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Volume 59 Issue 1 Serving Shilo, Sprucewoods & Douglas since 1947 January 9, 2020 INSIDE This Issue

2PPCLI host -in- Chief in Latvia. Page 6

CAF testing new camou- fl age uniforms. Page 7

Sliding into 2020 Veteran recalls Canoe Jack Wilson and his siblings took advantage of the awesome mild weather conditions provided by Mother Nature to usher in Janu- River disaster. Page 12 ary, with a trip to the Base toboggan hill. Mom Seanna Wilson took in the winter activity, capturing this action photograph on her cell phone. The nearby outdoor arena also received a fresh coat of ice thanks to the staff at Gunner Arena. 2 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS January 9, 2020

Alexa Cpl MCpl Kullberg Gould Gooderham Cpl Cpl MCpl Crowe Peters Landry

Cpl Maj Pte (B) Buenaventura Cornish Patry Cpl Jean Cpl Cpl Kathryn Sgt Daniel Tremblay Blanchette Pellerin Farquharson McInnis BO Tech Cpl Jean Tremblay named ʻ19 Soldier of the Year Jules Xavier “Sonya is responsible for all vehicle rent- BGSO’s Darrell LeBlanc received an Shilo Stag als, fi nancial transactions and travel claims for award for fi ve years with the Base Transport. After the Base Transport build- safety program. ing fl ooded in the spring, damaging substan- There were three recipients of a CFB For his level of “critical thinking” and “complex problem tial number of documents, Sonya worked tire- Shilo Command Team commendation. solving capabilities” at work, an EO Tech from Base Main- lessly to reproduce the fi les to ensure fi nancial Kathryn Farquharson received one for tenance has been recognized as CFB Shilo’s Soldier of the compliance and that members were paid out her “devotion” and exceptional support Year. in a timely fashion,” said Capt Hilbig. to the Base. Cpl Jean Tremblay was acknowledged with this annual “She also stepped up to assist other sections “[Kathryn] rises up to the ongoing award during the Base Christmas dinner held at L25 prior during the fl ood to ensure their documenta- changes and challenges that surround to block leave. tion was in order and tasks were completed as civilian human resources and goes “On many occasions, Cpl Tremblay assumed the role of scheduled.” above and beyond her regular duties to EO Sect Comd, a master corporal position responsible for Prior to these major awards being present- ensure the needs of all members of the the command and control and administration of the sec- ed, there were a few individual presentations G4 Branch are met,” said Capt Hilbig. tion,” noted emcee and Base Adjutant Capt Rachel Hilbig. made. Sarah Lamb was recognized for her “He has also taken on the role of planner, inputting work MCpl Landry received his Canadian Forces’ “dedication” to the Base as its Base com- orders into DRMIS and delegating maintenance tasks. Cpl Decoration (CD), which is awarded to offi cers pliance offi cer. “Sarah has a vast knowl- Tremblay’s level of critical thinking and complex problem and non-commissioned members of the Cana- edge of DRMIS and fi nancial policy and solving capabilities have been a tremendous benefi t to the Civilian of the Year dian Armed Forces (CAF) who have complet- Sonya Kampe is always willing to provide answers to unit.” ed 12 years of service and have a good record fi nancial queries and advice on correct The Civilian of the Year award went to Sonya Kampe for of conduct. procedures,” noted Capt Hilbig. her “tremendous” dedication to CFB Shilo as the fi nancial RPOU-W Det Shilo OC Maj Duncan Cornish and rental clerk at Base Transport. received his Special Service Medal with NATO bar, while See PTE (B) page 3 Pet of the Week Pet of the Week

BELLA Pet of the Week

Gunner Arena staffer Preston PetMacIntosh tookof on the role of the Week Santa for the Christmas Skate with Santa event. He brought along his own family pet, Bella, to meet the kids in attendance. Do you have a photo of your PEACEFUL VALLEY PET CREMATORIUM pet — cat, dog, bird, snake, hamster — you’d like to share Pet of“A treasuredthe memorialWeek for with our Stag readers? If so, e-mail it to us via stag@ your cherished pet.” mymts.net www.peacefulvalleypetcrematorium.com Karen & Rob Gardiner Pet of the204-748-3101 Week • Virden

CANADIAN MILITARYʼS TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE January 9, 2020 CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS Shilo Stag 3

Lt MCpl Pte Sgt Cpl Sutton Silber Neuls Oliver Kornelsen

BComd LCol Jeff Lyttle (above) exchanged his dress uniform jacket with young- est Base soldier Avr Tekla Johnston from Base Supply, while A/CO Maj Patrick MCpl Pte WO Cpl Sgt Brown (below) exchanged his jacket with youngest 2PPCLI soldier Pte(B) Mat- Gouthro Kane Lemay Francisco Green thew Hudgin of A Coy. Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag

2PPCLI soldiers prepare for their annual Coy photos at the MPTF gymnasium prior BComd Coin recipient to hosting their soldiers’ Christmas dinner. Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag Pte (B) Philippe Patry’s work on HLVW wrecker acknowledged From page 2 hours required for the vehicle to become serviceable.” To show our appreciation to our families, “During March and April 2019, Sarah There were a handful of promotions prior Veterans and Reservists for everything they do, we would like to stepped up to assume additional roles in to Christmas dinner, with the following re- financial management and compliance dur- ceiving new ranks from BComd LCol Jeff offer 15 per cent off the cost of ALL dental work. ing a period of staff shortage. These are the Lyttle and BRSM CWO James Doppler: Cpl busiest months for financial management Blanchette, Cpl Gould, Cpl Peters, Cpl Pel- personnel and her reporting was critical to lerin, Cpl Crowe, Cpl Buenaventura, MCpl Present a piece of Military ID or Service Number to receive this a successful year-end.” Gooderham and Sgt McInnis. offer. Services offered are routine oral hygiene exams, root canal, The third recipient of a Command Team Following the awards and promotion cer- commendation was Alexa Kullberg, the emony, the exchange of tunics was held at implants, dentures, bridges, Invisalign, teeth whitening, and so Shilo MFRC’s deployment and the head table. much more. special events co-ordinator. A long-standing festive din- “With the surge of deployments ner tradition is the exchanging of [in 2019], Alexa worked with the the military tunics. Initially only We direct bill most insurances electronically. Base units to support families ex- exchanged between the Com- periencing deployments. She has manding and the youngest also introduced programs and member of the unit, the tradition Please call us at to book your appointment today. events that reach out to a broader has since expanded to include an 204-728-3338 scope of families, to include fami- exchange between the Regimental lies with or without children and Sergeant Major (RSM) and the old- single members,” said Capt Hil- Sarah est member of the unit. Brandon Smiles Dentistry big. “Her events have increased Lamb Per tradition, once the tunics are Unit 10A 457 Ninth Street the visibility of the MFRC in the exchanged, the youngest soldier community and built partnerships will take on the role of CO and the Brandon, MB within Shilo and Brandon.” oldest will take on the role of RSM. R7A 4A9 Pte (B) Philippe Patry garnered a BComd’s For the 2019 Christmas dinner this fell to coin for his contribution to Base Mainte- (oldest) MCpl Trudy James, a driver at Base nance and CFB Shilo as a Vehicle Tech OJT. Transport, and (youngest) Avr Tekla John- Office hours Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. “He performed beyond expectation [last] ston, a supply tech at Base Supply. summer when the HLVW wrecker was The following day, 2PPCLI held its own Open Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and some evenings grounded. The repair was a high priority, Christmas dinner at the MPTF. The follow- but very complicated due to the complex ing soldiers were recognized: top private Walk-ins accepted layout of the electrical wiring system in the Pte Kane; top corporal Cpl Kornelsen; top cab,” noted Capt Hilbig. master corporal MCpl Silber; top sergeant “Pte (B) Patry took it upon himself to con- Sgt Oliver; Warrior Spirit Pte Neuls; top duct the repair. He thoroughly investigated Lt Sutton; top tradesman MCpl A shuttle service may be offered in 2020 for appointments. the deficiency, suggested creative avenues Gouthro and top section Cpl Franciso. of approach, and sacrificed his own - per Sgt Green received his Special Services sonal time to complete the repair. His efforts medal with NATO bar, while WO Lemay considerably reduced the amount of work received his CD medal. CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE 4 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS January 9, 2020 monument consultation underway Volume 59 • Issue 1 Maple Leaf great losses. As we embark on a new year, it is also Stag Special a time to surround ourselves with our family and Regular Circulation: 3,000 friends and to refl ect. Take the time to have your say. Together we can con- Printed bi-weekly by We want to hear from you, your colleagues and tinue to recognize ’s mission in Afghanistan. your family members. Struth Publishing, Killarney MB On May 8, 2014, the an- As you may be aware, the creation of a national nounced that a monument would be built to com- monument to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan is cur- memorate Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. rently underway. The monument will recognize the The monument is being created through a partner- commitment and sacrifi ce of Canadians who served ship amongst Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), Cana- in Afghanistan, as well as the support provided to dian Heritage (PCH) and the National Capital Com- them at home. mission (NCC). The monument will be located in near the The online consultation will focus on the design Canadian War Museum. considerations for the national monument to Cana- The mission in Afghanistan came at a cost. You da’s Mission in Afghanistan. Consultations will help know this well. You commemorate, you share stories inform the design guidelines being and you keep the memory of our established for the design competi- General manager Craig Ethelston ext 3073 fallen alive. The mission tion. Managing editor Jules Xavier ext 3093 Many Canadians died as a result There are three components the of their service in Afghanistan, in- Assistant Editor ext 3013 in Afghanistan survey is looking at when it comes to cluding Canadian Armed Forces collecting the thoughts of Canadians Advertising rep ext 3013 (CAF) members — 20 who came PA Advisor Lori Truscott ext 3813 came at a cost. when it comes to building this nation- out of CFB Shilo during the Af- al monument, plus you can offer your ghan War — a diplomat, foreign You know this own vision on what will be built: Fax: 204-765-3814 Email: [email protected] aid workers, a government con- • Monument Objectives — The tractor and a Calgary journalist. well. You com- goal of this initiative is to create an Thousands of CAF members enduring monument in Ottawa to Mailing Address: were also injured — physically memorate, you those Canadians who served in Cana- Box 5000, Stn Main and psychologically — during the da’s whole-of-government mission in CFB Shilo, Manitoba, R0K 2A0 mission. share stories Afghanistan, as well as to those Cana- This mission likely affected you, dians who provided support at home. your colleagues and your family There are several objectives identi- members. Your life may have been and you keep the fi ed in order to achieve this goal. You signifi cantly affected. make your choices based on a list. This newspaper is issued by authority of LCol Jeff Lyttle, Base The monument should be a place , CFB Shilo. The views expressed herein are not memory of our • Form and Character — The na- that represents our commitment to necessarily those of the Department of National Defence or of tional monument to Canada’s Mis- always remember. the editorial staff. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit, to fallen alive. Many sion in Afghanistan will be located abridge, to reject copy or advertising to adhere to the policy, as It should be a place to pay trib- on LeBreton Flats in Ottawa, the tra- outlined in CFAO 57-5, and for clarity and/or content. ute to all those who served, com- Canadians died ditional territory of the Algonquin memorate our fallen, and honour Anishnaabeg people. LeBreton Flats the sacrifi ces of members and their The Shilo Stag is produced every second Thursday. as a result of is located across the street from the families. Canadian War Museum. The site will It should be a place that will Deadline for submissions is the Thursday prior to the their service in provide easy access and high visibil- educate the public. It should be a ity to the monument for both vehicle week of publication. Submissions can be sent to the Stag place that you could visit. This is via email at [email protected], dropped off at the Stag of- Afghanistan. and pedestrian traffi c. Design teams why we are seeking your input. will aim to create a design that in- fi ce located in CANEX or via Inter-base mail. Veterans Affairs Canada is con- tegrates the monument into its sur- sulting on the monument design Submitting articles and photos for print: roundings and achieves the goal of guidelines via PubliVate Inc., an independent com- this initiative. The survey asks you to indicate your • Please submit articles as a MS Word Document. pany which will host the online consultation on our • Include the author’s full name, rank, unit and contact information. preferred approach for the form and character of the behalf. national monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghani- • Include photos with your articles whenever possible, The consultation can be accessed until Jan. 20 by however, do not embed photos in word documents. stan by ranking your choices in order of importance. visiting the following website link https://canadare- • Visitor Experience — Various visitor experiences • Please submit photos as high resolution jpegs (if membersafghanistan.ca/ scanned 300 dpi), digital images or in hard copy format. are considered when designing a new monument. Your input will help inform the monument design These experiences guide design teams in their cre- • With photos, include a cutline which names the indi- guidelines, which will ultimately guide design teams ative approach to how visitors will interact with the viduals in the photo; what’s taking place; and the name, in developing their concepts. monument. The survey asks you to choose the visitor rank, and unit of the photographer. As we progress in the planning and construction of experiences you think are most important for the na- • • • this monument you will be consulted again, namely tional monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan on the fi nalist teams’ design concepts, prior to the se- by ranking your choices in order of importance. Follow the Shilo Stag on lection and announcement of the winning monument If you have further comments on the design guide- Facebook by visiting: design. lines for the national monument to Canada’s Mission We recognize this may be a challenging time for in Afghanistan, you are asked at the end of the survey http://www.facebook.com/ShiloSTAG many of you. It is a time we experienced some of our to provide them.

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CANADIAN MILITARYʼS TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE January 9, 2020 CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS Shilo Stag 5

GSH Bowling Alley

Open bowling for all ages Do you recall fi nal Regimental Saturday 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday 2 to 4 p.m. Adult: $2.50 per game Youth: $2.25 per game Child: $2 per game shoot for self-propelled M109? For more info Shoe rental: 75 cents call the community Prices subject to tax recreation office Ask about Glow bowling at 204-765-3000 Andrew Oakden 2005. The fi nal Regimental shoot marked the full lifecycle birthday parties! Stag Special of the M109, an end to an era with 1RCHA’s A Bty fi ring the ext 3317 or 3588 CLOSED last round. As the current director of the RCA Museum, I can note Canadian artillery systems normally have a lifespan of the importance of the fi nal Regimental shoot more than 14 twenty years. The M109, a self-propelled, 155mm howitzer years ago. In 2005, Maj Marc George was the Regimental was in Canadian service for a record 37 years — from 1968 Major, while Rick Sanderson was the RCA Museum direc- to 2005. tor. The 155mm cannon could fi re in a 360 degree circle. The Remarkably, our M109 on display inside the museum secondary armament was a 50-calibre M2 heavy barrel ma- fi red the fi rst round in 1968 and fi red its last round on Feb. chine gun. 25, 2005 — 37 years apart mirroring the long-standing life- The M109 could employ both direct and indirect fi re us- cycle of M109s in Canadian service. ing a 98-pound projectile. The engine was located front- The fi nal Regimental shoot was a dignifi ed and fi tting right and the driver sat front-left. The turret was to the rear. tribute to the M109 which should be remembered and cel- The M109 had six crew members, including the com- ebrated. mander, two gunners, two loaders, plus a driver. The range On that day, 1RCHA hosted the fi nal regimental shot of was 350 kilometres with a 135- gallons fuel capacity, pow- the M109 on the CFB Shilo training ranges. This evident ered by an eight-cylinder diesel engine. marked a signifi cant moment in Canadian history, with the The M109 proudly served Canada in overseas in Germa- retiring of the M109. ny, CFB Shilo, Garrison , CFB Valcartier and CFB In attendance that day were 1RCHA CO LCol Mieiz- Gagetown. tis, and his RSM CWO McKinnon. VIPs included 1CMBG The fi rst deliveries of M109 occurred on this Base to the Comd Col Grant and LFWA Comd BGen Beare. Royal Canadian School of Artillery in the spring of ‘68. During the ceremony, 1RCHA fi red the last round after 1RCHA fi red the fi rst round on Sept. 16, 1968 in Soltau, West 37 years of service and many upgrades. Two batteries of 12 . 2RCHA fi red its fi rst round on Oct. 10, 1968. M109s — A Bty and B Bty — took part in the mission, as A fl eet of 74 M109s served the regular fi eld regiments well as M113s, M577s, HLVWs and LAV IIIs. and the Royal Canadian School of Artillery at CFB Shilo. The two batteries fi red 20 HE, 10 proximity and 15 smoke By 2005, only 1RCHA retained M109s, with the remainder rounds per gun, with Sgt Dolomont of A Bty fi ring the last already retired from service. round. Approximately 540 rounds were fi red that day — a These last 12 guns were retired from service on Feb. 25, substantial amount.

3RCHA’s J Bty out in the fi eld (top inset) April 1990 with their M109. There’s a · England · · Scotland · Mauritius · Métis M109 on display (inset bottom) at the Base’s south gate. The gun on display inside Jamaica · Philippines · Honduras · Mexico · El Salvador the RCA Museum was with 1RCHA B Bty, and fi red its fi rst Canadian M109 round in Germany in 1968. It fi red its last round in the training area in 2005. CANADIAN MILITARYʼS TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE 6 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS January 9, 2020 Patricia pride overseas PPCLI Colonel-in-Chief Adrienne Clarkson visits Latvia Capt Ken Jacobson of the Regiment were engrossed by the exhibits, asking our nel of the Regiment ate lunch with members of 2PPCLI at Stag Special tour guide questions as they walked the cobblestone side- the Camp Ādaži dining facility before transiting to the Inter- walk of the museum, made from the cobblestones of the national House, where she would preside over an honours main street of the Riga Ghetto, which 10s of thousands of and awards parade, where soldiers from 2PPCLI were to Camp Ādaži – Last July, approximately 200 members of Jewish Latvians walked as they were marched to the Rum- receive their Special Service Medal for Op REASSURANCE. 2PPCLI deployed to Latvia as part of Op REASSURANCE, bula Forest. At a barbecue and social event following the parade, NATO’s assurance and deterrence measures in the Baltics. Visiting the cramped living conditions in the Maza Kalnu Madame Clarkson and the Colonel of the Regiment took a During the last five months soldiers from 2PPCLI have Iela House, where people awaited relocation to concentra- moment to address the group before enjoying the food and worked diligently along with the Latvian National Armed tion camps, and seeing the Wall of Names which pays hom- spending time interacting with members of 2PPCLI. Forces and eight other NATO Allies to reinforce NATO’s age to the 70,000 people who perished in Latvia during the During her address, she spoke about the pride she has collective defence, while also showing the strength of Allied Holocaust. when telling people about her long relationship with the solidarity. Madame Clarkson and the Colonel of the Regiment were Regiment. In recognition of their efforts, PPCLI Colonel-in-Chief very interested to find out more about Latvia’s history, and Highlighting the significant contributions of 2PPCLI dur- Adrienne Clarkson, and Colonel of the Regiment BGen what life was like in Latvia at that time. ing the conflicts in Bosnia, and Kosovo, and the war in Af- (Ret’d) VW Kennedy, visited Latvia last month, to let sol- Following Sunday Mass, the Colonel of the Regiment vis- ghanistan, she urged each soldier to be as proud of the work diers from 2PPCLI know, first-hand, how proud the Regi- ited the Rumbula Forest Memorial, where he paid his re- they are doing here, in Latvia, as the Regiment is of them. ment is of their accomplishments. spects to the more than 25,000 people that were killed there The Colonel of the Regiment, also provided words of To better understand the history of the region, Madame between Nov. 30 and Dec. 8, 1941. praise, highlighting the tremendous job, and the achieve- Clarkson, and the Colonel of the Regiment visited the Riga A day later, after receiving compliments from the Battle ments that the enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum, Rumbula Forest Group Quarter Guard, Madame Clarkson and the Colonel Latvia have accomplished during the last five months. Memorial, and attending Sunday Mass at the Riga Dome of the Regiment were welcomed into the enhanced Forward Both noted that although the soldiers won’t be home with Cathedral. Presence Battle Group HQ by CO LCol Michael Reekie, for families for the recent Christmas holidays, they wished ev- During their visit to the Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holo- a briefing on the last five months of deployment. eryone a Merry Christmas and a safe trip back to Canada in caust Museum, both 80-year-old Clarkson and the Colonel After a tour of the Base, Madame Clarkson and the Colo- the New Year.

Princess Patricia’s Colonel-in-Chief Adrienne Clark- son enjoyed lunch (above) at the Camp Adazi dining facility with members of 2PPLCI last month. She pre- sented Special Service Medals (below) to 2PPCLI sol- diers during an honours and awards parade.

PPCLI Colonel-in-Chief Adrienne Clarkson inspects soldiers of eFP Battle Group Quarter Guard during her visit to Camp Adazi, Latvia last month. Photos Cpl Vuong-De Ramos

Battle Group CO LCol Mike Reekie hosted PPCLI Colonel- PPCLI Colonel-in-Chief in-Chief Adrienne Adrienne Clarkson for an Clarkson addresses office call during her visit the troops during to Camp Adazi, Latvia. her December visit to Latvia where sol- diers from 1RCHA, 2PPCLI are cur- renlty deployed as part of Op REAS- SURNCE.

CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE January 9, 2020 CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS Shilo Stag 7 Uniform, , plus equipment modernization process marches on

Starting last September, 3rd Battalion Royal Ca- nadian Regiment (RCR) began wearing coats and trousers, shell fragmenta- tion protective body armour, bush caps, helmet covers and rank patches in the “Prototype J” mid-spectrum pattern. Photo Pte Robert Kingerski

A member of 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regi- ment (RCR) inspects the prototype uniform from the Soldier Clothing and Equipment Modernization Trial being done at 4th Canadian Sup- port Base Petawawa. Photo AS Elizabeth Ross

Eric De Lafontaine The trial will last until this July. During this time, the Human Factors Support Stag Special Cell from the Soldier Systems Directorate within Director General Land Equip- ment Program Management will seek user feedback about the “Prototype J” pat- tern by conducting large-scale questionnaires. Some 600 soldiers at Support Base (4CDSB) Petawawa The team will also conduct data collection, focus groups, and 3D body scanning will soon be standing out as they help the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) test a to define how the current operational uniform and personal equipment canbe new Canadian Disruptive Pattern (CADPAT) to help select a replacement camou- improved. flage for the current iconic woodland and arid CADPAT patterns. This study will also include seeking out soldiers of smaller stature, including but The original distinctive CADPAT, revolutionary for its time, was initially devel- not exclusively women, to ensure that the next generation of clothing and equip- oped in 1997. It is most closely associated with the (CA), but it is ment fit the widest variety of soldiers possible. also worn by Navy and Air Force personnel when they work within Army lines. The Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modernization (SOCEM) proj- Canadian Special Operations Forces personnel wear another pattern, MultiCam, ect, led by the Canadian Army Director of Land Requirements, in co-operation which is not being replaced. with Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel) and Defence Research and Develop- Since CADPAT was issued, there have been a number of advances made in ment Canada, has been working for more than two years on harnessing techno- camouflage research, specifically protection from detection by infra-red and other logical advances to improve the functionality of CAF operational uniforms and night vision systems. equipment. Starting at the end of last September, 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment The goal is operational clothing and equipment that protect and fit better while (RCR) began wearing coats and trousers, shell fragmentation protective body ar- lightening the load carried by soldiers. mour, bush caps, helmet covers and rank patches in the “Prototype J” mid-spec- Transitioning to a single pattern from the current temperate woodland (green), trum pattern. and arid (tan) will also create efficiencies in terms of logistics. This new four-colour pattern falls in the middle of the camouflage spectrum, not With the final decision expected no later than 2022 and a full roll out 2027, the overly emphasizing brown or green tones. interim years will see mixed uniforms and equipment as items in the new pattern While there have been over a dozen patterns tested, this is the first pattern to are gradually acquired and put into service. be taken out of a lab and tested using real soldiers, who are undergoing rigorous Eric De Lafontaine is manager of Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modern- training for overseas operations. There will likely be adjustments made to the pat- ization, Directorate of soldier systems program management tern resulting from this trial.

CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE 8 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS January 9, 2020 Forgotten hero of a forgotten war Battle of Kapyong veteran wants platoon mate recognized for heroism

Peter Mallett of the Second World War — to the Korean War, , and Coy headquarters, Capt JG ‘Wally’ Mills, who was the man Stag Special the Six Day War in the Middle East before his retirement that helped monitor and relay Lt Levy’s co-ordinates. from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1969. Since Lt Levy was such a well-known fi gure in the PPCLI Edwards, a resident at the Veterans Lodge at Broadmead and his reputation from the Second World War preceded A 99-year-old veteran of the Korean War isn’t giving up on Vancouver Island, BC, turns 100 this month. While his him, word of LCol Stone’s remarks spread like wildfi re. Ed- his life-long quest to see a platoon mate receive proper rec- mobility has been hampered by a stroke and he uses a walk- wards says many of his fellow Patricians were “truly devas- ognition for his unparalleled heroism during the Battle of er to get around, his memory remains crystal clear of his tated” to hear their commanding offi cer’s decree. Kapyong. time in and the selfl essness of military comrade Lt “Hearing Stone’s comments on Levy lowered our unit’s Murray Edwards served Canada from 1942 — the height Mike Levy. morale and esteem and made us all wonder how our own He says Lt Levy was intentionally excluded from a Mili- colonel could make such a remark,” he recalls. “It was very tary Cross medal for heroism because of the commanding obvious the colonel did not single out Levy as an individ- offi cer’s bigotry towards Jews. Edwards says Levy is truly ual, but that is how he felt about Jewish people. I think his Shilo Theatre a forgotten hero of Canada’s ‘Forgotten War.’ Levy died in [Levy’s] chance of getting a medal ended there.” (Located inside General Strange Hall) 2007. Levy’s son, Ottawa-based accountant Don Jan. 10 Joker Rated 14A “I was lucky to know him and we were lucky Levy says he and his family are still perplexed Jan. 17 Male cent: Mistress of Evil Rated 14A to have him as the most experienced offi cer in by reports of Col Stone’s comments, since nei- Jan. 24 The Addams Family Rated PG the entire [PPCLI] battalion,” said Edwards. “We ther he nor his siblings or their parents ever Children aged 10 and younger require adult supervision at all times. were also lucky to have him in the right place at identifi ed as being Jewish. All movies start at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. the right time at Kapyong.” “Over the years many people have mistakenly FREE GSH popcorn In 1950, when war again broke out in Korea, assumed our family is Jewish, but we are not,

For more info, contact the community 2PPCLI were deployed to the Korean Peninsula and in all the writings about my father and the recreation o ce at 204-765-3000 ext 3317/3588 as part of the United Nations Command Forces Korean War, the error has never been corrected,” response to the invasion of by com- says Levy. munist forces from the north. In the years following the Korean War, Ed- On April 21, 600,000 soldiers from North Ko- wards obtained accounts from dozens of PPCLI rea and of the 60th Chinese Infantry Division be- Murray members who had heard LCol Stone’s com- gan their march south in an ill-fated attempt to Edwards ments in an attempt to get Lt Levy due credit. break Allied lines and capture Seoul. Lt Levy and his entire battalion did receive the A year later, the advancing army fl ooded the rare Presidential Unit Citation in Kapyong Gorge. The UN contingent from , the years following the war, but nothing similar came from and the United States were grossly outnumbered, Canada. But time would eventually expire on Edward’s but occupied strategic positions. hopes, as military proviso prohibits the retroactive awards The Battle of Kapyong began in the evening hours of for military personnel after a period of fi ve years. April 25, 1951, as the Chinese launched a massive assault on He tried to get that reversed with the help of Hub Gray, 700 Patricians exposed in a vulnerable position on Hill 677. historian and author of Beyond the Danger Close. Those included Lt Levy’s Platoon 10, which he commanded. “In a situation that can only be described as frantic life or In multiple radio transmissions, and hunkered down in a death battle, Levy demonstrated his capabilities under the foxhole, Lt Levy ordered mortars and artillery be fi red near most trying of conditions,” wrote Gray in one passage. his position to attack the enemy. With the help of Canadian military historians Dan Bjar- More than 2,300 shells fell in close proximity to him, some nason and David Bercuson, Gray managed to open up a of them landing within 10 yards. The heavy fi re worked, re- clearer understanding about how Kapyong was won. sulting in the decisive victory for UN Forces and mass casu- Their efforts caught the attention of former Governor- alties for the Chinese. General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson which resulted in Lt “If it had been someone like myself or another offi cer in Levy being granted a Coat of Arms in 2004. In 2017, Lt Levy his place, we wouldn’t have been as effective in calling in was posthumously awarded an Apostle of Peace Medal by the artillery or mortar fi re the way he did,” says Edwards. the Democratic Republic of Korea during a ceremony in Cal- “The big thing was he put his own personal safety and sur- gary. During the acceptance speech by his son Guy Levy, he vival aside and called in mortar fi re, drawing it perilously expressed that if his father was here today he would imme- close to his position.” diately want to share the recognition with the 17 men of his According to Edwards, and multiple accounts from other platoon who “so valiantly defended Hill 677 and the road PPCLI veterans, after catching wind of Lt Levy’s remarkable to Seoul.” efforts, PPCLI commanding offi cer LCol Jim Stone declared: Edwards isn’t giving up his dream to see more recogni- “I will never award a medal to a Jew.” tion bestowed upon his friend. He is hoping community Instead of Levy receiving a Military Cross for his role in leaders in Victoria and across Canada see the light and name the victory, a medal was awarded to the Commander of D a public building in Lt Levy’s name.

If you would like a copy of the Base’s 2020 calendar for your offi ce, or home, stop by the newsroom located in CANEX across from Canada Post.

CANADIAN MILITARYʼS TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE January 9, 2020 CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS Shilo Stag 9

  CDS addresses Middle East issues    with letter to military families SHILO RANGES

Here’s a letter from the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) The situation in Iraq is complex and it’s best to pause our Day and night firing will be carried out at the written Jan. 7 for military families related to recent events in work there in order to fully concentrate our attention and Shilo Ranges until further notice. the Middle East. efforts towards the safety and security of our personnel while the situation develops. The range consists of DND controlled proper- Gen Jonathan Vance We have approximately 800 military members in the re- ty lying approximately 32 kms SE from Stag Special gion, about 500 in Iraq, some of them are deployed on Op Brandon and N of the Assiniboine River in IMPACT, and some with NMI — two separate missions. Townships 7, 8 and 9; Range 14 WPM, During the coming days, and as a result of Coalition and ; The news coming out of the Middle East is alarming for Townships 8, 9 and 10 Ranges 15 and 16 NATO planning, some of our people will be moved tem- WPM and Townships 9 and 10; Range 17 many of us, as such I thought it best to communicate with porarily from Iraq to Kuwait. Simply put, we are doing you directly to provide an update on Canada’s mission in this to ensure their safety and security. This also WPM in the Province of Manitoba. If required, the region, and more importantly, the status and holds true of NMI. While this adjustment of our a detailed description of the Shilo property well-being of your family and friends deployed posture is underway, planned HLTA (leave) and may be obtained from the Base Construction in Iraq and Kuwait and elsewhere in the region. rotation of people in and out of their tours will Engineering Office at First and foremost, let me assure you that all be interrupted. Despite the operational pause in Shilo. necessary force protection measures that can be Iraq, our mission in the Middle East carries on, taken have been taken. The safety and security of with multiple other operations in the region. All boundaries, entry ways, roads and tracks Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel is my Naturally, the work we are doing on these into the Range are clearly marked and posted priority, as it is the priority of my senior leader- missions, and the future of operations in Iraq, ship. with signs indicating that there is to be NO remain conditional on maintaining a suffi ciently TRESPASSING. Hunting is no longer Force protection measures continue to be con- secure and productive operational environment. sidered, reassessed, and modifi ed as required on During the coming days and weeks we, the permitted on the Shilo Ranges. a daily basis. Gen Jonathan leadership of the CAF, will communicate with In response to the events of late, the CAF, Vance your again, and as often as necessary, to ensure STRAY AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVE working in collaboration with our international that you are well informed about the status of OBJECTS partners, has temporarily paused our efforts in your CAF loved-ones. , Iraq that fall under Op IMPACT, and the NATO Mission Bombs, grenades, shells similar explo- Thank-you for your continued support to those deployed , and their casings Iraq (NMI). sive objects are a hazard to in the service of Canada. life and limb. Do not pick up or retain such objects as souvenirs. If you have found or have in your possession any object which you believe to be an explosive, notify your local Latvia police and arrangements will be made to mission dispose of it. No unauthorized person may enter this Op REASSURANCE area and trespassing on the area is strictly Battle Group CO and 2PPCLI CO LCol Michael prohibited. Reekie (right) had a visit from Chief of Defence BY ORDER from the Czech Repub- Deputy Minister lic, Gen Aleš Opata (left), Department of National Defense at Camp Ādaži, Latvia, where about 200 2VP OTTAWA, CANADA soldiers are deployed 17630-77 as part of NATO’s as- surance and deterrence measures in the Baltics. Soldiers will be returning home this month, the fi rst of three chalks sched- uled for Jan. 9. Photo Sgt Jose Robles 

SHILO COMMUNITY COUNCIL We are looking for ward representatives, vice-president

Ward 1 - Kingston, Leeside, Royal, Sapper, The Packway Ward 2 - Alfriston, Sennybridge Ward 3 - Kingston, Lundy’s Ward 4 - Esquimalt, Frontenac, Kingston, Larkhill Ward 5 - Citadel, Petawawa, Kingston, Royal

If interested, visit www.CAFconnection.ca to learn more about the council, or contact 2Lt DiFalco to submit your name for consideration: [email protected]

CANADIAN MILITARYʼS TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE 10 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS January 9, 2020 Op PALACI Avalanche clearing begins in BC’s Rogers Pass

Stag Special

Every winter for more than five decades Canadian gun- ners have helped keep the vital Trans-Canada Highway open through Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park. Members of 1RCHA augmented by the Primary Reserve Ar- tillery units, with some soldiers from 26 Field Brandon, will work with the snow experts at to ensure traffic keeps moving and people are safe. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) annual support to Parks Canada Agency’s avalanche control program, Op PALACI, is underway and expected to continue into April. The CAF have provided artillery support to Parks Canada since 1961. Rogers Pass carries the major national road and rail transportation through the rugged Columbia Mountains in British Columbia. Each year in late fall, artillery gun troops are deployed to Rogers Pass with 105mm C3 howitzers, adapted to fit the road- side gun platforms. This year, the operation will be carried out in two rotations. Both rotations will be carried out by 17 members from 1RCHA, and augmented by various reserve artillery groups.

Gnr Samuel D’Amour from 1RCHA (above) confirms a target through the sight of a 105mm C3 Howitzer gun dur- ing Op PALACI in the vicinity of Rogers Pass, BC. Bdr Jacquie Huntinghawk (below), with 26th Field Artillery Regi- ment, RCA clears built up snow and ice around a firing ring at Rogers Pass. CAF members deployed on Op PALA- CI and Parks Canada personnel (left) gather at a firing ring for their second day of preparations and rehearsals in late November. Photos MCpl PJ Létourneau/Combat Camera

1RCHA cook Cpl Yannick Gagnon clears built up snow and ice around a firing ring at Rogers Pass, BC.

CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE January 9, 2020 CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS Shilo Stag 11 www.rcamuseum.com Call 204-765-3000 extension 3570 CFB SHILO EXPERIENCE HISTORY WITH A BANG! THE RCA MUSEUM CANADA’S NATIONAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM

LE MUSÉE NATIONAL DE L’ARTILLERIE DU CANADA LE MUSÉE DE L’ARC FAITES DE L’HISTOIRE AVEC UN BANG! BFC SHILO Contacter le 204-765-3000 poste 3570 www.rcamuseum.com

Sales consultant required The Shilo Stag is looking for another sales consultant for its team. Help us sell the Brandon business market on advertising in the Stag. They have a captive audi- Fresh coat of paint ence — especially with people here who are new to the community after being posted here from elsewhere in To brighten up your experience at Forbidden Fla- Canada. Where do you shop for new glasses; groom vours in CANEX, new owners Rayna and Ben Mof- your dog; take the wife out for an anniversary dinner; fat put a fresh coat of paint on some of the walls buy a new car or have winter tires put on the van with of the coffee shop. They also removed the bench the advent of winter; shop for back to school clothes seating, replacing it with tables and chairs. Here, and supplies? Working on commission, you can set Ben Moffat prepared the wall for painting during a your own hours. The more you hustle and sign ad- lull in business after Christmas. Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag vertisers up to promote their business in the Stag, the more you earn. Drop by the Stag's office in CANEX and see Jules about the job. Or call 204-765-3000 ext 3013/3093. Be part of the award-winning Shilo Stag team. CLASSIFIED ADS Email: [email protected] • Phone 204-765-3000, ext 3013 • Fax 204-765-3814 $10 for rst 20 words, 10¢ for each additional word Deadline for next issue: January 16 at noon Free ads (non-pro t only) restricted to members of the CAF, employees of CFB Shilo and the residents of the surrounding area. Services Services Services Employment

Greg Steele Canadian Fire- Need your taxes done? Fast, CANEX needs you: Sales as- arms safety course instructor/ friendly, and personal service. sociate part-time position with examiner offering Red Cross 13 to 32 hr /week required. Located outside the gate. For first aid training. Manitoba Must be available days/eve- hunter safety instructor. CFSC, all your income tax needs con- nings, and weekends. Start- CRFFC safety courses offered tact Ingrid Wasserberg at 204- ing salary is $12.53 per hour, at least monthly and on de- 763-4357. OPEN ALL YEAR. progressing to $14.77 per des- mand. Firearm/hunter safety ignated pay band. Under the courses planned seasonally. Many local businesses direction of the department su- o er discounts to military St. Barbara’s Restricted and non-restricted. pervisor, a clerk/cashier scans Protestant Chapel members. Check out our Visit social media page www. website for a list of o ers customer purchases, processes Sunday at 10:30 a.m. with OR transactions, and accepts pay- Sunday school & nursery facebook.con/gregsteelehu- look for our logo at a local Padre Lazerte - ext 3381 nterfirearmsafetymanitoba/ business and ask about ment. He/she prices, stocks their military discount. Padre Dennis - ext 6836 Dial 204-729-5024 E-mail shelves, counters and display www.brandonsalutes.ca Padre Walton - ext 3088 [email protected] areas with merchandise and Padre Smallwood - ext 3089 keeps stock in order. He/she Our Lady of Shilo Employment performs cleaning duties as Roman Catholic Chapel Sunday at 10:30 a.m. required. Apply in person at Looking for a job on the Base? Submit resumes to NPF HR office Confessions by appointment CANEX admin office, or NPF via e-mail quoting competition # to [email protected] OR Padre Nnanna - ext 3090 for more detailed information on the jobs offered at CFB Shilo Human Resources office at Padre Shanahan - ext 3698 visit: www.cfmws.com base HQ.

CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE 12 Shilo Stag CELEBRATING 72 YEARS PROVIDING ARMY NEWS January 9, 2020 Korea War vet remembers comrades killed at Canoe River

William Mercer their journey west again the follow- Stag Special ing week. Mercer was invited to attend the 2019 commemoration at Garrison Korean War veteran Leslie Mer- Petawawa by 2RCHA CO LCol Dan cer of St. John’s, Newfoundland Matheson, after it was learned Mer- and a 65-year member of the Royal cer was a survivor of the Canoe Riv- Canadian Legion, recently trav- er tragedy. elled to , home During the ceremony, LCol Mathe- of 2RCHA to attend an emotional son remarked what an honour it was 69th anniversary commemora- to welcome Mercer back to his Regi- tion ceremony for the Canoe River ment and for the soldiers to hear his train wreck. experiences. It was on Nov. 21, 1950 when LCol Matheson in his address: 17 Gunners were killed after their “2nd Regiment Royal Canadian troop train collided with a CN pas- Horse Artillery was born that fate- senger train at Canoe River, BC. ful day in the mountains of British Mercer was on that train, part of Columbia where through adversity the Canadian Army Special Force and tragedy this Regiment came raised for the war in Korea. together. The survivors, veterans of Following basic artillery train- [Second World War] and men not yet ing at Camp Shilo, the newly tested in combat, showed their met- formed 2RCHA were westbound tle and surged into the fray to save to Fort Lewis, Washington and the those they could whilst under the Yakima mountains to further hone perilous danger of scalding steam, their artillery skills before embark- fire and boiler explosions. ing for Korea. “They pulled over 61 injured com- Mercer, now 92, was a young rades from the wreckage — it is my Bombardier in 1950 and remem- Visiting the Artillery Park at Garrison Petawawa, 92-year-old Leslie Mercer reads the 2RCHA me- experience that bonds are formed in bers well that cold winter morn- these moments of shared grief, fear, ing in the interior mountains of morial cairn for the 17 Gunners killed at Canoe River, BC, in 1950. With family members, he in- spected the new cairn which features a piece from the train disaster. compassion, anguish and hardship. British Columbia. The accident That day men simply thought they killed four railway men and 17 boarded a train bound for Fort Lewis of his comrades, including his and then on to Korea, but in fact that best friend Gnr Leslie Snow, of day they boarded a train and arrived St. John’s. Five other soldiers also as a Regiment. And it lives on, gain- from Newfoundland were among ing strength with each passing gen- the fatalities. eration.” The westbound troop train was At 10:30 a.m. Nov. 21, 2019, ap- constructed of wooden cars with proximately the same time the steel undercarriages and was no crash occurred in 1950, 2RCHA was match for the eastbound all-steel formed up on parade, Last Post and new CN passenger Continental a solemn service of remembrance train. The head-on collision oc- was conducted. Wreaths were placed curred south of Valemount, and by 2CMBG, 2RCHA, and the 2RCHA east of a small station named Ca- Association and on behalf of Korean noe River on the only stretch of the veterans. Mercer placed a wreath on CNR mainline in the mountains behalf of Canoe River survivors. In not protected by automatic block his address to the parade, Mercer re- signals. flected on his personal experience of It was determined the railway the crash and its aftermath. signal order given to the troop After the ceremonies, Mercer was train was not as intended and brought to Artillery Park on the lacked key information. The lead- Garrison where a cairn erected by ing cars of each train were derailed 2RCHA memorializes those killed at while those which had been part of Canoe River. Also at Artillery Park the troop train were demolished. is the salvaged smokestack top from The locomotive of the troop train the troop train that 2RCHA subse- was lifted up and over its tender quently obtained and mounted onto to come down atop the second car, a rock as a tribute to the fallen. crushing it. After three cold hours, a relief train arrived with medical personnel from Jasper and evacuated 61 wounded back to a May they rest in eternal peace: The effect on the other wooden passenger coaches was Gnr Arden Joseph Atchison, 24, of Loon Lake, SK; Gnr equally catastrophic. Some cars imploded, some were up- hospital in . The remainder of the soldiers recon- stituted at Camp Wainwright in Alberta, before carrying on Weldon Eugene Barkhouse, 20, of Wolfville, NS; Gnr Nor- ended and pitched from the tracks with a scream of grind- man William Carroll, 20, of Pennant, SK.; Gnr Frederick Wil- ing metal and wood and glass and scalding hot steam that liam Conway, 25, of Grand Falls, Nfld.; Gnr Robert Arthur seared then froze in the -18 C temperature that morning. Craig, 22, of Foam Lake, SK; Gnr Austin Emery George, 30, Mercer was in the fourth car and was knocked out by the of Canso, NS; Gnr Urbain Joseph Levesque, 30, of Ottawa, sleeper bunk above him which crashed on his head. When ON; Gnr Robert William Manley, 19, of Niagara Falls, ON; he came to he looked out the window and looking up above Gnr Basil Patrick McKeown, 19, of Moscow, Ontario; Gnr Al- saw a jack-knifed car, the wheel still spinning. bert William Orr, 30, of Calgary, AB; Gnr David Owens, 19, of He got out and went to search for his friend Bdr Snow, Granby, Que. – who died on Dec. 9, 1950; Gnr Leslie Albert who was in one of the first three cars. He later found him Snow, 25, of St. John’s, Nfld.; Gnr Albert George Stroud, 22, covered under a blanket in a train carriage that had been of Howley, Nfld.; Gnr Joseph Thistle, 31, of Conception Bay, turned into a make-shift morgue. Nfld.; Bdr James Milo Wenkert, 22, of Cowansville, Que.; The surviving soldiers were helpless to do much with Gnr James Joseph White, 23, of Placentia Bay, Nfld.; and only their bare hands to assist the trapped and injured in Gnr William David Wright, 20, of Neepawa. the wreckage of splintered wood, glass, steam and steel. With Korean War veterans who once attended a formal Dr P.S. Kimmett, who happened to be on the passenger ceremony held Nov. 21 at CFB Shilo’s Canoe River Memo- train, administered first aid as best he could to the injured. rial Park no longer with use, that ceremony has not hap- Sadly the remains of four gunners were never recovered pened the past few years. from the wreckage.

There’s a cairn bearing the names of the 17 killed in the Canoe River Memorial Park. Those soldiers did their initial artillery training before boarding the train at Camp Shilo. Photo Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag

CANADIAN MILITARY’S TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE