Primrose Hackle

PRIMROSE HACKLE

1866 - 2011 IN THIS ISSUE:

HISTORY OF THE LORNE SCOTS SERVICE TO THE NATION GALA SHOUT OUTS OP NANOOK WILD BOARS BACK IN THE DAY TASK FORCE AFGHANISTAN LORNE SCOTS REUNION ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Table of Contents

RSM’s Message | Page 8 Future Contributions are to be sent RHQ Message | Page 9 through your Chain of Command to the A Coy Message | Page 10 Unit Public Affairs Team. B Coy Message | Page 11 C Coy Message | Page 12 P&D Message | Page 13 Wild Boars | Page 14 Regimental Museum Message | Page 15 145 Years of the Lorne Scots | Page 16 Operations of the Lorne Scots | Page 19 Ever since the first disbanded Our Allied Regiment | Page 21 Highland soldier sss and displaced Serving the Nation Gala | Page 23 Lorne Scots Reunion | Page 25 crofters settled on Canada’s shores… The Duke and Duchess of Argyll | Page 26 in the 1760’s and 1770’s, Scottish Ex Maple Defender | Page 27 Canadians have borne their full ROGAINE | Page 28 share of the burden of Canada’s Ex Bayonet | Page 29 defence. Soldiers and Regiments The Sahara Race | Page 31 bearing Scottish names and wearing CIOR | Page 33 the bonnet, kilt and feather form a Situational Awareness | Page 34 TOSC | Page 35 mighty array in our history; they Task Force 1-10 | Page 37 have fought in the snows of Canada, Hearts & Minds: Toys for Slingshots | Page 57 in the mud of Flanders, in the Back in the Day | Page 59 mountains of Italy” Shout Outs | Page 61 Faces & Places | Page 65 George Stanley Notes | Page 70 “The Scottish Military Tradition” Printed on 12 Dec 2011 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Regimental Battle Honours YPRES 1915-17, Festubert 1915, MOUNT SORREL, SOMME 1916, ARRAS 1917-18, HILL 70, AMIENS, HINDENBURG LINE, PURSUIT TO MONS, SICILY 1943, ITALY 1943-45, NORTHWEST EUROPE 1944-45

(The Battle Honours in capital letters are emblazoned on the Regimental Colours) Freedoms Awarded 1969 & 1979 1981 1984 1987 2004 2009 City of Region of Town of Town of Communities of Town of Brampton Dufferin Oakville Halton Hills Dufferin County Milton

The Colonel-in-Chief Field Marshal, His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent KG, GCMG, GCVO, CD, ADC(P) Honorary Colonel Honorary Colonel G.D. Reamey Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Honorary Lieutenant Colonel J.F. Davis

Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel A.M. Phelps, CD

Perpetuating The 37 th , 74 th , 76 th , 126 th , 164 th and the 234 th Battalions, Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-18 Regimental Birthday 14 September 1866

Regimental Headquarters

Deputy Commanding Officer Major D.E. Hickson, CD Adjutant Captain S. Sherriff, CD Regimental Sergeant-Major Chief Warrant Officer D. Murphy, CD Officer Commanding A Company Captain B.A. Bean, CD Officer Commanding B Company Major P. Hale, CD Officer Commanding C Company Major T. Ruggle, CD Officer Commanding Administration Company Captain D.P. Darling Mitchell, CD

ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Drum Major Drum Major I.D. McGibbon, CD

Pipe Major Pipe Major M. Chambers

Allied Regiment The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers London, UK

Affiliated Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps 557 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, Brampton, Ontario 676 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, Georgetown, Ontario 1188 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, Oakville, Ontario 1849 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, Orangeville, Ontario 2990 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, Milton, Ontario

Regimental Disposition

Regimental Headquarters A Company C Company 2 Chapel Street 90 Thomas Street The Colonel John Roaf Barber, Brampton, Ontario Oakville, Ontario ED, CD Armoury L6W 2H1 L6J 3A6 91 Todd Road (905) 451-5724 (905) 844-0604 Georgetown, Ontario Fax (905) 454-1533 (905) 844-7399 L7G 4R8 (905) 702-2251 Administration Company B Company Fax (905) 877-8827 2 Chapel Street 12 Chapel Street Brampton, Ontario Brampton, Ontario The Lorne Scots L6W 2H1 L6W 2H1 Pipes & Drums Band (905) 451-5425 (905) 451-2741 The Colonel John Roaf Barber, Fax (905) 454-1533 Fax (905) 454-1533 ED, CD Armoury 91 Todd Road The Lorne Scots The Lorne Scots Georgetown, Ontario Regimental Association Regimental Museum L7G 4R8 c/o 2 Chapel Street 48 John Street (905) 702-2272 Brampton, Ontario Brampton, Ontario Fax (905) 877-8827 L6W 2H1 L6W 2H1 (905) 451-5724 Fax (905) 454-1533

PAGE 3 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Colours of the Lorne Scots

The Colours of the Lorne Scots (PD&H) Regiment On the 14th September 1991, the 125th anniversary of the formation of the Unit, the Colonel- in-Chief, Field Marshal, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, CD, ADC(P) presented a new Stand of Colours to the Regiment.

The Queens Colour

The Regimental Colour

PAGE 4 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Honorary Colonel’s Message It has been my pleasure to be the Honorary Colonel for The Lorne Scots these past eight months. Honorary Colonel John McDermid has left some big shoes to fill. My task is to build on the great work that he, and others have given to the Regiment.

Since my appointment March 3, 2011, I have represented the Regiment at nine major events and attended numerous Regimental Association meetings.

The first event was our 145 year Anniversary Gala. And what a gala it was. Hosted by our Association with Honorary Colonel McDermid acting as Master of Ceremonies, it was very special to have the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, head of the Campbell Clan, in attendance.

In June we had the change of Honorary Colonel Ceremony at the Colonel John R. Barber Armoury in George- town. Commanding Officer LCol Phelps, Honorary Colonel of the Army Honorary Colonel Goldring, Honorary Colo- nel McDermid and I participated, along with many of our troops. Our troops performed splendidly.

In August, RSM Murphy and I attended Maple Defender exercises at the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre in Wainwright, Alberta. Over 1,000 reservists, including some Lorne Scots and US National Guard units, participated in the training. It was very real and practical training for our troops.

During September I was privileged to attend the Honoraries conference in Kitchner, Ontario. Land Forces Cen- tral Area (LFCA) Commander Brigadier General Lewis and Deputy Commander Brigadier General Chapman hosted 30 Honoraries from across Ontario. Discussions included the role of LFCA, our responsibilities and what we could do to support our troops and connect with the communities we live in.

In October our Association had a display at the Annual Royal Canadian Military Institute's Military Band Con- cert at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto. The bands played to a packed house and we heard some great music. Hundreds of visitors stopped by our Lorne Scots display and asked questions about our Regiment.

November was a busy month for the Regiment. I was honoured to attend the Lorne Scots Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess Dinner at the Brampton Armoury. There was great fun, fellowship and celebration. And what would a mess dinner be without the "ode to the haggis"!

I chaired my first Senate meeting in November. I have not seen a more dedicated group in any organization. They freely give their time and talent to honour and support our troops and the traditions of our Regiment. Well done gentlemen!

Our Regiment was well represented at the Annual True Patriot Love tribute dinner, that was held in Toronto. Over a dozen Lorne Scots and their spouses attended. The dinner raised in excess of two million dollars which goes to support our veterans and their families. General Walt Natynczyk was the guest speaker.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day our Commanding Officer LCol Phelps, our troops, our Pipe & Drum band and I attended the Remembrance Day service in Brampton. We laid a wreath at the Memorial Square Cenotaph at City Hall. Hundreds from the community were in attendance for this very moving ceremony. It was a fine tribute to our veterans and fallen comrades.

In January I will present to our Commanding Officer a draft of a three year strategic plan, that will seek to highlight things our Regiment and Regimental friends and family can do, to "support our troops" and to "connect with the communities we live in". All major stakeholders of the Regiment will be asked for their feedback on what we should be doing in these areas.

Let me close by saying the future of our Regiment has never been brighter. Our Lorne Scots have strong leadership, rich traditions and a great willingness to serve our country. I am proud to be a Lorne Scot.

Gary D. Reamey Honorary Colonel The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin, and Halton Regiment) ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT The State of the Regiment As this year comes to an end we can look back at our accomplishments with pride. 2011 has been an extremely busy year and as we enter 2012 and our tempo continues to increase our workload will likely break the sound barrier by August!

I am pleased to say that all of our soldiers who deployed to Afghanistan were back safe and sound with their families by the end of June. With Rotation 1 of Operation Attention ramping up we can anticipate that more deployments will follow. As it stands today Major Paul Hale, the Officer Commanding B Company, is conducting pre-deployment training for an early 2012 deployment and Major Duane Hickson, the Deputy Commanding Offi- cer, is entering the breach with a similar deployment date.

Throughout 2011, the Regimental Family has celebrated a number of keystone events to mark our 145 th anniversary of service to Canada. In May the Duke of Argyle graced us with his presence as the patron of the Lorne Scots Gala event. The theme of this event was the celebration of our veterans past, present and future with all proceeds directed towards the Lorne Scots Regimental Trust and the McDermott House Canada Foundation. In June the Regiment held a Reunion and conducted a Drum Head Service at the Georgetown Highland Games. This was followed by a Change of Honorary Colonels from HCol John McDermid to HCol Gary Reamey. HCol Reamey has assumed his new appointment with enthusiasm and vigor and continues to provide the Regiment with exceptional support. I would like to express my thanks to HCol McDermid for his dedication and service to the Regiment over the last eleven years. I am sure this change will be a big adjustment in his life but I am confident that he will always have the Regiment in his heart and that he will remain active within the Regimental Association and the Regi- mental Senate.

In terms of tasks, the past year has been consistent with our history, when we are called upon we always fill our tasks and we continually seek to develop our ability and skill at all levels. We have set the standard for the Brigade and will continue to do so as the lead unit for collective training next year. In September 2011 the Regi- ment took command of the 32 Brigade Battle Group (32 BG). With this Command came the responsibility of training the Brigade’ soldiers for Expeditionary Operations. The Brigade has transitioned away from Counter Insur- gency Operations and towards Defensive Operations. It has been over ten years since we have focused on this Phase of War so the onus will be on leadership at all levels to ensure that we set the foundation for success. I would like to thank the Senior NCO’s and Officers of the Regiment for once again stepping up and committing to their participation in the five Defensive Exercises and Deployments that we have scheduled between December 2011 and August 2012.

As you can imagine it is impossible to thank everyone individually for the outstanding work that they have done during the last year. I would, however, like to thank the RSM for his unwavering dedication to the soldiers and our Command Team. Captain Sher- riff, the Adjutant, for doing the work of a full time member on a part time basis… very cost effective! The staff of the BOR, Finance office and Admin Coy who provide support behind the scenes to keep our unit running at a level that has once again placed us at the top of the Brigade in terms of administration. Last but not least I would like to thank the Ops and Training Cell under the Command of Captain Ryan and Warrant Officer Diotte who not only out shine their peers in the brigade but who work tirelessly to ensure that our soldiers are given training and operational opportunities while at the same time keeping us on target to achieve my end state.

I look forward to the challenge of leading the Regiment and 32 BG during the next year and I am confident that our soldiers, Senior NCO’s and Officers will, as always, show the rest of the Brigade what a Lorne Scot can do when he/she puts their back into it. Air Son Ar Duthchais!

Happy Holidays and may 2012 bring nothing but joy and happiness to you and your loved ones.

Lieutenant Colonel A.M. Phelps Commanding Officer The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin, and Halton Regiment) ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT President of the Association Message

As President of the Regimental Association once again I would like to extend greetings to all members of the Regiment. For the newest members of the Regimental Family the Association has been in existence for almost 40 years. Many outstanding leaders who served in the Regiment have continued their support by becoming members of the Association Executive. They have worked tirelessly over the years to support the vision of the Association. Quite simply we are here to support the CO and the Regiment with whatever resources we have available.

This has become critically important in the last five years with so many of our soldiers returning from operations in Afghanistan. We have in the past two years helped several soldiers through some difficult times and will continue to support any soldier who needs our help. The association continues to support the CO in providing funding for Regimental activities like birthday and Christmas dinners for the soldiers. We also are actively involved in supporting the Regimental Pipes and Drums in their many endeavours.

As the Christmas season approaches we have much to celebrate. In May we celebrated the return of our soldiers from the last combat tour in Afghanistan with a magnificent Gala held at the Pearson convention center. With the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in attendance,. it was a night of celebration. The Sheridan College Performance Studies students gave us a fast paced rendition of the musical hit Glee, the famous singer John McDermot made us laugh and cry with his beautiful ballads, the band of the Queens Own Rifles had us singing old military favourites and our Regimental Pipes and Drums made our hearts swell with pride. To conclude we had a moving tribute to all our soldiers. We also raised over twenty thousand dollars for our Regimental Trust Fund.

In June we celebrated the 145 th anniversary of the Regiment with a reunion. There was a lot of hard work in the organisation of this event. Led by the CO and the RSM the planning and organisation made it possible to have a very successful weekend. There was a flurry of activity beginning with a meet and great on the Friday evening followed by a Regimental parade on Saturday morning and then a change of Honorary Colonel on Saturday afternoon. We said farewell to Honorary Colonel John McDermid and officially welcomed the new Honorary Colonel Gary Reamey to the Regimen- tal Family. This was followed by a barbecue in the evening. The weekend concluded with the annual AGM for the Regi- mental association. Although the weekend was a success the attendance of members of the association and former members of the Regiment was disappointing. We tried to reach out to these former members by the electronic media but with little success. If anyone reading this newsletter has any suggestions please contact us. The executive is always looking for suggestions for social events or presentations that you would like to attend. We are hoping that next summer we will have a marching contingent for next summer’s Warriors Day Parade but without the support of the veterans of the Regiment it will not be possible.

In September we hosted the annual Col Frank Ching Memorial Golf Tournament. The tournament seems to be growing each year. Over 80 golfers attended and we raised seven thousand dollars for the Association. We hope that next year some of our lost comrades can join us.

Remembrance Day was very special this year because the Association was given a position of honour on the Pa- rade by Branch15 in Brampton. We marched directly behind the colour party with our Regimental Pipes and Drums in the lead. Our former Director of Music Henk Verschuren was the parade Marshall. He managed to have vintage WWI replica aircraft fly over the cenotaph at the eleventh hour. Our own Colonel Ted Conover winner of the Bronze Star in the Italian campaign in 1944, road in a world war two vintage jeep. The crowds were wonderful giving the soldiers of the Regiment and all veterans a great round of applause. I have never seen so many at this service’s in a very long time.

As we get closer to the Christmas season it is a time for the Regiment to spend time with their families before the new year when once again the Regiment will again be heavily engaged in domestic and international training exercises. As I stated in my opening comments the association exists to support the Regiment and the Commanding Officer especially during these demanding times.

From the executive of the association we wish all members of the Regimental Family a safe and happy holiday.

Air- Son- Ar- Duthchais LCol WA Adcock (Ret’d) OMM, CD ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Regimental Sergeant Major’s Message

To say that the Regiment is in good shape is an understatement. The recent operational experience of our soldiers and the tempo for the next 12 months all contribute to high levels of confidence and morale in the Regiment. With three major exercises and potential deployments 2012 will be a busy year as The Lorne Scots spearhead the brigade’s new partnership with the 56 th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. We know we are the best; the task is to inform others that we are indeed just that! We will achieve it by caring for and valuing our soldiers and their families even better than we have done in the past, performing outstandingly on major training events and continuing to recruit fine young men and women who can add to the ranks of the Regiment!

As Lorne Scots, we must accept and assume responsibility by stepping up to meet new challenges at any moment, as well as seizing any opportunity to accept additional responsibilities. Our soldiers are doing an excellent job in mission accomplishment. I am proud of all our soldiers and I know that the entire Regimental Family is as well. Thanks again for all of your support throughout the past year.

Remember, this Regiment has been defending the nation and defeating our enemies since 1866. We have a great deal to be proud of in our history and even today the Regiment is the forefront of the brigade’s military operations. You can read all about it here in the Primrose Hackle.

CWO Derek Murphy, CD Regimental Sergeant Major ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Regimental Headquarters Message

As the senior member of the daytime staff, I would like to highlight the important and difficult work they do on your behalf. As a result of the dedication and professionalism of each member of the day staff team, this Regiment consistently receives above average ratings during the Brigades yearly Staff Assistance Visit and Annual Technical Inspection.

In addition to myself, your Operations Staff consists of the Operations Warrant Officer (WO), WO Marc Diotte and the Training WO, WO Alison Nault. Between the two of them, they manage, amongst many other tasks, the coordination of Training Support Requests, individual tasks (employment for you), course loading (more employment for you) and production of the unit’s Operations Summary (OPSUM) to keep you informed.

The Battalion Orderly Room (BOR) Staff consists of the Chief Clerk, Sergeant (Sgt) Bev- erly Dalziel, BOR 2IC Master Corporal (MCpl) Joe Chu, MCpl Bryan Cronk and Corporal Quinn Duncan. Together they are responsible to raise the Temporary Duty Claims and Route Letters for all courses and employment. In addition, they are responsible for the annual Personal Readiness Verification of every soldier in the Regiment.

The Battalion Finance Section is comprised of Sgt Seneca Brett and Sandra Lema. This small cell is responsible for controlling the unit’s operational budget, individual soldier pay and claims.

Your Public Affairs Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) is Corporal (Cpl) Christopher Banks. Cpl Banks is responsible for the production of the Primrose Hackle, coordination of Vet- eran’s Week speaker’s tasks and promoting the Unit to the community.

Your Regimental Quartermaster NCO is Corporal Darryl Cassey. This one man shop is exceptionally critical to the success of the unit’s training through the material support and ad- vice provided.

Your Regimental Transport NCO is Cpl Jodi Faulkner. Cpl Faulkner is responsible for tracking 404s, the dispatch and reception of vehicles and coordinates vehicle maintenance.

The three Company (Coy) Unit Training Assistants (UTAs) are Sgt Stephen Morris (A Coy), Sgt Arnold Parris (B Coy) and Sgt Pavle Pavlovic (C Coy). They act as the Company hubs for the coordination of training and maintenance of the unit’s three armouries.

I have only scratched the surface of what the day staff does on your behalf. The Com- manding Officer, Regimental Sergeant Major and myself, I would like to thank all of the daytime staff for their hard work and dedication.

Capt R Ryan, BA, CD OPS O ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT A Company Message

A Company (A Coy), how do we describe it? Well there is no other way to say it than it’s like a second family away from home. We may be the smallest Company in the Lorne Scots but we do have a 75% + attendance rate for training and activities. Since I joined A Coy I’ve seen and felt a sense of dedication, pride and high morale. A Coy’s Officers, Sergeant Major, Sergeants, and Master Corporals who have been supervising our training have helped us to be efficient and effective soldiers both on and off the battlefield. We have three members of A Coy who just completed a tour in Afghanistan, Corporal Montague, Corporal Candido, and Master Corporal Muir, in December of 2010. The younger soldiers from A Coy have been learning from them and treating them as role models.

During 2011 we had two new people join A Coy, one who transferred from B Coy, Corpo- ral Leupolt and another recently joined following his co-op course and summer DP1, Private Shore-Bigg. Just before this summer we had A Coy’s annual Mess Dinner attended by the CO, Lieutenant-Colonel A.M. Phelps CD, as well as past members from the other Company’s. The dinner, the guest speaker and the “Address to the Haggis” performed by Master Corporal Stu- art was first rate. It was a great experience to be a part of this event as well as getting to know new people and catching up with people we hadn’t seen in a while.

A Coy has attended all events and exercises put on by the unit as well as the highlight of the year; the changing of the Honorary Colonel and participation in the Georgetown Highland games. This event included a drumhead service dedication of the colours and march past. Veterans and many former members of the Regiment attended this ceremony. Congratulations to Sergeant Bean for getting his CD First Clasp, and to Sergeant Williams for being promoted to Sergeant.

By the beginning of January of 2011 A Coy’s renovations inside the Armoury were complete. The entire drill hall was redone as well as the A Coy composite Mess. The basement had to be redone because the contractors found asbestos on the pipes. A Coy has been con- necting with both the Canadian public and many Veterans over the years by supporting them through attendance at Remembrance Day ceremonies, D-Day ceremonies, Legion events, and other public events. The general public seems to really appreciate what we do for the community as reserve soldiers. Over the year that I have been with A Coy I have felt a growing sense of comradeship and respect develop as I serve with the Regi- ment and which will continue to grow. It has been a very exciting year at A Coy and we all hope that future years will be as great as this past one.

Private J.A Macdonald A Company ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT B Company Message

The 2010 / 2011 training year was very productive for B Company. Everyone improved their military skills and numerous soldiers completed a variety of courses over the past year. 2Lt Hashaam successfully completed three months of CAP in Gagetown and is now 4 Pl Comd. Ptes Gwinnett, Miller and Mitchell completed DP 2 IPSW. Ptes Abela, Cote, Culver, Girvan, Nesbitt, McNiel, Miller, Simon, Treleaven, Wilkins and Xa- vier all completed their DP 1 Infantry in Meaford.

This training year will continue to be busy with a number of individuals on their IPSW, and MSVS courses. At the same time, B Company is providing a significant number of instructors to 32 CBG Battle School. We are also gearing up to conduct the Basic Winter Warfare course for the unit, while actively preparing for upcoming defensive exercises.

The Company sent 15 soldiers as part of the Regiment’s contribution to MAPLE DEFENDER. The exercise progressed well, but I am not sure that everyone enjoyed Wainwright in August . There have been a few additions to the Company during the summer. Maj Hale is the new OC, while Sgt Parris has joined us as UTA and OIC Ar- mouries. Welcome aboard. Sgt O’Brien returned safely from his tour in Afghanistan and is back in his old role as CQMS. A number of soldiers have already expressed interest in deploying to Afghanistan as part of Op ATTENTION Roto 1, but it is too early in the process to know how many might be selected. Although there is no doubt that some members of the Company will deploy to Afghanistan in the New Year.

There have been a number of promotions that were not previously acknowl- edged. Congratulations to WO Roper, Sgts Katona-Smith and Rieder, MCpls Suagh, Crispin and Yataco and Cpls Pulis, Rouw, Scarello, Quirk and Quiroz.

The year ahead will be a demanding one for B Company. IBTS training is almost completed and the Company will now focus on Defensive Ops, Winter Warfare and Pa- trolling in preparation for future 32 CBG exercises. Our goal is to train and develop warriors who will survive on the Battlefield and excel at all assigned tasks ranging from overseas deployments, domestic ops to ones in support of training.

Maj Paul Hale CD B Coy

B Company Command Team

Maj PA Hale Lt WJ Hardill WO MA Colbeck Sgt MD O’Brien OC 2ic CSM CQMS ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT C Company Message

The beginning of the year started off on a high note with the company welcoming back 3 of its very own soldiers from Afghanistan. MCpl Summerfield returned in November of 2010 from his deployment with Force Protection with the RCR. The very next month saw the safe return of both Cpl Robin Schavo and Cpl Brandon Adams. Just as with MCpl Summerfield, Cpl Schavo was working with Force Protection with the RCR. However, Cpl Adams was employed with the RCR’s Tactical Operations command.

As it has been with the past few years, or ever since the upswing of Canadian operations abroad, as we welcome some soldiers home we are soon saying goodbye to others. This training year was no exception to this rule. During the training year, Charlie Company wished our best to two of its senior leaders being deployed overseas. Charlie Companies wished its best to their platoon commander Lt. Cook, and Company commander Maj Ruggle. 7 Platoon commander Lt Cook deployed to Afghanistan as part of the battle group CIMIC with 1 battalion 22r (hope you brushed up on your French sir!). Charlie companies’ commander Maj Ruggle deployed to, the sunny but hopefully always warm, Kenya Africa as an exercise director for tactical operations course 19.

In March of 2011 Charlie Company held its annual Georgetown Composite Mess Din- ner. The Georgetown Composite Mess dinner always proves to be a great event. Now it is possible that as the PMC, I could be a little biased however, in my opinion this year was no exception to the rule. Through all the ups and downs of numbers within the ranks of Charlie Company, the mess dinner always proves to attract the former members from the woodwork. For that reason the mess dinner always enjoys and health attendance.

While Charlie Company does know how to have fun, the company showed its continued support to the surrounding communities of Acton and Georgetown with its maximum participation in their Remembrance Day ceremonies. As well, during Remembrance Day Sgt Hooper went above and beyond his daily duties and arranged for past and present kit to be at the ar- mories for local school children’s education of Remembrance Day.

Charlie Company is, and always has been, a proud and strong company, with its focus on supporting the Regiment in providing 32 CBG with some of the best trained reserve soldiers for the enhancement of Canada’s combat capability, to serve as the basis of national mobiliza- tion, to respond to emergencies in Canada, to augment the Regular force over-seas and to be the armies link to the local community.

Cpl Shayne Brioux C Coy ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Pipes & Drums Band Message

2011 was again a busy year for the P&D fulfilling our ' footprint in the community ' on behalf of the Regiment and the CF.

April was the Virginia International Military Tattoo and we supplied eight bodies to the composite CF pipe band that was sent there by DND. It was a great cross border experience interacting with several US and UK bands for our people. May was the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll and the pipe band was honoured to perform with the QOR concert band for their Graces.

The Canadian International Military Tattoo was again a top priority. This annual event at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton draws an audience of about 3000 people with two shows on Saturday evening and Sunday matinee. This is the 21 s year that the P&D have been showcased. For 2012 the dates are 23/24 June.

July 1st we were on parade at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton at sunset in a free setting for people to come out and celebrate Canada. The crowd was appreciative as always. July was the annual Kingston Military Tattoo at Fort Henry and we combined with the AS&H to create the P&D segment. A tasking went to one piper to again be part of P&D of the Ceremonial Guard in Ottawa. We hope to put three pipers there in 2012.

The Pipe Band played a Concert in Gage Park with the Brampton Concert Band who called this years evening Salute to Veterans and asked the RSM and several of our recent deployment vets to take the applause from the crowd. They received a standing ovation from well over 600 people.

We will end 2011 with the Remembrance Day Parade in Brampton and then we start the New Year with the annual Robbie Burns Dinner-Dance on Saturday 28 January 2012.

DMaj I. McGibbon CD PMAJ M. Chambers

Air Son Ar Duthchais ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Wild Boars Hockey

Yes that’s right ladies and gents, if you didn’t know by now then now you know! The Lorne Scots has a hockey team! Not only are we “The Famous Lorne Scots”, we (the Wild Boars) can also be known as “The Famous Wild Boars”. While we are a team of gritty and talented hockey players, we wish to remain true to our loyal fans, to not sell out and be watched by the millions who amass the airwaves of CBC on a Saturday night. However, if you look real hard you may be able to catch a game on a Monday night at the Powerade Centre in Brampton Ontario. If you look even harder you can find out just when those games will be 2011/12 Team Roster

played by making your way over to www.truenorthhockey.com . Goalie #1 Cpl Fedor Kutschy

With another year in the record books, another one is well under- Forward #2 Sgt Andrew Harris way, marking the Wild Boars' first long stint in B Division of the Winter Forward #3 MCpl Bryan Cronk True North Hockey - Brampton Men's league. Last season saw the Wild Forward #5 Pte Jean-Pierre Cote Boars begin in B Division for a short amount of time. After consecutive losses, the Wild Boars found their home in the C Division where success Forward #7 MCpl Mark Yataco was achieved! Several wins, few losses and even a couple of ties pushed Forward #8 Lt Russell Cook our Units team into the playoffs with poise for victory! Despite excellent Forward #9 Pte Cameron Vathy-Mazotta play and marked improvement from all players on the team, the Boars Forward #11 Cpl Shayne Brioux were limited to a 2nd place finish and a kindled fire to outperform the Forward #12 Cpl Kyle Pulis years performance in the season to come. Our players have worked hard Forward #13 Sgt Tony Crawford in the off-season with dry land training (on the golf course), a vigorous diet (low-carb beer only) and a lifestyle change (at the cottage) our play- Forward #17 Lt Matt Proulx ers have found marked improvements in their game (not to mention the Forward #20 Sgt Mike Kase addition of several new and talented players to the roster)! The Wild Boars are presently competing in the elusive B Division. Thus far we've Defenseman #4 Cpl Tommy Cronk found early success and are gunning for a 1st place finish this year! Defenseman #15 MCpl Ted Teoh Cpl Defenseman #16 (Ret’d) Matt Bobinski In the midst of the Wild Boars 2010/11 stellar playoff run was the Defenseman #29 CWO Derek Murphy annual trip to the Brockville Rifles hockey tournament. With hopes high from an unbeaten playoff run in league play to date, the Wild Boars hoped to continue this play. With crisp passing and timely scoring the Wild Boars were able to duplicate their performance of league play and qualify for the playoffs in the tournament. The playoffs brought out some gritty play from the Wild Boars in true Lorne Scots fashion. The Wild Boars finished the tournament with a 2 nd overall placing within their division, and secured us an invite to next years tournament.

Your Wild Boars is comprised of many talented players from A company, B company, C company and RHQ. Beyond that, the Wild Boars loyal fan support consists of current and former members of the Lorne Scots, as well as family and friends. So if you’re up for watching a good old fashioned hockey game on a Monday night come on out and show your support and join us in the Powerade Centre Mess afterwards Visit the Team : Monday Nights @ The Powerade Centre food and refreshments. Kennedy Rd South of Steeles in Brampton

Cpl Shayne Brioux True North Hockey Canada C Coy / Forward www.TRUENORTHHOCKEY.com ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Regimental Museum Message

The Regimental Museum has made a number of significant acquisitions this past year. We now have more video clips of parades and other activities going back to the 1930s, from the Bertram family. Howard Wrigglesworth was an officer of the 2nd Battal- ion during the Second World War, and his son has donated a couple of panoramic photos of the Regiment at Niagara-on-the-Lake in the early forties. After putting one of those on the museum website, we've been able to identify some of the people. How- ard's son also gave us, amongst other things, the enormous balmorals or 'cow flaps' that were worn early in the war.

Oscar Stockdale was a Lorne Scot officer who was attached to the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, and went up through Sicily and Italy with them. He took command of "B" Company at the end of 1943, and in December 1944 led a des- perate defence at the Naviglio Canal, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He was taken prisoner at that time, and received the award from King George VI after his re- lease. We had a scroll of appreciation presented to him by the City of Toronto, which we have given to the Hasty P's museum. They much appreciated that.

William Sargent was a young factory labourer during the first World War, when he enlisted in the 126th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, which is perpetuated by The Lorne Scots. He went overseas and served in France, and was promoted to Acting Lance Corporal, before it was discovered that he was under age, and returned to Canada. But he had served long enough to earn the British War Medal, which we now have in our collection.

You can see the Niagara panoramas, the Stockdale material and the Sargent medal - and much more - on the museum website:

www.lornesmuseum.ca

Richard E. Ruggle, Chair, Museum Committee ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT 145 Years of the Lorne Scots

“Air Son ar Duthchais” – “For Our Heritage”

Our Regimental motto reminds us to always remember where we as a Regiment have come from and the deeds done by those who have served before us.

From the 14 th of September 1866, our official birthday, and earlier, to the present day, members have served in peace and wartime, across Canada and around the world. These have been people who have given of their time and especially in wartime, their bodies and lives in service to Canada. From William Chisholm who served through the War of 1812 and Mackenzie’s’ rebellion, to David Lynch Scott who after commanding the 36 th Peel, moved to Saskatchewan and was the first mayor of Regina, helped organise its defence against Riel, was an assistant Crown Attorney at Riel’s’ trial and later was Chief Justice of Alberta, to James Ballantine, who joined the 20 th Halton as a Pte, gave up his Sgts rank to serve in South Africa, went overseas in 1914 as a major, winning the Distinguished Service Order and a Mention in Dispatches and commanding the Halton Rifles in 1920, to Bill Palmer who served in WWI, joined the Peel Regiment in the 1920’s, rose to RSM, was the first RSM of the Lorne Scots, represented the Regiment at the Coronation of King George VI and served overseas throughout World War II at RSM of #1 Infantry Base depot, being awarded an MBE for his service, to Bill Adcock, joined as a Pte following in his fathers foot- steps, rose to RSM, Brigade Sergeant Major, commissioned, served in the Former republic of Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone and became Command- ing Officer as well as CO of the Grey and Simcoe Foresters.

Others have served more quietly, doing their jobs to the best of their ability in order to ensure that the Regiment meets its tasks and commitments. A constant thread is that you don’t have to look very hard to find a Lorne Scot or a Lorne Rifle or a Peel Regiment member or member of the 20 th and 36 th Battalions of Infantry or the Gore Militia or the 2nd Battalion of York Militia at any engagement or operation in Canadian Military History from the War of 1812 to the present.

The detailed history has been written by more skilled historians than me. Look for a copy of “For Our Heritage” by Maj (Ret’d) Ruggle or visit the Wikipedia site on “Lorne Scots” or drop into the museum. However you learn about our history, I hope that you enjoy it, remember it and pass it on to the next generation of the Regiment.

This years’ edition of the Hackle looks at what we have done as a Regiment, adding to our history and what we have done to celebrate the 145 years of service. I hope that you enjoy it. Always remember that your service today will be a part of tomorrow’s history.

J.S. Sherriff Capt

PAGE 16 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

THE BOND BETWEEN THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN AND HALTON REGIMENT) AND THE 48TH. HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA

Both infantry units were Active Militia at the outbreak of World War II. The 48th were mobi- lized. Recruiting was intensive, the Lorne Scots ‘B’ Company in Oakville was ‘raided’, several volunteering to serve with the 48th. Thus the bond was formed between the two Regiments.

To recognize this affiliation Lieutenant Colonel Hammish McIntosh, Commanding Officer of the 48th requested permission to present to The Lorne Scots a Claymore to be carried by each successive Commanding Officer.

This presentation was made at a Change of Command parade in Brampton, Ontario on 15 De- cember 1957. Lieutenant Colonel S.R. Charters was the retiring Commanding Officer accepting the Claymore on behalf of the Regiment. Lieutenant Colonel A. Kemp the incoming Command- ing Officer had the distinct honour of carrying the Claymore on its first parade.

A reciprocal presentation was made to the 48th. on a subsequent Change of Command parade from Lieutenant Colonel McIntosh to Lieutenant Colonel K.C.B. Corbett. Lieutenant Colonel Kemp on behalf of the Lorne Scots presented a Dirk to be worn by each successive Command- ing Officer of the 48th.

Whenever a Change of Command occurs within each unit a representative from that unit is present to assist in the hand over of the Claymore and the Dirk.

This bond is respected and revered by both Regiments.

March 1984

A. Kemp

PAGE 17 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

THE PRIMROSE HACKLE

On the occasion of The Lorne Scots (Peel Dufferin and Halton Regiment) 100th Anniversary Officers’ Mess Dinner. Which was held in the Brampton Armoury on Friday 25 November 1966. In the presence of The Honourable Leo Cadieux, MP - Associate Minister of National De- fence.

The Following milestone in the Regiment’s history took place:

Brigadier Derek Lister, CBE, DSO, MC., Colonel of the Regiment, XX The Lancashire Fusil- iers (Royal Army) came to Brampton as the guest of our Regiment. In his response to the toast ‘The Allied Regiment’ he ended his remarks with the announcement that the Lorne Scots had been granted the honour of wearing the primrose hackle, which was worn in the head gear of XX The Lancashire Fusiliers.

Brigadier Lister requested the honour be given to the Lorne Scots as a token of the Fusiliers regard for the Regiment.

His own Regiment approved, the British Ministry of Defence approved, and finally, 47 minutes before the dinner, word came down that Canada’s Department of National Defence had also approved.

Among the distinguished guests attending the dinner was the serving Lorne Scots Commanding Officer LCol G. Fitzgerald, ED., Col R.V. Conover, VD., LCol F.H. Chisholm, ED., Col J.R. Barber ED CD., LCol S.R. Charters CD., LCol A. Kemp, CD., and LCol E.F. Conover, CD.

At the head table were Brampton Mayor Russell Prouse, Judge E.W. Grant, Education Minister William Davis, Elwood Madill MP., Bruce Beer, MP., Peel County Warden J. Graham and Hal- ton County Warden H. Hinton.

In a token gesture Brigadier Lister fixed a Primrose Hackle in the balmoral of LCol G.M. Fitz- gerald, ED who was the Commanding Officer 1936-1939 of the Lorne Scots (Peel Dufferin and Halton Regiment)

Why did the Lancashire Fusiliers choose Primrose as the Colour of the Hackle? A) Prior to 1 July 1881 the colour of the facings on infantry uniforms in the Royal Army had been a matter for the Colonel of each individual Regiment. The 20th (East Devonshire) Foot was yellow. B) The Cardwell reforms were instituted on 1 July 1881. The Cardwell Reforms gave the Lancashire Fusiliers its title and also ‘rationalized’ the facing colours throughout the infantry. They lost their yellow facings and with the other non Royal Regiments, had to wear white. C) When in 1901, the Lancashire Fusiliers were given Royal permission to wear the hackle they selected Primrose to commemorate the previous facing colour.

“In 1901 the Regiments distinguished service over more than two hundred years, culminating in the gallantry displayed at Spion Kop, was recognised by the grant of the Primrose Hackle to be worn on the left side of the head-dress to de- note an award for war service. At first worn with full dress and the tropical helmet, it was authorized for wear with the blue beret in 1950.”

Quote from “Customs and Practices of XX The Lancashire Fusiliers - 1962” Article 47, Page 31

PAGE 18 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Operations Served by Lorne Scots Around the globe and back again, the Lorne Scots have served here, there, almost everywhere.

OP SNOW GOOSE 1965 - Operation Snow Goose - United Nations Forces in Cyprus (UNIFICYP),

WO Leblanc & Sgt Naughton

OP DANACA 1973 - 1979 Operation Danaca - United Nations Force Middle East (UNEFME) to Egypt

WO Laroque, Sgt Barnes, Sgt Battaglia, MCpl Kerr, MCpl Sawden, MCpl Sherriff, Cpl Atherton, Cpl Edwards, Cpl Hodskins, Cpl Holmes, Cpl Prince-Cox, & Cpl Schneider. OP DANACA 1974 - Operation Danaca - United Nations Disengagement Observation Force (UNDOF) to the Golan Heights WO Laroque, MCpl Robinson & Cpl Barbieri

OP GAMESCAN 1976 Operation GamesCan - Canadian Forces support of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal Lt Corlette, Sgt Ewing

OP MATADOR 1989 - 1990 Operation Matador - United Nations Transition Group (UNTAG) in Namibia Cpl Rutland

OP HARMONY, OP CAVALIER, OP PALLADIUM, OP BRONZE & OP BOREAS 1992 - Operation Harmony & Operation Cavalier - United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) to the Former Yugoslavia Operation Palladium & Operation Bronze - NATO Implementation Force (IFOR) & NATO Stabilization Force (SFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina Operation Boreas - The European Union Force (EURFOR) in the Balkans. LCol Adcock, Maj Orange, Capt Betts, CWO Dalziel, WO Colter, WO McKelvey, Sgt Biber, Sgt Embleton-Forrest, Sgt Heslop, Sgt Kase, Sgt Lorimer, Sgt Lukasik, Sgt Naughton, Sgt Waechter, MCpl Colbeck, MCpl Fallowfield, MCpl Garceau, MCpl Hooper, MCpl Lemieux, MCpl C Mackay, MCpl Mihalik, MCpl Robertson, MCpl Wooller, Cpl Banks, Cpl Daignault, Cpl Grant, Cpl Guy, Cpl Helliwell, Cpl Herder, Cpl Hubbard, Cpl Malone, Cpl Marsh, Cpl Perron, Cpl Romita, Cpl Schmidt, Cpl Uleryk, Cpl Walter, Cpl Weschka, Cpl White & Pte Coleman OP MARQUIS 1992 - 1993 Operation Marquis - United Nations Transition Authority (UNTAC) in Cambodia WO Hiscock, MCpl Mahood OP RECUPERATION 1998 Operation Recuperation - Providing disaster relief to Eastern Ontario & Western Quebec after a massive Ice Storm wrecked havoc in the area leaving 1 million Canadian homes without electricity Capt Betts, Sgt Embelton-Forrest, Sgt Lorimer, Pte Cassey & Pte Kase

OP SCULPTURE 2000 - Operation Sculpture - Canada’s contribution to the British Led international Military Advisory and Training Initiative in the Republic of Sierra Leone WO Laroque, MCpl Robinson & Cpl Barbieri JOINT TASK FORCE AFGHANISTAN 2001 - Operation Athena - Canada’s Military Contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan Operation Archer - Canada’s Participation in the Afghanistan Phase of Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom - United States Mission to support the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghani- stan Capt Dalziel, Capt Ruggle, Lt Cook, WO Diotte, Sgt Brett, Sgt Fallowfield, Sgt Kase, Sgt O’Brien, Sgt Robertson, Sgt Scott, MCpl Boreczek, MCpl C Brown, MCpl Campbell, MCpl Chu, MCpl Gilhooly, MCpl Gomes, MCpl Monteith, MCpl Muir, MCpl Summerfield, MCpl Taylor, MCpl Turner, MCpl Wiafe, Cpl Adams, Cpl Banks, Cpl Barbieri, Cpl Bostock, Cpl Candido, Cpl Denty, Cpl Haase, Cpl Hornell, Cpl Katona-Smith, Cpl Mackay, Cpl Montague, Cpl Perron, Cpl Ritch, Cpl Schavo, Cpl J Smith, Cpl Strudwick, Cpl Varga, Cpl Vasquez, Cpl Westwood, Cpl Wilson, & Cpl Zuck.

OP SAFARI 2006 Operation Safari - Task Force Sudan, United Nations Mission Observer (UNMO) in Sudan

Capt Federico

OP NANOOK 2007 - Operation Nanook - Demonstrating Canada’s Presence and Sovereignty in Canada’s Arctic

Lt Proulx, Sgt Roper, MCpl Banks, MCpl Reider, MCpl Teoh, Cpl S Cronk, Cpl Dao, Cpl Kutchy, Cpl Sarcevic, Cpl Sine, Cpl Suagh, Cpl Warner, Pte Gow, Pte B Lemire, & Pte Scarcello OP CADENCE June 2010 Operation Cadence, Task Force Toronto - The Canadian Forces supported the RCMP-Led Security Unit securing the G8 and G20 Leaders Summits in Huntsville, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario

MWO McKelvey, Sgt Roper, Sgt Monteith, Sgt Kelly, MCpl Banks, MCpl Sop, MCpl M Yataco, Cpl Assuncao, Cpl K Brown, Cpl Crispin, Cpl S Cronk, Cpl Dao, Cpl Leupolt, Cpl Pitcher, Cpl Suagh, Cpl Warner, Cpl Varga, Cpl Walker, Pte Connaugh- ton, Pte Sine, & Pte Quirk ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Our Allied Regiment

As we celebrate our 145th anniversary, as one of Can- ada’s oldest Regiments, we must also pay tribute to our Al- lied Regiment, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who are celebrating their 423rd Anniversary this year.

On 5 November 1688, the Regiment known as Pey- ton’s Own was formed. The Regiment was sent into battle almost immediately at the Battle of Boyne (1 July 1690), followed by the Capture of Athlone and the Siege of Lim- erick (1691) in Ireland. The Regiment was stationed at Gi- braltar between 1713 and 1728 and was involved in the un- successful Spanish Siege 1727-1728. The Regiment continued to serve in the Battle of Dettingen (1743), the Battle of Fontenoy (1745) and the Battle of Culloden in Scotland against Prince Charlie (16 April 1746).

In 1751, the Regiment became known as the 20th of Foot. During the 7 Years War (1756-1763), the Regiment distinguished itself at the Battle of Minden and was given the Laurel Wreath on their Colours. In 1759 they fought on the Plains of Abraham outside Quebec City in the battle which won North America for Britain. They were also involved in the American War of Independence in 1775. In 1782, they changed their name to the 20th East Devon Regiment of Foot and were based in Exter.

In 1801, they fought Napoleons Army in Egypt, followed by the 1806 victory over Napoleons Army at the Battle of Maida. They fought in the Peninsula War (1808-1814) and won Battle Honours for Vimiera and Rolica. They fought America in 1814 and won the Battle of Bladensberg. They fought in the Crimean War in 1854-1855. And helped to relieve the Siege of the Residency of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny.

In 1898, 20th was renamed the 20th Lancashire Fusil- iers and were posted to the Wellington Barracks in Bury. In 1898 they formed part of the Force that relieved Khartoum and fought in the Battle of Omdurman. During the Boer War (1899-1902), the Regiment fought in the Battle of Spion Kop and the Relief of Ladysmith, they were awarded the Red Rose and the Primrose Hackle now worn by the Lorne Scots. Their Motto “Omnia Audax” (daring in all things) was granted and in 1929 they allied themselves with the Peel Regiment. The Lancashire Fusilier Cap badge (left).

PAGE 21 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT In 1914, the 20th formed the 4th Battalion of the British Expeditionary Force, the first force to enter France against the Germans. On 24 April 1915, during the Gallipoli Campaign, they took W Beach and 6 Victoria Cross’s were awarded to men chosen by their comrades, coining the phrase “Six VC’s before Breakfast”. The Regiment fought again in World War II at the Battle of Monte Cassino (May 1943) and the D Day Land- ings (June 1944) with the successful attack on Villers-Bocage. In July 1944, while in Burma the Lancashire Fusiliers found their mascot ‘Minnie’. After the war, the Regi- ment continued operations in the Suez Canal (1951) and the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya (1952).

On April 23rd 1968, the Lancashire Fusiliers joined the Northum- berland Fusiliers, the Royal Warwick Fusiliers and the Royal Fusiliers to form the current Regiment known as the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The Royal Regiment of Fusilier (RRF) Capbadge (right). Since then the Regiment has been to Ireland, Germany, and Gibraltar. The 2nd Battal- ion fought in the Falklands Conflict (1983-1984) then moved to Cyprus. The 3rd Battalion fought in the Gulf War (1990-1992) until the Battal- ion was disbanded in 1992. 1st Battalion took part in Peacekeeping Op- erations in Bosnia from 1995-1996.

Today, the Fusiliers (both Regular and Territorial Army) have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They continue to meet the needs of Crown and are ready to deploy any- where. The Regiment is Headquartered in the Tower of London (left) while 1st Battalion (Armoured Infantry) is based in Tidworth, 2nd Battalion (Light Infantry) is based in Celle in Gremany, and the 5th Battalion (Territorial Army) is based in Durham, Newcastle and Ashington.

Their distinctive Red & White Hackle is worn by all ranks of the Regiment and was handed down from the Northumberland Fusiliers which was awarded for their victory over the French in the Battle of St. Lucia in 1778. The White Hackles were removed from the French dead by the Fusil- iers. In 1829 King William IV ordered the white plume to be worn by all line infantry Regiments, and in order not to take away from the Fifth (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot's battle honour, their plume was distinguished with a red tip making the plume red over white. A Fusilier Presents Arms wearing the Red & White Hackle with Red Rose on St. Georges Day (right).

Omnia Audax

Cpl Banks

PAGE 22 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Service to the Nation Gala

Honouring and celebrating was the purpose of the Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin & Halton Regt.) Gala, "SERVICE TO THE NATION GALA" held May 7 th 2011 at the beautiful Pearson Centre in Brampton. The Patrons for the evening were Their Graces, the Duke and Duchess of Argyll.

A little history would be in order at this point. The Lorne Scots Association and the Lorne Scots Senate wanted to hold an event that would honour our veterans and celebrate the 145 th Anniversary of the Regiment and the 130 th Anniversary of the formation of the Lorne Scots Pipes and Drums.

It was decided that a gala would take place and the former CO and President of the Lorne Scots Associa- tion, LCol Bill Adcock, was made Chair of the event. RSM Derek Murphy, Treasurer of the Association, Ian Kirkwood and the former Honorary Colonel, John McDermid, backed him up. Many others aided in the event and Scott Ching was hired to be the "wagon master" for the event.

The evening was designed as a fundraiser for the Lorne Scots Trust and the John McDermott Founda- tion, monies to go to the Veterans wing at the Sunny- brook Hospital. The Gala was a huge success. When you arrived at the Pearson Centre, you knew immediately you were going to have a fabulous evening. A warm welcome was given to all at the entrance and a grand reception took place in the lobby, together with historical displays from the Regiment's Museum.

Our guests of Honour, The Duke and Duchess of Argyll, Torquil Ian Campbell and Eleanor Campbell, min- gled with guests and met some special guests such as The Mayor of Caledon, Marilyn Morrison: The Honourable Tony Clement, the Federal Minister of Industry and his wife Lynne Golding: The Honorary Colonel of the Army, Col. Blake Goldring and his wife Belinda: Commander of 32 Brigade, Col Julien Chapman and his wife Wendy.

Before the banquet, the Duke of Argyll brought greetings and talked about his family's connection with the Regiment. Resplendent in his Chief of Clan Campbell kilt and jacket he thanked the Regiment for the invitation and the warm welcome they were afforded on their arrival to Can- ada a magnificent meal, and then the purpose of the evening. The MC., Colonel the Hononarable John McDermid introduced the Pipes and Drums to entertain along with the Regimental Band

PAGE 23 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT and Bugles of the Queen's Own Regiment. Chair- man, LCol Bill Adcock welcomed the guests and paid a tribute to the Regiment and our Veterans in words and pictures. Maj Thomas Ruggle then presented "The Soldiers Thank You" and gave the Toast to Fallen Comrades.

The attendees were then entertained by The Stage Students from the Music Theatre Performance Program at Sheridan College under the Direction of Greg Andrews with their GLEE LIVE. The students provided an exciting singing and dancing performance that had the toes tapping and the hands clapping.

Then the Canadian super-star, John McDermott with his band, entertained singing many of his Celtic songs and his song written for the Afghanistan Veter- ans, "Bringing Billy Home".

The scene with Mess Kits, uniforms, ladies turned out in their finest attire, brought back memories of the Lorne Scots Ball of years ago. Although we didn't raise as much money as we had hoped, both the Lorne Scots Senate and John McDermott's Foundation did receive the proceeds of the evening.

I would be remiss if I didn't thank HonCol Gary Reamey and his company Edward Jones for their sponsorship of the evening. The other company that gave a great deal of money so many of our troops could attend the evening was WalMart. Our sincere thanks to them because if we didn't have there support, the evening would not have been possible.

It was a grand evening and a fitting tribute to our Veterans and a celebration of the anniversaries of the Regiment and the Pipes and Drums.

Colonel (Ret'd) the Honorable John H. McDermid, P.C. Regimental Association

Photos Courtesy of Ken Hay Photography

PAGE 24 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Lorne Scots Reunion Weekend

The Lorne Scots held a reunion June 10 to 12 as part of the celebrations of the 145 th anniversary of the Regi- ment. Registration began on Friday evening at the Georgetown Armoury where a pub night was also held. On Sat- urday, the unit held a Drum Head Service at the Georgetown Fairgrounds as part of the Georgetown Highland Games and Scottish Festival. Being part of the Highland Games was very fitting as our own Major (Ret’d) Jack Harrison was the 2011 Honorary Chieftan for the Highland Games. The unit had approximately 60 veterans from Afghanistan and 120 soldiers on parade. As part of the parade, members of the Regimental Association were also on parade. The association members looked very smart but were lacking in numbers. Following the Drum Head Service, the unit returned to the Georgetown Armoury for a Change of Honorary Colonel. Honorary Colonel John McDermid passed over his Regimental duties to Honorary Colonel Gary Reamey. On the Saturday evening the unit had a Regimental barbeque. Sunday morning had the celebrations move to the Brampton Armoury for a pancake breakfast and the Annual Regimental Association Meeting. At the meeting, the Regimental Association President LCol (Ret’d) Bill Adcock recognized Col (Ret’d) Ken Garbutt from Regina Saskatchewan , CWO (Ret’d) Bill Herron from Truro Nova Scotia, and MWO (Ret’d) Sharon Steed from Ottawa who travelled a long distance to attend the celebrations . It was a great opportunity to renew old friendships and meet new ones.

In 2016, it will be the 150 th anniversary of the Regiment and we would like to have another reunion. The biggest and best one yet. Pass the word and help us make contact with as many former members as possible.

LCol (retired) Bill Adcock President of the Association

PAGE 25 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT The Duke and Duchess of Argyll

As his grandfather and father had done before, the Duke of Argyll, Torquil Ian Campbell, along st rd with his wife the Duchess, Eleanor visited the Regiment May 1 to the 3 2011 .

After the former Honorary Colonel, John McDermid met Their Graces at the airport they were taken to a "Meet and Greet" at the Devil's Paintbrush. They met former Commanding Officers, the Honor- ary Colonel, members of the Lorne Scots Association executive, the Drum and Pipe Majors, and their significant others. It was an opportunity for everyone to meet and chat with Their Graces in an informal gathering.

On Saturday, the Duke and Duchess visited Toronto and saw lots of sights that some of us take for granted. That evening, there were the Patrons for the "Service to the Nation Gala" at the Pearson Centre and where the Duke spoke on his families' relationship with the Regiment.

On Sunday, at Their Graces request, they visited Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake with HCol McDermid and his lady Joan. They got soaked on the Maid of the Mist boat tour and visited the falls and enjoyed lunch overlooking the falls. Af- ter a whirlwind visit to Niagara-on-the Lake they ended their day at dinner in Brampton at the Turnberry Golf Club.

Early the next morning, they flew back to England, tired but happy to have visited with the Regi- ment. And an excerpt from their letter says it all: "It was a great honour to be asked to come and visit the Regiment and I hope that I will have other opportunities to do so in the future. It was a pleasure to meet so many of the people who are both present and serving and of course the retired". His Grace is the 13 th Duke of Argyll and his grandfather and father had both visited the Regiment but this was his first visit. The Lorne Scots wear the Campbell Tartan, the Boars Head and the Galley of Lorne on their leather sporns and the Regimental Pennant. All this is made possible by the permission of the Duke of Argyll.

The Regiment's affiliation with the Campbell family goes back to Canada's fourth Governor General, John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne who was married to the Duch- ess of Argyll, Princess Louise Caroline Albert, Daughter of Queen Victoria. The Province of Alberta and Lake Louise were named after the Princess. When the Governor General inspected the troops, the Commanding Officer of the day was looking to increase recruitment and thought using the Scottish connection might encourage many to join the Regi- ment. Permission was given to use the name Lorne in the 20 th Halton Rifles name. Since then, the Regiment has been proud to wear the Campbell Tartan throughout its history. The Regiment is pleased that the current Duke of Argyll is carrying on the family tradition of visiting the Regiment and reaffirming the family's permission to carry on with our traditions.

Colonel (Ret'd) the Honorable John H. McDermid, P.C. Regimental Association

PAGE 26 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Hot, Dry & Dusty: Exercise Maple Defender 2011

On 19 August some 40 members of the Regiment assembled in order to participate in Ex Ma- ple Defender 2011 at the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC) located at CFB Wainwright. For ten days we took part in what is effectively best described as a massive game of laser-tag involving over 500 active participants in a force-on-force exercise against a reactive and dynamic enemy force with TTP’s based on a “Contemporary Operating Environment” or COEFOR for short.

While at CMTC we utilized the Weapons Effects System (WES) which electronically replicates the effects of individual weapons systems ranging from the C7A2 rifle and vehicle mounted guns, right up to and including indirect artillery fire – in other words it’s like MILES gear on steroids. An- other highlight of the exercise was the debut of the new C9A2 at the Reserve level, featuring its col- lapsible/folding stock, fore-grip and new shortened heavy barrel.

The majority of the attending Lorne’s formed a platoon and together with a platoon from the Royal Regiment of Canada and Queens Own Rifles, made-up Alpha Company – with members of the Regiment holding various key positions within the Company and at the TF level. The focus of the training was primarily aimed at the platoon within a company context and focused on conven- tional war fighting with a mix of modern threats in the form of armed militias, rebel forces, the uncer- tainty caused by civilians in the battle space and various forms of IED threats, all while operating in an urban or otherwise complex environment. Another key objective of the exercise was practicing the treatment of/and extraction of wounded and VSA’s(Vital Signs Absent) – this was aided through the use of WES which assigns injuries ranging from minor shrapnel or gunshot wounds right up to amputations and outright VSA’s when an individual is shot or hit with a laser from the opposing forces weaponry.

Another added benefit of the WES system is that it allows soldiers and leaders to see first- hand in real time, what works, and what doesn’t in terms of drills and tactics. It served as an excellent tool reinforcing the effectiveness of our drills when conducted properly and harshly illustrated the consequences when they are not – as was seen when a platoon of 25 Royals sustained 17 VSA casualties during an attack on a fixed enemy position through the enemy’s use of enfilade and inter- locking machine gun arcs.

The exercise quickly transitioned to company level operations including a bridge assault, and a raid against an enemy Anti-Tank platoon entrenched on a high feature along a MSR, and culmi- nated in a battalion level attack on the final objective – a sprawling mountain village.

Despite hiccups caused by various administrative, logistical and transport related issues (aircraft delays upwards of 8 hours, no water at the main camp, etc) at the highest levels beyond the control of any of us, the exercise was a tremendous success and an outstanding learning opportunity right from the basic soldiering level right up through the various levels of leadership. The lessons learned will surely resonate for those who attended and will serve at advancing the level of upcoming training as we move forward.

Sgt M Boreczek B Coy

PAGE 27 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Rugged Outdoors Group Activity Involving Navigation & Endurance (ROGAINE)

September 9 th – 11 th . The Lorne Scots of A, B and C Cy went to Quebec to participate in the An- nual Rogaine Adventure Challenge. The unit departed from B Coy around noon on Friday the 9 th , and started our nine hour trip to get to our destination. The trip was long and after watching all three family guy Star Wars movies we arrived at Morin heights ski resorts at 9 o’clock at night deep within the mountains of Quebec.

We were broken up into our teams which comprised of Officers, Sergeants, Master Corporals, Corporals and Privates for our upcoming event in the morning and get settled into our cabins for the night. In the morning we woke up for six and got ready for the upcoming competition. We had a little trou- ble when the bus driver tried to make a three point turn with a full length coach bus on a narrow two way street and the outcome of that was the one of the bus wheels making a nice pot hole and blocking the entire road. When efforts of trying to push the bus out of the pot hole failed terribly they called CAA and we filled onto the few trucks we brought with us and drove to mountain top. When we arrived at the starting point, we saw our competition comprised of civilians. And they showed up to win, wearing spandex, running shoes and very little on their back, while the Lorne Scots were wearing our cadpat, boots and small packs.

Everyone formed around a cabin and we were explained the rules of the race. Each team has eight hours to reach as many objectives as they can in the time, they can take any route they wish, but when the time runs out for each minute late you get docked 10 points. Each team was given 10 minutes to map out the route they were planning on taking. When the horn sounded each team went in opposite directions and we had 8 hours to collect as many points as we possibly could. It was in the mountains of Quebec high hill tops and a lot of thick brush to walk through, fallen trees, and dangerous hills if fallen down. The eight hours went by slowly and my team covered a lot of ground and enjoyed hiking through the dense forest. As the competition was coming to an end more and more teams were coming into the finish point tired and sore. Everyone got to eat a hot bowl of soup, fresh baked buns, as much water as we could drink, and rest up for the closing ceremonies to determine the winners of the race.

Unfortunately the Lorne Scots did not obtain the best scoring positions; we were greatly out matched by the civilian competitors and we took up all the least scoring positions but we still showed up and put up a good fight. My team scored second of the Lorne Scots coming 15 out of the 20. There was a raffle at the end, you got your number called and you could choose from t-shirts, to water bottles, and toques. After the race and the closing ceremonies ended, the bus was pulled from its dirt grave, and met us at the bottom of the hill. We headed back to the ski resort and sat around a big camp fire eating bar- bequed steak and potatoes, and talked about our epic stories and the experiences. The next morning we cleaned up the cabins which were extremely nice and got ready for the nine hour bus drive back home. Overall, the challenge was a good experience and tested our ability as soldiers to navigate through thick terrain we might not have won the challenge but we improved our skills as soldiers for navigation.

Pte S McNeil B Coy

PAGE 28 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Exercise Bayonet

The Commanding Officer, LCol Phelps and I were privileged to attend Exercise Bayonet 2011 in Victoria, British Colum- bia. Exercise Bayonet is a three day conference which combines The Canadian Infantry Corps Conference and the Cana- dian Infantry Association Conference. All infantry units are represented to discuss key issues relating to the current state and future of the infantry corps.

A key presentation at this year’s conference was provided by staff from Directorate of Land Requirements (DLR). Specifi- cally, they discussed the “Soldier Systems Concept”. The goal of the Soldier Systems Concept is to have a technologically superior, lightweight, mission configurable, fully integrated & interoperable, multi-function Soldier System that increases operational effectiveness. It’s aim is the integration of everything the soldier wears, carries and consumes for enhanced individual and collective (small unit) capability.

DLR briefed us on its current active projects, which were:

Small Arms Modernisation (SAM) Project (2012-2020); Clothe the Soldier (CVCMH, CBRN Overboot, LOTB); Close Area Suppression Weapon (C-16 40mm AGL); Enhanced Crew Protection Ensemble (Nape Protector); Close Combat Modular Fighting Rig (CCMFR); Personal Safety Cutter; Hybrid Shirt; Unit STANO – MNVG/LAD, HHTI & Thermal Weapon Sights (TWS); Integrated Soldier System Project (ISSP); Sniper Systems Project; Soldier System Technology Roadmap (SSTRM); and Parachute Replacement.

The Small Arms Modernization (SAM) project: Replace pistol, .50” HMG & Ranger Rifle C7 & C8 - Improvements to: Rail system, rear sling attachment, cocking handle, back up sight, camouflage system; Possible power rail & battery system

C6 - Improvements to: night vision attachment system, rail system, SF kit

Weapon Accessories Slings, magazines: soft C6 & C9, plastic C7, C6 & C9 ammunition carriage system, new tactical flashlights (AA batteries & non-lethal flash effect), lightweight laser aiming devices, cleaning kits, more collimators, 5.56mm suppressors (specialists)

Weapon Sights Combined close quarter and magnified sight, new reticle? Sharpshooter Capability

Reduced weight Ammunition: Steel cartridge (20% weight saving), New bullet (possible)

Starting in June 2011with 1 and 3 RCR, Most major units Identify/confirm problems as seen at all levels – Soldier/Junior NCO/ Senior NCO/ Commanders Aim is to identify what needs fixing and what does not

Land Operation Temperate Boot

Requirement completely re-written to include comments and lessons learned from operations; BROWN color; IR coating; Decreased WEIGHT; Operational service-life of 180 days; User-Acceptance trial planned for Sep to Nov 11; Expected Contract Award end 2011; 1st deliveries likely Spring 2012. ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Improved Combat Uniform (ICU)

The most radical combat uniform change since the 1950s; Approx 17 changes based on recent operational feedback and identified deficiencies; and Camouflage remains CADPAT.

Changes Include: Mandarin Collar; Flat Chest Pockets; Pockets: Arms + pen pockets on sleeves; Velcro attachment on sleeve cuffs; No more draw strings; Better fit; and Integrated kneepads

Modular Fighting Rig

March 2011 TAV collected user feedback on System “A” MFR from TF 3-10, overwhelmingly positive

Oct 2011 TAV will collect user feedback on System “B” MFR from TF 1-11, initial feedback is positive

Way Ahead: Proceed with a Capital Project to field this improved capability.

Expected Timeline: Initial deliveries should be in FY 13/14.

Close Area Suppression Weapon (C-16 40mm AGL)

84MM Carl Gustaf Upgrade Project

The Canadian Infantry Corps is strong and continues to grow stronger. Through the expenditure of both blood and treasure we have learned valuable experience in Afghanistan and other small missions around the world. Through endeavours such as Exercise Bayonet and the work being done at DLR we will strive to ensure that the experience we have gained is not lost or squandered.

Capt R Ryan OPS O ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT The Sahara Race

250km + great people + (sand) 3 + heat + wind - showers - clean clothes - toilet = an extremely rewarding experience

This spring I began to look around for a special running event to celebrate my upcoming 50th birthday. I was looking for something completely out the ordinary. I’d run a few marathons and needed a bigger challenge. Around the same time my running friend Hank sent me an email about a race he was interested in and he wanted to know if I would go with him. The event was the Sahara Race which is part of the 4 Deserts series (www.4deserts.com) and was taking place in October 2011. It was so bad-ass I wondered if I could do it. It's a 7-day self- supported 250km footrace through the Sahara De- sert in Egypt. Temperatures can reach 50C and I was required to carry everything including a mini- mum of 14,000 calories food and other supplies on my back. The only thing they provided was water and a spot in a tent and the water was to be used for consumption only. The first four stages would be the easy ones. It was a marathon (39-44km) each day across the sand for four days. Stage 5 over two days would be a double marathon (86km) that had a cut-off time of 27 hours. Stage 6 (day 7) was a leisurely 2km ceremonial run around the pyramids to the finish where we would get our medals along with pizza and cold beer. I thought about it for a few days and told Hank that I would join him on the adventure. This set the ball in motion on a five month process of training, research/purchasing of food and equipment and even some sewing. I also tried to learn everything I could about foot care and running a stage race in the desert. I had to get clearance from my doctor, get vaccinations, get a passport, book flights and submit numerous pieces of documentation to the race officials. Training consisted of many 20-35km long runs with a 20 lb pack. I did some 50km and a 56km trail runs in June and July although I didn't carry a heavy pack on those. As the months counted down to weeks I gradually assembled the pile of stuff I had to take. I spent a few nervous weeks before double checking that I had not forgotten anything and trying to pack the required and optional equipment into the pack.

The big day came and I headed for Cairo on September 29 for arrival the next day. I made it there six hours late and spent a frantic hour in the bathroom at 11pm re-packing everything for the kit inspection early the next morning. My kit checked-out fine and weighed-in at 10.5 kg (2.5kg of water not included) and after some more administration we boarded the busses for a police-escorted four hour ride south to the first camp. The race would start at 0700 the next morning. Our tent had two young women and seven older men from Canada, the US, Britain and Australia and we had a great time right from the start. Everybody was highly motivated. They told us in Cairo to take it easy on the first day because this was new to most of us. The countdown started and we were off. Checkpoints (CP’s) were every 10km or so and my plan was to run to the 2nd CP to beat the heat and then decide what to do next. By the time I got to the 2nd CP before 1000 the temperature was already in the mid-30's. I ran as much as I could but the heat was almost unbearable. At the 3rd CP it was well above 40C and I was reduced to mostly fast walking in the scorching sun. The final leg to the 4th and final CP (and the new camp) was very hard due to exhaustion, soft sand, heat and a huge sandy hill to climb. At times I could barely put one foot in front of the other. I was all by myself most of the time and spent the time talking to my shadow. It was great to finally see the camp. They saw me, started beating the drum and I summoned enough resources to run to the finish while a few others yelled my name to encourage me. I had just run my first marathon over the sand and hills and it took 5.5 hours. I was spent and that was supposed to be the easy day as it was only 39km and each leg was classed as moderate

PAGE 31 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT difficulty. I'd have to repeat the process for three more days over longer distances and more difficult terrain then do a double marathon on the 5th day. I don't remember how I placed on that first stage but it was better than I planned and got me thinking that I was good at this and I should try to keep it going. By Stage 3 I had met up again (we shared a taxi to the Cairo hotel) with 29-year old Sgt Victoria Blackburn who is a PT instructor in the British Armed Forces. We had similar abilities and she was never far from me once I spent the 1-2 hours to catch up to her each morning. She called me an old man and I told her I wasn't going to be beaten by a girl and the race was on. We chased each other for nearly 200km and she was never far behind me at the end of a stage. Stages 2-4 would be much harder than the first due to exhaustion, distance, difficulty, heat, and worsening feet but after Stage 4 I was in 23rd place overall out of 150. Each day my confidence was greater and I saw each day as a great challenge to be conquered and great landscapes to be wit- nessed. My toes were gradually getting blistered despite my close daily attention but luckily I had no blisters on the bottom of my feet so I could run with little discomfort. I think I only managed a few hours of sleep each night in the cramped tent (the wind blew sand in too) but it didn't seem to matter. It was all forgotten when the run started each day.

Stage 5 was the day of reckoning with an 86km run over many difficult legs and would last into the darkness for all but the elite runners and into the next morning for many of the slower competitors. I had never run that distance before so it was a big leap into the unknown for me. I started out my usual way by running the first 20km as fast as I could to get some distance behind me before it got too hot. At the 20km point we entered the Valley of the Whales outdoor UNESCO site that had 30-million year-old whale skeletons on an ancient ocean floor. I paused briefly to explore but the race clock was ticking so I had to keep going. It was futile to run in the afternoon due to a 50-60km/h headwind so I power-walked for 20km. In the late afternoon it was back to running and I finished the day just before 2200 after nearly 15 hours running/walking including almost four hours through the dark silent desert. I finished in 23 rd place in the stage and was elated. Before heading back to my tent I waited for Sgt Blackburn, as I always did, who was not far behind and she held on to win the women's title. I managed to hang on to my 23rd overall placing with a total time of 40h18m and was only 16 minutes out of 22 nd place. This far exceeded my original expectations and was good considering all time spent exploring and taking hundreds of pictures along the way. Each day was the same: I spent 90% of the time by myself in the silent desert, saw runners as specks way ahead of me, and spent many of the later hours looking over my shoulder to see if anyone was gaining on me (usually it was Sgt Blackburn). The only sounds I heard were my feet on the ground or the wind whistling over my water bottles. After the long day we had a rest day before boarding the busses for the trip north to the pyramids in Giza where we did a quick 2km run around the pyramids finishing at the ceremonial finish line followed by pizza and cold beer. After that we returned to our posh hotel to hit the showers, bars and swimming pools followed by a dinner for all the competitors. Most people left the next day for either their homes all over the world or to spend time with their families on extended vacations.

I was very nervous in the few weeks before but once I got going I was having a great time. It challenged me physically and mentally like I've never been challenged before. Before I went I thought it was just about running 250km through the desert but to my delight it was much more than that. It was the incredible landscapes, common suffering, camaraderie between tent mates, other competitors, organizers, medical staff and the support crew all while living under very austere conditions which made this a truly unique experience. I will definitely try to do another one someday.

Sgt S Stewart B Coy PAGE 32 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT CIOR

CIOR; the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers, I had no idea what this was or even heard of it until this year. They only just opened this Military Competition (MILCOMP) to all ranks in 2010. The competition this year was held in Warsaw, Poland. They required a female team of three and one substitute.

It all started with the tryouts in May 2011 in CFB Borden. It consisted of a series of physical testing. The testing was comprised of an 8km run, 800 sprint, 50m swim, push ups, sit ups and chin ups. Later on that week we did some shooting and navigation but it was our fitness level that counted the most. We started with nine females, and then dropped to five after the selection week and later on we gained another member to train. For a long two months of training knowing that only four out of the six of us were getting chosen kept us on our toes. During the training each day was something different that corresponded with the activities for the competition.

Some days were long others short and some were hot and sometimes cold. No matter what we always managed to push through, we grew stronger as individuals and closer as friends. There was one unfortunate event that occurred and I would like to take a moment and talk about her. Her name was Julie Farmer and she was a valuable member to us and a good friend; she was strong, independent and skillful. We were practising some techniques on the confidence course and while coming down the ropes she lost her grip and fell. Everyone reacted quickly to her aid and she was sent to hospital having broken a few places in her back, but she is well on her way to recovery. Everyone wishes her all the best and hopes she will return. I would not expect anything less from her but greatness. I would also like to mention Cpl Quiroz M., she unfortunately did not make the team but was a pleasure to work with and showed very high standards of skill About a week before the end of training our staff told us who they were taking, the tension was pretty high and before we knew it we were all on a plane to Poland for two weeks. I can’t say I have ever been there before, so I was pretty excited.

The members of the team were MCpl Born J., MCpl Crispin J., Cpl Hill M., and Pte Boutin J. The actual competition was only three days. The rest of the time we got a chance to tour the cities, interact with all the teams from other countries, and we had the opportunity to practice all the activities before- hand, just to gain an idea of expectations. The competition tested and challenged our infantry skills (i.e. physical fitness, teamwork, land navigation, marksmanship, combat first aid, and Law of Armed Conflict knowledge). The MILCOMP was divided into the following events; Pistol and Rifle shooting- targets are placed 200m from firing line, involves precision and rapid fire, Obstacle Course- a 500m track with 20 demanding obstacles, Utility Swimming- a 50m water course with 5 demanding obstacles and Military Orientation March- a 12-14km cross country course on unknown terrain, using only mag- netic compass and various maps. There were other minor testing conducted in addition to, we were to complete a written test on LOAC, control a first aid scenario and throw grenades at different targets. Our team came in fourth place overall, which is good considering this was our first year being part of this and working together. I would highly recommend anyone to take advantage of this opportunity. It was definitely one of my better experiences within my military career. I will never forget my time in Poland, it was worth the pain and hard work. The CIOR/ MILCOMP is going to be held in Denmark for 2012.

MCpl J Crispin B Coy

PAGE 33 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Situational Awareness : What you need to know

What is JROC? The Regional Joint Operations Centre is the nerve centre of the CF in Ontario. Staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it receives regular SITREPS and alerts from other CF commands (including Expeditionary Command) as well as neighbouring federal and provincial agencies. It monitors any prospective emergency within the province as well as in our neighbours to the west, east and south — emergencies ranging from epidemics to terrorism. The RJOC is linked closely to the province's own Emergency Management Office. The centre is "joint" because it includes personnel from all arms of the CF. The CF does not, of course, decide on its own to deploy in the face of a natural disaster. We can only respond to a request from federal or provincial authorities. Based on the effect that the province or lead federal agency wants, the CF will tailor the response to create that effect. In an emergency, the Commander of LFCA assumes the role of Commander, Joint Task Force Central, and in that capacity can direct naval and air assets. It is the RJOC, for example, that controlled the military aspect of the evacuation of northern communities threatened by forest fire. And because it has such compre- hensive communications and command channels, high-profile events like Royal Visits are also coordinated from the RJOC. For all of these reasons, the centre is firmly secure, physically and electronically. It is because of the presence of the RJOC that no cell phones or other electronic emitters are allowed on the second or third floors of Denison Armoury.

32 CBG Restructuring

32 Canadian Brigade Group, Parent Unit of the Lorne Scots (PD&H), which was originally formed 1 April 1997 after a major restructuring of the Canadian Army, is changing once more.

Cutting to the Chase: The Grey & Simcoe Foresters will be leaving 32CBG and reform with 31CBG. On our side, 32CBG will gain the Lincoln & Welland Regiment and the 56 Field Artillery out of Brantford.

The Reasons? The relationships between CANCOM (Canada Command) and USNORCOM (US Northern Command) demanded a more unified front to respond to cross border emergencies. The restructuring will allow formations on both side of the border to form relationships with the formations on the other side in which they would work with, if deployed. The US National Guard will deal with several Canadian Brigade Groups, 32 CBG will face Western New York State and establish relations with units there.

The Guns: Each Canadian Brigade Group will have 2 Artillery Regiments, in 32CBG we will have 7 Toronto and 56 Field while 31CBG will have 11 Field out of Guelph and 49 Field out of Suite Ste. Marie

The Americans: 32CBG has begun forming relations with 56 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, aka the Independence Brigade , headquartered in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. The Lorne Scots are leading the Brigade on forming these relations which will culminate into future joint US-Canada exercises on both sides of the border.

The Foresters: We are sad to lose the G&SF from the brigade, but our close proximity will keep us in touch with the many friendships between the Lorne Scots and the G&SF. It still remains to be seen if the G&SF will continue their task of leading the ARC(G) (Arctic Response Company Group), however the future of Arctic Operations is not expected to decrease.

New Regiments: The 56 Field Artillery Regiment (RCA) was formed 1 April 1946 as the “56 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Dufferin & Haldimand Rifles) RCA”. The current Regiment is located in the Brantford Armouries. The Lincoln & Welland Regiment was originally formed 15 September 1777, known as Butlers Rangers. The current Regiment, known by their motto Non Nobis Sed Patriæ (Not for ourselves but for our country), has RHQ, Admin and A Company in St. Catherines and C Company in Welland, Ontario.

PAGE 34 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Tactical Operations Staff Course In 2010, I was fortunate to have been tasked to participate in the delivery of the Tactical Operations Staff Course (TOSC) in Nairobi, Kenya. The program's aim is to provide a common frame of reference for operational planning, and is directed at supporting African Union peacekeeping in Darfur. The program is run through Canada's Department of Mili- tary Training and Cooperation, who fund and deliver 3 courses each year at a variety of locations in Africa. My involve- ment in TOSC 15 was as the Administration Officer and an instructor. An opening as syndicate Directing Staff (DS) became available for TOSC 17 in Accra, Ghana, so in February 2011, I booked all of my annual vacation entitlement and set off for 5 degrees north of the equator.

It is a much different experience to arrive in Africa, knowing what to expect and knowing that someone else is responsible for handling all of the details. This time around, I didn't have to track down the students arriving from 11 Af- rican nations, ensure their travel arrangements, flight times, visas, and accommodations, were all correct; neither did I have to ensure that the contracts and arrangements for the course infrastructure like classrooms and computers were all in place and working. I also did not have to worry about the wads of cash I occasionally had to carry, a big concern in a town famous for it’s brazen carjacking. I am not going to say I was totally relaxed, but I didn't have any additional bur- dens, other than to ensure the delivery of the course material to my students.

Now, in that regard, we were expecting to arrive and find African Union DS to work with at Kofi Annan Interna- tional Peace Training Centre just outside Accra, however it seems the tasking messages didn't reach the right places by the right time, so we were going to be working solo. As a result of this, we combined the 3 syndicates into 2, which actually worked very well with the numbers as they meant a full complement of student staff for the headquarters during the exercise. So syndicate 2 got 2 Canadian instructors, and in my case, we were able to assign a Mongolian officer who was supposed to be observing the course, to be re-roled as my co-DS. Major Enkhbold is an army officer who works for the Mongolian General Staff, and was assigned to attend the course and do some fact finding to see if the TOSC course is something they would benefit from running in the future. He got all the facts he needed as we dumped a pile of exercise and OPP documentation into his lap.

Major Enkhbold, (Mongolians use a patronymic system, where their name is made up of their father's name and their given name, so I am only using his given name) was a piece of good fortune for me, as he has a wealth of experience from United Nation missions in Africa, including two tours in the Congo with MONUC and another in Liberia with UN- MIL. He also served in Iraq with Mongolia’s contingent there, but as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The greatest advantage that a DS can possess on the TOSC courses is that they are able to relate to the students based on their own experiences. My syndicate included officers from Zambia(721), Rwanda(3841), Mali(111), Senegal(2336), Ghana(2968), Namibia(85), Tanzania(1181), Uganda(156), and Egypt(5365). ( Numbers in brackets represent the current number of police and military on UN peacekeeping missions as of February 2011 for each country ). The experience of the students was evident, with many who had several tours in Sudan and Darfur, as well as multiple tours in Cote d'Ivoire and Congo. The experience of some students also extended to having worked on both sides of the fence; guerrilla to gov- ernment officer. Although we were teaching a new planning process to the students, most already had operational experience using a variety of planning methods.

Our goal as a DS was to give the students a set of tools that would allow them to get through a planning cycle in a Brigade Headquarters (HQ) using the operational planning process (OPP) and to give them the tools to set up and staff that HQ. That is a pretty big goal for a three week course, and for that reason, most of the focus is spent on process. This was effective, as I mentioned most of the students had extensive operational experience, and the teaching of the process allowed them to channel their experience into presentable and workable products. The first two weeks of the course is a lot of intensive classroom work. In addition to the OPP, students are inundated with a variety of subjects. UN operations subjects include Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA), Human Rights and the intricacies of UN logistics. General military subjects are equally broad, including the International Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) and Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC). I have included the acronyms for my military brethren, who like me, may no longer be capable of reading real words. The method of delivery for these subjects follows the explanation, demonstration and practical application methodology used in almost every military organization. The demonstrations are usually the highlight for the students, as we normally present a how not to do it, followed by the DS solution demonstration. I think this works well, as I never saw a student imi- tate the G3 how not to do it example; of playing solitaire on the presentation screen during the CO’s back brief, while trying to recoup his gambling debts from the G4.

The last week of the course is high intensity for the students. During the weekend leading up to the final exercise, they are preparing their orders. This is also the weekend we usually send the students on a tour of the countryside. This ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT time it was a boat tour to Dodi Island in the Volta River. It gives the students an opportunity to socialize, build relationships and experience their host country, but it also gives the DS a chance to see if leadership and appropriate choices were exercised by the students. If the plan is weak, it’s probable that the choices were too. On Monday morning they present their completed set of orders and begin preparation of the brigade headquarters command post. The next three days sees them trying to implement their plans, despite the never ending supply of exercise injects, intended to throw them off their stride. From the drunk watchkeeper who has disappeared during the night and ends up being arrested by the Provost Mar- shal later in the day, to the real journalists trying to compromise them during interviews. On this iteration of the course, they did well. Well, there was one exception, a student who announced during a journalist interview that the moving of 200,000 people from an IDP camp that was about to be flooded by a failed dam was really “no big deal”. Good for him and his confidence.

As an added point of pressure, the Canadian High Commissioner’s Representative was brought in for a short notice briefing by the students, midway through their final planning cycle. She sat through their brief and then directed some pointed questions at the students and the intent of their plan. Having worked in an operational headquarters overseas, I have seen an awful lot of tap dancing done by staff officers who were not quite prepared for difficult questions asked by people who are very very smart; and who probably have a little bit of a sadistic side. For uninvolved members of the staff; this is considered high entertainment, because there really is nothing better than seeing one of your fellow officers waffle, sweat, and sometimes just freeze because of sheer panic. In this case the briefer, a Ghanaian cavalry officer, had his plan and his message nailed down tight. Although it pains me to give credit to the cavalwy(sic.), he earned it. At the conclusion of the exercise, the students are prepared to present a Decision Brief to their Brigade Commander. The training is designed to leave the students on a high note, so if one syndicate is better prepared than another, they will be selected to present. This time round, the yellow and red cards, with a bolded BS stamped on them, stayed firmly in my pocket. That in my book is very high praise for a group of students brought in from 11 different countries, some more fluent in French than the course language English, and who came from a wide variety of background and training experiences; and only had 3 weeks to pull it together as a team.

On the personal side, I thought Ghana was a great opportunity. It is a safe and secure country in an area of Africa that was seeing a lot of unrest, specifically it’s neighbour; Cote d’Ivoire. I did go down hard from a GI infection, but I can’t say that is too different from many people’s experiences with Africa, although it was my first. I hope my last too, as it was only about a month after my return, where all the symptoms finally abated. The illness gave me a chance to see their medical system through the eyes of a patient. They have the infrastructure, certainly not to a standard we in Canada are accustomed to, but it is functional and serves the community. When I was being examined by the triage nurse and later the physician, the examinations were a lot more thorough than many I have received back home. In case you think I was at a special hospital, I wasn’t; 37 Military Hospital is a regular hospital in the heart of Accra serving current and former military members, as well as the public. If you need it, it comes recommended. I have to remind myself that I am pretty lucky. Cholera broke out in greater Accra while I was on task there and over 4000 people were diagnosed (which means many more were actually affected; perhaps including me??) and 35 people had died. Cholera is an easily preventable disease that can lead to severe and life threatening dehydration in as little as 2 hours after symptom onset. Mortality is only about 1% in cases that are treated, but can be as high as 50% in severe outbreaks where people remain untreated. Cholera has actually taken out some very notable military figures including Carl Von Clausewitz, and the first Asiatic cholera pandemic killed approximately 10,000 British soldiers between1817 and 1823. The seventh pandemic began in Indonesia in 1961, reaching Peru by 1991. Some researchers believe that pandemic is still progressing.

As I am writing this, knowing the Adjutant is going to be challenging me shortly to produce something for the Regimental newsletter, I am preparing to head back to East Africa in September of 2011. Working out of Nairobi, we will continue on with the presentation of the 19th iteration of this course; this time amongst the back drop of the worst hu- manitarian crisis in Africa in 30 years. The original intent of the course was to target the crisis in Darfur, and despite that continuing to be a valid mission, I hope the lessons learned by the students have a positive collateral effect on the tens of thousands who will come into contact with the African Union during the coming months.

Maj Tom Ruggle C Coy ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT TAV 2011

I deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Athena Roto 10. I left Canadian soil 28 Feb 2011. I deployed as a member of Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC). My responsibilities were to be the bridge between the military and the local population. I arrived at Combat Out Post (COP) Nejat located in central Panjwai about 1.5km South of Forward Operating Base Ma’sum Ghar (FOB MSG) which would be my Area of Responsibility (AOR) for the next four months.

My focus throughout the time I was there was on school construction and employing fighting aged males. The area I was in already had two schools located in it, neither was open. The security in the area was not very good and as a result teachers and students alike would not attend school in fear of insurgent attacks. As a result I focussed on what conditions would be required in order to reopen a school and have students attend. As a result a second outpost was opened in an effort to restrict the insurgent’s ability to move in the area. The secondary outpost affected the area by reducing attacks and improving security. When the Americans took over the AOR they were building a permanent check point for the Afghan Army and talks were in place about reopening the school co-located with the check point. Employing fighting age males was a large initiative I focussed on. Many of the low level insurgents are simply motivated by the need to earn a living and the bottom line is the Taliban pay a salary and incen- tives for successful attacks. Creating employment is a way of reducing the fighting force for the insurgents. Employment is created by creating construction projects such as digging out an irrigation canals and hiring locals.

The other areas I focussed in the region were improving the local governance and the security of the region. The governance was the most challenging aspect of the tour. My AOR consisted of 14 villages ranging from 20-300 residents. Each having a Malik (mayor) and the cluster of villages had a cluster leader. The

PAGE 37 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT problem was because the security was not good in the area the majority of the Maliks and the cluster leader had moved away. Over several meetings with the Cluster leader I did not believe he was going to help get the region on track as he was dragging his feet on all issues. As a result I approached the cluster leader from the next region over and asked him to essentially absorb my region and help me get either the Maliks to come back and run their villages or have the villagers appoint a new leader. By the end of the tour we had two Maliks come back, with the most of the villages appointing elders to help run day to day operations of the villages. Of the 14 villages five villages did not participate in the four meetings we held. Security provided different challenges. The pri- mary threat in the AOR my platoon was located in was the improvised explosive device (IED). Our platoon over the course of the tour had successfully located and disposed of over 40 IEDs. We were fairly successful at disrupting the insurgent network operating in our region. This included finding weapons caches, IED caches, and disrupting the personnel within the network.

Overall working with CIMIC was a great experience and a lot of good was done for the Afghan people by CIMIC, the Canadian battle group, and ISAF.

Lt R Cook C Coy

PAGE 38 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT TASK FORCE 1-10 OMLT

It all started in September 2009 at the Land Forces Central Area Training Centre in Meaford. We were broken down into Syndicates to conduct Individual Battle Tasks Standards (IBTS). I remember telling my team on day one of this pre- training, that was about to last seven months, to keep your heads up and stay focused as this will be a long journey. Those two weeks quickly ended, and we were off to Petawawa to conduct the next phase of our workup training. There we were assembled into our assigned Units that we self identified for. Mine was the OMLT which stands for Operational Mentor and Liaison Team. For the next three months, two in Petawawa, and one in Germany, we completed our mission specific training. Now it was time to put all this training to the test as our pre-training shifted to the National Training Centre (NTC) Fort Irwin Califor- nia. For the next two months, we continued to gel as an OMLT, and tackled challenging scenerios during a Task Force confirmation exercise in an environment similiar to Afghanistan. With a bit of leave, and some final administration back in Petawawa, we were ready to deploy. It is now March 2010.

Early April 2010, I was on the advance party to start my tour of duty. After a long trip, my team and I found ourselves at the Kandahar Airfield (KAF). After a short orientation and handover period, we were ready to go. The weather was starting to heat up, so drinking lots of water became a big part of our daily routine. As the last members of Roto 8 departed, our tour officially began.

The ANA are always up for a good fight. Whether it was range work, or patrols, they are enthusiastic, well motivated soldiers eager to learn, and better their skills. Through our Interpreters, the language barrier was not an issue. They understand they have to secure their country, and that’s what we did throughout our tour.

The ANP understand their role in their Coun- try, and for the most part the ANP that I worked with fulfilled it. Unfortunately, corruption runs ramped in Afghanistan, therefore the trust level was not as high as it was with the ANA.

My tour began with us running ranges for various ANA units. It was the confirmation stages for the different weapons courses that were ran. This was a good induction into the country while getting to know ANA Soldiers, and establishing a good relationship with the interpreters’. After a few weeks, we were told that the OMLT teams were being reorganized due to the lack of ANA Soldiers to Mentor, and to standby for changes. So I was sent to Kabul for a month to Mentor an ANA Kandak on leadership training. Seeing the Country’s Capital

PAGE 39 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

was something I wanted to do anyway, so that worked out well. Kabul is a large city with lot’s of history. As we were patrolling through it on a daily basis, you couldn’t help but notice the destruction of buildings and landmarks throughout. On completion of that mission, I was sent to a FOB (Forward Operating Base) just outside Kandahar City to mentor the ANP. It started out as a cozy little FOB, but as time went on, and our neighbours from the south, (US Army), kept pour- ing in by the hundreds, the FOB grew to what seemed like a small city.

My jobs varied in Kandahar as the OMLT continued to shuffle Personnel around. June and July saw us conducting a lot of mounted patrols in our AOR, which included Cordon and Searches of various Police Sub Stations (PSS) with the ANP. When we weren’t on the move, I was mentoring various ANP in the Logistics field. They were behind in this area, and getting them to understand the supply system and to plan for the future was a challenge and a full time job. The summer months saw the temperature rise to 60 degrees Celsius on a daily basis, and with all our kit and equipment, the pace was cut back as the heat would quickly drain you. Two more months quickly passed. It is now August and time for me to take a bit of leave. It was good to come home for a break and see my family. Now, for those of us who have been on tour know, that when you have to return to finish off a tour, your mind is always thinking about that when you are home, that’s just the way it is. When I returned, I quickly discovered that more changes had occurred and were continuing to occur. I was on the move again. I was sent to a newly constructed compound about 50 km from the FOB. I was now part of the Operations Coordination Centre for Regional Com- mand South (OCCR-S). This was and still is a joint command, so I was working and mentoring with the ANA and the ANP. My job was in the four shop (Logistics), so I took the role of a CQ for the next two months. I was the only Canadian Mentor during this task, as the other Coalition Force Members were British and Americans. There I met new Afghans and had a new Interpreter. The mentoring was paying off over time as they were beginning to see the big picture of how important logistics is in the sustain- ment of their country. It is now November and time for my relief in place (RIP) to occur. I actually conducted a handover with Americans for the current position I was in. Nevertheless, my seven months in Afghanistan had come to an end, and it was time to leave that Country. It was a very interesting tour, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to go. I seen a lot of the Country, met a lot of people, and now have memories and experience to pass on.

WO Mark Diotte OPS WO

PAGE 40 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT My Life in the Sand

I still remember as a kid on September 11, 2001 watching the Twin Towers fall and the beginning of a war unfold and hope that one day I would get my chance to fight for my country as my grandfather Bill Sproule did during the Second World War. After so many years of waiting, I finally got in to the Reserves in February 2007 and started my training in The Lorne Scots Co-op program. Just like so many other Canadians I joined to fight and finally after waiting impatiently for so long, in September of 2009 I was on my way to pre-deployment training!

I started out as a gunner for the Na- tional Support Element’s (NSE) Force Pro- tection Platoon. For several months and all through our training in California I had trained for it until I found myself being transferred to the 1 RCR Battle Group with Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisi- tion and Reconnaissance (ISTAR). We were known as the Persistent Surveillance Systems Platoon and operated two systems. One was an Aerostat which is a bal- loon equipped with a camera and we also had a tower. We were the second platoon to use the system in theatre and the first platoon to be properly trained on operating techniques and found ourselves developing our own SOPs once on the ground. It was such a vital system to have the Army wasted no time on having it deployed to watch over the boys on the ground.

By the end of May 2010, I found myself on my way over to a war torn country ready to do my job. By July 2010 my section was finally prepared to deploy to our FOB and set up our new system. Sev- eral Canadian soldiers had already been killed that summer in a town just one km SW of our FOB and we knew we had to get everything up and running fast. Only having been a MCpl for just less than a year, I found myself as acting Section Commander deploying to the FOB with three other soldiers. By 0600 the next day we found ourselves fully operational and providing over watch for our first patrol. Once our section had fully arrived I found myself back in my usual job. I would step in as 2IC and I was also in charge of a crew of two operators, each one controlling the two cameras. My job was to assign areas to watch, assess any suspicious activity and then pass all information up to ISTAR.

PAGE 41 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Our jobs changed from day to day. One day we could be providing over watch for a patrol and the next we could be gathering intelligence on insurgents and working our way up to conducting strikes to help liberate the area from the Taliban hold. We even got the chance to catch them shooting mortars at us a few times and getting info up quick enough to shoot back. Mortars were commonly shot at us in the FOB and we would have to keep on the lookout for spotters calling the fire in. We were able to learn so much from our job and quickly adjusted to the area. We knew we had to or in the end our little knowledge or little interest in something out there could mean someone’s life. We had done so well at our job that we went from being the joke of the Task Force to being the guys everyone loved.

After five months of being deployed I finally got my chance to go on leave and then returning to Afghanistan to work with the American Persistent Ground Surveillance Sys- tem (PGSS). I found myself working alongside ex American military operating a system barely any different from ours and getting the most out of my tour experience. I managed to see three different areas of Panjwaii and had the great opportunity of working with our neighbours to the South.

I found everything different once I arrived home. I had spent so many months watching everyones movement and gathering intelligence on enemy activity that I found myself more aware of everything back home. I could be driving down the street and be able to notice any little movement and be so aware of everything around me. I gained many wonderful skills while deployed and every piece of training I received with the Regiment more then helped me while preparing for deployment. A tour is an amazing learning experience for anyone and gives you a chance to explore the world and learn about a different culture. I know it’s something that I will never forget.

The one thing I am proud to remember is that I can come home knowing that with all the information we were able to gather, we know that lives were saved in the end and it is something that I will never forget.

MCpl C.W. Brown B Coy

PAGE 42 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Without Me, You’d Never Leave This Place

“Have you been to Afghanistan?” “How long were you there?” “What did you do?” “Why did you go?”

It is a common line of questioning. Often from inquisitive people when they find out that you are serving members of the military. Everyone has their own answers; each with their own unique set of reasons. The reasons themselves often evoke even more questions and turn into an interrogation of sorts, although this interrogation is happily conducted. It is something that the soldier loves to explain. The more that other people can learn about those experiences, the better.

Going on an operational deployment to a foreign nation in a state of war is something that many soldiers in the Canadian Forces can only dream of doing. For me, this dream became a reality late in the month of April in 2010. I had finally arrived on Afghan soil, after many months of hard work and training.

The hard work and training began, for me, nearly one year ago in 2009. After finally being accepted and approved to begin pre-deployment training for Task Force 1-10 (Rotation 9) of Operation Athena, I arrived in Canadian Forces Base Petawawa and reported to 2 Service Battalion. At this time, the Task Force had not stood up yet so, as a Resource Management Support Clerk, I was hoping to get a head start on some training in the Regular Force side of things. I immediately noticed that the atmosphere and pace of a Regular Force Orderly Room was quite different from what I had become accustomed to back home. There were a lot of new things to be learned. It was quite an initial culture shock.

During the summer of 2009 the early arrivals, such as myself, began migrating to separate buildings assigned to the Forward Support Group (FSG) to prepare for the eventual stand-up of the entire Task Force and the eventual creation of the National Support Element (NSE), that we will rotate into when we arrive in theatre. When we first arrived in the building that was supposed to be our new FSG orderly room, it was in shambles. There were pieces of computers everywhere. Cobwebs and dust were strewn across the corners and crevasses of many of the broken desks and furniture. We knew we had our work cut out for us. This orderly room had to be fully functional and capable of serving over 800 soldiers before the expected stand-up of the Task Force in the fall. Task Force 1-10 finally stood up on 22 September 2009. At this point the rest of the soldiers attached to deploy with us in the NSE started arriving from all over Canada. While most were arriving from locations in Ontario, we still had quite a few people coming in from places such as Esquimalt, Cold Lake, and Halifax, to name a few. The tempo of the work increased more than tenfold with the stand-up of the Task Force. We often had to work through the weekend into most nights of the week in order to accomplish the work necessary while juggling our own operational training requirements.

It was during these tense and exhausted moments that I developed many friendships and bonds with the people that I was going to work with while in Afghanistan. Although turnover was frequent, we replaced more a third of our original clerks assigned to us since the beginning; we managed to maintain a very good core group. After an abbreviated Christmas break, we flew to Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert of California for Exercise Maple Defender. This was our major exercise of the pre-deployment; a large scale concentration of all the training that was necessary to deploy to Af- ghanistan. I often referred to this time as the two months of hell. We were unable to accomplish most of the work that was needed to be done due to the lack of equipment and resources. We spent much of our time digging trenches to avoid flooding in our tents from the monsoon-like rainfall that we experienced. We got a moment of reprieve in between Janu- ary and February 2010 to visit Las Vegas for one night. It was a delightful escape from the tedium and isolation of the Mojave Desert. This was also the point at which I began a greater appreciation for the military cooks that serve us. They work awful hours to make mass meals that are often one of the few sources of morale available.

Once we returned from the two month long exercise, we all had abbreviated stints of work to wrap up whatever work we could accomplish before we took our pre-deployment leave. We returned a few days prior to our flight date to make final preparations. It was a sad but exciting time for most. Everyone was allowed to gather in a drill hall to say goodbye to sons, daughters, wives, girlfriends, mothers, and fathers. My mother accompanied me to Petawawa for the farewell gathering.

ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

The flights to Afghanistan were very much a microcosm of the entire pre- deployment training. It was a long, drawn out process culminating in our arrival in Kandahar Air Field (KAF). It was one of the longest, continuous journeys by air that I have ever taken. From leaving Petawawa to arriving in KAF, we had perhaps traveled over 35 hours straight. By the time we arrived in KAF most of us were in a zombie-like state. Once we had properly adjusted to the time, dust, heat, smells, and sounds; it finally kicks in that we have arrived. My job in KAF involved taking care of the Technical Assistance Visits (TAV) and flight bookings for the entire Canadian contingent.

TAVs are short term deployments that arrive to either augment certain units, perform a specific task, or fill-in for crucial positions when the original members go on leave. They can be several months to, a few weeks, or even a few days in length. It all depends on the TAV at hand.

My secondary duty of booking flights involved booking all of the Canadian controlled military and all the necessary civilian flights from our host nation, which happened to be in a base called Camp Mirage. Travel booking involved everything that got the traveler from KAF all the way to the destination in Canada. All of the ground transportation and, if required, accommodation in between was also part of my responsibilities. I was responsible for booking compassionate travel, temporary duties, and even soldiers that had to return-to-unit (RTU) for whatever reason.

Another, less desirable, part of my job involved booking the flights for our fallen soldiers and their escort. It was always quite serious and urgent to get them home as soon as possible. It was a sombre reminder of the realities of working in a war-zone when you see that flag-draped casket get carried into the rear of the plane, which I had previously booked, in a ramp ceremony.

It was not all serious and hard work all the time. There were a few outlets to which we could potentially improve our morale. The “boardwalk” literally involved a hollow square shaped boardwalk that sur- rounded a ball-hockey rink, volleyball nets, make-shift baseball and foot- ball fields. The boardwalk also housed a few Afghan shops and food outlets. We also had access to a U.S. PX, which is essentially a “Walmart” for military. The Canadian compound contained “Canada House” and a fairly good gym. Canada House is where we could go to relax on a couch, catch a film, play a board game or a game of pool or even find a game of poker. The local Afghans would put on a “Bazaar” type market during every Sat- urday, where you could find a variety of Afghan and fake items for sale. Finally, there was the famous Tim Horton’s outlet to fulfill all of your caf- feine and sugar pill needs.

Life in KAF was, generally, very simple. We get up every day; go to one of the dining facilities (DFAC) for breakfast; go to work; go to a DFAC for lunch; go back to work; go to a DFAC for supper; go back to work; finish the shift; go to the gym if there is time; go to bed. Rinse and repeat. No payments; no grocery shopping; no cooking; no laundry to do, every basic need provided for you. Just do your job and live. It’s easy to see the allure for some people. But we are not there for the simple life; we are there so that we can, hopefully, allow others to have the opportunity to live an equally good life. We are there because we are soldiers, and we need to be soldiers and actually perform our duties. It is the culmination of not just pre-deployment, but years of training.

MCpl J Chu 2ic BOR

PAGE 44 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Counting Down the Days

As a soldier I have both been told and believe that every member of the CF should at some point of their career should serve our Nation be it domestic or foreign. The decision to serve overseas should not be taken lightly, every aspect of the life you will be leaving should be considered. There were many reasons for me deciding to deploy overseas but the factor which would have changed my decision to go would have been my young family. The reason I was able to deploy without second having second thoughts, was because to the continued support of my wife and my family. Without securing the lives of the people I would be leaving behind I would not have been able to deploy. Beginning pre-training in LFCA TC Meaford for two weeks was going to be difficult enough on my wife who was expecting. On the fourth day of being in Meaford the base received a call that my wife went into labour at mid- night on the 11 th of September. With the assistance of my close friends the message was relayed to me while I was asleep in my cot, hearing the message I eventually awoke and made it home in time for the birth of my daughter.

Finishing up training in Meaford, we were to go to CFB Petawawa for the formation of our company and platoon. Thoughts of intense military training and relevant experience were something for every soldier to look forward to. However this was not the case for the first couple of months. After the formation of our company and platoon we were put into sections that were more or less temporary. Our platoon was completely filled with reserves members which made it a first experience for most. Pre-training began with completion of IBTS and TEOTS on all weapon systems held by a light infantry platoon. Pre-training was not everything that we had expected, it began to feel like time away from friends and family for no reason. After all of the administration was completed specific jobs were assigned to every member of the platoon, based on everyone’s previous experience you were either a gunner or driver on the vehicles that we were meant to operate. When this change happened things began to look up, members of the platoon were given various courses and tasks which meant time away from the platoon and sections. As a gunner myself along with two other members were selected to go to CFB Gagetown for a train the trainer gunner course on the LAV RWS (Light Armoured Vehicle Remote Weapon System). This weapon was purchased because of the collateral damage caused by larger calibre weapons within the cities of Afghanistan. Initial tests on this weapon platform would cause damage to the GPMG and would not operate properly with the HMG. Regardless of all of the negative input on the platform put in by us and the others from 2 RCR, the weapon system was still approved. Regardless of being in another province and not being able to see my family on the time off CFB Gagetown was still an exciting time. Halifax was only three hours away and every weekend was spent there in navy accommodations for an extreme discount to military members. After finishing our training in Gagetown we were to head back to CFB Petawawa and join the platoon again and instruct them on the operation on the RWS which was still not a part of our current G-Wagon fleet at the time. The next major event for our platoon was to deploy to California for two months beginning after Christmas. We were back in CFB Petawawa on New Year’s day to get on a plane a couple of days later.

Fort Irwin California was the beginning of the training that everyone expected to conduct before deploying into a war torn country. The amount of funding and expertise poured into Ex Maple Guardian was something awe inspiring. This Ex for me was one of the best exercises I have ever experienced. As a Force Protection unit were to work intimately with the truckers within the NSE, and quickly learn the routes to all of the out posts in this Kandahar mock-up and the dangers that could potentially harm us. Within the platoon we were working everyday and going “outside the wire” every other day. Not only was the training as intense as it could be without it actually being a two way range the added pressure of some of the members of the over

PAGE 45 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

sized platoon loomed on us. Every scenario was accompanied with disaster and casualties, along with some live fire built-up area ranges with Leopard C2 support and indirect artillery fire all on the same range made for some great training. After a month of training we were allotted 26 glorious hours in Las Vegas Nevada. I would gladly explain the amount of fun that every member of the Task Force had and the amount of money spent, but “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” After the continuation of our training and the final month of the Ex coming to an end, the decision to cut some of the members of the platoon happened in the worst way. A new issue of ballistic goggles were issued to all members of Force Protection and we were all told to report to the RQ and get ours. We all formed a line and the majority of our names were on this list, while some weren’t, those of us with goggles all joked and said that this was like the bachelor rose, and if you did not get goggles that you were not in the platoon. Sadly this was the case, poor planning and failure of commu- nication from the RQ and a member of our leadership who did not receive goggles either caused this embar- rassing moment.

Training had finally come to an end and members from our platoon had started to deploy overseas. May 5 th could not have come any sooner, I was finally ready to deploy. Standing beside me at the airport in Trenton was my wife and daughter and the rest of my family. Every other woman in that room was breaking down into tears except for my wife, having a strong spouse who understands the reasons for you leaving is something that should be treasured. Finally arriving in Afghanistan after a long 26 hour flight we were there. After a quick three day introduction to Afghanistan, threat level, and the types of weapons the enemy was currently employing we were with our platoon. The most memorable moments of every person’s tour are those when you interact with the locals, and when you get shot at. The initial reaction to every local was pity and hate, after spending a month in theatre we began to talk with the same locals on a day to day basis and began to understand them better. In June 2010 we got into our first TIC (troops in Contact). During this TIC our 2IC was severely injured due to an RPG and we transported him to the “x” and put him into a Blackhawk which transported him back to KAF and out of theatre. Losing our 2IC so quickly in the tour I had to step up and become the section 2IC until our 3IC returned from his HLTA. Even though everyone accepted the reality of war it still affected our section tremendously. As with everything in the army it all comes to an end, soon enough we were departing on our own HLTA’s and then the platoon would begin to depart for home at the end of November and December.

Before Pre-training we were counting down the days till we left Canada and got into the “action,” while we were there were counting down the days till we got back to Canada and now ironically almost everyone who has deployed to Afghanistan would go back in a heartbeat. Having met some of the greatest friends overseas from other units and having parties with both family and friends upon return is an adventure all on its own. It was definitely weird having to get used to the norms in a first world country and actually having laws on the road without being able to dominate the highways. This experience was one of the most memorable times and a huge stepping stone in my life.

MCpl Abel Gomes B Coy

PAGE 46 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT An Unfortunate End

My time in Afghanistan was a surreal experience to say the least. From the exhausting heat, endless patrols, and even the camel spi- ders it is hard to find a word to define my tour. I joined the military in November 2005 and was- n't too sure where it would take me. I would occasionally meet Veterans coming home from Afghanistan and every time I did I felt the urge to sign up for tour. Once I did, I knew I was in for an experience that would change my life forever. I left Canada on April 21st to embark on the most dangerous and ultimately life- changing experience of my entire life

My job overseas was Weapons Detachment Commander for Oscar Company, 3RCR. Once all my training was complete and I had said my goodbyes to my loved ones, I was on my way to the other side of the world. I arrived in Afghanistan with an eager attitude to serve my country and to do something I could only achieve through hard work and the most dedicated sense of worth. My platoon was positioned north of a town known locally as a breeding ground of Taliban forces. We knew we had our work cut out for us. Our first stronghold was an old abandoned schoolhouse that was no larger than a small gymnasium. It had a hole blown in the side of it from some sort of explosive and provided as much cover as a small house but it was the best we had at the time. Our first patrols were the most interesting of our new experiences because they allowed us to see first hand the culture and livelihood of the Afghan population. From April to the middle of June we encountered nothing but IEDs (Improvised Explosive De- vices) including one that was found in the middle of our schoolhouse. It had been there for a few years and the detonator was ineffective but it reminded us to be careful.

Due to the increasing threat of the enemy and the lack of cover that the schoolhouse provided, our Company Commander decided to move us to the NE corner of this town. This would be where we would live until the completion of our tour. This new location was basically centre of four mounds of dirt pushed up on all sides. Living conditions had gone from bad to worse as there was no way to shower, wash clothes, and going to the washroom meant putting a bag over a bucket and hoping for the best. A month and half later, without the ability to shower, tour seemed like it would never end. That is until we encountered our first firefight. This reminded us of why we were there. We now knew our purpose in Afghanistan as a platoon. Thrilling as it was our first firefight was not our last as it quickly became a daily occurrence. We adapted and we improved. The Taliban did anything they could to deny us entry into the town but we never stopped coming up with new tactics and methods to accomplish our mission.

Since I was Weapons Detachment Commander, my position required me to command and control firepower that was dealt by our platoon's most powerful weapons, which included a C6 General Purpose Machine Gun, a 60mm Mortar, or an 84mm Rocket Launcher. The use of any of these weapons was essential in the success of our goals and the elimination of the threat in our area. Due to the increasing dangers the Taliban provided us, there were three operations held in our area in order to drive back and control the enemy. These operations were

PAGE 47 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

all held in cooperation with the U.S. Forces. The most interesting thing about the American forces was hearing stories about other parts in Afghani- stan and the ability to exchange stories. The Americans came and left our battlefield once their work was complete and we went on to con- tinuously wrestle for control of the town. We began to go north into other local towns to gain relationships that would hopefully assist our efforts to eliminate the Taliban threat. We succeeded in this and we now had a strong foot on the ground with the communities in the area. We would go on patrols with the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police. I specifically remember one day when we were halted during a patrol and I noticed a wire sticking out of the ground where I was standing. I immediately notified the Engineers and knew I had to get away from it. Out of nowhere one of the Afghan soldiers walked up beside me and grabbed the wire with his hand and ripped it out of the ground. The scariest thing about this was he was surprised that there was nothing on the other end. I am pretty sure this even took about ten years off of my life. The platoon of Afghan soldiers that we had were incredibly devoted to the job. I sometimes think that they truly defined what a good soldier really is. Throughout all of our firefights, IEDs and endless patrols, they were always ready for a fight and not once did they back down.

In early September, I woke up one day to the inability to sit or stand up straight. I told the medics who sent me into the main base to be checked. It turned out I had a pilonidal cyst and I would have to undergo surgery. After three surgeries including one in Germany, my tour came to an unfortunate end. I would recover three months later at home. It was not the glorious completion that I dreamt of. I would feel disappointed in myself for leaving the soldiers under my command. I would watch the news from the moment I woke to the moment I slept praying nothing would happen to them. They all returned alive to their loved ones in November of 2010 and I was relieved to know this.

After all is said and done, my tour was a roller-coaster of highs and lows. I learned more in six months overseas than I have in six years in Canada. I think about some of my experiences every hour of my life. I thank the Lorne Scots for allowing me to serve my country. I thank the 157 Fellow Canadian Soldiers that have paid the Ultimate Sacrifice for Canada. We will remember them.

MCpl Mat Muir A Coy

PAGE 48 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT PsyOps in Afghanistan

When I joined the army in January 2002, I never imagined my boots would actually see the grounds of Afghanistan. I always wanted to deploy internationally with the army but didn’t know where or when it would happen. Although, I am trained as an infantry soldier I had the opportunity to deploy as a member of Canada’s Psychological Operations effort to Kandahar, Afghani- stan in 2010.

To fill my role in Psychological Operations I underwent four months of training that included studies of Islam, Afghan Culture, human behaviour and psychology and language skills. This was all prior to joining the first battalion of the Royal Cana- dian Regiment (1 RCR) in Petawawa for continued training. Af- ter three months in Petawawa, the entire battle group was off to Fort Irwin, California for another 2 months of training in the desert. Fort Irwin was priceless because it allowed soldiers to work and practice in an environment which was very similar to the au- tumn in southern Afghanistan.

After about ten months of preparation the day finally arrived and my team departed for Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The first thing most soldiers remember is the incredible heat. Although I was born and raised in a tropical country the heat was overwhelming and I spent the next three days drinking water and acclimatizing while being briefed on the details of the upcoming mission. It all became so much more real when our platoon commander explained what my team would be responsible for. Panjwayi was a particularly volatile area of Afghanistan seeing as it is the area in which the Taliban movement gained its momentum and grew. In particular, the town of Nakhonay and area, a pro-Taliban zone where a high number of Canadian casualties occurred. Nakhonay would be home for the next seven and half months.

A few days after arriving, my team drove the infamous “Gauntlet” through Kandahar City, down “IED Alley” and arrived to a small dusty compound adjacent to a town. The compound was mud-brick and had very little defences. Members of the PPCLI wearing shorts and combat boots stood outside the wire filling hesco- bastien baskets with shovels. Anyone who knows how big these baskets are will know their agony. Only a mud wall separated us from the town and nothing separated us from the main road which the PPCLI had cleared of 150 plus IEDs over the last few months. From the improvised guard towers you could look out and see acres upon acres of poppies and farm- ers tending to them. The same fields which would later become battle grounds as insurgents would attack in weak attempts to disrupt our efforts. This was home!

The first few weeks were fairly smooth. We just spent time getting used to the routine and conducting many patrols into the surrounding area to get the lay of the land. Until, one routine night quickly reminded us there was nothing routine about what we were here to do. The night that Pte Kevin McKay died down the road from our compound brought everything into context. After about 3 weeks with the PPCLI, Bravo Company 1 RCR ar-

PAGE 49 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT rived. Even the first few weeks with the RCR was quiet and somewhat routine, until the last of the poppy crop was harvested. Like clockwork, the last poppy stalks were collected which signified the start of the fighting season.

The next few months were filled with long days of patrols and operations to clear and secure the area around Nakhonay. In that time nine Canadian soldiers would pay the ultimate sacrifice for their country and our freedom, four of whom were added to the list of others who died in Nakhonay region.

We often mourn the lives of Canadian soldiers who died but the other victims are forgotten. The weapons of the insurgents are indiscriminate. They do not distinguish between soldiers and civilians and as a result many families in the Nakhonay area are mourning the lives of their children as we mourn the lives of our fallen.

The biggest surprise to me on my tour was learning and seeing the human factor of war. Even as a soldier, I never really comprehended what the people of Afghanistan experience. We as soldiers go there for a few months but we come home. The Afghan people must continue to live through IED explosions, gun battles, bomb blast and deaths of loved ones as a part of their daily life. Casualties of war are inevitable while fighting an enemy that hides amongst the citizens and uses indiscriminate weaponry.

Having lived and worked in an Afghan community for the entirety of my tour, I can truly say many of the locals I met and interacted with from day to day gave me the motivation to continue with our mission. Although they were bullied and beaten by Taliban and Insurgents they would stand tall against their oppressors, even while facing death there were still a few Afghans ready to stand up for what was right. Many Afghans spoke against the Taliban, praised Canada and Canadians and even included our soldiers in their prayers.

Like all tours of duty my tour came to an end. My team and I drove the Gauntlet one more time through Kandahar City. We had all of our team members with us. No deaths and no injuries. As we drove past the infamous Saraposa prison and the adjacent bazaars I saw a group of Afghan girls walking to school with their back- packs and books. This was my final affirmation that we are doing the right thing for the Afghan people and there has been progress, my brothers and sisters in arms did not die in vain. Lest we Forget!

MCpl W Taylor B Coy

PAGE 50 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT A Hop, Skip and a Jump

Going from every Thursday night to every day, 24 hours around the clock, for six plus months of combat operations is nothing new for reservists. As thrilling as such an adventure is, the six plus months is the short part which is commonly overlooked by the public. It all started in October of 2008 on a Thursday night in Brampton, a typical training night. We had arrived eager to commence training as we formed up in ranks for opening parade where the latest updates in operations and training are passed down through the chain of command. Myself and a bunch of other soldiers had been thinking recently about going on an operational deployment to Afghanistan. Then the moment we had been waiting for; MWO McKelvy, the Sergeant Major of B Coy at the time, announced that brigade is accepting applications for Task Force 1-10, Op- eration Athena. After a week of deep thought and serious conversations with our significant others, we filled out our applications and submitted them through the chain of command. Within the next two months, each of us had to take part in various interviews with our respective Company Commanders, and the Commanding Officer of the Lorne Scots, Col Or- ange at the time, as a final interview before the package was sent to brigade for the next phase of the filtering process. It was not until late April, early May, a good 7 months prior to hearing the Sergeant Majors words that Thursday night, that the nominations had been accepted and declined. For most of us at B Coy, the word was, 'you start Pre Deployment Training in September and deploy to Afghanistan this time next year. For most of us, especially myself, came one of the most difficult challenges I've had to face; breaking the news to friends, family, and our significant others that this time next year, we would be in a third world country on the other side of the world, deployed to a war zone, with the possibility of not returning home. The reactions were relatively the same: lots of tears, disbelief, and your basic questions; when do you go, how long will you be gone for, what will you be doing, and, of course, why? Finding the courage to break the news to your loved ones was by far the hardest part for most of us. Just knowing that what you are about to say is going to cause them a significant amount of pain, stress, and fear. It never became any easier despite how many people you have told already. The reactions were all the same and is something I will never forget. Answering the vast amount of questions was not that much easier. For the most part, we could not answer most of them for we did not know the answers ourselves. It would not have been until three months from deploying that we knew our deployment dates and it was not until two months from returning home to Canada that we knew our return dates. However, some questions we were able to tend to. The million dollar question for us was 'why'. "Why did you volunteer for this"? I am sure we all had our different reasons but for all of us in the military it was just a mutual understanding and a question we never bothered to ask ourselves. But explaining this to someone outside of the military was difficult and is something every deploying soldier should give great thought. The best way I could describe why I volunteered to deploy on a combat operation into a war zone was simple; it is like attending medical school and studying for years on end and never actually writing your final exam. All of us had been in the army for more than just a few years with a lot of tough times, long days and cold nights behind us in preparation for what would ultimately be war. It is a common understanding among soldiers that eventually with all that hard work, all that training, there will come a time in a soldiers career where he or she realizes it is time to apply it, make those cold rainy nights worthwhile and do what a medical student of six years would untimely desire to do; their job. For most of us, we were coming right off of our annual summer training cycle with times spent training in Meaford, Borden, and Petawawa. Pre Deployment training for us was eight months (September 2009 - April 2010) and initially started at LFCA TC Meaford with two weeks of getting re qualified on our annual fitness and weapon handling checks. Our initial arrival at CFB Petaw- awa consisted of clearing into the base, being assigned our accommodations, integrating into our respective platoons, and of course filling out endless paperwork. From a leadership perspective, a lot of that time was spent waiting on higher command elements to devise a training plan and from a non leadership perspective, our days consisted of a lot of days spent showing up to work, not knowing what needed to be done, and in the end, accomplishing next to nothing. Eventually, about a month into Pre Deployment (October), we started to conduct various live fire ranges, starting at the basics and advancing up to large scale manoeuvres. Our platoon began to assign soldiers specific tasks (ie. drivers, gunners, crew commanders...) and started loading those respective individuals on their required courses. Drivers learned how to operate the 25 ton LAV and the RG-31 Patrol Vehicle as well as our tracked T- LAV. Gunners learned how to operate new remote weapon systems, traveling to Gagetown, NB and the rest of the platoon swiftly learned how to operate in a mechanised environment which was new for us reservists as we come from a strictly dismounted background. For the most part, pre deployment training passed significantly slowly as training was, at times, few and far between. Our typical work day was on average from 10am to 4pm keeping in mind it was expected that we conducted individual fitness training (PT) from 8am - 10am. Given our roles and duties within the platoon, about a third of us were loaded onto a Tactical Combat Casu- alty Care course. This was by far one of the most difficult phases of my pre deployment Training. More or less, the course is a basic medic crash course compressed into a two week span of high speed, high stress training. The first week consisted of strictly theory and testing where as the second week consisted of being rigorously tested in non-stop, high-stress combat scenarios with actors as casualties with authentic wounds, pyrotechnics, and gun fire. It was by far no easy task being on such a course, learning and seeing real world images of some of the wounds we will have to face in just a few months. Some of which would be sustained by some of our closest friends and God forbid, ourselves. For all of us, that course was a reality check and for some, it was the turning point at ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

which they voluntarily released from the course and even the Task Force in fear that they were not ready for what they would soon face in Afghanistan. Exercise Maple Guardian was a Task Force exercise held at the Na- tional Training Centre in Fort Irwin. Situated in the heart of the Nevada desert, Fort Irwin provided the Canadian Task Force with two solid months (January and February) of authentic training in a virtually identical environment. All the assets were in place for highly effective training. From fighter aircraft and casualty evacuation helicopters, to live artillery assets and Afghan actors aid- ing in our training. Multiple villages and forward operating bases were created to make the training as realistic as possible. The exercise was designed to train all levels of the Task Force from the Battle Group commanders to the individual soldiers on the ground. The first month consisted of work up training; running through different scenarios and attending multiple training seminars in order to build our knowledge and practice operating in a large scale environment. The second month was strictly confirmation training as we practiced operating 24 hours in a month long training scenario. Upon completion of Ex Maple Guardian, we returned home from California and embarked on last minute courses and pre tour leave which for some consisted of up to three months to spend time with friends, family, and loved ones before deploying to Afghanistan. On the 3rd day before deploying to Afghanistan we were to arrive at CFB Petawawa for the final time. The second day in Petawawa was spent filling out paperwork and checking kit bags onto trucks which would eventually make their way on an aircraft the following morning. Bright and early the following day we gathered, did a final roll call and boarded busses which would take us to the airport where some of us would see our loved ones for the last time before returning home 6-7 months later. Passing through some of the villages and towns on route, the entire community would come out and line the roads with supportive signs, eager to shake our hands and wish us a safe tour before leaving. After a last minute speech from the Chief of Defence, Gen Natynczyk at the airport, we shook his hand and boarded the aircraft which would take us to a layover destination and then to a staging base where we would gather ammo and body armour before boarding a tactical aircraft inbound for Afghanistan. Upon arrival, a full 26 hours later, we found ourselves at Kandahar Airfield. For the following three days we were on an integration agenda as we attended briefings on the most recent intelligence, test fired our weapons on ranges, and linked up with our respective platoons. From that point on, seven long months of hard work began. For my platoon, time relatively went by. Some months were busier than others as fighting season came and went. Time passed with patrols and operations and of course being an infantry platoon, lots of hours spent working out and staying in peak physical shape regardless of where we were. What really made things easier for everyone was the bond we developed as a platoon of the previous eight months of pre deployment training. We looked out for one another and the common phrase 'brothers in arms' took on true meaning, especially on the harder days. We worked with a lot of different nations, especially the British and US Forces. A lot of life time experiences, good and bad, were shared with some of the closest people in our lives. We were able to stay in touch with family and friends back home through means of the mail system the Task Force had in place. The heightened security made conversations somewhat difficult at times but was none the less a big moral boost. Getting the chance to work face to face with the locals was by far one of the best things about my tour aside from the amazing weather forecast of seven months of sun and 50 degree plus weather with the occasional sand storm. Upon boarding the tactical aircraft at the end of the tour (late November and December), we could not help but think of all the things we saw that is so different from our own culture in Canada. Five days of decompression before returning home to Canada gave us the ultimate opportunity to wind down, relax, and reflect on the seven most dangerous months of our lives. 26 months from the day the Sergeant Major announced a deployment to Afghanistan, we had finally arrived home in Ottawa. Arriving in the middle of a snow storm was the least on our minds. Despite a very long flight with a few lay over's, the anticipation of being reunited with loved ones was over whelming. The feeling of walking off that aircraft and down that final flight of stairs is truly indescribable. Driving home on paved roads where people somewhat obey the law was something else however. For each of us, our reintegration experience varied but generally consisted of the same priority; Tim Horton's at the airport, family, and a cold Canadian beer with the guys in our unit that we left 7 months ago. Post tour leave consisted of three months paid leave which went through the Christmas season. Following that we had to undergo a re-integration process of finalizing paperwork, having medical checkups, and seeing a social worker to ensure our integration went as smooth as possible. A lot of guys spent their tour money on new cars and trucks, down payments on homes, investments, travel, and education. Since returning home we have had a few reunions within the platoon, sharing all the good times we had in a foreign country over a few beers. Having seen a lot of the guys on random postings throughout the country since being home, the general consciences is that it was only one of hopefully a few deployments for each of us.

MCpl Devon Turner B Coy

PAGE 52 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Tour in the Sandbox

“Better bring your tanning lotion boys, its gonna be a hot one”. That was a statement that most of us agreed to in the spring and summer of 2010 as we prepared to deploy to Af- ghanistan. We didn’t dwell on the likely hazards or the long hours of our missions. We tried to have a good time. A good solider trait is to be able to laugh at anything at anytime. Sure there are times to mourn or be angry but as it is proven time and time again, if you loose your laughter, you’ll loose your- self.

It all started in the fall of 2009. I was actually very late starting my application process as I was in between army course tasks. Luckily our Chief Clerk Sgt Dalziel and our well prepared and experienced BOR were able to get things sorted right away. Originally, I was on stand by, as they did not have any concrete position for myself and some other members. I wasn’t too worried as other positions were working to recruit me into their organization. Eventually I ended up as a driver, a gunner and a security dismount for CIMIC. CIMIC stands for Civil Military Co-operation where the military links up with civilian agencies of all manners in theatre of operations. Their tasks include creating support for the military force within the indigenous area, and supporting the civil environment in areas of security, infrastructure etc. to the local populace as they agree to the support of the military mission.

Pre-deployment was quite enjoyable for me in the very beginning in the training center of Meaford as we did a week of various weapon handling, navigation, enhancing our marksmanship skills and various other skills needed to fine tune our soldiering skills. The camaraderie were made and encouraged within each working element, as the need to build a cohesive team was essential in such a hostile environment such as Afghanistan. Pre- deployment continued on to CFB Petawawa were we continued to really honed in our skills and build remarkable team cohesion. Trying to make light of any situation was definitely a key factor in a team as the stressors of preparing to go overseas for months at a time by learning new equipment and weapons such as the 50 caliber machine gun, driving our armoured vehicles and having a reactive and proactive approach to improvised explosive devices, IED, played a stressful role in some minds. In particular a course that we took known as TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care). TCCC is pretty much a step below our medics. Those who were qualified like myself were the “go to guys” for extreme medical situations if our medics were preoccupied with other urgent matters. I had an extremely great time with that course, as I was always interested in the medical field. We also took our pre- deployment to California, as the climate was similar to the climate we would encounter in Afghanistan. Training in California was pretty fun as well. Although I do remember us being all very bitter about the weather as we all had notions of California to be nice and warm, our escape from the cold winter of Canada. We where very wrong as it rained and at times snowed, mixed in the rain. Funny enough California never had this type of bad weather for a very long time so they blamed the poor weather on us. Wouldn’t you know it as soon as we left, the weather got back to normal and was nice again. Again you can’t do anything but just smile at such things or blame the weather machine, which we are certain some mean Sgt Major, or RSM has in their possession to really give us a hard time.

Another key phrase that is very common in the army and more so in the preparation of overseas deployment is “be flexi- ble”. I would also like to add “be patient” and “smile often” (that last quote is a personal reminder for my friends and I as there are and will always be times were there was nothing you can do except to smile and keep moral up). In terms of flexibility, I was originally suppose to depart to Afghanistan in April 15 th and then suddenly that change so more waiting. Then it changed to May 3rd and that got changed. Being patient really played a role in this, as we were all anxious to go. In fact almost everyone’s tim- ings to deploy got changed, as there was a huge volcanic activity occurring in our flight plans. Finally I deployed on the 18 th of May with my good buddy and fire team partner, along with our

PAGE 53 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

CIMIC section commander who we would support. Wouldn’t you know it as soon as I touched down in Af- ghanistan I get the message that my 6 months of pre- deployment as a CIMIC driver, gunner and dismount had changed. I now belonged to the TASK FORCE ENGI- NEER RECCE. In terms of flexibility I felt like I had to do the splits while juggling bowling balls to try to figure out what this TASK FORCE was all about cause no where in my instructions was I told to be attached to and be part of a team were we were directly responsible for their safety as they conducted their engineering tasks. To add on to the circus of flexibility and made this suck more, I was separated from my fire team partner which I worked with from almost the very beginning and our section commander. Also, this new organization hadn’t even been stood up yet, which meant myself and my team mates had to start this completely new TF from scratch in order for our commanders to effectively deploy us quickly and efficiently.

Within the TF Engineer Recce, we conducted numerous patrols all over Afghanistan. We logged in so many mounted and dismounted patrols ranging in size, time and location, we had to really work hard to maintain our equipment to keep up with our operational tempo. As an Infanteer my scope of engineer tasks are very limited so being force protection for them gave me the opportunity to conduct engineer tasks such as repair a well known critical bridge that was a target of attacks by the enemy. The most interesting thing while working with the engineers was C4, an explosive device. Without going into too much detail, the idea was for us to utilize the C4 to blow up found ordnance and unexploded IED’s. The end results were five really grand explosions conducted in a controlled and safe manner. I should probably add loud and shocking manner because even with the count down to BIP it, (Blow It in Place) we all still jumped. I’m pretty sure some squealed which quickly was replaced with nervous laughter.

During my tour we travelled a great deal, mainly by vehicle. Now mind you I love to walk, run and be active so being cooped up in an armoured vehicle with little to no A/C in a country were the temperature easily rose well over 40 degrees Celsius was just not my thing. Especially when the outside felt cooler then our so-called air- condition vehicles. Yea I sound like a dog but all I wanted to do was go for a walk or a run or whichever came first. On the plus side however we travelled around the country so much, we were fortunate to experience and see places that most have and will never go. Even some of our commanders couldn’t even believe we travelled that far.

My experience in Afghanistan was long and at times challenging but was worthwhile. The experience that I gathered and the new friends that I’d obtain will never leave me. So much so I would love to go back. I would hope to deploy again in a different role were I could engage the populace more often or even in a different country, but regardless it was an experience that I will never forget. Sure our team had some close calls with IED’s random bullets being fired and incoming mortars, but by in large our training, our team cohesion and our ability to truly put our best foot forward, being positive, motivated while flashing a big smile or laughter here and there truly defined our character and assisted us in completing all our tasks.

I truly hope and trust as you read this that you had a glimpse of my experience overseas and hopefully it will inspire you, if you are able, to experience some of the adventures I had lived. That being said, I would also hope and trust that you would remember the members who truly are the heroes. The members who unlike many others, and myself did not get a chance to come back and tell of their experience. Its members like those who even in the saddest of times, would put a smile on our faces, reminding us to be positive and stay strong as they help pave the way for our safety, security and freedom.

MCpl Kwaku Wiafe B Coy

PAGE 54 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Hel-Ops in Afghanistan

If you were to tell me 10 years ago that when I turned 22 I would be deploying to Afghanistan I would ask you "what the hell is Afghanistan?" If you were to come up to me five years ago and tell me that when I turn 22 I would be deploying on a tour of duty in Afghanistan I would have given you a glass of warm milk and told you 'it's bed time". To be honest, when I joined the army I had no intentions of going to Afghanistan. I intended to receive my training and give back what I could as long as there were no bombs or bullets aimed in my direction, its funny how things change.

My long and incredible journey began in October 2009 when I left my DEMO posting in CFB Borden and headed to CFB Petawawa to begin pre-training. I was very eager and excited to be given the opportunity to serve my country on an international scale. Up until that point I was still under the assumption that I was in the Battle Group, I assumed wrong. I ended up being placed in the Helicopter Operations Section (Helops); I had no clue as to what that meant. After the initial disappointment of not being able to fully utilize my infantry skills I quickly got over it when I realized how specialized, necessary and different my job was. I belonged to a team of 12, all infantry with the exception of one sailor and 1 airman. Considering the section was pretty much all Infantry, our like minded personalities matched up quickly and we became a small family rather fast. For the first few months of work up we participated in the general TMST (theatre mission specific training), TOET’s and IBTS.

In January our team was sent to Trenton where we completed our Hel-ops course with CFLAWC (Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre). This is where we learned to communicate with and direct pilots flying helicopters in real time. This was also the first time we had helicopter hover above our head while conducting a hook-up. The very first time I had a Griffon hover inches above my head was exhilarating to say the least, It was pitch black and we were using NVG’s so depth perception was out the window. It turns out the pilot was a reservist and it was his first time at the controls. This explains why when the wind picked up, he dropped the bird four feet and almost crushed me and my partner to death. Fantastic.

February was a busy month; it began by once again getting sent to Trenton to complete our Aerial Delivery Course. This is where we learned how to rig advanced loads/ cargo for safe transport slung under helicopters. We also learned all parachute systems and how to conduct a combat drop. During this three weeks course I had completed more homework and tests than I did in four years of high school. Right after Aerial Delivery we were quickly sent off to Cali- fornia for our culmination exercise in the Mojave Desert. Having been there before I was familiar with the ground, but this time around the weather was horrible. It was there, in the cold muddy FOB's I spent my 22nd birthday. Yay.

Before I knew it, it was April 23 rd , deployment day and I was putting on my tan combats for the first time while my girlfriend lay asleep not five feet away. We had orders to report at the RCR lines for no later than 1000 hrs. Once there we all boarded a bus and headed towards Trenton where a chartered aircraft waited to take us to the Camp Mirage. We de-bussed and all the family and friends gathered around the deploying troops to say their final goodbyes. I kissed my sister and my girlfriend, started walking and tried my hardest not to look back. I have never seen so many grown men cry in my life, but I don’t blame them, it was rough (I didn’t cry because I’m hard). 18 hrs, 5 crappy airplane meals and God knows how many time zones later, we landed in Afghanistan. It was pitch black and ridiculously warm considering the sun wasn’t even in the sky yet.

The first day over there I drank 19 bottles of water, which became normal. The hand over was quick and we were rocking in no time. It just so happens that our rotation was the busiest ever in term of Hel-ops activity due to the fact the task force was trying to eliminate road moves (Force Protection). We completed 18x the amounts of loads/ hook-ups as the second busiest Hel-ops rotation. We had 14 hour days and the heat made it worse but our job was important so kept going. In mid June I was sent out to a FOB to add a Hel-ops element. I operated there without my team for nearly three months. In those three months I was not only the only Hel-ops qualified person

PAGE 55 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

in the FOB but I also put on a few other hats. I helped out in the CQ when man power was low, conducted numerous night watch shifts/ patrols in the mountains and went out on a few CLP's to other FOB's. It was an exhausting but exciting three months.

After my three months in the FOB's I went on HLTA and it was amazing. I travelled to Budapest Hungary, Florence/Rome Italy and Barcelona Spain. I got to enjoy a well needed 3 weeks of gluttonous indulgence with my girlfriend. Once I returned to Afghanistan my last three months consisted of de- tainee guard duty, working out, playing call of duty and Chinook hook-ups. Finally, December 7th rolled around and me and the boys headed to Cyprus for decompression. We drank lots of fluids, played lots of golf and rode jet skis, paradise. three days later I landed in Ottawa and was greeted by Cpl Zuck, he then drove me to Hull Quebec where we enjoyed a nice live show and hydrated ourselves. The next day he drove me home and I stood on my door step for a few minutes knowing the family I haven’t seen in eight months was right on the other side. I opened the door and was immediately tackled by my mother and sister and greeted by the rest of my family in a civilized manner. It was then I told my mother for the first time that I was not in England for the last eight months but rather I was actually in Afghanistan, if you knew my mom you would know it was necessary.

Looking back at the experience I can honestly say it was amazing and one of the best times of my life to date. I experienced what only few experienced; traveled across the globe, made lifelong relationships and the money didn’t hurt either. You learn skills that not only make you a better soldier but also a better person. You gain an appreciation for life that can only be gained by living in another world. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I feel it is every soldier duty to serve either domestically or internationally and I would highly recommend it to every troop. I would not have gotten through this tour without the support of family, friends and the Lorne Scots. In the end, that is why I went in the first place.

Cpl Steven Bostock B Coy

PAGE 56 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Toys for Slingshots

As you heard in my article on my tour, and as those of you who have been deployed well know, Para Company was having challenges in the southern villages of Charkhab, Akbar, and Haji Lalay dealing with children firing rocks at dismounted patrols with their sling shots. I had a few meeting with the village elder Haji Obaidullah about the issue and told me that the parents in the village have told the children not to shoot rocks at patrols but the Taliban had a strong influ- ence in the villages and they would threaten villagers for telling their children to stop. Firing rocks at patrols was a practise the Taliban wanted to continue as a strong response by the CF would alienate the population from us.

The problem continued to get worse as soldiers narrowly missed getting hit by rocks on every patrol. The first solution was to take any sling shots we saw which always left a crowd of children crying. This did not solve the problem and it was defi- antly not the image we wanted to portray to the Afghan population. Para company rather than see one of their soldiers seri- ously injured by a rock had authorised the use of nine bangers to disperse the crowds of children and for our platoon to detain children who were caught shooting rocks at Canadian patrols. Although this would have most likely solved the problem I felt though we would win the battle but lose the war as this would definitely upset the population which up to that point had been fairly accepting of our presence.

In a meeting with the Afghan Army (ANA) I proposed the idea of exchanging the children’s sling shots for toys and school supplies as every child always asked for pens for passing patrols. The ANA and Canadians present including myself felt the program would probably not get off the ground as the only toys I had to give away were from the dollar store and the sling shots were

PAGE 57 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

usually fairly good quality. Either way I decided to give it a try. Over the next five dismounted patrols I began telling all the children that in the coming days they would have the opportunity to give me their sling shot in exchange for toys. The response of the children was usually negative, saying they would not part from their sling shots. Not deterred by this the program began 10 May 2011. I selected a position where the Taliban had been setting up their checkpoints, believing that it would send a strong message to everyone. I loaded a small pack full of toys, pens, and notebooks and headed on patrol. The village of Charkhab came and went with children sceptical of my intentions.

In Akbar I had my first success with a small girl exchanging a sling shot for a toy. Once other children in the village saw what was happening they all ran over to the patrol sling shots in hand waiting to receive a toy. The children were told that they had five days to exchange their sling shots, after the five days any sling shots seen by passing patrols would be confiscated for their own safety. Over the five days the popularity for the program continually grew. A swarm of children would approach each patrol eager to exchange their sling shots for toys. The villagers and the village elders also would come and watch the exchange once of them remark- ing that the sling shots were a nuisance to them as well as the children would at times fire rocks over compound walls. When the program finished 15 May 2011 over 100 sling shots had been collected most of them were destroyed but one has been donated to the C Coy composite Mess. In the time after the program leading up to Para Companies eventual hand over there were no more sling shot related problems. The problem was solved while also improving the image of ISAF in the community with the villagers and the elders.

Lt Russel Cook C Coy

PAGE 58 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

From the ranks of our honoured Association, their voices will not fail, their memories will not fade, Back in their day, things were different, but even more staples of military tradition are the same.

Rank: Name: Hometown: Lt Donald E Leaver Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: 1940 B Coy, Oakville 1940-1945

Deployments / Major Trg Events: Current city of Residence: World War II Oakville, Ontario Message to the Lorne Scots:

I have farmed, owned a grist mill, a golf driving range, had a garden centre and a wholesale farm, garden and nursery supply distributorship with six sales people on the road. I have had a great life! I retired in 1986 to enjoy playing golf and gardening.

Don Leaver with Art Kemp in England 1944

Sadly, Lt Donald Leaver passed away shortly after sending this message to the Regiment. He passed peacefully on April 28th 2011. He was 91. We Will Remember Him

Rank: Name: Hometown: MWO Jim Le Tourneau Long Branch, Ontario Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: Nov. 28/52 January, 1959 Deployments / Major Trg Events: Current city of Residence: Cambridge, Ontario Message to the Lorne Scots:

Enjoyed my service with the Lorne Scots and still enjoy the comradeship with both past & present members.

*Back in the Day contributions appear in the order they were received

PAGE 59 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Rank: Name: Hometown: RSM-CAPT William Herron Terra Cotta

Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: 1959

Deployments / Major Trg Events: Current city of Residence: Truro, Nova Scotia Message to the Lorne Scots:

SEE YOU AT THE REUNION

Rank: Name: Hometown: Humble Civilian Jim Parker Brampton

Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: Regimental Museum Since 1999 Deployments / Major Trg Events: Current city of Residence: Brampton Message to the Lorne Scots:

Carry On

Rank: Name: Hometown: Pte Howard Barclay Montreal

Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: 1942 - 1946 Montgomery’s 8th Army Upon my deployment to Italy Deployments / Major Trg Events: Current city of Residence: Liberation of Hilversum Alexandria, Ontario Message to the Lorne Scots: Thank you kindly for the wedge and books; I was so happy to be able to wear it once more. The only thing I missed was the Tartan square patch for under my badge. I will be attending the Ceremonies on November 11th 2011(God willing) and shall send you a photo with some other pictures from my time overseas during the war. My daughters will take a photo of me wearing my new wedge on November 11th 2011 and send it as well. Once again, thank you so much; the gifts really made my day! Howard Barclay

PAGE 60 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Rank: Lt Name: Santiago Duque Hometown: Toronto

Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: June 2004 B Coy June 2004 – June 2005

Current Trade: Current Unit (Force): Dates Served with Current Unit: Electrical Mechanical Engi- 5e Bataillon des Services du Jan 2010 - Present neering Officer Canada

My ties to the unit are quite significant therefore this shout out is to show my appreciation to the Lorne Scots family. If you put it into perspective, I spent less than a full year with you boys. I only completed a BMQ/SQ during the summer and several weekend exercises during the fall and winter. I didn’t even stay long enough to do my BIQ, never got my first hook as a private along side my boys and finally, I never got the privilege to wear the hackle. Yet, I see you guys every time I come home from Valcartier and I always feel like I never even left the Unit. I also have my LS coin on display in my apartment. This comradery with my brothers has gone on for 7 years and it means everything to me. There is nothing like Cronk Island parties or weddings for some sweet reunions. Congratulations to the boys taking part on the current marriage wave: Justin Lauzon, Craig Harasymchuk and Bryan Cronk, and Im very glad to see the awesome additions to the family: Julia Beneteau, Colleen Monks and Lisa Demarco (but she doesn’t really count as a new addition) Peace! Santi PS: Lost my camera again….then I found it again

Rank: Name: Hometown: CPL Smith Brampton

Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: May 2005 B-Coy May 2005-Sept 2009

Current Trade: Current Unit (Force): Dates Served with Current Unit: Infantry 3 RCR Sept 09- Present

Message to the Lorne Scots: A good friend once told me, “Never forget where you came from”. I’m proud to of served with the Lorne Scots for the time that I did. I hope you’re all doing well. I try to make a conscious effort to come in and visit the mess (B-Coys of course) when I get a chance. I’ve been pretty busy over the last couple of years in Recce Pl, learning a lot, and hopefully one day I can bring it back to the unit and finish off where I started! Keep in touch !

Cpl Smith, JDS Recce Pl 3RCR PAGE 61 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Rank: PO1 Name: Joseph Abando Hometown: Brampton, Ont. Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: 21 April 1978 to present B Company / Pipes and Drums / 21 April 78 – 26 Aug 83 557 Cadet Corp Deployments / Major Trg Events: Current city of Residence:

Various Exercises, including the Cooperative training with the Royal Regi- Halifax, Nova Scotia ment of Fusiliers in UK and in Florida with the US Army. Participated in the Freedom of the City of Brampton in 1979, Trooping of the Colours and the Regiment’s Reunion which included the Duke of Kent 1 st visit to the Regi- ment. Part of the Call Out during Mississauga’s train derailment which spilled large a amount of Chlorine into the atmosphere. Message to the Lorne Scots:

Best wishes to everyone in the Regiment. Always fond memories of the Lorne Scots and all who served during my time with the Regiment. Happy to see there are some still there.

To the younger members, grasp onto and exercise the values this fine unit endears and represents. There a lot of history and tradition, part of, the wearing of the primrose hackle. Wear it with pride. Pin on the Boar’s Heads and march proudly to the beat of the drum,

You are now part of that history. ….Cheers!!!

Rank: Major Name: Greg Betts Hometown: Brampton Military Member Since: Dec Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots; Dates Served with Lorne Scots: 1986 B, C, and Admin Coy 1986 - 2011

Current Trade: Current Unit (Force): Dates Served with Current Unit: Infantry Officer LFCA TC Meaford Sep 2002 - 2011 Message to the Lorne Scots: I have served a full year as the Area Chief Standards Officer of Land Force Central Area. I have traveled all over Ontario in my current capacity, observing training and advising on Individual Training matters.

Personally a lot has changed in my life. I have met a wonderful woman; Michelle and I were married on the third of September here in Meaford in a ceremony presided over by retired Major Rick Ruggle. LCol Ross Welsh, Major Tom Ruggle and former 2Lt Alan Rutland were the groomsmen along with the best man, my brother Tom Betts, who served briefly in the unit in 1986-7. Also in attendance were Col Dun, Col McDermid, LCol Adcock, LCol Phelps, Capt & Sgt Dalziel, Capt Bean, CWO Murphy, WO Hiscock, Sgt Gillies and many others. I was so very happy to see the support Michele and I received from the Regimental family. All had a great time at the reception.

Michelle and I were blessed with the birth of our son, Samuel, on the 26 th of September. Sam is healthy and happy and joins his two sisters, Skye and Sadie, to complete our family.

One of the highlights I had this summer was welcome into the Regiment a number of newly qualified soldiers who had passed their DP 1 Infantryman qualification here in Meaford on 18 August. I presented hackles on behalf of the CO to the soldiers which included Pte Kyle Simon, the grandson of my Aunt Viola.

*Shout Out contributions appear in the order they were received

PAGE 62 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Rank: MWO Name: FRANCE, Thomas Hometown: Brampton

Military Member Since: Feb Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots: B Coy Dates Served with Lorne Scots: 1980 Feb 1980 – Oct 1982

Current Trade: Current Unit (Force): Dates Served with Current Unit: Infantry CANSOFCOM Oct 2008 - Present

Message to the Lorne Scots: Greetings, no picture available (not for that reason) just do not have one.

Rank: Captain Name: Indira Thackorie Hometown: Mississauga, ON

Military Member Since: 1996 Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots: For- Dates Served with Lorne Scots: merly from B Coy Feb 96 – Feb 01 Current Trade: Current Unit (Force): Dates Served with Current Unit: Public Affairs Officer 32 CER. Employed by LFCA Feb 01 - Present Message to the Lorne Scots:

Congratulations on this milestone anniversary. 2011 has been a good year for both of us as I was fortunate to be a part of the Canadian Forces Parachute Team, the SkyHawks this past year during their 40 th anniversary season. I am proud to have been a part of the last 145 years of history and wish all the best to the members of the Regiment in 2012.

Rank: Cdr Name: Alistair (Al) Harrigan Hometown: Brampton

Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: Feb 1981 B Coy 16 Nov 78 - 2 Feb 81

Current Trade: Current Unit (Force): Dates Served with Current Unit: MARS Officer OIC Personnel Coord Center Aug 2011- Present Royal Canadian Navy Esquimalt

Message to the Lorne Scots: Hard to believe that 30 years have passed since I trod the floors of the Brampton Armouries as a soldier. The experience served me well in my career. I wish all past and current members of the Regiment fair winds and following seas. Best of luck as you approach the 150 anniversary.

PAGE 63 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Rank: Capt Name: Natasha Lis (née Wetzel) Hometown: Guelph, ON Military Member Since: Jun Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots: HQ Dates Served with Lorne Scots: Nov 07- 04 Apr 10 Current Trade: Log O Current Unit (Force): DRSM Dates Served with Current Unit: Apr 10- (Director Reserve Support Management) Present Rank: Capt Name: Michael Lis Hometown: Brampton, ON Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots: B Coy Dates Served with Lorne Scots: Jan 05 Jan 05-Apr 10 Current Trade: Inf O Current Unit (Force): DLI (Director Dates Served with Current Unit: Apr 10- Land Infrastructure) Present Message to the Lorne Scots: Michael and I have been very busy since April 2010 when we moved from the GTA up to the NCR for work. We sold our house in Orangeville, bought a new one in Rockland (east of Ottawa – it was the only one we could find with a garage big enough for all of Michael’s cars…), started new jobs, and planned our wedding – concurrently. The wedding was in Picton on the 18 th of June, 2011, and the officiant was Padre Bob Lay, also a former Lorne Scot. The day was going perfectly until I tried to slide the ring onto Michael’s finger – it got stuck – but fortunately, a little spit did the trick and everything ended well. We hope you are all doing well and wish you the very best for this Christmas and in the New Year.

Rank: Name: Hometown: Major Tim Orange Hamilton, Ontario Military Member Since: Sub-Unit in Lorne Scots Dates Served with Lorne Scots: 1973 RHQ, A Coy, C Coy, RHQ July 97 – June 09 Current Trade: Current Unit (Force): Dates Served with Current Unit: Infantry Combat Arms CLS Counter IED Task Force Since Aug 11

Message to the Lorne Scots: CO, Honoraries, Senate, Association, Fellow Warriors: Warmest regards and best wishes to all members of the Lorne Scots. Life has been extremely busy since the change of command in June 09 and the component transfer back into the Regular Force. Posted to NDHQ and working in the VCDS Group was a terrific entrance back into the Regular Force. I managed to stay put for only a short period of time before getting the “tap” on the shoulder for deployment to Afghanistan. A tour in Headquar- ters RC (South) as the Operations Officer for the Counter IED. Branch was a terrific experience which segued into a posting to the CLS C-IED Task Force – Attack the Network. I was pleased to have run into a number of familiar faces in KAF as we all transitioned in and out of the base. Add two beautiful daughters who keep me very busy, a wonderful wife who loves the city of Ottawa and the posting, my insane schedule of French language training and an RMC BMASc distance learning program (I have only 13 credits to go) it leaves just enough time to get out to target shoot, fish and hunt. Good thing I’m not working two jobs. We look forward to seeing all Lorne Scots who travel through the National Capital and take the time to stop in for a meal, a beer or even a quick hello.

Tim Orange Major Pro Patria

PAGE 64 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT Faces & Places

Top Left: WO Diotte mounted up Top Right: Lt. Russell Cook, sketched at COP Nejat, Panjwaii District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan on April 20, 2011 . Illustration by Richard Johnson / National Post – newsillustrator.com Middle Left: An ANA Soldier in front of Chinook Helicopter Middle Right: Sgt Scott posing with his can of pop Bottom Left: MCpl Wiafe looking good

PAGE 65 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Top Left: MCpl Brown posing with the ANA Top Right: You didn't believe me, but its Hot Middle Left: MCpl Gomes is always smiling, always Middle Right: LAV III in the Desert Bottom Left: (Left to Right) Cpl Shavo, Cpl Montague, Sgt Scott, MCpl Gomes, LCol Johnson & MCpl Chu Bottom Right: MCpl Taylor with MCpl Turner

PAGE 66 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Top Left: Sgt Harris stands with the Regiment during the Drumhead Service Top Right: Colour Party at the Georgetown Fair Grounds Middle Left: Rev Hugh Bearn reads during the Drumhead Service Middle Right: Drum Major McGibbon with Fred Bearn (Age 12) a piper from the Lancashire Fusiliers Army Cadets in Tottington, UK Bottom Left: Incoming HCol Reamy with outgoing HCol McDermid

PAGE 67 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Top Left: Cpl Hassanally speaking to the public at the City of Brampton Emergency Preparedness Event Top Right: The CO and RSM present Dr. David Dickson a Certificate of Thanks for his generous donation of his To- ronto Maple Leafs tickets to Afghan Vet Cpl Westwood. Middle Left: President of the Association LCol (Ret’d) Adcock stands with the CO and RSM at the Reunion Pub Night Middle Right: The CO presents the RSM with his CWO Scroll. Bottom Left: Georgetown Highland Games attendee’s take a close up look at a LAV III during the Reunion Weekend

PAGE 68 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

Top Left: MCpl Wiafe prepares to rappel off the skid during the Rappel Mas- ter Course Top Right: MCpl Pearce and Cpl Westwood find ways to keep morale high during LOSV Course Middle Left: MCpl Cronk takes over as Wild Boars Coach at the Brockville Inter-unit Hockey Tournament Middle Right: MCpl Wiafe assists Sgt Boreczek with an inverted cliffside rappel Bottom Left : Cpl Hassanally prepares a LOSV for a trip to the training area

Didn’t see a photo or an article that should have been in this issue? Send any stories or photos of the Regiment to the Editor at [email protected]

PAGE 69 ANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF THE LORNE SCOTS (PEEL DUFFERIN & HALTON) REGIMENT

The Lorne Scots Association

Every Member of the Regiment, past and present, is part of the Regimental Family, the Association is what supports our family.

Visit the Association Website : www.LORNESCOTS.ca

Check out the Association Newsletter : www.LORNESCOTS.ca under the Communications tab

NOTES

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