Sapper - Male Athlete of the Year

At a ceremony Saturday October 18, 2004, the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency (CFPSA) honoured athletes, coaches, teams and officials at the 16th Annual CF Sports Awards Ceremony. The honourees included: 

Male Athlete of the Year:  Sapper Charles Mitchell

Land Force Command Sapper Charles Mitchell's dedication to the sport of Greco-Roman Wrestling is as secure as the holds he places on his opponents. Ranked first at the CF National level and 13th in the world in his weight-class, Spr Mitchell was invited to attend the Team Canada Olympic Qualifier for the 2004 Olympics. Although not selected this year, Spr Mitchell is considered to be a frontrunner for the 2008 team, in spite of his relative youth and inexperience on the international stage. Spr Mitchell has consistently balanced his CF duties with his commitment to both his sport and his team. Both his opponents and teammates feel his sense of teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership far beyond the confines of the wrestling circle. 

Sapper Mitchell is with 4 ESR, Gagetown.

Dear Echo 2

From time to time, I receive emails with brief comments about Echo 2 and some of the items posted here. However the following email praises a former military engineer, who is/was working in the Middle East. With many former military engineers working to better the lives of others, I thought this story does a good job representing them.

Dear Sir,

Attached is a story I have written about a Canadian engineer who worked in the mine action program in Iraqi Kurdistan for almost 5 years during which he was an example of a friend to the people, to the neighbourhood he lived among... And to the staff he supervised, he was fair, friendly & firm. I'd like to say that even the children knew him and waved for him whenever they saw him.

Through him & because of him people have come to a conclusion that Canadians are good people. As a gratitude & faithfulness to his friendship and the work he has done, I have written the attached story. I hope you close an eye to the fact that it has not been written by a native English speaker. But it contains facts.

Best regards

Here is the story. (word document)

CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF COMMENDATION

Captain Nanette Fliesser has been awarded the CDS Commendation for Outstanding professionalism demonstrated during her involvement in the Canadian Military Engineers Branch Centennial celebrations during 20002/2003. Well done Nanette.

 

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• Governor General invests 46 individuals into the Order of Military Merit
  

OTTAWA — Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, recently invested 46 members of the Canadian Regular and Reserve Forces to the Order of Military Merit. The ceremony took place at Rideau Hall on Friday, June 11, 2004. Included in the 46 were the following engineers:



Lieutenant-Colonel C.T. Whitecross, O.M.M., C.D.

Commanding Officer, 1 Construction Engineering Unit, Moncton

Career Highlights

• Engineering Officer, Construction Engineering Section, Canadian Forces Base Baden-Soellingen, Germany, 1986-1989
• Requirements Officer, 5 Wing Goose Bay, 1992-1995
• Force Engineer and Deputy Force Engineer, United Nations Protection Force Headquarters, Former Republic of Yugoslavia, 1995-1996
• Base Construction Engineering Officer, 14 Wing Greenwood, 1996-1998 
• Commanding Officer, 1 Construction Engineering Unit, Moncton, 2001 to present
  

Years of Service: 21

Lieutenant-Colonel Whitecross is very active in helping local military communities through her coaching of national teams, and also through her membership and chairing of the board of directors of the family resources centre. She continues to foster children and infants in her home, providing needy children with a stable home.



Master Warrant Officer K.G. Hodge, M.M.M., C.D.

Squadron Sergeant Major, 18 Administration Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Edmonton

Career Highlights

• Regimental Training Non-Commissioned Officer, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, Petawawa, 1995-1996
• Field Troop Warrant Officer, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Chilliwack, 1996-1997 
• Platoon Second in Command, Leadership Company, Land Force Western Training Centre, Wainwright, 1997-1999 
• Detachment Master Warrant Officer, Canadian Forces Detachment Dundurn, 1999-2001 
• Squadron Sergeant Major, 12 Field Squadron, 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group, Afghanistan 2001-2002
  

Years of Service: 26

It was an honour and privilege for Master Warrant Officer Hodge to be the Squadron Sergeant Major of a field squadron during combat operations in Afghanistan during Operation APOLLO, Canada's campaign against terror in Afghanistan.

MWO Hodge has since been promoted to CWO and is presently attending the US Army Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, EL Paso Texas. This is a course for US Army Sgt Majors of Battalion and Regimental level or personnel that are designated to those positions. The Canadian Army only sends down one MWO/CWO to this position. They attend as a student and stay as an international instructor following the course. As far as is known MWO Hodge is the only Engineer ever to attend. On this course there are about 570 students including 35 International Students from 24 different countries.



Chief Warrant Officer S.G. Mears, M.M.M., C.D.

Regimental Sergeant Major, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, Petawawa

Career Highlights

• Detachment and Troop Warrant, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Edmonton, February 1990-July 1996
• Squadron Sergeant Major, 18 Administration Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Edmonton, July 1996-1998
• Contingent Sergeant Major and Senior Technician Advisor, Cambodian Mine Centre, October 1998-April 1999
  
• Chief Warrant Officer, Engineer Standards, Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, June 1999-2001
• Regimental Sergeant Major, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, Petawawa, June 2001 to present

Years of Service: 24

Chief Warrant Officer Mears was the Regimental Sergeant Major for four international operations (Pakistan, Croatia, Kuwait, and Cambodia) and one domestic operation (Winnipeg Floods).

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• Widow awarded medals

CFB GAGETOWN — On May 18, 1962, Sapper George Grant Thompson, 37, died of a heart attack while on active service in the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF). This force supervised the termination of hostilities and acted as a buffer between the Egyptian and Israeli forces. Spr Thompson’s widow, Norma Hitchcock of Perth-Andover, New Brunswick, was presented with four medals during a ceremony February 26. In recognition of her loss, Mrs. Hitchcock was awarded the Canadian Memorial Cross and the United Nations Dag Hammarsskjold Medal. Awarded posthumously were the UNEF Medal and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal. Spr Thompson is buried in the Gaza War Cemetery in Gaza, Palestine. Maple Leaf,  7 April 2004.

Top 8 FER Sapper

Sapper Haley Buchanan has been awarded the LCol P.L. Debney Award for 2003. the LCol P.L. Debney award is presented to the most outstanding soldier of 8 FER for achieving the highest professional standard while on course for the year.

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• Engineers author books 

WO Ed Storey, CME,  has just published a book on the Canadian-made Pattern 1937 Web Equipment that his publisher's website describes as follows:

"Finally a complete review of Canadian-made Pattern 1937 Web Equipment. Written by one of Canada's most knowledgeable and respected collectors. All models are shown with both front and rear photos as well as the accessories carried in the web. 80 pages, 120 illustrations'

 

"37 Web - Equipping the Canadian Soldier" not only gives a brief history of the production of 1937 Pattern Web Equipment in Canada, but is also an identification guide designed for collectors of this web pattern.   Used extensively throughout the Second World War and the Korean War, the 1937 Pattern Web soldiered on in use by the Regular Force of the Canadian Army until replaced by the 1951 Pattern Web Equipment in the late 1950s; and in the Reserves until the late 1960s.   Some specialized pieces of this pattern are still currently in use by the Canadian Forces, some 60 years after they were manufactured.  

 
WO Storey, a serving member of the Mapping and Charting Establishment and an avid collector and researcher of Canadian Army Militaria, has illustrated this book with artifacts from his own extensive collection.   He has also drawn from archival records to produce a book that covers over 50 of the most common pieces of this pattern which can still be encountered today.

Also

BGen Dave Edgecombe CME (Ret'd) has just published a book on Canadian military rifles which his publisher's website describes as follows:


"Defending the Dominion, Canadian Military Rifles 1855-1955", D. W.Edgecombe. 168pp, 80 IIl., Hard cover, CDN $59.95 The author has researched the use, acquisition and disposal of every known purchase of longarms by the Canadian Militia between 1855 and 1955. The dates were chosen as the logical commencement of Canada's Militia, due in large part to the Militia Act of that year, while the end date brings to a close the general issue and use of the Lee-Enfield No.4 rifle. This 100-year period is unsurpassed for the design and invention of rifles. The book contains 13 appendices, a bibliography and end-notes. This is a 'must have' addition for any firearms enthusiasts' bookshelf."


In addition it has been reviewed by a reviewing board of the Washington, D.C. based Company of Military Historians who state that it is considered "as a standard reference in North American Military History."

Order online at: www.Servicepub.com

CME Senior Serving Engineer

With the retirement of MGen KG Penney in Apr 03, the new CME Senior Serving Engineer is MGen ES Fitch, OMM, MSM, CD.  His current position is Project Manager for the Land Force Reserve Restructure at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa.

Canadian Military Engineers Association

• The Canadian Military Engineers Association has been in operation for several years now. Have the engineers in your area gotten together to form a local branch? Now is the time to do so. Get in on the ground floor of a new, exciting association for all engineers. A visit to the CMEA web site will answer your questions, and provide contact addresses. Join Today!

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