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Canada, our Friend in Freedom,
We Thank You!
Canada's Coat of Arms
Journey down the road of life
with the Canteen ....
to visit a friend of America.
We have enjoyed this friendship for many years
and have fought many wars side by side.
Language and Culture in Canada
English-speaking Canada, in many ways
is very much like the United States
but still has its very own distinct flavour.
French-speaking Canada, on the other hand,
is another world altogether. Quebec is a
French-speaking province and is distinguished
by different food, different style and different
architecture,just to name a few differences.
Canada's Most Recognizable Symbol:
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
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We Salute all the men and women,
who enlisted in Canadian Armed Forces,
because they share a vision of a Canada,
free of threat and proud of birth.
Their stories of unsung heroism stand here,
for all Canadians to be proud of
and for the youth of Canada to
see their real Canadian Heroes to look up to.
We thank you our Canadian friends
for being at our side in many wars,
and your compassion and friendship abounding.
Canada at War
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World War One
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That Canada was automatically at war
when Britain was at war in 1914
was unquestioned as from coast to coast,
in a spirit of almost unbelievable unanimity,
Canadians pledged support for the Motherland.
Sir Wilfred Laurier spoke for the majority
of Canadians when he proclaimed: "It is our
duty to let Great Britain know and to let the
friends and foes of Great Britain know that
there is in Canada but one mind and one heart
and that all Canadians are behind the Mother
Country."Prime Minister Robert Borden, calling for
a supreme national effort, offered Canadian
assistance to Great Britain. The offer
was accepted, and immediately orders were
given for the mobilization of an expeditionary force.
With a regular army of only 3,110 men
and a fledgling navy, Canada was ill-prepared
to enter a world conflict. Yet, from
Halifax to Vancouver, thousands of young Canadians
hastened to the recruiting offices. Within
a few weeks more than thirty-two thousand
men gathered at Valcartier Camp near
Quebec City; and within two months the
First Contingent, Canadian Expeditionary Force, was on
its way to England in the largest convoy
ever to cross the Atlantic. Also sailing
in this convoy was a contingent from the still
separate British Dominion of Newfoundland.
On reaching England the Canadians endured
a long miserable winter training in the mud
and drizzle of Salisbury Plain. In
the spring of 1915 they were deemed
ready for the front line and were
razor-keen. Nothing, they believed,
could be worse than Salisbury. In the
years that lay ahead, they were to find out
just how tragically wrong that assessment was.
The first Canadian troops to arrive in
France were the Princess Patricia's Canadian
Light Infantry. The "Princess Pats" landed
in France in December 1914 with the
British 27th Division and saw action near
St. Eloi, and at Polygon Wood.
Early in February 1915 the 1st Canadian
Division reached France, and was introduced
to trench warfare by veteran British troops.
Following this brief training they took
over four miles of line in the Armentières
sector. Faced with the realities of dirt,
disease and death their illusions of
military glory quickly disappeared.
Billy Bishop vs The Red Baron
The Red Baron felt himself superior
to any opponent he met in the air.
On the afternoon of April 30,1917,
the Red Baron met his match.
Major Jack Scott, SQN #60 commander, and
Capt. Billy Bishop, leader of a flight,
sat high over the front lines
in their Nieuport Scouts. Their aircraft
were slower than the Albatross, and mounted
only one machine gun while the Germans
fighter had two. Bishop spotted five
enemy scouts to the south and turned
toward them, seeking his fifteenth victory.
Almost immediately he saw four red Albatross
to his right - one of which belonged
to the infamous Manfred Von Richthofen
- the Red Baron!
Bishop described the fight in his book
"Winged Warfare" as: "a lightning fight
and I have never been in anything just like it."
The . . . experiences of the morning had
put me in good humor for fighting....
I was up in the air again,
with my squadron commander, to see if
there were any Huns about looking
for a bit of trouble....
Presently, to the south of us, we saw
five Albatross Scouts. We went after them,
but before we had come within firing
distance we discovered four red Albatrosses,
just to our right. This latter quartet,
I believe, was made up of Baron Von Richthofen
and three of his best men....
In my turn I opened fire on the Baron,
and in another halfminute found myself
in the midst of what seemed to
be a stampede of bloodthirsty animals.
Everywhere I turned smoking bullets were
jumping at me; and although I got
in two or three good bursts at the
Baron's "red devil," I was rather bewildered
for two or three minutes, as
I could not see what was happening to
the Major, and was not at all certain as
to what was going to happen to me.
Around we went in cyclonic circles
for several minutes, here a flash of the Hun
machines, then a flash of silver as my squadron
commander would whizz by. All the time
I would be in the same mix-up
myself, every now and then finding a red machine
in front of me, and letting in
a round or two of quick shots. I was
glad the Germans were scarlet and we
were silver. There was no need to
hesitate about firing when the right color
flitted by your nose.
It was a lightning fight, and I have
never been in anything just like it.
Firing one moment, you would have to
concentrate all your mind and muscle on
the next in doing a quick turn to avoid a collision....
... I saw up above me four more machines
coming down to join in the fight.
Being far inside the German lines,
I at once decided they were additional
Huns, so I "zoomed" up and out of the
fight to be free for a moment and
have a look around. The moment
I did this I saw the approaching machines
were triplanes belonging to one of our naval squadrons,
and they were coming up for all they were worth
to help us against the Albatrosses.
The latter, however, had had enough of
the fight by now, and at the moment
I "zoomed" they dived, and
flew away toward the earth.
Excerpt from Billy Bishop, VC by W.D. Mathieson
Another Canadian, Captain Roy Brown also
from Ontario, did shoot down the
Red Baron almost a year later,
on April 21, 1918
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World War Two
The Second World War lasted six terrible years
and left a legacy of death and destruction.
It was truly a world war encircling the globe from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and touching the far reaches
of the Arctic. Nor was it confined to soldiers and
battlefields, for new weapons of destruction
made war possible on the land, in the
brought death and suffering indiscriminately to the young
and the old, to their homes and their hearts.
For a young nation it was a remarkable achievement.
Serving in the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy,
the Royal Canadian Air Force and with
other Allied Forces, thousands of young Canadians
fought from 1939 to 1945 on the battlefronts
of the world. They were there to defend the United
Kingdom when it appeared that Nazi invasion was imminent.
They fought valiantly in the unsuccessful
attempt to defend Hong Kong against the Japanese.
At Dieppe they bore the brunt of a daring,
but fateful raid against the enemy-controlled coast of France.
Above all they played their part in two great campaigns:
they fought for twenty months in Italy, and were
in the front lines when the Allies returned
to Continental Europe on D-Day in 1944.
They brought honour and a new respect to their
country. Most of all they helped to win the
struggle against the tyranny and oppression which threatened
to engulf the world. It was for our freedom
that these young Canadians fought, and it was
for that freedom that many of them died.
More than one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in
the Second World War. Of these more than 45,000
gave their lives, and another 55,000 were wounded. Countless
others shared the suffering and hardship of war.
These few words are dedicated to those who fought
that we might live in freedom. It is
their valour that we must remember.
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Korea
On June 25, 1950 the forces of North Korea
crossed the 38th Parallel into the Republic of Korea.
This marked the beginning of hostilities which
were to rage for three full years and more,
throughout that country known to its people as the Land of the
Morning Calm. The magnitude of the assault made it
clear that this was a full-scale invasion.
This was the first open act of aggression
since the establishment of the United
Nations Organization and its actions were of great
significance for its prestige and credibil ity -
in fact for its very future. The invasion was
declared a breach of the peace, and 16 member
nations joined forces to resist the aggression.
Canada's contribution, exceeded only by that of the United
States and Great Britain, demonstrated her willingness to uphold
the United Nations ideals and to take up arms
in support of peace and freedom. All told 26,791 Canadians
served in the Korean war and another 7,000 served
in the theatre between the cease-fire and the end of 1955.
The names of 516 Canadian dead are inscribed
in the Korea Book of Remembrance.
The Korean Veterans National Wall of Remembrance,
constructed in memory of the 516
Canadians who paid the supreme sacrifice
in the Korean War 1950 - 1953 - 1956.
Canadian participation in these hostilities
marked a break with traditional policy. It
was the beginning of a new era of involvement in
world affairs which saw Canadian troops deployed around
the world in truce teams, peace commissions
and emergency forces. A new page in
Canada's proud military history was written.
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Vietnam
Since 1959 when the United states officially entered the Vietnam war
approximately 40,000 Canadians voluntarily joined
and served beside their brothers and sisters from
the United States in all branches of the U.S.armed forces.
Who can explain as to why they volunteered
to serve in Vietnam. Perhaps it
was because they believed in the right to choose,
the right to liberty, the right of unrestrictiveness
and privilege. Maybe they believed in Freedom and
chose to fight for it. Sometimes we take
what we have for granted, for those of us
who enjoy freedom on an every day basis,
we have those who fought for it to thank.
There are Fifty Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Nine ( 58,209 )
names inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.,
one hundred and three (103) of those names are of known
Canadians who served and did not return from the Vietnam war.
Although these Veterans were honored along
with their fellow brothers and sisters from the United States
they were never recognized by their own country, Canada.
For over a century Canada and the United States
have stood side by side not only as neighbours,
but as one when it came to the freedom
that both countries cherish.
The Canadian Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Windsor, Ontario, Canada,
was created by a small group in Michigan U.S.A.
called M.A.C.V. (Michigan Association of Concerned Veterans), who felt
that their Canadian brothers and sisters, who gave their lives
for the lives of others deserved to be recognized
and accounted for, at home in Canada. This
small group of Veterans proceeded to make this dream a reality,
They fought through the many hardships that comes with caring,
they designed, built, and donated the memorial to be placed
on Canadian soil, making this Memorial very special to
the families of those who gave their lives for the freedom of others.
The Mural painted by Dan Lessard
to honour Canadian Vietnam Veterans
PeaceKeeping
Peacekeeping operations are meant to be temporary measures.
They are not expected to resolve a conflict.
The first mission began in 1947 with the United Nations
Temporary Commission on Korea. The purpose was to supervise the
withdrawal of occupation forces. Canada contributed two officers as military observers.
The first Peacekeeping Force was created in 1956 in response
to the Suez Crisis. Lester Pearson, who later became Canadian
Prime Minister, proposed a solution - a UN emergency force to
separate the fighters and to supervise a cease fire.
Since that time Canada has taken an important role
in peacekeeping. Canadians have served in places such as,
the Gaza Strip, Sierra Leone, The Congo, Kashmir,
West New Guinea, Cyprus, the Golan Heights, Lebanon, East Timor,
Iraq, Iran, Central America, Cambodia and in the former Yugoslavia.
When Canada first started to contribute to peacekeeping only
military personnel participated. In more recent years, members of the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police, officials from Elections Canada and
External Affairs have worn the UN blue beret.
More than 100,000 Canadians have participated in United Nations
peacekeeping duties. That is more than any other country.
Enduring Freedom
On 12 September, a day after the terrorist attacks
in the United States of America, NATO invoked
the principle of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
After confirming that such actions had been conducted from
abroad the Article became fully operative on October 2, 2001.
Operation APOLLO is Canada's military contribution
to the international campaign against terrorism.
The Canadian Forces (CF) contribution to the
campaign includes such units and formations as:
The 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian
Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) Battle Group, which operates with a task
force built around the U.S. Army's 187th Brigade Combat Team.
The Canadian Naval Task Group, on station in the Arabian Sea,
may comprise patrol frigates, a replenishment ship and a destroyer.
A Long-Range Patrol Detachment, comprising two CP-140 Aurora maritime
patrol and surveillance aircraft, operates in the Arabian Gulf region.
A Tactical Airlift Detachment, comprising three CC-130 Hercules transport
aircraft, employed primarily in the delivery of humanitarian relief
and supplies to the people of Afghanistan,
as well as to support coalition forces.
The CF units and formations committed to Operation APOLLO
are organized under the Commander, Joint Task Force South West
Asia (JTFSWA), a general officer (Brigadier-General or Commodore).
The JTFSWA has a headquarters unit, the Canadian National
Command Element (NCE), located at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa
Florida. The NCE links the Chief of the Defence Staff
in Ottawa with the U.S. senior leadership, and with the
various CF units assigned to Operation APOLLO.
Spencer Smith Park, Burlington, Ontario
The Royal Canadian Naval Association Burlington Branch,
unveiled that Naval Ships' Memorial Monument, May 14, 1995,
with approximately 5,000 spectators, including
over 1,000 veterans in attendance.
The memorial is dedicated to the memory of the 31 warships
and the 2024 Naval Personnel of the Royal Canadian Navy
and the 75 ships and 1466 merchant seamen of the
Canadian Merchant Navy who were lost during World War II.
Petawawa, Ontario
The Airborne Forces Monument was dedicated on August 28, 1988.
It is located at the entrance to the Canadian Forces
Base Petawawa. It was constructed in memory of the
Canadian Airborne Forces, including the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion,
The Canada/USA Special Service Force, Defense of Canada Parachute
Units, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary
of the Canadian Airborne Regiment.
We at the USO Canteen FReeper Style
cannot possibly pay tribute to our friend Canada
without saying how deeply sorry we are for the
loss of lives on April 18,2002.
In the early morning hours of April 18, four Canadians soldiers
were killed and eight of their colleagues wounded
when an American F-16 fighter jet dropped a bomb
during a training exercise near Kandahar.
In Memoriam
Sgt.Marc Leger
Cpl.Ainsworth Dyer
Pte. Richard Green
Pte.Nathan Smith
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My Apologies To Canada
The following words were found on a website,for
Patriotic American Graphics called "Annie's Place".
'Annie' has given The USO Canteen
FReeper Style permission to use this.
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"I received this from a friend I talk to who
lives in Canada. I got it about 11pm last night.
I scanned over it.. thought, "Ok..
But what does it have to do with me??"
Then I went to bed. I laid there, and couldn't
put my mind to rest. This email my friend
sent me kept popping up in my thoughts! I got
up and went back to my email and
took my time reading this time."
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letter from a friend:
I Remember when the terrorists attacked my good ol' USA on 911.
WOW! What a blow for my country! I turned on my computer
and had many, many messages waiting for me. Friends, Family..
everyone watching in horror. I remember that every single one
of my Canadian friends sent me email throughout
the entire thing.. offering me and my country sympathy.
They were the first ones to do so! I
remember thinking to myself later... when it came down to the
numbers killed from each country, "We were ALL
attacked. Not just the USA!" Now I feel ashamed.
Why? Because .. did I get on the puter and send
my Canadian friends condolences for the loved ones
they had lost?? No. I didn't even think to do so.
To me we were all grieving.. I know I talked
to my Husband and family and friends about how
we can always depend on Canada and a few other
countries to back us up. Did I get on
the puter and tell my Canadian friends, 'Thank you?'
No.. I did not. Did my Country do anything? Say anything?
Other than just acknowledge on TV they were on our side?
I don't know. I don't remember seeing or hearing anything about it!
I remember watchin the news.. when the 4 Canadian
soldiers were accidentally killed by our US warplane.
I hurt for them. Thought, OMG! Not Canada!
I didn't offer anything then either. Yes, I feel ashamed.
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Nothing I can do about it! I slept poorly.
It was still on my mind when I woke up
this morning. I decided, Kat, you're an idiot!
There is TOO something you can do! I have
one of the biggest personal websites online! I get
over 3.5 million hits on all of my pages.. a year!
A LOT of the people who come to my website
are from Canada! So with this in mind,
I sit here now, Offering my Canadian neighbors my apologies.
I cannot apologize for my country. Just for myself.
You are APPRECIATED! You are LOVED!
And I, along with most other Americans should have told
this to our Canadian Neighbors many, many times!
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The USO Canteen FReeper Style
takes a wee trip to Fort Henry.
From the Fort, overlooking Lake Ontario
"The training of the Fort Henry Guard is done here on site.
We do however, have a lot of interaction with the
military, both Canadian and International. Many units visit
Fort Henry to see our Sunset Ceremonies and compare
our historic 1867 drill to modern methods. We host
many international military officers and VIPs and bands from
all branches of the services over the course of the year.
The annual visit of the USMC from Washington, DC and
the Ceremonial Guard from Ottawa are prime examples."
Bryan J. Mercer
""From Guardian of the Empire in 1812 to a
symbol of Canada's Confederation in 1867;
from architectural ruins to a rebirth in the 1930's
and the restoration in the 21st century;
from Prisoner of War Camp and military training school
to Educational Learning Centre,
Fort Henry continues to evolve."
The event the Canteen will be attending
is a very special one. We do not want to miss it -
a wonderful outdoor concert with the moon and stars overhead.
"The conductor comes to the microphone, and asks:
"How many Americans are here tonight?"
Many raise their hands. He smiles and says:
"This is for you" - the orchestra then plays
the Star Spangled Banner, with many Canadians
in the audience, joining the Americans
in the singing of their National Anthem.
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A FReeper Visits Fort Henry
For more information about Fort Henry, click Here
"A cannon and the FT. Henry guard loading
the cannon for the performance of the 1812 Overture.
"These three guards were standing,
chatting casually, when I asked
if I might take their picture.
Within the blink of an eye, they assumed this pose :-).
Canadian Sea Cadets
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The symphony played some Strauss waltzes and the Fort Henry Guard,
and their girls, came out in all their splendour
and had a dance. Before this happened, I saw
this young couple, but didn't want to ask them to pose,
so just took a quick pic ( the one on the left ).
The young man saw the flash and said -
I will give you a real picture -
voila! - the picture on the right.
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And this, of course, is for all of you.
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The USO Canteen FReeper Style would like
to thank Bryan Mercer, Marketing & Partnership Development
FORT HENRY NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
and John Robertson Manager,
Fort Henry National Historic Site,
for their help in preparing this visit to Fort Henry for you.
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The men and women of the Canadian Forces have demonstrated
time and again that they will rise to any challenge.
Whether in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Golan Heights or the
Arabian Sea, Canada's military personnel are hard at
work making a difference in the world.
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Contact Information for the Canadian Forces
Write to a Canadian Soldier in Afghanistan
Addresses for Overseas Operations
Halifax Ships with Operation APOLLO:
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 99000 STN FORCES
HALIFAX NS B3K 5X5
Victoria Ships with Operation APOLLO:
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 17000 STN FORCES
VICTORIA BC V9A 7N2
The 3PPCLI Battle Group
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5006 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
The Strategic Airlift Detachment
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5055 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
The Tactical Airlift Detachment
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5111 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
All other units serving with Op APOLLO
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5209 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
Long Range Patrol Detachment
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5113 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
National Support Unit
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5105 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
Forward Logistics Support
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5071 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
Strategic Lines of Communication Unit
OP APOLLO
PO BOX 5050 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
The Golan Heights (UNDOF and UNTSO)
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
CCUNDOF (GOLAN)
PO BOX 5002 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
The Balkans (Operations PALLADIUM)
Any Sailor/Soldier/Air Personnel
TASK FORCE BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA
PO BOX 5003 STN FORCES
BELLEVILLE ON K8N 5W6
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