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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Take your shot—we did, says Gulf War vet

Story by Stephen J. Thorne

Gulf War veteran Paul Schutt has a message for Canadians in these pandemic times: Get your COVID-19 vaccine shots—if not for yourself, for your country.

As a private with Charles Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, Schutt processed and guarded thousands of Iraqi prisoners during the 1991 Gulf War, all while facing the prospect of a biological or chemical attack.

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Sighted sub, sank same

Story by Sharon Adams

The battlefields of Europe were thousands of kilometres away, but Newfoundland and Labrador were definitely in a war zone during the Second World War.

The Allies knew the strategic significance of Canada’s East Coast and the waters around Newfoundland, through which hundreds of convoys sailed to Britain and Russia carrying troops and millions of tonnes of food, war materiel and raw material.

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You’re invited to attend CWT Vacations’ live virtual cruise show hosted by Celebrity Cruises. You’ll hear from the experts about new itineraries for 2022/2023, exclusive sailings for Legion members and learn about Celebrity’s amazing fleet of ships. The event is complimentary and we hope it will inspire you to start thinking about sailing again.

Date: Thursday, March 22, 2021

Time: 7:00 pm EST

Register Now : https://www.cwtvacationclub.ca/legion

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New study discounts depleted uranium’s role in Gulf War illness

Story by Stephen J. Thorne

A new scientific study claims sarin gas is a possible cause of Gulf War illness, not debris from depleted uranium munitions.

The University of Portsmouth School of Earth and Environmental Sciences says it has proven that depleted uranium did not cause the acute and chronic symptoms plaguing more than 250,00 Allied service personnel.

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One of the original 62 officers of the Royal Canadian Air Force

Story by Sharon Adams

Wounded in the leg during his service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1917, Sergeant Arthur Lawrence Morfee transferred to the Royal Flying Corps.

He trained as an observer, took an aerial photography course and advanced from cadet to second lieutenant before his Royal Air Force service ended in February 1919. That photography course was to ensure him a long and productive aviation career, starting with mapping Canada.

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