I was in Ottawa a few days ago and extensively photographed the National War Memorial and Parliament Buildings. So yesterday’s terrorist violence had an extra personal meaning. Little did I realize at the time that the soldiers guarding our sacred monument were at threat from anyone. We now have an extra special reason to be thankful to those who serve in our military.
I’ve always thought that the National War memorial in Ottawa was very beautiful.
We need to allow our service personnel to really guard our monuments with working loaded rifles.
This post really makes me wish SDA had a Facebook LIKE button feature for easier sharing.
Great pix Robert.
Let’s wear our poppies proudly and early this year.
And when you see our girls and guys in uniform shake their hands.
I’ll admit that I know nothing about how these security details are arranged and conceptualized. But this layman finds it disturbing a soldier on guard duty (ceremonial or not) is not carrying an actual usable firearm.
It’s a great sculpture
Beautiful shots. Beautiful memorial. Beautiful country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJIrAkJnS1I
Fabulous pics – thanks. Many monuments can be bland but the designer for the war memorial did such a superb job with exquisite attention to detail and massing – a true work of art.
The Maple Leaf!
Our Emblem dear,
The Maple Leaf Forever!
God Save our Queen and Emblem Bless,
The Maple Leaf Forever!
I hope that from now on they get issued loaded magazines. Just do it on the down low, no announcements.
And if the snivelers find out, then just let them snivel.
Nov. 11 I’ll be wearing my Cadpats for those who can’t and for those who want to target them.
Least we forget http://thechronicleherald.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/ch_article_main_image/bm_cartoon/Brucex23%20RGB_12.jpg
The CF do have usable and actual firearms, while on ceremonial duty.
The policy question is whether they have live rounds in the ammo clip…for a variety of safety reasons, ie. the possibility of negligent discharge in a populous area, ceremonial guards typically don’t have live rounds in the clip. The C7 rifle does sport a ‘safety’ setting which should prevent that in a ceremonial setting.
Heretofore, Canada has not considered it’s own soil a ‘battlefield’ environment; although given the events that perception maybe changing. In any event, the realization is slowly dawning that around the world we are dealing with a pathological Islamo-fascist ideology which views all others as the ‘enemy to be obliterated’.
I would have hoped the ceremonial guard would have at least have had bayonets attached to their C7 rifle. It would have afforded Cpl Nathan Cirillo the modicum of a fighting chance from point blank range…
The pictures are fabulous Robert…nicely done. I like the evening shot with the lighting and the shadowing. It makes the sculpture really ‘stand to’.
Amen to that Occam…
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Thanks for the explanation, Hans.
“ceremonial guards typically don’t have live rounds in the clip”
The C7(M-16) uses a detachable box magazine, not a clip.
The guards in Robert’s top photo do appear to have fixed bayonets on their rifles. I think that our soldiers are just as capable of safely handling loaded firearms in public spaces as our police are.
The rifle could be carried with a full magazine inserted, firing chamber empty and safety on. It would take three deliberate actions, pulling the bolt back and releasing it, moving the safety to the firing position and squeezing the trigger to fire the rifle. The chance of a negligent or accidental discharge would be zero. I believe this is known as the “Israeli carry” which strikes a balance between preparedness and safety.
Great photos!
And I know it’s such a little thing, but how I wish everyone would stop using the term “honour guard”….with or without the “u”.
Aye there is a vast distinction between a magazine and a “clip”.
Operationally, in circumstances are/were stealth is the order of the day….magazines are loaded but no rounds are chambered. That is the standard for ceremonial guards globally…except for paranoid Canada and Russia.
Them guys standing around the British Royals in the red coats….carry live ammo…and have since the IRA troubles.
IDF carry their issue rifles on and off duty. It seems weird to visitors seeing Israeli soldiers hitchhiking with their slung rifles and getting picked up by nice little old ladies…..an aspect of a citizen army…..they figure it’s somebody’s son.
Some Pali’s tried a daylight attack on a crowded beach….and promptly went down in a withering crossfire…..nothing sexier that a gal in a bikini with her Galil slung across her back.
As Penn Jillette says there are no mass shootings at gun shows.
Wonderful photos! a beautiful memorial to our fallen soldiers.
I have a real problem with any soldier doing drill with loaded firearms. There is drill for placing and retrieving a firearm on the ground. They could use that to switch firearms.
I should have used the correct nomenclature, as Oz & sasquatch duly noted. The box magazine indeed can accept 3 clips of 10 rounds each from a box of ammunition, for a total load of 30 rounds per magazine. I should have known I would corrected by our informed audience.
One is typically, issued 5 box magazines, so when each magazine is charged; one soldier is carrying 150 rounds. This would have been plenty enough to ‘take care of’ the Islamo-fascist murdering assassin.
As per the bayonets, if you review the aftermath photos of EMS personnel, working on Cpl. Cirillo, the C7s laid in the foreground clearly lacked bayonets.
As for the proper balance of force protection I would agree with “Al-in-Ottawa”.
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
The policy question is whether they have live rounds in the ammo clip…for a variety of safety reasons, ie. the possibility of negligent discharge in a populous area, ceremonial guards typically don’t have live rounds in the clip.
That politically correct bullfudge not a genuine safety concern. Usually when on guard there is no cartridge in the chamber and the safety is on, but the magazine is loaded. One would have to cycle the action to actually ‘load’ the firearm, so the perceived ‘safety’ issue is moot. This stupid policy was imposed by the lieberal do-gooders, ie. “If it saves the life of one child…”
I have a real problem with any soldier doing drill with loaded firearms.
That depends on how you choose to define ‘loaded’. For most people who use firearms, “loaded” means a round of ammo in the chamber, not in the magazine. A firearm with no round in the chamber and the safety on, is safe to carry and even drill with, however we always drilled without ammunition in our rifles. We did however carry firearms with loaded magazines when on guard duty.
Ahhhh, the more the Liberal party speaks, the more they’re outed for being stupid. http://therightscoop.com/canadian-politician-says-not-to-speculate-aboot-shooters-motivations-but-defends-islam-on-twitter/
Remarkable story and photo at the link: http://t.co/HUjIRIbzJn re: the memorial shooting and memorials to Cpl Cirillo
The sad matter is that US viewers are unaware the Chrysta Frieland is as relevant to anything as Al Sharpton or Michael Moore.
Because it’s ceremonial duty, not the firing range.
Great photos.
Like many countries Canadian military do not carry weapons with them on their daily activities unless of course they are doing drill, live firing etc. (Vets, remember the declaration when coming off the range? “I have no rockets in my pockets, no bombs in my palms, not brass up my ass…”)
When using weapons for drill or honour guard they are typically not loaded with live ammunition, the exception being blanks for volley salutes (21 gun, etc).
Standing guard at a cenotaph or tomb is ceremonial in nature and not a situation where the use of deadly force would normally be needed. It is in an area where the public would have access. Unless the guard is prepared to treat everyone as a possible threat then chances are a terrorist or gunman would have the jump, so to speak. Interestingly, I read that Cpl Cirillo was shot from behind which makes the providing ammo argument even more moot.
Beautiful photography, Robert. Are you posting any of your other pics of Parliament and the War Memorial?
Robert, thank you for the great pictures. The night time picture is beautifully expressive.
I agree with those who advocate that guards should have loaded magazines with no round in the chamber.
“I read that Cpl Cirillo was shot from behind which makes the providing ammo argument even more moot.”
Just position 2 armed guards back-to-back. Problem solved*.
*alternatively, they could recognize and deal with the Muslim problem
“As per the bayonets, if you review the aftermath photos of EMS personnel, working on Cpl. Cirillo, the C7s laid in the foreground clearly lacked bayonets.”
If you view THIS PICTURE taken at the War Memorial just hours before the shooting, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo clearly has a bayonet on his C7 rifle.
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/2201020/thumbs/o-NATHAN-CIRILLO-PHOTOS-facebook.jpg
Thanks for that update Oz…
In this photo, to which I referred to you can clearly see EMS personnel working , with C7s in the foreground, and the bayonets clearly removed.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=cpl+cirillo&newwindow=1&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=11lKVMLYAYiGigLns4CYDA&ved=0CE0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=631#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=TYvjaxR5UJfrDM%253A%3BkNZ4WCMR7YsnFM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.canada.com%252Fcms%252Fbinary%252F10318321.jpg%253Fsize%253D620x400s%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.canada.com%252FThree%252Bother%252Bheroes%252Brose%252Boccasion%252BOttawa%252F10318319%252Fstory.html%3B620%3B400
Cheers
Ken, I haven’t processed all of my Ottawa photos yet but those I have, I’ve posted to Ottawa Tourist’s Facebook page.