Home of Wreckit Ralph

I was born in Port Arthur Ontario. Called the Lakehead. Or Land of the Sleeping Giant. Now Port Arthur and Fort MacWilliam are called Thunder Bay. One of my earliest memories is picking blueberries with my sister in the backyard hearing a noise on the other side thought it was her. Stood up, it was a black bear eating blueberries. Yelling for my sister I ran for the house. Wild life were we lived at the time by Lakehead university was common. Moose bears wolves. I remember starting kindergarten and teacher was reading to us. Told her I could read. She said I couldn’t. Well even at that age I was stubborn. We had an argument which resulted in me being sent to principals office first day of school. Mom got a call came to school, asked what the problem was. They told her. She told them I could read took a book off his desk, and told me to read it. I did. Then mom had him call teacher to office to apologize to me. One of my memories is snow and ski doing over the roof of the house.I could of only been 6 maybe cause we left when I was 8. I remember my grandfather had a big old robins egg blue car. Funny thing was grandpa Cecil. Mom dad worked for CN grandpa Jack dads dad. Worked for CP. and I’m not talking in rail yards. Both were high up. Holiday dinners were interesting. When I was 8 my father took me out in the transport truck one day. He worked for Allied Van Lines. Had for years. While I was with him he went into a diner came out with waitress and went into a hotel room. On way home. He bought me a Mattel dinky car. An ambulance and asked me not to say anything to mom. Well that’s the first thing I did. My mom had taught me to read before kindergarten. She opened my eyes to books. My mom was Air Force. My father was Navy. He got a dishonourable discharge because he got sea sick every time boat pulled away from the dock. After we left I grew to dislike him until genuine hatred set in. My mom hooked up with a guy she liked. His name was Ben Ostrum. So for quite awhile I went by Ostrum. He was an alcoholic. I remember living in Dundas. In the basement, he would be down there on CB drunk. Gimme a breaker. All night long. We were living on Hunter St. I’ll remember it forever I think about grade 6 there was a rough crowd and one day one of them got me. I lost my temper. It ended up with his head under the bicycle rack. Me with his ears pulling him back around chocking him out. Gong through high school I was a small kid. Got chased and beat up when caught a lot. I dealt with that after working in steel plant for a year before joined military. I blossomed. Put on weight and hit 6’ tall. Started at Dundas District High School. Left there When we moved to Colmar Place. Across from a friend who would change my life. Jim Valvasori. We went to highland secondary high school. Jim and I both rode bike along with another friend that lived behind Jim. But it was mainly Jim and I. Nutsy and Crazy and that’s the way we rode. I bought a Honda CB 350 had it three weeks. And then bought a brand new 1977 Suzuki 750GL 4into 1 Kerker Wildcat racing headers. And racing cams in motor. It was black and blue pin striping. And beautiful and fast. Jim had a Kawasaki 950 that a friend of ours had died on. We had rebuilt it in his parents garage across the street from my parents house. It was a great arrangement. For us. Well we get that bike started about 2-3 in morning no pipes on in it. In the garage. Under parents bedroom. They weren’t happy at the time. But next day quite happy bike was running. Our parents were supportive of us hanging around together and the bikes. We’d get in trouble but nothing to serious. Jim fired the bike up one day and was doing a burn out. His hand slipped off clutch. The bike shot through the garage into the laundry room. We really heard about that one. Jim’s family was Italian. I didn’t realize how much that meant til one time I didn’t see Jim’s dad for awhile, we were teenagers I asked where his dad was. He told me pen. He had dead guy on payroll. But whole time he was gone big black car picked mom up every Saturday took her shopping. Funny. Jim’s my best friend never left Dundas. Growing up back then in Dundas, they had the Annual Ravine Bash. All the teenagers bought tickets then you got the destination. There all the beer was free with your ticket. Eventually cops would raid it every time. We finally years later figured out the guy selling tickets was the one calling the cops.Funny. Jim’s my best friend never left Dundas and I’ve lived and travelled all over the world. I must say. Growing up I put my mom through the wringer. But I also raised my brother and sister a lot. But I remember passing her on my bike one time. Front wheel in air helmet hanging on arm. All she said when I got home was I looked so happy. Mom passed on to me and my sister our love of the girl guide and boy scout movement. We both went through Cubs and brownies all the way up to leaders for years. Same as mom. Mom rode to. Nothing like mine but a small bike. At this time mom was married to a guy named Doug St Amand. He had been a cook on a merchant ship. I think it’s around this time my sister decided she wanted to meet our father, something I was dead set against. But she arranged to travel to Toronto by train and meet him. He didn’t show up. Left her alone at the station. That’s when my bitterness turned to hatred. He had his alimony reduced to 1.00$ per child. Allied lied for him. Said he was layed off, he was working in office by then. Years later at my grandfather’s funeral I was in CFB Borden on course when I got the call. My friend the warrant was in the school as well as an instructor. He got me an army truck for afternoon and evening. I drove to Toronto for funeral. I was in uniform my father passed me in hall and either didn’t recognize me or didn’t acknowledge me. But I had seen him park his car from the window. I got in the army truck put it in 4X4 drove around by his car and backed over the hood and drove back to base, where I told the warrant everything. We inspected the vehicle fixed a few things. And we were good. Finally I was in grade 12 in Highland Secondary and decided I didn’t want to go to school anymore. I already had my grade 12 English Drama Arts and History. So I got on my bike, rode up the ramp did a donut in the lobby and rode out laughing. The good thing was my step dad Ben was working at Steel Fabricating and Welding in Dundas. And the way they worked if dad worked there you got a job as well. Well working there I started supplementing my income selling bennies.

I started there working there because of a little slip up at home. On Colmar. Mom was out. Doug was home, so I had my place as usual in basement. Doug was upstairs, as people came in he would just say downstairs. My friends would come down join party. We just drank did bennies and mushrooms then. Apparently Mom walked in the back door. Doug said downstairs. Then looked up. Oh shit. Mom was already on way down. I was in bed with 2 girls and a bottle of rye. My buddies were with girls around the room. Mom snapped. Everyone out. The proverbial speech. You want to live under my roof. Live under my rules. Wrong answer. I went to work got an apartment a nice one. All my furniture. Then she was pissed. I had nicer place nicer furniture. New bike new car. Cameron Z28, but steel work is not for me. When I applied to military if joined as metals tech. Joined as corporal because was licensed welder shear operator press operator pressure tester weld tester. But flatly said no. Veh tech. If knew then what know now. Wouldn’t have picked that trade. Too hard on body.

I was just turning 19 when I joined the military. The reason why I joined. I couldn’t see myself growing up working in the steel industry, I could sort of see in a way the way things would go. Hamilton at the time in 1979 was a steel city. Tied to that was the trucking industry, to the garages, to parts guys etc. Already the Steel Fabrication Company I worked at in Dundas was going on strike. Stelco would go on strike Dofasco would match it. It wasn’t a life I wanted. My best friend at the time Doug Slusarchuk and I decided the army was the way to go. Unfortunately. I joined he didn’t make it.

It was after I recently read Shake Hands with the Devil it started to make sense. Growing up I had toy soldiers GI JOE tanks Jeep’s major battles. I read everything I could on history war battles same as General Allaird from Rawanda. All he ever wanted to be was a soldier. I guess me to. Mom was Air Force Dad was Navy. I was Army. So at 19. I left Dundas and joined the military. Off to Cornwallis Nova Scotia. Mar 9 1979. Course 7911. I don’t think anyone in military forgets that number lol.

Once I hit Cornwallis reality set in. They cut my pony tail off. Pinned it to the wall.next was ten mile run in combat boots with webbing weapons and gear. I puked my guts out and never smoked again. Cornwallis was one of the hardest things in my life. They try to break you the whole eleven weeks your there. You start with full platoons and then slowly the attrition starts. Until grad. Then what’s left has to be one of the proudest days of your lives. Your a man now. Ready to take on the world.

During basic training I met another private a female from Prince Albert Saskatchewan. In to become a navy sea woman. One thing led to another we started dating. After grad we both got sent to Borden. Driver training for both and me my mechanics courses as well. Well sure enough, she got pregnant. The army released her as a pregnant female. So I brought her home to mom. After my course I was posted to Kingston. She had the baby. Matthew John Newsham. I was working in Kingston, at the base. Driving home for week ends. After a few months my best friend Jim phoned me and said needed to talk to me next weekend. So stop by his place. Talking to him he explained that my girlfriend Monique was sleeping around. We decided that I would get drunk that night. Jim was a male model. We would see what would happen. Sure enough. She started flirting when I passed out. So I woke up confronted her with truth and evidence. Through her out, dirty diaper bucket behind her. And kept Matthew. My mom adopted him privately. Now he’s Matthew John Maccarrol and a pedofile. And as DNA proved. Not my son. Just a freak who doesn’t know how to be responsible for your actions

Next came CFB Borden. This base is outside Barrie Ontario a few kilometres, and is home to a large training base. A former air base the hangers have been converted into classrooms and training area’s. A lot of different trades train here and of course this inevitably leads to problems in the mess. Which is where enlisted men drink. While here on my TQ3 course which is your entry level mechanics course. I had my first problem in the military. I got fined 250.00$ for eating an apple outside the mess hall. And right before the end of my course I got the measles. Of course I didn’t want anyone to know because then I’d be in hospital and off course. So instead I passed out and fell off an APC (armoured personal carrier) when I woke up in the hospital, with my mom standing beside my bed I knew I was in trouble. And was I ever. First when a padre shows up at someone’s house who’s been in military they know it’s not good. I later found out the military in Borden called the reserve unit in Hamilton got them to send their padre to see my mom and bring her to the base. I was in for a week got put back a week on course. And finished.

Next up came my first posting. CFB Kingston as a TQ3 private. Young dumb and full of cum as the old timers said to us. Hands on training started now. Taking us through each section of the shop for a period of time. We had PT rifle training parades inspections parties lot’s of those. And trained on all kinds of vehicles and all kinds of repairs from fuel to brakes to replace motor and transmissions. We had some fun and incidents in our training I’ll never forget. And the comrades in arms. Some of us are still tight to this day. Two of us brought in an old deuce and a half that wouldn’t start. An old timer civie told us pour some gas down carburetor try start. If backfires be careful could catch fire. Well we did that. Sure enough truck backfired we watched nothing happened. Lunchtime came. After lunch come back to floor to see truck hood engulfed in flames. Truck outside burnt. Lots of explaining to do. After our TQ3 training came TQ 4 training at the base. After my 4’s were done myself and Matt Muchmore were loaned to the regiment for RV 81. We would drive to gage town New Brunswick. I was taking a wrecker. I was happy. I love being on the road it was supposed to be a 3 day road trip. But as mechanics on a road move. Especially wrecker crews. Well all the drivers get in eat turn in the defect slips then go relax. We get in eat then go to work. If wrecker crew eat maybe he’d back out get casualty come back keep doing it till they are all back. In CFB Kingston I was working the junior ranks mess as a bartender for extra money. One day there was an accident on a training exercise with 1 Line Troop. The pole monkeys, guys who ran wires and and stuff for tele communications. He fell off a pole and died. Well remember I said inter service rivalry. They were in the mess that night drinking, 1 CSR guys came in and dedicated the song another one bites the dust. To 1 Line Troop. I closed the bar when song came on. I knew it would be bad. It was. MP’s waited outside as usual.

After my TQ5 course I was posted to 1CSR Kingston or 1 Canadian Signals Regiment. My first field posting. I loved it. Always on the go. My first year I was in the regiment 11 weeks. And unfortunately I had gotten married. A mistake from start. I married a girl who for some reason I started dated because my best friend was dating her cousin. When had both my knees operated on she looked after me. Her mom lived with her and her young daughter. I married her and I shouldn’t have. Knew it from start. Was drunk at wedding. After wedding I went on TQ5 course for 6 months came home for few weeks volunteered for a tour in Israel Syria. That was interesting to say the least. 83 in Israel with a stopover in Cyprus. The stopover in Cyprus was a blast, we were a draft of 12 men including one major. While the stopover in Cyprus was overnight. We ditched the major and off we went bar hoping in Larnica. Right on the Mediterranean Sea. And Germany. Talk about an introduction to the world. We landed in Damascus Syria. The Boeing was there that had been hi jacked and the navy seal was laying on tarmac 12 of us on the herc. The major stood up and said what the fuck have we got into. I was wondering myself. 23 years old. Seeing my first victim of war a US soldier. As we boarded the bus and drove through Damascus we were pretty quiet. The Syrian bank president was hanging from a lamp outside bank. After going through apparently the biggest traffic circle in the country 32 exits. We were on our way to Israel and camp Ziouani. The Canadian United Nations camp. Once there and in barracks. I quickly ran into some old friends and headed to the mess for beers and find out what was going on.

Next day I started working in the shop. We had there. What I had learned was quite a bit. There were 4 UN contingents us the Finnish, the Austrians, and the Polish. Us and the Finns shared the camp with separate entrances and areas. And the Polish and Austrians looked after the Syrians. We also had a small contingent in Damascus for radio signals. Outside our camp was a large hill. We called it spy hill. All the time you would hear trucks hauling tanks back and forth from the hill. And a tank range. The peace treat allowed for so many soldiers and tanks with X amount of km of border. Israel way around it. Put a tank range close to border. And spy hill because of the cameras they had. The colonels office had a picture of a predecessor inspecting a man with his name tag upside down. Sent from the hill.

In UN Israeli or properly called UNDOF UNITED NATIONS DISENGAGEMENT OBSERVER FORCE. We had a lot of time off, nights weekends. 3 48hr passes plus a 2 week leave. In 6 months. Great. Plus in evenings I started driving the welfare runs, driving the sight seeing tours for the boys with a tour guide. Got to see a lot of the cool things in the area. I also learned to scuba dive in the Red Sea, one of the best place in world to dive. Free, military looked after it for us as a recreational event. A couple of us took a 48 hr pas combined with a long weekend and went on a camel safari. It was fun. Every night camp was set up when we got there, and it wasn’t roughing it. Meals were prepared every meal for us we really enjoyed it and saw some nice places you wouldn’t normally see. It was like you could imagine the land back when Roman’s walked it with camels, and swords. Only we had camels and rifles. It gave me a respect for the Israeli I still have. I will never respect or trust a Muslim. I’ve seen to much.

Damascus was interesting. The souk was a massive outdoor shopping area with stalls and hundreds of people and you could buy anything. Especially with illegal US dollars. A few of us would go there by gold. They just weighed it and sold it didn’t care what it was. One day buying gold soldiers came in. Shot the store keeper just cause we we in his store. We saw public hanging there in the souk. One member of family can break the person’s neck.

One night myself and 3 other corporals decided we were going off base drinking. So we took a Volkswagen Passat out of repair pool, went out the Finnish gate and drove to Jerusalem. While there we drank ate and had a great time. But when we left. We hit an Israeli State Police Jeep in the rear. We got away but the vehicle was badly damaged. So we parked in in the shop. In the morning the shop the Sgt saw it and we decided with him to cover it up. Down to Kmart were we kept the scrap Passats dragged one up, took VIN out of smashed one put in scrap one. Motor in scrap one etc. We finally got caught, but when we were marched in front of colonel he read charges. Looked at us. Said obviously guilty of something but not what was written on that paper. Lol. Marched us out. I saw a lot of things on my 6 month tour in UNDOF Israeli. Bethlehem Mt Sinaia camel safari Beirut Lebanon. It was an interesting time to be there prisoner exchanges were happening. After I was there about 4 months I was involved in a major incident. I was on guard duty. An Israeli military Jeep came to gate. We asked the officer to surrender his weapon, he refused. Asked again, refused again. I cocked the 50. Cal and ordered him to surrender his weapon. He reached for it very fast and I fired. Killing him and the driver. I was 23. After my debrief. I went and sat in my room for a little while. He was a British officer serving with the Israeli army, most of the officers were British we found out. I never found out why the refusal to surrender his weapon it was standard operating procedure when entering a UN Base as an occupied force. It cost him and his Israeli driver there lives. A 50 cal is an unforgiving weapon. And all the equipment was American. With Hebrew plates screwed to dash where English ones usually were. Then I thought. Needed to talk to someone so I went and found the Padre. Talked about it all my feelings my thoughts about taking two lives. After I went to the mess have some beers with my brothers. A few days later I get called into my captains office about the incident. The padre was talking about it in the officers mess. Last time I ever talked to an army padre. Next interesting task came up my partner and I got the job pack up head to Syria, Mount Herman. One of the highest mountains there. My vehicle was a 5 ton diesel wrecker. The job was to repair a Caterpillar BulldozerD9. Belonging to the Austrians. When we got to the outpost they informed us the dozer was at the top of the mountain broke down. Great. Only way up was barely a goat path and we had an 11 ton truck with dual wheels. And a big boom. After we talked about it my partner and I decided, he would ride on my running board. Holding my door open. The outside dually’s were hanging over the edge most of the way up hair pin corners and all. Close to the top we could see a couple of helicopters crashed on side of mountain. When we got up there I asked the Austrians about the helicopters, apparently we were so high up the helicopters couldn’t make it. There were minefields around the camp. That’s what bulldozer was for. And mountain goats were going through minefields it wasn’t pretty. Made you think about poor kids. And then to the bulldozer. Easy you would think. Bulldozer. Except manual was in polish. That’s who owned bulldozer. We muddled through it. Got the fuel problem fixed. That night the Austrians fed us. OMG behind the two of us a Austrian private stood the whole night, every time our glass emptied he’d fill it. Our plates would empty he asked if we wanted more. We knew the other contingents didn’t get the supplies and support the Canadians did and we felt bad. But they were so happy the bulldozer was working. In the morning we got up early cause I wanted off that mountain as soon as I could.

The drive home was very home was quite eventful. The way it’s supposed to work at check points is when pull in the UN soldier opens your door the Syrian or Israeli can inspect your vehicle then. When we pulled in for some reason the Syrian yanked my door open. I jumped out yelling. He pulled his weapon, the Austrian came around the corner of the truck and pulled his rifle out. There I vwas. Standing between the two of them. My partner heard everything grab his rifle and came over the top of truck. Covering both. After few minutes everybody settled down. And we headed back to our camp in Israel.

My next thing was a court martial. One of the corporals in our section went home to Edmonton on leave. Cpl. Rostad, I had been on courses with this guy and never impressedm me. Anyway while home. Missed his flight back. Rather than go to base in Edmonton and get pay advance and fly back, he just went home till end of month when next pay came in. Then flew back. When he went up in front of the commanding officer with me as his escort. He was informed that his charge was desertion in an active theatre of war. And the commander had to get permission from Ottawa for his punishment. I marched him out. Not sure who was more pale. About two days later I got ordered to report to headquarters with him and March him in again. Deserting in an active theatre is still punishable by death in the military. But this guy got two years in CFDB Edmonton. The original hell hole for the military. The place still had bread and water diets and worked on reward system. You started out with nothing and earned points. Any infraction cost points. I dropped him off at the detention barracks, and was quite happy to leave. It was end of my tour. And I was on my way home.

Once I landed in Canada my own country I was sort of shell shocked. After dropping Rostad off I flew to Toronto then rented a car and drove home to Kingston. It was like being in a new world, clean bright new. But once home a few things started going wrong. A car woul go by the house and I’d get nervous something would drop or a loud noise or fireworks I’d panic. My deployment wasn’t quite normal. We had spent time in bunker. Had minefields blown outside our camp. Shattering the windows in our shop. Public hangings executions. People living in sea containers before it’s was a fad. Most of this was on the Syrian side. But interestingly enough every sea container had a TV antennae. Finally I found someone who explained t me that the propaganda is spread through the tv and radio. So these things are very easy to get. Things like cars you wait four to five years for a car. Washing machine is unheard of. If you run someone over as a UN soldier keep going. If you stop. They will find you hanging in the back of you vehicle. During the 7 Day war the Israeli soldiers jumped in behind the Syrian tanks. Jump up on the tanks and the crews were either killed or ran away. Now Syrian tanks have a chain with a ring welded to the floor beside each crew member. They are chained into tank when going into battle now. So can’t run away. Israel on the other. There beaches are beautiful people all sunbathing but a lot of them with weapons under towels. Military enjoying some down time same as us. But the one thing I admired about the Israeli army and the people. Their pride in there country. Everywhere, this used to belong to Jordan, but it ours now. This used to belong to Syria, but it our now. One of the places I went when in Israel was the Holocaust Museum, to actually see what man can do to another man or woman is truly evil. I saw it. This used to belong to Lebanon, but it’s ours now. Yes, maybe cocky. Or is it pride. USA does it all the time. Bully’s other countries for its own gain.

All right so I’m home now. Back at the regiment. I had belonged to for over a year and had walked through the gate twice. I was standing in the front hall this older guy walks up and asks if I belong to the regiment. I replied yes. He freaked out. Asked why I didn’t come to attention, why I hadn’t addressed him as RSM getting louder and louder. Finally I looked at him, and yelled back. RSM I’m corporal Newsham I’ve been with the regiment for a year. Today is the second fucking time I’ve come through the gate. I had no clue who you were. I don’t even know were my section is. He started laughing, said he was known as Nick the bastard. Don’t forget it. Shook my hand and walked away laughing. I spent from 1983 1985 in the regiment VEH. MAINT troop. I was married to Melinda Gurnsney at the time she had a daughter named Liza. In 84 we had a beautiful daughter named Adrianne Erin Newsham. I was also dealing with severe PTSD from Golan Heights but didn’t know it at the time. Nightmares flashbacks, and I was drinking heavily. Well my wife’s cousin. Also worked for my major, came on the shop floor one day said she had a memo on her desk recommending me to go on the Alcohol Rehabilitation Course. I knew enough that if I volunteered for the course before they sent me. Then if got in trouble again another time they would send me. But not twice. So I went in to my Sgt and said I had to go see doctor. Next thing after telling him how much I was drinking how long back finally telling him what happened. I ended up in hospital for 28 days coffee course.it worked. I never drank for 5 years

In 85 I got orders posting me to Germany. I was ecstatic my dream posting, a field posting and Europe. But the regiment and most of army was in high gear. Preparations underway for RV 85 a brigade exercise involving British troops as well in Wainwright Alberta. The regiment would rail the vehicle out. I was on rear party. As posted out. Or so warrant told me. Once every one left. Two new suburbans showed up. Our officer from MAINT hadn’t gone either. He came up to me and said that I was to take charge of these two new vehicles and another 5/4 and have them driven to Wainwright Alberta. I explained I was on rear party for a reason, he said that was too bad pack my gear and leave in morning. So I did. Fuming. We had a good time on the road. 6 army guys 3 vehicles and a week to get to Wainwright. what could go wrong? A broken windshield just before Wainwright a bar fight in Regina with RCMP. it’s their training centre. The captain was there when we showed up. He started screaming at me about the broken windshield from a rock chip. Why hadn’t I got it fixed. I just walked away. I had enough of him. About 3 days later I got promoted to master corporal. That night my wife called. She was having problems with our eldest daughters passport. Because she wasn’t biologically mine I had to adopt her to take her to Europe with us. Something that would bite me in ass later.

I went to find the warrant or the captain. As luck would have it they were together at the mess tent. When I explained what was going on. The captain looked at me and said your family’s not important right now master corporal, I looked at him and walked out of tent. I was at my MRT drinking beer. With a few friends when I heard someone on my stairs. I knew it would be him. I opened the door with the bright light behind me. Asked what he wanted. I hadn’t saluted when I left. I said because I didn’t respect him as a man or an officer, he took a swing at me like I knew he would. He missed. Cause of lights. I didn’t. He landed on ground 6ft down at the warrants feet. Who then said. Nice move. But shouldn’t have done. Probably lose your rank. Got it fast anyways and he laughed. Lost it fast to. Only you. Shook his. Head walking away. I worked for some damn good NCOs in my time.

Next day it was my turn to be to marched up in front of the company commander. My punishment was being stripped of my new rank. But the warrant officer arranged me to be on the next flight back to Ottawa with a car to Kingston and home. When the regiment returned, my warrant called me in his office. His plan was on a coming Saturday before I left. The platoon would send a flying kitchen to my farm. With cooks and supplies. That evening we would have a bbq as my going away to Germany party. All VM troop would attend minus the captain. And anyone else we wanted. Beer supplied by our canteen. Families welcome. It was a great party I had a big farm out by Joyceville. Had 4 bay garage. Me and the boys had stock it up with oil antifreeze tranny fluid filters parts barrel racks and tools. Then could repair our own vehicles out there. The party was a roaring success. Everyone had fun. After party cooks cleaned it all up. Boys helped pack up kitchen and trucks and that was it. Next stop Germany.

The adventures started on the 707 on the way over. Somewhere over Europe we hit a thunderstorm. A lightning bolt went through the cabin of the jet. We didn’t know this at the time as passengers. But apparently the radar was out. As we came down in Lahr in noticed the jet wobbled a bit. Then emergency equipment on the runway. Then the equipment was chasing us. I knew it wasn’t good. Once we stopped and before we got off the MPS came on board. Told us what was wrong with jet and the one bar in town that was off limits. Now that’s obviously the wrong thing to tell a bunch of soldiers. You can’t go in there! Ya ok. Take family home. I’ll be back soon. Going to report in. Yes and then find that bar. Well you get a sponsor, that someone from your section that’s been there for a year or more. He is supposed to make sure your furniture is delivered to your Private Married Quarters. And help show you around base town etc. Mine was Ed Storey. Great guy. And yes he knew where bar was. It was a cabaret. What we call a brothel or house of ill repute. And quite different from anything I had ever seen before in my life. My family and I were in Germany for Chernobyl. My eldest daughter used to walk down the road pick up fresh eggs and milk. Vegetables and beer were delivered. And every town had a butcher. After that happened for quite some time no fresh milk eggs vegetables. Live sex shows. And as my years in Germany went on. The more I saw.

These trucks were a logistical nightmare, from the start. The Canadian government had bought I believe 20 of them and 2 wreckers. Beautiful trucks. Well built designed in Germany. We bought the Iltis Jeep from Germany took it to Canada built it in Quebec. When it came to the line units. Fifty two modifications before it could be driven. It was a disaster. The new MLVW built in Quebec same thing. The 10 tonne problem they solved by 12 of us growing our hair for several months. Then packing civilian clothing only. Except two of us were members of the base gun club. Shut our mouths and threw our personal weapons in our bags. Then off to Munich for three months of in-depth training at the MAN facility there. Nice hotel and per dime expense. It was great. Breakfast at hotel, lunch at facility with beer. We only paid for dinner. And we were in Munich. After the three months was done we were all confident on the truck, they gave us the long awaited manuals. All in German. Thank god some of us. Myself included had kept a lot of notes. It’s seemed funny my guys Andy Brian Dave Me had kept notes the four guys that most of the time had hung and served together or trained together and today there is still from 1979 to 2022. A core of us that talk daily check on each other all over the world. New Brunswick Alberta, New Zealand., Germany, Ukrainia. Comrades in Arms

So back to the base in Lahr Germany to work on the 10 tones now. Now we go to Dec-17-87 Ralph is going to work on a 10 tonne. So I wheel up the steps we need. And my tools. I stepped to the truck hit snow and down I go. Landing with my left arm outstretched. I had a crunch and snap and think I blacked out, for minute. When I came around the guys were there and had called ambulance I knew inside it wasn’t good. At the hospital this so called doctor put it in a cast. And left it like that for a few months. When I went back to see him, he took the cast off an the elbow wouldn’t move. Apparently I found out. The ulna head shattered into 5 pieces. A cast in hindsight was the thing to do. So off to Ottawa to NDMC. NATIONAL DEFENCE MEDICAL CENTRE anyone who’s been there. Probably not there favourite place. Not mine. Major Buckley. Awesome surgeon. No bedside manner. Army surgeon what do you expect. Saved a guy’s life with a bic pen. Ya! So like he told me about my elbow. Can’t make a ham sandwich out of smashed meat. Cut the head right out. Then more. Then a shortening then another one. Then wrist surgery then clean arthritis out twice now having artificial elbow put in. This year. Problem was. First wife decided on one of these surgeries trips she’s leaving me. But doesn’t tell me. Goes to work. Tells my captain who tells my warrant. That Friday I land in Lahr. Instead of my wife picking me up it’s the warrant and captain. Saying beer call back at shop. Ok. So I’m at shop having beer, warrant says needs to talk to me. I go with him. He talk me to captains office, they inform me that my wife had been in and was leaving in a weeks times on the next military flight out. I sat down thought about it for a minute, asked the warrant for a ride to travel agency. I bought a ticket for wife and eldest daughter. Got him drive me home come upstairs with me. I knocked on door wife opened it looked at me and him standing there, said I guess you know. I’m leaving in a week. No I replied your leaving now. The warrant driving you to hotel in morning cab take you to Frankfurt civilian air to Toronto your mom can pick you up get out of my house now. Leave military ID Behind

After she left. I moved out the base married quarters and got a gorgeous apartment in Kipenheimwiller behind the gasthuas next door to the cemetery. It even had a wood burning fireplace. I booked a doctors appointment for a vasectomy. When I was there I told him married 2 kids. Not mentioning that she was gone, I got my vasectomy. And was off work for a month. I had a doctor do one side and a resident do the other. The doctors side bled inside. But in military the hospitalize you night before and medic shaves you. Medic came in to shave me. Was a girl I had dated. I said no way. After I was out of the hospital. Next day I looked at my leg. It was red going down it. And I was swollen. I went saw battalion medic. He said holy fuck. I thought I was going to die. I ended up with a month off and a lot of frozen peas. Shortly after this I was involved in a bike accident with my gold wing Aspencaden. Tat bike took me all over Europe myself Klaus and Ernie. From Switzerland to Frace to Italy to Monte Carlo and The Casino. A tour of the Nimitz. I had a picture of that bike in Switzerland, against the alps with the Canadian flag flying in the wind. But I was riding home from from a rough weekend at the club. Tom Cochrane played. A kid ran out in front of me and I swerved to miss him. Hit a telephone booth. In Germany they are made of steel not aluminum. My wing lodged right inside with the flag flying outside the booth. That was last thing I saw for a month. My helmet cracked. When MPS got there they got me in ambulance right away and off to hospital. That was Canadian policy because polizei could be brutal I was blind for a month got sight back in one eye and a week later the other eye. I’m very paranoid about things around my eyes. I was head bouncer for the centennial club. And my best friend was the entertainment chairman. Talk about parties at my place. I’ll never forget a couple of them, my friend Jake showed up and nailed my decree nisei for my divorce to the front door and brought in two young ladies to party with us for the night. Another party was a margarita party. My apartment was set up nice. I had candle wall scones, a candle chandelier in living room. So during this party we had lit all the candles a bunch of us were partying dancing and drinking margaritas, the blender. Which nobody noticed was in middle of living room. Underneath the candle chandelier. Next morning. Jake noticed all the wax in the blender. We had been drinking out of lol. After my wife was gone REM Ronnie Hawkins Tom Petty. Every weekend all the waitress and doormen would head over to my place it was great. I loved Germany and cause of the 10 tonne they didn’t want me to go home. 4-became 6 after 6 you have to. But you get one free trip. Me Brian Jake Klaus Ernie, Bangkok. Army paid flight. Perk after 5 years. JWe looked after rest. Armed guard and all woman boat crew for 4 days of sailing around Thailand. Then 3 days party in Bangkok. We saw some cool monasteries and things and had a lot of fun and relaxed.

In 1991 it’s finally time for me to rotate back to Canada. Now after six years your supposed to get your choice of postings. I walking into see the career manager and said I had a motorcycle I wanted to go west coast. Either Nanaimo Victoria or Jericho Beach. Now this career manager and I have history he used to be my Sgt major we never got along French asshole. He said ok give him ten minutes. I came back. He says I have your posting, your going to tuktoyuktuk inuvik or cold lake. I looked at him and said what the fuck. Did I stutter. West coast. That’s where your going. I replied the fuck I am. I’m going to CFB Toronto terminal posting. More than ten years. I’m getting the fuck out. Too many assholes in the army now. And walked out. My orders were cut for Toronto.

I land in Toronto and report in. First thing I have to go see chief. I’m thinking great I haven’t even started. I knock go in. He hands me a letter. It’s addressed to me on Toronto police letterhead. Now I’m puzzled. Reading it. It’s seems Toronto police do not want me living in their fair city. Or more accurately my handguns in the Keele Shepard Ave. He in turn then says master corporal what would you like out of the military. I laughed and said my release sir. I guess it took him aback lol. He said why. I told him about the injury. Not working in my trade. Be qualified Sgt warrant but mcpl because of accident in 87 now. So he suggested based on letter my frame of mind. Putting me in Hamilton a Sgts position running Militia Service Section. I agreed. Best of both worlds going home. Pay and my own section

I set up inspection schedules for the militia units in the Hamilton area. Guelph, Kitchener, Niagara Falls, Welland, St, Catherine’s, anywhere’s an armouries was we went and inspected and repaired vehicles it was a good gig. Meal claims army veh to drive and take home. I was in Hamilton from 91 to Sept 92. Then off to Yugoslavia for 6 months. You go was umm interesting. I don’t want to see a mass grave again. Same as my worst smell instant flashback burning flesh. I had sentry duty there one night. Heard some in the bushes. Asked twice nothing moved again. Asked again. Nothing. Fired a burst. Heard a yell. Called it in. Jeep went out found a body. Someone trying to get into camp. I came home end of February. In time for my birthday. Wondering if that was it. I hadn’t pushed the release cause I actually liked working in Hamilton. I had a good crew. Extra money almost every day. And was living in a trailer at my moms house. When your dong 6 months UN you don’t need your pay because you get your UN pay there. So I was doing ok. I was back working in Hamilton when the Sgtmjr called me. Asked how I was feeling after Yugoslavia. I said fine. Thanks for asking and why and where was I going. He actually apologized, said he knew it was my birthday but March 93 I was going to Somali. First thing I did was look it up on the internet see where it was.

March 19993. I guess we should call this the beginning of the end! I got to Somali and I have never seen such a god for saken place. Life is worth nothing. Warlords rule the country. Our mandate was a joke. A peace keeping mission in a country run by war lords! We didn’t go anywhere alone or unarmed. Even security piquets were in twos. And Ralph’s luck. One evening Klaus and I are on piquet duty. I hear a noise behind I think it’s Klaus start to turn, when I see Klaus coming around the corner to my left, as I’m turning I feel someone grab hear a loud noise and feel wet. And falling to ground. I found out later in hospital. They had come up behind me I heard them. When I turned saved my life. He missed cut to high. But Klaus killed them both and carried me to hospital. He’s pretty skinny compared to me. After that it was about 2 months in. I was medevaced to Germany. Then finally home. Boy was my sgt major ever apologizing when he picked me up at airport and drove me home. To enjoy a month off. This was around the time the airborne tortured and killed that kid. I’m not here to argue right or wrong, he was a kid looting the camp. He could just as easily killed one of us. I’m not agreeing with the torture part. That’s above and beyond. But you don’t take airborne troops drop them in a war zone. And leave them there. They are a shock troop. Go in. Stop whatever take them out. My main issue was the way it was handled first a Sgt major in the army is next to god. He tells the CO what’s going on. And that night a Sgt major laid in his cot. Heard the screaming and said to his orderly. I wonder what they are doing over there. Never got off his ass to check. In the morning the kid Aaroon was dead. Tortured. The master corporal that was doing it was arrested along with a private Kyle Brown. A captain Michael Sox as well was charged. The master corporal hung him self in Somali. In Canada the captain charge was dropped and the lowly private who didn’t do anything got two years in CFDB Edmonton. Because they also took pictures sickeningly sick pictures. Theses led to the biggest embarrassment the Canadian Armed Forces ever suffered. The Somali Inquiry. Where a general personally embarrassed every soldier in the army navy and Air Force. General Boyle stood the Canadian Armed Forces down for a day to search for missing Somali duty log documents. Then in testimony declaring that he was not responsible for the actions of his men. I had a very rough tour. After the boy. I was on picquet with Klaus one night. I heard a noise behind me. Thought it was him started to turn. At same time Klaus came around corner to my right, so knew wasn’t him. At that moment I felt something wet. And heard a loud noise and I remember falling. I woke up in hospital. Klaus had carried me there after shooting two Somalis. They had tried slitting my throat but I turned so they missed. I’m one of few guys in army had permission to grow a goatee.

After Somali I had leave to recover and settle down so took two months. Spent time riding and reading and talking to mom. She is the one person in my life who has influenced me the most. I’ve in my opinion done a lot of things to disappoint my mother, but I’ve also done my best to counter that with a lot of things she can be proud of me for. I know she believed in me no matter what I did. To the point of visiting me in jail once. I asked her never come back. This as after my release.

Arriving in Africa was a cultural shock. Somali was bad this was hell. Warlords, Genocide, They were trying to implement the aroosha accords, but the UN was woefully undermanned underfunded and nobody in the world cared about this tiny country in Africa. The Belgians had been here before and had committed many crimes against the people in the country including rape. Now the contingent was to be made of a handful of Canadians, Belgian troops Bagledesh troops, and Guyana’s troops. Mainly because they all spoke French. At the time I was pretty good in French. We had a total of about 3000 troops on ground not near enough for the scope of the mission. We were supposed to run patrols through the country, protect politicians, find a location for HQ and barracks set everything up before all the rest of equipment came and men. But every day there was something else. General Alaird was running around non-stop. People were still being killed. Meeting. Talks. The clock was ticking. And the UN wasn’t helping at all. General Alaird flew home on leave and stoped at UN HQ on way back. To try and get us help or supplies. Especially ammunition. Once back, he held a meeting with all section commanders and gave us the news. There were rumours that a massacre was coming. We were to be ready to bug out. One soldier asked what about the people. The general had tears in his eyes. Our mandate as explained to me is a peace keeping mission. If we can’t do it. We go. Unless attacked ourselves. We broke off went back to sections and briefed the men. The next day word came down it had started. We loaded our vehicles our weapons and headed to HQ. Presidential Guards saw us and tried to stop us but we fired at them. They turned and ran we kept going. At HQ we were 5 soldiers we were told man phones. People calling for help. Teams were out to grab them. But the death squads were acting faster. Quite often as we were on phone with people we would hear shots and screams. A million people were slaughtered in 2 days. And 15 Belgians soldiers. We were evacuated out after 100 days. Back in Canada, I landed in Toronto, went and saw my chief. He looked at me and just asked quietly what happened. I broke down. I put my release in that day. 1994. Shortly after that they changed my release to a medical release which is even better. I got a nice severance in unpaid leave and time served plus my pension no penalty medical and they paid to move me to house and all expenses involved.

Next day I started working at Hanrahans Tavern. Me and the boys had been stopping for beers occasionally on way home there. So I asked. They hired me as bouncer. Lasted 1 month became night manager. It’s here I lost my respect for police. One night the police raided my bar. No problem. It’s their job. They brought me in my office. There’s the Sgt. Sitting at my desk. With his feet on my desk. Something I don’t even do. Tells me I’m running a whorehouse. So I looked straight at him. I said I’ve been in whorehouses all over the world. None of them are run like this now get your fucking feet off my desk. I think it might have shocked him. Lol. Admitting I had been to whorehouse. Or telling him get his feet off my desk. Another time at the bar I’m standing out front I see a Hamilton cop Steve Stone beating up a drug dealer Hussey. Later Stones banging a dancer on trunk of his car. So I took a picture. Gave it to Hussey. I knew a couple of decent cops old school cops. And then the other ones there was a bicycle cop Dennis. Nice guy. Come in have a coffee. Just say hi talk for a few minutes never asked anything. But was driving home one night saw him on John St with his bike and a man. So I slowed down. The man spit on Dennis. I put car in park. Jumped out roundhouse slapped the guy upside the head. Show respect. Got in car left. Next evening Dennis came in. Had a twinkle in his eye. Goes to bar. Comes back hands me a drink. Says thank you. Another one was Mike Joy. He drove the paddy wagon. The cop that made the cover of Maclean magazine when cops were striking about wearing hats but I had a hooker hanging around causing problems I called mike. He picked her up took her a ride around town. Hit a few train tracks and pothole. Then told her find a new place to hang out. A good friend of mine at the time was the notorious Kenny Murdoch, but also Pappa John Frank Popepellia. Ang, Pat, Greg Musitano. And Mario national president of the outlaws. Hanrahans was an interesting place to work. One night Mike Joy came in asked if he could talk to me in the office. I said sure. He showed me a picture. It was one of my girls, Charlie. A Newfie. A favourite of mine. Her man had beat the shit out of her. I told Mike I would handle it. He said good, shook my hand and left. I went out in bar looked around. Sure enough Kenny was there. This is a man I saw knock out two guys in a row one shot each. I’m not scared of much. Kenny intimidated me. John Sit owed the bar, the Million Dollar Saloon, the Cannonball, and the Locomotion. He was a small Chinese man. Always dressed in shirts pants sweater and half the time slippers. And always on the go. Tommy and I looked after Hanrahans. After I started as night manager I went into office and opened the filing cabinet. John Sit was there looking at me, I found the file I was looking for. I handed John a letter. It was a copy of letter that barred me from the bar. When I was home from Israeli on leave I had stopped at the bar, a dancer asked if she could wear my UN blue beret. I said sure. She was on stage called me over and asked for my tunic. I thought about it for a minute or so and said ok. So there she is my tunic and my beret on on the stage. Then she pulls me up. I’m laughing having fun. The doorman walked up and said get the fuck off the stage asshole. I caught him square on jaw with my combat boot. Broke his jaw. Well they called the police. By the time cops got there I had my beret back my tunic back. And was back at my table. When they came up to me I informed them that they couldn’t arrest me. I was military on active duty. So they drove me to police station. Called CFB Toronto, who dispatched two MP’s. Well I left police station not a mark on me. Got to Toronto had a cracked rib and black eye. Don’t piss off MP’s. John got a good laugh out of letter. Only you Ralph. All he said. He had to be one of the best guys I worked for. I learned a lot from him. How to run a bar. Make money on the books. Off the books. Play the stocks. Him an I flew out, set up a money laundering business in another country because the bars were doing a million a month off the books. We had to put it somewhere. Costa Rica. I ran Hanrahans for 10 years. After a bit I met a waitress named Sylvie Soucy. We started to get along. And eventually one thing led to another and next thing I knew we were in love. My longest relationship 10 years. I ended up buying a scuba diving shop as well. So I was running the shop during the day. And the bar at night. Diving on weekends. I had a 40ft trailer at tobermory for a home base. Pretty nice. But it was getting to me the hours. Plus I was getting into serious diving. We were taking trips to Florida cave diving with Larry Green. Our cave instructor, who looked like he belonged to ZZTop.we dove Ginnie springs, Devils Grotto and a couple other the diving was fantastic you could drop down a rock chimney come out in a chamber. See a rock off in the corner, when you got to the rock. It was the size of a house and you were at 350ft deep. Crystal clear water. Cave diving takes it to another whole level. In a wreck you get a cave in. You can usually work your way out. In a cave you get a cave in behind you it’s game over. And trust me. You can smell death under water. We had to recover a friend of ours off a wreck in Lake Superior. The Gunilda. Fred died on the wreck at 345’ in Lake Superior. When we surfaced and reported it the police freaked out. Their divers aren’t certified to those depths. They would have to bring in a special team. And would take 2 days. Next day without saying anything we went out to the wreck, dove brought Fred’s body up tied it to wreck bouy. And then went back to town. We got John the boat captain to call OPP after we loaded up.

I dove with a great team. Jeff Mark Steve Lewis and Tall Paul Cousins were the mainstays. And then we had about 4-5 others that we’d team up with once in awhile. We dove everything in tobermorey. Then Michigan the Thumb. We dove a wreck that had whiskey barrels floating on the roof. At the time we had more dives on the Gunilda than anyone in Canada. We had Sylvie diving recreational. And then I started helping out with trade shows. And that was the straw. It got too much. I drove to New Orleans for a trade show. It was a long haul. Not long after my accountant finally made me realize that I was basically taking my money from the bar and losing it on the dive shop. So I liquidated all the assets except our dive gear. Closed the store. Got some sleep. Dove and worked bar. My last dive I Canada was the Gunilda. I was down in the engine room bottom of the boat. When we dove this wreck and some others the buddy rule on the smaller wreck was a little looser because of close quarters, but we ran lines in usually. Anyways I’m down there I turn around and damn I’m stuck. I’m all by myself inside this wreck down in the engine room. Our rule was we never left the wreck without our buddy. Unless life threatening to yourself, so I’m wiggled around, and no way was i getting out that way. Now whatever you do has to be fast. Because it’s accumulated bottom time you don’t want. So I figured easy thing is take tanks off. So I unclipped my light set it down. Shone it at me. Undid my harness. Slipped it from my shoulders, then turned around my long hose of course in my mouth, and there it was a coat hook on the wall had snagged me gear as I swam past. I un snagged it. Took the coat for bragging rights and got the hell out of there. Ended up buddy breathing from bottom to first stop.

One night I went into work and as per usual Tommy was drunk. But more than usual. And he was mean. He started on me. I told him lay off. He didn’t. I hit him. He fell, hit his head on safe and cut it. Bleeding like a pig. I called John. He raced down from Mississauga.

The next day I was out looking around, John called me asked me come be the bar. I said sure. Drove over. I’m in the office with him. I’m thinking I’m getting fired. He starts out by saying that day before not my fault, Tommy drunken asshole. Then he tells me he bought a bar in Barrie and I was going there as day manager. I got my own bar. He told me pick 1 doorman and 2 waitresses. Of course I picked my friend Dave, and Holly we’d been friends for years if hired her at the bar, and my girlfriend Sylvie. It’s funny, Sylvie was my first bisexual girlfriend, I oftentimes wondered if she knew Holly was as well. But Holly myself and Dave went up first. And what an eye opener. Hanrahans when there was roughest bar in city. When left still bad. Just after I left my doorman Phil killed that white guy outside the club. We were doing large money. 45,000 a month on the books. The Barrie bar Misty’s renamed Cafe at the Park (for Molson Park) was doing 900$ a week. I looked after days, Dave nights, Holly days and a Barrie girl nights. Dave and I cleaned in morning. Nice thing was. John was a good man to work for for p, Hanrahans my salary was 3000$ a week cash plus tips. Went to Barrie never changed and our Christmas bonus was great. I ran Cafe from 1999 to 2006, we went from 900$ a week to 30,000 a month. Dave was moved back to Hamilton, Ken took over nights, we moved the bar downstairs where it should have been for larger crowd. My office had a 40 person liquor license, I had it set up nice. Couches two salt water aquariums, my own office furniture. And I lived upstairs. Sylvie was still in Hamilton looking after house and dog Baron. Now Holly was with me. My best female friend. Her and I slept upstairs in same bed, but I never touched her, I’m not saying I didn’t want to. But was with Sylvie. And wasn’t ruining my friendship. We stayed friends even when I was in club going east coast I go Halifax take her out for dinner.

I found a place in Horseshoe valley a ski resort north of Barrie. Sylvie came up and we lived there for a bit it was nice. Til we found out lady who owned it apparently wasn’t allowed to rent it or something like that. So I went looking. And lucked out. Found a place right by Drysdale’s Christmas tree farm it was hidden from road back in forest. Beautiful. Sylvie and I broke up. I thought something was going on but it didn’t matter. New Year’s Eve is the most important holiday to me. We went out for dinner came home. And she fell asleep on couch. I watched ball fall on TV By myself, thought this isn’t right. We broke up shortly after.

One night I was out shopping, Ken called me. He said he had a big party coming in. He could see them in cameras. A minute or so go by and I hear him say it a raid. I leave everything where it is get in my car head back to bar. At bar I go to enter bar, a guy stops me. Says I can’t go in. I ask who the fuck are you. RCMP, Apparently once I gave him my name they were waiting for me, I went in. 3 officers were in bar area acting like shooter girls with trays. There were 52 officers in bar from RCMP, IMMIGRATION. LCBO. BARRIE POLICE, OPP. It was a gong show. They took all cash from bar. Charged girls as being found in bawdy house. And all my staff and me as keeper of common bawdy house. After was all over we were released at bar under own recognizance. But cop says to me. Guess your shut down no cash now. I started laughing, I said really. I took out a piece of paper. Wrote police raid send cash Ralph and faxed to head office. Looked at him said pretty easy eh. Get out.

Next morning went to bar. Of course news crews there. I’m getting out of car on phone there coming at me. And what’s mom see on TV. Me yelling at reporters. Got in bar. Told doormen when there no news crews and watch for girls. Escort them in. Next the accountant showed up with a briefcase of money. Back in business. John called make sure ok. Gave me name of 3 lawyers that would be dealing with case. All from Toronto made me feel better. I think it’s around now Aaron became night manager Ken going back to Toronto. About 2 months later I noticed money missing my books for years balanced to the dime. Now I’m coming up short every day 100$ at least. At first I thought me. Sylvie the raid pressure I was drinking more. But it didn’t make sense. I started calling Toronto. Finally one day they said coming to forensic accounting.i panicked. Because no matter what. I’m day manager. I’m responsible. So I took what was left. My rental truck and went to Florida. I took about 10,000$ plus a couple f cash envelopes that had another 1000$ in them. The bar reported I took 20000$ I think mainly for insurance. Which is why although ordered to pay restitution I made no effort because I knew they had insurance and had scammed. By that time bar was owned by Carlo and Tommy. And you couldn’t trust either of them. While I was in Florida the Barrie police were calling me. To turn self in. I laughed said I’m on beach in trunks looking at girls in bikinis

Then they called one day asked about my weapons. Apparently one of the waitresses from the club, had ratted me out to cops saying I had my two weapons with me, Kim. They were going to call border and put out and armed and dangerous warrant for me. So I gave them the combination to my weapons safe. Now let’s flash forward two years trials for everything is over I’m free. With a weapons ban. My charges. Theft over breach of trust. Now I’m in process in 2022 asking Supreme Court of Canada to hear my case on profiling by RCMP, ENDANGERING MY LIFE, AND CHALLENGING THE WEAPONS BAN. I HAD A GRANDFATHER RESTRICTED WEAPONS PERMIT, SEARCH WARRANT FOR MY HOUSE IN BINBROOK, WHAT WAS FOUND IN SEARCH. ALSO THE DISCLOSURE SAYS WEAPON ON ME. THERE WASNT. THEY CHARGED ME WITH A CROSSBOW MID TRIAL CHANGED IT TO A BROKEN BUTTERFLY KNIFE. I had already pleaded guilty in a plea bargain deal. But on search they found and charged me with stuff not on search warrant not in plain sight. Sorry this might be repeated towards end. This is my first run in with Barrie police.

Ok. So back to to Florida, I figure it’s time to go back. I drive through border no problem, Queenston Lewiston Bridge. Once back in Canada I headed back to Barrie turned my rental in paid bill. I knew rental girl well. Asked her give me ride to police station, she said yes. Brought me there. I gave her a 100$ tip. She gave me a kiss. Said be last one in a while laughed and left.

When I walked into the police station and said who I was the desk Sgt almost shit. He called upstairs to the detective’s right away and I didn’t have to wait long at all. Once upstairs, they started asking me questions. Now anyone who knows me I don’t usually lie. They asked how much money I took and what was left. I told the amount and looked in my wallet said 200$. They put that in my canteen lol. after a few minutes they turned me over to BEU, in there they had a really nice picture of me at the 400 flea market hugging a Hells Angel Tony. I said yes so well your affiliated with the Hells Angels. I said well what about the kid standing next to me my girlfriend Josee son. We were at market. And I can’t have friends. Now at the bar. Originally para dice riders 3 of them were hanging around, our policy was no colours allowed. We had problems a couple times. One time being when I was at a Bruce Springsteen concert. As a guest of molson’s. Box seats. What we would do is every once in a while send back all molson product. Then not order for a couple weeks, the reps would start crying and we would get whatever we wanted. So my doormen called. Guys in bar wouldn’t take colours off. I had to leave Air Canada Centre Toronto, drive back to Barrie and ask these guys to take colours off. Which they did. I sent the doormen home. Then one summer day the Hells Angels rolled into northern Ontario had a meeting with Satans Choice, Para Dice Riders, and Vagabonds. Most of these guys patched over to Angels giving Angels Ontario in one shot. Now these guys were trying to say I was affiliated with the Angels. Well at the time they were wrong. But when I went to jail. The Angels told me go to the hole. So I did for 2 years less a day. It was great. I realized in jail for me, it’s not too bad. I’m not a small guy, my pensions continue while I’m in jail. And in hole I got everything I wanted or needed. 2 mattresses, a pillow, sheets blankets, books. Extra food and any drugs I wanted.

While I was in jail we were still going to court for the bawdy house charges. The cops and prosecutor decided to put me on the grey goose bus tour, I can write the Michelins Guide to Southern Ontario jails. From Sault Saint Marie to East Toronto, to Walkerton. And point in between, the idea being that if I plead guilty as general manager, all the employees and dancers would be found guilty. So every time lawyers found me I’d be on next bus out. Finally I was released from Penatanguishene my brother Dale picked me up. Being in hole was good in you had no range problems.

L

So I’m at Dale’s one afternoon and Janine storms in house, I hear her yelling and muttering to herself. Next thing I know she’s downstairs throwing things around, my things. Now I’m also paying rent. My own place in basement shared entrance. I finally got out get in my little dodge pick up and take off. I just spent almost 2 years in hole nice and quiet I didn’t need that. She had found out she was pregnant and lost her mind. Most couples are happy. I ended up down by the bay at the park. Whenever in Hamilton if need go somewhere that’s where usually go. Water. After I left there I was driving I saw a sign apartment for rent in house, I pulled over knocked on door. Guy answered. He showed me place. I said I’ll take it. Drove back to Dale’s started packing, Dale comes home I hear him talking to Janie, voices raised then quiet. Dale asks me if I could come upstairs, sure. I came up. He went into this spiel about making a nursery in the basement now that she was pregnant. And said I could have a month to move out, I replied there was no problem his wife was a whack job. I was downstairs packing. When he was done talking to her. He could come downstairs and see the havoc she had let loose.

That was the end of my brother and mine relationship, my mother didn’t like her either I never met many people mom didn’t like. He chose her over family his decision, people can say I did that with club. But in reality I had no family left. My step brother was a pedofile, I didn’t talk much to sister, mom out west. My brother and I not at all. But I moved into Simcoe St a basement apartment in the north end. I started dated Kerri Anne Carter. An old friend of mine. From diving, I was working at Precision Towing for Gord MacNeil and was hanging around with several Angels Del Joe Greg from Hamilton. They were always at the shop. Soon I had my own truck and Gord had me running the company. He would rather chase wrecks and girls and I rather work make money. I was doing so well I bought a new truck a gas gmc 4 door beauty I had it chipped headers and seven scanners put in it including a digital scanner newest out for OPP. I was working Precision Towing in day the going to Mississauga at night chasing for Seneca Towing with magnets on my doors for hat company, and helping Dell with his police call with his company name on my door when in town as well. This was going well until one day Andy Kirkland rolled into the compound and wanted to inspect all the company trucks on the police list, my scanners were well hidden with a master off switch, but my magnetic signs were on back seat. He didn’t have an issue with Seneca but Dels company he blew a gasket. I guess the cops were watching me but didn’t realize I was hooked up with Del and the boys as they were friends with Gord. I did very well with Gord but he refused to grow up. I told him company was going under, my truck was mine. Just name on door. I left Gord and Mke Allen at Pennisula Towing had been after me, The way I was working it. I-paid cash for all my tow trucks. Drove them for two years after. Traded them in. Used trade in value plus whatever truck made in those two years to buy next bigger truck. All the way up to Big Red at 150,000$. Drove it for 5 years of profit. Sold it to Parkway Towing for 100,000$ and a new pick up truck from a drug seizure. I made money. Working for Mike at Peninsula Towing in ten years I cleared 2.4 million dollars but I was owner operator and road manager whole time so higher percentage. Higher costs to own maintenance own fuel own uniforms etc. Before I bought big red I married Kerri Ann Carter, we ended up renting the house next to her parents which some people would say bad but we got along great the 4 of us. They would go casino a lot. And got perks. Concerts etc.Then they take us with them. It was a lot of fun. And at time I had a bought 29 foot prowler trailer off Mom out in Paris at conservation area things were going along really good

Or so I I thought. As things went along weekends at the trailer working lots my pension was coming in not as good as is now. One night Kerri asked me if I had any fantasies, not really, after 6 years in Germany and on trip to hedonism I pretty well covered it, so I asked her if she had any. Bad idea. Of course she did, well her involved two men. I was kinda shocked as Kerri was always more reserved quiet shy, and she also had the person picked out. Rob another broker at Peninsula. So she laid this plan out because our place in city had a fire pit in backyard, and my drivers from Peninsula Towing were always dropping by sit by fire shoot the shit for a bit. She wanted me ask him over, she would take from there. I said whatever. One thing led to another. But the arrangement was supposed to be kept between us, and soon I noticed I would wake up, and she would be gone. I wasn’t stupid. I phoned the office and asked where Rob was. Apparently he had told office book him off, and was at home. Right away I figured things out. Went back to sleep.

Next morning I woke up. Kerri was in bed sleeping, I left went down to compound, with my truck. All the drivers were there as normal. I went in office called Mike, we were very tight. I was the road manager, basically ran the company, everything from paying drivers to hiring firing, looking after the insurance for company a lot of things, but we were friends as well. I told Mike what had gone done last night, and that I was firing Rob. He asked my reasons. I replied he signed off went home supposed to be covering the city. And then about my wife. He agreed. I called Rob in. Said you signed off last, left CAA in lurch company in lurch, I’ve talked to Mike we are in agreement your gone. Then I went home, Kerri was awake. I asked her how she slept she said fine. I let her know that I fired Rob, and then told her I got up in middle of night go pee, and she wasn’t home. Now I was moving out. With my dog. I found a place in Grimsby. A nice condo 2 bedroom one for me one for Bear my shepherd wolf. This guy was my 2nd best dog, got him from Rob actually, as a puppy, but he went everywhere in my tow truck. Sitting in the front seat. And stealing our coffees or my when they first came out, Krispy Kreme Donuts. He was my best friend at the time. My confidant. He get in truck in morning and sit there all day. Never bark listen to music and listen to me, as I never had customers in big red usually.

While driving Big Red I made the most money I’ve made in my life at the time. I bough her in 07 new. At Peninsula Towing. Drove for Mike worked for him for 10 years made 2.4 million dollars. No wonder he hated writing my pay cheques. While there Classic Towing was sniffing around Hamilton they talked to me about going with them I said no they asked a few guys all said no. A few days later I took off on a club ride to East coast was with Comrades in Sudbury at the time. What a stupid idea. Friday deliver coffee for Sudbury I lived in Hamilton. But striker so I pick coffee up in Hamilton and bring to Sudbury, of course ice cold. That didn’t last long. But all fun I’d just stay till Sunday. I put 79,000 km on my bike that year. But after east coast I split off went through States Boston. Orange County Choppers on way back in New York I got a phone call from Mike. Classic Towing guys were on way from Toronto to put an offer on Peninsula Towing, Mike was spending money like water. If it was red he bought it. I hung up and cranked throttle. New York is not that far a state to Niagara Falls. On a big Harley I pulled into yard 5 minutes before they did from Toronto. The look on their faces when they saw me was priceless. I guess somehow they knew I was away. The plan buy the company I come home working for them. Well I had a different idea in that I didn’t like either one of them, I knew they only wanted me for my contracts. So I figured if that was case and they were buying company then they were going to pay my price. My wages. After a bit of negotiations they saw things my way. Mike myself ended up at Classic Towing. He didn’t last long, went back to Niagara Falls and opened Parkway Towing. I lasted about 6 months, I had good contracts Uhaul, Box Modular, Park Model Living, Niagara Trailers. That were generating me approximately 9000$ a week. I worked there for about 6 months and one day I was in the office and heard one of my customers call there and need 3 tows from Sarnia back to Hamilton. Not one went to me. I went out to my truck. And drove it through font gate, calling my customers to say I left. And was on way back to Niagara Falls and Parkway Towing.

I worked for Mike I guess about 5-6 months. And I was having problems off on on over the years with PTSD, ending up in hospital a few times. My knees were bothering me more and my elbow of course. Well the army sent me for PTSD testing in London Ontario, at the OSI clinic. The results were PTSD, with Anxiety, and depression. They decided I was no longer fit to work. Thank god they have come up with income replacement. And my main pension also went up. With an eventual lump sum payout. For the PTSD, ANXIETY and DEPRESSION. So I sold Big Red to Mike for 100,000$ and a new pick up from a drug seizure.