Regiment celebrates anniversary in combat zone

[Laurence Strong]

Members of the Royal Canadian Regiment raised their glasses Thursday and marked their 123rd anniversary with a ceremonial toast against the backdrop of war.

"To my dear friends, to all present and to all those who departed and in honour of 123 years' service for the country -- to the regiment: Pro Patria (For Country)," said Col. Jim Vance, commander of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, the senior officer at the ceremony.

"Pro Patria," intoned the assembled troops as they raised glasses containing a mixture of dark rum, water and brown sugar.

The drink is a symbol of the Ortona Crossroads, a lengthy 1943 battle near Ortona, Italy, where the RCR was involved in a costly fight against the Germans. After the crossroads were finally secured, the regiment's birthday was toasted with what was available at the time -- dark rum, water and brown sugar.

With Canadian troops now engaged in NATO's Operation Baaz Tsuka in Afghanistan, the parallels were obvious for the regiment, which is part of the combat team in the town of Howz-e Madad.

"We're in grapefields instead of vineyards and fighting from compound to compound in built-up areas, Ortona being one of the bloodiest battles the Canadian army experienced to that day," said Lt.-Col. Omer Lavoie, commander of the Canadian Battle Group, in his address to the troops.

"So 63 years later, a hell of a lot of similarities between what we did in Ortona and what we're doing here in Afghanistan."

This is my old regiment

Edited December 23, 2006 by Laurence Strong

[Mike Dwyer]

God bless them all and keep them safe!

[Riley1965]

May God Bless them and ALL units around the world no matter the country!!!

Best,

Doc