Canada in Afghanistan

Oh no

Why do I think of that line from a poem ... "April is the cruelest month" ... a very difficult month of losses this April ... my heart really does go out to all of the families and buddies right now.

Karmen.

[Greg]

May God bless all of our men and women serving our country.
My thanks go out to them for what they do.


Greg

It's been mentioned that the two soldiers who lost their lives are based from Petewawa. Names still not released as yet until after families are notified.

Roadside bomb kills 2 soldiers in Afghanistan
Updated Wed. Apr. 11 2007 8:13 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

The Canadian military confirms that two Canadians have been killed and three more injured in two separate incidents in Afghanistan.

"Two Canadian soldiers were killed and two others were injured, one seriously, when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in Afghanistan," Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Task Force Afghanistan, told reporters in Kandahar early Thursday.

"This incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Kandahar time approximately 38 kilometres west of Kandahar City. A third soldier received injuries earlier in an unrelated IED strike."

Names of the dead are being withheld pending notification of families, he said.

One of the injured soldiers is in hospital in stable condition. The other two suffered minor injuries.

At CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick, Lt.-Col. Paul Kearney said Wednesday that the military unit of the two dead soldiers is from CFB Petawawa in Ontario. Cessford didn't offer any information on the soldiers' home base.

Where they happened

The two incidents occurred in the same general area, about 800 metres to one kilometre apart, he said.

The first incident injured the soldier. The second incident two hours later left two soldiers dead.

While explosives crews were dispatched to search for more possible bombs, it isn't known yet clear how big an area they managed to clear.

"There was a significant separation between the two incidents," Cessford said. "These were two separate vehicles from two separate areas that were in roughly the same area."

There is a cluster of villages about 38 kilometres west of Kandahar called Sangisar.

Canadian military officials have claimed victory in that area over the Taliban.

"You can never guarantee perfect stability in these areas; there's always a chance people can get back and lay IEDs. That is the nature of the fight that we are in," he said.

"The fact of the matter is that 6,000 families ... have moved into the area, farming is underway, there are communities that are bustling, schools that are opening, clinics that are functioning."

Earlier Wednesday, a suicide bombing attack on a Canadian convoy west of Kandahar City injured 10 Afghan civilians but no Canadian soldiers. There was minor damage to a Canadian Forces tanker truck in that incident.

That made three attacks on Canadian troops in one day.

"Everybody had been saying when the summer began in Afghanistan that it would be another bloody summer like it was last year," Robert Fife, CTV's Ottawa bureau chief, told Newsnet.

Cessford said that he doesn't think this is the beginning of a spring offensive by the Taliban.

"We have had multiple IED strikes before," he said. "The spring offensive, if you're listening to what the Taliban are saying, they're talking of hundreds and multiple attacks. These are two separate incidents, widely dispersed.

"It is a spike in casualties ... but I am not convinced we are seeing a Taliban spring offensive."

[John McGillivray]

The military has released the names:
• Master Cpl. Allan Stewart, 30
• Trooper Patrick James Pentland, 23
Both were with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based at CFB Petawawa in Ontario. Both are originally from New Brunswick, CTV's Lisa LaFlamme reported from Kandahar.
She said they were in a Coyote, which is a light armoured vehicle used for reconaissance.

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

[Dan Sicotte]

Yeah, Stewie was in my troop in 2000. A very keen soldier indeed!
And a really nice guy. A big blow to our morale! I wish his relatives strength! And all the families for that matter!
Dan

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Dan Sicotte
Yeah, Stewie was in my troop in 2000. A very keen soldier indeed!
And a really nice guy. A big blow to our morale! I wish his relatives strength! And all the families for that matter!
Dan

The Canadian Forces is a small family indeed and one death or injury is felt keenly by many. I wonder how long before I recognize the name of some Sapper that suffers MCpl Allan Stewart's fate. I continually hope and pray for the safety of our soldiers in Afghanistan.

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Dan

The Sqn came into KAF for the ramp ceremony, did it and had a small Wake of sorts for the boys afterward.

Before the ceremony all Dragoons were put in the front row of the Btl Gp side and a Dragoon Major, who is here as Camp Commandant , also told all those that were ever a Dragoon or served in any capacity with us to move to the front of the NSE/NCE side. A nice touch, I thought, and very much appreciated by those Sup Techs, Sigs, Mechs, Medics, and MPs etc that wore a black beret.

At the Wake a number of other Dragoons, not employed with the Sqn, myself included, showed up as well and all remembered Stewie and young Pentland in a fitting fashion. I spent some 2 hours with their Tp WO myself. The OC, SSM, and an ex-CO said a few inspirational words to the troops and re-focussed the Sqn on their responsibilities and then we signed for a beer and a couple of pizza slices. Simple but effective, to be sure.

The Sqn had another 24hrs here in civilizaton, of sorts, and headed back out on the mission.

Be proud of these Troops. 100% proffessional but respectful and sensitive to the loss.

regards
Darrell

[wim sikkelbein]

http://www.track-link.net/forum/research_postww2/5204

Canada buys Dutch Leopards

"I've found some additional information. It looks like the Canadian purchased 20 Leopard 2A6 and 80 2A4's.The latter will be rebuild to 2A6(M?) standard. The 2A6 vehicles will be converted to 2A6M standard, with as soon as possible deployment to Afghanistan in mind. I guess Dutch type smoke grenade launchers and such will be replaced with Canadian standard equipment.
The 2A4 tanks are in climate controlled storage, the 2A6's seems to be pulled from operational Dutch units.
So the Canadian armed forces will make a quantum leap in armoured capabilities."

quote from the above mentioned site.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Canada buys Dutch Leopards


Looks like the Dutch are now having to supply the Canadians with vehicles...Now that is a switch..I wonder if there was any Heinekin beer ,tulip bulbs,maple syrup,or seal skins involved ...
Oh how times have changed since we left all our CMP's in Dutch disposal yards..

[John McGillivray]

Canadian soldier dies in accident in Afghanistan
Updated Wed. Apr. 18 2007 8:51 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A Canadian special forces soldier has died in what military officials are calling an unfortunate and tragic accident.
The soldier fell from a communication tower somewhere within Kandahar City on Wednesday, Col. Mike Cessford, deputy Canadian commander in Afghanistan, told reporters in Kandahar early Thursday.
"I believe this was a routine activity. It was not operationally related," he said. "By all indications, this was a tragic accident."
An accidental death doesn't make it any easier to take, he said.
"A loss is a loss of a soldier. This soldier is going home to his family. It is a tragedy. We care for every soldier, no matter the circumstances of their deaths," he said.
While the next of kin have been informed, they have requested that his name not be released, Cessford said.
This latest fatality would bring the total number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2002 to 54 plus one diplomat.
Cessford said he believes this is the first special forces soldier to die in Afghanistan.
Funerals
The death occurred on a day when two of six Canadian soldiers who died Easter Sunday were laid to rest.
Hundreds of mourners attended funeral services for Cpl. Aaron Williams, 23, of Perth-Andover, N.B., and his commander, Sgt. Donald Lucas, 31, of St. John's, N.L.
Those two ceremonies were the first of eight to be carried out in Atlantic Canada and Ontario after Taliban roadside bombs killed Canadian soldiers in two separate incidents.
Pte. David Greenslade will be buried Thursday in his hometown of Saint John, N.B., while Pte. Kevin Kennedy of St. Lawrence, N.L., will be buried in St. Mary's in eastern Newfoundland.
Services will be held Friday for Cpl. Brent Poland in Sarnia, Ont., and Master Cpl. Christopher Stannix in Halifax.
Master Cpl. Allan Stewart and Trooper Patrick Pentland died on April 11.
A funeral for Stewart will be held Friday in Ontario, while one will be held for Pentland at CFB Gagetown.
Both soldiers had been based at CFB Petawawa.
With files from The Canadian Press

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

[John McGillivray]

Dutch soldier killed in Afghanistan explosion
Updated Fri. Apr. 20 2007 7:11 AM ET
Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- A Dutch soldier was killed early Friday in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the first fatality from hostile action among Dutch troops serving with NATO forces in the country, the Netherlands' defence chief said.
Gen. Dick Berlijn said the soldier, a corporal whose name was not released, was killed in the southern Helmand province while on a foot patrol as part of Operation Achilles, launched last month by NATO to flush out militants entrenched in the opium-producing area.
Most Dutch troops in Afghanistan are stationed in neighbouring Uruzgan province on a reconstruction mission, but Dutch forces also have taken part in NATO offensives against the Taliban.
The corporal was the sixth Dutch soldier killed on Afghan duty since the government sent nearly 2,000 troops to Uruzgan last August. Three died in aviation accidents, one in an armoured car crash and another in an apparent suicide.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...0420?hub=World

[Tony Smith]

Found this pic in a magazine article, captioned "Canadian troops in Afghanistan", so I have no more info than that.....

[Tony Smith]

...and I found it interesting that this soldier appears to be carrying a 2in Mortar! I know that troops are still being issued the 1940's made Inglis Hi-Power, but is the 2in Mortar also still current issue, or has this been picked up off the Taliban? If it's still in service, I'd like to have a closer look at the LAV to see if it has 1941 10.50-20 Chevron tires!!

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Tony

Yeah, it may look like a 2in but it's a handheld variant of the M19 60mm Mortar. Of course it goes back to around 1942 but some things just can't be improved upon is all.

Our Inf Coys, including the ones over here, each have their own integral capability.

http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/Engl...sp?product=100


regards
Darrell

[John McGillivray]

Canada buys 10 more armoured vehicles from U.S.
Updated Sun. May. 6 2007 4:19 PM ET
Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- The Defence Department has quietly signed a deal with a U.S. defence contractor to acquire 10 heavily armoured patrol vehicles.
The US $8.8 million deal was announced by Force Protection, Inc., (NASDAQ:FRPT) of Charleston, S.C., on its website late last week.
The company will manufacture 10 Buffalo and Cougar mine-protected vehicles -- five each -- for the Canadian expeditionary force command.
The trucks, which have a V-shaped hull meant to deflect the blasts of roadside bombs, are expected to be delivered in August and are destined for duty in Afghanistan.
"This initial, urgent order will go . . . for immediate deployment,'' Damon Walsh, a vice-president at Force Protection, said in a statement.
"Based on past performance, we know it will save Canadian lives.''
Defence has not commented on the purchase, nor explained why the vehicles are necessary after last year's acquisition of 75 RG-31 Nyalas from a South African subsidiary of British-owned BAE Systems Inc.
The Nyala, although loved by the troops for the protection that it affords from improvised explosives, went through a series of teething pains.
The vehicle, which has seen service all over the world, was specially modified for Canada's needs in Afghanistan. Rather being fielded tested to work out the bugs, the Nyalas went straight from the South African assembly line on to the explosive-strewn streets of Kandahar.
Last summer, at the height of fierce fighting with the Taliban, more than a quarter of the fleet was in the shop with maintenance problems, army records show.
Most of the problems were either electrical or software glitches, many relating to the roof-mounted, remote-controlled machine gun.
The alternators in the Nyalas could not handle the combined load of the remote-controlled machine gun and newly installed Canadian radios and jammers. The electrical system had to be beefed up to handle 280 amps.
It's unclear if those problems convinced the department to shop elsewhere -- or whether the new vehicles will have a defined role with specific types of troops.
For example, since 2003, American forces have assigned Cougars and Buffaloes to engineering and explosive-disposal teams.
Unlike, the Nyala, the new trucks have no windows and are capable of carrying more troops and equipment.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...506?hub=Canada

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi John

yeah, I've seen these around Kandahar Airfield. The EOD (US) guys use the Cougars and there are a couple of the Buffalos around as well but I'm unsure who uses them.

I imagine the idea around us getting these two new types is the fact they are much bigger than the RG. Nyala is still good kit but not a big load-carrying capability. More of a Patrol vehicle.

regards
Darrell

Very sad news today ...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories
Cdn. peacekeeper among nine dead in Sinai crash
Updated Sun. May. 6 2007 11:04 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

A Canadian is among nine foreign peacekeepers killed Sunday when their aircraft crashed in a remote, rugged corner of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

The Canadian has been identified as Cpl. Benoit Chevalier, 25, from 3 Wing Bagotville in Quebec.

His hometown is Macamic, Que., about 650 kilometres northwest of Montreal, reports a Saguenay, Que. newspaper.

Canada's Department of National Defence says Chevalier was an air traffic controller assigned to Task Force El Gorah (TFEG).

"He was one of a team of six air traffic controllers deployed to provide flight following services for the MFO" -- the Multinational Forces and Observers -- said the release.

"He was on board to familiarize himself with the Twin Otter aircraft operations and to liaise with air traffic controllers at St. Catherine's airport in Sinai, Egypt."

The crash killed Chevalier and eight of the 15-member French peacekeeping contingent, and destroyed the mission's sole fixed-wing aircraft, said MFO spokesperson Normand St. Pierre.

A "higher than normal" load of passengers and crew were aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash during a training mission, St. Pierre said.

The plane, a Canadian-built DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, went down in the middle of the Sinai Peninsula near the village of el-Thamad, about 80 kilometres southeast of a town called Nakhl.

The MFO says the plane was trying to make an emergency landing on a highway when it clipped a truck and crashed nearby.

"Witnesses say they saw the plane flying quite low. They saw smoke, they saw flames," said CTV's Middle East Bureau Chief Janis Mackey Frayer.

"A wing of the plane actually hit the top of a truck on the highway, suggesting that the plane possibly had mechanical problems and was trying to make an emergency landing on that highway."

The weather was sunny and clear when the plane took off at 7:46 a.m. local time from El Gorah base -- the northern headquarters of the peacekeeping mission -- on its way to St. Catherine's airport in the southern Sinai Peninsula.

The airport lost radio contact with the plane at about 9:15 a.m., then received a distress signal indicating possible mechanical failure, before the plane crashed into a mountain, Capt. Ihab Moheildin, the air control officer at Cairo airport, told The Associated Press.

Ahmad Attallah, a truck driver who was in the area told AP he saw the plane on its way down.

"I looked up and saw a small plane with a trail of flame and smoke flying at a low altitude and then it disappeared and I heard an explosion," he said.

Twenty-eight Canadian Forces personnel are part of the multi-national force -- an independent international organization created by Egypt and Israel to monitor their border in the Sinai after a 1979 peace deal.

The MFO is also comprised of soldiers from the U.S., France, Australia, Columbia, Fiji, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Norway.

Chevalier played 'key role'

Colonel Peter Abbott, Commander of Task Force El Gorah, said Chevalier was a "highly appreciated and skilled member" of the Canadian team assigned to the MFO.

"He was playing a key role in maintaining the cohesiveness of the Canadian contingent and his comrades regarded him as an extremely personable, thoughtful and professional airman."

Col. Pierre Ruel, 3 Wing Bagotville commanding officer, told a news conference Sunday that Chevalier joined the Canadian Forces five years ago, transferring to his unit in July 2003.

He said Chevalier's body would be brought to Ottawa then Macamic, but couldn't confirm a date.

The Governor General and Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered their condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of Chevalier, as well as to those of the eight French military personnel.

Michaelle Jean said she is deeply saddened by the news of the terrible accident.

"Corporal Chevalier served our country with distinction and honour," Harper said in a statement.

In France, President Jacques Chirac expressed similar sentiments about his country's dead personnel.

With files from the Canadian Press and the Associated Press

[John McGillivray]

Canadian troops engage Taliban for second day
Updated Tue. May. 8 2007 9:02 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Canadian soldiers fought a fierce battle against the Taliban on Tuesday for the second day in a row, alongside soldiers from the Afghan National Army.
In Nalgham, about 35 kilometres south-west of Kandahar city, members of Hotel company made their way over mud walls and through waist-high water, as militants shot at them with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.
The company's commander, Maj. Alex Ruff, told CTV News the battle has gone well.
"Well, so far, and keep your fingers crossed, we haven't lost anybody and there are a lot less Taliban running around," he said.
Initial estimates suggested 23 militants were killed in the firefight.
But Ruff has reason to be cautious. On April 8, he lost six soldiers to an improvised explosive device: Cpl. Brent Poland, Master Cpl. Christopher Stannix, Sgt. Don Lucas, Cpl. Aaron Williams, Pte. Kevin Kennedy and Pte. David Greenslade.
Soldiers are trying to train Afghan troops so they can eventually take up the war against the Taliban, allowing Canadians to focus on a supporting role when engaging the enemy.
On Tuesday, Afghan army members fought on the front line in Nalgham, using similar weapons as the Taliban and with the same expert knowledge of the landscape.
The Taliban are now using poppy fields to their advantage. It's near the end of Afghanistan's poppy harvesting season, and insurgents are using the long stems to hide from coalition forces.
But Canadian soldiers, far better trained, are using the Taliban's tactics against them.
"The Taliban like to just pop their heads up and take random shots when they know you're in the area," said Pte. Rob Spencer.
"But we're trained to take aimed shots to hit them. It's more effective."
The troops were first ambushed by militants on Monday near Howz-e-Madad, just north of Nalgham.
Engineers detonate road-side bomb
Canadian military engineers close to the Pakistan border detonated an IED Tuesday, away from a road in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.
The location of the bomb suggested militants may have been interrupted before they could place it on the road, or wanted to study Canadian tactics.
"I'd have to say it was something that was in progress," section commander Sgt. Dave Camp told The Canadian Press.
"It's an awful waste of valuable resources on their part to just let it go for the sake of watching us ... it was the start of something."
Engineers used one of their own explosive devices to detonate the bomb, leaving behind a blackened crater and bits of rubble.
Roadside bombs made by the Taliban have shown a marked decline in sophistication over the last month, suggesting resources have declined after skirmishes with coalition forces.
With a report by CTV's Lisa LaFlamme in Nalgham, Afghanistan and files from The Canadian Press

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

[John McGillivray]

Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan
Updated Fri. May. 25 2007 2:43 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
The Canadian soldier who was killed by an improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan has been identified as Cpl. Matthew McCully.
McCully, who was based in CFB Petawawa, was killed while taking part in Operation Hoover -- a large offensive launched against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.
"At approximately 8 a.m. Kandahar time today, one Canadian soldier, a member of our Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near a combined Afghan-Canadian patrol," Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan, confirmed Friday.
The incident occurred approximately 35 kilometres west of Kandahar City in the volatile Zhari district. Operation Hoover is the largest offensive in nearly two months that Canadian troops have participated in.
"During this operation the Afghan forces were moving forward, leading this operation to clear some of the areas, making sure that the Afghan people there were secure and that there were no Taliban in the area," said Cessford.
"Our mentoring team are comrades-in-arms with the Afghans -- they share the risk, they work closely with them -- and unfortunately as the soldier was moving forward with other Canadians and other Afghan soldiers an IED was triggered and he was killed."
He said the Taliban have chosen to bring the fight among the people.
"We lost a good kid today and we're thinking about him and our thoughts are going out to the family right now," said Cessford. "He was doing what he needed to do, what he wanted to do, and he was working closely with Afghan soldiers to achieve the right thing for this country."
One other Canadian soldier, also a member of the mentoring team, and an Afghan interpreter were wounded in the incident.
The injured soldier was evacuated by helicopter to Kandahar Air Field.
"The wounds suffered are non-life threatening and he has spoken to his family," said Cessford. "The Afghan interpreter was slightly wounded and chose to remain with Canadians doing his duties."
Cessford also said the remains of the fallen soldier were transported by helicopter to Kandahar Air Field.
Gen. Rick Hillier, Chief of Defence Staff, said in Toronto Friday that it's never easy dealing with the loss of a soldier.
"There's no way you ever get used to it, no way you ever want to get used to it,'' Hillier said. "This is a tough day.
''What we're going to do is make sure that as part of our work his footprint in the sand, if you will, his legacy, will never be forgotten.''
Operation Hoover also includes Portuguese soldiers and British air support but troops from the Afghan National Army (ANA) are taking the lead in the charge.
The killed soldier is the 55th Canadian serviceman to die in Afghanistan.
With files from The Canadian Press

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

video

http://www.cbc.ca/clips/mov/stoffel-...tan-070525.mov

[John McGillivray]

Military confirms Canadian soldier died in crash
Updated Thu. May. 31 2007 1:51 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
The military has released the name of a Canadian soldier killed in a helicopter crash Wednesday in Afghanistan that left a total of seven troops dead.
Master Cpl. Darrell Jason Priede was a military photographer from CFB Gagetown, said Brig.-Gen. Tim Grant during a news conference at Kandahar Airfield Thursday.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of this wonderful young Canadian. In working to bring peace to this troubled country he has paid the ultimate price," Grant said.
"However, we should all remember that Darrell was involved in a good thing, a good fight, and we should be proud of what he has done."
Priede was a passenger in the U.S. CH-47 Chinook helicopter when it went down in Helmand province, one of the most volatile regions of the country.
The 30-year-old combat cameraman, originally from the Grand Forks area, had served in Afghanistan for just over a month.
His mother, Roxanne Priede, said her son wanted to show the good work Canada is doing in the violence-wracked country.
"He really wanted to do something that would show more of what the military stood for," Priede told The Canadian Press from her home in Grand Forks, B.C.
"When he called us and told us he had actually applied to go over to Afghanistan, he said he wanted to bring home the news of good stuff that was going on over there - the good things Canadians were doing over there."
The Prime Minister also extended his sympathies to the Priede family and said the work soldiers like him are doing in the country is of great importance.
"The progress achieved in Afghanistan would not have been possible without men and women like Master Corporal Priede who put themselves on the line everyday," Prime Minister Harper said in a statement.
"We will not forget Master Corporal Priede's selfless contribution on behalf of Canada."
Darrell Jason Priede, who had married a few years ago, entered the military as a gunner in 1996 and later served as a peacekeeper in Bosnia.
It was on his second tour in the Balkans that he applied to become a combat cameraman.
Lieut. Desmond James, stationed at the Provincial Reconstruction Team base outside Kandahar city, described Priede as a professional who loved his job.
The two worked together when Priede documented the work of the various reconstructions missions carried out from the camp.
James held back tears as he spoke, telling The Canadian Press that it was hard for him to speak about the friend he lost.
Photos that Priede had recently snapped were to be hung in the PRT mess hall on Thursday night.
In addition to Priede, five American crew members of the helicopter were killed, along with a British military passenger.
Troops have secured the wreckage of the helicopter and are investigating the cause of the crash.
Purported Taliban spokesperson Qari Yousef Ahmadi said Taliban militants shot down the helicopter, but the claim has not been independently verified.
Initial reports have suggested that the helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, a U.S. official told The Canadian Press.
Maj. John Thomas, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force on Thursday, said "there will be a full investigation."
"We will try to determine everything that happened and to fully investigate the site."
The helicopter went down at about 9 p.m. local time Wednesday, NATO officials said.
A rescue team arriving at the scene was then ambushed by insurgents and had to call in air support to ward off the attackers. One Afghan civilian was injured by gunfire.
Grant declined to comment on the operation Priede was involved in because the campaign is still underway.
He said fighting in Helmand province has been heavy in recent weeks, and troops are working to clear out opposition fighters so that refurbishment of the Kajaki hydroelectric dam, a major development project in the area of the crash, can go ahead.
"They are certainly showing now, particularly in the Helmand River valley, that they are trying to make a last stand in this area," Grant said.
"At the end of the day, though, they are not being successful. They are being pushed back, they are being defeated by the ISAF forces on the ground."
In recent months, violence has centred around the Kajaki Dam area, with U.S. and British forces fighting insurgents targeting the project.
CTV's Steve Chao, reporting from Kandahar, said the dam project is a centrepiece in redevelopment efforts in the country.
"This is one major project that NATO is hoping will win the hearts and minds down here by providing some stable electricity," Chao told CTV Newsnet.
The Chinook has two rotors and is mainly used for transport. It can fit about 40 soldiers in addition to a small crew.
Eight U.S. personnel died last February when their Chinook crashed in the southern province of Zabul, but the incident was not the result of a militant attack.
Another 10 U.S. soldiers died in a Chinook crash in May 2006, after an attempted nighttime landing.
But a 2005 U.S. helicopter crash, which killed 16 Americans, is believed to have been caused by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by militants.
In total, 56 Canadian military personnel have now been killed in Afghanistan.

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

[John McGillivray]

Canadian soldier killed by roadside bomb
Updated Mon. Jun. 11 2007 10:48 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A Canadian soldier is dead and two others injured after their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Monday.
The slain soldier was identified as Trooper Darryl Caswell, 25, of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in CFB Petawawa
"A young Canadian, a great Canadian, died serving the people of Afghanistan," Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan, said from Kandahar.
The two wounded soldiers sustained non-life threatening injuries and are receiving medical treatment.
The group was part of a re-supplying mission. Their vehicle triggered the bomb 40 kilometres north of Kandahar City.
Since 2002, 57 Canadian soldiers and one Canadian diplomat have died in Afghanistan.
Before Monday, the last casualty was Master Cpl. Darrell Priede, 30, a military photographer. He died on May 30, when insurgents shot down his helicopter in Helmand province.

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

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Three Canadian Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 20, 2007) - Three Canadian soldiers were killed at approximately 8 a.m. Kandahar time today when the vehicle in which they were traveling struck a suspected improvised explosive device on the main road, approximately 40 kms west of Kandahar City. The incident occurred while the soldiers were conducting resupply operations between checkpoints.

The names of the casualties are being temporarily withheld at the request of their families.

The loss of every soldier is significant and is felt by all members of Joint Task Force Afghanistan. Notwithstanding that, we remain committed to the mission and the idea of peace and stability for the people of Afghanistan. We will not be deterred by the efforts of those who would deny the Afghan people a brighter future.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Alex Blair
Three Canadian Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 20, 2007) - Three Canadian soldiers were killed at approximately 8 a.m. Kandahar time today when the vehicle in which they were traveling struck a suspected improvised explosive device on the main road, approximately 40 kms west of Kandahar City. The incident occurred while the soldiers were conducting resupply operations between checkpoints.

The names of the casualties are being temporarily withheld at the request of their families.

The loss of every soldier is significant and is felt by all members of Joint Task Force Afghanistan. Notwithstanding that, we remain committed to the mission and the idea of peace and stability for the people of Afghanistan. We will not be deterred by the efforts of those who would deny the Afghan people a brighter future.

Update...

Names of two of the three Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan released
CEFCOM / COMFEC NR–07.019 - June 20, 2007

OTTAWA – The identities of two of the three Canadian soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on June 20, 2007 are as follows:

Corporal Stephen Frederick Bouzane, 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry; and
Private Joel Vincent Wiebe, 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
At the request of the family, the third soldier’s name is being temporarily withheld.

Name of third Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan released
CEFCOM NR–07.020 - June 20, 2007

OTTAWA – The identity of the third Canadian soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on June 20, 2007 is as follows:

Sergeant Christos Karigiannis, 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
Bless 'em and RIP..Sleep well..your duty is done..

[Barry Churcher]

It was a very moving experience last Friday night to see the convoy carrying the remains of Darryl Caswell along the 401 from CFB Trenton to CFB Downsview. All along the 401 people gathered on the overpasses to wave Canadian flags and show their support. Fire trucks line up with all their lights flashing. The bridge at Bowmanville even had an elephant from the Bowmanville Zoo drapped in a Canadian flag. Trooper Caswell was born in Bowmanville and was buried there today. OPP officers volunteer to escort the hearse and the family limos. The limos have a diplomatic type flag holder. The convoy drives in the passing lane and no cars pass on the right. Amazing! This is the third convoy I have witnessed and I am really impressed with the show of support from regular citizens.
Cheers,
Barry

[John McGillivray]

Some of you may find these to be of interest. There are diaries from two Canadian solders on the CBC site. One is a Cpl from LdSH while the other is Sgt in Sigs.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_sanders/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_storring/

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

... worthy of note:

NZSAS Gallantry in Afghanistan recognised
Monday, 2 July 2007, 10:48 am
Press Release: New Zealand Government

Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister
Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Defence

2 July 2007
Media statement

NZSAS Gallantry in Afghanistan recognised

Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that she was delighted that the Queen has approved the award of the Victoria Cross to a member of the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) for his actions in saving the life of a comrade under heavy fire from opposing forces.

Three other gallantry decorations are also being awarded to members of the NZSAS. All four decorations have been awarded for actions in Afghanistan in 2004.

"The Victoria Cross for New Zealand is the supreme military award for valour. This is the first Victoria Cross for New Zealand to be awarded since it was instituted in 1999. This decoration continues the tradition of the Victoria Cross previously awarded under a British Royal Warrant to members of the New Zealand military since 1860, the last of which was awarded in 1946," Helen Clark said.

"The Victoria Cross for New Zealand resembles the British Victoria Cross in appearance and manufacture and is equally hard to win.

"Corporal Bill (Willy) Apiata of the NZSAS has been awarded the Victoria Cross for New Zealand for his actions in saving the life of a comrade under heavy fire from opposing forces.

"Briefly, Corporal Apiata carried a severely wounded fellow soldier across open ground while coming under intense attack. He did this despite the extreme danger to himself.

"This brave action saved his comrade's life. Further details of his actions are available in the citation which is in the media statement from the Governor-General.

"Corporal Apiata was born in the Waikato in 1972. He began his army career in 1989 when he joined the Hauraki Regiment of the New Zealand Army as a territorial (part-time) soldier.

"In 2000 he served as a member of the 3rd Battalion Group in East Timor as part of the United Nation's operations there. On his return in April 2001, he became a full time soldier, transferring to the regular force of the New Zealand Army. In November 2001 he passed the gruelling NZSAS selection course and joined the unit the following year.

"Corporal Apiata’s VC is the 14th awarded since the end of World War Two and the first to a serving member of the SAS anywhere in the Commonwealth.

"Corporal Apiata becomes one of only 13 living recipients of the VC. Private Johnson Beharry, a member of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in the British Army, received the VC for gallantry in Iraq in 2004 and is the only other VC recipient still serving in the military.

"Corporal Apiata will be invested with the Victoria Cross for New Zealand by the Governor-General, the Hon Anand Satyanand, at a special ceremony to be held at Government House, Wellington later this month.

"The New Zealand Gallantry Decoration has been awarded to two other members of 1 NZSAS Group, identified only as Captain C and Corporal B. Their awards are for 'an exceptional act of gallantry and leadership under fire' and 'displaying outstanding courage and leadership' respectively.

"The New Zealand Gallantry Medal has been awarded to a member of the unit identified only as Corporal R for 'gallantry and the application of firm and timely leadership'.

"All awards announced today are for gallantry in action in Afghanistan in 2004 and are testimony to the dedication, skill and professionalism of the NZSAS, " Helen Clark said.

Defence Minister Phil Goff said that New Zealanders can be proud of the extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of their duties by members of the NZSAS.

"The VC and the Gallantry Awards bestowed on Corporal Apiata and his three fellow soldiers reflect both the courage and the character of the individuals concerned but also the ethos and the high standards and training of the unit itself.

"The VC honours a man who put his own life at risk to save the life of a comrade. All of the honours reflect exceptional courage and leadership, and the commitment members of the NZSAS have to each other and to the tasks they are sent to do on behalf of New Zealand.

"They are modest about their achievements but they have contributed to an already proud tradition of military service by the NZSAS and a reputation for being ordinary people doing extraordinary jobs", Phil Goff said.

ENDS

VC Media Kit (PDF)
Governor-General's Citation (PDF)

Link here, with more links therein:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0707/S00013.htm

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

RIP to the lads and heartfelt condolences to their families and chums.

CTV.ca News Staff

Updated: Wed. Jul. 4 2007 1:48 PM ET

A roadside bomb has killed six Canadian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter in the Panjwaii district of Afghanistan.

Brig.-Gen. Tim Grant, commander of Task Force Afghanistan, confirmed the deaths during a news conference Wednesday in Kandahar.

He said the soldiers -- who have not been identified pending notification of next of kin -- were travelling in an RG-31 Nyala armoured vehicle with the interpreter when they were struck by an improvised explosive device.

All the vehicle's occupants were killed.

"We're greatly saddened by the loss of these great young Canadians, exceptional young men," Grant said.

"The attack on us and our Afghan colleagues, however, will not diminish our resolve and our determination to bring to Afghanistan a peaceful land for the children of this country."

The attack happened about 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar while the soldiers returned to their forward operating base west of Kandahar city, after conducting a joint operation with the Afghan National Army.

Grant told reporters the RG-31 is considered one of the safest vehicles in the Canadian fleet, and was driving on a road that the military has used regularly over the past month.

When asked what steps the military is taking to reduce deaths caused by IEDs, Grant said troops are finding and disarming IEDs more often than not.

"When IEDs are successful they get reported. What doesn't get reported is ... the many number of times where we neutralize IEDs -- when they're pointed out to us by locals, or we find them ourselves. We dismantle them and we exploit them, so we can learn how to defeat them," Grant told reporters.

"We're not perfect, and we do miss some, as we've seen today. But the battle against the Taliban and the battle against their choice of weapons . . . is successful."

CTV's Paul Workman, reporting from Kandahar, said the deadly attack is sure to heighten tension among Canadian troops.

"For many of these soldiers the rotation is almost over. They're thinking about getting on those airplanes and going home to see their families and no one wants to be a late casualty, and that's what we've seen today," Workman told CTV Newsnet.

With the most recent deaths, 66 Canadian military personnel and one diplomat have now been killed in Afghanistan.

Earlier violence

Earlier Wednesday, AP reported that three separate clashes left 20 militants and one police officer dead in Afghanistan.

The gun battles were sparked after militants attacked several checkpoints in Ghazni province in Afghanistan's south, the province's police chief told The Associated Press.

The fighting left 13 militants and one police officer dead.

In separate gun battles in Zabul province on Tuesday, U.S.-led coalition forces fought with suspected Taliban militants in the province's Shahjoy district.

Seven militants were killed and six others were wounded in those battles, according to a spokesperson for the province's governor.

More than 2,400 people have been killed so far this year in Afghanistan, including civilians, militants and troops according to an AP tally.

With files from The Associated Press

Heartfelt condolences to family and friends ... buddies ... of our Soldiers, and the Interpreter, lost today.



Karmen

Our Homecoming Fallen soldiers today:

July 8, 2007

Fallen soldiers to get special tribute

By JOE WARMINGTON

It will be an eerie scene along the Highway of Heroes later today.

After they land back on Canadian soil at about 5 p.m., six black hearses will carry Capt. Matthew Dawe, Master Cpl. Colin Bason, Cpl. Cole Bartsch, Cpl. Jordan Anderson, Pte. Lane Watkins and Capt. Jefferson Francis home.

And, as they make their way out of CFB Trenton at about 6 p.m., the very men and women who patrol the Highway of Heroes they will travel on will honour them in a very moving and special tribute.

In fact, a saluting OPP officer will be on bridges on Highway 401, between CFB Trenton and Toronto, as a unique funeral procession edges west. Each car, which already dons a yellow-ribbon decal, will also have its lights flashing.

"Wherever possible we will have a car and an officer on a bridge," OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said yesterday. "This is very personal for us because, as Canadians, we understand the country called and these fine young men responded."

SUPPORT FOR OUR TROOPS

It's the latest in an abundance of support for our troops. OPP officers in several detachments west of CFB Trenton will take part.

"It's something our people really wanted to do," said Fantino. "We are 100% behind our troops and this is our way of paying our respects for their sacrifice. This is for these six great Canadians -- for every Canadian soldier in our history who sacrificed themselves for freedom. It is the supreme sacrifice."

People in Toronto will also have the opportunity to pay their respects, too. It's difficult to be precise, but sometime after 8 p.m., the procession will head south on the Don Valley Parkway, exit on Bloor St., head west to Sherbourne St. and go along Carlton St., toward the Centre for Forensic Sciences, on Grenville St.

Toronto's terrific firefighters will also be at two fire halls along the route in full salute.

Several city councillors are hoping to raise the issue at a future Toronto council meeting to see if they can allow fire trucks to honour the soldiers on some bridges as well. But for now, due to "safety concerns," they are not able to deploy them there. Hopefully there will not be any future need for such a procession.

In the meantime, the latest casualties from the war in Afghanistan will travel west along the Highway of Heroes to downtown Toronto's Streets of Support. Along the way there will be civilians, fire departments, military and police personnel. It has become a very sad, upsetting ritual.

RETURNED HOME

So far, the bodies of 60 soldiers have returned home and the protocol has basically been the same. It will be 66 today. So far, every time people have come out of their homes, out of their cars, trucks and off their motorcycles to say, "Thanks."

People are sending the message they support the troops, but there's no politics here. There's nothing official about it. When the procession of hearses leave CFB Trenton, people seem to respond. It's just support for the troops and a pat on the back for all they do.

The OPP has been involved in escorting every procession so far, but wanted to do more.

"We have a number of families who have been very effected by this," said Fantino. "In fact, we have an OPP officer in theatre and have families related to two of the soldiers who have died and families to three more who have been wounded."

And that's another reason why the OPP will join Canadians all along the Highway of Heroes to salute them today.

[John McGillivray]

Two Canadian soldiers hurt by roadside bomb
Updated Tue. Jul. 10 2007 5:07 PM ET
Canadian Press
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Two Canadian soldiers have been injured by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
Military officials say their Leopard tank hit an improvised explosive device at 8 p.m. local time.
The convoy was then ambushed by small arms fire.
But the military says the convoy was able to push through and make it safely to a nearby forward operating base.
The soldiers' injuries are not considered serious.
The attack comes days after another Canadian convoy was hit by a suicide bomber, injuring four soldiers.

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