Canadian Defence Attache for a Day!

By Michael McWhinnie

Once upon a time, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) toast-of-the-day for Thursdays was "to a bloody war or a sickly season". In an era when sailors embraced a healthy sense of irony, the sentiment underscored how, with the right perspective, even in tragedy something positive might be found.

If you enjoy stories where one person’s misfortune becomes a windfall to someone else, this tale is for you!

Colonel Jason (Jake) Galuga and his wife Lise live in Paris. He was posted to Belgium in 2018 as the Deputy National Military Representative to NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe before accepting the most recent appointment as Canada’s current Defence Attaché to France. Jake is a career Army combat engineer with a passion for Canadian military history.? Imagine his excitement when he was invited to join the Canadian Forces Parachute Team, the SkyHawks, for a tandem jump onto Juno Beach on a day when he was scheduled to lay a wreath during a ceremony at Courseulles-sur Mer marking the 80th anniversary of that town’s liberation from Nazi occupation. “This was an incredible and unique opportunity,” recalls Jake, who immediately began formulating a plan to combine the two activities.?

Halfway around the world, a junior officer, seemingly unconnected to events in Europe, was forming plans of his own.

Sub-Lieutenant Luke Brannigan lives in Victoria, BC where he helps train Naval Warfare Officers at HMCS Venture. ?Luke is a strong advocate for wargaming as an instructional tool.? He is considered an expert in the subject and in 2023 was one of two officers selected by the RCN to attend the International Wargaming Symposium in Peru.? Luke is a former army armoured officer who has since reclassified to his current occupation. Like Jake, Luke has a passion for Canadian military history.?

Imagine Luke’s excitement when he received an invitation to attend one of NATO’s premiere wargaming forums, the Defence Simulation Education and Training Conference, from 10-13 June in Bristol, UK.? Imagine his heartbreak when this leadership informed him there were no funds available to send him.?

“What if I paid my own flights and accommodations?” offered Luke hopefully.

“Approved!” responded his Commanding Officer.

As did Jake, Luke began to look for ways to combine his varied interests. When he realized the trip would enable him to attend D-Day commemorations in France, wheels began to turn.

And so fate began to bring the two men into proximity.?

On June 6th dignitaries and heads-of-state including U.S President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, King Charles III, Prince William, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gathered at Colleville-sur-Mer, near Omaha Beach to commemorate the initial Allied landing in Normandy in 1944.? Two days later and 30 kilometers to the east, Luke strolled the streets of Courseulles-sur-mer, adjacent Juno Beach dressed in 1As. He had come to observe the ceremony celebrating the township’s liberation by Canadian troops on June 8th of the same year. It was a windy and overcast morning.? Despite being far from home, he suspected there were many Canadians present. The signs were everywhere. Amongst the crowd he observed the distinct Canadian poppy on lapels, Canadian flag pins on clothing. Luke noticed one woman wearing a bright red dress: the tone of red found only in the Canadian flag.

“There was an excitement in the air,” recalled Luke. “a collective sense we were connecting to a decisive moment in human history. ? At the same time there was a feeling of solemness.? Everyone understood the human cost of what was achieved on these beaches and that we were here to remember and honour those sacrifices.”

The landings in Normandy began a 77-day battle that would free northern France and lead to the liberation of Western Europe. Approximately two million Allied soldiers, sailors and aviators took part in the campaign.? Over 20,000 were killed, wounded or captured including almost 20,000 Canadians. Of the 5,000 Canadians who lost their lives, 1,000 died the first day on the beach nearby.

As 11a.m. approached, clouds darkened the sky, threatening rain. A growing crowd began to funnel towards a small square facing a monument whose centerpiece was a vintage Canadian Sherman tank. Luke flowed with them, looking for a good vantage point.

Meanwhile, with his chute packed and safety checks complete Jake sat patiently with the SkyHawk team onboard an aircraft at the Deauville airport, 50 kilometers to the east. Excitement began to build in anticipation of take-off.? “There is always a chance Mother Nature won’t cooperate when we plan outdoor events,” reflected Jake. “If the weather that morning was clearly not suitable, we would have scrubbed the jump, and I would have driven to Courseulles-sur-mer in plenty of time for the ceremony.”? But the decision to go or not go wasn’t obvious. Everyone hoped for a window of opportunity. They waited.? Jake checked his watch, glanced at the skies and calculated how much time he would need if the mission was called off.

Luke was happy with his spot.? He was close to the cenotaph and because he was taller than most, would have an unobstructed view. As he scanned the crowd he noticed the woman in the red dress. She was on her phone but looking right at him.? “This person began navigating her way around people, clearly heading my way. I wasn’t sure what to expect and was kind of bracing myself for the unexpected.”

The unexpected is exactly what he got.

As the woman neared, Luke noticed she wore a name tag and some kind of badge. She stopped directly in front of him and announced “My name is Lise Galuga.? My husband is the CDA to France.? He was supposed to lay a wreath on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces this morning but won’t be able to make it. We would greatly appreciate if you would perform this duty on his behalf,” Lise half asked, half ordered.

It took a minute for Luke to absorb the information. “I was already a bit overwhelmed just at being there for the occasion,” recalled Luke. “Now I was being asked to be the official representative for the Government of Canada?”? With little hesitation he responded. “It would be an honour!”?

The rest of the morning was a blur for Luke.? He was introduced to Mayor Anne-Marie Philippeaux and met a number of local dignitaries. When he placed the wreath, few realized he was not the officer who was supposed to fill that role.? As official proceedings concluded Lise introduced Luke to now-present Jake who had made his way from the airport to attend what was left of the commemoration. What could have been an awkward moment was quickly diffused by the camaraderie typically shared by those who serve the same nation in uniform.?

“I remember thanking Luke profusely,” said Jake. “It was a stroke of good fortune he was there that day in uniform!”

“I felt a pang of guilt,” remembered Luke. “I imagined how disappointing the day must have been for Jake, so I tried to restrain my enthusiasm.? When I placed the wreath before that salvaged tank and saw on its side the ships’ crests of HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Sioux, it was like I was looking at my career reflected back at me. As “O Canada” played and I held my salute, I could feel a tremendous welling of emotion. I was overtaken with a mix of sadness and pride. Participating in that ceremony will remain one of the highlights of my career, a cherished memory and a story I will tell for years to come,” concluded Luke.