Daily Routine as a G Wagon Turret Gunner

I was deployed as a light machine gunner. If I was on foot, I was light machine gunner but I got moved into the role of a G wagon turret gunner on the GPGC6. So my job was to provide the primary fire power and security on the guys on the ground within my section and my team. It was the heaviest weapon on the ground right there to help. From there once we started getting more pushed out in Panjway. I was still switching off with that but my primary role was with my partner. Our job was on the ground, C6 and mortar. So he would carry the mortar and I would carry the C6 and then the next day we would switch. We were pretty lucky. My company/platoon, we didn’t have really bad experience with IED’s. I think maybe, I can’t remember any off the top of my head but it was more gun fights like a lot of small arms fire with also some heavy fire too. Like one of our vehicles, we got in one ambush where Recoilless rifle hit the side of our vehicle and took out the vehicle and hurt our interpreter really bad, he lost both of his legs. That was the vehicle that Collin, my boss at the time in Afghanistan, he drove it was on fire and he drove it off into the ditch and he actually received the medal military valour for that and it was that vehicle if he hadn’t moved it, it was blocking our escape route. So he had to get that out of there quick even though it was on fire he drove it into the ditch so that all the vehicles could back out and that turned into like that was a 5k fighting withdrawal that lasted like three to five hours. Five kilometres and three to five hours of fighting and slowly getting out of there.

Corporal Kerr provides detail of his roles and responsibility while on duty as gunner.

Nick Kerr

Nick Kerr was born December 2, 1981 in Victoria, B.C. His father was in the military and had a personal connection with Lady Patricia and Nick knew one day he would join that regiment. In 2003, he attended military training in Wainwright, Alberta and upon graduating went to Shilo, Manitoba. Nick joined with the 2nd Battalion Canadian Light Infantry holding rank of Corporal. In 2006 Nick accepted a deployment to Afghanistan. Returning from overseas, Nick continued serving and became part of the contingent for security at 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. as well as the 2011 floods in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Always willing to serve and volunteer his time, Nick became a huge part of the organization in which Highway of Heroes was born where he still commits twice a year to cleaning the highway. Corporal Kerr is a still serving member with the military and resides in the province of Alberta.