the modern day somme the war of attrition rekindled in the ... · (football is a game of...

THE MODERN DAY

SOMME

The war of attrition

rekindled in the dust of

Afghanistan

THIS WAY TO THE

SUCK!

Photos and experiences of

serving in “The Ghan”

“WHAT’S IN A

SOLDIER?”

A poem

Apr. – Aug., 2020 The PPCLI Museum & Archives Newsletter Vol. 3, No. 1

2

The Gault Press is created by the PPCLI Museum & Archives, located at The Military Museums in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. If you are looking to find out more about PPCLI and its history, please don't hesitate to contact us directly at [email protected].

Cover: Op RAWA TANDER

(Constant Thunder), Don

Clark, CMIC, in contact,

Pashmul, Zhari, Kandak 1, TF

1-08 OMLT, 28 May 2008

Photo courtesy PPCLI

Archives

Contributors:

Sergeant Nate Blackmore, Jim Bowman, Major Slade Lerch, Corporal Andrew Mullett, J. Neven-Pugh

Photo Credits

The PPCLI Museum & Archives, The Military Museums of Calgary, Calgary AB. Accessed September and Fall 2019

MCpl Phil Tobicoe Fonds, The PPCLI Museum & Archives, The Military Museums of Calgary, Calgary AB. Accessed April 2019

Corporal Mullett, Andrew. “Meet A Serving Soldier Presentation,” Photos from 2008.

Neven-Pugh, J. (artist). “Brownout.” 12 December 2019.

Published Resources

Amnesty International UK. “Women in Afghanistan: the Back Story.” Amnesty.org.uk. Published 25 November 2014 Accessed 12

December 2019. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/womens-rights-afghanistan-history

The Countess Mountbatten of Burma. “Message from the Colonel-in-Chief” in The Patrician: Regimental Journal of Princess

Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Vol LIV. Maj Giraldeau & Cap MacPherson (ed). (2002): 2.

Flavelle, Ryan. The Patrol. Harper Perennial (2012): 1-272.

Ghafour, Hamida. The Sleeping Buddha: The Story of Afghanistan Through the Eyes of One Family. McArthur (2007): 1-336.

Semrau, Robert. The Taliban Don’t Wave. Harper Collins Publishers (2013): 1-488.

Museum General Manager: Collections Manager: The Gault Press (civilian) editor:

Sgt Nate Blackmore Cpl Andrew Mullett J. Neven-Pugh

[email protected]

Artefact Specialist: Archivist:

James Morgan Jim Bowman

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/womens-rights-afghanistan-history



3

Afghanistan

When I was 13-years-old, I began

saving articles about the Mission in

Afghanistan. Learning of dangers faced

by soldiers, violence and poverty, and

restrictions imposed upon women

widened my worldview from a small-

town life in Canada to life circumstances

I couldn’t properly imagine. At the same

time, I began reading more about the

Great War, taking note of Canada’s role

on the global stage and how modern

conflict differed from engagements in

the past. Though unaware at the time,

this casual interest in Canada’s military

history would become an entrenched

passion.

Thus, by high school, the War on

Terror was as familiar a topic to me as it

could be for a civilian with no military

ties. I knew that Canadians were serving

to fight the Taliban and to help rebuild

Afghanistan through reconstruction and

training. I tracked the elections of

Hamid Karzai and was one of the few

students to know not only that Osama

Bin Laden had been killed by US special

operations forces in Pakistan, but

where, when, and why he had been

there. I even knew more about

challenges faced by women in

Afghanistan than women in Canada. I

was in no way an expert, nor could I ever

be, for to truly understand a subject one

must experience it. Thanks to the

bravery of Canadian service personnel,

danger and pain of a warzone is

something that I have never had to live

through.

It was only later, after hearing first-

hand accounts and reading unflinching

memoirs, that I realized just how little I

really knew.

Most poignantly, I read of the

sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers

and correspondents, tracking articles

Afghanistan

MODERN DAY SOMME

THE IMPACT OF THE

MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN

“WHAT’S IN A SOLDIER?”

A POEM

THIS WAY TO THE SUCK!

CANADA IN “THE GHAN”

“The year 2002 was without exaggeration a monumental year for the Regiment. The

Regimental family was tested as Canada committed land forces to the war against

terrorism. Together they met all challenges with great solidarity, perseverance and

professionalism. I was extremely proud of the successes of my Patricias.”

~Opening remarks of (former) Colonel-in-Chief, The Countess Mountbatten of Burma, in The

Patrician, 2002


4

about the death of Calgary news reporter

Michelle Lang, remembrance

ceremonies marking past and present

engagements, and the 2008 ambush

where a Cochranite rescued two of his

comrades and was subsequently

awarded the Medal of Military Valour.

In a coincidence that still baffles me, I

now work with another Patricia who

experienced that same ambush. A news

report of this engagement was one of the

first articles I saved with regards to the

Mission in Afghanistan.

Canada’s role in this mission lasted

from 2002-2014 (with the exception of a

JTF2 unit deploying late 2001). My

entire primary school career, Canadians

younger than my father—and at times,

barely older than myself—lived and

patrolled in the heat and mental-

exhaustion of Afghanistan; a country

with IED wires for frontlines, ghosts

firing RPGs from the surrounding fields,

and a populace hopeful for renewed

stability.

In this issue of The Gault Press, we

hope to convey the conditions faced by

soldiers in Afghanistan, the impact this

mission had on Afghan civilians, and the

sacrifices made by Canadians.

Sincerely,

The Editor

Museum News

COVID-19: The Military Museums closed on 13 March in light of health precautions against

spreading COVID-19. Museum staff are still monitoring emails but working in a limited capacity for

the foreseeable future. Due to this and external factors, the release of The Gault Press has been

delayed. Consequently, there will only be two editions this year: the next is scheduled for September.

We appreciate your patience as we do our part in minimizing the impact of this pandemic.

Contributions Requested: In light of the pandemic, The Gault Press is planning an edition to

encourage morale. So being, we are looking for submissions about perseverance, courage, hope, and

humour. Photos, articles, and original work (artwork, creative writing, memes etc) are welcome, but

will be subjected to review for appropriateness. Any submissions are due no later than 1 August. For

submissions and questions, please contact The Gault Press editor at [email protected]

Virtual Museum: The PPCLI Virtual Museum is up and running! Visit us while quarantined

through the Regiment’s website, ppcli.com. https://ppcli.com/vrtour/ppcli_vrtour_htm.html

Exhibit Developments: The Museum is planning a development project of the Para Company

display in the PPCLI gallery. A three-phase project, the plan includes installing a larger physical

display as well as a virtual reality component, where visitors can experience jumping from a CC130

Hercules. The Museum is also continuing an ongoing project to restore the medals display.

Last Edition’s Question: What does OMLT stand for?

b) Operational Mentor and Liaison Team


https://ppcli.com/vrtour/ppcli_vrtour_htm.html


5

C A N A D A I N

A F G H A N I S T A N

Cardboard signs declaring: “This

Way to the Suck!” followed by “Other

Way, Stupid”, Afghanistan, 2007.

Photo courtesy Capt Pappin


6

Modern Day Somme

By: J. Neven-Pugh

In the First World War, Canadians

fought regimented armies which wore

standardized uniforms and used similar

large-scale fighting tactics such as

artillery shelling, raids, and hand-to-

hand combat. There was a frontline

established and a demographic based on

age and gender, although lying youth

and desperate conscription practices

allowed for exceptions. On foot, soldiers

faced undetonated artillery, drowning in

mud and craters, snipers, poison gas,

and barbed wire.

Less than 90 years later, the Canadian

Forces deployed to Afghanistan as part

of NATO’s mission to reinstate security

in the Middle East following the terrorist

attacks of 9/11. Canada’s role in this

mission would span 12 years in an

attempt to bring security and stability to

a country occupied by insurgents

promoting extreme doctrines that

negatively impacted and restricted

citizen life. There were many

commonalities and differences between

serving in the Middle East and on the

Western Front, including advances in

technology and changes in the

physicality of the battleground.

In Afghanistan, insurgents supported

by the Taliban did not wear a standard

uniform. Taliban fighters used guerilla

warfare tactics, martyrdom/suicide

bombers, and even fought remotely by

planting and setting off IEDs; in

essence, they established a frontline

wherever they could count frontage. For

NATO soldiers, every step outside the

wire was potentially lethal –

hypersensitivity to one’s surroundings,

knowing that a threat could come from

anywhere and in any form, became SOP

for survival.

One thing that is arguably the same

between these two, multi-year conflicts

is the idea of attrition.

Attrition is the wearing down of an

opponent through gradual and

consistent action, often resulting in a

seesawing of gains and losses between

sides without tangible advancement

(football is a game of attrition). The

Somme was a battle of attrition in 1916,

forces winning, losing, and retaking

ground that resulted in massive

casualties and little physical

advancement over a 4½ month period.

With this definition, it can be argued

that the “War on Terror” was a similar

conflict.

Afghanistan is a nation that has faced

conflict for centuries. More “recent”

conflicts include the Soviet invasion of

1979-89, civil war in the ’80s and ’90s,

and the occupation of the Taliban

(beginning in the ’90s). Under Taliban

rule, the country’s economic standards

and human rights recognition

diminished. Despite the ousting of the

Taliban regime from Kabul in 2001, the

country was designated “the most

dangerous country” for a woman to live

in 2011.

Contrary to popular belief, the

country’s reputation for injustice against

women was due to developments

beginning in the 1970s. Prior to this,

many cities, including Kabul, were


7

similar to Western cities, during which

time women went to university, could go

out unescorted, and wear mini skirts.

This reality is largely forgotten in the

Western public eye, with the strict

enforcement of Sharia Law and other

restrictions by the Taliban impacting

women in Afghanistan. It is important to

note that groups like the Taliban and Al-

Qaeda propagate a corrupted version of

Islam, which gives false interpretations

of the Muslim faith.

Canadian soldiers attempted to

address the physical, social, and

economic stability of the country from

2002-2014. This was done by engaging

with locals—largely through meetings

known as “Shuras”—to build needed

infrastructure, provide employment to

civilians, and training the Afghan

National Army (ANA) and Afghan

National Police (ANP). Soldiers

performed presence patrols and worked

positive interactions with the locals.

And, from 2002 – 2012, Canadians

served in combative operations.

It is difficult to track the level of

success in fighting an “unseen”

opponent. Regardless of the name of the

extremist group, insurgency is still a

prevalent threat in the world today, and

in theatre soldiers were often fighting

insurgents who either disappeared

quickly or were never seen at all. Unlike

the battles of the First and Second

World Wars, counting enemy losses is of

limited value when the total size of the

opposing army is unknown. With the

continuance of terrorist attacks today, it

isn’t a stretch to say that the “War on

Terror” is a war of attrition.

However, like the soldiers of the

Somme, this does not undermine nor

discount the impact and sacrifices made

by participants in the Mission in

Afghanistan. On the contrary, it

highlights the perseverance, dedication,

and courage of Canadian soldiers. For

over a decade in this theatre, Canadians

helped in restoration projects,

education, and reducing threats in

various regions; thus, they discontinued

attrition with regards to public health

and stability.

Canadians should be proud of their

contributions to Afghanistan, where

units, including the PPCLI, served to

protect not only our freedoms, but in an

attempt secure these freedoms for

others.

Carved wooden box

and retractable

basket from a bazaar

in Afghanistan.

Bought in 2008.

Photo courtesy Cpl

Andrew Mullett


8

Where’s the Line?

Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry is

renowned for holding the line despite

overwhelming odds, but how do you stand your

ground when there isn’t a line to stand on?

In Afghanistan, the Taliban enacted guerilla

warfare, using hit-and-run, ambush, and even

remote strategies (ex: detonating or planting

self-detonating explosives). This meant that

every step “outside the wire” was potentially

dangerous. Canadian troops, whether patrolling

in LAVs or on foot, maintained a protective

distance between one another in an attempt to

minimize collateral damage in the event of an

attack. Troops also conducted a 5-and-20 check

when leaving their vehicles, inspecting the

immediate 5 meters then scanning the next 20

before venturing forward.

Not all threats can be spotted in this way,

however. One soldier recollected a youth riding

a bicycle back and forth past his unit before an

ambush. It was hypothesized that the cyclist

was measuring frontage prior to a mortar strike

from across the valley. Civilians holding

cellphones was another reason to hesitate: were

they talking to a friend or to the Taliban?

Confronted by martyrdom/suicide bombers

using vehicles and themselves, insurgents

wearing burkas (identified by their combat

boots), IEDs, and the constant threat of

ambush, a “hypersensitive” or “hyperaware”

mentality developed among soldiers.

Photo: Patrol during Op SOHIL LAREM III, Hutal,

Maiwand, 3 Para, Kandak 1, TF 1-08 OMLT, March,

2008. Photo courtesy PPCLI Archives


9

OMLT

The Operational Mentor and Liaison Team was a collaborative force assisting in the training of

the Afghan National Army (ANA). Companies consisting of 4-6 Canadian soldiers and 1 medic

would mentor an Afghan Battalion (or “Kandak”) of the ANA in proper procedures, conducting

patrols, and on combat operations. These Battalions would typically have 4 teams and an HQ

element to support the Afghan BHQ. This task was often assigned to members of 3PPCLI. The

ANA were valuable allies in their firsthand knowledge of the culture and land of Afghanistan.

(Above background photo): FOB Ma’sum Ghar, Kandak 1, TF 1-08 OMLT, March 2008

(Above): Sign from FOB Ma’sum Ghar, Kandak 1, TF 1-08 OMLT, 2008.

(Below): COP Mushan, Canadians and ANA soldiers patrol through the Village of Mushan, TF 1-08 OMLT,

Jul-Aug 2008. Photos courtesy PPCLI Archives


10

Moondust

Dirt in Afghanistan was nicknamed “moondust” due to its fine, lightweight qualities causing it to billow up underfoot. Soldiers in this theatre were subject to poor air quality (haze, pollution, etc) and sandstorms – sometimes known as “brownouts”. Rural buildings in Afghanistan have very small windows in an attempt to minimize the dirt blown indoors during one of these storms. Today, museum staff come across “moondust” when transporting artefacts of the Mission in Afghanistan or using them for educational lectures. This has been observed when handling items which have been out of theatre and on display in Canada for ten or more years. (Above & below): Dust storm, Op SOHIL

LAREM III, Hutal, Maiwand, 3 Para, Kandak

1, TF 1-08 OMLT, Mar 2008. Photos courtesy

PPCLI Archives.

(Below): “Brownout” by J. Neven-Pugh, 2019


11

Hearts and Minds

One mandate of the Mission in

Afghanistan was to bring stability to the

citizens of the country. This was done

by employing locals, helping in

restoration projects such as rebuilding

schools, and in everyday interactions

with civilians.

Afghans worked for the Canadian

Forces in multiple civilian positions,

including as supply drivers and

interpreters. All employees were in

danger of identification by the Taliban

while working for NATO forces. For

their protection, it was and still is

prohibited to publish photos of

employed Afghan personnel.

(Above): Homes in a river valley, May

2002. Photo courtesy PPCLI Archives

(Below): A soldier of 2PPCLI hands a little

girl a bottle of water, 2008. Photo courtesy

Cpl Andrew Mullett.


12

For those I love,

I will sacrifice

2002

Pte R. Green ~ PPCLI ~ 17 Apr

Cpl A. Dyer ~ PPCLI ~17 Apr

Sgt M. Léger ~ PPCLI ~ 17 Apr

Pte N. Smith ~ PPCLI ~ 17 Apr

2003

Cpl R. Beerenfenger ~ RCR ~ 02 Oct

Sgt R. Short ~ RCR ~ 02 Oct

2004

Cpl J. Murphy ~ RCR ~ 27 Jan

2005

Pte B. Woodfield ~ RCR ~ 24 Nov

2006

Cpl P. Davis ~ PPCLI ~ 02 Mar

M/Cpl T. Wilson ~ PPCLI ~ 04 Mar

Pte R. Costall ~ PPCLI ~ 29 Mar

Cpl M. Dinning ~ MP Branch ~ 22 Apr

Lt W. Turner ~ RRCA ~ 22 Apr

Cpl R. Payne ~ MP Branch ~22 Apr

Cpl M. Mansell ~ 5th (BC) FA ~ 22 Apr

Capt N. Goddard ~ RCHA ~ 17 May

Cpl A. Boneca ~ LSSR ~ 09 July

Cpl F. Gomez ~ PPCLI ~22 July

Cpl J. Warren ~ CHB ~ 22 July

Cpl B. Keller ~ PPCLI, R.C.I.C. ~ 03 Aug

Cpl C. Reid ~ PPCLI ~ 03 Aug

Pte K. Dallaire ~ PPCLI ~ 03 Aug

Cpl V. Ingram ~ PPCLI ~ 03 Aug

M/Cpl R. Arndt ~ LER (4VP) ~ 05 Aug

M/Cpl J. Walsh ~ PPCLI ~ 09 Aug

Cpl A. Eykelenboom ~1 Fd Amb ~11 Aug

Cpl D. Braun ~ PPCLI ~ 22 Aug

Sgt S. Stachnik ~ CER ~ 03 Sept

WO F. Mellish ~ RCR ~ 03 Sept

WO R. Nolan ~ RCR ~ 03 Sept

Pte W. Cushley ~ RCR ~ 03 Sept

Pte M. Graham ~ RCR ~ 04 Sept

Cpl S. Keating ~ PPCLI ~ 18 Sept

Cpl G. Arnold ~ 2 Fd Amb ~18 Sept

Cpl K. Morley ~ PPCLI ~ 18 Sept

Pte D. Byers ~ PPCLI ~ 18 Sept

Pte J. Klukie ~ RCR ~ 29 Sept

Cpl R. Mitchell ~ RCD ~ 03 Oct

Sgt C. Gillam ~ RCD ~ 03 Oct

Pte M. Wilson ~ RCD ~ 07 Oct

Pte B. Williamson ~ RCR ~14 Oct

Sgt D. Tedford ~ RCR ~ 14 Oct

Cpl A. Storm ~ RCR ~ 27 Nov

Chief WO R. Girouard ~ RCR ~ 27 Nov

2007

Cpl R. Megeney ~ NS Highrs ~ 06 Mar

M/Cpl C. Stannix ~ PLFus ~ 08 Apr

Pte K. Kennedy ~ RCR ~ 08 Apr

Pte D. Greenslade ~ RCR ~ 08 Apr

Sgt D. Lucas ~ RCR ~ 08 Apr

Cpl B. Poland ~ RCR ~ 08 Apr

Cpl A. Williams ~ RCR ~ 08 Apr

M/Cpl A. Stewart ~ RCD ~ 11 Apr

Pte P. Pentland ~ RCD ~ 11 Apr

M/Cpl A. Klumpenhouwer ~ C&E Branch ~ 18 Apr

Cpl M. McCully ~ C&E Branch ~ 25 May

M/Cpl D. Priede ~ Air Operations Branch ~ 30 May

Pte D. Cswell ~ RCD ~ 11 June

Pte J. Wiebe ~ PPCLI ~ 20 June

Cpl S. Bouzane ~ PPCLI ~ 20 June

Sgt C. Karigiannis ~ PPCLI ~ 20 June

Cpl C. Bartsch ~ PPCLI ~ 04 July

Capt J. Francis ~ RCHA ~ 04 July

Cpl J. Anderson ~ PPCLI ~ 04 July

Capt M. Dawe ~ PPCLI ~ 04 July

Pte L. Watkins ~ PPCLI ~ 04 July

M/Cpl C. Bason ~ R Westmr R ~ 04 July

Pte S. Longtin ~ R22eR~ 19 Aug

M/Cpl C. Duchesne ~ 5e Amb c~ 22 Aug

M/WO M. Mercier ~ R22eR~ 22 Aug

Maj R. Ruckpaul ~ RCD ~ 29 Aug

Cpl N. Hornburg ~ KOCR (RCAC) ~ 24 Sept

Pte M. Lévesque ~ R22eR~ 17 Nov

Cpl N. Beauchamp ~ 5 Fd Amb ~ 17 Nov

Pte J. Dion ~ 5e RALC~ 30 Dec

2008

Cpl E. Labbé ~ R22eR~ 06 Jan

WO H. Massouh ~ R22eR~ 06 Jan

Cpl R. Renaud ~ 12e RBC~ 15 Jan

Cpl E. Gonthier ~ 5e CER~ 23 Jan

Pte M. Hayakaze ~ LdSH (RC)) ~ 02 Mar

Cpl J. Ouellet ~ RCHA ~ 11 Mar

Sgt J. Boyes ~ PPCLI ~16 Mar

Pte T. Street ~ PPCLI ~ 04 Apr

Cpl M. Starker ~ 15 Fd Amb ~ 06 May

Capt R. Leary ~ PPCLI ~ 03 June

Capt J. Snyder ~ PPCLI ~ 07 June

Cpl B. Downey ~ MP Branch ~ 04 July

Pte C. Wilmot ~ 1 Fd Amb ~ 06 July

Cpl J. Arnal ~ PPCLI ~18 July

M/Cpl J. Roberts ~ PPCLI ~ 09 Aug

M/Cpl E. Doyle ~ PPCLI ~ 11 Aug

Cpl D. Wasden ~1 R22ER ~ 20 Aug

Sgt S. Eades ~1 R22ER ~ 20 Aug

Pte S. Stock ~1 R22ER ~ 20 Aug

Cpl A. Grenon ~ PPCLI ~ 03 Sept

Cpl M. Seggie ~ PPCLI ~ 03 Sept

Pte C. Horn ~ PPCLI ~ 03 Sept

Sgt P. Shipway ~ PPCLI ~ 07 Sept

WO R. Wilson ~ RCR ~ 05 Dec

Cpl M. McLaren ~ RCR ~ 05 Dec

Pte D. Diplaros ~ RCR ~ 05 Dec

Pte J. Jones ~ RCR ~ 13 Dec

Pte J. Curwin ~ RCR ~ 13 Dec

Cpl T. Hamilton ~ RCR ~ 13 Dec

Pte M. Freeman ~ RCR ~26 Dec

Sgt G. Kruse ~ R22ER ~ 27 Dec

WO G. Roberge ~ R22eR~ 27 Dec

2009

Pte B. Good ~ RCD ~ 07 Jan

Pte S. Greenfield ~ R22ER ~ 31 Jan

Cpl J. Fortin ~ 425 TFS ~ 03 Mar

WO D. Brown ~ Linc Welld R ~ 03 Mar

Cpl K. O'Quinn ~ C&E Branch ~ 03 Mar

Pte M. Diab ~ RCD ~ 08 Mar

Pte C. Hayes ~ RCD ~ 20 Mar

M/Cpl S. Vernelli ~ RCR ~20 Mar

Cpl T. Crooks ~ RCR ~ 20 Mar

Pte J. Bouthillier ~ RCD ~ 20 Mar

Cpl K. Blais ~ 12e RBC~ 13 Apr

Maj M. Mendes ~ Intelligence Branch ~ 23 Apr

Pte A. Péloquin ~ R22eR~ 08 June

Cpl J. Dubé ~ 5e CER~14 June

Cpl N. Bulger ~ PPCLI ~ 03 July

M/Cpl C-P. Michaud ~ R22eR~ 04 July

Cpl M. Joannette ~ R22eR~ 06 July

M/Cpl P. Audet ~ 430 ETAH ~ 06 July

Pte S. Courcy ~ R22eR~ 16 July

Cpl C. Bobbitt ~ 5e CER~ 01 Aug

Cpl M. Allard ~ 5e CER~ 01 Aug

Cpl J-F. Drouin ~ 5e CER~ 06 Sept

Maj J. Pépin ~5e CER~ 06 Sept

Cpl P. Lormand ~ R22eR~ 13 Sept

Cpl J. Couturier ~ R22eR~ 17 Sept

Lt J. Boyes ~ PPCLI ~ 28 Oct

Pte S. Marshall ~1 R22ER ~ 30 Oct

Lt A. Nuttall ~ PPCLI ~ 23 Dec

Sgt K. Taylor ~ 84th Independent Field Battery, RCA ~

30 Dec

Pte G. Chidley ~ PPCLI ~ 30 Dec

Cpl Z. McCormack ~ LER (4VP) ~ 30 Dec

Sgt G. Miok ~ 41 R22ER ~ 30 Dec

2010

Sgt J. Faught ~ PPCLI ~ 16 Jan

Capt F. Paul ~ 28 Fd Amb ~ 10 Feb

Cpl J. Baker ~ LER (4VP) ~ 12 Feb

Cpl D. Fitzpatrick ~ PPCLI ~ 20 Mar

Pte T. Todd ~ PPCLI ~ 11 Apr

PO D. Blake ~ FDU (A) ~ 03 May

Pte K. McKay ~ PPCLI ~ 13 May

Col G. Parker ~ Land Force Central Area HQ ~ 18 May

Tpr L. Rudd ~ RCD ~ 24 May

Sgt M. Goudreault ~ 1 CER ~ 06 June

Sgt J. MacNeil ~ 2 R22ER ~ 21 June

Pte A. Miller ~ 2 Fd Amb ~ 26 June

M/Cpl K. Giesebrecht ~ Medical Branch ~ 26 June

Pte B. Collier ~1 R22ER ~ 20 July

Cpl B. Pinksen ~ R NFLD R ~ 30 Aug

Cpl S. Martin ~ R22eR~ 18 Dec

2011

Cpl Y. Scherrer ~ R22eR~ 27 Mar

Cpl K. Manning ~ 5e RALC~ 27 May

M/Cpl F. Roy ~ ROSC~ 25 June

M/Cpl B. Greff ~ PPCLI ~ 29 Oct


13

Hand-drawn picture of Pte Chad Horn (right/top), Cpl Mike Seggie (left/middle), and

Cpl Andrew Grenon (middle/bottom) by MCpl Adam Cyr, as copied from a photograph

taken while these men were deployed in Afghanistan from February to September 2008.

On 3 September, 8 Platoon, C Coy was caught in an ambush; Pte Horn, Cpl Seggie, and

Cpl Grenon lost their lives as a result of this engagement. MCpl Cyr lost his leg below the

knee. The platoon was one week from the end of their tour.

Courtesy PPCLI Collections: Accession No. 2015.50.06


14

What’s In A Soldier

(Do You Hear the Pipes Calling?)

A Poem by J. Neven-Pugh

They don’t ask “What’s in a soldier?”

They only ask: “Will you return?”

“Will you take up the Colours —

“again?” “How do you discern

“between friend or foe in the distance?”

“Or when patrolling, close at hand?”

“How does it feel to see sequence

“of movies ’bout Afghanistan?”

They don’t ask “what’s in a soldier?”

Only: “Did it feel right, over there?”

“Do you think it was worth it?” (As

they check for the 1,000 yard stare).

“I read that it was just peacekeeping. — ”

“I’ve heard it wasn’t that bad. — ”

Or “I’ve heard you soldiers are rougher

“than the soldiers who fought for my dad.”

They never ask “what’s in a soldier?”

Wishing only to know of the fray,

But I hear this answered by every soldier,

For their very selves have so much to say.

For the stance of a good soldier,

is straight and though left at ease,

bears the weight of rucksacks and scarring

of which they only tease.

For the words of a good soldier,

(though rough at times to soft ears),

must navigate a world uninviting

to pain softened by jeers.


15

For in the minds of every soldier,

are memories once lived and passed down;

that travelling in shadowed footsteps

are the Taliban through local towns.

For in the eyes of every soldier,

are worlds far more complex,

that we as privileged Canadians

are privileged enough to forget.

And in the hands of every soldier,

are tendons and muscles trained,

to hold a rifle or rip chord,

or a casket, memory-stained.

Yet these hands and eyes of a soldier,

this posture, words, and mind,

Speak of what lie ’neath the surface,

founded the day the contract was signed.

Something deep and unwritten…

Something lost to the civvies we are.

Something driven right down to the centre,

whether forged at home or afar.

Something compelling them onward,

though weary from the worst life can bear,

even as the darkness pursues them

and clings to the morning air.

And like the dawns of the Arctic,

some mornings seem hardly to rise;

yet there’s something within that soldier

and it’s spoken of within his eyes...


16

So when asked what’s in a soldier?

by every question under the sun:

past words and stance and conduct,

embodied in each daughter and son,

is the courage that every good soldier,

shows for his comrade beside;

for the men and women still serving,

for those retired, and those who have died.

So remember, in every good soldier,

is the devotion to country and friend;

whether they train in peace in their homeland,

or the world’s problems, try to amend.

So when the pipes are calling,

and soldiers march on the field,

see them as courage embodied—

as the ones who will never yield.

And when the trumpets are calling,

remember more than the fray;

for to answer “what’s in a soldier?”

is more than any will say.


17

(Above) Captain Lerch during a dust storm, OP

SOHIL LAREM III, Maiwand, 3 Para, Kandak 1,

TF 1-08 OMLT, Mar 2008

(Below) Convoy to Mushan along the

Arghandab River, ANA vehicles, 5 July 2008.

Photo by Sgt (Ret’d) J. Prior

Afghanistan War

Documented in Photographs

By Jim Bowman, PPCLI Archivist

On 25 March 2019, the director of the

PPCLI Museum & Archives, Maj Slade

Lerch, donated approximately 1,151 digital

images, 66 digital video clips, and

approximately 931 hard-copy photographs

to the Archives.

Most of the material documents Maj Lerch’s

experiences as a Captain in 3PPCLI in

Afghanistan during 2005-2006, 2008, and

2011, through photos taken by him and his

comrades. The photos show the stark

beauty of the country, the resilience of its

people, the disarray of battlefront

conditions, and the determination of the

soldiers.

Many of the photos were taken in and

around the village of Mushan, Panjwayi

District, Kandahar Province. The area is

arid and relies on irrigation, and the

population is poorly educated due to a

shortage of schools. It remains one of the

major strongholds of the Taliban.

During Operation Athena, Capt Lerch was

part of Task Force 1-08, Operational

Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT). The

objective of the OMLT was to work in

cooperation with the Afghan National Army

(ANA) to assist it in developing the skills to

be in control of the war against the Taliban.

His team was based at COP (Combat

Outpost) Mushan, a fortified compound not

far from the village of Mushan.


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(Above) COP Mushan, burning after insurgent mortar attack, 9 July 2008.

(Below) Cpl J. Prior gives gifts to children, east of COP Mushan, July/August 2008.

Photos courtesy PPCLI Archives


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Have a story of perseverance?

A message of hope or encouragement?

A funny photo, joke, or cartoon?

The Gault Press is looking for submissions to help boost morale

during these trying times in its Fall publication.

Submissions can include writing, photos, or original work,

but must be appropriate for multiple audiences (PG-13).

Submissions are due no later than 1 August 2020.

Please contact The Gault Press editor at

[email protected] for details.


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