November 8, 2005
EVERY PAPER ARMY SHOULD HAVE ONE
Canada may be ready to make its Victoria Cross (Chris Wattie, National Post, November 8th, 2005)
Sixty years after the last Canadian won the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery in the British Commonwealth, the government is preparing to produce the first prototype of Canada's version of the coveted decoration.Canada has had its own version of the Victoria Cross for more than a decade, but it has never been awarded and until now has existed "only on paper," according to military spokesmen.
They plan to award it for valour in promoting human rights at the UN.
Posted by Peter Burnet at November 8, 2005 9:13 AMThat would definitely be a thankless task, above and beyond the call of duty.
Posted by: Mikey at November 8, 2005 10:57 AMHere's a question: Who are the only two men to be awarded both the VC and the US Medal of Honor?
Answer: the British and American Unknown Soldiers of WWI.
And a little early for Remembrance Day, 2d Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry has a Presidential Unit Citation for action in Korea. And if I recall correctly Joint Task Force 2, Canadian Special Ops received one for operations in Afgahnistan. It isn't that there isn't any steel in the Canadian soldier, it's just that the Canadian Government seems to be embarassed by it.
Posted by: Mikey at November 8, 2005 2:51 PMThe JTF2 guys have the longest confirmed kill by a sniper on record; 2200+ yards, against a Taliban in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Mike Morley at November 8, 2005 4:19 PMAfraid of hand to hand?
Posted by: oj at November 8, 2005 5:03 PMHey, Green Mountain Boy, nobody beats us at hand to hand.
Posted by: Peter B at November 8, 2005 5:15 PMThe Liberal Party figured out that if you don't have a military, your banana republic doesn't have to worry about the rise of a Peron, Franco, Pinochet, Norriega or a Chavez to oppose you or foment a coup when the ruling oligarchy descends to its total corruption phase.
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at November 8, 2005 5:38 PM