THE FORTYNINER - Alberta Genealogy Research "The Recents"

The Forty-Niner
The Commanding Officer’s Farewell
L Col Mike Prendergast preparing to go on a patrol in Kabul
Afghanistan. Photo by Mike Prendergast
I have to say that my three years as Commanding
Officer were the most rewarding, interesting,
saddest and professionally challenging years of my
military career. I won’t say that the time flew by
quickly as it did not in my mind.
There were times where it seemed that time had
slowed down, specifically during the December
2009 to March 2010 timeframe when Cpls Zach
McCormack and Joshua Baker were killed in
Afghanistan and the unfortunate death of Pte Matt
Radawitz in a vehicle accident here in Alberta.
With three funerals in less than ninety days the
Regiment was certainly stretched to the limit
both mentally and emotionally. But in true Eddie
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form we were able to take the blows from the
unfortunate deaths of our “brothers in arms” and
soldier forward. Likewise with the casualties, both
physical and psychological, that the Regiment has
suffered in Afghanistan and Bosnia I could not help
but notice a certain pride and maturing of soldiers
and officers alike. Wars can certainly make or
break a Regiment. I think that our experiences in
Bosnia, Afghanistan and other war torn countries
around the world, that Eddies have participated
in or been witness to, in the second half of the
20 th century and first half of the 21 st century have
certainly enhanced and engrained the reputation of
The Loyal Edmonton Regiment amongst our fellow
Reservists and Regular force brethren.
Our motto “Fears No Foe” could not have been
better demonstrated than over the past three years
but also the past twenty years with both domestic
and foreign operations the Regiment has been
involved in as sub-units or individually. It is quite
clear that Eddies are not afraid to go anywhere
in the world where trouble is occurring or has
occurred including the Sudan, Ethiopia/Eretria and
Sierra Leone.
When I reflect on the training that the Regiment has
accomplished over the past few years such as BTS
and live fire field exercises, it is little wonder that
the soldiers and officers of the Regiment are held
in high regard in Canada and overseas. Aggressive
and realistic field training is the foundation on
which a Regiment especially an infantry regiment
is built upon. It gives the soldiers and officers
confidence in their skills, equipment, each other
and themselves. It is this same confidence that also
helps to build the Esprit de Corps of a regiment
and ensures that it can soldier on through all types
of adversity and loss, whether that is in Canada or
overseas.