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Captain Nichola Goodard Memorial

Hidden photo gallery

Municipality/Province: Beaconsfield, QC

Memorial number: 24031-014

Type: Panel

Address: 269 Shore Road

Location: Heroes Park

GPS coordinates: Lat: 45.4254328   Long: -73.8629403

Submitted by: Richard Turcotte

This memorial is dedicated to the memory of Captain Nichola Goodard, MSM. Captain Goddard was born in May 1980 to Canadian and British parents in Papua New Guinea, and lived in various locations across Canada. Captain Goddard was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for her exemplary service in Afghanistan from January 2006 until her death on May 17, 2006 during the Battle of Bayanzi, a small village on the outskirts of Kandahar City.

Acting upon reports that the Taliban would be making a large-scale attack on Kandahar City itself, Canadian and Afghan National Army troops deployed to the Bayanzi area to counter fighters massing in the village. As the only Forward Observation Officer, Captain Goddard performed with distinction throughout that day, calling in artillery fire and support from the US Apache helicopters overhead. Shortly after sunset, the Canadian troops moved into Bayanzi. As the Canadian troops started to turn around in the narrow Bayanzi lanes, two rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) struck Captain Goddard's LAV.


Inscription found on memorial

[front/devant]

Capitaine Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard
17 mai 2006/ May 17, 2006
Kandahar, Afghanistan 

[left side/côté gauche]

En hommage
De ses frères et sœurs d’armes – artilleurs, tous les membres de la 2e Division du Canada et Forces opérationnelle interarmées (Est) et des femmes au service de la population au sein des services de police, d’incendie, paramédics et premier répondants.

Date et lieu de naissance : 2 mai 1980 Papouasie – Nouvelle-Guinée
Âge : 26
Unité : 1 Régiment – Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
Mention élogieuse : la Médaille du service méritoire, la Médaille du sacrifice (posthume)

La Capitaine Nichola Goddard, première femme militaire des Forces Armées canadiennes morte au combat occupant un rôle d’officier d’armes de combat. Nichola a écrit, de l’Afghanistan, le courriel suivant à ses parents quelques semaines seulement avant son décès.

Le 2 mai 2006
Chers Maman e Papa,

Les jours semblent passés comme bon leur semble. Certains jours filent à toute vitesse, d’autres sont très long. Nous sommes officiellement à mi-chemin maintenant, bien que j’aie de la difficulté à croire que cela fait trois mois que je suis ici. J’essaie de na pas oublier d’apprécier toutes les expériences – mêmes celles que je n’aime pas vraiment :)

J’ai beaucoup pensé au destin dernièrement. C’est tellement un hasard de naissance de nous retrouver à un endroit donné, à un moment donné, avec les choix que nous avons. Faire de ce monde un endroit meilleur, en particulier pour ceux qui sont nés dans des circonstances moins favorables que les nôtres, me parait une si grande responsabilité. C’est plus qu’une question de donner de l’argent aux organismes bien faisances; c’est agir et essayer d’améliorer les choses. Vous m’avez tous deux montré cela durant ma vie, mais ici, je le réalise encore plus que jamais auparavant.

Mon travail et mon rôle en Afghanistan ont un lien avec tout cela, mais ce sera aux organisations non gouvernementales qui viendront plus tard d’y voir. Ce sont elles qui influencent vraiment les choses. J’aime penser que, par ma présence, elles pourront venir bien plus vite et faire leur travail plus librement. Dès mon retour à Wainwright (Alberta), j’offrirai mes services pour essayer de faire des gestes significatifs. Je suis très touché d’être ici, de faire partie d »’une force bien plus grande que moi.

Avec tout mon amour,
Nichola

En mémoire de son sacrifice : un nouveau patrouilleur de la Garde Côtière canadienne sera nommé en l’honneur de Nichola Goddard. Il s’agit d’un groupe particulier de navires qui sont « dédiés à des héros ».

Autres navires nommés en l’honneur de :
Caporal Kaeble V.C. Royal 22e Régiment – 1918
Private Robertson V.C. 27th Battalion – 1917
Corporal Teather C.V. GRC/RCMP – 2004
Constable Carrière S.C. GRC/RCMP – 1997
G. Peddle S.C. Garde Côtière/Coast Guard – 1989
Corporal McLarem M.M.V. Royal Canadian Regiment – 2008
A. Leblanc, Agent de Pêches/Fisheries Officer – 1926
M. Charles S.C., M.B. Garde Côtière/Coast Guard – 1976
Captain Goddard M.S.M. Artillerie Royale Canadienne/Royal Canadian Artillery – 2006

[right side/côté droit]

In Honour
From her brothers and sisters in arms – gunners and all members of the 2nd Division and Joint Task Force (East) and all women serving the population in police, fire, paramedic services as well as first responders.

Date and place of birth: May 2, 1980 Papua New Guinea
Age: 26
Unit: 1st Regiment – Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
Citation: Meritorious Service Medal, Sacrifice Medal (posthumous)

Captain Nichola Goddard, first female of the Canadian Armed Forces killed during combat duty while occupying a combat arms officer role. Nichola wrote the following e-mail to her parents from Afghanistan just weeks before her death.

May 2, 2006
Dear Mum and Dad,

The days seem to move along at their own pace. Some days fly by, and others creep along. We are officially at the halfway point now, though I can’t believe I’ve been here for three months. I try to remind myself to appreciate every experience – even the ones I don’t really enjoy. :)

I have been thinking a lot about fate lately. It was such an accident of birth that we ended up where we did when we did, that we are where we are now, with the choices that we have available to us. It seems to me that we have such a burden of responsibility to make the world a better place for those who were born into far worse circumstances. It is more than donating money to charities; it is taking action and trying to make things better. You have both shown me that throughout my life, but here I realize it more than ever.

My current job and role in Afghanistan is part of that, but it is more the non-governmental organizations that come later. They are the ones that really make the difference. I like to think that my being here means they will be able to come that much sooner and operate more freely. I will be looking for more opportunities to volunteer in Wainwright (Alberta) and to really try to make a difference. It is humbling to be here, part of something so much bigger than myself.

Love always,
Nichola

In memory of her sacrifice: a new Canadian Coast Guard patrol vessel will be named after Nichola Goddard. This particular group of vessels are described as “Hero Class”.

Other ships named in honour of:
Caporal Kaeble V.C. Royal 22e Régiment – 1918
Private Robertson V.C. 27th Battalion – 1917
Corporal Teather C.V. GRC/RCMP – 2004
Constable Carrière S.C. GRC/RCMP – 1997
G. Peddle S.C. Garde Côtière/Coast Guard – 1989
Corporal McLarem M.M.V. Royal Canadian Regiment – 2008
A. Leblanc, Agent de Pêches/Fisheries Officer – 1926
M. Charles S.C., M.B. Garde Côtière/Coast Guard – 1976
Captain Goddard M.S.M. Artillerie Royale Canadienne/Royal Canadian Artillery – 2006

Street view

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