This is the story of the men and women of 23 Field Squadron - Op Archer Roto 2, comprising soldiers, sailors and airmen drawn from across the Canadian Forces and beyond. The intent of this book is to mesh their very personal stories with the Squadron War Diary, all within the framework of the overall 1 RCR Battle Group mission.

DEDICATION

By the Squadron,

For the Squadron

-

For Shane

“If in the future, another unit is raised to bear the name of this Company, which was born of this war, then it shall have a proud tradition to uphold.”

The Twenty-Third Story

(War Diary - 23 Field Company, RCE WW2)

Through the eyes of thirteen members of 23 Field Squadron, relive the early days of the war in Kandahar and the coming of age of a squadron recorded in graphic detail. The reader experiences the large scale battles with Taliban fighters during Operation Medusa, the building of Route Summit and the construction of key Forward Operating Bases. Accompany them as they fight off insurgent attacks along ‘Ambush Alley', dodge mortar fire and dispose of the many improvised explosive devices that litter the landscape.

These stories expose the raw bedlam, ironic moments and absurdities of war at the soldier-level. It is replete with little nuggets of wisdom and soldier-philosophy that will bring a wry and knowing grin to the face of those who have experienced combat. Clearing the Way highlights the ingenuity of our soldiers and in particular of our sappers, regardless of the seemingly impossible demands made of them.

Major Gasparotto writes from the perspective of the Officer Commanding the Squadron - an eclectic group of combat engineers, explosive ordnance disposal operators, electronic warfare specialists, armoured soldiers and engineers, heavy equipment operators, geomatic technicians, and various support and headquarters staff. His narrative provides the thread for the individual accounts of battle of his soldiers, senior non-commissioned members and junior officers.

Meet Master Corporal Lance Hooper as he survives three separate explosions and Corporal Clint Orr in his attempt to extricate a LAV with a bulldozer during the assault on the ‘White School’. Come to know the members of the badly mauled 2 Troop as they build Route Summit, all the while in constant and close contact with the enemy. Witness Captain Anthony Robb and his men who transform a desolate hillside into a formidable fortress. Also featured, is Petty Officer Second Class Jim Leith as he diffuses an improvised explosive device with only his bayonet, after having just survived a road-side bomb strike that destroyed his vehicle and all of his equipment. These, amongst many others, are the stories of Clearing the Way.