"Thor's Hammer"

By Colonel Bernd Horn

Sudbury, ON - 500 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR) exploded onto the community of Falconbridge in Northern Ontario last week to take part in Exercise Thor’s Hammer which tested the unit’s ability to operate in urban terrain under adverse winter conditions. These soldiers are no strangers to the area or the –40 degree Celsius temperatures that they had to operate in for most of the week. They are permanently stationed in Petawawa, located five hours north east of Toronto.

1 RCR is the latest of Canada’s mechanized infantry battalions to be convert to the new state of the art Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) III which is produced in Canada by GM Defence in London, Ontario. The 17-ton LAV III is loaded with high tech navigational and laser targeting systems, as well as a 25mm chain gun that spits out destruction to 2000 meters.

The LAV III, however, is only one element of the unit’s modernization program. 1 RCR is also the lead for the Army’s digitization initiative. According to Major Tony Balasevicius, the unit’s second in command, “for an army to be successful in operations it needs to be able to detect, identify and swiftly react to belligerent forces by relaying critical information about the menace in a timely manner to commanders who can deal quickly with the threat.” The Army’s digitization initiative seeks to make that process better and faster then that of a potential enemy “by doing so you gain information dominance over the enemy which results in victory.” By investing in this technology and methodology the Canadian Army will minimize casualties and develop smaller, more agile forces with greater firepower. “But, technology alone will not guarantee the Army’s success on a future battlefield,” cautions Major Balasevicius, “you also need soldiers that can take full advantage of the tools that they are given.”

Exercise Thor’s Hammer put this concept to the test. Rather than relying on their high tech vehicles and equipment, 1 RCR was faced with a task that would put the challenge of success or failure squarely on the shoulders of its soldiers. The frigid temperatures compounded by the unforgiving terrain common to the Canadian Shield would normally prove insurmountable to less resolute individuals. However, it was just another day on the job for the Petawawa soldiers. “It just wasn’t a problem,” remarked Sergeant Jim Blackmore. But the average person would disagree. The mercury had dipped to below –28 degrees Celsius when the infanteers collapsed their tents in the dark predawn hours. Lightly dressed to prevent overheating, the soldiers set out carrying heavy rucksacks and hauling heavy toboggans that contained ammunition, explosives and the necessary equipment to fight in an urban setting.

Their mission was to attack a large radar station that sprawled across an exposed wind swept mountaintop. But first they had to get there. The column of white clad camouflaged soldiers inched slowly towards their objective. The extreme cold caused the snow to creak under their feet. The audible strain of the toboggans being forcibly dragged up the steep wooded terrain shattered the icy stillness. The exertion of the soldiers was clearly visible. Their body warmth and breath quickly turned to ice wherever it made contact with the cold northern air. “It was,” conceded one rifleman, “quite challenging.” And that, just simply to get “there.”

As the sun slowly bled itself into the horizon, the attacking force began to make out the dark silhouette of their target. The models they had studied failed to represent the sheer enormity of their objective. But there was no time to ponder their dilemma. The tranquility of early dawn was crushed in a crescendo of explosions that rocked the mountaintop. Under the simulated artillery fire, and supported by machine gun fire from a protection party, a group of combat engineers rushed to the perimeter fence and began to cut a breach. The second this was complete a company of approximately 100 infanteers, poured through the break and established a foothold. By now, the enemy had begun to react and the air was filled with the sounds of battle. Machine gun and rifle fire, mixed in with explosions from grenades and other heavy weapons drown out all other noise. Added to this, were the yells of commands, a combination of stress and exhilaration, as leaders quickly tried to maintain a semblance of clarity and precision amidst the ever-mounting chaos and confusion.

With a bridgehead secured, the next company was sent in to pass through those already inside the wire to commence the assault on the actual buildings themselves. This would prove to be a Herculean task. The radar complex consisted of four large three storey buildings, as well as a maze of tunnels and outlying structures. All were blanketed in total darkness. Once again, the engineers were called forward to blast an entrance hole for the infantry to swarm through. The 1 RCR soldiers were quickly swallowed up in the dark cavernous interior. Very quickly, the fight transformed itself into a desperate struggle for survival at the soldier level. Initiative, skill and resolve became the determining factors.

The enormous complex rapidly swallowed up the 500 man battalion. Nonetheless, systematically the radar site was cleared as the soldiers used chainsaws, sledgehammers and axes to physically cut their way from room to room and building to building. The combat engineers assisted with specially configured innovative explosive charges that blew a man-sized hole in the side of any structure in seconds. But still, progress was slow. The smell of cordite still hung heavy in the air as the three-hour battle slowly drew to a close.

On this day, the members of 1 RCR stood up to the challenge. Neither the formidable cold, the daunting terrain or the complexity of the radar site was able to stymie the soldiers. “Its amazing how enthusiastic they are,” praised Master-Warrant Officer Mark Baisley, “they just eat this stuff up.” Corporal Fraser Gill agreed. “Its real hands on,” he explained, “it teaches you important lessons on the type of equipment you need, how to operate in the dark – things you need to know for when you do it for real.” And then there is the other driving factor. “I want to be where the action is,” conceded Corporal Angela Townsend.

What is most reassuring of all, is that these hard working soldiers are representative of the modern Canadian Army - fit, combat capable and adaptable to adverse conditions. They consistently accomplish their missions with tenacity and a quiet professionalism that has become the hallmark of the Canadian Soldier. After all, many believe that an Army’s greatest strength is not new technology, although it adds to their capability. At the core of the Army’s strength is its personnel, the men and women who continually achieve the unthinkable in adverse situations and environments. They are the reason that the Canadian Army is second-to-none.