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Topic: Norway and 1 RCR (Read 1916 times)
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Gerry Connors
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Hey Geoff, I remember a few guys 'liberated' some flags in front of the city hall while on R&R. We all got on the bus to head back when a couple of the biggest, blondest, humongous norwegian / Tromso (or Oslo) cops came on the bus (just missing battle axes and horned helmets). So one of the trio (TL) is sitting behind me and tries to stuff the city flag under my ass; I say "WTF?!" Look down and see this flag hanging out under my ass all over the seat. I grab the flag, look to see what the cops are doing, throw it back in TL's face, and "Hey s**t-for-brains! I don't think so...Can't do the time, don't do the crime!" or something to that effect. Boys lucked out on that one, cops looked around and left.  |
1RCR Duke's Coy '82 - '87; Cyprus '84 / '85
LOTPed medic 1988; CFH Halifax '88 - '90
119 AD Bty medic, CFB Chatham '90 - '95
2RCR medic '95 - '00; SFOR Bosnia, 2RCR Roto 4 '99;
42 Hlth Svc Gagetown '00 - '02
CFRC Gagetown / Fredericton '02 - '06; 'retired' Aug '06
HMCS Jolliet, Sept-Iles QC, medical staff / 'tiffy' (reserves)
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Tim McCully
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I was four times in Norway 83,84,86,87. Remember the Aalanche, i was in mortars and we had been up all night trying all to get one gun into action but every two beddig in rounds put it right back out of action. We were filling the hole with logs and what ever we could. To get to the bottom of the mortar pits we dug down about 8 feet, then we had to dig out trenches to our stadiun rods. We were just going to recce a new base plate when the avalanche happened and we were all moved to staging areas for further orders. Back home the news said,15 Nato Soldiers killed in avalanche in Noth Norway. They did not specify what country and my family was going nuts untill i finally called home. I remember the first two trips we could bye alchohol right at the CQ then the third trip it was not so easy an the forth was not at all. Those Norwegian Soldiers that were killed were from an Engineer regiment and they were doing refresher trainng on this excercise because they were conscripts. That was also the day that my C1 went awol. Perhaps you fellows can remember that, as the whole battalion was searched. Turns out it was still right where i had left it and where it was when my warrant officer had assured me that he had put it in the Bv206. When i laid my eyes on it i turned to him and said "Warrant officer MaCarty, you are my first witness" Then i shut up, retrieved my weapon and waited for the charges, they never came. There was alot of activity happening when we were ordered to stand down for the avalanche and in my haste i forgot my rifle standing right beside me in a snow bank when the warrant ordered me behind the wheel and he was ground guiding. As soon as i realized my mistake, i made a motion to exit the vehicle and get my rifle, i was ordered to stay put and the warrant would get it. When we arrived at the staging area to await orders, i went to the back of the BV and discovered my rifle was not there, you can all imagine the panic that immediately set in!
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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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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Talk about a gut check, eh? A rifleman should never, ever lose his rifle... Hey Mike, was this the same fellow who forgot to pack the mortar sight units for RV 84?
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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!
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Clair "WHYTIE" Whyte
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Although it wasn't Norway, I remember an incident that took place at RV85. I was with C Company and I was slugging a GPMG with Sgt. Burke (Flinch) and a couple other gents at night, to set up a covering fire position for a dawn attack. As we hiked through the dense bush, we stopped for a break not far from our destination. After a few minutes off our feet we headed off again, arriving at our designated spot only 5-10 minutes later. As we began to set up the GPMG Sgt. Burke starts looking around in a panic reporting he can't find his rifle. After a frantic search by everyone, the rifle was no where to be found. I explained he likely left it at our resting spot and we only need to retrace our steps and we could find it. In his frantic state he couldn't remember how we got from the rest stop to our position, so I as a Private took the Sgt. by the hand (literally) and led him back to our resting stop. After a few minutes trying to find it in the pitch black, I kicked the rifle, picked it up and handed it back to Sgt. Burke. The Sarge was over joyed in the recovery of his weapon and thanked me endlessly for finding it.  A couple of days later, I overhear Sgt. Burke telling the story to a couple of warrants and other Sgts., explaining how he used his "Advanced Recce Skills" to retrace his steps and locate his missing rifle. So much for a Private finding a Sgt's weapon, he would never live it down in the Mess I guess.  By the way, Sgt. Burke had us set up the GPMG facing the wrong direction for the attack, even though I explained he was wrong with that also  Whytie |
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« Last Edit: February 12, 2007, 05:35:05 PM by Clair "WHYTIE" Whyte »
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1 RCR 83-87, 4 RCR 98-02, UN - CYPRUS 84, Strathroy-Caradoc Police 03-Present
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Marc Violette
Beaver!
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Woo hoo, Norway! What a blast! I originally posted this on army.ca, but BJ MacLean and GaryM12 probably remember who Bloggins is…
It was one of those rare Northern Norwegian nights where the weather couldn't have been colder. We were 1 RCR and had just entered the tactical phase of a six-week NATO exercise. My section had a standing patrol out, and the rest of us back in the tent came to the conclusion that except for the patrol, there was no reason to venture out into the -20 degree air. Well, there was ONE reason.
Try as he might, Cpl. Bloggins (no names, no pack drill) was not going to be able to avoid taking a stroll down the hill to the shi**er. Now the commode, as you have probably surmised, was lacking several features that in civilian life I have come to take for granted, most notably a seat. As time went by, the visible discomfort on Cpl. Bloggins' face began to convey the amount of discomfort that was going on in Cpl. Bloggins' other bits. When the reason for Cpl. Bloggins' distress became known to the rest of the section, we naturally encouraged him (gently) to go on and take care of things. Much hilarity ensued.
Now Cpl. Bloggins was a nasally voiced Newf whose pitch and intonation was such that he could have us all in stitches within five sentences of one of his famous war stories. His main hobby, as far as we could tell, was to eat every unwanted ration in sight. He had augmented this hobby by buying a fair selection of Norwegian cheeses during the non-tactical phase of the ex. and bringing a lot of it with him in his ruck. As we sat around watching the sweat start to run down his ruddy face, we took turns offering helpful suggestions, most having to do with things like corks and 84 mm ordnance. Bloggins himself was most helpful by describing in vivid detail the interesting sensations he was experiencing, punctuated frequently by plaintive interjections like, “Oh jeez!” and the odd prayer.
There naturally came a point where internal pressure overcame the desire for warmth and the company of sympathetic comrades. A sudden look of what can only be described as a realization of imminent disaster came over Bloggins' anguished features briefly before he hit the tent's zipper like a madman. Unable in his hurry to manipulate said zipper, he simply lifted the bottom of the tent and rolled out into the freezing night followed by our compassionate howls and barks of laughter. Then he was gone.
For twenty minutes he was gone. Upon his return, the look of pure relief he brought back with him had us busting out again. After the sincere congratulations for his endurance and bravery, Bloggins, with coffee in hand, was again in fine form to begin one of his often-heard tales. He resumed his place near the stove and began to hold forth. About ten minutes into his story, we began to detect a peculiar fragrance, which had not been present before Bloggins' hasty departure earlier. At first, we began accusing one another of excessive flatulence, but no one would admit to anything conclusive. A search for the source was initiated and after much tossing of air mattresses and sleeping bags, there was not one skunk or dead wildebeest to be found.
It was Bloggins who discovered the origin of the odor by turning around to get more coffee and showing us the (now melting) brown stain leaking out through the fabric in the back of his whites.
The following morning we all showed up for sick parade to have the M.O. stitch our asses back on after laughing them off the night before. Our section commander reserved for himself the right to be the one to tell the quartermaster why Bloggins needed new whites and wind pants.
Beaver!
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1983 - Regimental Centennial, Meet 'n Greet after parade....
HRH Price Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh: "And where are you from, Corporal?"
Cpl. Bloggins, 1 RCR Corps of Drums: "Belfast Sahr!"
HRH Price Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh: "Well Corporal, next time you go home, you'd better wear your iron knickers."
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m.hetherington
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I was in Norway in 80 & 88. Both times in the same area's. Olsburg was the main EX area. In 80, B Coy was Key Coy & we did the deterent(sp?) patrolling housed at a submarine base. As was said earlier we landed at Bardofaust, but I also remember the name of Anslev (sp?) as the nearby town with the bar where I was treated to some fine local moonshine after which I was with a Brit when his BV 202 somehow got wrapped around a tree  , not far from the ski jump. Also after the EX in 80 when some of us drivers were transfering the 2 1/2 tons for shipment home a couple of them went off the road. I had the one I was driving sideways but was lucky enough to recover it.  The 2 behind me were not so lucky. Luckly no injuries to the drivers. The deuces & 1/2's were not so lucky. One of the other drivers is also on this site. |
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bob papp
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Any one else remember the the huge piss-up in 83,where Sammy Lavoie demanded we all wear bandannas?So George Cummings tears up one of his OD tee shirts.Pretty so we ripped several shirts and had so many RCRs & Norweigans we moved it into the heated washroom shower building.Then E Coy CO Bud Jardine came in and blew a gasket!Next days O group,bandannas were banned in Norway.Soon after Mike Cutting is in a 5/4 ton with a Norweigan and turns on his boom box in the truck,and the Norweigan pulls out a bandanna tying it on, and points saying...Canada...Canada!Mike couldn't stop laughing.
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bob papp
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Sorry, Jardine was the E Coy CSM not the CO.I think that was Maj. Currie.Brain fart.
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Doug Clarkson
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Troops:
I have been to Norway once or twice, I think somewhere around 12 or 13 times, anyway a little more info. The town just outside of Skjold Barracks is called Overbigde (Sp). I'm pretty sure on NATO exercise years we would fly into Bardufoss then start deploying North of Olsberg, and the other years we would again land in Bardufoss then move to the Bivy area just south of Overbigde and exercise with the Norwegian North Brigade out of Skjold Barracks. I was working in Bn Tpt for one ex in I think about 1982 and was working with Roger Berry on the POL truck. Well we were in the town of Overbigde just after dark refuelling at the Gas Station preparing for the nights DP when we looked to the mountians just South of town and saw a peculiar light about half way up one of the mountains. Roger said something to the effect of "That's funny isn't that about the same area where Recce is set up?" Anyway once we got up there to drop our POL we found out that what had happened was a MCpl, and I can't be sure of his name, but I think it was Southall? anyway he had filled a pot of water put it on the old coleman 2-burner and a few minutes later it had all went up in flames. It turned out that someone, and I don't think it was ever discovered who, had put Naptha in a black water gerrycan. I felt sorry for the MCpl, I think he pretty well took the brunt of it, but can't see how he could be to blame.
Also I remember the Avalanche, and the cancelling of the Ex, but the Bn decided to stay and exercise on our own. I was in Pnrs at the time and my Section Commander was Pat Noseworthy. The Bn sent us to a specific grid (can't remember where exactly it was in Norway but not real far from Overbigde) to Recce areas and form an Obstacle plan along this MSR. Well we set up in a small parking lot across the street from this church, cam nets up, Tent group in a small patch of trees to the rear, and went about our business. The end of the day comes along and as we were standing around outside chatting after supper we notice that there is alot of activity across the street at the church, we just thought that we were in an area with alot of Religous people. The next morning after breakfast, Pat decides that it would be alot nicer to sit on warm porcelin than the old Thunderbox so he decides to go over to the church and speak to the Padre to see if we would be able to use the facilities. Well he came back about 15min later and immediately got on the horn and informed higher that we would be moving to a new location further down the road. So we asked what the hell was up And he proceeded to tell us that 4 of the Avalanche victims were from this area and that their caskets were inside the church and that they were preparing for the funerals to be held with the next day or two. Man oh man, did we ever feel like crap, so we did what we felt best and went over and paid our respects (which the Padre thanked us over and over again for) then packed up with the speed of lightening and got the hell out of there. I remember Pat Noseworthy not being too happy that the Bn sent us there without knowing what was happening at the church across the street. "Time is never wasted on Recce"
That's a couple of my more memorable experiences in Norway. (Loved almost all of the time I spent there)
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Cornwallis 78 - 79, 1 RCR 79 - 84, Cyprus 84 - 85, 1 RCR: 85 - 89, Cyprus 89 - 90, 1 RCR 90 - 92, Kingston 92 - 94, 1 RCR 94,
Croatia 94 - 95, 1 RCR: 95 - 97, 3 RCR 97 - 98, Bosnia 98 - 99, 3 RCR 99, CFJSR Kingston 99 - 04, DAT Kingston 04 - 07, Retired: 07, Class "B" BCWO Assistant CFB Kingston 07 - Present
UNFICYP 2, UNPROFOR, NATO Former Yugo, CFPSM, QGJM, CD1
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