Falcon Spring 2010 colour-F.indd - 48th Highlanders of Canada

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EX POLAR WARRIOR 2010by Lt Simon KassissiaThis past February 26-28th, the 32 Canadian Brigade Group ArcticResponse Company Group (32 CBG ARCG) once again headed north totrain for operations in Canada’s most remote and unforgiving regions. The32 CBG ARCG is a composite group comprised of volunteers from acrossthe brigade, who train together with the common goal of establishing adeployable force that can competently operate in the far north. Havingattended Ex POLAR WARRIOR in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug for aweek of March 2009, I was prepared for whatever challenges nature had instore for us this time. The 2009 exercise built on our core winter warfarecapabilities, and put them to a test for a longer period than is the case witha typical weekend exercise. It also afforded us the privilege of working withthe Canadian Rangers, who are the eyes and ears of the Canadian Forcesin Canada’s north. Comprised of volunteers drawn from various aboriginalcommunities, they provide an invaluable and capable military presenceour platoon’s next bivouac site well in advance of our arrival. Thedeployment of elements of our platoon kilometres apart from oneanother and reliance on radio and satellite phone communicationsto keep command and control was valuable training for the reality ofoperations in the vast space of the north. Perhaps less intellectuallytaxing but equally difficult was pulling our equipment in toboggansfor kilometres on end, and navigating the obstacles to our progress,which seemed to arise at the most inconvenient and unexpected times.All told, the exercise was a great opportunity to test our navigation,winter living, and winter movement skills, and I feel that full advantagewas taken. As always I was moved by the sheer determination anddrive of all the soldiers involved. Following dismissal from Moss Park,most of us returned home just in time to settle in and watch Canada’sOlympic hockey final victory. I couldn’t help but see the parallelbetween the ownership that all Canadians felt in that momentousachievement and the small part we had just played in the maintenanceof our sovereignty over the great white northU.S. Citizens KIA while servingwith 48th Highlandersin otherwise remote and inhospitable areas. The rangers we encounteredprovided us with a wealth of knowledge and more than a few personalanecdotes on winter survival, not to mention some great hospitality andsome very interesting local cuisine.This year’s exercise was closer to home, at CFB Borden, nearBarrie, Ontario. Although the location was much more familiar, theconditions were no more forgiving than what we had encountered lastyear. We set out from the 48th Highlanders’ lines with a section sizedcontingent, and proceeded to link up with elements of the 7 TorontoRegiment of Artillery and the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada once wearrived at the base. With our platoon formed, we set out to the fieldwith our company to get to work.Ex POLAR WARRIOR 2010 was a worthwhile experience becauseit put various skill sets to work at once. During our first night in thefield, our already established winter living skills were fine-tuned.Sgt. Duff of the 48th Highlanders saw to it that leaders at all levelsensured the right winter living habits continued to be developed andmaintained. As these skills became second nature, it allowed for theproper focus to be placed on the missions we had been assigned. MCpl.Corea of the 48th led a reconnaissance patrol of a suspected explosionat a mining facility; along the way, his section provided some real lifeassistance at the scene of a minor weather-related vehicle accident,which provided some real training value (not to mention repaymentin the form of a ride back to base). Sgt. Khlyustov of the 7 Gunsalso led a patrol in search of some missing hunters, and establishedby Capt (Ret’d) Vic Goldman CDAcross the Potomac River from Washington D.C. on a prominent knollin Arlington National Cemetery stands a tall white cross of sacrifice.This memorial which is found in Commonwealth cemeteries aroundthe world was placed by the Canadian government in recognition of thehundreds of American citizens who lost their lives while serving with theCanadian Expeditionary Force in World War One.With the declaration of war in August of 1914 thousands ofUS citizens crossed the border to enlist. A number of these eagervolunteers donned the Davidson tartan and proudly served withthe 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada). Twenty-sevenAmerican citizens paid the supreme sacrifice while serving withour regiment and now lie buried in France and Flanders beneatha headstone bearing the Maple Leaf of Canada or are listed withthe missing in action and have their name engraved on the VimyMemorial or the Menin Gate.A highland salute to2nd YpresCpl Lewis C. of Pasadena, California,killed 22 April 1915, age 22Pte Cleal G. of Layton, Ohio, killed 24 April 1915, age 20Cpl Freeland G. of Buffalo New York, killed 24 April 1915, age 24Pte Henderson W. of Holyoke, Massachusetts, killed 24 April 1915, age 29Pte Todd P. of Los Angeles, California, killed 24 April 1915, age 22Pte Chivas, J. of Detroit, Michigan, killed 26 April 1915FestubertPte Edwards S. of South Acton, Massachusetts, killed 21 May 1915 age 37Summer 1916 service in the Ypres SalientPte Strickland A. of Long Beach, California, killed 12 July 1916, age 30Pte Girdner J. (served as Potter) of National City, California, killed 2 August1916 age 26SommePte Hall C. (served as Robertson) of Yakima, Washington, killed 10 Oct 1916,age 19THE FALCON, SPRING 2010 8
Historical Reflection on the ModernTour Medalby 2Lt Daniel MaloneOne of the Canadian Forces most commonly seen medalsis the campaign medal also known as a tour medal,which denotes an individual soldiers participation in militarymission such as those in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Somalia, Cyprusor many, many others. This type of medal is a standard fixtureon military bases through the country. The Campaign Star,for example, is awarded to “members of the CF and membersof allied forces working with the CF who deploy into adefined theatre of operations to take part in operations in the The South-West Asia Service Medal andGeneral Campaign Starpresence of an armed enemy” such as the Italy Star, awarded foroperational service in Sicily or Italy between 11 June 1943 and 08 May 1945.Interestingly enough, the campaign medal has a very shorthistorical life span, especially when held against the long lived historyVimy RidgePte Calder A.D. of Redwood City, California, killed 9 April 1917Operations Lens Sector May- Aug 1917Sgt Effinger S.E. of Buffalo, New York, killed 9 May 1917, age 24Pte Smithson D. of Stillwater, Minnesota, killed 30 June 1917Pte Ficht H.R. from ruralo Iowa, killed 20 July 1917, age 20Pte Smyth H.H. of Brooklyn, New York, killed 6 August 1917PasschendaelePte Love J. of Detroit, Michigan, killed 11 November 1917, age 20Lens -Vimy Sector Spring 1918Pte Field H.M. of Northfiled, Massachuttes, killed 10 April 1918, age 19Canada’s Hundred DaysAmiensCpl Giles R.L. (served as Doyle) of Umatilla, Florida, killed 8 August 1918,age 24Pte Pilston R. of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, killed 9 August 1918, age 33Vis-en-ArtoisPte R.E. Mering of Detroit, Michigan, killed 29 August 1918, age 25of organized warfare which stretches backalmost to the beginning of civilized nations.The modern form of the campaign medalemerged under Napoleon and represented theinclusion of new social ideals into the militarywithout which we could not hope to have themodern Canadian Forces, much less the 48thHighlanders.One of Napoleon’s many famous quoteswas, “With a handful of ribbons I shallconquer Europe.” This is perhaps a slightmisrepresentation. Many historians wouldargue that it was not the ribbons themselves butrather the ideas they embodied that propelledthe many victories of Napoleon’s army. Thisparticular idea, re-born in Europe under the French revolution, wasone that honoured all of a battle’s participants as loyal Frenchmen,devoted to their country. As such, the individual soldier was entitledto be decorated for his part in a campaign based on the idea that eachsoldier was a valuable part of the operation.This practice was an off shoot of an even more important idea thathad been dormant since the time of the Roman Empire, which is thatmerit should be the factor by which military leadership is managed.This same ideal, which recognized and decorated the accomplishmentof individual soldiers, was introduced by Napoleon as a means bywhich to evaluate and promote officers. Not since the Romans had ameritocracy been the means by which the leadership of an army hadbeen determined. In their era, Napoleons Marshalls could not havebeen “Marshalls” in any other army as they did not purchase andCrow’s NestPte Hellinger A.E. of Portland, Oregon, killed 1 September 1918, age 24Pte Warburton G.A. of Chicago, Illinois, killed 1 September 1918, age 32Canal du NordPte Hall E. of New Dedford, Massachusetts, killed 27 September 1918, age18Pte Mullison R.E., of West Branch, Iowa, killed 27 September 1918 age 34Pte Peterson J. of Chicago, Illinois killed 28 September 1918Pursuit to MonsPte Kelly J.D. of New York City, New York, killed 12 October 1918, age 48Pte Smith I.S. (served as Illinger) of Chicago, Illinois, killed 20 Oct 1918, age18LEST WE FORGETCan you identify these medals?outfit their own regiments as did their European counterparts. Evenas Napoleon’s army fell at Waterloo, the observant historian can’thelp but notice that in that battle they faced Wellington and Blucher,nobles in their own countries. This stands as testament to importanceof Napoleon to military history and the lasting impact he has had onmodern military affairs.The next time you stand on parade or at a Regimental event, stopand see how many of your fellow Highlanders have campaign medals.Take a moment to appreciate these for what they are, not simply arecord of individual accomplishment but an idea, thousands of yearsin the making. Simply put, it is the idea that all soldiers, regardless ofwealth or social standing, are of tremendous value to the countriesthey serve.Dileas Gu Brath9 THE FALCON, SPRING 2010
Page 1 and 2: ISSUE NO. 20 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE
Page 4 and 5: LADIES AUXILIARY TO THE 48TH Highla
Page 6 and 7: The 48th Highlanders Active Unit Ph
Page 10 and 11: Calendar of the 48th Highlanders of
Page 12: HIGHLANDERS CONFINED TO BARRACKSSUN

Falcon Spring 2010 colour-F.indd - 48th Highlanders of Canada

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