Lest we Forget... De peur que nous n'oubliions 11 Nov
A close call for MND Peter MacKay who was in a meeting in Afghanistan when it came under Rocket Attack today.
The following Close call comes from an article in a Kelowna newspaper, sent to me by an old Corps Comrade in Ottawa Benny Super Frog Lemarbre This Mine detection Vehicle was purchased by the Government of PM Harper. Thankyou PM.
Explosion damages Canadian demining vehicle in Afghanistan, driver OK By Bill Graveland, THE CANADIAN PRESS
One of the new Canadian forces Husky deminers was blown up after driving over an IED on a narrow road west of Masum Ghar, Afghanistan. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland
MASUM GHAR, Afghanistan - One of Canadas newest weapons against roadside bombs in Afghanistan became the victim of an improvised explosive device on Tuesday. The Husky mine-detection vehicle was damaged by an explosion; the driver escaped unhurt. Roadside explosives have taken a terrible toll on Canadian soldiers, so it was with pride that the military recently unveiled the Husky, a vehicle built in South Africa that resembles a road grader. In essence, the vehicle acts like a birddog using a combination of technology including X-ray and metal detection. If it spots anything suspicious, it drops a puddle of ink so the spot can be further investigated. Its design, with a high one-man cockpit set back on the chassis and huge wheels in the front, provides maximum protection for the driver. A pair of Huskies were making their way along Route Foster - a narrow, winding highway that runs west of Forward Operating Base Masum Ghar in Kandahar province. The area is a daily battle ground between Canadian forces trying to keep it free from mines, and Taliban insurgents who have free reign in many parts of the area. After a number of false alarms in the first kilometre of what was supposed to be a 10-kilometre journey, Sgt. Jean-Francois De Wolfe sighed: Its going to be a very long day. Danger is everywhere on this stretch of road. In its early stages, the road is buffeted by mountains on one side and grape orchards, small villages and grape-drying huts on the other. The huts resemble bunkers, and have been used as such at times in battle. The road narrows continually, eventually giving way to the plains and fields of tall marijuana and opium poppy crops. A warning came upon entering this area. This next two or three kilometres is where most of the attacks have happened recently, said De Wolfe. Every piece of disturbed earth, empty sandbags or even the remnants of other bombings set off alarm bells on the Husky. The 10-kilometre journey was beginning to look like 1,000. One of the Huskies passed through a further narrowing of the road unscathed - but the second one wasnt so lucky. A loud bang, the acrid smell of explosives and a blinding cloud of dust indicated the Taliban had struck again - successfully. The front end of the Husky was nowhere to be seen but the rest of it, including the driver in his cockpit, were OK. He said dammit, I spilled my water bottle, laughed De Wolfe, who was in contact with the other driver over his radio. Cpl. Pierre Brule, 31, was greeted with applause and laughter when he entered the lead command vehicle later. It was suggested he should have to pay for the damages out of his salary. What happened? Boom. Thats all I have to say, chuckled Brule, who later was working on his vehicle to get it ready to be shipped back to base. It was too quick to be scared anyway. The vehicle just dropped to the ground so it was pretty cool. A crater two metres wide and a metre deep indicated the force of the blast. The explosion was really strong, added De Wolfe, who noted the damaged vehicle had just moved in front of his RG-31 armoured vehicle. That one is repairable; this one would have been cut in two. The vehicle ironically had the bumper sticker, Do all jobs suck or just mine??? The Husky is doing a job that used to be done by a single soldier walking along with mine-detection equipment. De Wolfe said the troops are excited about it. This is another thing that is motivating us. Better to be us in this than our friends walking down a road. Cpl. Stephane Beaulieu, 23, was one of those augmenting the work of the Husky on Tuesday. Anything that can be done to make things safer for us is welcome, he said. We call it the old fashioned way, we just be careful and look on the floor for any clues that are possible. We have enough training to know what to look) for, he said. But for sure theres a little adrenaline rush there.
Typical comments from Canadian Soldiers serving in dangerous areas.
BE PROUD of your Troops, and please remember both the veterans that have paid the ultimate sacrifice and our serving troops wherever they may be Land Sea or Air. On Nov 11 and always.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
