Mark Isfeld
. . . We had an "unsmooth" return to Polom, as our last packet was diverted
to do a confiscation of arms. The Serbs would not hand it over nor would
they claim it. So we placed small charges and blew the doors off. The
bunker was unloaded, but before the boys could load it into the APC they
were surrounded by approx. 200 Serbs in uniform. they were being hyped up
by a Serb colonel who was getting the crowd excited and making cut-throat
gestures and calling out "Kanadish spy, You die!" The guys were very sure
they would die. The Serbs took back all but 1 case of explosives and the
two troopers managed to get back alive. Tense, very tense.
I know how they feel. I was doing reconnaissance on a bridge for
possible demolition. We were swamped by Serb TDF. ( Territorial Defence
Force. ) It was also tense and as we were just in the process of leaving,
my rifle was in the jeep. The way we handle our weapons is something we
must be conscious of so as not to provoke any anger or misunderstanding.
Consequently I left it alone. We were swamped and they were pressing around
and closing in on my vehicle. I was concerned to say the least. I had to
ask them to move away from our maps. To make a long story short, we defused
the situation and left in good faith. When we shook hands, the Serb I was
squared off with, so to speak, took my hand in both of his as if in an
ensuring gesture of apology for any anxiety I may have felt caused by him.
We have had seven such notable confrontations and the feeling is a tension
that could snap easily. . . Seriously I am in an embittered mood of late,
having been part of the Serbian farce. Being privy to a conversation
that went on between my troop warrant officer and Major Tiger, the Serbian
officer, regarding the hostile way we hold our weapons toward little
children, and how we take the food out of their mouths by driving through
the fields. As well we drive our tracks on their roads and leave them
in a muddy state as an insult to them.
We were also made into propaganda pictures in all these cases
because the Serb Major posed little kids near us, and old ladies. I realize
this is all a fabrication of lies about us, but it really makes me want to
put a f---ing bullet between that hypocrites eyes!
At the same time we had a couple of Chetniks who look no more impressive
than one of our bikers. They have skull and crossbones insignia, and hat
badges reminiscent of the SS. Mine - the fat bearded one - kept stepping
rudely in front of me slowly to try to provoke a reaction. I only smiled
and stayed composed though my loose slung weapon was ready to counter a move
from him. The other Chetnik looked like Charles Manson and smiled
incessantly at one of the Patricias. There is no doubt the Serb Major would
like nothing more than to see us leave, as we are in control, and keep
proving him a liar!! We also keep all his weapons!!
Although I was angry and felt like just leaving these people to their own
devices, I remembered that he is the evil sort who caused all the problems
here, and on our way back to Polom people came to the road side to wave at
the "blue hats", and I threw candy to the little kids. Who, I might add,
are far from spoiled and share.
I wonder how long it takes to teach them the war mentality their elders
thrive on?
Yes, I certainly do look forward to our own lovely kind of chaos in Canada.
All my love your peace keeper
M.. . . .
. . .. I saw PSO [personnel services officer] yesterday and formally put in
my request for remuster as a welder, air force. Should I be accepted, I
will know by June and if not, oh well. Should I go on course and fail, I'm
kicked out but I can't see me failing and its just the way it goes. I'm happy
as an engineer, I will always admire them and be one of them, but I'm
prepared to move on to something new.
The good times don't outweigh the hard any more.. . . .
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Brian Isfeld
Mark arrived home from this tour and resumed a relatively normal life. We
fished occasionally and traded visits. His approach to the third tour was
not like the two previous. Mark had experienced many of the realities of
damage a war does to people and countries and just before leaving on this
trip told me: "Dad, I don't feel good about this trip. Something is going
to happen. Not necessarily to me but I don't like it".
Completely out of character for Mark and it troubled me. Not a great
deal, but there was still the chance he could be right. His approach this
time was one of pure professionalism. He wanted to get over there, do his
job, and get home. No excitement. No ebullience. Just apprehension. He
had told me that he was resigned to the fact that the situation in Croatia
was not going to change in the near future and that he could see no end in
sight. He said it had the makings of another Cyprus for the Canadians, and
he expected to see much more of Croatia before anything was resolved.
When, shortly after he arrived in Croatia for the second time, and an
accident in which a jeep hit a mine caused the young driver to lose a leg
and an eye, I thought back to the statements he had made to me and wondered
if he was psychic. I thought well, maybe he had good reason to worry and
wonder about this trip. But what he was worrying about had happened and now
it was over. Little did I realize that shortly his predictions would come
crashing down on all our shoulders like a giant hammer wielded by the
harbinger of death.
And on the shoulders of these peacekeepers in this far off, hostile land.
The following letters are of course the last of Mark's words, letters
home while servinghis third and final United Nations peacekeeping tour.
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.. . . Mark Isfeld to parents Donje Biljane
Croatia (Serb territory) April 27 94
Sorry for not writing sooner, basically I have been totally
uninterested in writing, between being sick and overworked I have not had
time. Though my thoughts are always with you.
My section [eight persons] has broken some sort of record for a Canadian
Field Engineer section for most mines lifted since world war 2. Up until
today we have recorded over 270. All these are a mixture of anti-tank and
personnel. The reason there is so many is due to the fact that we are
basically on the front line of a newly formed line of separation, basically
a demilitarized zone. There are continuous shot reports and shell reps. No
one has been shot at that I'm aware of;
mostly drunken Serbs or Croats pissing in the wind.
There has been a mine accident which you are already aware of in which
an Iltis (jeep) ran over a mine in our area. Enough about that.
Needless to say we are being very careful, trying not to let complacency
set in. Soon we will have all the patrol routes cleared of mines and the
Adrenalin levels will level out and we can fall into a routine. As for now
without a doubt us engineers are the most sought after and respected
soldiers on the line, not to mention the least envied.
I have met many Serb and Croatian soldiers. Many are high ranking
commanders of sectors and the such. I have been doing a lot of mine lift
supervision or overseeing, recording data, negotiating, communicating
concerns and encouraging the lifting of mines and minefields
that are not necessarily on our patrol routes, in the hopes of saving
lives of soldiers, civilians and animals.
Peacekeeping in the true sense, like I have never been so directly
exposed to previously.
I have made some good friends on both sides but one particularly good
friend, Filip, a Croatian Lt. Infantry soldier. Together we became friends
in a way that is hard to explain. He knows, I know, and no one else can.
We cleared a field of six anti-personnel mines in waist high grass with trip
wires all around. When we had it cleared we shook hands as if the unspoken
words were understood. I had to explode, with c-4, two of the mines
because they were unsafe to handle. Filip is without a doubt my most
reliable ally in this operation. He looks at mine records and takes me
aside and secretly gives me numbers, types and locations. I then work on
him to "come lift with us". He is very concerned about my welfare and is
constantly looking out
for me telling me "Mark in this area you go slow."
He is truly in the mood for peace.
I gave him one of mom's dolls for his three year old daughter and a
Canadian flag. He keeps trying to get me to drink Pivo or Vino but I told
him I'mallergic, every time I drink I get drunk.
I had to laugh the other day. I pulled out my water bottle and offered
a guy a drink. He laughed at me like I was crazy. I said "You dumb f---er,
you probably don't know what water tastes like". One more funny story:
Rudy's section was ready to blow up some mines and had to make sure
civilians were clear. The interpreter told an old man to tell his wife to
get out of the field. He looked over at her, then at Rudy and waved his
hand away and said " bah nema". They laughed but got her out.
We have moved to a new building. It's an old bar-hotel not bad. It
will be better as time moves on. Tomorrow we are taking a break from mine
lifting. The next day we will empty our storage area of about 90 mines that
will be fun. Big boom!
On to part 7
Back to part 5