Adrift in the Bay of Biscay

Story by Sharon Adams

Just after 7:30 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day in 1945, survivors of the minesweeper HMCS Guysborough were in frigid Atlantic waters awaiting rescue. About half of them wouldn’t make it.

Guysborough was about 300 kilometres off the coast of France in the Bay of Biscay en route from Lunenburg, N.S., to England when it was hit in the stern by an acoustic torpedo from U-868 just before 7 p.m. on March 17.

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The new Space Jam: General calls for traffic cops in crowded orbit

Story by Stephen J. Thorne

The head of space operations in the United States is seeking new ways to manage the traffic jam of satellites and space junk crowding the skies over Earth—and to prevent fender-benders and extraterrestrial road rage in the process.

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Snakes on a chopper: Vietnam vets tell harrowing serpentine tales

Story by Stephen J. Thorne

“Any veterans out there run into snakes while serving?”

Thus began a thread on Facebook’s “Vietnam: Helicopter War” page that took readers on a raucous thrill ride through the jungles of Southeast Asia.

The post included a picture of troops holding a fat snake at least six metres long, evidently dead. A well-travelled veteran identified it as a Burmese python.

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Recounting CEF’s first battle

Story by Sharon Adams

The Canadian Expeditionary Force’s first battle experience, aside from a trench raid, came in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in mid-March 1915.

The Canadians were tasked with preventing the Germans from reinforcing their position while the British pushed through enemy lines to advance the front. A new front was established, but the Allies were unable to exploit their advantage and press on due to difficulty transmitting orders and a lack of reserves.

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Hearing is essential. Now more than ever, it is important to stay connected. Legion Members can get a free 30-day trial on the latest hearing aids. New features include rechargeability and Bluetooth® connectivity. You may also qualify to try our invisible device!

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