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

SAS: GUARRANTEED DELIVERY

QW - WAR AVOIDED

"A war put off is not a war avoided."

~ Charlton Heston ~

"JUST A COMMON SOLDIER" by Lawrence Vaincourt

~JUST A COMMON SOLDIER~

© 1987 A. Lawrence Vaincourt

http://www.vaincourt.homestead.com/Common_Soldier.html
***

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion telling stories of his past
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies - they were heroes, every one.

***

And tho' sometimes to his neighbours, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke
But we'll hear his tales no longer, for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for the soldier died today.

***

He won't be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary, quick and uneventful life
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way
And the world won't note his passing, tho' a soldier died today.

***

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great,
Papers tell their life stories from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

***
In the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
One guy breaks his promises and cons his fellow man
But the ordinary fellow, who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country and offers up his life.

***

A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives
While the ordinary soldier who offered up his all
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps a pension small.

***

It's so easy to forget them, for it was so long ago
That the old Bills of our country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys
Who won for us the freedom that our country now enjoys.

***

Should you find yourself in danger with your enemies at hand
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand
Or would you prefer a soldier who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and country and would fight right to the end?

***

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin
But his presence should remind us we may need his likes again.
For when countries are in conflict then we find the soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

***

If we cannot do him honour while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY!!"

CANADIAN MILITARY BASE

QW - IF THE UN ADMITS ON FORCE

"If the United Nations once admits that international disputes can be settled by using force, then we will have destroyed the foundation of the organization and our best hope of establishing a world order"

~ Dwight D. Eisenhower ~

"PROUD OF YOU" BY HOLLY McNEIL

~PROUD OF YOU~

Written by Holly McNeil

In good times and in bad you always stand tall,
You show your best--the best of all.
As you left port my heart went too--
Although I was scared, I was proud of you.

Apart we were for many days,
As you were sailing over oceans of waves.
It was hard to be alone for months without you--
Because inside, I carried a bundle to be wrapped in blue.

I wished every day--your safe return--
As you kept ship from bow to stern.
Months had gone by and Christmas had come.
But you--your job was not yet done.

I prayed that you would return for the special day.
The day that our precious baby boy came our way.
My dream had finally come true--
We were soon to be reunited--the days numbered to a few.

To the Persian Gulf, you made your last call of duty.
Now you are in my arms--the man I love so truly.
But it is no longer just us two--
Therefore, we are so proud of you.