bobdina
08-28-2010, 10:49 AM
Soldiers receive bravery honours
By QMI Agency
CFB VALCARTIER, Que. – Blinded by dust and smoke from a Taliban suicide attack at a NATO base in Kandahar, Sgt. Marc-Andre Rousseau killed eight enemy fighters who tried to invade the installation on Aug. 3.
Rousseau and two other soldiers received bravery honours for turning back the attack at the gates of the massive base in southern Afghanistan.
It’s extremely rare for insurgents to attack the heavily-fortified NATO installation. The Taliban usually launch rocket attacks from a distance.
Rousseau, Sapper Kirk Farrell and Cpl. Joseph Henry were testing new equipment around 11 a.m. when they heard a blast.
“Bombs that had been set on a tractor suddenly exploded, ” said Rousseau, who is based at CFB Valcartier near Quebec City.
The Taliban were trying to breach the perimeter defences to invade the base and detonate more explosives. The terrorists began firing their machine-guns and rockets.
“I didn’t see the explosion but I saw a rocket fall 50 metres from me. ”
Rousseau, Farrell and Henry ran to the nearest bunker to take cover and they could hear gunshots not far away.
“That’s when I decided to return fire,” said the sergeant.
“We headed for our vehicle, which was inside the perimeter and we noticed one of the Taliban was inside.”
Rousseau took a seat at the turret position while Farrell took the driver's seat and Henry handled communications. Just as Rousseau had set his sights on a Taliban fighter, the man blew himself up.
Several other fighters had entered the base by this point and Rousseau opened fire with his heavy artillery. The insurgents were blown to bits by the 25-millimetre rounds.
“The fight lasted about minute and a half,” said Rousseau. “The dust hadn’t yet settled but we knew the fight was over.”
Farrell, who is based at CFB Petawawa in eastern Ontario, was cited for having quickly activated the LAV. Henry, based at Valcartier, received honours for using the communications system to keep his commander up to date.
Royal Air Force Commodore Gordon Moulds presented all three men with a plaque earlier this month outside Task Force Kandahar headquarters.
For Rousseau, who enlisted to fight terrorism, it was mission accomplished. He is scheduled to return to Canada next month following a 17-month tour of duty.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/08/27/15164691.html
By QMI Agency
CFB VALCARTIER, Que. – Blinded by dust and smoke from a Taliban suicide attack at a NATO base in Kandahar, Sgt. Marc-Andre Rousseau killed eight enemy fighters who tried to invade the installation on Aug. 3.
Rousseau and two other soldiers received bravery honours for turning back the attack at the gates of the massive base in southern Afghanistan.
It’s extremely rare for insurgents to attack the heavily-fortified NATO installation. The Taliban usually launch rocket attacks from a distance.
Rousseau, Sapper Kirk Farrell and Cpl. Joseph Henry were testing new equipment around 11 a.m. when they heard a blast.
“Bombs that had been set on a tractor suddenly exploded, ” said Rousseau, who is based at CFB Valcartier near Quebec City.
The Taliban were trying to breach the perimeter defences to invade the base and detonate more explosives. The terrorists began firing their machine-guns and rockets.
“I didn’t see the explosion but I saw a rocket fall 50 metres from me. ”
Rousseau, Farrell and Henry ran to the nearest bunker to take cover and they could hear gunshots not far away.
“That’s when I decided to return fire,” said the sergeant.
“We headed for our vehicle, which was inside the perimeter and we noticed one of the Taliban was inside.”
Rousseau took a seat at the turret position while Farrell took the driver's seat and Henry handled communications. Just as Rousseau had set his sights on a Taliban fighter, the man blew himself up.
Several other fighters had entered the base by this point and Rousseau opened fire with his heavy artillery. The insurgents were blown to bits by the 25-millimetre rounds.
“The fight lasted about minute and a half,” said Rousseau. “The dust hadn’t yet settled but we knew the fight was over.”
Farrell, who is based at CFB Petawawa in eastern Ontario, was cited for having quickly activated the LAV. Henry, based at Valcartier, received honours for using the communications system to keep his commander up to date.
Royal Air Force Commodore Gordon Moulds presented all three men with a plaque earlier this month outside Task Force Kandahar headquarters.
For Rousseau, who enlisted to fight terrorism, it was mission accomplished. He is scheduled to return to Canada next month following a 17-month tour of duty.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/08/27/15164691.html