Corporal Anthony Joseph Boneca, The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment

[BFBSM]

In honour of Corporal Anthony Joseph Boneca, The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment, who was fatally wounded when coalition forces, as part of Operation Zahar, were sweeping through Pashmol, an area west of Kandahar City, and which at the time was considered a gathering point for insurgents. The operation aim was to assist in strengthening the authority of the Afghan Government in the region.

The force came under fire in maze-like grape orchards while carrying out a sweep of
the village of Pashmul. One reporter called the repeated exchanges between Coalition
and Taliban forces in the area, "a lethal cat-and-mouse game." The reporter,
monitoring radio traffic of the battle from Alpha and Bravo Companies while embedded
with Charlie Company, reported that she'd heard indications of RPG attacks, small-
arms fire, "women and children fleeing," and a group of Canadians being "pinned down
in a trench" coming under RPG fire, and harrassing fire from grape orchards in the
area.

The Canadians and ANA reportedly assaulted the a mud-walled house (reportedly a
mud-baked compound used to dry grapes) in Pashmul three times, but were forced to
withdraw each time. Two Taliban were reportedly on the roof, probably located in a
small hut on the roof with good coverage of the surrounding "low walls of the grape
fields and adjacent small huts". Troops speaking to reporters also indicated tunnels
had been dug between buildings and fighting positions.

Cpl. Boneca was reportedly shot at approximately 0830 local time (100001EDT Jul 06)
as he headed up the stairs of one of three mud-walled compounds by one of two men
on the roof. Media reports indicate Cpl. Boneca was shot in the neck just above the
ceramic plate of his bullet-proof vest, "the bullet tearing downward through his body."
After being shot, Cpl. Boneca was carried to a medical aid point by colleagues on a
black rubber sheet, reportedly with an airway already inserted to assist breathing. On
arrival to at the medical aid point, the medic reportedly said there were no vital signs.
After evacuation via helicopter, Cpl. Boneca was pronounced dead in a military medical
facility at Kandahar airfield.

Source: https://www.scribd.com/document/1768104 ... uly-9-2006

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembran ... h%20Boneca





www.legacy.com/obituaries/chroniclejour ... fhid=31364
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/wo ... e20414685/

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2006/07/09/ ... anistan-3/

https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/sta ... eca-103764

www.legacy.com/obituaries/chroniclejour ... fhid=31364

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/wo ... e20414685/

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2006/07/09/ ... anistan-3/

https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/sta ... eca-103764