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United Nations Emergency ForceThe United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was a United Nations peacekeeping mission involving Canadians. When a second force was deployed to the region after this mission's completion, it became referred to as "UNEF I" with the second mission referred to as "UNEF II", though they are also distinguished by the names "United Nations Emergency Force, Egypt" and "United Nations Emergency Force, Middle East" respectively. UN MandateIn Oct 1956, Israel, Britain and France moved military forces into the Suez Canal zone to secure the canal. Through the efforts of Canada's External Affairs Minister, Lester B. Pearson, the UN General Assembly agreed to its first peacekeeping force to secure peace in the region (previous operations had been only observer forces). Under the command of a Canadian, MGen Eedson Louis Millard Burns, 0C, DSO OBE MC, the UNEF, on 7 Nov 1956, was given a mandate to secure the removal of Israeli, British and French troops from the canal zone and the Gaza Strip and to maintain peace in the area. The first Canadian troops arrived in Egypt on 24 Nov 1956, and Egypt abruptly asked them to leave in May 1967. The six-day war between Israel and Egypt followed. Thirty-two Canadians lost their lives serving with this force. HistoryThe 1950s saw many conflicts as decolonization progressed in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The Cold War also exacerbated some conflicts; in Egypt, President Nasser attempted to use East-West tensions to his own advantage, but became frustrated when requests for funding by the west to assist in modernization of his country were refused. He nationalized the Suez Canal, at that time owned by Britain and France and relied on it for the shipment of oil from the Persian Gulf states. Britain and France arranged for an Israeli invasion as a pretext for their own militaries to intervene and "protect" the Suez Canal, with the added hope that Nasser's government would fall.
While Canadian popular opinion varied, some seeing Nasser as a modern day dictator, others blaming the French and English for creating the crisis, a majority supported the idea of a peacekeeping force. When Canada selected the 1st Battalion of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada as an infantry force, Eqypt objected. Not only did Canada's flag have a British Union Jack in the corner, but the battalion wore British-looking uniforms and had a British sounding name. The similarities were too close for Egyptians sensibilities, and another battalion was requested. The Canadian Chief of the General Staff was perplexed, as all the Regular Force battalions had English-sounding names, even the single francophone regiment had the word "Royal" in its title. "It required extraordinary efforts by General Burns, (UN Secretary General) Dag Hammarskjöld, and the Canadian Ambassador in Cairo, Herbert Norman, to persuade the Egyptians to allow Canada to contribute not the 1(st Battalion) Queen's Own Rifles but the logistical support UNEF needed to function."2 By the Nov 22, Canada had dispatched 300 logistics soldiers, and by Dec over 1,000 troops were serving with UNEF, comprising about 1/6 of the entire force. The Canadians serving in the mission found it "...infintely boring, in squalid conditions, and completely without glamour."3 Canadian Military Involvement
Insignia
Of 58,031 medals issued, 9,963 went to Canadians. Notes
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