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

3 PPCLI B Company "Woods Company: An Overview - 17 November 1992

B Coy 5 Pl - Permanent Vehicle Checkpoint.

‍With the arrival of the final troops from Winnipeg, B Company has finally reached its full complement of 133. The company is deployed in the western part of the Canadian sector, which has been given the name “Sanctuary Woods”, after the First World War battle where the Regiment distinguished itself. The name is particularly apt for the company’s area is the most rugged of any part of the battalion’s sector; wooded, hilly, terrain varying between 200 and 700m above sea level, with the lower slopes devoted to agriculture. There are a number of small villages scattered throughout the area, most of which are lait out in a linear fashion; typical farming communities with a row of houses on each side of the road and fields behind. Corn seems to be the most common crop. The largest of these villages, Siraĉ, has a population of about 1000 that is predominantly Croatian. Many of the other hamlets were largely Serbian, and these now stand silent, their inhabitants having fled during the civil war in this region. Many of these abandoned homes have since been destroyed, blown up or burnt, and their skeletons lining the roads lend a bleak air to the otherwise attractive countryside.

B Company’s area of responsibility is also the largest in the battalion, encompassing some 400 square kilometres. Consequently, the various sub-units of the company area scattered over a wide area. Company headquarters and the reserve platoon (4 platoon) are located in the abandoned hamlet of Novo Selo (this being the Serb name for it, the Croats referring to it as Španovica). A former school serves to house the company and platoon offices, the kitchen, dining room, TV room, and storerooms, besides acting as the quarters for twenty-odd people. Needless to say, this is a busy place. The majority of 4 platoon are still living in tents, but should soon move into the trailers  that are currently under construction. The food has been excellent so far, the company’s cooks being ably assisted byseveral local women. For recreation, a satellite TV and VCR have helped to fill the idle moments, which so early in the tour have understandably been few.

5 Platoon is responsible for the southern part of the company’s area and they have divided their force in two. Platoon headquarters and one section are living in an abandoned house in the village of Dragovic, where they man a permanent vehicle checkpoint immediately outside. The facilities here are similar to those in Novo Selo. A second section is living in Gornja Šumetlica, Southeast of Dragoviĉ, the only town within the company’s area that is on the Serbian side of the cease fire line. The last section is living in their own house. Two checkpoints control entry and exit to the company’s area by the main route passing through it.

6 Platoon is spread across the north of the company’s area. Platoon headquarters and two sections are located in the town of Bijela. The third section is presently based in Gornje Borki, in the northeast of the Company’s area, but this heavily forested region has been so quiet that the transfer of this section into the town of Siraĉ is being considered, to establish a UN presence there.

Thus far the company has been occupied with three primary tasks. Firstly, it has manned a number of permanent vehicle checkpoints, as well as establishing temporarily (for 1-4 hours) mobile checkpoints intended to interdict the flow of weapons into the demilitarised UN protected area (UNPA). Secondly, the company has been patrolling, both in vehicles and on foot, with the aims of maintaining the UN  presence throughout the area, and of familiarizing the members of the company with their area of operations for the next few months. Finally, the company has an obvious concern with the quality of its accommodations and some effort has been made to stop leaking roofs and cover shattered windows with plastic. The next task is to establish a rapport with the local inhabitants and their infrastructure, a relationship that can potentially ease the company’s work in the months to come.

Patrolling Dragovic Road.

B Coy Clerk - Checking things out.

M113s in UN markings.

Preparing the site for training.

Sgt Gilles Payette.

Camp Polom - Fall 1992.

Camp Polom - OR.

Relaxing at the rink.

Taking a break at B Coy HQ.

A happy crew.

Preparing to go out on a patrol.

Taking a break at B Coy.

On point.

Phan.

MCpl "Big Jim" Stone - B Coy Medic - Blood drive.

MCpl Terry Orser - C Coy Clerk.

Bijela House - B Coy HQ - Home Sweet Home.

Across B Coy HQ - Dragovic Road.

Across B Coy HQ - Dragovic Road-2.

Trying to pull out an APC from the creek.

Trying to pull out an APC from the creek - stuck under the bridge.

B Coy veh tech working on a APC.

B Coy veh tech working on a APC-2.

Installing barb wire

Refuelling for the shower water tank.

B Coy HQ - Sandbagging at work.

B Coy Bijela House - HQ-OR - Located in Novo Selo-Spanovica - MCpl Guylaine Plamondon B Coy Clerk.

Ops WO - WO Jim Ogden.

B Coy Radio Room, WO Jim Ogden, Novo Selo-Spanovica, Croatia.

Working on B Coy HQ.

Repairing the roof to stop leaks.

Training.

Cpl in the training area.

Training.

MCpl Guylaine Plamondon - a brief escape from the OR.

Escorting civilians to visit family.

Confiscated Russian Weapons.

Christmas in Croatia.

Christmas dinner.

Christmas dinner.

Christmas dinner.

B Coy Bijela House - HQ-OR - Located in Novo Selo-Spanovica-1.

Medal Parade March 1993

Medal Presentation Parade - March 1993-11.

Lady Patricia presenting UNPROFOR medal.

Lady Patricia presenting UNPROFOR medal.

Some of the Company clerks with 3 PPCLI - Oct 92-Apr 93.

3 PPCLI - All clerks with the Battalion - Oct 92-Apr 93.

3 PPCLI - Freedom of the City parade in 1993 at the Legislature Victoria, British Columbia.

Units Participating in Operation Harmony, October 1992 to April 1993

This is a listing of all of the units represented in the 3 PPCLI Battalion Group in Croatia. It includes everyone currently a member of the Battalion as well as all those who were members ofthe original NSE before it became the CCSG.

3^rd Battalion PrincessPatricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians)

The British Columbia Regiment (Duke ofConnaught’s Own) (RCAC)

The South Alberta Light Horse

The Saskatchewan Dragoons

The King’s Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC)

The British Columbia Dragoons

The Fort Garry Horse

10^th Field ArtilleryRegiment RCA

15^th Field ArtilleryRegiment RCA

26^th Field ArtilleryRegiment RCA

1 Combat Engineer Regiment

5 Combat Engineer Regiment

6^th Field Engineer Squadron(M)

8^th Field Engineer Squadron(M)

21^st Field EngineerSquadron (M)

44^th Field EngineerSquadron (M)

1 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters andSignal Squadron

71 Communication Group Headquarters

74 Communication Group Headquarters

706Communication Squadron

711Communication Squadron

731Communication Squadron

1^st Battalion PrincessPatricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

2^nd Battalion PrincessPatricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry(Wentworth Regiment)

The Brockville Rifles

Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders

The Royal Winnipeg Rifles

The Essex and Kent Scottish

48^th Highlanders of Canada

The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment

The North Saskatchewan Regiment

The Royal Regina Rifles

The Rocky Mountain Rangers

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4^th RegimentPPCLI)

The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders ofCanada

The Royal Westminster Regiment

The Calgary Highlanders

The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada

The Canadian Scottish Regiment (PrincessMary’s)

1 Service Battalion

4 Service Battalion

11 (Victoria) Service Battalion

14 (Calgary) Service Battalion

15 (Edmonton) Service Battalion

16 (Saskatchewan) Service Battalion

17 (Winnipeg) Service Battalion

1 Field Ambulance

11 (Victoria) Medical Company

12 (Vancouver) Medical Company

17 (Winnipeg) Medical Company

18 (Thunder Bay) Medical Company

1 Military Police Platoon

Canadian Service Prison and DetentionBarracks

National Defence HeadquartersAdministrative Unit

Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School

Canadian Forces Photographic Unit

Canadian Forces Postal Station Victoria

Canadian Forces Postal Unit AtlanticDetachment

Total 60

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