Veterans and Families Stories

The stories of those who served in the Balkans - and the Families who supported them form the heart of this commemoration. Your history capture moments of courage, fear, hardship, humour, healing and sacrifice. By sharing them, we honour the contributions and accomplishments of all who served in the Balkans and their families.   These histories will be preserved so that future generations and historians will be able to access them in order to ensure that we are not forgotten.

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Deployed: Canadian Army Reservists Overseas, 2017, CWO Chris Tucker, Part 2

In 2016, Mike Vernon interviewed 48 Alberta army reservists--serving and retired--about their experiences while deployed overseas from the Middle East, to Africa, the Balkans, and Afghanistan. 
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Interview
Stabilisation Force (SFOR)

16 Tank Transporter Squadron, Andy J Hyndman photos

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Written Story
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, Sebrenica, 1993, GT, 2R22R, Sylvain Verreault photos

Srebrenica 1993, 2R22eR, Sylvain Verreault photos
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Written Story
Stabilisation Force (SFOR)

SFOR, OP PALLADIUM, Fall 2003 to Spring 2004, Robert Kelly Photos

Velika Kladuša, 2003-2004
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Written Story
Stabilisation Force (SFOR)

SFOR, OP PALLADIUM, Roto 13, RCD Battle Group, Fall 2003 to Spring 2004, Chris Banks Photos

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Written Story
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, PPCLI, C Company, Croatia, 1993, Shawn McKinstry photos

Croatia 1993. C Coy 2PPCLI.
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UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, 1993, Jodie Yeo photos

Jordie Yeo, wounded in 1993
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Written Story
Stabilisation Force (SFOR)

UNPROFOR 1994-95, and SFOR 1998-1999, A Sqn RCD - 3 RCR Battle Group, Thomas Skelding Photos

SFOR, A Sqn RCD - 3 RCR Battle Group, 1988-1989, Thomas Skelding Photo
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UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, PPCLI, Max Rushton Photos

PPCLI, 42C "The Suffering 6", Croatia.
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Written Story
Balkans35 Patrons

Balkans35 Patron: Lieutenant General (retd) Peter John Devlin, CMM, MSC, CD, ICD.D, GCB.D

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Written Story
Balkans35 Patrons

Balkans35 Patron: Major-General (retd) Lewis Wharton MacKenzie CM, MSC, OOnt, CD

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Written Story
Balkans35 Patrons

Balkans35 Patron: Michael Burns

Michael Burns
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Balkans35 Patrons

Balkans35 Patron: General (retd) Wayne Donald Eyre, CMM, MSC, CD

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Balkans35 Patrons

Balkans35 Patron: Lieutenant-General (retd) J.O. Michel Maisonneuve, CMM, MSC, CD

Balkans35 Patron: Lieutenant-General (retd) J.O. Michel Maisonneuve, CMM, MSC, CD
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Stabilisation Force (SFOR)

SFOR, OP PALLADIUM, Roto 13, Paul Hale Photos

Op Palladium Roto 13, Paul Hale Photos
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Written Story
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, 1994, IFOR, 1996, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Battle Group, Anthony Sewards Photos

UNPROFOR, 1994, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Battle Group, Anthony Sewards Photos
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Written Story
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, OP HARMONY, 1 R22eR BG Roto 0, Apr-Oct 1992, Rob Claypool

1 R22eR BG Roto 0 Op Harmony Apr-Oct 1992
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Written Story
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, 2nd Battalion RCR, 1992-93, Chris Deveaux photos

UNPROFOR, 3 Platoon, Gulf Coy, 2RCR. At the “Stables” in Lipik, Croatia winter of 92-93.
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Written Story
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, 1992-93 UNHQ, UNMP, West Sector near Lipik, Croatia, Yves Lagueux Photos

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Written Story
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, OP HARMONY, 3 PPCLI in Croatia, October 1992 to April 1993, Guylaine Plamondon

MCpl Guylaine Plamondon B Coy Clerk, Novo Selo-Spanovica, Croatia, OP HARMONY 3 PPCLI, October 1992 to April 1993
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Interview
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

UNPROFOR, Military Observers in Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia, Major (Retired) David MacDonald

On patrol near KARLOVAC in CROATIA, summer of 1992. My team was MO20 and we patrolled on the CROATIAN side on SECTOR NORTH near TURANJ. This was the main crossing site into SECTOR NORTH and the current home of the Museum Domovinskog rata Karlovac - Turanj. The Soviet-built T-34-85 medium tank was still in action in 1991.
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Written Story
Stabilisation Force (SFOR)

SFOR, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 1997, Major (Retired) Harold Skaarup

Major Hal Skaarup, Sgt Chris Free, beside a wrecked Yugoslav BVP-M-80 , Dec 1997.
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Written Story
Gallery of Images

UNPROFOR, Op HARMONY, 1 PPCLI, Croatia, June 1994, Mike Vernon Photos

Welcome to Kamp Krusty, C Company, 1 PPCLI Croatia 1994.
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Written Story
UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH)

Canadian UN Missions in the Balkans, 1991-2007, Patrick-Aurel Fournier

A Canadian soldier, on United Nations peacekeeping duty in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. (DND Photo)
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Written Story
Non-Article 5 NATO Operations in the Balkans

Deployed: Canadian Army Reservists Overseas, 2017, CWO Chris Tucker, Part I

2016, Mike Vernon interviews with 48 Alberta army reservists veterans on their experiences during missions overseas
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Interview
UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

Stand Off at Kakma: The Intricacies of Peacekeeping in Croatia, June 1994, Mike Vernon

Article by Mike Vernaon, Freelance journalist with First Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in June 1994
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Written Story

More Canadian Veterans’ Stories

Take a moment to explore the powerful and personal stories of Canadian veterans, and learn more about the lives, experiences, and sacrifices behind the service.
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