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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - More than a century ago, a young British army private returned home safely from battle along what is now the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. He later joined the Canadian Forces during the First World War and survived that conflict as well before going on to raise a family.
Four generations later, Pte. Charles Taylor's great -grandson has found himself in the same region battling another insurgency.
Maj. Walter Taylor was among 133 Canadian soldiers to proudly accept his own tour medal on New Year's Day for service in Afghanistan.
"I'm very glad to be able to follow in my great-grandfather's footsteps," Taylor said, clutching his great-grandfather's 1897 service medal for participating in the Trash Campaign.
"But obviously, for the reasons of the goals we're trying to accomplish here, I certainly hope my great -grandchildren aren't still here," the 34-year-old engineer with the 43rd field squadron quipped after the ceremony.
Just days after the Canadian Forces registered it's 78th death in Afghanistan, the Ottawa native said he holds his great-grandfather's medal close to him as a bit of a talisman or good-luck charm.
"I don't really believe in any of the standard big world religions, but they say there's no such thing as an atheist in the fox hole," the Ottawa resident said.
"Everybody needs to believe that there's somebody looking out for them and, in my case, I hope that my great-grandfather is doing that job for me."
While some things in this rugged, strife -riddle country have changed little in 110 years, much else has, he said.
For one thing, his great-grandfather's mission was one of colonization, he said, noting the insurgency took the form of a single tribe's battle for its own independence.
"When the British were here in the 1850s it was to colonize the area against the will of the people," he said.
"We're here at the bequest of the democratically elected government of Afghanistan in order to provide assistance to them in establishing security and stability within their own country."
Canadian troops have spent the better part of the last two years battling the Taliban in the country's volatile south.
Taylor's great-grandfather's war took place slightly to the northeast, around the Khyber Pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan - more precisely, near the Pakistan city of Oshawa.
At Tuesday's ceremony, Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told the recipients to be proud of their medals. "You deserve it," he said.
"The mission, however, is not done," he said. "There's still work to do and I know that we will be able to complete this work."
Calling the medal a symbol of the sacrifices they've made to the mission, Laroche suggested the recipients' families also "deserve a part of this medal."
"We also must think of those who gave their lives for this mission," he added. "Those who were also hurt during this operation... I think today is a good time to think about this."
An emotional affair for some, Sapper Matt Anderson couldn't help but break down in tears. The brand new dad said he was thinking of his seven-month-old daughter whom he'd only just started getting to know before he left for his tour in August.
Capt. David Holsworth said he was thinking mostly of colleagues who lost their lives or were injured in battle - people like Gunner Jonathan Dion who was killed by a roadside bomb just three days prior. Four others suffered non-life threatening injuries in the blast.
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - More than a century ago, a young British army private returned home safely from battle along what is now the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. He later joined the Canadian Forces during the First World War and survived that conflict as well before going on to raise a family.
Four generations later, Pte. Charles Taylor's great -grandson has found himself in the same region battling another insurgency.
Maj. Walter Taylor was among 133 Canadian soldiers to proudly accept his own tour medal on New Year's Day for service in Afghanistan.
"I'm very glad to be able to follow in my great-grandfather's footsteps," Taylor said, clutching his great-grandfather's 1897 service medal for participating in the Trash Campaign.
"But obviously, for the reasons of the goals we're trying to accomplish here, I certainly hope my great -grandchildren aren't still here," the 34-year-old engineer with the 43rd field squadron quipped after the ceremony.
Just days after the Canadian Forces registered it's 78th death in Afghanistan, the Ottawa native said he holds his great-grandfather's medal close to him as a bit of a talisman or good-luck charm.
"I don't really believe in any of the standard big world religions, but they say there's no such thing as an atheist in the fox hole," the Ottawa resident said.
"Everybody needs to believe that there's somebody looking out for them and, in my case, I hope that my great-grandfather is doing that job for me."
While some things in this rugged, strife -riddle country have changed little in 110 years, much else has, he said.
For one thing, his great-grandfather's mission was one of colonization, he said, noting the insurgency took the form of a single tribe's battle for its own independence.
"When the British were here in the 1850s it was to colonize the area against the will of the people," he said.
"We're here at the bequest of the democratically elected government of Afghanistan in order to provide assistance to them in establishing security and stability within their own country."
Canadian troops have spent the better part of the last two years battling the Taliban in the country's volatile south.
Taylor's great-grandfather's war took place slightly to the northeast, around the Khyber Pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan - more precisely, near the Pakistan city of Oshawa.
At Tuesday's ceremony, Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told the recipients to be proud of their medals. "You deserve it," he said.
"The mission, however, is not done," he said. "There's still work to do and I know that we will be able to complete this work."
Calling the medal a symbol of the sacrifices they've made to the mission, Laroche suggested the recipients' families also "deserve a part of this medal."
"We also must think of those who gave their lives for this mission," he added. "Those who were also hurt during this operation... I think today is a good time to think about this."
An emotional affair for some, Sapper Matt Anderson couldn't help but break down in tears. The brand new dad said he was thinking of his seven-month-old daughter whom he'd only just started getting to know before he left for his tour in August.
Capt. David Holsworth said he was thinking mostly of colleagues who lost their lives or were injured in battle - people like Gunner Jonathan Dion who was killed by a roadside bomb just three days prior. Four others suffered non-life threatening injuries in the blast.
nice news
