The Canadian Soldier-Nov 7- R TROOPS WILL NOT GO 2 SYRIA- LET THE ARABS AND PERSIANS CLEAN UP THEIR OWN MESSES- DUMP UNITED NATIONS... seriously
http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-canadian-soldier-nov-7-r-troops.html
The Cold War- West and USSR
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Lets Not Forget Our Cold War Heros
Guy Fortier - The Ottawa Citizen
On Remembrance Day, our thoughts should also turn to the thousands of Canadians who served overseas with the RCAF's No. 1 Air Division as part of NATO. The tough years were endured mostly from the 1950s to the early 1960s.
Canada was at the forefront in the foundation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949, and agreed to contribute to air defence.
The No. 1 Air Division was quickly formed and its headquarters was established in Metz, France (at that time a full member of NATO). Canada's considerable engineering and industrial capacity was pressed into action to provide the aircraft. The RCAF began to train the aircrews, maintenance crews and other personnel.
In November 1951, the 1st Squadron (410 Squadron) was carried by the aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent to North Luffenham, England where it was soon joined in 1952 by 439 and 442 Squadrons.
By September 1953, four wings of interceptor day fighters, each composed of three squadrons of fighters, were established in Europe: two in France (at Marville and Grostenquin), and two in Germany (at Zweibrucken and Baden-Soellingen).
With an authorized strength of 300 first-rate fighters plus spares, the No. 1 Air Division was a force to be contended with.
The Cold War was always in danger of turning hot, and pilot training was very realistic and demanding. Some 107 RCAF Sabre pilots gave their lives in the Cold War era. They did so in Canada, Britain, France, Germany and other European countries, as well as Sardinia and Morocco. Some 51 of them died flying their Sabre Jets with the Air Division.
Most of them were buried in the Choloy Military Cemetery near Nancy in France, as were the ground crews who also died or were killed while serving in the division. The Choloy cemetery, administered by the Canadian War Graves Commission, contains the remains of some 260 Canadians who died while serving with the No. 1 Air Division.
It also contains the remains of crews who crashed while flying CF-100s and CF-104s, and the crew and civilians flying aboard a Bristol Freighter that crashed in Marville in the early '60s. Choloy is the resting place for the remains of 122 officers and 146 other ranks, all of whom were casualties in the Cold War, serving with the No. 1 Air Division. Most of the officers were killed in flying accidents, while most of the other ranks died in motorcycle or automobile accidents, or from natural causes.
Canada owes its thanks to them for helping to stop the Cold War from turning hot.
Guy Fortier,
Gloucester
http://www.canadianwings.com/Archives/archivesDetail.php?Lets-Not-Forget-Our-Cold-War-Heros-4
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CANADA WARS
Seven Years War- 1763- England-France
War 1812
Boer War 1899-1902
Crimean War 1854- 1856- William Hall- Victoria Cross
WWI
WWII
Korean War
Cold War
Vietnam
Gulf War- Operation Friction was a Canadian military operation that saw the contribution of 4,500 Canadian Forces personnel to the 1991 Gulf War
Peacekeeping- RWANDA- the day Peacekeeping died at the hands of UN- 100 days of silence whilst 800,000 innocents of Rwanda were butchered
Afghanistan
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Canada's Role in the Cold War
Timeline created by TaylorandJose in History
http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/canadas-role-in-the-cold-war
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Canada- USSR- the Cold War honouring 51 Navy 50 Airforce who died - Atlantic Nova Scotia
The Maritime Naval and Air Forces were the watch dogs of anti-submarine warfare (ASW), monitoring the Soviet Navy’s missile-equipped submarines operating off our shores. The Canadian aircraft carriers Warrior, Magnificent and later Bonaventure, with destroyer squadron escort and support ships, formed the backbone of Canada’s naval reaction
“Foul weather conditions in demanding low level operational and training roles, along with the inherent high risk of aircraft carrier operations, led to crashes and other incidents culminating in the loss of some 51 lives in carrier operations alone, as well as some 50 lives in naval aviation shore-based activity. Many of these crew members I knew well; several were close friends. The loss of human life and the remembrance of them are rarely acknowledged by media, governments, the public, or indeed the present day military. These lives were lost defending our country and should at least be recognized when memorial ceremonies take place.”
As a final notation from Smith’s letter, I write, “There is one Halifax memorial structure devoted to essentially Maritime Cold War fatalities. The Bonaventure Memorial in Point Pleasant Park is structured around one of the aircraft carrier’s anchors. Listed on plaques are Naval and Air Force members who lost their lives with no known graves. It stands almost unnoticed.”
Welcome to the Canadian Armed Forces
Halifax (Sailors') Memorial Photo Project
http://www.canadianheadstones.com/ns/halifaxmemorial/halifaxmemorial.htm
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Remembering our Canadian heroes from the Cold War
As a lasting reminder of the important contributions Canadian veterans made, a new Certificate of Recognition has been created for those who served during the Korean War — or in Korea in the years afterward
The Government of Canada proclaimed 2013 the Year of the Korean War Veteran as it marks the 60th anniversary of the Korean War — remembering and acknowledging the brave efforts of all the men and women who served their country, or in the years afterward, keeping the peace between the two Koreas, and doing so with courage and conviction.
As a lasting reminder of the important contributions Canadian veterans made, a new Certificate of Recognition has been created for those who served during the Korean War — or in Korea in the years afterward. According to Veterans Affairs Canada, about 10,000 Canadian veterans are eligible to receive the certificate, on behalf of a grateful nation, for the peace, security and freedom we all enjoy today.
In preparation of this article, I wanted to interview someone in our community that could give me insight into what it was like to be a member of the military, to have lived through the conflicts and be willing to share stories and personal experiences.
Most of us can’t comprehend what it was like to experience the devastating loss of friends and family and still carry on fighting for a country where the ultimate prize was to live in a nation free from dictatorship and tyranny.
I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Lieutenant Commander Retired/Major Retired Ed Smith, a naval pilot whose extensive military career began at the age of 21. He resides in Annapolis Royal and is an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #21.
As a third generation western Canadian living in Manitoba until he joined Naval Aviation, Smith commented on how little the rest of Canada is aware of, or understands, Maritime affairs, most particularly Defence. We talked at length about his years in the Canadian military, but what I didn’t know, and what most of us don’t know, is the role that Canada played in the Cold War.
The Maritime Naval and Air Forces were the watch dogs of anti-submarine warfare (ASW), monitoring the Soviet Navy’s missile-equipped submarines operating off our shores. The Canadian aircraft carriers Warrior, Magnificent and later Bonaventure, with destroyer squadron escort and support ships, formed the backbone of Canada’s naval reaction.
There was a heightened state of conflict between the Soviet Union and the Western allies, centred to a great extent on nuclear weapons potential which included Canadian military and civilian land targets. Continuous communication, intelligence gathering, and tracking of Soviet sea-borne forces was imperative due to the threat of an enemy strike.
Smith pointed out that “recognition is often given to military participants and losses in World War I and II, Korea and peacekeeping, but on this day of Remembrance (and many other such times), Cold War casualties are rarely acknowledged. As a naval pilot during the Cold War, I was very much involved in that conflict and had first hand knowledge of some of the fatalities suffered by military personnel during that period.
“The lack of recognition afforded this very dangerous period with the loss of life and the injuries that occurred, is an affront to those and their families who were directly involved.”
The following excerpts are taken from a document Smith sent to Lieutenant Governor Freeman in 2005.
“Foul weather conditions in demanding low level operational and training roles, along with the inherent high risk of aircraft carrier operations, led to crashes and other incidents culminating in the loss of some 51 lives in carrier operations alone, as well as some 50 lives in naval aviation shore-based activity. Many of these crew members I knew well; several were close friends. The loss of human life and the remembrance of them are rarely acknowledged by media, governments, the public, or indeed the present day military. These lives were lost defending our country and should at least be recognized when memorial ceremonies take place.”
As a final notation from Smith’s letter, I write, “There is one Halifax memorial structure devoted to essentially Maritime Cold War fatalities. The Bonaventure Memorial in Point Pleasant Park is structured around one of the aircraft carrier’s anchors. Listed on plaques are Naval and Air Force members who lost their lives with no known graves. It stands almost unnoticed.”
On November 11, please take a moment to remember our veterans — those whose lives were lost fighting for the rights and freedoms we have today, and those brave men and women that live in our community and walk by us every day.
A special thanks to Ed Smith for sharing his story, and helping me to realize just how much I don’t know about Canadian history.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/community/annapolis-valley/1165538-remembering-our-canadian-heroes-from-the-cold-war
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Point Pleasant Park- Halifax Nova Scotia- honouring peacetime deaths of troops- sea -air -cold war, also momuments 2 Canadian Merchant Seamen, Royal Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy- lost at sea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_Pleasant_Park
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