MARKSMANSHIP

A BOY NAMED SUE

A guy was telling about this girl Sue who disguised herself as a man and joined the army.

"But, wait a minute," said his friend, "She'll have to dress with the boys and shower with them, too, won't she?"

"Sure," replied the guy. "Well, won't they find out?"

The guy shrugged. "Who's gonna tell?"

ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT, REGIMENTAL BIRTHDAY

The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR) is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The RCR is the senior infantry regiment in the Regular Force, but its 4th Battalion (formerly the London and Oxford Fusiliers) is ranked 11th in the order of precedence among Reserve Force infantry regiments. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Reserve Force (militia). The regiment's four battalions are stationed in Ontario and New Brunswick. With many of its soldiers drawn from Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces in recent decades, the regiment maintains a general connection as the "local" infantry regiment for eastern Canada.
The RCR maintains a Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) in Petawawa, Ontario, which has no operational command role but handles regimental affairs outside the responsibility of the individual Battalions. The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum is also located in London, in the historic Wolseley Hall. Wolseley Barracks in London has been continuously occupied by some element of the regiment since construction of Wolseley Hall was completed in 1888. At various times Wolseley Barracks has been the home of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, and remains the home of the 4th Battalion today.

MORAL HIGH GROUND

the ROYAL CANDIAN DRAGOOS, REGIMENTAL BIRTHDAY

The Royal Canadian Dragoons trace their lineage back in 1883 with General Order 13/83 and their formation in the Citadel in Quebec City. The RCD have seen a succession of personalities in various levels of its’ organization. Included here are also lists of successive Colonel’s In Chief of the Regiment, Honorary Colonels of the Regiment, Colonels of the Regiment, Regimental Commanding Officers and Regimental Sergeant-Majors. Other personalities who have left their mark on the Regiment can be found in the Historical Section.

WHY REDNECKS MAKE GOOD SOLDIERS

Dear Ma & Pa:

Am well. Hope you are. Tell brother Walt & brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt & Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.

Men got to shave but it is not so bad, they git warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc..., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie, and other regular food. But tell Walt & Elmer you can always sit between two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon, when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on "route" marches, which the Platoon Sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys gets sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The country is nice, but awful flat. The Sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Capt. is like the school board. Majors & Colonels just ride around & frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt & Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk and don't move. And it ain't shooting at you, like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes. Be sure to tell Walt & Elmer to hurry & join before other fellers get into this setup & come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,

Gail

P.S. Speaking of shooting, enclosed is $200 towards a new barn roof & ma's teeth. The city boys shoot craps, but not very good

THE ARMY

THE INFANTRY

RESPECT YOUR ENEMY

Respect: (2011-7-23)

“Know, understand, and most importantly respect your enemy because you may underestimate him even before you engage him, and, therefore you will already be defeated even before that battle has begun.”

~ BoH ~

TIME CHECK

Time Check On some air bases the Air Force is on one side of the field and civilian aircraft use the other side of the field, with the control tower in the middle.

One day the tower received a call from an aircraft asking, "What time is it?"

The tower responded, "Who is calling?"

The pilot replied, "What difference does it make?" The tower replied.

"It makes a lot of difference. If it is an American Airlines flight, it is 3 o'clock. If it is an Air Force plane, it is 1500 hours. If it is a Navy aircraft, it is 6 bells. If it is an Army aircraft, the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3. If it is a Marine Corps aircraft, it's Thursday afternoon and 120 minutes to "Happy Hour".

HONOUR

FIGHTER PILOTS

Fighter Pilots Q: How do you know if there is a fighter pilot at your party?
A: He'll tell you.
Q: What's the difference between God and fighter pilots

A: God doesn't think he's a fighter pilot.
Q: What's the difference between a fighter pilot and a jet engine?


A: A jet engine stops whining when the plane shuts down.

HAPPINESS IS..........

SACRIFICE: NOBLEST OF MANKIND

"The soldier, above all other men, is required to perfom the highest act of religious teaching - sacrifice. In battle and in the face of danger and death he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when He created man in his own image. No physical courage and no brute instincts can take the palce of the divine annuncation and spiritual uplift which will alone sustain him. However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country is the noblest develoment of mankind."
~ General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, 14 July 1935, address to the verterans of the Rainbow (42nd) Division, A Soldier Speaks, 1965

SHAVE AND A HAIR CUT

A Navy Chief and an Admiral were sitting in the barbershop. They were both just getting finished with their shaves, when the barbers reached for some after-shave to slap on their faces.

The admiral shouted, "Hey, don't put that stuff on me! My wife will think I've been in a whorehouse!"

The chief turned to his barber and said, "Go ahead and put it on. My wife doesn't know what the inside of a whorehouse smells like."

FAIRNESS

SACRIFICE: GLORY BORN

"Out of the depths of sorrow and sacrifice will be born again the glory of mankind."

~ Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)~

MILITARY TRUISMS

Military Truisms

• "Aim towards the Enemy." [Instruction printed on US rocket launcher]

• When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is no longer our friend. [From a US Field Manual]

• Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs always hit the ground.

• Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.

• Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't ever volunteer to do anything.

• If your attack is going too well, you are walking into an ambush.

• If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly.

• Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you.

• No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection.

• Any ship can be a minesweeper . . . . once.

• If the enemy is in range, so are you.

• Tracers work both ways.

• Friendly fire isn't.

• Five second fuses only last three seconds.

• Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.

• The problem with taking the easy way out is that the enemy has already mined it.

• Incoming fire has the right of way.

• The quartermaster has only two sizes: too large and too small.

• If you can see the enemy, he can see you.

• And never tell your Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do.

REMEMBER ME

~REMEMBER ME~

We bid farewell to family and friends,

In hope that someday we'll live as brothers.

I pray for the day all wars will end,

and my fate shall be spared to others.
It was the war to end all wars,

That is what they had said.

After all these years,

Canada still counts her dead.
I was a true Canadian;

I wish you could see,

All I ask is,

Remember Me.
In war I fought and died,

I thought it did cease.

Now under the Blue Beret,

I die for World Peace.
Like Michael Ralph, John Ternapolski,

Plus the thousands of soldiers before.

On November 11th Remember

I died for Peace not War.
I was a true Canadian,

I wish you could see.

All I ask is,
Remember Me.

**
~ In Memory of MCpl John William Ternapolski ~

COURAGE

...A WEEK OF REMEMBRANCE...

REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN, AND THANK THOSE WHO SURVIVED

SACRIFICE: UNIVERSAL GOOD

"Who lives for honour must know how to die for the universal good."

~ Gustavus II Adolphus, 30 Apr 1632, to his commanders, who commented on how close he had come to death in the day's fighting along the River Lech, quoted in Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Gustavus Adolphus, 1895 ~

KOREAN WAR BY Charles Joseph Stevens

Fellow Canadians,

This was forwarded by Ms. Catherine Stevens. Ms. Stevens is the daughter of Charles Joseph Stevens, a 1 RCR veteran of the Korean War. She has established the a website (click picture) so that her father's extensive collection of wartime photos can be viewed by other veterans and by those who are interested in the Korean War. She has been endeavouting to identify persons in these photos and place the pictures in some kind of context. She is thereby hoping to share these pictures with other veterans and families of veterans. The hope is that people will view these photos at their convenience and then communicate with her if there is any information they can share about individual pictures. It is encourage that people communicate directly with Catherine (atinfo@charliesphotographs.com) if you can be of any assisitance.

Thanks,

Johnny H.

THE PRAYERS OF OFFICERS

One day, three Full Colonels were hiking together and unexpectedly came upon a wide, raging, biolent river. They needed to get to the other side, but had no idea of how to do so. The Air Force Colonel called out to God, praying, "Please God, give me the strength to cross this river."

POOF! God gave him big arms and strong legs, and he was able to swim across. It did, however, take him more than an hour and he almost drowned a couple of times. Seeing this, the Army Colonel played to God saying, "Please God, give me the strength and tools to cross this river."

POOF! God gave him a rowboat and oars. He was able to row across but it still took almost an hour, it was very rough, and he almost capsized several times. The Navy Captain saw how things worked out for the other two, so when he prayed to God, he said, "Pleae God, give me the strength, tools, and the intelligence to cross this river."

POOF! God turned him into a Infantry Sergeant. He looked at the map, hiked upstream a couple of hundred yards, and walked across the bridge.

FOUR WORDS

HOT CUP OF...

CANADIAN SOLDIER

~Canadian Soldier~

Author unknown

He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach,

staring at all the pretty girls.

He walks the streets,

searching for insurgents and terrorists.

You complain about how hot it is.

He wears his heavy gear,

not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

You go out to lunch,

and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.

He doesn't get to eat today.

Your wife makes your bed and washes your clothes.

He wears the same things for weeks,

but makes sure his weapons are clean.

You go to the mall and get your hair done.

He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.

He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.

He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.

He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.

He gets a letter with pictures of his new child,

and wonders if they'll ever meet.

You criticize your government,

and say that war never solves anything.

He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war,

and make fun of men like him.

He hears the gunfire,

bombs and screams of the wounded.

You see only what the media wants you to see.

He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents.

You don't.

He does exactly what he is told.

You stay at home and watch TV.

He takes whatever time he is given to call,

write home, sleep, and eat

You crawl into your soft bed,

with down pillows,

and get comfortable.

He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap,

only to be woken by gunfire.

You sit there and judge him,

saying the world is probably a worse Gothic.

SACRIFICE: KAMIKAZE MOON

"Refreshingly,

After the violent storm,

The moon rose radient."

~ Vice-Admiral Takijiro Ohnishi,

Commander, Kamikaze Special Attack Force

- his final haiku before committing suicide, 15 Aug 1945, quoted in Inoguchi and Nakajima, The Devine Wind, 1955

DUALING GUNS: THE NEW METHOD

F**KING INSURGENT, TALIBAN, TERRORITS RETRARDS!

EXPERIENCE WANTED

Experience Wanted:

Shortly after joing the Army, I was in line with some other inductees when the Sergeant stepped forward with that day's assignments.

He handed several tasks out and then asked, "Does anyone here have experience with radio communications?" A longtime ham radio operator, I shouted, "I do!"

"Good," he said. "You can dig the hole for the new telephone pole."

GURKHAS

PHILOSOPHY: A GROUCHES PERSPECTIVE

THE DUKE: A MAN GOT TO...

THE "DUKE'S" PHILOSOPHY

RULES OF GUN FIGHTING

You may someday need to apply one or more of these
The absolute First Rule of a Gunfight, in Mark Moritz' brilliantly enunciated aphorism, is "Have a gun!" The rest will supplement that first rule….

1. Have a gun.
a. Preferably, have at least two guns.
b. Bring all of your friends who have guns.
2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
a. "Why did you shoot only once? There's no additional paperwork for shooting someone twice!" -- Firearms Instructor P.O.J.D., MOS debriefing after a shooting.
b. Bring ammo.
i. The right ammo.
ii. Lots of it.

3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.
4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.
5. Proximity negates skill. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movement are preferred.)
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun… and a friend with a long gun.
7. In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
8. If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading and running.
9. Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun. Use a gun that works every time. "All skill is in vain when an Angel pisses in the flintlock of your musket."
10. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
11. Always cheat, always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
a. "If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly."

This is the law:
The purpose of fighting is to win.
There is no possible victory in defense.
The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either.
The final weapon is the brain.
All else is supplemental.
- John Steinbeck (courtesy of Ken Campbell)

12. Have a plan.
a. Have a back-up plan, because the first one won't work.

13. Use cover or concealment as much as possible.(Consequences of not enough of the above.)
14. Flank your adversary when possible. Protect your own flank.
15. Don't drop your guard.
16. Always perform a tactical reload and then threat scan 360 degrees.
17. Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God we trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them.)
18. Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
19. The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get.
20. Be polite. Be professional. But… have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
21. Be courteous to everyone. Friendly to no one.
22. Your number one option for Personal Security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
23. Do not attend a gun fight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a "4."
a. Nothing handheld is a reliable stopper.

24. Carry the same gun in the same place all the time.

GRENADE!!

SUBORDINATES: GOLD THERE-IN

"Encourage and listen to your subordinates. It is well known that gold lies hidden underground."

~ Nabeshima Naoshige (1538 - 1618), quoted in William Wilson, Ideals of the Samurai, 1982 ~

The Battle for Kowang-San (Hill 355), 22-24 October 1952

Between 1950 and 1953 Canada was involved in a “police action” in Korea. Our country, as part of the United Nations (UN), had dispatched the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade to help defend embattled South Korea in the face of invasion by Communist North Korea.[i] South Korea had been saved, but the sudden intervention of over a quarter of a million Red Chinese troops had tipped the balance once again in favour of the Communists.[ii]

By 1952 the front line between the opposing Chinese and U.N. forces was more or less stabilized east to west in the mountains north of the 38th parallel, roughly half-way up the Korean peninsula. The conflict had entered a static phase which would prevail until the conclusion of hostilities and was known as the “twilight war.” The Chinese, though possessing almost limitless manpower, lacked the air power, long range support weapons and sophisticated logistics to affect the conquest of the South. The United Nations, led by the Americans, sought to negotiate a political settlement rather than win an outright military victory. The result was stalemate with the war becoming one of attrition and fixed positions. In this respect the Korean War had come to resemble the Italian Campaign of the Second World War or the Western Front in the First World War. Fighting was bitter and incessant, conducted locally and on an almost primitive level. It was an infantryman’s war!

The Chinese infantryman had proven to be a formidable and at times superior opponent. Hardened by decades of civil war and conflict with the Japanese he was tough, resilient, disciplined, and capable of operating without the lavish service support and fire support that his Western counterpart was so dependant on. The rugged terrain, lack of roads, and extreme weather favoured the qualities inherent in the Chinese soldier.

2. 1RCR in Korea

In April of 1952 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (1RCR) had arrived in Korea to relieve 2RCR.[iii] Lieutenant-Colonel P.R. Bingham was the Commanding Officer (CO) of 1RCR and had been since December 1948.[iv] The Battalion would be part of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade, along with the first battalions from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) and the Royal 22nd Regiment (R22eR or the “Vandoos”). The 25th Brigade was commanded by a longtime RCR officer, Brigadier M.P. “Pat” Bogert, DSO.[v] The Canadian brigade was part of the 1st Commonwealth Division (commanded by Major-General Sir James Cassells and later Major-General Michael Alston-Roberts-West), a predominantly British and Canadian formation, but with Australian and New Zealand components.[vi] The Commonwealth Division consisted of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade, the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade, and the 29th Infantry Brigade (UK). This division was a part of 1st U.S. Corps, an army corps of the U.S. Eighth Army (General James Van Fleet). The 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade occupied 11,000 yards of the front line in a mountainous region known as the Iron Triangle, 50 miles north of the South Korean capital, Seoul. The soldiers of 1RCR were professionals, regular army men and almost all were tough paratroopers (the Battalion had been designated as an airborne unit in May 1949).
By October they had accumulated considerable experience in defensive operations and patrolling against the enemy. Patrols included recce patrols, standing patrols, contact patrols, raids, and ambushes. Another type of patrol was the ‘jitter’ patrol. The purpose of this was to go out in ‘No Man’s Land’ and deliberately draw the fire of the Chinese thereby discovering his exact positions. On one such ‘jitter patrol’ a rather imaginative group of Royals brought musical instruments with them, borrowed from the Corps Drums. Establishing themselves as close as they dared to the enemy lines the Canadians now began their musical serenade. After five minutes of this performance the Chinese unleashed a furious fusillade of mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire. When an enemy bayonet charge seemed imminent the 1RCR patrol withdrew with one man wounded. It seemed the Chinese just couldn’t appreciate the finer points of Western music.

3. 1RCR arrives at Kowang-San

On 10 August, 1RCR relieved the 1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment (29th Infantry Brigade), assuming the defence of Hill 355 or Kowang-San as it was known locally. It was also referred to as ‘Little Gibraltar’ by the Americans. It was a dominating feature and a key to the U.N. Line. Control of Hill 355 conferred control of the highways running south to Seoul. To the immediate left of 1RCR was 1R22eR and to the right was 1PPCLI. Over the next three months the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade would experience the heaviest shelling and mortaring of any period that it spent in the front lines. The Battalion was opposite a junction point in the enemy lines that marked the boundary between the Chinese 39th and 40th Armies (commanded by Generals Xinquan and Yucheng respectively). On 25 August, from the highest point on Hill 355, Company Sergeant-Major Richard McNally of D Company unfurled the Regimental banner, a challenge that sooner or later would be answered by the Chinese.

The arrival of autumn brought the end of the monsoon and a dramatic change in Chinese tactics. They now possessed artillery and mortars in abundance and were increasingly prepared to use these supporting aggressive attacks on U.N. positions. The Chinese would skillfully infiltrate our lines, isolate an outpost and suddenly overwhelm it. Canadian casualties began to mount, though the blood letting was not all one-sided. During a fighting patrol, mounted by Lieutenant H.R. “Russ” Gardner and five men of B Company, including Corporal K.E. Fowler, a Chinese signaller was snatched from an enemy kitchen area, while five other Chinese soldiers were shot dead. The prisoner proved to be from the 346th Regiment, 116th Division, of the Chinese 39th Army. For this action Gardner was awarded the Military Cross (MC) and Fowler won the Military Medal (MM).

On 01 October the Chinese began a relentless bombardment of Hill 355 that increased rather than decreased in violence as the days passed. Enemy raids and patrols were now probing our main defensive positions on a nightly basis. Kowang-San became so dangerous that American brass stopped visiting it. Chinese prisoners, captured by 1RCR patrols, revealed that an all-out assault on Hill 355 was in the offing.

4. The Fight for Kowang-San

As of 22 October, Hill 355 was divided into five defensive sectors, each held by one of the five rifle companies of 1RCR (the fifth rifle company, E Company, had only recently been raised, in September). Area 2 lay directly between the main feature of Hill 355 and the Chinese-held Hill 227, less than two miles to the west. It was the closest sector to the enemy and the most exposed. Area 2 was forward-centre in the 1RCR defensive line and had borne the brunt of the Chinese bombardment since 01 October.

At this time Area 2 was manned by B Company under the command of Major J.E.L.Cohen. He had deployed his three platoons forward with no company reserve. 4 Platoon commanded by Lieutenant S. MacDonald was on the left and in contact with E Company (Captain H.G. “Herb” Cloutier); 5 Platoon under Lieutenant John Clark was in the centre, and Lieutenant Russ Gardner’s 6 Platoon was on the right and in contact with A Company (Major George G. Taylor). D Company (Major R.S. “Bob” Richards) and C Company were dug in in depth, left-rear and right-rear respectively, and both available as necessary for counter attack. With battle looming, the CO, Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham was on leave and command had devolved on the Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO), Major Frank Klenavic (Klenavic commanded the Battalion from 10-25 October).[vii]

As of last light, 22 October, B Company’s field defences had been reduced to a deplorable state by the continuing Chinese bombardment. Many bunkers had caved in, most of the reserve ammunition buried and telephone lines cut. With enemy mortar and artillery fire continuing to intensify on Area 2 an attack was anticipated that night. As a result B Company remained at 50% alert throughout the night with one man up in each weapon pit while his partner slept. Chinese sappers worked in close to B Company’s positions, destroying wire obstacles with crude bangalore torpedoes.

At 1845 hours (hrs), a Chinese infiltration group blundered into 4 Platoon’s trenches on the left and was shot down to a man. At 2045 hrs A Company, 1st Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, arrived to take over the defense of Area 5, freeing D Company for a possible counter-move. There was no further contact with the enemy on this night, though the heavy shelling and mortaring continued.

By dawn on 23 October, the situation in Area 2 was precarious in the extreme. All communication with the rear had been cut and enemy shelling had destroyed all of 6 Platoon’s bunkers, forcing the soldiers of this platoon to move to their left and take shelter with 5 Platoon. Lieutenant Gardner assumed command of the two combined platoons and Lieutenant Clark acted as a runner to Company Headquarters (HQ) and Battalion HQ to the rear. The weight of Chinese fire kept B Company pinned down during the day; any movement above ground was next to impossible. As a result, neither food nor ammunition could be pushed forward to the beleaguered platoons of B Company.

At great personal risk Lieutenant Clark finally reached Battalion HQ and advised Major Klenavic of the desperate situation confronting B Company. The acting CO promptly ordered that 5 and 6 Platoons withdraw from their forward positions and re-organize. Major Cohen and Lieutenant Clark made their way to 5 and 6 Platoons to organize their withdrawal. They arrived towards sunset at 1800 hrs.

At this precise moment the enemy barrage on B Company increased dramatically for ten minutes then rolled on to the rear and flanks. A massive Chinese infantry assault on Area 2 was only minutes away and withdrawal was impossible. Major Cohen and Lieutenants Gardner and Clark and Sergeant Gerald E.P. Enright (5 Platoon Sergeant) hurriedly organized the 30 survivors of 5 and 6 Platoons into some semblance of defense. Blocking positions among the shattered trenches were established and men who had lost their weapons organized into bombing parties. Enemy small arms fire was heavy to their front and large numbers of Chinese began to move in from the flanks. Area 2 was now being attacked by the equivalent of two enemy battalions.

On the left 4 Platoon was overwhelmed, the loss of their position being reported to Major Klenavic by survivors at 1830 hrs. On the right Lieutenant Clark and twelve men stubbornly fought on but were eventually forced to take up a blocking position further to the north where B Company’s trenches met A Company’s. They were able to hold this position for the rest of the battle, successfully fighting off swarms of Chinese.

In the centre Lieutenant Gardner and another small band of B Company men fought desperately against hundreds of Chinese attacking from the south. On the verge of being overrun, Gardner ordered his men to make for the safety of A Company’s trenches. He bravely remained to cover their retreat emptying his automatic carbine at the oncoming Chinese. In this action Lieutenant Gardner was repeatedly hit by enemy fire and eventually went down, but not before he personally shot five Chinese soldiers. He pretended to be dead as hundreds of Chinese moved through B Company’s position, ruthlessly bayoneting the bodies of any fallen Canadian soldiers that they found. In the darkness and confusion Lt. Gardner was able to crawl to A Company’s trenches, dragging with him a wounded comrade. They had been the last Canadians alive in Area 2.

By 1943 hours the news had reached Major Klenavic that there were now no friendly troops left in Area 2. He immediately brought down a fire mission on B Company’s former position and ordered every available support weapon in the Battalion, including mortars, machine guns, and recoilless rifles to engage the enemy in Area 2. The heavy and accurate Canadian fire now stopped the Chinese dead in their tracks.

At 2100 hrs developing enemy attacks on A Company in the north and E Company in the south were broken up by artillery salvoes from 1st Commonwealth Division, including A Battery, 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1RCR had a very special relationship with this particular Battery throughout the tour in Korea). At 0110 hrs, 24 October, Major Klenavic ordered D Company to counter-attack and drive the Chinese from Area 2. The assaulting platoons from D Company were at first heavily engaged but as they pushed home their attack Chinese resistance crumbled and the enemy evaporated into the night. D Company re-occupied Area 2. By 0330 hrs the Battalion’s forward lines had been re-established and the battle was over.

The Battle of Kowang-San, fought between 22 and 24 October, 1952 had lasted 33 hours. In that period 1RCR had suffered 18 killed, 14 missing, and 35 wounded. Enemy casualties were unknown but believed extremely heavy. In fact, in the aftermath of the battle, helicopter observers counted up to six hundred Chinese bodies scattered across the battlefield. As a result of the action at Kowang-San soldiers of the Battalion won three Military Crosses and four Military Medals for gallantry. The Military Crosses were won by acting Major George Taylor, OC of A Company; Captain Cloutier, commanding E Company; and by Lieutenant Clark of 5 Platoon, B Company. It is also worth noting that for his sterling service as the Forward Observation Officer (FOO) during the battle, Captain D.S. Caldwell was also awarded the MC. Sergeant Enright, also of 5 Platoon, was one of the recipients of the Military Medal (MM), as was Warrant Officer 2nd Class (WO2) George Fox, CSM of E Company. For his strong leadership throughout the battle Major Klenavic won the award of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). At the conclusion of the Battalion’s tour in Korea, Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham would be awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), in recognition of the outstanding achievements of 1RCR over the past 11 months.

The defence of Hill 355 had been the bloodiest and most significant action fought by 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment during its eleven month combat tour in Korea. Throughout this period, the Battalion would suffer a total of 282 casualties, including 51 killed in action, 204 wounded, and 14 taken prisoner. The Korean War, 1950-53 had only been the second occasion in its history that The RCR became a three battalion regiment (the first being during the South African war, 1899-1902). Each Battalion in its own turn would serve a combat tour in the theatre of conflict. Total casualties suffered by the Regiment in Korea were 117 killed and 408 wounded.

The Korean tour for 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment ended officially on 25 March, 1953. This event was marked by a handover with its sister Battalion, 3RCR. On an earlier date, 01 November, 1952, 1RCR had been relieved in the line by the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (28th British Commonwealth Brigade), following the successful defence of Kowang-San. On that occasion, the Regimental banner of The RCR, tattered and stained, nevertheless still flew proudly from the highest point on Hill 355. Once again, the proud traditions of The Royal Canadian Regiment had been upheld.
[i] North Korean forces, in an act of unprovoked aggression, invaded South Korea (the Republic of Korea) on 25 June 1950. This conflict, referred to in the West not as a war, but as a police action, was only concluded three years later on 27 July 1953, with the signing of an armistice at Panmunjom
[ii] Chinese forces in Korea were part of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA), as distinct from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The PVA, created on 23 November 1950, was commanded by Marshal Peng Dehuai (P’eng Te-huai), generally regarded as China’s ablest field commander of the day and subsequently Chinese Minister of Defence, 1954-59. He was a onetime Kuomintang brigade commander, but a Communist soldier since 1927. Like most senior PVA officers, Peng was a veteran of the Chinese Civil War (1927-49) and had seen extensive action against the Japanese during the Second World War (i.e. Second Sino-Japanese War, 1937-45). During the period of the Korean War, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953, some 2.3 million Chinese troops were deployed to Korea. Of these, it is estimated by Western sources that about 400,000 were killed and a further 486,000 wounded. The Chinese themselves admit to 148,000 killed, 380,000 wounded, and 29,000 missing (including 21,400 taken prisoner). Peak strength of the PVA at any given time was 270,000 men. The PVA consisted of two army groups, the 13th Army Group and the 9th Army Group, including a total of 30 infantry divisions. The 13th Army Group, commanded by General Yongsheng, with 150,000 men and 18 infantry divisions, was comprised of six armies (with three divisions in each army): 38th Army (General Xingchu); 39th Army (General Xinquan); 40th Army (General Yucheng); 42nd Army (General Riulin); 50th Army (General Zesheng); and 66th Army (General Su Ching-huai). Additionally there were three motorized artillery divisions (the 1st, 2nd, and 8th), each consisting of three artillery regiments. The 9th Army Group, commanded by General Shilun, with 120,000 and 12 infantry divisions, was organized in three armies (each with four divisions): 20th Army (General Fei); 26th Army (General Renchu); and 27th Army (General Fengzhi). In the PVA an army group was in fact equivalent to an army, an army to an army corps. Each infantry division was comprised of three infantry regiments (each regiment the equivalent of a brigade).
[iii] On 07 August 1950, the Department of National Defence (DND) announced the creation of a Special Force consisting of additional or second battalions of the existing Permanent Force battalions of The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), and the Royal 22nd Regiment (R22eR). These Special Force units (i.e. 2RCR, 2PPCLI, and 2R22eR) once organized and trained, would be dispatched to Korea as the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade (initially commanded by Brigadier J.M. Rockingham, MBE, DSO). The Permanent Force units would therefore become the first battalions of their Regiments. These regular battalions would initially remain in Canada constituting the Mobile Striking Force and eventually rotate with the Special Force battalions. Thus, The RCR became a multi-battalion regiment for only the second time in its history (the South African War, 1899-1902, marked the first occasion when there were three battalions serving concurrently: the Permanent Force battalion remained in Canada; the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment of Infantry served overseas in South Africa and was in existance from October 1899 until December 1900; and a third battalion came into being to provide a garrison for the Citadel in Halifax during the war; the second occasion occurred briefly towards the end of the Second World when a second battalion of The RCR was raised to fight the Japanese as part of Pacific Force; the Japanese surrendered before the Force could deploy to the Far East). The Special Force men were recruited for a fixed period of 18 months. The Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment was quickly raised in Petawawa and by 17 August consisted of 1,203 all ranks. Many of the officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) came from the Permanent Force. Some two-thirds of the enlistees had served during the Second World War. On 25 August 1950 Lieutenant-Colonel R.A. Keane, DSO, took command of 2RCR. He too was a war veteran of thr war and had served with distinction in the First Special Service Force. After training at Fort Lewis, Washington, 2RCR sailed for Korea, arriving at the port of Pusan on 05 May 1951. This Battalion remained in Korea until relieved by 1RCR from 21-23 April 1952.
[iv] Bingham had enlisted in D Company, The RCR, at St.-Jean, Quebec in 1931. In the early days of the Second World War, on 22 December 1939, Warrant Officer 2nd Class Bingham had sailed with the Regiment from Halifax to England as Company Sergeant-Major (CSM) of Headquarter Company. By August 1940 he had been selected for officer candidate training and was eventually commissioned. By the end of the war Bingham was a lieutenant-colonel sewrving on the staff of First Canadian Army. Interestingly, Bingham had also served with British 14th Army in Burma during 1944. Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham would be awarded the Distinguished Servcice Order (DSO) for his leadership of 1RCR in the field during the tour in Korea.
[v] Lieutenant Bogert had been a subaltern in The RCR in 1934 along with Charles Foulkes, Ralph Crowe, and Dan Spry; later, during the Second World War, Bogert had been Officer Commanding (OC) D Company, The RCR, in England, had then become CO of the West Nova Scotia Regiment in Italy, where he had been wounded in action, and finally commanded the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade from October 1944 until June 1945, first in Italy, then in Holland. Brigadier Bogert would be awarded the DSO for his tenure of command of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Korea.
[vi] 1st Commonwealth Division, as of June 1952, consisted of the following units and formations:
5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards
B Squadron, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (LDSH)
1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1RCHA)
14th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (RA)
16th New Zealand (NZ) Field Regiment
61st Light Regiment, Royal Artillery (RA)
25th Canadian Infantry Brigade: 1RCR, 1PPCLI, 1R22eR.
28th British Commonwealth Brigade: 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers (1KOSB), 1st Battalion,
King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (1KSLI), 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR), and
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR).
29th Infantry Brigade (UK): 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment (1RNR), 1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment
1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment).
1st Commonwealth Division Signals


[vii] In 1933 Klenavic had been a private with B Company in Toronto and by 1936 was a corporal. At the outbreak of the Second World War he had proceeded overseas with the RCR in December 1939 as a Platoon Sergeant-Major with the rank of Warrant Officer 3rd Class. In August 1940, along with Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham, he had been selected for officer candidate training and been commissioned. In November 1942, Captain Klenavic was attached to the British First Army in Tunisia for a three month period. This was part of a programme whereby Canadian officers and NCOs could gain battle experience with British units. Klenavic thus became the first member of the Regiment to see combat in the Second World War (Captain Strome Galloway would also serve with the British in North Africa prior to the invasion of Sicily)). He had risen to the rank of Major by the war’s end.

By Capt Ross A. Appleton

AN ARTILLERY TOAST

A Toast to the Guns

By them we live,

For them we would die.

Whatever the Mission,

We'll give it a try.

We'll serve them with Honor

For they are the ones;

That make us Artillerymen,

So here's to the Guns:

TO THE GUNS!!

~ Unknown ~

ALEKSANDR TVARDOVSKIY'S ARTILLERY

"You can't describe the moral lift,

when in the fight your spirits weary hears above the hostile fire,

Your own artillery.

Shells score the air like wavy hair

from a forward battery.

As regimental cannon crack

While from positions further back,

in bitter sweet song overhead

crashing discordantly

Division's pounding joins the attack;

Mother like she belches shell;

Glorious it flies, and well,

As, with a hissing screaming squall,

A roaring furnace, giving all, she sears a path for the infantry...."

~ by Aleksandr Tvardovskiy, from the poem "Vasily Tyorkin" 1943 ~

ST BARBARA & the ARTILLERY

"St Barbara of the Artillery Corp,

Be at the bursting of the doors of doom,

And in the dark deliver us,

Amen."

~ Unknown ~

the ROYAL CANADIAN ARTILERY BIRTHDAY

A and B batteries Garrison Artillery, which were the first regular components of the Canadian Forces, were formed on 20 October 1871.

While a number of Militia artillery units pre-date this, The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery has adopted the 20th of October as its birthday.

It is also celebrated as 1 RCHA’s unit birthday. As with Artillery Day, the Artillery Birthday may be celebrated with special parades, sports days, guest nights, parties, open houses and the like.

TALENT

the ROYAL 22nd REGIMENT, REGIMENTAL BIRTHDAY

The Royal 22e Regiment, or the "Van Doos" is an infantry regiment, and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the army.

The ceremonial home of the regiment is La Citadelle in Quebec City, where the regimental museum is housed. The regiment is nicknamed the Van Doos, a corruption of vingt-deux, French for "twenty-two." The regiment's RHQ is located in Quebec City, with all three of its regular battalions stationed at various bases in the province of Quebec.

The regiment serves as the "local" infantry regiment for Quebec.

LUCKY CHARMS

WE OWN IT...

QW - THE REQUIREMENT FOR INTELLIGENCE IN THE INFANTRY

“The art of the infantryman is less sterotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than any other arm. The role of the average Artilleryman, for instance, is largely routine; the setting of a fuse, the locating of a gun, even the laying of it, are processes which once learned, are mechanical. The Infantryman has to use initiative and intelligence in almost every step he moves, every action he takes on the battlefield.

We ought, therefore, to put or best intelligence in the infantry.”

~ Unknown ~

THE PASSING OF CAPT. ROBERT H. MAHAR

Sad news today concerning the passing of a gallant soldier of The Royal Canadian Regiment. ZF657 Captain Robert H. "Bob" Mahar, veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, passed away this morning, 29 September 2011, 0630 hrs, at Parkwood Hospital, London, Ontario. Captain Mahar had a very distinguished military career, serving in the Second World War, then with 1 RCR in Korea, 1952-53, and in Viet Nam as part of the ICSC from 1962-63. Bob Mahar was OC of "C" Company during I RCR's combat tour in Korea, April 1952 - March 1953. Capt Mahar is the father of Lieutenant-Colonel R.J. "Bob" Mahar, another distinguished officer of the Regiment. Officers and men of 1 RCR will want to take a look at the baby grand piano prominently displayed on the second floor in 1 RCR Lines. This piano was originally donated to the 1 RCR Officers Mess by Captain Mahar and Colonel Fred Vine.
As a High School student in the 1950s, and soon-to-be young Army recruit, Lieutenat-Colonel R.J. Mahar wrote in obvious pride of his father and his father's vocation:
"These have I loved: The effortless scrape of a fresh razor blade, A squared-off bunk that you've just made; A soldier's boots that shine like glass; His buckle and badge of gleaming brass; His sharply pressed pants, The acrid taste of a rifle when fired, Vehicles mesh, pant and groan, The whine of a ricochet; The feeling of pride in Dad's job well done. The excited wink from his admiring son."
(Quoted by G.R. Stevens on Page 315 of,"The Royal Canadian Regiment, Volume Two, 1933-1966")
This morning, the son of Capt Mahar, Lieutenant-Colonel Mahar, described his father as "his hero." When Captain R.H. Mahar retired from active service he presented his son, 2/Lt R.J. Mahar, with his own sword, on parade. LCol R.J. Mahar is the President of the Army Sniper Association (Ft. Benning, Georgia), and is currently in London. He will advise the Regiment when arrangements have been finalized. In the meantime he has stated that, tentatively, visitation will take place on Monday, 03 October, with funeral services to follow on Tuesday, 04 October.

R.I.P.

SOLDIER

Some people say I'm a fighter
Some people hate what I do
I stand for my country
I stand for you
I have a family that loves me
They respect what I do
Try telling your child you're leaving
Believe me it's a hard thing to do
If I die don't judge me
I will not judge you
If I die, please accept it
I would die for you
We have our reasons
Rules, morals, beliefs
I won't slander your opinions
I'm just searching for peace
If I die don't judge me
I will not judge you
If I die, please accept it
I would die for you
I would die for you

*

*

(c) 2006 Shawn Hlookoff

RESERVISTS

(FALLING) MAPLE LEAFS

The Maple Leafs are falling

On foreign soil once again,

To be scattered cross the desert

By unforgiving Asian wind.



This dust is barren, unprotected,

Unlike his field of wheat;

The sand is so unlike his Maritimes,

No majestic Rockie peak.



He hears a lonely Piper now,

Black boots marching through the snow,

The warm drape of the Maple Leaf,

Tells him all he has to know.



Four winds have gently cast the Leaf,

To land on home terrain,

Flying freely there, he will declare,

His fall was not in vain.

**

J.S. McGregor

NANCIES

***

Don't forget to insert your mouth guard before going into combat....it should be in your left breast pocket according to your Nato Standard kit list

***

(loo-s-a-her)

I AM THE INFANTRY (Poem)

I am the Infantry.
I am my country's strength in war,
her deterrent in peace.
I am the heart of the fight-
wherever, whenever.
I carry Canada's faith and honor
against her enemies.
I am the Queen of Battle.

I am what my country expects me to be-
the best trained soldier in the world.
In the race for victory,
I am swift, determined, and courageous,
armed with a fierce will to win.

Never will I fail my country's trust.
Always I fight on-
through the foe,
to the objective,
to triumph over all.
If necessary, I fight to my death.

By my steadfast courage,
I have won 150 years of freedom.
I yield not-
to weakness,
to hunger,
to cowardice,
to fatigue,
to superior odds,
for I am mentally tough,

physically strong,

and morally straight.

I forsake not-
my country,
my mission,
my comrades,
my sacred duty.

I am relentless.
I am always there,
now and forever.

I AM THE INFANTRY!
FOLLOW ME