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Topic: Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (Read 953 times)
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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WO Frank Robert Mellish. Died in battle, 1RCR, C Company, Battle of Panjwaii, 03, Sept, 2006.
Once again, I offer my deepest condolences to WO Mellish's family, friends and those of you with in the Regimental brethren who knew Frank personally.
Rest In Peace.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Soldiers were 'dedicated leaders'
Petawawa community mourns loss of devoted fathers
Lance Crossley
The Ottawa Citizen; with files from The Canadian Press
Monday, September 04, 2006
Warrant Officer Richard Francis Nolan and Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish were "model" soldiers whose resolve to make a difference in Afghanistan was matched only by their dedication to their families, friends and fellow soldiers said yesterday.
The two Petawawa-based soldiers with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment were killed, along with two others who have not been identified, in one of the fiercest battles Canadians have fought since arriving in Afghanistan four years ago.
"Our regimental family has lost two dedicated leaders, soldiers, husbands, sons, brothers and fathers," said Maj. Peter Scott, rear-party commanding officer of 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment at CFB Petawawa last night.
Maj. Scott spoke with difficulty about the men, saying he had known both soldiers well.
"These fine RCR soldiers were lost when they were carrying out their duties with the utmost professionalism and great sense of care for those underneath them," he said.
Warrant Officer Nolan joined the Forces in February 1987 and had served with the 2nd and 3rd battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Described as a truly exceptional leader with a great future, Warrant Officer Nolan had completed five operational tours, including in Croatia and Bosnia, as well as a previous tour in Afghanistan.
"Rick is a meticulous professional with a great sense of humour," said Maj. Scott.
One of Warrant Officer Nolan's neighbours described him as a man with a "genuine soul" who was devoted to his children and committed to his work in the Canadian Forces.
Sarah Proulx said Warrant Officer Nolan was the sort of man who took the most pleasure in spending hours playing outside with his three school-aged sons and stepdaughter.
"I'd be out working in my garden, and I would hear him with his children ... just giving them perfect guidance," she said.
Members of Warrant Officer Nolan's family declined to speak to the media.
Ms. Proulx said Warrant Office Nolan's children are being cared for by his mother, who came from his home province of Newfoundland to look after them while their parents were overseas.
Warrant Officer Nolan and his common-law partner, Kelly, were serving six-month stints in Afghanistan, but were not posted to the same part of the country.
"Rick and Kelly were very close," Ms. Proulx said, choking back tears. "You didn't just know they were partners, you could feel it."
Ms. Proulx said the couple were both dedicated to the military and saw their work in Afghanistan as necessary for the entire country.
"They both knew they had to do their job, and they both had a strong commitment to Canadian people," she said.
Ms. Proulx said Warrant Officer Nolan and his partner were renowned for lending a helping hand without being asked.
"You couldn't ask for better neighbours," Ms. Proulx said. "They were extraordinary people."
Warrant Officer Mellish, who joined the forces in February 1989, had completed six tours overseas, including in Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
"Frank was a dedicated soldier, destined for great advancement within the regiment," said Maj. Scott. "He was very intelligent and provided exceptional advice to both superiors and subordinates alike. He was a model soldier for all to follow."
He is survived by his wife and two sons.
Maj. Scott said news of the two men's deaths has hit the community hard, but insisted soldiers are more determined than ever, with many in Petawawa "chomping at the bit" to contribute overseas.
"I can tell you right now that certainly morale at home is very difficult at this time. But I can tell you the morale of the soldiers is quite high."
The deaths were felt throughout Petawawa yesterday.
"I can't even think of the words," said Mary Pfeiffer, a shift supervisor at the base's Cannex grocery store, who heard from many concerned customers and military spouses during the day. "It's very sombre in here today."
Cannex cashier Shelly Philpott described the mood of the community as "distraught" and full of "despair."
"We are all worried about them over here. You just never know what is going to happen. We just try to stick together," said Ms. Philpott, whose husband, George, is scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan in February.
Pte. David Belliveau, a signal operator at CFB Petawawa, said he cannot afford to reflect too much on the recent deaths because eventually it will be his time to serve.
"You try to take everything with a grain of salt. Other than that you can't really prepare. It's either be worried sick all the time, or you say it's part of the job. What else can you do," he said.
Pte. Belliveau said he has friends currently serving overseas and he is scheduled for Afghan duty next fall.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2006
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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ranrad
Ron [Andy] Andrews
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As can be seen by the write up this man gave his all everyday of his life, i hope this will bring at least some solace to his family and friends, may he rest in the peace he so richly deserves after his sacrifice, ranrad
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RCAF,CAF, converted RCR?,1RCR 74-77 CD: SSM (Nato);CPSM,;UN-Cyp.; UN- Golan
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Amen.
From fighting cancer to fighting the Taliban
GREG MCARTHUR
Before they were killed in Afghanistan yesterday, Warrant Officers Richard Nolan and Frank Mellish used to spend the month of September fighting a different enemy: cancer.
For the past few years, the soldiers took part in an annual march to raise money to battle the disease, with WO Mellish recently organizing the 170-kilometre trek and WO Nolan strapping on his combat boots and doing the grunt work.
The son of an RCMP corporal, WO Mellish grew up in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. He was married with two sons.
In 2005, he took over the duties of organizing the march, which has raised more than $20,000 in pledges since its inception, and helped it expand from Ottawa to Petawawa. He was a "dedicated father" and a driven soldier, said friend and fellow soldier WO Ray Green.
Print Edition - Section Front
Section A Front Enlarge Image
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* Go to the World section
The Globe and Mail
"He was a stickler for getting the job done," he said. "Those two guys are going to be missed."
Two other soldiers died yesterday, but their names were not released last night at the request of their families.
A soldier who answered the telephone at WO Nolan's home yesterday said the family wasn't ready to comment. A neighbour said WO Nolan and his domestic partner Kelly were serving six-month stints in Afghanistan, but weren't posted to the same part of the country.
"Rick and Kelly were very close," Sarah Proulx told The Canadian Press, choking back tears.
The family of WO Mellish also declined to comment. They will be issuing a news release later in the week, the soldier's father, Barry Mellish, said.
A lot can be gleaned about the men from their Ontario highway march, friends said yesterday. The marchers had been touched by cancer in some way; WO Nolan's father died from the disease.
WO Nolan, 39, was married with two young boys, friends said. He was "tough as nails," said Chuck Lamrock, the father of the soldier who founded the march, which traditionally started in the town of Bancroft and ended at the Canadian Forces Base in Petawawa.
"If you asked Rick to carry an extra 20 pounds he'd say 'Fine.' If you told him he had to carry it another 20 miles he'd say 'fine,' " said Mr. Lamrock, who drove a supply van that had windows painted with messages such as "Cancer can be beaten."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper released a statement offering he "heartfelt condolences" and wishes for "the speedy recovery" of those injured in Afghanistan.
"While deeply saddened by this loss, I hope the families may find some solace in the knowledge that they do not grieve alone and that Canada will not forget the heroism of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice," his statement said.
Interim Liberal Leader Bill Graham also extended condolences.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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SEPTEMBER 4, 2006 - 18:17 ET
National Defence/Media Advisory: Family of Warrant Officer Mellish Issues Statement
CFB GAGETOWN, NEW BRUNSWICK--(CCNMatthews - Sept. 4, 2006) - Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, age 38, an 18-year veteran of the Canadian Forces was killed Sunday while deployed to Afghanistan.
Frank was the son of Barry and Sandra Mellish, loving husband of Kendra Mellish, and devoted father of Matthew and Koven. He is greatly missed and our family will never be the same.
Frank had always dreamed of being a soldier and joined the army right after graduating from high school. Throughout his career, Frank was a driven soldier and never one to pass up a challenge or take the easy way out. Frank set an example for everyone he served with and was highly respected by his leaders and subordinates. He served with distinction and great pride in both the Royal Canadian Regiment and the Canadian Airborne Regiment.
Frank loved NASCAR, working with his hands, and anything else that let him spend time with his boys. He spent much of his leave prior to deploying putting the finishing touches on the new family home and teaching his sons how to ride their new dirt bikes.
This was Frank's seventh deployment overseas, and his second to Afghanistan. He was aware of the risks and accepted them as part of getting the job done. Frank would not have wanted to be anywhere other than in Afghanistan serving beside the friends and fellow soldiers that he trained with. We are proud of Frank's service and accomplishments on this and previous missions.
We will sorely miss Frank and ask that Canadians continue to support the soldiers in Afghanistan and their families.
Please respect the family's request for privacy during their time of grief.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Jeff Fox
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Ride Safe
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Hi Mike:
I knew Frank as an aquaintance only. What a day, a week, a year for the Regiment for us all. I can't remember when I felt this way for such a loss. May we all mourn the lost and support those left behind. Pro Patria.
Jeff Fox
Shanghai China.
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1985-1988 1 RCR C-Coy, E-Coy Recce London
1988-1992 3 RCR M-Coy, Baden
1992-1994 PWOR, Kingston
Gulf Medal, SSM, Liberation Kuwait
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jranrose
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Has anyone herd when the funeral services will take place in Pet.
Thanks
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Aaron MacKenzie
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MELLISH, WO Frank Robert, Royal Canadian Regiment (February 10, 1968 — September 3, 2006) Frank died while serving his country in Afghanistan. Frank joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets at the age of 13 and rose through the ranks to become WO1 of 53 Squadron, and later received his commission with them. In January of 1989, he resigned his commission to join the regular forces. The military became his passion and he excelled at every stage of his career. A proud soldier, avid NASCAR fan and family man, Frank was the beloved husband of Kendra (Stordy) and devoted father of Matthew and Koven. Frank also leaves behind his parents, Barry and Sandra Mellish (McNeil), sister Tanya (Dana Schiefer), sister Sherry Ryan and grandmothers Margaret (Betty) Mellish and Shirley Bonnell. He was also godfather to Emma Hamilton, Liam, Owen and Willem Jobe. Aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family and friends throughout Canada and the United States also mourn Frank’s passing. The family will receive friends at the Davison Funeral Home in Kensington, P.E.I., on Monday, September 11, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Funeral service will be held at St. Paul’s Church in Summerside, P.E.I., Tuesday, September 12, at 1 p.m. Interment to follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Pleasant Valley, P.E.I. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Red Cross or the Alzheimer’s Society. www.davisonfh.com
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Funeral held in P.E.I. for Canadian soldier killed last week in Afghanistan
MELANIE PATTEN
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. (CP) - Warrant Officer Frank Mellish, one of five Canadian soldiers killed last week in Afghanistan, was remembered Tuesday as a devoted family man whose love of auto racing rivalled his commitment to the military.
About 1,000 people packed St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Summerside to pay their last respects to the father of two, while dozens of onlookers lined a nearby street.
Mellish's widow, Kendra, held hands with her two young sons and followed the military pallbearers who carried her husband's flag-draped casket into the church.
Premier Pat Binns and P.E.I.'s lieutenant-governor, Barbara Hagerman, were among the mourners.
Before the funeral, Binns said he knew the family personally and described the 38-year-old soldier as a "tremendous young fellow."
"We first give our support to the family, and then hope that this conflict can soon be resolved favourably," Binns said outside the church where Mellish and his wife, who serves in the air force, were married 16 years ago.
Binns called the death "tragic," but said he believes the military mission to Afghanistan is necessary if democracy in that country is to be achieved.
Mellish was one of four Canadians soldiers killed Sept. 3 in a fierce battle with insurgents near Kandahar.
Warrant Officer Richard Nolan, Pte. William Cushley, and Sgt. Shane Stachnik also died in the fighting.
A fifth soldier, Pte. Mark Graham, died a day later when he was accidentally strafed by a U.S. warplane.
Maj. Peter Scott, rear-party commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment in Petawawa, Ont., said Mellish was a dedicated soldier and role model - the "epitome of professionalism."
"I think we need to remember Frank, first and foremost, as a father to two young boys, a family man, a race-car enthusiast and then, secondly, as a soldier," Scott said before the funeral.
"He's definitely going to be sorely missed."
Mellish grew up in Truro, N.S., and Summerside, and news of his death hit both communities hard.
In Summerside, businesses and churches displayed signs offering condolences to the Mellish family.
George Dalton, a former master warrant officer in the Canadian Forces, attended the service even though he didn't know Mellish personally.
"We are a very close-knit community," said Dalton, whose son and son-in-law are both serving in Afghanistan.
"We may not know them personally, but this really hits home."
For residents of Truro, where Mellish's parents live, word of his death came one month after Cpl. Christopher Reid, who also grew up in the central Nova Scotia town, was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb.
In an autobiography included in the funeral program, Mellish talked about witnessing "despair" and "horrors" while serving in the Middle Eastern country.
But he also spoke fondly of retirement, his love for his family and a deep commitment to the Canadian Forces.
"I have seen death and despair .�.�. lived through horrors and held onto hope," he wrote in the autobiography, which was part of a military course in December.
"I'll always be proud of what I accomplished and the choices I've made."
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Soldier remembered for his professionalism
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 | 4:59 PM AT
CBC News
Warrant Officer Frank Mellish, killed in action in Afghanistan last week, was remembered by family and colleagues at his funeral in Summerside Tuesday for the example he set for others.
The family members at his wake, and his commanding officer at his funeral, made special mention of Mellish's professionalism.
"He was the epitome of professionalism. He is truly going to be missed," Maj. Peter Scott, Mellish's CO, told the media outside the cathedral before the funeral.
"Somebody that the junior soldiers would look up to; somebody his superiors would go to for advice on a myriad of affairs."
More than 900 people, family, friends and military officers from across the country gathered to remember Mellish, who had roots in both P.E.I. and Nova Scotia. A military honour guard and pallbearers in uniform stood outside the church. Every pole and tree on the street carried a yellow ribbon in honour of those who are serving in Afghanistan.
P.E.I. Premier Pat Binns, who was with the family when Mellish's body arrived on P.E.I. on the weekend, said the Mellish family has shown remarkable strength through a very difficult time.
"It's always tough, and our hearts go out to the family. The Mellish family has made a great contribution to P.E.I. and of course a supreme sacrifice like this is something that we all regret," said Binns.
Binns said that Canadians understand these sacrifices are necessary for success in the war in Afghanistan, and that people here have a role to play in bringing democracy to that country.
While praising Mellish as a soldier, his commanding officer made special reference to Mellish's life beyond the military.
"We need to remember him first and foremost as a father, a father to two young boys," said Scott, "and then secondly as a soldier."
Mellish was one of five Canadians killed in action last week.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Lest we forget.
WARRANT OFFICER FRANK MELLISH, 38
During a recent training course, Mellish was asked to write a brief autobiography. He summarized his life this way: “I have ‘been there’ and ‘done that’ over the years. Since 1988 I have deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. In my time I have been around the world and lived its news headlines. I have been booed and applauded. I have seen death and despair. Seen birth and growth. Lived through horrors and held onto hope.” A few days before he was killed during a ground offensive on Sept. 3, 2006, Mellish wrote this note to his two sons, Matthew and Koven.
Remember that I love you and that I’m over here because it’s important. I don’t want you to ever have to do it, and the little boys and girls here need protection too. Well, dad misses you. Give Mom my love and be good for her. Love ya Dad
http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20071031_155243_6392&page=5
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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I have placed the link as there is a picture and comment section wherein Royal Canadian's inclined to leave a note for the family can do so.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=79138&sc=98&comments=submit&#thankyou
Soldiering on
JIM DAY
The Guardian
The death in Afghanistan last year of a soldier with a strong Island connection continues to haunt — and anger — his mother.
“I have been struggling terribly,’’ said Sandra Mellish, who lives in Truro with her husband, Barry.
“I’ve been battling depression. I have been seeing a psychiatrist.’’
Mellish, who will lay a wreath as the Silver Cross mother in Kensington on Remembrance Day, can’t come to terms with losing her son to war.
Sandra Mellish said as a Christian, she doesn’t believe that war solves anything.
“It really is a horrible war,’’ she said of the battle in Afghanistan.
“I don’t know how we (Canadians) can get up every day and go about our business knowing our boys are over there.’’
Her boy, Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, was one of four Canadian soldiers killed “over there’’ on Sept. 3, 2006.
Born in Truro, Frank came to P.E.I. at age 12 in 1980 when his father, Barry, was transferred to the RCMP detachment in Summerside.
Sandra Mellish said each time another soldier is killed she is delivered a fresh blow. Her hurt won’t go away, nor does it even seem to ease. The pain is constant, her sense of loss profound.
“I mean, I love my son and he loved me,’’ she said.
“There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t tell him and I’m glad about that . . . but I’ll tell you, it’s so hard. It (the grief) doesn’t just shut off with the funeral service.’’
Kendra Mellish, an officer cadet with the Canadian Air Force, has also been mixing anger with anguish since losing her husband Frank 14 months ago.
She has had many insults added to the incomprehensible hurt of having war steal from her a loving husband while stripping from the couple’s two children a caring father.
“I had many fights on my hands: war clauses, mortgages, DND sent me a bill for my husband’s funeral expenses, Veterans Affairs, our limo in a car accident on Hwy 401 from Trenton to Toronto the evening of the repatriation service, media hounded us at all hours of the day and parked on my front lawn and the list goes on,’’ she told The Guardian this week.
“I was so overwhelmed with everything last year . . . We were just going through the motions, being pulled here and pulled there.’’
She and her two sons, Matthew, 14, and Koven, 12, have received grief counselling, often three times a week, for an entire year.
Kendra, who also served in Afghanistan for six months, had an unsettling feeling that her husband, on his seventh overseas deployment (he also served in Bosnia, Africa and the Middle East) would not return from Afghanistan alive.
She even told him of her doomful gut feeling. While serving on his fateful tour, Frank wrote her to say he, too, felt that he might not make it home.
“He said ‘It doesn’t matter. I know you will be fine without me. I’ll love you forever’.”
She isn’t fine. She is devastated. Yet her resolve to continue to serve her country has not wavered.
The military has sent her to the University of New Brunswick on a scholarship for four years. She plans to be an officer working in health care administration in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Frank’s ultimate sacrifice for his country only serves to make Kendra more proud to wear a military uniform.
“So, by carrying on — as we say, soldiering on — I have better respect for Frank,’’ she said.
Kendra said she hopes to focus her attention in the area of mental health. She has seen first-hand how military duty can eat away at a soldier. She said Frank’s psyche was pummelled from diving head first into tour after tour after tour.
“I’ve seen those effects over the years,’’ she said. “I’ve seen less and less of him coming back (from each subsequent mission).’’
Both of her sons want to follow in dad’s footsteps. She hopes they never do.
“Honestly, I don’t want them to join the army,’’ she said.
“It’s a hard life. You’re away from your family a lot. There is a strain on the family unit . . . I don’t want them to have to endure the hardships.’’
Kendra will have the boys by her side, though, at the Remembrance Day service in Kensington. And like last year, the trio will lay their poppies at Frank’s gravesite in Pleasant Valley following the service.
She wants her children to remember their father as a dedicated soldier, a courageous man who helped many people — a hero.
“They’re proud of him and they miss him every day,’’ she said.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anybody but these were the cards we were dealt,’’ Kendra added. “But I know that he is at peace and I know that he is watching over us ... And I have comfort in knowing some day that we will all be together.’’
Kendra and her children will be joined at the service Sunday by a dozen of Frank’s comrades, including two soldiers who were with him when he died.
Sandra Mellish also feels drawn to the service in Kensington.
She accepted with no hesitation the offer to lay a wreath at the base of the cenotaph in Kensington on behalf of all mothers who lost children in the military service of their nation. That was after she let come and go three other invitations — one in Summerside and two in Nova Scotian locales — to serve this symbolic function of Remembrance Day services.
“Somehow I sensed that is where I should be . . . some place small and simple,’’ she said. “I didn’t want fanfare, just a quiet place.’’
More importantly, she knew her son would want her to be there in Kensington.
At Sunday’s service, Sandra plans to pin her own poppy on the Silver Cross mother’s wreath that she will place at the foot of the cenotaph. She will also say a silent prayer for all the other soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Sandra said her son, who joined the military on the heels of graduating from high school in Kensington in 1987, felt a strong connection to the province.
“Frank always called Prince Edward Island his home because he grew up there,’’ she said. “He loved Prince Edward Island.’’
Frank Mellish attended school in Summerside and later in Kensington.
Frank met his wife Kendra Stordy, a Summerside native, in the air cadets when he was 14 and she was 13.
Frank Mellish was based in Petawawa, Ont., at the time of his deployment to Afghanistan. He arrived in Kandahar in late July for his second tour of duty in that country. His posting was to end in February.
Kendra’s mother, Katherine Stordy, has been given the unusual distinction of being a mother-in-law chosen to serve as a Silver Cross mother at the Remembrance Day service in Summerside.
Stordy told the Legion in Summerside that she would only accept if Sandra Mellish declined.
“My heart is with Sandy,’’ she said. “She is hurting terribly.’’
Stordy said she had an excellent relationship with her son-in-law.
“I have two sons and I always told Frank he was my number three son,’’ she said. “My heart will certainly be with all the Silver Cross mothers. I’m not a Silver Cross mother, but the pain is just as deep.’’
Kendra misses her husband dearly but is doing her best to move forward both for her family and for her country.
“The tears still flow strong and I miss him more and more with each passing day,’’ she said.
“My most important thing in my life is the welfare of our two boys and our Canadian soldiers, including their families.’’
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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A dad's mission
Afghan trip has helped with the healing
MONIQUE CHIASSON
The Truro Daily News
TRURO — As Barry Mellish stood on a military base in Afghanistan thoughts of his deceased son overwhelmed him.
The Truro resident recently spent about a week in the foreign land where his son Frank was killed in battle Sept. 3, 2006. Frank, 38, was a warrant officer with the 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment and on his second tour of Afghanistan, this time with Operation Medusa.
“It was emotional ... this is where my son was and worked,” said Barry. “It doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. The loss of a child is not something you ever get over. But you can’t point fingers (and) he was doing what he wanted to do and we knew the risks. It was good for healing, though, bonding with the other families.”
The Canadian military sent five families of fallen soldiers to Kandahar to get a better look at where their children served and died, and to attend a special remembrance service. Barry’s daughter-in-law Kendra went with him.
Despite hearing an explosion on the other side of their camp — “it brought it home we were in a war zone” — Barry said he wasn’t fearful being there. In fact, he was touched to see the difference Canadian soldiers have made for the Afghan people.
“I talked to soldiers and they all said they wanted to be there, to see it through to the finish because they are making a difference and want the people to be self sufficient,” said Mellish. “It was heart warming to know my son, and the others, didn’t die in vain.”
Mellish said the area is being rebuilt in relation to roads, schools, hospitals and irrigation for farmers.
For example, in 2001, “there were no girls in the schools. In 2007, 20 per cent of students were female.”
Mellish said it was also overwhelming to feel the sense of thanksgiving from the Afghan people.
“There’s a Cenotaph that is for Canadians who have died ... and when they walk past it, they salute. That meant a lot to me.”
mchiasson@trurodaily.com
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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ranrad
Ron [Andy] Andrews
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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Things like this will do no end of good in many , many ways..i hope they continue to doo it...ranrad
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RCAF,CAF, converted RCR?,1RCR 74-77 CD: SSM (Nato);CPSM,;UN-Cyp.; UN- Golan
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Tim McCully
Veteran 200+ Member
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Posts: 237
Pro Patria
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I applaud Mr. Mellish for going to the Stan and seeing first hand what the Government refuses to show the rest of Canada. Too often I find myself engaged in heated conversations with civies who have not a clue. They base their opinions on what they see and hear in the Media, I sum up every debate with these people buy telling them if they want the truth, then talk to a soldier who was there! Thank you Sir (Mr. Mellish) for your courage to seek the truth, and please tell all you encounter of the good things that our soldier's are spilling their blood for. We, Canada cannot be added to the list of countries that have failed the Afghan people, el wise, our troops will have died for nothing.
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1RCR (82-88) B coy 6pl, (84-85) UNFICYP- BBC coy Tpt, C coy 9pl, E coy Mortars, (88-90) CFB Halifax Base Chief's Staff, CFB Trenton Refinisher Tech.(90-92). UNFICYP,CPSM
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