Military | Written Works by Andrew C. Moffat

What is the plural of “Moose”?

[Original image “Moose against the evening nature” © figura13/Dollar Photo Club]

In 1946 I was at the Artillery School in Camp Shilo, Manitoba. I was in University COTC and taking my training for a Commission in the Artillery.

Captain Jerry Keeler was my instructor on the day in question and we were to learn the art and skill of directing artillery shell fire as Forward Observers.

We were on a high bluff overlooking Sewell Lake at the north edge of the training ...

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25
OCT

0

Education, History Lessons, humour, Military, Nostalgia, Wildlife

A Captain Commands the Regiment

[Original image “Canada flag of Maple Leaves on Cedar Backing” © shsphotography/Dollar Photo Club]

In 1957 three important things happened almost simultaneously: The CO of 4 RCHA in Germany was replaced by a new and unknown LCol from Canada; I was promoted Captain; I was posted to 4 RCHA from my post as Senior LO at Bde HQ in Germany.

The Regiment had gone through many touchy months of discord and personality clashes. The new CO didn’t know who he could ...

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20
SEP

0

Family, History Lessons, Military, Nostalgia

A Flight of Anxiety

[Original image “Engine of plane” © Vasily Smirnov/Dollar Photo Club]

When those of us in the Regular Forces graduated from RMC we were posted directly to our Units in Korea.

Because we were going to Korea as individual replacements and not with a Unit, we were spared the long, and very uncomfortable sea trip in US Naval transport craft. We flew in Canadian Pacific commercial aircraft – both going and eventually when returning to Canada the following year.

I had gone to ...

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14
JUL

0

Family, History Lessons, humour, Military, Nostalgia

Light Time in the Officers Mess

[Original image “Canada WW II soldier’s beret and medals” © ericlefrancais1/Dollar Photo Club]

In 1949 I was a Second Lieutenant with 1 RCHA for the summer between my terms at Royal Roads.

The Regiment was on summer training at Camp Wainwright – we all lived in Bell tents – two officers to a tent, and the men were in marquise tents.

Even though we were “roughing it in the Field”, our CO, Lt Col E.M.D. [Teddy] McNaughton, insisted that on every Friday ...

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13
JUL

0

History Lessons, humour, Life in General, Military, Nostalgia

The SS Columbia 1955

[Original image “Ship rope knot on wooden texture background” © karandaev/Dollar Photo Club]

In 1955 I was the Senior Liaison Officer at HQ 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade stationed in Edmonton. We ran the Summer Concentration in Camp Wainwright prior to our departure for Germany where we would replace 1 CIB as Canada’s NATO contribution.

At the end of July the Bde personnel were given 2 weeks “Departure Leave” and we were to assemble in Quebec City from where we would sail ...

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5
JUN

0

History Lessons, humour, Military, Nostalgia, Opinion

When Horse Artillery had Horses

[RIAN archive 90027 Gun Crew Moves to New Positions” by RIA Novosti archive, image #90027 / Lander / CC-BY-SA 3.0. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons]

In 1956, when I was Senior Liaison Office for 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade in Germany, I was charged with finding a new and dry site for the HQ while on Exercise. We had suffered two weeks of solid rain and General Rowley was keen ...

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30
MAY

0

Family, History Lessons, Military, Nostalgia

One Bridge Too Far

[“Arnhem Bridge” by Pior (public domain), Wikimedia Commons]

The second battle I had chosen as my special subject and studied for presentation at the Army Staff College in 1960, had been the Airborne Operation to seize the Arnhem and Nijmegen bridges in 1944.

Later, when posted to GSO3Ops1 at Northern Army Group HQ [NORTHAG], my working partner and soon very close friend was a Dutch Major, Vein van Oppen.

Years later – long after we had both retired, Daphne and I ...

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27
MAR

0

Family, History Lessons, Military, Nostalgia

Monte Cassino

The battles for the Mountain on which sat the Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino were vital to the Allies progress up the boot of Italy – but apart from Ortona they were also the most difficult and costly battles in the entire Italian Campaign. British, Canadian, American and Polish forces all suffered.

I had studied the Battle for Monte Cassino while attending the two-year Army Staff College ...

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8
FEB

0

History Lessons, Military, Nostalgia

Our Colonial Status

As a part of the British Empire we, like all others submitting to the Monarch, were referred to as “Colonials”. And so long as we were under the protection of Great Britain and bound to her both politically and economically, we held that subservient status.

Had it not been for the obstinacy of such as Sir Sam Hughes in 1914 and General AGL McNaughton in 1939, our forces would have been piecemeal absorbed ...

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7
FEB

0

Education, History Lessons, Military, Nostalgia, Opinion, Politics

Persons I have been privileged to know

Sheer circumstance [or, as I personally choose to believe, “The hand of God”] has led me to meet a very wide range of people who have – at one time or another – had an impact on some part of our World.

This is not an ego-trip, for I had nothing to do with initiating these meetings: nor have any of them benefitted me or my career, other than through the impact ...

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5
FEB

0

History Lessons, Military, Nostalgia, Opinion