Sarnia, ON, Canada
Peter Wonderham
Current Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
In 1989, 500 soldiers emotionally bid farewell to their families, boarded buses, and left Petawawa en route to Ottawa, intending to carry on to Cyprus. On arrival at the Canadian Forces Air Movement Unit (AMU) in Ottawa, we were informed that the plane was broken. This was followed by a two-hour decision-making process, after which we returned to Petawawa for 48 hrs to await another flight. Goodbyes and tears once shed (not forgetting that cell phones did not exist at that time), young soldiers and old soldiers enjoyed another few days off. Many Non-Commissioned Officers, however, felt that saying goodbye once was tough enough on themselves and on their families, so they chose to stay on Base in the men’s quarters for those extra days, instead of going home. It took about one hour for word to get out, and the men’s quarters quickly resembled the storming of the Bastille by irate wives.
During another Cyprus tour, my wife Susan came to visit. On an excursion across the United Nations-controlled buffer zone, she insisted on having her passport stamped upon entering the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The guard reluctantly stamped it. A week later, on departure from Larnaca airport on the Greek-Cypriot side, we were informed by customs at the AMU that, because we had not re-entered Greek-Cypriot borders, she must now fly to Ankara, Turkey for her return trip to Canada. Confusion and worry were the order of the day, with no diplomatic assistance in sight, until a Canadian Corporal at the AMU scratched Cancelled through the stamp with a ball point pen. The Greek-Cypriot authorities were then satisfied, and my wife Susan departed to Germany in her Canadian C-130 aircraft, as originally planned.
Searching my memory many times, I attempted to recall a humorous anecdote from my United Nations tour of 1993–1994 in the former Yugoslavia but came up with nothing but hurt and sadness for soldiers and their leaders on that UN tour. I sometimes wonder if we were too early in employing a United Nations peacekeeping mission there, before there was any peace to keep, but it will have to be our government leaders answering that question.
Biography
Trooper Wonderham joined the Canadian Army in 1966 and, after basic training with the Black Watch in Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, NB, joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons and was quickly posted to a four-year tour of duty with NATO in northern and then southern Germany. He broadly understood his mission with NATO, but except for tank training, knew little of the big picture. On return to Canada in 1972, he would soon be deployed to a United Nations mission in Cyprus. His unit, the Calgary-based Lord Strathcona’s horse, trained in depth for UN duty, including the history of the upcoming mission as well as the background and culture of the area and conflicting people. On deployment, it was immediately apparent to him the impact and usefulness of this UN mission and the good it was doing, which reflected positively on the organization and our country.
Following his initial UN deployment, Trooper Wonderham advanced through the ranks of Corporal, Master Corporal, Sergeant, Warrant Officer, and later Master Warrant Officer. He served on the Regular support staff in Winnipeg, as an instructor at the Armour school in CFB Gagetown, and on exchange duties at the U.S. Army Armour Centre in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He also fulfilled Sergeant-Major duties In Petawawa, ON, again with the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD), and another UN deployment to Cyprus in 1989, this time as a Squadron Sergeant Major, where again he marvelled at the role and importance of the United Nations. Master Warrant Officer Wonderham continued soldiering on a one-year, French language course in Victoria, BC, followed by a Squadron Sergeant Major appointment in a fully manned tank squadron in Gagetown, again with the RCD, and a one year tour of duty as Base Chief Warrant Officer of Base Suffield, AB.
Although personally rewarding, multiple postings and UN deployments make it very challenging on families. Peter now had a military and duty commitment as well as a young wife and two sons.
Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Wonderham’s next UN tour was in the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia) during their war in 1993. During this troubling time, CWO Wonderham’s duties were as the task force Sergeant-Major. This United Nations tour was very stressful on both the leadership as well as the soldiers. He quickly learned that the trials our soldiers faced were enforced by strict Rules of Engagement requiring soldiers to defend themselves only under those very strict rules. This made caring for each other’s welfare very demanding and, later in life, we learned that this affected many by creating mental health challenges. Following this UN tour, CWO Wonderham carried on as a Regimental Sergeant Major of his Regiment, followed by a three-year commitment as Faculty Advisor in Fort Bliss, USA, then back to Edmonton as Brigade Sergeant major of I Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and then as Sergeant Major of Land Force Western Area (now 3 Canadian Division).
After 35 years in the Regular Force, CWO Wonderham retired (sort of) but took on the role of Brigade Sergeant Major, 41 Canadian Brigade. This Reserve Force position took him for yet another tour in Bosnia, this time with a NATO commanded task force, once again as the Task Force Sergeant Major. Peter Wonderham completed 44 years in uniform and is now fully retired as a grandfather in Calgary, AB.
Cyprus 1972 with then MWO Latin and Major-General Milroy.
In 1994 in Bakovici the infamous mental hospital.