Daily Blog

Happy Canada Day!

6/30/2018

The last week has found me having my usual health issues.

It also has brought the discovery of a fellow that perhaps ought to have been awarded a Medal of Honor for Civil War actions, but wasn't, and another from the same war who's case continues to bring in tidbits but no smoking guns yet supporting newspaper claims that he had recipient status. Initial checks have failed to see him clear the normal checks and balances, but more work is needed on this front.

Couple all of this with running around to facilitate a wonderful reunion 40 YEARS in the making for 3, and 38 YEARS for a 4th attendee, and I in Victoria BC and a planned blog for tomorrow, which has now been shelved till next Sunday,

Happy Birthday to all our men and women in uniform, to the past members, their families and descendants for tomorrow... Canada Day. I hope many a Canadian MOH grave will be visited tomorrow, including those of Joseph Noil in DC and Arlington and hopefully others across the US and Canada.

I will be out celebrated all day instead of being behind my keyboard, but will see you in a week's time,

thanks,
Bart

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Path of service to country rather than personal gain, brings highest award.. a Victoria Cross!

6/24/2018

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His childhood sister thought Buddy meant Brother and so Buddy..and later Bud became his nicknames. But David Ernest Hornell didn't need nicknames to make it through life. Just an incredible desire to do what's right and to reach out to serve those in need when and if it came.

And boy did it ever!

It all started at the little island in Lake Ontario called Toronto Island, which houses one of the busiest airports in the entire country. (The buzzing must have gotten to Bud as you shall soon see.)

Many claim that Buddy was born in 1910 at a small community called Mimico...about where the first arrow at left and above is pointing. But he in fact was born on Toronto Island.. at far right. Traveling eastbound the center arrow points to Grenadier Pond, a great recreation area itself, and within what is called High Park, one of the largest in the city. Just beyond the tip and to the left is a small street of about 2 dozen homes. I grew up, or as some claim... just got older... living in one of these with my 3 sisters, one brother and parents.

When in my early teens my Mom asked me one day where I went riding my bike. I said There was a big garden on the side of the road and a sign that said ..ET..I..bok. She got a laugh as everybody else just called it Etobicoke. (E..tow..bi..co)

After his sister was born, Buddy's mother passed away. The two children were then sent to live at an Aunt's home whilst getting initial schooling in Mimico and then onto high school, probably first at Western Technical Commercial High School (which I also attended with 2 sisters) and then later returning to Mimico High School were he graduated with honours and a scholarship to pursue a university ed- ucation, based on his receiving nine first class honours and gifted athletic status to boot.

Buddy chose instead to accept a position in the research labs of the Goodyear Tire Company. After all, it was during the Depression years and he needed a steady income.

But things soon changed. He knew that because of the importance of the Goodyear work for the war efforts, he was not in fear of pressures to join up. But he then wanted to do his bit. Many of his relatives and friends had already done so. But age was becoming a problem. A new training program had a cut off of age 31. He was just weeks shy of this.

So he made, what he later called a "Rash Decision." He enlisted in the RCAF. Several courses has to be taken in PEI, northern Vancouver Island, Montreal, Quebec, Victoriaville Que, and Goderich Ont. By September he would be presented with his pilot's wings.

Duties would then have him working out of the Halifax Dartmouth area bases and patrolling along the eastern seaboard of Canada and out into the North Atlantic.

It would be during the 60th patrol, and with some 600 hrs of patrol flight under his belt,that Buddy would find himself as the Captain of his twin engine Canso bomber on yet another run.

Shown above as a jnr. officer, he would on this day hold the rank of Ft Lt, He would be flying his warplane as part of the 162nd Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron RCAF out of Northern Scotland on another 12 hr patrol. It had been uneventful and about to end, but then took a drastic turn.

He and a crew of 7 others, all Canadians, were aboard the plane on 24 June,. 74 years ago today at about 6.30 p.m. and flying North of Scotland and probably a few hundred miles north of the Shetland Islands and between Iceland and Norway when they realized they were not alone.

It was a German Submarine, and it was NOT submerged. Worse yet, it also saw Buddy's plane and instantly started firing surface to air fire with very good aim. Two large holes were shot through the wings. One engine was hit bursting into flame and trickling oil spills started while the plane became to shaky to control and had to be ditched atop a high wave.

But before that happened the gunners were able to bring fire from their cannons onto the sub but then one set got jammed. All this from about a 1200 yd range and closing fast. An engine falling off didn't do much to help the airmen.

But the Captain did manage to correctly position the plane to drop down and over the sub while dropping 4 charges that raised the entire sub out of the water and then she sank. Germans were soon struggling for their lives in the debris.

Since the plane's aerials were damaged they could not call for help. While equipped with two 4 man dinghies, only one worked and could not hold all the men. Two soon were lost to the frigged waters. The rest agreed to take turns in and out of the lone craft. Another plane many hours later saw the men and dropped an inflatable but the winds took it over 500 yards away from them and they did not have the strength to fetch it. The rest waited almost 21 hours till finally rescued. Buddy was going blind and after all of the exposure passed away while being escorted to aid.

This may be one of the last pictures of Flight Lt. Davis E Hornell, VC It appears that the award was not published in the London Gazette till the 28th of June, and of course was a posthumous award. Thus, curious that this picture seem to have him wearing the ribbon for the VC.

Hornell was only 34 years old when he was killed in action. His VC is said to be the first of only 3 for the RCAF in WW11.

This painting tells the story of the air to sea battle on 24 June 1944.

Buddy lies at rest at the Lerwick Cemetery at the Shetland Islands.

The Royal Canadian Air Cadets have a squadron named in Buddy's name in the Toronto area. Their web site has many interesting pictures and some great videos of their drill teems hard at work. Google them.

The Government of Ontario has helped the community recognize and keep the Hornell story alive with this plaque outside the school it has named in this hero's name in Mimico, just outside of Toronto

At the Toronto inner harbour you can even take a ferry across to Toronto Island. The ferry is also named in honor of Buddy.

Even the Canadian Airplane Museum at Hamilton Ontario have done their bit to preserve this part of Canada's heritage. They have I believe an actual Canso plane painted in his colours and numbers.

see you next week,

Bart

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Time and my medal detector may confirm 2 more Canadian connections to the Medal of Honor!

6/17/2018

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Ongoing research necessitates a shorter blog today.

To begin, I want to mention that many months ago I came across a wonderful story of a US Medal of Honor recipient. He was on such a secret mission that...for years the government could not come forth with his story, and that of the men with him during the Vietnam War.

It is such a great story that I want to suggest that you view it and sit back and wonder where you and I would be today without men and women like this fellow and his comrades, and the thousands and hundreds of thousands in uniform that have given us, regardless of what side of the 49th you live on, the freedoms we enjoy today, and far too often take for granted.

This man was a Sergeant at the time, but many years later he arrived at DC wearing the uniform of a retired Captain with over 2 decades of service under his belt.

His story can be viewed here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlTvdqe_Bo8

I will not give further details... you must go out to get them. And you will be pretty proud when you read about this hero, and why he was summonsed to Washington DC to be presented with a Medal of Honor.

Whilst on the net recently I again came across the entire ceremony and again, as before was riveted to the story.

My only chagrin was that whilst the President read from his teleprompter the words of wisdom of whomever, those providing the words ought to have known better, to NOT refer to the medal repeatedly as the CONGRESSIONAL Medal of Honor, as there is no such thing.

One would think the very man holding the power to award or not, ought to have been so advised over the past year of making this mistake. Trouble is it is oft repeated by many in authority and many in the press on a routine basis.

That said, the ceremony was wonderful and even included the very important message from the President that... "the medal will forever enshrine him in the history of the nation."

While not wishing to take away form the great ceremony, I still think about the other side of the story, one documented in this space often.

Perhaps some day someone will take on the challenge of articulating before the government the many cases of those who became victims of the illegal purge of 1916, and see to it that their descendants can finally get some enshrining for their forefathers.

In late October 2017 President Trump presented the Medal of Honor to retired Captain Gary Michael Rose at the White House. Witnessing the important event were about a dozen other MOH recipients, many of the Captain's comrades from years earlier, many other vets, politicians, bureaucrats and family.

Moving on, I still await further developments regarding the new marker for Newfoundland born Ordinary Seaman Thomas Kersey.

Kersey was serving on the USS Plymouth back in July 1876 when a shipmate fell overboard whilst at the navy dockyard at NY. He dove in and rescued the fellow and was awarded a Medal of Honor a short two weeks later for this life saving, at the risk of losing his own. (And 2 days before that awarding sailors Powers and Connolley would also save a life, but this time to a visitor to the USS Plymouth, while in harbour at Halifax Nova Scotia and would also later be warded Medals of Honor.) The only time in the history of the medal that it was awarded for actions within Canadian waters.)

This is believed to be an image of the USS Plymouth at about the time of the rescue.

Kersey would serve another dozen years and whilst in Massachusetts he took sick and sent to the naval hospital there where he passed away in 1888.

For years many people have tried in vain to find his actual grave. But it has now turned up in a family plot in Newport Rhode Island.

As you can see, the old marker needs some attention. A new marker indicating that he is a Medal of Honor recipient has been installed, and we await details of a formal unveiling.

On another front, about a month ago I was doing internet searches of a particular recipient when three other stories jumped out at me.

One was on Sgt Charles McGillivary, PEI born Medal recipient for bravery in taking out several German machine guns nests during the Battle of the Bulge in WW ll. Of course the 1945 article made repeated references to WINING the medal and calling it by the wrong name, but it had another glaring error.

It noted that the 1945 awarding of the MOH to a native Canadian was the first ever in the war. No doubt the US Coast Guard would have been upset about reading of that when of course Vancouver BC born Douglas Munroe was killed in action at Guadalcanal, saving some 500 marines and sailors lives and was awarded the medal posthumously THREE YEARS before McGillivary's award.

A second story found told readers that a road at Fort Bliss in Texas has been named after the Colonel of the 15th Cavalry. That fellow was George Horace Gilmore, a Canadian. A base of Bosnia was also named in honour of this officer who earned a Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars, and carried the bullet near his heart for some 60 years before it moved and finally took its toll. Georg's father, also a Canadian, was a General during the Civil War and was one of at least 10 Canadians carrying that rank during that war, despite less than half that number being credited by many a web site. And the General also has a street..or avenue in Minnesota named after him for his bravery during the Civil War.

But of much interest to me is the short story found in 2 newspapers about a fellow from eastern Canada, who according to the papers, receive a Medal of Honor in the mail through Canada Customs from the US. He apparently earned it for helping to rescue the terribly wounded General Sickes from the battle filed at Gettysburg.

But I can not find any verification in the normal places re the story's legitimacy.

Another story has also just cropped up days ago about a fellow who apparently came from France to the US, earned a medal, married and dies and a child that moved to Canada. I wonder if the recipient came to Canada before going to the US, or if the child coming to Canada brought the medal with him, and if it is still here somewhere.

More to follow up on.

In the mean time use the search engine at this site to review the stories above referred to and also have a look at stories of Joseph Robinson, Michael McCarthy and Benjamin F Youngs. They all earned their Medals of Honor for actions on today's date..17 June.

back next week,

Bart

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One in Five: Part II

6/6/2018

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A few days back I brought you the first part of a story about the new Afghanistan Memorial at Victoria BC, mounted and dedicated last September. I noted that in looking at internet figures, I calculated that we had an almost one in five casualty rate during our most honourable participation in that 12 year War.

Yet another battle of world renown has the same casualty rate. And that was for just the first day when all losses, wounded, Killed In Action, MIA, etc apparently saw one in five yet again, but this time the 20% were from some 206,000 from both sides in battle. You will hopefully remember the names of the five beach heads...Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, during the Normandy landings. These were spread along some 50 miles of French coastline 74 yrs ago today, in what we now refer to as D Day.

Getting back to the Afghanistan story, if you walk 2 blocks north from our fabulous Legislative Buildings and another 2 blocks east you will be standing almost in front of this most dignified memorial that gives you the names of the 158 service men and women and another five names of civilians who lost their lives in our service and to the country of Afghanistan. A message that was very clearly delivered by that nation's Ambassador to Canada who repeatedly mentioned in her speech that the service of these men and women and Canada will NOT BE FORGOTTEN by her country.

It is believed that this memorial may well be the only one that shows an image of a child. How fitting. Along the very edge of the memorial is a small children's park. We can only hope that these innocent youth will ask their Mommies and Daddies to tell them the story that the memorial will be telling the adults. The story that we came to Afghanistan not only to fight... but to reach out and help wherever we could...and did.

The actual dedication, speeches, and unveiling have been preserved for future generations in a video at the Society's own web site. The video and details about the background work and unveiling can be seen at ... https://vicafghanistanmemorial.ca/ and I would highly recommend you not only watch it, but pass it on so that others can also benefit form this work and become better informed on Canada's role over those years so far away from home.

In order to do the actual unveiling, Lt Governor Guichon and one member from each of the Memorial Cross families, were invited to move closer to the monument. Then the Lt. Governor and the society's President, Brig, General Larry Gollner removed the actual ribbon. This followed with dignitaries, and then the public being invited to approach the marble marker and those wishing to do so, also placing their own poppies at its base. Here I also complied. (Note that the engravings on this side. are in French, while the other is in English.)

These are the two interpretation panels before installation. They add so much to the story not told by reading the lines of names of these latest heroes from Canada.

And we would be doing an incredible dis-service to each one of these men and women, if we did not also recognize their brothers and sisters who came home with the physical scars, and even deeper, those who's injuries are not in the form of a scar. Men and women who need our attention as we now are the ones to be called upon with our hands out-stretched to show them our kindness and desire to help them make it through another day, week, month and year.

And we'd best not forget the families and loved ones who will need our tender support each and every day that we are blessed to be in their company.

The theme of the Interpretation Panels is broken down into several parts in order to tell rolls played by The RCMP, the Navy, Army and Air Force. Have a close look at the web site given above for some of the stories of what these men and women did for Afghanistan, and the world. Efforts to continue the nurturing of the wonderful reputation our forefathers and our foremothers planted with the seeds of their efforts.

I again encourage you to have a good look at their site..and pay attention to it.

Rumblings are that there will be an announcement in the weeks to come with regards to keeping these stories alive. Can't wait to hear more, and will bring this to you when I get it.

Here we see John Azar, one of the Society's Board Members and a major DOER in the metro area on many things touching on military history.

John helped to design the signs and explains some of the background behind their creation. He and the society hope they will help tell the story for folks who walk by, see the gorgeous monument and step closer to better appreciate it.

The Society President, Brig. General Gollner is standing to the Lt Governor's right. He looks on with pride at what all those behind the scenes accomplished over the past five years plus, to ensure that we indeed will not forget Canada's role in Afghanistan.

Here we see the signs installed, and a new flowered bed that shall soon turn into a wonderful play area for the children. Just off to the right of the bottom stands the memorial.

The courthouse is off to the right of this picture. John tells me that those that do not stop to investigate this memorial will be marched off to to court house and charged with being poor citizens. (Just fake news I think!)

Jane and Richard Nuttall of Victoria BC lost their 30 year old son in Afghanistan. Young Lt Nuttall was killed from one of the deadly weapons known as an IED, an Improvised Explosive Device, that took so may lives in that war.

Richard serves as a member of the very committee that worked so hard to honour his son, the 162 other heroes named above. They, and the entire Canadian contingent, those with boots on the ground in the air, at sea, and also back home.

Please note the Memorial Cross both parents are wearing. I believe I brought you a story in this space about the creation of that medal a few months back. If not I will bring it forth soon. Mrs. Nuttall points to her son's engraved name on the marker. At least a dozen of the names are of members with BC connections.

If you look at 4 lines above Mrs Nuttall's hand you will see the name of Nichola Goddard. Her story has appeared in this space and is as equally tragic as each of the 163. She was the first Canadian woman to die in battle while in service to Canada.

Captain Goddard died while leading a patrol in Afghanistan on May 17 2006.

On May 18 I was doing research at Canada's wonderful War Museum at Ottawa. l and my sisters and their husbands also were in Ottawa to bury our parents ashes at Canada's national cemetery... Beechwood, where Captain Goddard would also be laid to rest in the weeks to follow.

As I wondered about the building I ended up in what is known as the Memorial Hall, a very dark room with only one window up very high and near the ceiling.

This and many other parts of the complex are built architecturally to give impressions of buildings being destroyed in battle. But the Memorial Hall is different. It is designed with just that one window. At 11 o'clock on November 11th , the sun shines a beam of light right into that window... giving the only light in the room. And it comes to rest on the opposite wall just above the floor. And in that very spot is the last grave marker brought home from the war for an UNKNOWN SOLDIER and it is lit up for all to see.

I was in that room the day after Captain Goddard lost her life. Her image was in papers all across the country. Someone clipped it and put it on top of the grave marker. And it was there when I entered the room. Something I have never forgotten to this day.

Sunlight showing its power.

A hallway with walls appearing to be falling over from bombings etc. And without a tour guide you might think the holes at the left, and high up are just cannon fodder. Not so.

In Morse code they spell out a message... in both French and English... Lest We Forget!

But back to Victoria and the Afghanistan Memorial.

Mr. and Mrs. Nuttall pointed out the inscribed name on the memorial of another of the five Canadian women killed in the war. Her name was Michelle Lang, a reporter from Calgary. The last story she wrote was about the tragic death of Lt Nuttall. A week later she would join him in death.

And you will remember my friend Major Carter in the last blog. One of his missions was called off as less troops were thought to be needed. But in THAT very mission Michelle Lang... the reporter, and four others were killed, and another five injured.

We'd best all learn to appreciate more what we have to day... and continue to find ways to paying for it.

Neil Armstrong once said that ... "this was a small step for man, and a giant leap for mankind." July 20th 2019 will mark the 60th year since he walked on the moon. (and in his pocket was a small piece of fabric. It was the Armstrong tartan.)

The Greater Victoria Afghanistan Memorial Project Society, have in their own way taken one of these steps.

Lest We Forget!

I will be taking more training this weekend to improve my computer skills and will not be back here till the following Sunday,

cheers all,

Bart

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One in about five Canadian service members became a casualty in Afghanistan!

6/4/2018

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Canadians served in Afghanistan for over a dozen years. It was our longest war ever. Internet sites show we had 635 wounded,1417 non-battle injuries, and Post Traumatic Stress cases totaling 13.27% of our total 40,000 men and women who served. That's 5,280 cases. Add all of these numbers up and couple these with the 158 service members and 5 civilians killed will get you get 7,495 casualties. That's 18.7%, or almost 1 in 5.

Perhaps with numbers still coming in years ago, and the visiting of NB and probably some sort of memorial there, Victoria City councillor Chris Coleman returned home to spread word on an idea for a local monument. It quickly resonated on several fronts.

This would morphe into actions that would see the eventually unveiling of a gorgeous memorial just blocks from the provincial capital buildings in Victoria. It would honour those who gave up their tomorrows so that we could have our todays. It would honour also those who came home with injuries, be they medical, or post traumatic in nature. And it would also honor the immediate and extended families, loved ones and friends who also must carry the burdens of war.

This most impressive group, mostly veterans, several holding the rank of Lt Colonel and above, including at least 2 Brig. Generals, are the driving force leading to the creation of the Memorial. They call themselves the Greater Victoria Afghanistan Memorial Project Society.

Because of their accomplishment their picture should appear in newspapers across the country. And mounted in every mess hall and military establishment across the country as well. Front and center, though difficult to read, is their leader, their President. His name is President..Brig. General JEL (Larry) Gollner OMM,CD, the former Colonel of the PPCLI.

Here is another picture that should be widely spread.

This Canadian army signalman is former Corporal Michael McCauley who, at the time was serving in Afghanistan when he reached down to shake hands with his newfound friend. (He is now a Lt. and working out of New Brunswick.)

Because it is so symbolic of our role to help where and whenever we can, the society chose this picture over many, many photos to be depicted as the lone image on the new memorial.

In late September of last year a most formal and impressive ceremony took place to unveil this new addition to the important Military memorials located throughout the greater Victoria area.

Four Honour Guards, one for the navy, army, air force and RCMP, where sharply assembled under the capable command of the Lt Col. Sawyer, commanding Officer of the Canadian Scottish (since retired). A fifth guard was formed on site for any veterans of the Afghanistan War, and I do believe it became a larger guard than any of the other four.

As the various dignitaries arrived, some even from our nation's capital, they would receive the salute from several hundred service men and women. There were at least five from the general ranks, including a full 4 star retired general. Other special guests included local, provincial and federal politicians, the clergy, various cadet entities, police, first aid, and most importantly the Memorial Cross families who had lost a son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister, a loved one or very special friend, who's name has now been preserved for all to see for all time.The society's Patron was our own BC Lt Governor, Her Honor Judith Guichon. (recently retired)

After receiving her Royal Salute, the Lt Governor is shown in first of two pictures above, as she inspects her troops. Below we see our recently elected Premiere, the Honorable John Hogan also inspecting and greeting those on parade. Here the premiere is escorted by LT. Colonel Sawyer of the Canadian Scottish.

The guard being inspected in both cases is that of the vets who served in Afghanistan. This veteran of some 35 yrs service, now retired, well medalled and sharply attired is Major Hue Carter of the Canadian Scottish. He holds the distinction of also being a qualified Lt. Colonel.

Hue Carter and I have known each other for about 40 years, and actually served together most briefly back in Gagetown NB whist we attended our Master Warrant Officer course in 1979. He would later be promoted to Chief Warrant Officer and served with the Scottish as their RSM many years ago and before taking a commission and following in the footsteps of his father, also a Lt Colonel I believe.

When asked how he felt about the parade and the memorial he expressed his deep concern for those who did not come home, and added that he almost joined in that number... but more on that later. He also added his incredible pride for the service of all those on parade and humbled at being invited from those witnessing the parade from the sidelines, to actually join in with the other Afghanistan veterans. But he did add that he has strong wished that Canada would not have to yet again see our men and women in harm's way.

Many of the dignitaries took to the podium to remark about our service to those in need in far away places, and most acknowledged that our hosts around the world have the same pride in Canada as we ourselves have, but too often are reluctant to admit.

The Afghanistan Ambassador to Canada, Her Honor Shinkai Karokhail has to be listened to very carefully due to the language barriers, and no doubt, she is shown her struggling to concentrate on what others were also saying.

Her message was that so much has been accomplished over the years for the women and children of Afghanistan and gave incredible figures of school attendance by young girls that so many years ago was unheard of. The Ambassador's message of walking the road so alone for women's rights for decades reminded me so much of my own upbringing and stories passed down to me about my mother's 50 plus years of struggling on the womens' issues front.

In an ever so brief few minutes I told her of how proud my mother would have been of her work, and she then returned the same comments about Mom, and noted her familiarity with the Canadian struggle regarding the famous Person's Case and was quite pleased to learn that in just a few days It would be October and once again be celebrated as Womens' History Month. A battle my mother and two others from the Victoria area carried for over a year till reaching the wonderful conclusion that all women... and men today can celebrate.

As health kept me from bringing this story to you on Sunday, and only partially today, I will return tomorrow or Wednesday to complete this blog.

Bart

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Happy Canada Day!

Path of service to country rather than personal gain, brings highest award.. a Victoria Cross!

Time and my medal detector may confirm 2 more Canadian connections to the Medal of Honor!

One in Five: Part II

One in about five Canadian service members became a casualty in Afghanistan!

Author;
Bart Armstrong, C.D.,
Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

Archives

Categories

Happy Canada Day!

Path of service to country rather than personal gain, brings highest award.. a Victoria Cross!

Time and my medal detector may confirm 2 more Canadian connections to the Medal of Honor!

One in Five: Part II

One in about five Canadian service members became a casualty in Afghanistan!

Author;Bart Armstrong, C.D., Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

Archives

Categories

Author;
Bart Armstrong, C.D.,
Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers