in 1992 UNFICYP United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus OP SNOWGOOSE 58 began.
 Newsletter on line. This newsletter, and previous editions, are available on the RUSI Vancouver website at: http://www.rusivancouver.ca/newsletter.html Wednesday Lunches The 15 Field Officers Mess holds weekly lunches, serving a 5 course, ‘homemade’ meal for only $15- you won’t find a better meal - or a better deal, anywhere. If you are in the area on a Wednesday, drop in and join us for lunch. The dress for Wednesday lunches is suit/blazer/sports jacket and tie. Dress for ladies is the equivalent. Your guests are always welcome but don’t forget to tell them about dress requirements BEFORE they come. World War 2 - 1940 John Thompson Strategic analyst quotes from his book “Spirit Over Steel” July 22nd: The Special Operations Executive (SOE) is formed to “set Europe ablaze”. The Havana Conference begins – the aim is to keep the Axis out of the Americas. July 23rd: The British Purchasing Commission in US reaches agreement that will allow the UK to buy up to 40% of US Aircraft pro “production. A Czech provisional government in exile forms in London. July 24th: After two weeks of sparring in the Channel over attacks on convoys, the RAF is missing 48 aircraft and the Luftwaffe has lost 93 (but losses in fighter planes are roughly equal). Fighter Command refused to be drawn into major battles, and has used this time to frantically build its strength. July 25th: The US prohibits all sales of oil and metal products to all countries outside of the Americas and Britain except under License. A series of fierce attacks by the Luftwaffe on Channel shipping begins, the intent is to draw out RAF (unsuccessfully) but 11 of 21 ships from a single convoy are sunk near Dover. July 26th: Japan decides to get more aggressive in Indochina in order to cut off China’s supply sources. The Admiralty forbids further shipping past the Straits of Dover in daylight. July 27th: The Luftwaffe sinks two RN destroyers off Dover. July 28th: The German auxiliary cruiser Thor sends the RN armed Merchant cruiser Alcantara fleeing; it takes a real cruiser to sink these German commerce raiders. After another destroyer is sunk off Dover, the remaining force is pulled to Portsmouth and it is decided to keep surface units out of the east end of the Channel unless the German invasion actually begins.  Bob Mugford trips the firing lever to fire the first round on July 1, 2015.The last time this gun fired was over 50 years ago. First Shot for Our 25pdr For the last year, a few dedicated volunteers from the Museum, Association and Regiment, with financial asstance from the Society, have been working to put our gun in firing order (for blanks only, of course). We successfully fired our first blank round at the Canada Day ceremony in Port Moody. A 1 lb charge of black powder gave us a good bang and set off a car alarm across the street. The next step is to train some of our members in 25pdr gun drill so thay can form a detachment to deploy, load and fire the gun using proper proceedures and in approprate uniforms.  A military mobile radar unit in Resolute Bay, Nunavut. The government is terminating its contract with Thales Canada Ltd., which was to supply new radar units to support CF-18 fighter jet squadrons CF18 Bases Won’t Have Radar Units Replaced Public Works abruptly ends procurement $55M deal after delays and cost problems By Dean Beeby, CBC News Jul 12, 2015 Another multimillion-dollar military purchase has gone off the rails. The Harper government is terminating its contract with Thales Canada Ltd, which was to supply new radar units to support Canada's CF-18 fighter jet squadrons in Cold Lake, Alta., and Bagotville, Que. The deal signed in November 2010 was initially worth $55 million for two tactical-control radar systems, with delivery to begin in 2013. Thales won the tender over one other bidder. Defence Department documents show costs had risen to more than $78 million by 2013. And by November last year, the Public Works Department was deep in negotiations with Thales to resolve problems. "In February 2015, Canada and Thales reached agreement in principle to terminate this contract by mutual consent," said Public Works spokeswoman Annie Trepanier. Negotiations for a final termination agreement are still underway, and Public Works declined to provide any information about penalties, losses to the taxpayer or even the reason for the termination. "Public Works is working with DND to identify an appropriate path forward to meet their long-term capability needs on this project," Trepanier said in a terse email. National Defence documents indicate the military had spent at least $6.5 million on the doomed project by 2013. The botched deal is yet another military procurement gone sour, alongside the more high-profile F-35 Stealth Fighter project, the Cyclone helicopter purchase to replace the aging Sea Kings, and used British submarines that have been sinkholes for maintenance and repair dollars. The deal for two Ground Master 400 air-defence radars, a product launched by Thales in 2008, was to replace existing equipment acquired in 1991. "Our government's investments are helping to ensure that our airmen and women have up-to-date equipment and infrastructure needed to perform their missions," Peter MacKay, then defence minister, said in early 2011 when announcing the deal. MacKay said first deliveries were expected by February 2013, and that 40 jobs would be supported until final deliveries in September this year. The France-based parent of Thales Canada, Thales Group, said its Ground Master 400 systems have been sold to Germany, Finland and Malaysia, among others. Canada's existing tactical radar systems are designed to be mobile, and have been deployed to Germany in 2000, Florida in 2008, and to Resolute Bay, Nunavut, in May this year, among other locations. Most of the time, they support NORAD fighter-jet training at their home bases by providing a comprehensive picture of the skies up to 450 kilometres away. David Perry, an expert in military procurement, said it's not clear whether smaller deals like the radar project are as beset with problems as high-cost contracts. Departments are required to report regularly to Parliament only on major Crown projects worth more than $100 million, which means smaller projects can escape proper scrutiny. "We tend to place a lot of the focus on the big projects.… Is it only the big ones that have been problematic or are they just the only ones you ever hear about?" said Perry, a senior analyst with the Ottawa-based Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Perry said he plans a project beginning next month to examine all military procurement contracts, big and small, to correct for any bias that results from the $100-million reporting requirement. Public Works issued a notice to the defence industry in early 2008, calling for letters of interest to replace the existing Westinghouse AN/TPS-70 radar systems, saying they were "past their life expectancy [and] are no longer supportable." But National Defence spokesman Maj. James Simiana said the existing systems "are operational and they are still capable of supporting both Bagotville and Cold Lake." Siegfried Usal, an Ottawa spokesman for Thales Canada, confirmed there's an agreement in principle with Public Works to terminate the project. "No final resolution has been negotiated yet, therefore Thales will not comment further on this," Usal said in an email. DoD, UK Defense Ministry Sign Reserve Forces Memorandum WASHINGTON, July 27, 2015 The US Defense Department and the United Kingdom's Defense Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding today that officials say signifies expanding international relationships while serving a valuable role in security cooperation. Maj Gen John Crackett of the British army, assistant chief of the defense staff for reserves and cadets, and Paul D Patrick, deputy assistant secretary of defense for reserve readiness, training and mobilization, signed the Military Reserve Exchange Program memorandum. "This memorandum of understanding between the US and United Kingdom provides ongoing proof of our continued dedication to our long-standing international relationships," Patrick said. "The Foreign Resident Program strengthens the partnership between our two nations and plays a key role in maintaining individual readiness of reservists and their contribution to national defense." The signing ceremony formalizes a unique agreement between the two nations to allow reservists residing overseas to train with a host-nation unit. Training this way allows reservists to stay engaged and meet their service commitments while opening up opportunities they may have not had in the past, officials said. "This is the first arrangement of its kind," Patrick said. "It demonstrates commitment to our people and their employers by providing more flexibility to meet their requirements and offers unique training opportunities." In addition, the ceremony recognized the 30th anniversary of the countries' Military Reserve Exchange Program. Since the program's memorandum of understanding was signed in 1985, almost 3,000 reservists from both nations have participated in the program. Maj Gen Richard Cripwell of the British army, defense attaché and head of the British Defense Staff in the United States, presided over the event.  The General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada and Colt Canada system are outfitted on a rifle. – Photo by David Pugliese Defence Firm Wants Smartphones on the Battlefield David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen July 20, 2015 One of the country’s top military companies wants to convince the Canadian Army that putting smartphones on the battlefield is the way of the future. The army hopes to improve communications between troops through a $300-million initiative called the Integrated Soldier System Project, or ISSP. That would provide equipment not only to allow troops to track each other as they move throughout the battlefield, but feed communications and targeting information into their helmets or data devices they could carry. The Conservative government will soon announce the winner of the first $7-million phase of ISSP as part of its defence-related announcements in the run-up to the federal election. The other ISSP phases are still years away. Officials with General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada, a company with facilities in Ottawa and Calgary, say the firm is already at the level of technology that ISSP hopes to introduce in the future. Instead of cumbersome and expensive military radios and other data devices, General Dynamics has made use of smartphone technology. It has produced militarized versions of the civilian devices and the support system needed for them. “You can pump videos to it, you can take pictures, transmit those pictures, chat, all those types of things you do on your smartphone, but now it’s on the battlefield,” said Rick Fawcett, director of business development for General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada in Ottawa. The company has also successfully linked smartphones into existing military radio equipment. Insurgents in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq have used cellphones during combat. But western militaries have shied away from such technology because it can be jammed and relies on civilian networks. To deal with those problems, General Dynamics is working on a portable cell network for militaries, as well as systems that can’t be jammed, Fawcett said. Colt Canada, in co-operation with General Dynamics, has also integrated smartphones and other information sources onto its rifles and grenade launchers. In addition, Colt, of Kitchener, Ont., has linked a small drone to its weapons, allowing soldiers with smartphones to not only view what their colleagues are seeing on the battlefield, but also what the cameras on the pilotless aircraft are monitoring. Colt’s technology also includes a global positioning system and navigation capability, so the rifle’s geographic position and pointing angles are known and communicated to other soldiers. “We’re taking the rifle from being a Spitfire to being a CF-18 fighter,” said Warren Downing of Colt Canada. Colt Canada has already attracted interest in its system, selling several to the US Marines. Other US government agencies and Special Forces units have also attended demonstrations of the equipment. The advantages of smartphone technology are evident, Fawcett noted. The devices are readily available, off-the-shelf technology that, with the installation of a $49 hardened case, can be made ready for rough handling by soldiers. There is no need for extensive training as troops, just like most members of the public, already know how to use smartphones. Then there is the technology support. “There was a day when military research led communications but those days are long gone,” Fawcett explained. “Look at what Samsung or Apple invest in their devices. No military can match that type of investment.” General Dynamics decided against bidding on the first phase of the Canadian military’s Integrated Soldier System Project. Instead it directed the $1 million that would have been spent to compile a bid into further research. “Our strategy is to show the army that we are beyond today what the ISSP project hopes to do in the future,” Fawcett noted. He said General Dynamics will now focus on improving technology designed to prevent smartphones from being jammed, as well as improving interfaces with older army radio technology still in use. The firm will also move forward on a portable military cell network that can be set up in remote areas, whether in the Canadian north or African desert. The US military is pushing ahead with a program to use smartphones on the battlefield. Britain is also looking at a similar concept. Fawcett believes the drive for change in Canada will come from the army itself. It has already sponsored demonstrations of the capability. And soldiers use smartphones in their daily lives. “When you talk to soldiers, they don’t understand why a hand-held radio has to weigh five pounds,” said Fawcett. “We’re seeing more traction (for the idea).”  Hacking's Next Frontier: Cars Hackers seize control of Jeep, then crash it, using a laptop and cellphone about 15 km away BY THE TELEGRAPH JULY 23, 2015 Hackers have managed to take control of a car and crash it into a ditch while sitting on their sofa about 15 kilometres away. In the first such breach of its kind, security experts caused the engine to cut out and applied the brakes on a Jeep Cherokee, sending it into a spin. The U.S. hackers said they used just a laptop and cellphone to access the vehicle’s on-board systems via its wireless Internet connection. They claim that more than 470,000 cars made by Fiat Chrysler could be at risk. The hack was revealed by security researchers Charlie Miller, a former staffer at the National Security Agency, and Chris Valasek. They worked with Andy Greenberg, a writer with tech website Wired.com, who was driving the Jeep on public roads in St. Louis. In a demonstration for The Washington Post, Miller had to start the car the old-fashioned way, with his Jeep key fob. But once it was running, he found the vehicle’s Internet address and, while sitting in his office and typing on a MacBook Pro, hacked in through the dashboard information and entertainment system. As Greenberg drove in a parking lot nearby, Miller changed the radio station and turned up the volume. He locked and unlocked the doors, and shot wiper fluid onto the windshield as the wiper blades swooped back and forth. Then it got more serious. Miller, still on his MacBook almost two kilometres away, shut off the engine. He briefly disabled the brakes. Then, he caused the transmission to malfunction, which led the Jeep to lose speed even when the gas pedal was pressed repeatedly. While the car was moving slowly in reverse, Miller even turned the steering wheel, causing the Jeep to carve a wide circle through the lot. Miller said the purpose was to prompt urgency from automakers. “I don’t want to want to wait until there are cars crashing on the news every month,” he said. Miller and Valasek previewed their research for Chrysler, allowing it time to prepare a software update. Dealerships can install the new software, or customers can download it onto a memory stick and insert it into their vehicles. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles issued a sharply worded statement as news of the hack broke. “Under no circumstances does FCA condone or believe it’s appropriate to disclose ‘how-to information’ that would potentially encourage, or help enable hackers to gain unauthorized and unlawful access to vehicle systems,” it said. ‘They really just patched one vulnerability. But they didn’t fix the systemic issues’. It also offered reassurances to drivers. “The company monitors and tests the information systems of all of its products to identify and eliminate vulnerabilities in the ordinary course of business.” Can motorists relax now? Miller and Valasek don’t think so. “They really just patched one vulnerability. But they didn’t fix the systemic issues,” said Valasek, director of vehicle security research for IOActive, a security company.  Who is it? Last Week: This picture was taken at the Officers Mess New Year’s Eve party in 1961. LCol Bud Garrett, to the right of the carver, was CO of the Regiment from 1959 to 1962, next to him is the Wines Officer, then Lt Bailey, later CO from 1972 to 73 and on the far left is the PMC, Maj Eckford. Next to Maj Eckford is Mike Maskovic and his brother Don. They joined the Regiment in 1960. At that time they had their own little tailoring business on the side and were the two best dressed gunners on parade, having re-tailored their issued battledress. Several others in the Regiment, when they saw the results, had them alter their uniforms r for a better fit as well, for a modest fee. They catered a number of the Regiment’s activities in those years. Don eventually took over as Officers Mess bartender and with his wife Jean, catered to Regimental functions until the late 80s. All have since passed away, except for Mike Maskovic and Gary Bailey. The carver was a chef who had been brought in just for this event. No one knows who he is.  This Week: Well, it appears that only one person noticed my gaff last week, so….hmmm. In the words of my hero, Capt. Mainwaring (of “Dad’s Army”), “I was wondering when you’d notice that.” Enough said. This week’s original, never used before photo is of happy mess life. Just which mess it is cannot be determined due to the darkness of the background, but it is certainly an artillery mess, and most likely that of 15th Field (although 43rd HAA had one in North Vancouver, and 102nd Coast must have used the one at Jericho, where they were stationed). The time is most likely the 1950s, given that the original slide is seemingly of that vintage, and the dress of the young lady harkens back to that era of tail fins and tight waists (until the “sack dress” came along). Another hint is that the two young officer cadets both have WWII ribbons, with the chap on the left having served overseas. So, that brings us to our question of the week: who are these happy messmates and date? Do any of you know who they are? Maybe one of them later became CDS, or your mum or dad. Let us know by contacting the too-young-to-remember editor, or the author, John Redmond ([email protected]). Thanks in advance. From the ‘Punitentary’ An incompetent naval captain: He grounds the warship he walks on. Murphy’s other Laws Reports are written in one of four tenses – past tense, present tense, future tense and pretense. Quotable Quotes A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer. - Ralph Waldo Emerson   On this day in 1995 Master Warrant Officer Colin Norris, CD completed Master Gunner Course No. 27.
 Newsletter on line. This newsletter, and previous editions, are available on the RUSI Vancouver website at: http://www.rusivancouver.ca/newsletter.html Wednesday Lunches The 15 Field Officers Mess holds weekly lunches, serving a 5 course, ‘homemade’ meal for only $15- you won’t find a better meal - or a better deal, anywhere. If you are in the area on a Wednesday, drop in and join us for lunch. The dress for Wednesday lunches is suit/blazer/sports jacket and tie. Dress for ladies is the equivalent. Your guests are always welcome but don’t forget to tell them about dress requirements BEFORE they come. World War 2 - 1940 John Thompson Strategic analyst quotes from his book “Spirit Over Steel” July 15th: Plebiscites (conducted by the Communist Party, with close supervision by the NKVD and without outside observers) in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania show a unanimous desire in the three Baltic states for union with the USSR! Who knew? July 16th: Hitler issues Directive 16 for the invasion of Britain; at this time Wehrmacht thinking (along the scale of an assault river crossing writ large) calls for at least 25 divisions to be involved. Prime Minister Yonai of Japan resigns because of military pressure and a cabinet shuffle is in the works. July 17th: A new government is formed in Japan under Prince Konoye and Tojo becomes Minister of War. The British re-route much shipping away from the easy U-Boat and Luftwaffe hunting grounds south of Ireland and in the North Sea – causing much congestion in Liverpool and the Clyde. July 18th: Britain closes the Burma Road into China at Japan’s request. Roosevelt, without any challengers, emerges from the Democratic Convention as their candidate for president for the third consecutive time. July 19th: General Alan Brooke replaces Edmund Ironside as Commander in Chief of Home Forces (Army only); Ironside is sent upstairs as a Field Marshal. Hitler appeals to British common sense in a speech to the Reichstag. The light cruiser HMAS Sydney and five destroyers sink the Italian light cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni off Crete and send the Bande Nere running. Roosevelt signs the ‘Two Ocean Navy Expansion Act” authorizing the construction of 1,325,000 tons of warships and 15,000 planes. It is very rare for a 51 year old man to even dare to take a parachute training course, but now that Oberst Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke has just transferred into the 7th Fliegerdivision, he intends to try. He will stay with the elite German Fallschirmjäger until he is captured in Brest in September 1944 as the General der Fallshirmtruppe and the holder of the Knights Cross with Swords, Diamonds and Oak Leaves. July 20th: A Luftwaffe Me-110 scores Germany’s first night-fighter kill of the war as it downs a British Whitley bomber, there will be thousands more. July 21st: The USSR formally annexes the Baltic States, making them constituent republics of the Soviet Union. Hitler tells an OKH Conference that Germany must prepare for war with the USSR  North Vancouver's Fell Armoury to Get $1.4M renovation Feds fund heritage building upgrades Brent Richter / North Shore News July 10, 2015 Canadian Forces soldiers listen as MP Andrew Saxton announces funding to improve the JP Fell Armoury in North Vancouver’s Mahon Park neighbourhood. Photo Mike Wakefield The Lt Col JP Fell Armoury in North Vancouver is set to get $1.4 million in refurbishments following a funding announcement from the federal government. North Vancouver MP Andrew Saxton visited the historic armoury on Forbes Avenue on Monday to announce the Department of National Defence would pay for a new roof, boilers, sprinkler system and upgrades to the mess hall for the 1914 building. Vancouver’s Beatty, Seaforth and Bessborough armouries will also be receiving upgrades valued at $5.1 million. The work will be carried out over the next two years. Most of the buildings were built in the first half of the last century. Despite their age, the facilities “remain vital to the readiness and operation” of the armed forces, Saxton said. “Also because (the Fell Armoury) is used on a regular basis by both 39 Combat Engineers Regiment as well as the cadets. It’s an important building in North Vancouver and, because of its age, it’s time to have an update so it can last another 101 years,” he said. The last upgrade was in the run-up to the 2010 Olympics when the armoury received a new floor.  Questions About Squadron Changes in the RCAF David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen July 11, 2015 Royal Canadian Air Force ground crew perform post flight checks on a CF-18 fighter jet in Kuwait after a sortie over Iraq during Operation IMPACT on November 3, 2014. CF Combat Camera DND / CF Combat Camera, D A knowledgeable reader with military and aerospace connections sent this to Defence Watch in about recent squadron changes in the RCAF. It is an interesting viewpoint: Hi David, As you know, MP&EU (Maritime Patrol & Evaluation Unit) is now 415 Squadron, 433 Squadron has been reformed at Bagotville, and I’m told (but haven’t yet confirmed) that the “super squadron” at Cold Lake will also be split, with the “new” one being numbered as 401 for history and heritage reasons. (That part I like.) Wasn’t the main reason given for consolidating fighter, transport, and patrol squadrons a few years ago that it was necessary in order to redistribute officers (mainly) and other personnel to the new CF Aerospace Warfare Centre (CFAWC)? They said there was no money for adding new people and the only way to staff the new units was to consolidate flying squadrons and transfer the “surplus” personnel to them. Given that DND hasn’t been spending all of its budget and has been returning money to the Treasury and also given that there has been no authorization to increase the size of the RCAF, where are these new people coming from and where is the money to pay them coming from? MP&EU isn’t just being renamed as 415 Squadron. MP&EU was commanded by a major, while 415 is commanded by a lieutenant-colonel, and as a larger unit, it will have more people and more of them will be higher ranks (i.e. more department heads, more majors). Back when the Groups were abolished and Wings were introduced, numerous units that hadn’t had it before were elevated to Squadron status and I wondered at the time why MP&EU wasn’t made a Squadron, but after all this time, I have to wonder why now? Bringing back 433 and giving it half of 425’s assets and personnel also means more people at higher ranks, such as two COs, two DCOs, and two each of the other positions such as weapons and tactics officer, squadron warrant officer, etc. Ditto at Cold Lake when 409 Squadron is split into two squadrons. In the transport community, 437 previously flew two types of aircraft (CC-137 and CC-150), so with it being down to only five CC-150s, it could have been given the CC-177s rather than reform 429 Squadron. When that happened, I also wondered where the extra people were coming from after the earlier statements about consolidating squadrons to free up people for CFAWC, etc, but I thought perhaps the new aircraft type was being used as an excuse. Splitting up the “super squadrons” of CF-188s at Cold Lake and Bagotville are different situations, though, and I have to wonder if 436 Squadron (which had been combined with the previous incarnation of 429) will also be split up soon. I can certainly understand the career aspirations among officers to attain leadership positions and having only two frontline fighter squadrons rather than four cut those opportunities in half (and that seems to be why many cynics believe this is being done), but from an organizational point of view, reducing the number of people with command experience also limits the pool of talent for higher ranks and positions such as wing commanders and AFHQ positions. But the question about how this is being funded now when there was supposedly no money for it before remains, especially when the full budget isn’t being spent and the “extra” money is being returned to the federal coffers to help balance the budget before the election.  Stuart Archer the Blast Expert Who Protected the Nation Feb 3, 1915 - May 2, 2015. Age 100 May 23, 2015 IT’S perhaps not surprising that when Second World War bomb expert Stuart Archer was awarded the George Cross in 1941 the citation read that he “enjoyed unbelievable immunity from death”. The British Bomb Disposal party at Algiers after an enemy raid in November 1942 REX After all, this was an officer, who within eight months of joining the Corps of Royal Engineers, had successfully dealt with 200 bombs, including having to tackle the first enemy bomb with a new type of delayed-action fuse. Despite the dangers he faced on a daily basis, Archer said he wasn’t afraid. He said: “When you’re sitting on top of bombs, if it goes off, then you’re gone. “I take my hat off to the people who were running into enemy fire. That’s the thing I would have been afraid of.” Born in Hampstead, north London, Bertram Stuart Trevelyan Archer showed a real talent for drawing and studied to be an architect, qualifying as an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects at the age of 21. For the next three years he worked at the firm Ingram and Son designing pubs for breweries. Although Archer had served with the Honourable Artillery Company before the war, his training in the art of bomb disposal was basic to say the least. Showing him his first unexploded bomb (UXB) his instructor said: “This is a German bomb. It’s the only one we have.” In May 1940, as commander of No 104 Bomb Disposal Section, he arrived in Cardiff and that July was called out to four unexploded bombs that had been dropped on St Athan airfield in South Wales. After supervising the excavation of each bomb he lifted them carefully on to a lorry and drove them personally to an open space to detonate them, later acknowledging he had taken “a hell of a chance”. As the Luftwaffe’s attacks on Britain’s industrial areas intensified, Archer faced his toughest situation when a major blaze broke out at National Oil Refineries in Swansea on September 2, 1940. Four UXBs, one of which was found directly under an oil tank, were hampering firefighters. Despite bombs going off around him, Archer managed to remove a plate from the base of the bomb, dig out the high explosives and recover the all-important fuse intact, which was sent off to the War Office to be examined. After the war he returned to his career as an architect and from 1994 to 2006 served as chairman of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association. He was awarded the OBE in 1961 and is survived by his three children. His wife, Katherine whom he married in 1939 predeceased him. Stuart is the longest holder of the George Cross, with Chris Finney, the medal's youngest holder   What Happened to the Canadian Army’s TOW 2 missiles? More from David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen July 21, 2015 A TOW missile system on a Humvee at Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 12, 2012. Marines assigned to combined anti-armor team, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3/2, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), fired the TOW missile system to familiarize themselves with the safety and firing procedures associated with it. BLT 3/2 is one of the three reinforcements of 26th MEU, which is slated to deploy in 2013. In a recent article I wrote, there were details about Canadian Army equipment that had been declared surplus and was either being destroyed or sold off. Included among that equipment were the TOW 2 missiles and related systems purchased by the Army around 2009 for $100 million. According to documents obtained by Defence Watch the stocks included 592 TOW 2 (analog) missiles, 897 TOW 2 (digital) missiles and 662 TOW 2B (top attack missiles). The problem was that no one at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa could readily say for certain what happened to the weapons. The thought was that they were sold but no one had any details. Now Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Blouin has come back with the answer. He tells Defence Watch that the U.S. Marines purchased all of Canada’s TOW 2 missiles. There were no details on the price the Marines paid. But sources tell Defence Watch the Marines got a real deal, picking up the weapons for a fraction of the $100 million price. The Canadian Army decided to get rid of the TOW missiles after they were required by the Harper government to find cost-savings  Marines assigned to combined anti-armor team (CAAT), Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3/2, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), fire a TOW missile system at Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 12, 2012. This training is part of the 26th MEU’s pre-deployment training program. BLT 3/2 is one of the three reinforcements of 26th MEU, which is slated to deploy in 2013  Colonel Tim Young Appointed Regimental Colonel, RCA On the 24th of June 2015, Colonel Timothy (Tim) R Young, CD, became the new Regimental Colonel for the Royal Regiment, taking over the responsibilities from Colonel JMD Bouchard. The Regimental Colonel plays a key role in the management of the Royal Regiment as an institution. Together with the Director of Artillery, Colonel TJ Bishop, the two colonels manage the Royal Regiment on five lines of operation that are outlined in the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Family Strategy. While the Director manages the first two lines of operation - developing capability to sustain the regiment in operations, and assure excellence in leadership through succession planning, the Regimental Colonel manages the remaining three. They are - nurturing the family institution, connecting with Canadians, and celebrating our heritage. Whether it is supporting gunners and their families either regular, reserve or veterans, communicating with Canadians from coast to coast, or planning and supporting key events in our rich heritage, the Regimental Colonel is the de facto steward and authority when it comes to implementing the guidelines and orientations promoted in the family strategy. For more details, Colonel Young, is in his 36th year of service to the Royal Regiment and is well positioned to assume the responsibilities of the Regimental Colonel. He began his career in the ranks as a Reservist in the 56 Field Regiment in Brantford, Ontario (Master Bombardier). As a Junior Officer, he developed his gunnery skills as an Airborne Gunner in 2 RCHA, and holds parachute wings from five different nations. He further developed is gunnery skills becoming an Instructor-In-Gunnery and later the Chief Instructor-In-Gunnery at the Artillery School. On operations, Colonel Young commanded F Battery, the third Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2001, and as the Commanding Officer of 1 RCHA, he force generated all artillery support for Task Force Afghanistan in 2009. He served a tour in Afghanistan in 2009 as the Chief Operational plans in Task Force Kandahar. On domestic operations, he deployed to the Ice Storm in 1998, floods in both Ontario and Manitoba, counter drug operations with the RCMP, and the 2010 Winter Olympics. Colonel Young has held numerous staff appointments over his career, most notably - the Director of Land Requirements 2, a strategic planner on the Army Staff, an Executive Assistant to the Chief of Military Personnel, and a Resource and Business Planner for the Vice Chief of Defence Staff Group. Colonel Young holds two graduate degrees; a Master in Defence Studies from RMC, and a Master in Business Administration from Athabasca University. He currently holds the appointment of Director Army Personnel Management (G1) of the Canadian Army. We are all pleased to have Colonel Young as the senior Gunner looking after Regimental Family matters for the RCA. Good Shooting, Tim! PNE 2015 HEROES’ OPENING WEEKEND. NEW this year – includes a free guest SATURDAY, AUGUST 22 & SUNDAY, AUGUST 23 - 11am- Late FREE gate admission for First Responders and a guest. Promotion is to honor those who put their life on the line by actively responding to the front line emergencies occurring out in our communities. Valid for regular member police (City and RCMP), ambulance workers, firefighters,military, search & rescue and coast guards plus one guest. First Responder must present a valid First Responders service card at the gates. Guest does not require a service car  Who is it? Last Week: According to other photos in this series, the troops were coming back from Hatzic Lake, just east of Mission. In that case they would be somewhere on Hwy 7 which went from Agassiz to Vancouver. In those days it went through Mission to Maple Ridge (then a series of villages) then ran through Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody along Dewdney Trunk Road. Then along Barnet Highway to Hastings Street. So the photo was probably taken somewhere along that route. No IDs on the soldiers. After the US entered the war, Harley Davidson, starting in 1942, built motorcycles for the military based on their WL model. The American version was the WLA and the Canadian, WLC. For military purposes, the bikes were painted olive drab or black, blackout lights and an oil bath filter were added and the crankcase breather was changed to facilitate fording. Accessories included a heavy duty luggage rack, ammo box, leather gun scabbard, skid plate, leg protectors and windshield. Allied motorcycles were almost never used as combat vehicles or for troop mobility and so were rarely equipped with sidecars, as was common on the German side  This Week: Time flies, and this column has now been running for almost two years. One great problem for historians is that, as memories fade, and then disappear with death, those events and people that were once so well-known are reduced in number to a point where only one or two in several million are memorialized. One purpose of this column is to record some of those memories so that these names, of people great and small, will have a face for the future. This photo was possibly taken in 1962 as such is what possibly is written below “Chef” (the original print has been cropped). The date is further attested to by the fact that Lt Col Garrett was CO of 15 Field from 1959 to 1962. On the far left is Major Eckford, PMC at the time, and a wartime friend of my late father. The wines officer, Lt. Bailey, who eventually became CO, still comes to the lunches from time to time. Mike and Don are names of characters of whom I’ve heard, but never met, so the museum would like to know more about them, and, if possible, about the chef. Were you a mess regular in the 1960s and do you have some stories to tell? If so, drop a line to the author, John Redmond ([email protected]), or to the editor. If the stories are a bit naughty, don’t worry. Museum curators are the soul of discretion. Finally, if you are really up to it, and have a great cache of mess and regimental stories that you think would fascinate future generations, why not consider setting up an appointment with a museum chap or chapette for an interview? By the way, whatever happened to that little piggy that the chef is starting to carve? From the ‘Punitentary’ How do mountains see? They peak. Murphy’s other Laws Elephant: a mouse built to government specifications. Quotable Quotes Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while. - Kin Hubbard    The CFOne Card Everything you need to know about CFOne! The CFOne card is the one card you need to access programs and services delivered by CF Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS). The CFOne card consolidates the functions of several cards into a single card. It easily and accurately confirms your membership within the Canadian military community of one million strong and provides you with access to both the CANEX Rewards Program (the program that rewards you for shopping at CANEX) and the CF Appreciation Program (the official discount program of the Canadian Armed Forces community). In the future, it will also be the one card to support membership to PSP sports, fitness and recreation programs and services at Bases and Wings across the country. In addition, the CFOne card will provide membership and confirm access to messes and specialty interest activities, such as golf, curling and sailing clubs. All members of the Canadian military community of one million strong are eligible for the CFOne card. You are eligible to receive a FREE CFOne card if you are part of one of the following categories:
www.cfmws.com/en/OurServices/CFOne/Pages/default.aspx  THUNDER IN THE SKIES: A Canadian Gunner in the Great War
An extraordinary, newly discovered account from an ordinary Canadian on the ground in the crucial battles of the First World War. What was it like to be a field gunner in the Great War? Drawing on the unpublished letters and diary of field gunner Lt. Bert Sargent and his fellow soldiers, Thunder in the Skies takes the reader from enlistment in late 1914, through training camp, to the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, the Hundred Days Offensive, and home again with peace. Sargent and field gunners like him, posted just behind the front lines, spent grueling months supporting the infantry in the trenches. Theirs was a very different war, as dangerous or more at times as the one on the front lines. As an ordinary Canadian writing letters home to ordinary people, Sargent gives a wrenching, insightful account of a tight-knit band of soldiers swept up in some of the most important battles of the war that shaped the twentieth century. Thunder in the Skies details the daily life of artillerymen fighting in the First World War in a way no other book has before. Available for purchase beginning 29 August, 2015. On this day in 1991 Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel RJ Webster, CD was appointed Honorary Colonel.
On this day in 1970 the 4th Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery was disbanded. On this day in 1869 the 51st Field Battery, RCA was formed in Halifax, NS.
 Newsletter on line. This newsletter, and previous editions, are available on the RUSI Vancouver website at: http://www.rusivancouver.ca/newsletter.html Wednesday Lunches The 15 Field Officers Mess holds weekly lunches, serving a 5 course, ‘homemade’ meal for only $15- you won’t find a better meal - or a better deal, anywhere. If you are in the area on a Wednesday, drop in and join us for lunch. The dress for Wednesday lunches is suit/blazer/sports jacket and tie. Dress for ladies is the equivalent. Your guests are always welcome but don’t forget to tell them about dress requirements BEFORE they come. World War 2 - 1940 John Thompson Strategic analyst quotes from his book “Spirit Over Steel” July 8th: Carrier aircraft from HMS Hermes put a torpedo into Richelieu in Dakar and damage is done to the Battleship Jean Bart in Casablanca – whereupon DeGaulle lays a complaint with his British hosts for treating the French Fleet so roughly; many Free French feel the same. July 9th: Admiral Cunningham hits an Italian naval force in the Straits of Messina, the latter run for it with damage to the Battleship Giulio Cesare after exchanging fire with HMS Warspite – which sets a record by scoring a hit at 26,000 yards. Petain is given the power to make amendments to the French constitution by the Vichy French Parliament. July 10th: There are air battles over the Channel and 70 Luftwaffe bombers are sent to attack a port in southern Wales – the Battle of Britain has begun. July 11th: “Nous, Philippe Petain” assumes sweeping new powers as head of the Vichy State. Two weeks of aerial combat begin over British shipping convoys in the Channel. July 13th: Hitler issues Directive 15 on the Air War with Britain, calling on the air offensive to begin on August 5th (thus missing three weeks of prime summer weather) and to establish air superiority prior to an invasion; he also tells some of his generals that war with the Soviet Union is in the future. Italian forces in Ethiopia attack the Kenyan border town of Moyale. July 14th: The Soviets arrest 15,000 people deemed to be “hostile elements” in the Baltic States.  30,000th Daily Ceremony at Menin Gate Ceremony Commemorates Courage and Sacrifice of Fallen and honours First World War soldiers with no known grave. July 9, 2015 – Ypres, Belgium – Veterans Affairs Canada The Government of Canada today honoured fallen Canadian soldiers at a special Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. Today, July 9, 2015, marks the 30,000th time this moving daily tribute has been conducted. Each country whose fallen are commemorated by the Menin Gate Memorial had a special role to play in the ceremony. On behalf of Canada, Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada contributed to the pre-recorded reading of John McCrae’s famous poem, In Flanders Fields. Lieutenant-General Richard Rohmer, Special Advisor to Erin O’Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, laid a wreath on behalf of the Government of Canada. For the missing of Commonwealth nations (except New Zealand and Newfoundland) who died in the Ypres Salient during the First World War. Since its formation in 1928, the Ypres Last Post Committee has organized this tribute to the war dead. Every evening at sunset, traffic is halted, and buglers from the local fire brigade station themselves at the centre of the Hall of Memory to sound the Last Post. Quick Facts
 C6 General Purpose Machine Gun to Get an Upgrade David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen July 7, 2015 Work is underway to upgrade the Canadian Army’s C6 General Purpose Machine Gun. Industry representatives have been told that the upgrades will include a new gas regulator, new accessory rail, new butt stock as well as other accessories. The Army hopes to get “implementation approval” sometime this year. The cost for the project is estimated in the Defence Acquisition Guide at between $100 million to $249 million. The DAG states implementation approval for 2016 so it looks like the Army is hoping to move a little fast than that. A contract award will come in 2017. It is unknown when deliveries would begin. Canada’s First Fighter Squadron Reborn By Peter Lozinski, Cold Lake Sun July 6, 2015 Seventy-five years after battling the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron has been reborn. The squadron was reactivated during a June 30 ceremony at 4 Wing Cold Lake. Known as the Ram Squadron, 401 will fly the CF-18. MGen David Wheeler, commander of 1st Canadian Air Division, was on hand to stand up the new squadron. “This is a day we’ve been waiting for a long, long time,” Wheeler said. “It’s a great opportunity... (it’s) not every day that you get to stand up a new squadron, especially one with the history of 401.” Wheeler said the need for 401 Squadron came out of the need to move away from “super squadrons.” For the past several years, Canada has had only two active tactical fighter squadrons - 409, based in Cold Lake, and 425, based in Bagotville, Que. With the rebirth of 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bagotville on June 11 and the reformation of 401 in Cold Lake, Canada once again has four active fighter squadrons. “I’m very pleased to see such a historic squadron come to life once again and in Cold Lake – the home of the fighter force,” Wheeler said in a press release. “Transitioning to four tactical fighter squadrons will provide the RCAF with a better structure to maintain operational effectiveness and flexibility.” Lt.-Col. Joseph Mullins, who previously served as acting 4 Wing Commander, will take over as 401’s commanding officer. “We will not let you down,” he said Tuesday. “I assure you we will be ready.” Mullins said that it’s appropriate that 401, “Canada’s oldest and newest fighter squadron ... will now make their home in fightertown Canada, 4 Wing Cold Lake.” During the ceremony, it was announced that current Edmonton-Centre MP Laurie Hawn would become the squadron’s Honorary Colonel when his current term is up. Before going into politics, Hawn served in the air force for over 30 years. Thirteen of those were spent in Cold Lake “flying the (CF-104) Starfighter or CF-18,” he said. Hawn is a former commanding officer of 416 Sqn. in Cold Lake and spent time as Wing Operations Officer. He was also the Honorary Colonel of 417 Sqn from 1998-2003. “It’s very exciting, it’s a real honour,” Hawn said. “This was not expected - it happened very quickly...over the past six days.” Hawn stressed the importance of the newly-reformed 401 squadron. “We went from two operational squadrons at each of Cold Lake and Bagotville down to one at each place, that proved a bit unwieldy so this is going back to where it was before,” he said. “It gives the air force a lot more flexibility in meeting requirements It really strengthens the command and control within the squadron, so you can send a whole unit away instead of sending part of a bigger squadron.” The newly-reformed 401 Squadron “complements the duties of 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron and...deploys tactical fighter forces to meet Canadian and allied defence needs,” according to a description on the air force website. “Under the umbrella of the NORAD mission, fighter crews are on stand-by 24/7, ready to respond to any aerospace threat.” The new squadron was created by “separating equal portions of personnel and equipment from (409 Squadron).” 401 Squadron was originally formed as No. 1 Squadron in Trenton, Ont. in 1937, flying the Siskin, an early, single-seat British-built biplane single-seat fighter, used extensively in the 1920s. It later graduated to the Hawker Hurricane in 1939. From 1940-1941, the fighter unit destroyed 30 aircraft and damaged another 34, with nine other probable victories in the Battle of Britain. The squadron was later renamed 401 to avoid confusion with the Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) No 1 squadron. In September 1941, the unit was equipped with Spitfires. It participated in several other battles in WWII, including Dieppe, and bombed several Nazi targets. The squadron ended the war as the highest scoring unit in the RAF Second Tactical Air Force, credited with 186.5 aerial victories. After the war, the squadron was disbanded. It was reactivated in 1946 and later redesignated to an auxiliary role, flying the de Havilland Otter. When that was retired, the squadron flew the Kiowa helicopter in an observation role before being disbanded in 1998.  NATO Praises Petawawa Soldiers on Poland Mission By Sean Chase, Daily Observer June 22, 2015 SEAN CHASE/ MIKE Company, 3RCR, seen here marching during the Battalion’s Change of Command, was the first Petawawa unit to deploy to Europe as part of Operation Reassurance. GARRISON PETAWAWA - As their mission draws to a close, senior commanders here are praising Petawawa soldiers for their outstanding work in Europe as part of Canada's response to Russian aggression in the Ukraine. Since last summer, the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment has been rotating Company groups, which includes attachments of artillery, combat engineers and signalers, to Poland to reinforce NATO's collective defence in the wake of Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula. The latest contingent to deploy there, 125 troops from November Company, is expected to return home on July 15. In his remarks during the battalion's change of command Saturday, Col Peter Dawe, Commander of 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, lauded the unit for answering the call during this tense international crisis. “In an era where the ability to project around the world in a timely and efficient manner to achieve strategic effect on behalf of the government of Canada, a Light Infantry Battalion is more critical than ever,” said Col Dawe. “The future relevance of the Canadian Army is contingent on the proper mandating and resources of Light Forces.” Last July, the Battalion's Parachute Company, were dispatched on Operation Reassurance, a mission dedicated to shoring up NATO's resolve in the face of Russian military and political movements against Ukraine. When the Commander and the Brigade's RSM, CWO Keith Olstad visited the soldiers in the fall, there were nothing but compliments from their NATO hosts. “We were overwhelmed by the effusive praise of senior NATO officials who spoke of the tactical excellence, the fighting spirit and the diplomacy of these remarkable soldiers,” said Col Dawe. The crisis is nowhere near resolution. More than 4,700 people have been killed in fighting between the Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatist forces. According to the United Nations, 830,000 refugees have fled the region. Canada has launched a second deployment, Operation Unifier, which will involve military trainer working with Ukrainian Infantry Battalions. They will provide training on mine and how to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs), while Military Police will be focused primarily on detainee and prisoner-of-war handling. As he leaves his post, outgoing 3RCR commanding officer LCol Rob McBride acknowledged the Poland mission has driven the lives of his troops for the past two years. “Operation Reassurance has been an outstanding opportunity for this Battalion,” he said. “Our soldiers have been recognized for their professionalism, their skill sets and our ability to seamless integrate with our allies. They have represented Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces extremely well. They have impressed our allies with their tenacity, their professionalism and sense of duty.” Petawawa soldiers have participated in a series of joint exercises working alongside soldiers from NATO Allied countries such as Czech Republic, Estonia, Great Britain, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands and the United States. Those exercises have involved mass parachute drops and airmobile inserts with the focus being the seizure of strategic locations, such as airfields. Lieutenant-Colonel McBride said this mission has answered critics within the Department of National Defence who have debated the necessity for a Light Infantry Battalion in the Order of Battle. “I can say without a doubt that this unit has made a significant contribution to that argument in order to demonstrate the true need for this capability and what it can bring to the fight,” he added.  'Greatest Living Flying Ace' is City's Newest Freeman PHILIP ROUND/SPECIAL TO THE ECHO / COMOX VALLEY ECHO JULY 2, 2015 Courtenay's newest Freeman of the City was announced on Canada Day by City Mayor Larry Jangula - he is World War Two flying ace James 'Stocky' Edwards. To celebrate its 100th birthday, Courtenay City Council has unanimously voted to grant the Freedom of the City to a person almost the same age as the municipality itself. World War Two flying ace James 'Stocky' Edwards was with his wife Toni on the stage at the official opening of the Canada Day celebrations in Lewis Park on Wednesday. As City Mayor Larry Jangula rose to welcome guests, he turned to Edwards and reviewed some of the former pilot's many wartime exploits and subsequent military and civilian accolades. Jangula described 94-year-old Edwards as Canada's greatest living flying ace, who had either downed or damaged almost 60 enemy aircraft during the Second World War in Europe and North Africa. One of many Royal Canadian Air Force pilots helping fight the Nazis and their Axis Allies, his Spitfire was hit a few times during almost 400 sorties, but he was never shot down. Saskatchewan-born and raised Edwards was mentioned in war dispatches more than once, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Flying Medal and Canadian Forces Decoration for his efforts. Much later, in 2004, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada; in 2012 he received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal; and as recently as last year the French President awarded him the title Chevalier (Knight) of the French Legion of Honour. The Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame in Alberta acclaims him as "one of the 100 most influential Canadians in any aspect of aviation history," and it has already raised a banner in his honour. Following the war, Edwards served at RCAF Station Centralia, flew and instructed on Vampire jets in Trenton, and was OC St Hubert. In 1949, with the Search and Rescue Unit at the RCAF Station at Sea Island, Vancouver, he flew Cansos and Lancasters. Then, after serving as OC of a recruiting unit in Vancouver, he commanded the first RCAF F-86 Sabre squadron in North Bay, Ontario. In 1952 he was posted to France, flying F-86 Sabre jet aircraft, and in 1955 joined USAF Air Defence Headquarters at Colorado Springs for four years. After flying CF-100 jets at Cold Lake, Alberta, he held staff positions in Ottawa and North Bay, with his final posting as Commanding Officer of RCAF Station Baldy Hughes, near Prince George. After more than 30 years service with the military, he retired in 1972 when he, his wife and their children moved to the Comox Valley where, said Jangula, they had been stalwarts in the community ever since. And, the mayor added, Edwards and his wife were among the "friendliest, kindest and nicest people anyone could wish to know." After the announcement, Edwards told the Echo to be recognized in his own community by being awarded the City's highest honour had come as a total surprise. - "I am proud to be a Canadian and for this to happen on Canada Day is just wonderful," he added.  The Soviet Union’s Kalinin K-7 Bomber Russia’s equivalent of the ‘Spruce Goose’ The Kalinin K-7 was a heavy experimental aircraft designed and tested in the Soviet Union. The K-7 was built in two years at Kharkiv starting in 1931. It was of unusual configuration with twin booms and large underwing pods housing fixed landing gear and machine gun turrets. In the passenger version, seats were arranged inside the 2.3-meter thick (7 ft 7 in) wings. The airframe was welded from KhMA chrome-molybdenum steel. The original design called for six engines in the wing leading edge but when the projected loaded weight was exceeded, two more engines were added to the trailing edges of each wing, one right and one left of the central passenger pod. Nemecek states in his book that at first only one further pusher engine was added. Designed by World War I and civil war pilot Konstantin Kalinin at the aviation design bureau he headed in Kharkov, with a wingspan close to that of a B-52 and a much greater wing area, the K-7 was one of the biggest aircraft built before the jet age. It had an unusual arrangement of six tractor engines on the wing leading edge and a single engine in pusher configuration at the rear. In civil transport configuration, it would have had a capacity for 120 passengers and 7,000 kg (15,000 lb) of mail. As a troop transport it would have had capacity for 112 fully equipped paratroopers. In bomber configuration it would have been armed with 8 x 20mm autocannons, 8 x 7.62mm machine guns and up to 9,600 kg (21,200 lb) of bombs. The K-7 first flew on 11 August 1933. The very brief first flight showed instability and serious vibration caused by the airframe resonating with the engine frequency. The solution to this was thought to be to shorten and strengthen the tail booms, little being known then about the natural frequencies of structures and their response to vibration. The aircraft completed seven test flights before a crash due to structural failure of one of the tail booms on 21 November 1933. The existence of the aircraft had only recently been announced by Pravda which declared it was “victory of the utmost political importance” since it had been built with steel produced in the USSR rather than imported. The accident killed 14 people aboard and one on the ground. Flight speculated that sabotage was suspected as the investigating committee had representation by the state security organization, the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU). However, there appeared recently some speculation in the Russian aviation press about the role of politics and the competing design office of Andrei Tupolev, suggesting possible sabotage. Although two more prototypes were ordered in 1933, the project was cancelled in 1935 before they could be completed. For more pictures and Specs, go to: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/seriously-the-kalinin-k-7-bomber-actually-took-to-the-air.html  BC and Yukon Volunteers Recognized Volunteers from BC commended for dedication to Canada’s Military Veterans. Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendations presented by the Honourable Erin O’Toole at ceremony in Richmond. July 13, 2015 – Richmond – Veterans Affairs Canada The Honourable Erin O’Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today presented the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation to the following British Columbia and Yukon residents, honouring their contributions in the service of Military Veterans:
Share Your Stories as a Canadian War Museum Volunteer In October 2015, the Canadian War Museum will be opening a new temporary exhibition on women and war. Are you a woman who has been impacted by war or do you know a woman who has experienced war? The Museum is looking for volunteers to share with visitors their personal stories of women’s experiences of war. Though we are looking for women’s stories, volunteers of all genders are welcome. Some examples of stories might include, but are not limited to:
Application deadline is July 20, 2015. For further information including time commitment, how to apply and a more detailed exhibition description, please email the editor of this newsletter: [email protected] Please share this information with any of your contacts who you think might be interested in this volunteer opportunity. Thank you kindly Leah Moncada Intern, Learning Specialist Canadian War Museum Stagiaire, spécialiste en apprentissage Musée canadien de la guerre 1, place Vimy Place, Ottawa ON K1A 0M8 T 819 776 8606 C 647-262-5324 Who is it? Last Week: This picture was taken in Shilo in the early 70s, probably around Easter. On a trip to Shilo, the Regt usually flew in and drew equipment from Shilo’s resources. Note the ramp on the side of the tractor. This tractor is from Shilo and was normally used for the L5 light gun. The ramps were used to portée the L5. They were winched up the ramps into the back of the truck.  The soldier on the left is believed to be Sgt J Allen. Next to him, many think is Leon Jensen. He says it is not him, he never looked that nerdy. We leave it to you readers to decide. The rest are too indistinct to identify, except for the soldier on the far right. That is Bill Loiselle, who passed away last year.  This Week: This week’s quiz is one for you bikers out there, hairy or non-hirsute. The photo is from the album of a retired officer of the 24th Field Regiment, RCA, which participated in the Aleutian Campaign in 1943. The shot is from when the regiment moved west, and was taken the 28th of November, 1942 on a highway east of Vancouver. Where once there were two lanes, now there are more. However, I’m not sure the journey is any faster today than it was back then. In any case, the gentlemen driving the motorcycles seem happy enough, although health and safety aren’t necessarily their top priorities. Neither has a helmet, preferring the practical and stylish field service cap, firmly held in place by a thin leather chin strap. The chap in front, identified as “T.B.S.M. Ernie Curtiss” (an Errol Flynn look-alike!) has a wind-proof overcoat, but the fellow in the rear is clad only in battledress. The photo is further identified as having been “taken from the back of the G.A. truck”. The question for you, dear reader, is “What type(s?) of motorcycle is/are being ridden”. I’m sure there are some keen bikers out amongst you who can help us to further our knowledge of this rather-forgotten part of our war effort. Your answers can be sent to the author, John Redmond ([email protected]), or the editor. Thank you in advance. For a photo you can zoom in on, email the editor: [email protected] From the ‘Punitentary’
How many sides does a circle have? Two: an inside and an outside. Murphy’s other Laws The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that’s the way to bet. Quotable Quotes Middle age is when you’ve met so many people that every new person you meet reminds you of someone else. – Ogden Nash |
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