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Topic: Lest we Forget... 40 years ago, Wegner Point. (Read 310 times)
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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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It strikes me that there are some lads that post here who were on that jump.
Paying tribute to those lost
Posted By SEAN CHASE
Posted -56 sec ago
One of the darkest chapters in Petawawa's history was observed Sunday with a solomn ceremony on a bluff overlooking Wegner Point, where seven paratroopers perished 40 years ago.
More than 150 family, friends, former comrades and survivors of the ill-fated parachute drop gathered to reflect on that tramautic night when a wind sheer blew 26 airborne soldiers off course and into the frigid waters of the Ottawa River.
Retired colonel Jerry Thompson, a survivor of the drop, recalled for those in attendance the tragic circumstances of May 8, 1968. After a half-hour flight from Bonnechere airfield, the three Buffalo aircraft circled Mattawa Plains and dispatched the jumpers at around 8:30 p.m. Most knew they were overshooting the drop zone and heading for the water.
"The more experienced jumpers were shouting out instructions," said Col. Thompson, who was the honourary reviewing officer for the parade hosted by the Airborne Regiment Association of Canada.
"I was able to get out of my chute," he recalled. Shortly thereafter he spotted another soldier struggling nearby. He swam over to him, but the paratrooper was already going into shock from hypothermia. The two men began sinking.
"I could no longer hold him up and I had to let him go," the colonel said regretfully, adding he didn't know the fate of the paratrooper. An inflatable boat piloted by Cpl. Ken Armstrong and civilian Alex Coulas rescued Col. Thompson, the craft full of drenched soldiers. However, he credited the two men with saving many lives that night. Survivors Ray Clowes and Dave Jannisen read out the names of the seven who drowned: Master Warrant Officer Reginald Riddell, Warrant Officer Michael McDonnell, Cpl. Hugh Fields, Cpl. Bob Knight, Cpl. Dennis Clements, Cpl. Jim Misner and Cpl. Bruce Chiswell. The men had served in the First Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment and the 2nd Signals Squadron.
Following the remarks and the playing of the "Last Post," wreaths were laid by the only survivors of the disaster in attendance, including Col. Thompson, retired colonel Mike Barr, Chief Warrant Officer Bernie Irvine, Bob Foster, Russ Murphy, Mr. Clowes and Mr. Jannisen.
The most poignant moment of the ceremony was when relatives of the fallen conducted themselves to the cenotaph to lay wreathes of their own. The parade applauded as Cpl. Misner's mother, Ena, his former fiance, Carol Geoffs, and his sister, Linda Houghe, were joined by Cpl. Knight's four daughters, Sue Price, Patty Beek, Chrissy Knight and Cathy Storey, and Cpl. Fields' son, Steven.
For 85-year-old Ena Misner, it had been a particularly difficult Mother's Day. She remarked that a mother never gets over losing a son at such a young age.
"You try to imagine what he may have looked like if he were here now," said Ms. Misner. "He will always be 24 to me."
Although his father fought in Holland during the Second World War, she said her son chose to be in the military and wanted to be a paratrooper, which almost didn't happen because of his size.
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"He wasn't very tall and not very big," she said. "He was doing what he wanted to do."
It was Ms. Misner's first time attending the ceremony. She recalled driving up to Petawawa in 1968 after hearing about the accident and that her son was one of the missing. She doesn't expect she will be back for another anniversary, but she hopes future generations carry on the memorial observance.
Joining the Airborne Association on parade were members of the Royal Canadian Legion, a contingent from CFB Petawawa and the 3RCR Royal Canadian Army Cadets.
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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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Nice report here Mike, and tho many of us did not know them personally , they were brothers, and gave their all for service and dedication...i thank them . and WE WILL REMEMBER THEM...ranrad
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RCAF,CAF, converted RCR?,1RCR 74-77 CD: SSM (Nato);CPSM,;UN-Cyp.; UN- Golan
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Jim Bowden
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Pro Patria
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Nice report here Mike, and tho many of us did not know them personally , they were brothers, and gave their all for service and dedication...i thank them . and WE WILL REMEMBER THEM...ranrad
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