Sometimes it becomes necessary to reinvent yourself.
James is a former professional soldier. As an NCO he took part in the historic Battle of the Medak Pocket, the largest combat the Canadian forces had been involved in sice the Korean War.
In 1993, a Battalion of the famed Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, interposed themselves in between the Serbian and Croatian Armies to prevent a Croatian invasion.
The gruesome aftermath of that battle gave the world the term “Ethnic Cleansing”.
At the time of the U.N. action in Croatia, the Canadian Forces were stretched so thinly that almost half of the fabled Princess Pats consisted of “reservists” known derisively as “weekend warriors”.
The Patricia’s and the reservists attached to the battalion were the only troops who held fast in the face of a full-scale Croatian army assault. All other U.N. Forces withdrew in the face of the Croatian Army threat.
The Canadians fought an eighteen hour battle under artillery and tank assault and the 850 strong force finally forced the withdrawal of Croat Forces. Medak Pocket is merely another glorious episode in the many battle honors of the PPCLI.
Since they were “Peacekeepers”, the Canadians lacked tanks and artillery support and stood firm with little more than their personal weapons, a few anti-tank rockets and fifty caliber machine guns.
James retired after the battle having been seriously wounded by three bullets. He has decided to return to University and has been staying at the hostel until his University residence accomodation becomes available.
We wish him well and salute his service to Canada.
