It was fourteen years ago, Wednesday night. I remember Cpl McGinnis, Cpl Allen, MCpl Mackinnon, and WO Arsenault well. We must of spent eight hours lying around the nose dock at Edmonton waiting for the planes to take off that day….the usual routine. MBdr Smith and Cpl Wright were with me from E Battery Para.

I put MBdr Smith and Cpl Wright on the plane that day and was travelling on the plane right behind them. I was GPO in charge of the mounting, deployment and tasks for E Battery Para. Dave Chupick (BC E) wanted me to go in on the air landing so I could supervise the deployment of equipment before the jump later the next morning.

Smith wasn’t suppose to be on the flight. It was supposed to be MBdr Jeff Elliott but Smith was feeling too ill to jump so I told him to air land with me on the advance party and had Elliott jump-in instead. At the time it didn’t seem to make a big deal on which plane guys were to go. I guess this is the reason for cross loading chalks…at least one of us walked away that day.

It’s been fourteen years…but I remember it like yesterday.

Airborne!

Bud Walsh (Major, retired)
formerly Gun Position Officer, E Battery Para

Thales Systems Canada
49 Auriga Drive,
Ottawa, ONTARIO
K2E 8A1
www.thales-systems.ca