Daniel Parenteau

On April 3, 1995, I was deployed with 2^nd Battalion Royal 22^e Régiment Battle Group (2R22^eR BG), this time to the United Nations Confidence Building Operations (UNCBO) on Operation Harmony (Canadian designation, rotation 6). The mission of the operation was to replace the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the country, which was smaller and therefore had less peacekeeping authority. In accordance with the tasks set out in the ceasefire agreement, ONURC was to monitor the area between the forward military deployment lines, verify that the weapons systems were installed according to the terms of the agreement, occupy the border traffic control posts designated by the agreement, and carry out liaison activities for the implementation of the agreement.

When I arrived, we did the handover of the various observation posts with 1^st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. I was a young master-corporal at the time, and we were given the SC‑51 observation post. The observation post was nicknamed the Moon Base since we were on top of a mountain on the Croatian side of the border, and 800 metres from our position, we had a Croatian observation post that served to keep an eye on the Serbs on the other side. 

I give you a brief description of what you can see on the picture: from left to right: first, the black spot on the ground (1) is the point to burn our waste. Then our makeshift shower (2) that we made with the water pump of the troop carrier, on the other side of the protective wall, it was our gym (3). Then our Bunker for 5 soldiers (4). On the right we have our observation post with a trap door in the floor to take refuge in case of bombing (5). Ahead was our petroleum warehouse (6). Isolated from everyone, in austere conditions, we had to go down with our armoured personnel carrier once a week for supplies.

In early April, the Krajina region that 2R22^eR had inherited was quiet, but the Croats believed that the presence of UN troops in their country complicated the integration of the Serbian Krajina region. After the Croatian government's announcement earlier in the year that it would end UNPROFOR's mandate, tensions between the Croatian government and the Serbs quickly escalated, until the Croatian army launched an offensive against Serbian forces in Western Slavonia in May 1995. The Croats easily defeated the Serbs and regained possession of Croatian territory, which consequently ended the mission in that region.

At the beginning of our rotation, we soon saw tensions between the Serbs and Croats increase in the area. However, clashes did not break out immediately, and in July we helped to adjust the borders of the territory we had to patrol and monitor. In early August, the Croatian army attacked the Krajina area and quickly defeated the Serbs. The 2R22^eR BG was put on high alert, but there was little we could do. For my part, from our observation post, we saw the Croatian soldiers coming up the mountain towards us. It was about one o'clock in the morning. Since we were too far from the main camp, no one could come and help us out of this impasse. After several negotiations, around 9.30 a.m. we had to leave our post and were escorted to Zadar where we were detained for seven days.

The Croatian government, whose permission was needed for the ONURC soldiers to stay in the country, asked the UN forces to withdraw. The flights from Split, Croatia, continued until 17 October 1995, when I left Croatia. Despite the outcome of my mission, I have fond memories of my participation in UN forces operations and consider it a formative, exciting, and beneficial experience.

I remember/Honour and Duty.