Fellow Gunners, 

Earlier this year I volunteered to help with research for the “With a Few Guns” book project, an unofficial history of Canadian Gunners in Afghanistan.

 It has been difficult for the authors to create the narrative, as they cannot get access to official records like unit war diaries. Instead they must rely entirely on personal anecdotes to build the story. Perhaps it’s better this way.

I put this video together as a means to make people aware of this project, and what is emerging as a theme because of the approach being used. This is about family, the bigger Regimental family, and one’s own personal family, we all went through that time together. The cycle of activity resonated with each tour: the preparation, painful goodbyes, settling in followed quickly by deploying out into the unknown, the suddenness of violence, the feelings of loss, resignation but then resilience; the joy and relief on returning home, tempered with the sorrow and shared grief for those who did not come back

For many of us remembrance day has become very personal, as we reflect on our experiences, and those who went through it with us, I hope you might consider sharing your stories, and help keep the memory alive. Please send an email to withafewguns@gmail.com and avecquelquescanons@gmail.com. Materials used for the book will be archived at the RCA Museum.

MrGnr (Ret’d) Kevin Smith