First Canadian female soldier killed in combat

source

Yesterday Canada suffered its first female solider casualty since WW2. Capt. Nichola Goddard was killed in action. I didn't know female soldiers actually took part in combat! God bless her family and thank you for her sacrifice.

Capt. Nichola Goddard, of 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery based in Shilo, Man., was killed in action at 6:55 p.m., 24 kilometres west of Kandahar city, a Canadian Forces spokesman said in Kandahar. Her age and hometown were not immediately released.

Members of the Canadian Forces were backing up combined operations of the Afghan national police and army, and were moving against a concentration of Taliban fighters in the Panjwai area at the time, the spokesman said.

Goddard was the 17th Canadian killed in Afghanistan since 2002 — one diplomat and 16 soldiers, including four who died in the friendly-fire bombing by a U.S. warplane.

Yep it's going to be a tough time over there.
Several reports concluded the Taliban activity has increased enormously in the southern provinces, especially in the Uruzgan, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces.

TO this date as far as I know women are not being assigned to "combat " duty , however with the "war on terrorism" and the guerrilla tactics being used, combat often just materialiizes around them.

Makes me think that she was most likely military police or tech personnel for the cav.

Either way, another casualty somewhere we shouldn't be.

According to this source she was acting as a forward observer.

source

Capt. Nichola Goddard was serving as a
forward observer with the Princess
Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in
Afghanistan. (Department of National
Defence)

Which to me means she was right in the action.

Canada is one of the few nations where gender is not a qualifer/disqualifier for full combat duty. I am proud of this Canadian fact. Our volunteers do a very good job and deserve our respect for their sacrifices. They don't create the orders, they just execute them and do a very credible job.

Do I agree that Canucks should be wearing berets other than peacekeeper blue? No. That's a civilian government issue that morphs to the need of federal politics as time passes. I suspect that we are being pushed and goaded to comply with the expectations of non-Canadian interests sympathetic to the "Enduring Freedom" rationale and being "sucked in" we are too proud to call it quits and have even extended the tour until President "Carlyle" Kharzi splits the groovy scene in 2009.

Even the Dutch and the Brits are somewhat reticent to expand and extend their roles as was explained in Parliament yesterday. Harper said that the Canadian commitment could be used to encourage the Dutch to join as the Dutch he felt owed Canada for our services to the Dutch in WWII. As Bubbles would say,"Gree-hee-heeasy, Mr. Harper."

I would be most happy if Canada left Afganistan leaving a non-combat contingent involved in rebuilding and providing humanitarian support. My preference would be that Canadian forces deploy under UN mandate somewhere that we can be more effective in providing relief to those in dire circumstances... say like Darfur.

Thanx,

Victor K.

[edit on 18-5-2006 by V Kaminski]

Yer right she was into it , but the implication of forward observer as recon translates to non-combat via non-contact.

Kind of hard to remain non-contact in a LOACH. STILL another loss that shouldn't have happened.

That's sad..... does it say how she was killed? I hope the canadians dont feel that this is an excuse to leave as a result, we seem to be losing allies all the time...

which inevitably means a draft is coming....

in anycase, its the US that does not permit women in active combat. we asked why this was one day to a recruiter and was told its because it was tradition.

I think it is so mixed feelings dont develop.....imagine being very close, possibly intimate with a fellow soldier. Imagine she was killed.

the outrage amongst the other soldiers would be immense....the massacre at haditha might occur more often.

or not being able to give an order that might get her killed....

these are probably amongst the top reasons.....love hurts....

Sad news once again, as it is when any of our troops don't come back.

Here in the UK we had our first female member of the forces to be killed in Iraq brought back today, along with 4 of her colleagues.

www.sky.com...

Once again this raises the debate about females in combat, which is subject for another thread maybe. Some are saying that they are'nt actually "front line", but then again what is over in a place like Iraq?

My thoughts are with the canadian officers family.

CX.

Originally posted by V Kaminski


Even the Dutch and the Brits are somewhat reticent to expand and extend their roles as was explained in Parliament yesterday. Harper said that the Canadian commitment could be used to encourage the Dutch to join as the Dutch he felt owed Canada for our services to the Dutch in WWII. As Bubbles would say,"Gree-hee-heeasy, Mr. Harper."

Oh yes, even these days we commemorate the fallen allied soldiers who fought to liberate our country. However, the Dutch pairlement already decided months ago to sent troops to the southern province of Uruzgan.

The first forces are already there to establish bases. Within one or two months 1500 more units will join, including Apaches and F-16s. Together, the Canadian, Dutch, and British are fighting in the most 'dangerous' provinces of Afghanistan.

Here's a bit more info on Capt. Goddard's death.

Goddard was killed Wednesday night in a firefight with Taliban insurgents west of Kandahar. A member of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Goddard was serving as a forward artillery observer, helping direct fire at enemy positions from near the front lines, when the LAV III (Light Armoured Vehicle) she was riding in was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Goddard, 26, of Calgary, was married, with no children.

Although Canadian women lost their lives in action in both the First and Second world wars, Goddard was the first fatality in a combat role, opened to Canadian women in 1990.

cnews.canoe.ca...

It's very sad and my heart goes out to her husband and family.

As for Harper saying the Dutch owe us, pffft. They don't owe us a damn thing. You don't help people out just so you can hold it over their heads for 60 years and then call in a favour. That's just pathetic. :shk:

XphilesPhan,

Our govt just voted yesterday to stay in Afghanistan for two more years. We're not going anywhere.

Originally posted by Duzey


As for Harper saying the Dutch owe us, pffft. They don't owe us a damn thing. You don't help people out just so you can hold it over their heads for 60 years and then call in a favour. That's just pathetic. :shk:

You're right, but in contrast we greatly respect your countries (generally in Europe) for liberating, the Netherlands, and Europe as a whole.

We appreciate the fact that you appreciate the sacrifices that were made to liberate your country, and Europe. From what I hear, Canadians are treated exceptionally well when in Holland, with random strangers stopping us on the street to thank us. I think that is very nice.

That doesn't mean we should feel entitled to use that as leverage. You do that kind of thing because it's right, not because you expect something in return. I think that statement about Holland owing us is extremely crass and downright embarrassing.

edit wronge topic

[edit on 18-5-2006 by bodrul]

Ummm, Canada isn't in Iraq. We declined to participate, because the US wouldn't show us their intelligence that prompted the invasion.

She died in Afghanistan.

What makes a female soldiers death more recognized then a nale soldiers death, its the same sacrifice afterall. So shouldnt they be honoured equally

Originally posted by Duzey
From what I hear, Canadians are treated exceptionally well when in Holland, with random strangers stopping us on the street to thank us.

I can vouch for that

I was born in Holland but have been a Canadian since 1954. Going back, even now, is always a great experience. The Dutch will never forget and it shows every time a Canadian visits there. I can tell some stories about glasses of beer that never empty and the emotions that complete strangers of all ages show as soon as they meet someone from Canada.

Harpers statement though, shows how shallow a character he is...Holland owes Canada nothing at all and such an allusion just floors me. Disgusting!

Captain Goddard will be proudly remembered by her fellow soldiers, as well as the country she represented and fought for.

'Nuff said.
.

Vegemite,

All our soldiers are honoured equally. I don't quite see what you are getting at.

This just happens to be noteworthy because it is the first time a female Canadian soldier has died in a combat role. It's not like her family is getting any sort of preferential treatment or they are holding a service that is any different from others.

Would it make you feel better if we had 16 threads, one for each soldier? Just because they are not topics of discussion on ATS doesn't mean they don't get the same recognition within Canada.

Here's a story for each one of them:

Sgt. Marc Leger, victim of friendly fire
Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, victim of friendly fire
Pte. Richard Green, victim of friendly fire
Pte Nathan Smith, victim of friendly fire
Sgt. Robert Short and Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger, whose patrol hit a landmine
Cpl. Jamie Murphy, killed by a suicide bomber
Pte. Braun Woodfield, died due to a motor vehicle accident
Cpl. Paul Davis, died due to a motor vehicle accident
Master Cpl. Tim Wilson, died due to a motor vehicle accident
Pte. Robert Costall, killed in battle
Cpl. Matthew Dinning, killed by a roadside bomb
Bombadier Myles Mansell, killed by a roadside bomb
Lt. William Turner, killed by a roadside bomb
Cpl. Randy Payne, killed by a roadside bomb


Masqua, thanks for the confirmation. I've heard that from so many people that have travelled there.

From one Canadian to another: Thank You Duzey! I couldn't have said it any better. You'd be welcome at my table any time.

Thanx eh,

Victor K.

Originally posted by cap_n_america
Kind of hard to remain non-contact in a LOACH. STILL another loss that shouldn't have happened.

Then you should tell all those allies of Russia and China to not shoot at them then. Myself I wish they would go home and keep making turnip soup or whatever they eat over there since they still want to remain poor and keep confrontation going with the rest of the world.

[edit on 18-5-2006 by denythestatusquo]

Originally posted by denythestatusquo
Then you should tell all those allies of Russia and China to not shoot at them then. Myself I wish they would go home and keep making turnip soup or whatever they eat over there since they still want to remain poor and keep confrontation going with the rest of the world.

Would you mind elaborating a bit on the above statement? I can't understand how this relates to Captain Goddard, the other fallen Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, or even the quote which you were answering to.

Who should go home?
Who are the allies of Russia and China?
And what's turnip soup got to do with anything?