Buried beyond history

[Marc Montgomery]

It is a tragic fact that even today, every year in military training exercises, someone dies. It is a testament to the inherent dangers of the profession. They are all heroes in my opinion whether they are serving the country at war, or practice during peace...it's always dangerous, they are always putting themselves in harms way in service of their country.

[Howard]

G'Day All,
So I pulled up to have a look and take some photos.
Very long dried grass on the road side... Watch for wriggly sticks!
Now, just step over this stock fence... Watch the barbed wire!
Here it is! Bugger! Not it! All this time, I was wrong...
So I have done some research, and now know the precise location. Next visit to Wagga I'll snap some photos, I promise.
Meanwhile, have a look at this... YouTube Video
about the book available on the subject, by Andrew Johnston, has been recently published. Link to Book page.

[Little Jo]

Hi Howard

Thank you so much for posting the Y-tube clip. It is very moving and one questions why it always takes us so long to tell the story. When I located and read the story I knew I had to post it for others to read. These incidents should never be covered up, the story however bad should be openly reported and discussed. There have been to many incidents in the Army that are quickly covered up.

LEST WE FORGET.

Cheers

Tony

[maple_leaf_eh]

In 1974 a frag' grenade exploded in a pyrotechnics safety lecture at the Camp Valcartier army cadet summer camp. Six boys died and 54 cadets were injured. << http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10148751-as-you-were>>

It seems a long-service but disinterested Regular Force officer was in a rush to do anything other than teach cadets. Over a span of several days which included a live fire grenade range, crossloading of crates of dummy and live frag grenades, and arriving at the cadet camp. The investigation concentrated on finding out if one of the kids had brought the grenade into the lecture, with no regard for the grieving of teenage boys alone and away from their families. The kids were terrorized by the investigators, and extremely little information or reassurance about the accident. They were civilians wearing uniforms. Although not subject to the Code of Service Discipline, they were ordered not to talk or tell anyone.

The survivors carried tremendous Post Traumatic Stress into the adult lives. Some did not survive or thrive. Others became investigators. The result has only this year been recognition of the accident, the commissioning of a more therapeutic investigation and the possibility of survivors pensions.

I know three of the cadets, either as hometown friends or as reserve acquaintances. If I'd joined cadets a year earlier, I could have been in that lecture.

[John Mackie]

What a disaster....

What a moving tribute on you tube...

This year is the 70 th ...

How about as many MLU , KVE and general public jioning in with the poeple of Wagga / Kapooka next May to commerate.

[Neil Ashley]

Unfortunately the youtube clip is barred in the UK on copyright grounds.

[Howard]

Originally Posted by John 4172

What a disaster....
What a moving tribute on you tube...
This year is the 70 th ...
How about as many MLU , KVE and general public jioning in with the poeple of Wagga / Kapooka next May to commerate.

THAT, my friend, sounds like an AWESOME idea.
Time to fire off a few emails.
H
(Maybe tomorrow... It's Christmas!)

[Howard]

Happy New Year, All!
I managed to visit the site, and took a few photos.


Above: the actual site of the explosion. Property boundary changes and road realignment places the actual site on private land, the memorial is erected on Commonwealth land directly opposite.


Above: The memorial stone placed directly opposite the original site.

A couple of more can be found Here

[John McGillivray]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

In 1974 a frag' grenade exploded in a pyrotechnics safety lecture at the Camp Valcartier army cadet summer camp. Six boys died and 54 cadets were injured. << http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10148751-as-you-were>>

It seems a long-service but disinterested Regular Force officer was in a rush to do anything other than teach cadets. Over a span of several days which included a live fire grenade range, crossloading of crates of dummy and live frag grenades, and arriving at the cadet camp. The investigation concentrated on finding out if one of the kids had brought the grenade into the lecture, with no regard for the grieving of teenage boys alone and away from their families. The kids were terrorized by the investigators, and extremely little information or reassurance about the accident. They were civilians wearing uniforms. Although not subject to the Code of Service Discipline, they were ordered not to talk or tell anyone.

The survivors carried tremendous Post Traumatic Stress into the adult lives. Some did not survive or thrive. Others became investigators. The result has only this year been recognition of the accident, the commissioning of a more therapeutic investigation and the possibility of survivors pensions.

I know three of the cadets, either as hometown friends or as reserve acquaintances. If I'd joined cadets a year earlier, I could have been in that lecture.

I was in Valcartier that summer on my Arty Tech course, and remember that night very well. One of my friends there that summer was a medic and one of the responders.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by John McGillivray

I was in Valcartier that summer on my Arty Tech course, and remember that night very well. One of my friends there that summer was a medic and one of the responders.

VERY OFF TOPIC

Ah, the tradition of pin ups is strong. Was that a CP inside a cargo Deuce?

[John McGillivray]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

VERY OFF TOPIC

Ah, the tradition of pin ups is strong. Was that a CP inside a cargo Deuce?

Yes. Each Arty unit would build their own GPOs and Battery CPs. ¾ tons would be fitted out as GPOs while Deuces would be used for the Bty CP. The one in the photos belongs to X Bty 5RALC.