15 Oct 08 - Three CF Troops on Foot Ptl Injured in IED Blast

[The Bread Guy]

Regiment releases name of injured Sudbury soldier
Sudbury Star, 17 Oct 08
Article link

Sudbury's 2nd Battalion Irish Regiment of Canada has released the name of a member critically injured this week in Afghanistan.  (Corporal) Bill Kerr was on his second tour of duty in the country, and was serving as an infantry soldier with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment when he was hurt. He was a member of (an observer) mentor team.  Kerr, the father of two, has been a member of the 2nd Irish, a reserve unit, since 2003 ....

More on link

 

[vonGarvin]

Regiment releases name of injured Sudbury soldier
Sudbury Star, 17 Oct 08
Article link

Sudbury's 2nd Battalion Irish Regiment of Canada has released the name of a member critically injured this week in Afghanistan.  (Corporal) Bill Kerr was on his second tour of duty in the country, and was serving as an infantry soldier with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment when he was hurt. He was a member of (an observer) mentor team.  Kerr, the father of two, has been a member of the 2nd Irish, a reserve unit, since 2003 ....

More on link

Wrong unit....again!

 

[Rodahn]

Wrong unit....again!

Getting frustrated are we MMRP?

All the same, be safe over there. And best wishes for the injured troops.

Chimo

 

[The Bread Guy]

Wrong unit....again!

Noted, and mentioned to the paper - no change yet.

 

[vonGarvin]

Getting frustrated are we MMRP?

All the same, be safe over there. And best wishes for the injured troops.

Chimo

The frustrating thing, especially since I am in 3 RCR BG, when people read that, they think "I wonder if that was The Mortarman?"  So, I guess it's for personal reasons I get frustrated.  But, thanks, I'm staying safe.  And you'll be happy to note that I am NOT one of four people (out of three) who has a problem with fractions! ;-)

 

[McG]

That is not for you to say, not here nor elsewhere on the internet on open source.

People not where you are do not know that.

I disagree.  That is the sort of media error which should be immediatly corrected by anyone who knows it to be an error.  It would not have been his place to tell us the unit that the soldiers actually were from, but he did not do that.  He only pointed out an unacceptable error that required being pointed out.

 

[vonGarvin]

I disagree.  That is the sort of media error which should be immediatly corrected by anyone who knows it to be an error.  It would not have been his place to tell us the unit that the soldiers actually were from, but he did not do that.  He only pointed out an unacceptable error that required being pointed out.

And, in the spirit of CYA, our PAO had already brought up the point that (a) there was an error in reporting and (b) it was being corrected.  So, the "word was out" already, so to speak, just that the print media had yet to catch up.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The frustrating thing, especially since I am in 3 RCR BG, when people read that, they think "I wonder if that was The Mortarman?" 

Didn't use your name, but used that rationale with the Sudbury paper - mind you, if Canadian Press STILL has the mistake on the wires (in spite of a corrected version I saw last night), the reporter in the subscriber paper will trust CP....

 

[gun runner]

Hopes for a speedy recovery. RCR kick some @ss over there for us !! Ubique

 

[The Bread Guy]

He's made it to Germany....

Reservist transported to Germany
Local soldier wounded in Afghanistan attack
Lara Bradley, Sudbury Star, 21 Oct 08
Article link

Cpl. Bill Kerr, the critically injured Sudbury reservist, was flown from Kandahar, Afghanistan, to Germany on Monday for medical treatment and assessment.  "His condition is still critical," said Lt.-Col. John Valtonen, the commanding officer of the Sudbury-based 2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada. "His next of kin is now by his side." ....

More on link

 

[Garett]

The frustrating thing, especially since I am in 3 RCR BG, when people read that, they think "I wonder if that was The Mortarman?"

Exactly, and when senior leaders in the units hear on the news that a member of their unit was wounded/killed and they haven't gotten a call yet it causes waves. A few weeks ago my mother in law got a call from the Moncton hospital to tell her that her daughter and grandchild were in a car accident and were in the ER. The real person in the ER had the same name as my wife, but they called the wrong NOK. Its kinda the same thing, it causes an unnecessary reaction.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Shared with the usual disclaimer...

Montana's helps injured reservist
Cpl. Bill Kerr was injured by IED in Afghanistan
Lara Bradley, Sudbury Star, 22 Oct 08
Article link

Montana's restaurant has set up a bucket on its bar to take donations in honour of the Sudbury reservist critically injured in Afghanistan last week.  "So far, it has just been employees," said manager Sean Voisin. "We're going to do a fundraiser for them. But we want to wait until Tracy gets back into town before we hold a fundraiser for them."  Tracy Lachance, the partner of Cpl. Bill Kerr, had worked at the restaurant and its employees wanted to do something. At the family's request, all donations raised will be given to the local chapter of the War Amps in their names.  Sources say plans are in the works to move Kerr, currently in Germany receiving medical attention, to an Ottawa Hospital in about 10 days ....

More on link

 

[The Bread Guy]

Shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the Copyright Act.

Wounded Soldier Returns Home
City-born man injured in Afghanistan
Sarah Elizabeth Brown, Chronicle-Journal (Thunder Bay), 25 Oct 08
Article link (.pdf)

A soldier born and raised in Thunder Bay and badly wounded in Afghanistan is back in Canada.  Cpl. Bill Kerr ....  was scheduled to arrive back in Ottawa for further recovery in hospital, said one of his brothers, who did not want his name published ....  LCol John Valtonen, Kerr's commanding officer in Sudbury, said he is waiting for Kerr's permission before releasing the extent of his injuries ....  The family and Cpl. Kerr need time to re-evaluate what they need, if anything, he continue, adding once that's known, he'll make it public.  Messages for Cpl. Kerr and his family can be posted online at a Facebook site called "Send some shout outs for Corporal W.A. Kerr."  Cards and other messages can be sent to Cpl. Bill Kerr, c/o 2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada, 333 Riverside Drive, Sudbury, ON, P3H 1H6.

- edited to add Facebook link -

 

[Jarnhamar]

Bill is back in Canada now in Ottawa recovering. He's in extremely high spirits, surrounded by friends and family and determined to get back to a normal life. Knowing how stubborn he is I completely believe it.

Anyone who served with him on 0306 we're planning a get together to visit him after those of us deployed get back from 0308.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Thanks tons for the update!

I've started a new thread here:
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/80936.0.html
for further updates.