# 'How a bad day turned so much worse' by Christie Blatchford



## Edward Campbell (20 Dec 2006)

Here, from Christie Blatchford, in today’s (20 Dec 06) _Globe and Mail_, is more on the deaths of Sgt Darcey Tedford and Pte. Blake Neil Williamson and on a tough day for 9 Platoon, Charles Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment.

Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061220.AFGHANBLATCH20/TPStory/TPComment/?pageRequested=all 


> How a bad day turned so much worse
> *The weary members of Charles Company won't soon forget the events of Oct. 14 near Kandahar. CHRISTIE BLATCHFORD explains why*
> 
> CHRISTIE BLATCHFORD
> ...



What more can, need one say?

_*Pro Patria*_


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## vonGarvin (20 Dec 2006)

Pro Patria indeed!

The story of that machine gunner warms my soul.  Such bravery in such young men.  Such devotion to duty.  Awesome.


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## RHFC_piper (20 Dec 2006)

good article... 

RIP Sgt. Tedford and Pte. Williamson   

Sounds like some of these soldiers are due for some medals (for Valour in combat).  They're some damn fine soldiers.

As a side note; Lt. Corby used to be in my regiment (RHFC) before going to 1 RCR (he used to be on our hockey team).  He was a good officer then, he's obviously a good officer now.


Again; good article.  Makes me wish I was still over there with Charles Coy.


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## geo (20 Dec 2006)

Well.....
a big thank you (again) to Christine Blatchford for writing an article that is positive - does not attempt to crucify the CF at every turn.

I am soooo tired of hearing the Media hammer away at the public about our 40+ fallen comrades.  Day in, day out, they talk about it and give the impression that it's another 40+ fallen.

While I see no reason to glorify our actions (leave that to the authors who will publish factual/fictional books in the future), I appreceate articles such as this one that portray our troops, blemishes and all, as they are.... 

Proud successors to the soldiers who fought at Vimy,  liberated Holland 30+ yrs later & defended western europe for 40 yrs thereafter.


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## KevinB (20 Dec 2006)

+1 Excellent article/reporting.

No bad work for the 2nd Best English Speaking Infantry Regiment


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## 17thRecceSgt (20 Dec 2006)




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## vonGarvin (20 Dec 2006)

Infidel-6 said:
			
		

> No bad work for the 2nd Best English Speaking Infantry Regiment



You MUST mean The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, a regiment so good, it's simply known as "The Regiment".






All seriousness, though, you're right, outstanding article and reporting.


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## infuntry_boi (20 Dec 2006)

RIP Brave Soldiers...    

"Two young reservists from the Grey and Simcoe Foresters, Privates Ed Runyon-Lloyd of Owen Sound, Ont., and Chris Saumure of Barrie, Ont., carried extra ammo back to 2 Section under fire, then joined in the fighting themselves." Go Foresters!


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## BernDawg (20 Dec 2006)

Well done!   Just absolutely F'n well done!  Both to the Boys and to Christie.


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## GAP (20 Dec 2006)




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## R933ex (20 Dec 2006)

Bravo Zulu to the boys and Christie great job


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## observor 69 (20 Dec 2006)

geo said:
			
		

> Proud successors to the soldiers who fought at Vimy,  liberated Holland 30+ yrs later & defended western europe for 40 yrs thereafter.



Excellent thought !


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## rcrgruntsgirl (20 Dec 2006)

Wow that article is amazing! Thank you so much Christie. I'm gonna send it to my husband next time I hear from him and I'm sure he will like it and how it honours what happened that day. Job well done. 
I love you baby and I am so proud of you! I can't wait til you are finally home, three months to go.

RIP Darcy and Blake, you will be sorely be missed

Pro Patria


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## Edward Campbell (20 Dec 2006)

R933ex said:
			
		

> Bravo Zulu to the boys and Christie great job



Yeah, but I'm sure I can hear the _Globe's_ Arts/TV critic John Doyle's little feet stamping all the way from Toronto - see: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/54573.0.html   If he could trot out words like 'maudlin' and 'creepy' to describe the staid old CBC's reporting what will he have to say about (to?) our Christie?


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## Bruce Monkhouse (20 Dec 2006)

"about" Christie?, probably something.........."to" Christie?,................yea right. :clown:


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## gaspasser (20 Dec 2006)

Pte. Saumure wasn't yet 19 and old enough to drink but put his ass on the line for his comrades.  I wonder if he has yet to BUY a beer?  
The story brought another lump to my throat and a tear to my eye.  Stories that we haven't heard the likes of since WW1 and 2.
I don't think I have to right to say
"Pro Patria"
Maybe it's something the DS punched into my head in Cornwallis.  RCR and PPCLI instructors all.


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## Drummy (20 Dec 2006)

Edward Campbell said:
			
		

> Yeah, but I'm sure I can hear the _Globe's_ Arts/TV critic John Doyle's little feet stamping all the way from Toronto - see: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/54573.0.html   If he could trot out words like 'maudlin' and 'creepy' to describe the staid old CBC's reporting what will he have to say about (to?) our Christie?



Wouldn't the entertaiment critic have to get his SORRY BUTT to the sandbox for that ?

Drummy


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## Mr. Proulx (20 Dec 2006)

Definitly a well written article. RIP to the two who lost their lifes.


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## brihard (21 Dec 2006)

Thank you, Ms. Blanchford, for this excellently written article.

Snaker- you probably don't know the guy, but a member of our regiment is in that section. He's not mentioned by name and from what I heard he came out of it physically OK- but this might bring it a bit closer to home. Any questions, PM me.


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## Mr. Proulx (21 Dec 2006)

I didn't know that, that pretty interesting and I am glad to hear he came out of it OK. 

I liked the article so much i went out bought the paper, cut out the piece and taped it on the wall so my roommates could read it.


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## teddybear (24 Dec 2006)

Great article Christe. It was nice to read about some of the final words that my husband spoke and to know that we, his girls, were the best part of his leave. It was also great that everyone gets to know that the boys in the section stepped up to the plate when it mattered and did their jobs to the outstanding level that Darcy expected. He would be proud of each and every one of you as am I. Again, thanks Christie.


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## observor 69 (24 Dec 2006)

I stumbled on this article by Peter Worthington today. The story line is a bit old but I thought Mr.Worthington had a few good points.

Thu, December 21, 2006

    CBC's war coverage is indefensible 

By PETER WORTHINGTON

     The CBC's Peter Mansbridge and the Globe and Mail's TV critic John Doyle are embroiled in one of those "I know better than you do" imbroglios that celebrities sometime indulge in, to the entertainment of the rest of us. 

Doyle started it by writing he thought it was "creepy" how the CBC's coverage of the war in Afghanistan and its treatment of the military "give the appearance of an obedient press corps, placating the government." To some, this startling assessment of the CBC's view of the military was worthy of questioning whether Doyle's employers should not require him to take a saliva test. 

Mansbridge responded in such a way that suggested perhaps he, too, should undergo a saliva test. While declaring the war in Afghanistan was a "crucial public policy issue" that warranted CBC coverage, he added: "Not only has CBC News been covering this conflict . . . for several years before this current government was even elected, the CBC has been reporting on Canadian troops in war and conflict zones for 67 years. War coverage is part of our network's heritage." Good gracious! 

From a military point of view, the CBC has not only been negligent in its coverage of our military, it's been downright hostile -- not overtly criticizing, but loaded with "nuance" (a favourite word), eager to depict the military as unnecessary and bumbling. 

CBC coverage is at its most lavish when things go wrong. 

Despite Peter's boast of 24/7 coverage in Kandahar today, CBC excels in covering the dead -- body bags coming home, coffins being loaded on and off aircraft, funerals, the pain and fears of military families. The CBC is a charter member of "the death watch crowd," obsessed with the fallen. Little on roads, bridges, schools being built. Best of all, when Americans inadvertently kill Canadian soldiers. 

Forty-four dead soldiers over three years is extrapolated in the public's mind to the World War II ratio of casualties. Why? Not to honour the military, but to create concern about the military's mission, and the futility of soldiers. 

When Canadian soldiers were in Somalia, CBC coverage was minimal until a prisoner was tortured to death. 

Courts martial and inquiries dominated CBC coverage until a regiment was disbanded. 

The CBC was nowhere to be seen, except for photo visits, when Canadians were in Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo. Peter talks of 67 years of CBC coverage of conflicts. When I was a soldier in the Korean war, the only journalist visible was Canadian Press' Bill Boss. 

CBC? Forget it. 

Objectively, the CBC's coverage of Canada's military is one of the great shams and shames of our country. 

What CBC documentaries exist of Canadian soldiers on foreign missions? None. 

The paramount TV documentary-maker of Canadian soldiers overseas is Garth Pritchard, an independent Calgary film producer, every one of whose documentaries (Burma, Somalia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia, Afghanistan) has won important awards, but who is blacklisted by the CBC because he tends to be outspoken. 

For Doyle to suggest that CBC News "may have leaned too far in covering the government's lead" is as nonsensical as Mansbridge's 67 years of CBC covering wars and conflicts. (CBC declined to be embedded with troops invading Iraq and quit Baghdad before the bombing began, preferring to use American TV footage and adding their own selective commentary.) 

Not brave -- but no personal risk. 

Doyle is the TV critic who dislikes Fox News coming to Canada and mocks those whose politics he disagrees with -- like Bill O'Reilly -- while remaining uncritical of CNN commentators who work for Democratic candidates. 

What's intriguing in this in-fighting is Mansbridge is a good guy defending the indefensible, while Doyle's scolding what doesn't exist -- the CBC's objectivity.


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## NL_engineer (24 Dec 2006)

1+ to Christie for another great article


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## lady (29 Dec 2006)

ray Corby is my cousin and i am looking for any info to pass on to my family does anyone know anything else or is there a place where i can go to get info for the family.  ???


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## old medic (29 Dec 2006)

We can't tell you anything other than what is already available in the public domain.


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## lady (29 Dec 2006)

OK i understand that i was just looking for as much info i can get, if anything new comes to light where would be the best place to look? or even pictures?


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## old medic (29 Dec 2006)

Probably right here. When new information is released, it often finds it's way here.


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## lady (29 Dec 2006)

thank you


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