The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment Association Collection

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Essex and Kent Scottish Overseas Deployments after WW2

After the Second World War most regiments returned to non-active service typical of Reserve Army units and are only deployed at full strength during crises or military emergencies. The Essex and Kent Scottish is typical of the Army Reserve and deployed individuals or sub-units on operations overseas to augment the Regular Force units and provide Reserve members with operational experience. A typical operation tour overseas is usually six months, but on rare occasions it may last for a full year.

For example, in 1977 Corporals D.L. Black and K. Martin, along with Master Corporal J.R. Scratch were deployed to Egypt as peacekeepers with the United Nations Emergency Force Middle East II in response to the Yom-Kippur war between Israel and Egypt in 1973. They each served one rotation before being replaced by Corporal H. Woolley. Although the Yom-Kipper War only lasted from 6 to 25 October 1973, several thousand casualties were sustained on both sides. To ensure the ceasefire was maintained between the two states, the UN established a buffer zone between them with peacekeepers from eleven nations, including Canada. If one side wanted to invade the other, they had to first encounter the peacekeepers. Service in a buffer zone was always tense; war could break out any day, and it was the peacekeepers' duty to be in the middle of it. Men from the Essex and Kent Scottish were deployed to Egypt for two rotations until the Emergency Force was disbanded in 1979.

In 1964, the nation of Cyprus descended into civil war. Violent guerilla fighting and ethnic conflict broke out between the Greek majority and Turkish minority populations. This fighting threatened to draw NATO allies, Greece and Turkey into full-scale war. In response to this, a UN peacekeeping force and buffer zones were established on the island. Canadian, Finnish, Irish, and Swedish forces were deployed immediately. Canadian involvement in the UN mission was codenamed Operation SNOWGOOSE. Soldiers from the Essex and Kent Scottish were not deployed to SNOWGOOSE until 1986 when Corporals Cheng, Khun, Taggart, and Keddie were assigned on rotation in the capital city of Nicosia. Several other members of the E&K Scot were sent to Nicosia on rotation in 1990 and 1993. A total of ten soldiers were sent to Cyprus. The UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus is still active today but with a very small force.

In mid-April 1992, the nation of Yugoslavia collapsed, shattering into several different countries. These new nations became embroiled in ethnic conflict and, eventually, genocide. Several UN peacekeeping and NATO peace enforcing missions were launched in response to create buffer zones between the countless factions of paramilitaries. Members of the Essex and Kent Scottish were deployed to Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, codenamed Operation HARMONY and Operation PALLADIUM respectively. Twelve soldiers were deployed for two rotations in Croatia from 1994 to 1995. In Bosnia, twenty-six soldiers served five rotations from 1998 to 2005. Operation PALLADIUM was based mainly in the city of Sarajevo. The situation in Bosnia was particularly tense, as ethnic cleansing and genocide was rampant in the countryside. Establishing an effective buffer zone in Bosnia was difficult due to the remote terrain and ethnic divides among the populations. A total of 38 soldiers from the Regiment served in the Balkans during the numerous conflicts in the region.

In 2001, American forces began a full-scale occupation of Afghanistan in response to terrorist attacks on 11 September. Soon Canada and other NATO Allies deployed forces. The largest overseas deployment of soldiers from the Regiment was in Afghanistan from 2004 to 2015. Fifty-six members of the Regiment were deployed on three separate operations: ATHENA, ARCHER and ATTENTION. They were deployed to both Kabul and Kandahar. Fighting was particularly heavy in Afghanistan and 152 soldiers were killed, many wounded and many more suffering from PTSD. Canada’s military involvement in Afghanistan ended in 2015.

In recent years soldiers from the Essex and Kent Scottish have been deployed on rotation to Latvia (Op REASSURANCE) and Ukraine (Op UNIFIER) as part of NATO forward deterrence and also in support of Allied presence and military training in Lebanon, Syria and Kuwait (Op IMPACT).

The numerous overseas deployments of the Essex and Kent Scottish showcases the semi-active role that Canadian reserve regiments can play by providing provide specialists and supplement personnel for Regular Force units. Members that do deploy are valuable instructors for the rest of the Regiment. Having a well-trained, experienced infantry reserve has allowed the Canadian Army to maintain numerous peacekeeping, peace enforcing and deterrence operations around the globe.

Story by Calvin Barrett, Canada Summer Jobs 2022 participant
with The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment Association

Sources:

Story by Calvin Barrett, Canada Summer Jobs 2022 participant
with The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment Association

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