Our guest speaker tonight was introduced by Nancy Morris. Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Coffin joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1999 and graduated from the Royal Military College (RMC) in 2003. Following Air Navigator wings training, he became a Tactical Navigator on the CC-130H Hercules supporting the CAF all over the world. Most notably, he has deployed on a number of occasions to support operations in Afghanistan.
LCol Coffin switched to search and rescue in 2009, where he supported SAR operations throughout Canada and quickly became an instructor at the SAR Hercules Operational Training Unit, 426 Sqn.
In 2014, LCol Coffin deployed on Op REASSURANCE – Canada’s contribution to NATO’s response to the annexation of Crimea. He split his 7.5 months away as part of Air Task Force (ATF) Romania and then ATF Lithuania.
From 2016-2018 he took his family on an exotic posting to Comox, B.C. where he was Commandant of the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue. As of July 2018, LCol Coffin is the Commanding Officer of 435 (Transport and Rescue) Squadron based out of 17 Wing, Winnipeg.
He is an avid sports enthusiast making time for any sport. If you can’t find him training at the track for his next race, then you’ll probably find him in the hockey rink. An ideal day is spent with the family – his wife, Carolyn and two children, Trevor and Elyse.
LCol Coffin advised that Remembrance Day is really a part of Veterans Week. This is a time to show our thanks to anyone in the military past or present as well as their family for all that they have sacrificed as well. The sacrifices can be big or small, but all deserve to be recognized.
1.- Time of day- Remembrance Services begin at 11:00 am. This is because in WW I the armistice was signed at 5:00am on November 11, 1918. The actual ceasefire was set to begin at 11:00am. The First World War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.
2.- The poppy – We all wear a poppy to signify our remembrance. The significance of the poppy can be traced back to the Napoleonic Wars in the 19th century, over 110 years before being adopted in Canada. Records from that time indicate how thick poppies grew over the graves of soldiers in the area of Flanders, France.
The person who first introduced the poppy to Canada and the Commonwealth was Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of Guelph, Ontario, a Canadian Medical Officer during the First World War. John McCrae penned the poem “In Flanders Fields” on a scrap of paper in May, 1915 on the day following the death of a fellow soldier. Little did he know then that those 13 lines would become enshrined in the hearts and minds of all who would wear them. McCrae’s poem was published in Punch Magazine in December of that same year, and the poem later served as inspiration three years later for Moina Michael, an American teacher. Moina Michael made a pledge to always wear a poppy as a sign of remembrance.
During a visit to the United States in 1920, a French woman named Madame Guerin learned of the custom. Madame Guerin decided to make and sell poppies to raise money for children in war-torn areas of France. The Great War Veteran’s Association in Canada (Legion predecessor) officially adopted the poppy as its Flower of Remembrance on July 5, 1921.
3.- Flags flown at half-mast – On Remembrance Day, flags are flown at half-mast from 11:00am until sunset. This is to honour all Canadians that have served their country. The half-mast tradition has developed important meaning over time, but its exact origins are a little unclear. Many historians point to a British expedition to Canada in 1612 aboard the ship Heart's Ease. The captain, James Hall, was killed by an Inuit spear, and the crew lowered the ship's flag to half-mast. This may have partly been to signal to those who had gone inland that something had gone wrong, but sailor superstitions may also have had a role. According to tradition, the ship's flag was put at half-mast to make room for the invisible flag of death. In fact, when the ship returned to London, the ship's flag was still at half-mast, implying that the crew was still sailing under death's flag.
4.- Soldiers standing vigil- The more modern drill of “resting on arms reversed” can trace its origins back to the funeral of the Duke of Malborough in 1722. However, in 1586, when the remains of Sir Philip Sidney of Arnhem were being loaded aboard ship for repatriation back to England, it was observed that his funeral “procession” consisted of: “1200 of the English soldiers walking three abreast and trailing their swords and muskets in the dust …”
And again at his funeral in London: “A hundred and twenty unarmed civilians were in attendance, and about 300 citizens trained for war, all holding their weapons reversed.”
This “neglect of arms” was deliberate as it was meant to suggest that the soldiers were so despondent or overwhelmed with grief that they were unable to uphold their normal outward display of strict drill and deportment.
5.- Wreaths and cenotaphs – These were popularized after 1919. The cenotaph has its origin in a temporary wood and plaster structure designed by Edwin Lutyens for a peace parade following the end of the First World War located on Whitehall, London. For some time after the parade, the base of the memorial was covered with flowers and wreaths by members of the public. Pressure mounted to retain it, and the British War Cabinet decided on 30 July 1919 that a permanent memorial should replace the wooden version and be designated Britain's official national war memorial. The memorial was unveiled by King George V on 11 November 1920, the second anniversary of the Armistice with Germany which ended the First World War.
6.- Bugle calls – “Reveille” and “Last Post”. During a soldier’s regular day, “Reveille” is a wake-up call and “Last Post” would be sounded to signal that the camp was secure and that all sentry posts were manned and ready. For Remembrance Day ceremonies, the use of “Last Post” and “Reveille” is used to draw the symbolic association between the soldier’s last duty of “sitting sentry” (death) and his “rising” above his mortal duties (reveille).
7.- Memorial Silver Cross - The Memorial Cross (more often referred to as the Silver Cross) was first authorized on December 1, 1919 as a memento of personal loss and sacrifice on the part of widows and mothers of Canadian sailors, aviators and soldiers who died for their country during the war.
Three Military Milestones in 2019
1.- 75th Anniversary of D-Day – Battle of Normandy. On June 6, 1944 there were 150,000 soldiers as part of the massive allied amphibious landing in Normandy, France. 14,000 of those soldiers were Canadian. 356 Canadian soldiers gave the ultimate sacrifice that day.
2.- 70th Anniversary of NATO. On April 4, 2019, members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mark the 70th anniversary of one of the strongest alliances in history. NATO delivers peace and security to nearly 1 billion people through its 29 members' commitment to keep each other safe, no matter the threat. Canada joined NATO in 1949 with the goal of helping to provide stability and peace in the North Atlantic region.
3.- 5th Anniversary of the End of Mission in Afghanistan. The number of Canadian Forces' fatalities resulting from Canadian military activities in Afghanistan is the largest for any single Canadian military mission since the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. A total of 159 Canadian Forces personnel have been killed in the war since 2002. There were 7 civilians killed while under Canadian control as well as 40 U.S.A. soldiers also killed while under Canadian command.
Silver Cross Mother 2019
Mrs. Reine Samson Dawe
Mrs. Dawe's son, Captain Matthew J. Dawe, was the Commander of 8 Platoon, C Company, 3 Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Battalion (3 PPCLI). His company was part of 2 Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group (2 RCR BG) serving in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was killed in action in Afghanistan on July 4, 2007. LCol Coffin was his friend.
When you go home, tell them of us and say: For your tomorrow, we gave our today. John Maxwell Edmonds
Never Forget. LCol Coffin advised that it has been an honour to be here tonight. He recognizes how Rotary gives back to the community.
Q/A
1.- Chuck Crocker asked how many personal are stationed at 17 Wing, Winnipeg?
A. ~ 3,000 regular / staff / civilian. There are 220 in Search & rescue.
2.- Ed Thompson asked how Canadian military is getting along with U.S.A. military.
A.- A great relationship exists at the working level, on deployments. We know what our job is. (There may be a little issue at the political level).
3.- Jim Forestell asked LCol Coffin to describe a little about the refueling side of his career.
A.- In the mid 1990’s Canada bought 5 tanker C130’s. (only have 4 now due to an incident with one). These Hercs are plumbed for air to air refueling of jets. There is a basket at the end of the wing that deploys to a length of 70 feet. The jet then maneuvers up to the basket to latch-in with a probe. Canada has “Northern Sovereignty Operations”. Canada also has an “Air Defense Identification Zone”. If there is a need, jets are scrambled from Cold Lake, Alberta. The refueling C130 is also scrambled. The ‘Air Refueling’ and ‘Search & Rescue’ are on standby 24/7.
4.- Iain Scott questioned how long to fly to the DEW Line?
A.- 4 to 5 hours. Search & Rescue from 17 Wing, Winnipeg covers the area from Thunder Bay to The Rockies to the North Pole. They can have transit times up to 7 hours.
5.- Iain Scott was concerned about cruise ship transit of the North-West passage. Who would respond to a situation with these cruise ships?
A.- Not designed to deal with this type of disaster situation. There are ‘Contingency Operations’ designed for crisis situations. This would start with air delivery of SAR Techs & supplies, then camps developed with the addition of further staffing as required being brought in.
Operation LENTUS is the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) response to natural disasters in Canada. ... Operation LENTUS follows an established plan of action to support communities in crisis. This plan can be adapted to multiple situations. These might take the form of forest fires, floods, ice storms, or hurricanes.
6.-Chuck Crocker asked how the Alert Base in northern Canada is powered?
A.- Fuel is brought in by airplane.
Glenn Campbell thanked LCol Coffin for his presentation. Glenn stated that we were very fortunate to have him come out tonight on short notice. We will all be much more informed this year on November 11th. LCol Coffin was advised that a donation in his name would be made to ShelterBox.
President Mandy backed up the thank-you with expressing what a fantastic presentation. Also stating “Respect your military. Thank you for your service”.
