Chapter 1
Beginnings
“It’s not enough to pray for peace. Work for justice.”
William Sloane Coffin
My association with the military began in 1957 when as a university student at Brandon College I joined the University Reserve Training Plan or URTP. I was not from a particularly military family although my uncle Archie (my father’s brother) had survived four years in France during World War I with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and his younger brother Raymond had served in WWII with the Winnipeg Grenadiers. Three of my uncles on my mother’s side, had also slogged their way up Italy in the “forgotten” Italian campaign of World War II. Fortunately all of them made it back to Canada with no major external wounds.
I was a young child growing up in the small railroad/farming town of Minnedosa, on the Manitoba prairie during WWII that had sent most of its young men into the war to end all wars! One of the pastimes I remember as a child was sitting by the highway which ran through the middle of town to several air bases in the area, watching the long military convoys on their way from the railroad yards to the various air bases surrounding the town. Because the Prairies had the longest hours of sunlight in the country, air bases to train commonwealth pilots were built all over the Prairie countryside. The ones adjacent to my home town were RCAF Stations Dauphin, Rivers, Brandon, Neepawa and the German Prison of War Camp at Wasagaming comprised predominantly of captured German naval personnel, many of whom returned to reside in Canada after the war. The Rivers base was also a paratrooper training center and I recall going with my family on several occasions to nearby Clear Lake on weekends to watch paratrooper practise drops into the lake which was always an exciting outing usually resulting in one or two near drownings!!
William Sloane Coffin
My association with the military began in 1957 when as a university student at Brandon College I joined the University Reserve Training Plan or URTP. I was not from a particularly military family although my uncle Archie (my father’s brother) had survived four years in France during World War I with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and his younger brother Raymond had served in WWII with the Winnipeg Grenadiers. Three of my uncles on my mother’s side, had also slogged their way up Italy in the “forgotten” Italian campaign of World War II. Fortunately all of them made it back to Canada with no major external wounds.
I was a young child growing up in the small railroad/farming town of Minnedosa, on the Manitoba prairie during WWII that had sent most of its young men into the war to end all wars! One of the pastimes I remember as a child was sitting by the highway which ran through the middle of town to several air bases in the area, watching the long military convoys on their way from the railroad yards to the various air bases surrounding the town. Because the Prairies had the longest hours of sunlight in the country, air bases to train commonwealth pilots were built all over the Prairie countryside. The ones adjacent to my home town were RCAF Stations Dauphin, Rivers, Brandon, Neepawa and the German Prison of War Camp at Wasagaming comprised predominantly of captured German naval personnel, many of whom returned to reside in Canada after the war. The Rivers base was also a paratrooper training center and I recall going with my family on several occasions to nearby Clear Lake on weekends to watch paratrooper practise drops into the lake which was always an exciting outing usually resulting in one or two near drownings!!
 Minnedosa North School |
 Brandon College (circa 1957) |
At the end of the war, the air force delivered a large number of old bomber fuselages, most including the cockpits and instrument panels, to a vacant lot in the town behind the old “Cash Store”. Minnedosa was a railroad divisional point for the CPR, thus facilitating the shipping of these very large plane parts which were to be distributed to the farmers of the area for use as chicken coops and animal pens! Needless to say as kids we spent every waking hour out of school reliving WW II in these old relics until the last one was hauled out to a farm for its final flight as a coop for chickens. Many had bullet holes in them (or at least interpreted as such by young adventurers!). There were also a few Harvards and Spitfire fighters which, because they were smaller were the last (but for us the most exciting) to be hauled out to a farm. If only we had put away one or two for safekeeping they would have been today, genuine pearls for any Aviation Museum!
In retrospect the real impelling reason I initially joined the military was primarily financial and secondarily the influence of one of my mentors, Professor Walmsley, herself a WWII veteran of the RCAF. She was very proactive in international affairs and the Head of the Political Science and Sociology Department at Brandon College and instilled in her students a keen interest in assisting less affluent countries than Canada. As President of the Political Science Club at the College I fortunately came under her influence and left Brandon College with many of her ideals permanently instilled in me. She herself went on to be awarded an Officer in the Order of Canada, two LLD’s and the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case, all related to her international work for Canada including the establishment of MATCH, an international organization to assist women in underdeveloped countries. She also devoted long service on UNESCO for Canada as well as many other nongovernmental organizations involved in international global commitments. She was a true international Ambassador for Canada and still is to this day at 90 years of age!
In the University Reserve Training Plan (URTP) we were paid to attend training sessions and had ready made summer employment – there was also no lasting obligation to join the permanent force! It was ideal for a nearly destitute student! The commanding officer of our squadron (as I had joined the RCAF’s URTP) was Flight Lieutenant Hannah – our zoology professor who was a hale and hearty chap and a friend to all. A number of our meetings over the university year were devoted to which area of the RCAF would we like to train in over the summer. Since I was already myopic and wearing glasses, air crew at that time was not an option. However in the 50’s the Canadian Armed Forces were strong, robust and very well funded with excellent training programs and many bases across Canada. I had heard good vibes about the Telecommunications Program based in Clinton, ON and applied and received admission into the program. It was a three summer commitment and that should have been a red flag! However, I thought it would be a learning experience and becoming a Ham Radio Operator had always been one of my goals. As it turned out it was probably THE center of electrical and radar engineering in the entire country.
In retrospect the real impelling reason I initially joined the military was primarily financial and secondarily the influence of one of my mentors, Professor Walmsley, herself a WWII veteran of the RCAF. She was very proactive in international affairs and the Head of the Political Science and Sociology Department at Brandon College and instilled in her students a keen interest in assisting less affluent countries than Canada. As President of the Political Science Club at the College I fortunately came under her influence and left Brandon College with many of her ideals permanently instilled in me. She herself went on to be awarded an Officer in the Order of Canada, two LLD’s and the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Person’s Case, all related to her international work for Canada including the establishment of MATCH, an international organization to assist women in underdeveloped countries. She also devoted long service on UNESCO for Canada as well as many other nongovernmental organizations involved in international global commitments. She was a true international Ambassador for Canada and still is to this day at 90 years of age!
In the University Reserve Training Plan (URTP) we were paid to attend training sessions and had ready made summer employment – there was also no lasting obligation to join the permanent force! It was ideal for a nearly destitute student! The commanding officer of our squadron (as I had joined the RCAF’s URTP) was Flight Lieutenant Hannah – our zoology professor who was a hale and hearty chap and a friend to all. A number of our meetings over the university year were devoted to which area of the RCAF would we like to train in over the summer. Since I was already myopic and wearing glasses, air crew at that time was not an option. However in the 50’s the Canadian Armed Forces were strong, robust and very well funded with excellent training programs and many bases across Canada. I had heard good vibes about the Telecommunications Program based in Clinton, ON and applied and received admission into the program. It was a three summer commitment and that should have been a red flag! However, I thought it would be a learning experience and becoming a Ham Radio Operator had always been one of my goals. As it turned out it was probably THE center of electrical and radar engineering in the entire country.
 Coat of Arms of RCAF Stn Clinton
(Courtesy Department of National Defence) |
 Jacket crest of students “on course” (Author’s photo) |
Clinton was a sleepy little Ontario town nestled near Lake Huron, a few miles from Bayfield, but beside it was a huge RCAF Telecommunications Base, the largest radar and telecommunications training center in the country, with massive buildings that looked like a University Campus. As it turned out, that is what it was – the most advanced electrical engineering research and training facility in Canada at that time. I saw my first laser demonstration in their training labs where they were already experimenting with lasers for weapon guidance in 1958! We had classes 8 – 5 every day. It was summer at university with exams and the whole ten yards! I did one more summer with them and then decided I had had enough telecommunications training to allow me to pass my Ham Radio exams and the third summer I signed on with Midwest Diamond Drilling to work in Northern Manitoba at three times the salary as a driller’s helper! During this last summer at RCAF Station Clinton the tragic murder and rape of 12 year old Lynn Harper occoured a few miles from the base. We all had to have alibis which were straightforward for our squadron as the air force had us programmed for almost every hour! We were asked by the police to assist in the search, being instructed to walk through the area about 2 feet apart for some 2 miles however none of us had much idea what we were supposed to be looking for, but picked up a few beer bottles, pieces of wire fencing and some pop bottles! The police nailed the last person to see her, a teenager and classmate, Steven Truscott who received a rapid 15 day trial and was sentenced to death. This was later commuted to life imprisonment, and after 10 years in prison he was released, largely due to a book entitled “The Trial of Steven Truscott” written by Isabel LeBourdais in which considerable doubt was exposed regarding the guilty verdict. Truscott maintained he had given Lynn a ride on his bicycle to the highway as she had had an argument with her parents and was planning to hitch hike to London. Hitch hiking was very popular around Clinton in 1959. We all hitch-hiked, both civilians and military, as few of us had cars. At the time I even hitch-hiked home – all the way to Manitoba with my duffle bag! Hence his story was certainly plausible! The controversy over the case led to Canada abolishing its death penalty in 1976 but even today, Truscott is still trying to completely clear his name.
The following summer at Midwest Diamond Drilling we were drilling 24 hours a day in preparation for the erection of a huge dam at Grand Rapids, Manitoba. The driller’s were all artists at their trade and I developed a huge respect for construction workers during that summer as artisans in their respective fields. In those days I was the driller’s helper or “rod man” and would be standing on a little platform about 10 feet above the driller to add or unscrew the drilling rods. One driller I often worked with by the name Morris Muir was the most experienced driller in our camp and he was always called by the other drillers whenever they had the bad luck to get their rods stuck. Morris was a whiz at getting them out! I can still hear him as he would always yell up to me at about 3am in the morning as the drill was singing and the water and mud flying off the drilling rods and spattering both of us “Oh Letts, if your mother could only see you now!”
That summer I received my acceptance into Medicine and started in the fall of 1960 at the University of Manitoba Medical College. Although financially I was slightly better off than when I started at Brandon College – it wasn’t by much! Again the RCAF came to my rescue. I applied for, and was successful in being admitted to their Medical Officer Training Plan and I’m sure my time in URTP was a positive influence. Under this plan the service would fund the medical tuition costs for years 2 – 4 plus one year of internship as well as a modest salary during those years. On graduation, one was obligated to serve for three years at the rank of Flight Lieutenant. On my graduation, May 21, 1964, (which incidentally was our wedding day as well to Marilyn Janet Frances Jones, also a small town farm girl from Wellwood Manitoba). Marilyn had also just graduated a a year earlier with a Bachelor of Science degree from United College and the University of Manitoba, having turned down a job offer with IBM, to share her life with me, for which I have been eternally honoured and grateful!
Following an internship at the St Boniface General Hospital, I was subsequently posted to the National Defence Medical Centre (NDMC) in Ottawa. Here I served as a surgical resident (mostly on the Orthopaedic Service), and was able to qualify for a year of surgical residency in the University of Ottawa Department of Surgery Program. However in February of 1966 I was called into the Surgeon General’s Office for a brief conversation. “Letts you’ve had a pretty cushy year and it’s now time to pay the piper” said my Surgeon Captain interviewer, a tough, no nonsense and seasoned veteran by the name of Surgeon Captain Rogers. “We have two positions open – one in Vietnam the other in the Middle East and I am giving you a choice of which posting you would like to take”. With all the news of Vietnam and the miniscule role of Canada in that theatre of endeavour as a few UN Observers, I took little time to decide that the Middle East was the best choice of (what I mistakenly believed) were two end-of-the-earth postings. However as much as I really didn’t want a Middle East posting either – in retrospect it was one of the best years of my life! Unfortunately, it was an unaccompanied posting and after only 2 years of married life this didn’t sit well with either myself, or my wife Marilyn. She being a very resourceful and innovative individual however, managed to secure a position with the public relations department of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Beirut – a group that basically looked after the welfare of Palestinian Refugees. How she secured this position is a fascinating story in itself.
We did however encounter one major glitch that had the potential of throwing all our plans into disarray. As we were being posted overseas, the military, to their credit, allowed us to move our possessions wherever we wished to store them and where the spouse wished to reside since this was an unaccompanied posting. We chose Winnipeg and thus our furniture was to go into storage in Winnipeg. The movers came in April and this was a deluxe move – they did all the packing (which was our nemesis). We packed up and the truck departed from our Ottawa apartment on Saturday a.m. and we were on the road back to Winnipeg in our Valiant convertible that early May afternoon. We reached Arnprior when I said to Marilyn “Where are the passports?” to which she replied “I assumed you had them”. Well it was obvious neither of us had them and I remember parking on a street in Arnprior and kicking the tires of the car trying to remember the last time I had seen the passports. Finally we both agreed the passports had been on the top of the filing cabinet in the “office” (one of the two bedrooms in our apartment). The movers must have packed them!
We got back in the car, turned around and headed back to Ottawa for the Tippit Richardson Warehouse. We arrived there about 3 p.m. in the afternoon. We were delighted to see that the truck with our furniture was backed up to one of the doors of the warehouse. We went up to the office but there was no one to be seen. Down the way however I could hear a TV playing and went through a side door and there was an elderly gentleman watching the run-up to the Kentucky Derby. It turned out to be the original owner himself and he must have been about 85 years young. We explained our problem and our suspicions that the packer had put our passports into the filing cabinet. He was most congenial. “No problem folks, we’ll just unload the truck”. This is what we did, although I spent as much time trying to help our guardian Angel to avoid any strenuous activity since we didn’t want our problems compounded by a myocardial infarction in the founder of our moving company! Finally we came to the filing cabinet – I opened the top drawer and there on top were the two passports, just thrown on top of the files from the top of the cabinet. Relief and joy, our search was ended. The contents of our apartment were now strewn all over the warehouse floor. “No matter folks” said our elder saviour “I’ll have the boys clean it up Monday”. With that we were off again on our journey to Winnipeg – this time with our passports securely inserted into our inside pockets and our “helper” returned to his Kentucky Derby in time to see another off-spring of the famed Canadian thoroughbred Native Dancer, by the name of Kauai King win the Derby ridden by jockey Don Brumfield!
I left for the Sinai from Winnipeg in mid-May and Marilyn followed to Beirut in July for the adventure of our lives!.
Having just been married on May 21, 1964, it seemed inconceivable that less than 2 years later, Marilyn and I were to be separated for a year, since the UNEF posting was “unaccompanied”. Such are the hazards of a military occupation. The public and in particular the current Canadian Citizenry, some of whom still harbour some anti-military sentiment, do not appreciate the sacrifices the military establishment makes on their behalf, regardless of the battlefield sieges. The military certainly deserves more respect in our country than it currently is accorded. Aside from loss of life in the performance of duty – military families are constantly disrupted to uphold the honour and integrity of the principle of Canada. John Q Public who tends to denigrate the tax money spent in support of maintaining order and ultimately our freedom, should be more cognizant and appreciative of Canada’s military role. A mandatory 2 year experience in the armed forces for every young man and woman between the ages of 18 – 24 years would improve our country immensely simply by eliminating isolationism and broadening the horizons of our future leaders as well as engendering respect and understanding for Canada’s external relations. It would also go a long way in returning Quebec to the Canadian fold!
Fortunately for me, Marilyn was determined to at least be closer to me geographically and went about trying to secure a job in Beirut through our personal friend Dr. Norma Walmsly who at the time was involved with UNESCO, and had many international contacts. She put Marilyn in contact with the Director of Public Relations for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency based in Beirut. Unfortunately at the time (early 1966) there were no openings. However in March 1966 an intriguing scenario developed in Beirut. An American woman who was being hired by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Public Relations Department was suddenly refused security clearance by the Lebanese government due to an association with the wife of the notorious MI5 spy Kim Philby who had recently fled to Russia from Beirut. This lady, who had been offered a position with UNRWA, was a close confidante and friend of Kim Philby’s former wife, also an American, Eleanor Brewer, whom he had married in Beirut in 1959 but initially left behind in Beirut when he defected in Jan. 1963. Considerable pressure was exerted on the Lebanese government to thwart this appointment, probably by the U.S. or British government and they complied by refusing her security clearance. The next applicant on the list was “Marilyn Letts” hence, because of Kim Philby she was offered the job! As a result I left for the Middle East in May knowing Marilyn would be arriving in Beirut two months later to start work with UNRWA. We had no idea exactly how things would work out but never dreamed it would turn out to be such a spectacular arrangement! The United Nations had now become an integral part of both of our lives!
The following summer at Midwest Diamond Drilling we were drilling 24 hours a day in preparation for the erection of a huge dam at Grand Rapids, Manitoba. The driller’s were all artists at their trade and I developed a huge respect for construction workers during that summer as artisans in their respective fields. In those days I was the driller’s helper or “rod man” and would be standing on a little platform about 10 feet above the driller to add or unscrew the drilling rods. One driller I often worked with by the name Morris Muir was the most experienced driller in our camp and he was always called by the other drillers whenever they had the bad luck to get their rods stuck. Morris was a whiz at getting them out! I can still hear him as he would always yell up to me at about 3am in the morning as the drill was singing and the water and mud flying off the drilling rods and spattering both of us “Oh Letts, if your mother could only see you now!”
That summer I received my acceptance into Medicine and started in the fall of 1960 at the University of Manitoba Medical College. Although financially I was slightly better off than when I started at Brandon College – it wasn’t by much! Again the RCAF came to my rescue. I applied for, and was successful in being admitted to their Medical Officer Training Plan and I’m sure my time in URTP was a positive influence. Under this plan the service would fund the medical tuition costs for years 2 – 4 plus one year of internship as well as a modest salary during those years. On graduation, one was obligated to serve for three years at the rank of Flight Lieutenant. On my graduation, May 21, 1964, (which incidentally was our wedding day as well to Marilyn Janet Frances Jones, also a small town farm girl from Wellwood Manitoba). Marilyn had also just graduated a a year earlier with a Bachelor of Science degree from United College and the University of Manitoba, having turned down a job offer with IBM, to share her life with me, for which I have been eternally honoured and grateful!
Following an internship at the St Boniface General Hospital, I was subsequently posted to the National Defence Medical Centre (NDMC) in Ottawa. Here I served as a surgical resident (mostly on the Orthopaedic Service), and was able to qualify for a year of surgical residency in the University of Ottawa Department of Surgery Program. However in February of 1966 I was called into the Surgeon General’s Office for a brief conversation. “Letts you’ve had a pretty cushy year and it’s now time to pay the piper” said my Surgeon Captain interviewer, a tough, no nonsense and seasoned veteran by the name of Surgeon Captain Rogers. “We have two positions open – one in Vietnam the other in the Middle East and I am giving you a choice of which posting you would like to take”. With all the news of Vietnam and the miniscule role of Canada in that theatre of endeavour as a few UN Observers, I took little time to decide that the Middle East was the best choice of (what I mistakenly believed) were two end-of-the-earth postings. However as much as I really didn’t want a Middle East posting either – in retrospect it was one of the best years of my life! Unfortunately, it was an unaccompanied posting and after only 2 years of married life this didn’t sit well with either myself, or my wife Marilyn. She being a very resourceful and innovative individual however, managed to secure a position with the public relations department of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Beirut – a group that basically looked after the welfare of Palestinian Refugees. How she secured this position is a fascinating story in itself.
We did however encounter one major glitch that had the potential of throwing all our plans into disarray. As we were being posted overseas, the military, to their credit, allowed us to move our possessions wherever we wished to store them and where the spouse wished to reside since this was an unaccompanied posting. We chose Winnipeg and thus our furniture was to go into storage in Winnipeg. The movers came in April and this was a deluxe move – they did all the packing (which was our nemesis). We packed up and the truck departed from our Ottawa apartment on Saturday a.m. and we were on the road back to Winnipeg in our Valiant convertible that early May afternoon. We reached Arnprior when I said to Marilyn “Where are the passports?” to which she replied “I assumed you had them”. Well it was obvious neither of us had them and I remember parking on a street in Arnprior and kicking the tires of the car trying to remember the last time I had seen the passports. Finally we both agreed the passports had been on the top of the filing cabinet in the “office” (one of the two bedrooms in our apartment). The movers must have packed them!
We got back in the car, turned around and headed back to Ottawa for the Tippit Richardson Warehouse. We arrived there about 3 p.m. in the afternoon. We were delighted to see that the truck with our furniture was backed up to one of the doors of the warehouse. We went up to the office but there was no one to be seen. Down the way however I could hear a TV playing and went through a side door and there was an elderly gentleman watching the run-up to the Kentucky Derby. It turned out to be the original owner himself and he must have been about 85 years young. We explained our problem and our suspicions that the packer had put our passports into the filing cabinet. He was most congenial. “No problem folks, we’ll just unload the truck”. This is what we did, although I spent as much time trying to help our guardian Angel to avoid any strenuous activity since we didn’t want our problems compounded by a myocardial infarction in the founder of our moving company! Finally we came to the filing cabinet – I opened the top drawer and there on top were the two passports, just thrown on top of the files from the top of the cabinet. Relief and joy, our search was ended. The contents of our apartment were now strewn all over the warehouse floor. “No matter folks” said our elder saviour “I’ll have the boys clean it up Monday”. With that we were off again on our journey to Winnipeg – this time with our passports securely inserted into our inside pockets and our “helper” returned to his Kentucky Derby in time to see another off-spring of the famed Canadian thoroughbred Native Dancer, by the name of Kauai King win the Derby ridden by jockey Don Brumfield!
I left for the Sinai from Winnipeg in mid-May and Marilyn followed to Beirut in July for the adventure of our lives!.
Having just been married on May 21, 1964, it seemed inconceivable that less than 2 years later, Marilyn and I were to be separated for a year, since the UNEF posting was “unaccompanied”. Such are the hazards of a military occupation. The public and in particular the current Canadian Citizenry, some of whom still harbour some anti-military sentiment, do not appreciate the sacrifices the military establishment makes on their behalf, regardless of the battlefield sieges. The military certainly deserves more respect in our country than it currently is accorded. Aside from loss of life in the performance of duty – military families are constantly disrupted to uphold the honour and integrity of the principle of Canada. John Q Public who tends to denigrate the tax money spent in support of maintaining order and ultimately our freedom, should be more cognizant and appreciative of Canada’s military role. A mandatory 2 year experience in the armed forces for every young man and woman between the ages of 18 – 24 years would improve our country immensely simply by eliminating isolationism and broadening the horizons of our future leaders as well as engendering respect and understanding for Canada’s external relations. It would also go a long way in returning Quebec to the Canadian fold!
Fortunately for me, Marilyn was determined to at least be closer to me geographically and went about trying to secure a job in Beirut through our personal friend Dr. Norma Walmsly who at the time was involved with UNESCO, and had many international contacts. She put Marilyn in contact with the Director of Public Relations for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency based in Beirut. Unfortunately at the time (early 1966) there were no openings. However in March 1966 an intriguing scenario developed in Beirut. An American woman who was being hired by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Public Relations Department was suddenly refused security clearance by the Lebanese government due to an association with the wife of the notorious MI5 spy Kim Philby who had recently fled to Russia from Beirut. This lady, who had been offered a position with UNRWA, was a close confidante and friend of Kim Philby’s former wife, also an American, Eleanor Brewer, whom he had married in Beirut in 1959 but initially left behind in Beirut when he defected in Jan. 1963. Considerable pressure was exerted on the Lebanese government to thwart this appointment, probably by the U.S. or British government and they complied by refusing her security clearance. The next applicant on the list was “Marilyn Letts” hence, because of Kim Philby she was offered the job! As a result I left for the Middle East in May knowing Marilyn would be arriving in Beirut two months later to start work with UNRWA. We had no idea exactly how things would work out but never dreamed it would turn out to be such a spectacular arrangement! The United Nations had now become an integral part of both of our lives!
Military Preparations for Middle East Postings
In the sixties, soldiers received minimal briefing for life in the Middle East! We went over having minimal exposure to the Islamic customs and religion. Nothing was said about the culture and traditions of the people we were to be living amongst! I had been sent on a six week course on Tropical Medicine at McGill University in Montreal (which was excellent) but other than that we had to rely on our own reading or information we could glean from colleagues returning from similar postings. My naive reading consisted of the “Blue Nile” by Alan Muirhead and the “Children of Allah” by Agnes Newton Keith both of which are excellent reads and well recommended but hardly “on topic”! As a result I depended heavily on the information provided to me by my fellow surgical resident colleague Dr. Brien Benoit who had been a Medical Officer in the Sinai a year before and fortunately was posted back to the National Defence Medical Centre where we both were working as surgical MO’s. He gave me a tremendous amount of good advice and information about military life in the desert and how to survive in the Sinai. Dr. Benoit went on to a very successful career as a neurosurgeon, establishing a center of neurosurgical excellence in Ottawa at the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa Hospital.
We were all issued Geneva Convention Identification cards prior to disembarking to the Middle East. It is particularly interesting since the United Nations Emergency Force soldiers were awarded the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize that the originator of the Geneva Convention Henri Dunant was given the first Nobel Peace Prize ever awarded in 1901.
In the sixties, soldiers received minimal briefing for life in the Middle East! We went over having minimal exposure to the Islamic customs and religion. Nothing was said about the culture and traditions of the people we were to be living amongst! I had been sent on a six week course on Tropical Medicine at McGill University in Montreal (which was excellent) but other than that we had to rely on our own reading or information we could glean from colleagues returning from similar postings. My naive reading consisted of the “Blue Nile” by Alan Muirhead and the “Children of Allah” by Agnes Newton Keith both of which are excellent reads and well recommended but hardly “on topic”! As a result I depended heavily on the information provided to me by my fellow surgical resident colleague Dr. Brien Benoit who had been a Medical Officer in the Sinai a year before and fortunately was posted back to the National Defence Medical Centre where we both were working as surgical MO’s. He gave me a tremendous amount of good advice and information about military life in the desert and how to survive in the Sinai. Dr. Benoit went on to a very successful career as a neurosurgeon, establishing a center of neurosurgical excellence in Ottawa at the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa Hospital.
We were all issued Geneva Convention Identification cards prior to disembarking to the Middle East. It is particularly interesting since the United Nations Emergency Force soldiers were awarded the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize that the originator of the Geneva Convention Henri Dunant was given the first Nobel Peace Prize ever awarded in 1901.
 Author’s Geneva Convention ID Card |
 |
His concept of both the |Red Cross and the Geneva Convention arose from a book he published in 1862 about the horrors of war he had personally experienced, entitled “Memoirs of Solferino”. From this book he developed two major proposals that came to be recognized and accepted world wide:
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The first became the genesis of the Red Cross and the second the stimulus for the establishment of the first Geneva Convention in 1864, the modern 1949 version of which has now been ratified by 194 nations.The language is extensive, with articles defining the basic rights of those captured during a military conflict, establishing protections for the wounded, and addressing protections for civilians in and around a war zone. Article 27 was pertinent to the card we were issued which was for “medical personnel and members of religious orders attached to the Canadian Armed Forces” should we be taken prisoner during hostilities or more realistically kidnapped during our service in the Middle East.
“Protected persons are entitled, in all circumstances, to respect for their persons, their honour, their family rights, their religious convictions and practices, and their manners and customs. They shall, at all times, be humanely treated, and shall be protected, especially against all acts of violence or threats thereof and against insults and public curiosity. Women shall be especially protected against any attack on their honour, in particular against rape, enforced prostitution, or any form of indecent assault. Without prejudice to the provisions relating to their state of health, age and sex, all protected persons shall be treated with the same consideration by the Party to the conflict in whose power they are, without any adverse distinction based, in particular, on race, religion or political opinion. However, the Parties to the conflict may take such measures of control and security in regard to protected persons as may be necessary as a result of the war.”
—- Article 27, Fourth Geneva Convention
In diplomacy, the term convention does not have its common meaning as an assembly of people. Rather, it is used in diplomacy to mean an international agreement, or treaty. The first three Geneva Conventions were revised and expanded in 1949, and the fourth was added at that time.
- First Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, 1864
- Second Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, 1906
- Third Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 1929
- Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, 1949
The Geneva Conventions comprise rules that apply in times of armed conflict and seek to protect people who are not or are no longer taking part in hostilities, such as:
- wounded or sick fighters
- prisoners of war
- civilians
- medical and religious personnel
Anticipating Marilyn
One of my first objectives on reaching El Arish was to get up to Beirut and arrange an apartment for Marilyn’s arrival which I did! I was fortunate in being able to reserve a monthly furnished apartment at Rauché overlooking Pigeon Rock which although a little expensive would do until she became “acclimatized” and could find something more practical. This she did within a month of arriving, moving down the hill from Rouché to an apartment block with experts from Australia, and Canada who also worked for UNRWA. The janitor of the building was a Lebanese strong man by the name of Nimir (Tiger) who always had a visible bulge over his left chest (that of a 35 magnum pistol.) He was the guardian of all the tenants in the building and in spite of my initial misgivings regarding his persona; he became a friend and honest broker for us all.
“Pigeon Rock” is a Beirut landmark consisting of two rock formations arising out of the Mediterranean opposite the western area of Beirut known as Rauche. They are a popular photo site and a destination for Corniche walkers. The larger one has a large aperture that water skiers often ski through! The Corniche is high up at this point in Rauche and overlooks the Pigeon Rock formation. It is a popular spot to stop for coffee at one of the several cafes along the beautiful Mediterranean Corniche. Pigeon Rock was one of the views out of Marilyn’s apartment front window!
One of my first objectives on reaching El Arish was to get up to Beirut and arrange an apartment for Marilyn’s arrival which I did! I was fortunate in being able to reserve a monthly furnished apartment at Rauché overlooking Pigeon Rock which although a little expensive would do until she became “acclimatized” and could find something more practical. This she did within a month of arriving, moving down the hill from Rouché to an apartment block with experts from Australia, and Canada who also worked for UNRWA. The janitor of the building was a Lebanese strong man by the name of Nimir (Tiger) who always had a visible bulge over his left chest (that of a 35 magnum pistol.) He was the guardian of all the tenants in the building and in spite of my initial misgivings regarding his persona; he became a friend and honest broker for us all.
“Pigeon Rock” is a Beirut landmark consisting of two rock formations arising out of the Mediterranean opposite the western area of Beirut known as Rauche. They are a popular photo site and a destination for Corniche walkers. The larger one has a large aperture that water skiers often ski through! The Corniche is high up at this point in Rauche and overlooks the Pigeon Rock formation. It is a popular spot to stop for coffee at one of the several cafes along the beautiful Mediterranean Corniche. Pigeon Rock was one of the views out of Marilyn’s apartment front window!
 Pigeon Rock in Rauche, Beirut |
 St Georges Hotel, Beirut home of Kim Philby |
Beirut in 1966 was called “the Paris of the Middle East” It was a beautiful city on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea populated by an industrious people who complimented the magnificent geography of the city and surrounding area. The climate is analogous to San Francisco and allows an individual to ski in the Cedars of Lebanon mountains and swim in the warm waters of the Med on the same day and Marilyn and I were able to prove that indeed you can! Interestingly enough, Beirut is twinned with Quebec City in Canada.
However getting up to meet Marilyn’s plane as she landed in the Middle East in a Muslim society was another story to be related later! (qv Chapter 10)
However getting up to meet Marilyn’s plane as she landed in the Middle East in a Muslim society was another story to be related later! (qv Chapter 10)
The Basics of the Islamic Religion
One of the subjects most of us posted to the Middle East were not adequately prepared for, was an understanding of Islam. In general we had a superficial overview of the religion much as we had for Buddhism, Hinduism or Greek Orthodoxy but Islam is so all pervading in the Middle Eastern countries in that it is part of government, schooling and commerce and consumes the citizens who follow its teachings. Hence in order to understand the people and deal effectively with their needs and problems an appreciation of their Islamic religion was essential and is today mandatory for anyone contemplating living or conducting commerce in the Middle East.
Islam is a monotheistic (one God) religion based on the Holy Scriptures of the Qur’an (Koran) as written by the Prophet Muhammad who heard them directly from Allah (God) through the angel Gabriel between 610 and his death on Jun 8, 632 AD as well as experiences collected during Mohammed’s lifetime by his followers called the “Hadith”. The word “Islam” is a homograph having several meanings including submission and surrender as well as being a triliteral (from a Semitic word root containing a sequence of three consonants s-l-m) of the verb Aslama meaning to accept, surrender or submit. The word Qur’an means “recitation” and it is felt by practising Islamists, that the Qur’an can only be properly interpreted in its original oral Arabic format hence the emphasis on adherents to memorize the Qur’an in Arabic.
Hence the word “Islam” means “peace acquired by the submission to God” and a follower of Islam is a Muslim meaning “one who submits to God.” Muslims accept that their faith was revealed previously by other prophets such as Abraham, Moses and Jesus but that their teachings and revelations were distorted and changed over time.
The five pillars of Islam are the primary duties of each Muslim that must be followed and constitute the community of the religion. The first pillar is profession of the belief that there is but one god Allah and Muhammad is his prophet. The second is the requirement to pray five times a day at fixed times dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The third is the obligation to be charitable and give to the poor and disadvantaged. The fourth is the necessity to participate in the ritual fast for Ramadan. The fifth is the obligation to make a Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime.
The vast majority of Muslims belong to two major sects, the Sunni (87-90%) and the Shia (10-13 %) The two sects have often had their major disagreements somewhat similar to Catholics and Protestants in the Christian religion. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims share the basic Islamic beliefs and articles of faith. The division between Shia and Sunni dates back to the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and the question of who was to take over the leadership of the Muslim nation. Sunni Muslims agree with the position taken by many of the Prophet's companions at the time of his death, that the new leader should be elected from among those capable of the job. This is what was done, and the Prophet Muhammad's close friend and advisor, Abu Bakr, became the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. The word "Sunni" in Arabic comes from a word meaning "one who follows the traditions of the Prophet."
On the other hand, some Muslims shared the belief that leadership should have stayed within the Prophet's own family, among those specifically appointed by him, or among Imams appointed by God Himself. The Shia Muslims believe that following the Prophet Muhammad's death, leadership should have passed directly to his cousin/son-in-law, Ali. Throughout history, Shia Muslims have not recognized the authority of elected Muslim leaders, choosing instead to follow a line of Imams which they believe have been appointed by the Prophet Muhammad or God Himself. The word "Shia" in Arabic means a group or supportive party of people. The Islamic State of Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Azerbaijan have a majority of Shiites and the countries are governed based on the Shia beliefs. The Sunni are in the majority in most of the other Islamic countries including The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon.
One of the subjects most of us posted to the Middle East were not adequately prepared for, was an understanding of Islam. In general we had a superficial overview of the religion much as we had for Buddhism, Hinduism or Greek Orthodoxy but Islam is so all pervading in the Middle Eastern countries in that it is part of government, schooling and commerce and consumes the citizens who follow its teachings. Hence in order to understand the people and deal effectively with their needs and problems an appreciation of their Islamic religion was essential and is today mandatory for anyone contemplating living or conducting commerce in the Middle East.
Islam is a monotheistic (one God) religion based on the Holy Scriptures of the Qur’an (Koran) as written by the Prophet Muhammad who heard them directly from Allah (God) through the angel Gabriel between 610 and his death on Jun 8, 632 AD as well as experiences collected during Mohammed’s lifetime by his followers called the “Hadith”. The word “Islam” is a homograph having several meanings including submission and surrender as well as being a triliteral (from a Semitic word root containing a sequence of three consonants s-l-m) of the verb Aslama meaning to accept, surrender or submit. The word Qur’an means “recitation” and it is felt by practising Islamists, that the Qur’an can only be properly interpreted in its original oral Arabic format hence the emphasis on adherents to memorize the Qur’an in Arabic.
Hence the word “Islam” means “peace acquired by the submission to God” and a follower of Islam is a Muslim meaning “one who submits to God.” Muslims accept that their faith was revealed previously by other prophets such as Abraham, Moses and Jesus but that their teachings and revelations were distorted and changed over time.
The five pillars of Islam are the primary duties of each Muslim that must be followed and constitute the community of the religion. The first pillar is profession of the belief that there is but one god Allah and Muhammad is his prophet. The second is the requirement to pray five times a day at fixed times dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The third is the obligation to be charitable and give to the poor and disadvantaged. The fourth is the necessity to participate in the ritual fast for Ramadan. The fifth is the obligation to make a Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime.
The vast majority of Muslims belong to two major sects, the Sunni (87-90%) and the Shia (10-13 %) The two sects have often had their major disagreements somewhat similar to Catholics and Protestants in the Christian religion. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims share the basic Islamic beliefs and articles of faith. The division between Shia and Sunni dates back to the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and the question of who was to take over the leadership of the Muslim nation. Sunni Muslims agree with the position taken by many of the Prophet's companions at the time of his death, that the new leader should be elected from among those capable of the job. This is what was done, and the Prophet Muhammad's close friend and advisor, Abu Bakr, became the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. The word "Sunni" in Arabic comes from a word meaning "one who follows the traditions of the Prophet."
On the other hand, some Muslims shared the belief that leadership should have stayed within the Prophet's own family, among those specifically appointed by him, or among Imams appointed by God Himself. The Shia Muslims believe that following the Prophet Muhammad's death, leadership should have passed directly to his cousin/son-in-law, Ali. Throughout history, Shia Muslims have not recognized the authority of elected Muslim leaders, choosing instead to follow a line of Imams which they believe have been appointed by the Prophet Muhammad or God Himself. The word "Shia" in Arabic means a group or supportive party of people. The Islamic State of Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Azerbaijan have a majority of Shiites and the countries are governed based on the Shia beliefs. The Sunni are in the majority in most of the other Islamic countries including The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon.
 The Sultan Ahmet Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey |
 Sheikh Zayad Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE |
Islam is now the second largest religion in the world and arguably the fastest growing religion in the world. Islamic law touches on nearly every aspect of life which is why it is important to understand for any Westerner conducting business be it military or commercial in a Moslem country. Islamic law is all encompassing affecting everything from dietary and banking laws to welfare, warfare and Jihad (fighting for the cause of Allah). Jihad is considered the sixth pillar of Islam by many Sunni Muslims. A fatwa is a decision rendered on a difficult subject by a religious scholar familiar with the Qur’an and Hadith. The word came into Western consciousness when the Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini declared a fatwa of execution on author Simon Rushdie for alleged blasphemous comments made in his writings.
Muhammad (c 570 – Jun 8 672) was a religious, military and political leader who is the prophet of Islam. In Muslim tradition he is considered the last and the greatest of a series of prophets including Moses, Abraham, Noah and Jesus.
Thus it is obvious that the Islamic religion is much more encompassing than Westerners first appreciate involving almost every aspect of government, law and societal functioning in countries in which the populace has endorsed the religion. In order to understand and interpret correctly the actions of our Moslem friends as well as those we are negotiating with in business and government it is essential we understand the influence and demands of their faith.
Muhammad (c 570 – Jun 8 672) was a religious, military and political leader who is the prophet of Islam. In Muslim tradition he is considered the last and the greatest of a series of prophets including Moses, Abraham, Noah and Jesus.
Thus it is obvious that the Islamic religion is much more encompassing than Westerners first appreciate involving almost every aspect of government, law and societal functioning in countries in which the populace has endorsed the religion. In order to understand and interpret correctly the actions of our Moslem friends as well as those we are negotiating with in business and government it is essential we understand the influence and demands of their faith.
Evolution of Peacekeeping
The evolution of the term “Peacekeeping” really began with the establishment of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) in 1956 in response to the invasion of Egypt by England, France and Israel in response to Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal. As a result of this crises the suggestion of the establishment of a “Peacekeeping” Force to separate the combatants and enforce the peace as suggested by the Canadian diplomat Lester B. Pearson was agreed to by the major powers as well as those involved in the dispute and the term “Peacekeeping” was born as a form of collective action. Although “Peace Observation” had been previously utilized, the employment of armed forces to ensure the Peace had not. The International Peace Academy thus defined “Peacekeeping” as “the prevention, containment, moderation and termination of hostilities between or within states through the medium of third- party intervention, organized and directed internationally, using multinational military, police and civilian personnel to restore and maintain Peace.” The underlying objective of “Peacekeeping” is NOT military confrontation but rather negotiation and consensus building to achieve a lasting Peace through diplomacy to achieve a political solution. Unfortunately it was the lack of such diplomacy that ultimately led to the demise of UNEF.
With this brief introduction to the beginnings of my military “career” prior to my posting to the Sinai desert, as well as a cursory glimpse into the Islamic origins of the Middle East, and the origins of “Peacekeeping,” we are ready to explore the history of the United Nations Emergency Force through the eyes of a Sinai military surgeon.
The evolution of the term “Peacekeeping” really began with the establishment of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) in 1956 in response to the invasion of Egypt by England, France and Israel in response to Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal. As a result of this crises the suggestion of the establishment of a “Peacekeeping” Force to separate the combatants and enforce the peace as suggested by the Canadian diplomat Lester B. Pearson was agreed to by the major powers as well as those involved in the dispute and the term “Peacekeeping” was born as a form of collective action. Although “Peace Observation” had been previously utilized, the employment of armed forces to ensure the Peace had not. The International Peace Academy thus defined “Peacekeeping” as “the prevention, containment, moderation and termination of hostilities between or within states through the medium of third- party intervention, organized and directed internationally, using multinational military, police and civilian personnel to restore and maintain Peace.” The underlying objective of “Peacekeeping” is NOT military confrontation but rather negotiation and consensus building to achieve a lasting Peace through diplomacy to achieve a political solution. Unfortunately it was the lack of such diplomacy that ultimately led to the demise of UNEF.
With this brief introduction to the beginnings of my military “career” prior to my posting to the Sinai desert, as well as a cursory glimpse into the Islamic origins of the Middle East, and the origins of “Peacekeeping,” we are ready to explore the history of the United Nations Emergency Force through the eyes of a Sinai military surgeon.
 UN Peacekeepers patrolling on camels (Photo credit Dawit Rezene) |
 Canadian UNEF Peacekeepers observing on the International Frontier between Israel and Egypt in the Sinai. (DND Photo) |
