Maj Edward Urbanowicz, CD, MiD

Maj Edward Urnanowicz, CD, MiD
UNPROFOR medal with MiD
Background 

On August 4, 1995, the Croatian Army launched Operation STORM, an offensive to retake the Krajina region that had been controlled by separatist ethnic Serbs since early 1991. The offensive lasted a mere thirty-six hours and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 526 Serbs, 116 of whom were reportedly civilians, and in the displacement of an estimated 200,000 who fled in the immediate aftermath. However, while the Croatian military committed violations of humanitarian law during the course of the offensive such as the bombardment of a column of retreating Serbian civilians and soldiers which caused deaths among the civilians, the vast majority of the abuses committed by Croatian forces occurred after the area had been captured. These abuses by Croatian government forces, which continued on a large scale even months after the area had been secured by Croatian authorities, included summary executions of elderly and infirm Serbs who remained behind and the wholesale burning and destruction of Serbian villages and property. In the months following the August offensive, at least 150 Serb civilians were summarily executed and another 110 persons forcibly disappeared.


Major Urbanowicz joined 2 Field Engineer Regiment as a sapper in 1976. He was later commissioned in the Engineers in 1982. Major Urbanowicz is a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff Course and the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course.

Major Urbanowicz has commanded a Field Troop with 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, 25 Support Troop with 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, a Plant Troop with 46 Plant Squadron, 25 Engineer Regiment (RE) British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and RSS with 45 Engineer Squadron in Sydney Nova Scotia. He deployed in International operational assignments include Sector North Engineer as part of UNPROFOR and then UNPF during 1995 at which time he was awarded a Mention in Dispatches and an UNPF Force Commanders Commendation for his actions during Operation STORM.

Staff appointments include SO2 Engineer Operations and Training with Army Headquarters, J3 Engineer Requirements at the National Headquarters, Director of Land Force Readiness 5-3 Foreign Military Training, CFEOD at which time he was appointed Project Director for the Advance CIED project and finally Project Manager for EOD and C-IED projects within ADM Mat.

On retirement, Major Urbanowicz will be moving to Omaha Nebraska with his wife.

Citation 

During Operation Storm in 1995, Major Urbanowicz’s actions were responsible for saving many military and civilian lives threatened by the Croatian offensive in the Krajina district of the former Yugoslavia. Under extreme conditions involving fierce fighting with restrictions of movement, he ventured outside the United Nations compound to ensure the safety of his personnel and displaced persons. He personally liaised with the various warring factions to ensure that the route from Topusko to the Confrontation Line was cleared and ascertained that the convoys were well organized. Throughout, Major Urbanowicz played a key role in Sector North Operations and demonstrated a high level of personal commitment.