Canadian Peacekeepers Day - Aug 7

As many of you know I am an Honourary Life Member of the Canadian Association of Veterans in UN Peacekeeping. Each year on August 9^th we stop to remember those Canadian peacekeepers who have given their lives serving on UN duties.

The official ceremony in cities across Canada will be this Sunday – August 7^th(the Sunday closest to the 9^th). In anticipation of the ceremony our President, Ron Griffis, has sent out the following message. Please feel free to pass it on to anyone you think might be interested.

Cheers

Norman Leach

President’s Message

Canada’s annual Peacekeeping Day falls on August 9^th. It is not an official day off school for children nor a statutory holiday; it is a day for commemoration.

This date was chosen to mark an event in Canada’s history when nine Canadian servicemen were killed while on United Nations Peacekeeping duty.

They were the crew and passengers of an unarmed Canadian military Buffalo transport aircraft on United Nations service shot down over Syria on August 9^th, 1974, this remains the largest loss of life in a single incident in Canadian Peacekeeping history.

The Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping is Canada’s pre-eminent Peacekeeping Association.

Our Association holds commemoration ceremonies across Canada.

On behalf of our Association I want to “Thank” all those who participate in these ceremonies.

It tugs at my heart strings to realize that all of our Chapters and other Veterans Associations will be remembering those Canadians who have given their life in the service of CANADA.

Not for a moment am I forgetting those brave Canadians who were killed in World War I and II, there were 516 Canadians killed during service in Korea, and since 1949, up to and including today there were 272 Canadians killed whilst serving with and under the United Nations auspices. Of these numbers 157 were killed in Canada’s most recent contribution to service in Afghanistan. I am not forgetting two RCMP Officers, Chief Superintend D. Coats and Sgt M. Gallagher who were killed while on United Nations service in Haiti.

There were also four civilians killed while serving Canada overseas.

They are:

J. Thurrott External Affairs in 1954

A.Cannon, External Affairs in 1957
J. Turner External Affairs 1965 and
G. Berry in 2006 in Afghanistan.

Please do not think for a moment that August 9^th is the only day we remember our fallen comrades. On a daily basis throughout the year we remember them and keep them in our thoughts.

We can stand taller; we can stand prouder, knowing that we have made a difference in so many lives around the world.

In conclusion let me “Thank” the many thousands of proud Canadians who have served CANADA and are presently serving CANADA under the Maple Leaf and the United Nations flag.

Those Canadians killed in the shoot down of the Buffalo aircraft were:

Captain G.G. Foster

Captain K.B.Mirau
Master Corporal R.C. Spencer
Corporal B.K. Stringer
Captain R.B. Wicks
Corporal M. Kennington
Master Warrant Officer C.B. Korejwo
Master Warrant Officer G. Landry
Corporal M.W. Simpson

R. R. Griffis

National President
Canadian Association of Veterans In United Nations Peacekeeping