Contact Information and Biography

Barry Beldam

Whenever dealing with people from a distance, such as this, a mental picture must be formed of the individual concerned. I firmly believe that sufficient background material should be provided to assist in forming this image. Additionally, I am a person with strong views, usually expressed forcefully. It is essential that the readers understand my qualifications for making the statements I do. I do not say that a vehicle should have a certain type of distinguishing dirt patterns because I have once seen a picture; I say it from having had the dubious pleasure of washing said vehicles for the past three decades. I include this biography so that you can better understand who I am and form your own mental picture.

I was born on one of Canada's coasts, whilst my mother was seeking medical support for a condition sometimes known as a pregnancy. This was just prior to the turn of the half-century, during which the minions of violence and chaos were planning an aggressive advance across the 38th parallel to rejoin their nation which had been rent asunder by the throes of war and kept apart by mutual agreement of the occupying powers. But I digress. I was, at this stage, too young to join the troops at their outright sprint for the southern extremes of the peninsula and the haven of Pusan, but, as I lay in my crib, drinking a short libation, I knew little and cared less for the international situation, a circumstance that would change little until I learned to walk.

My father was an air force officer, a fact I have tried to over come ever since. I lived in Toronto from 1954 until 1962. During these years he worked at the Institute of Aviation Medicine on Avenue Road and I was a regular visitor. It was during this time that I managed a seat in the nose portion of the Avro Arrow that was a fixture there and, later on, in two of the real things as they sat on the tarmac, still a threat to the American aviation industry rather than a pile of scrap and a memory of things that might have been. In 1962 we moved to Lafayette, Indiana where my father gained his Master's Degree in Psychology at Purdue University.. I returned to Canada in 1965 and joined the army. I enlisted in the armoured corps but re-mustered to the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) in 1966. I was trained as a radar technician and served with the School of Artillery in that capacity, repairing anti-aircraft and counter mortar radars. With unification of the forces in 1969 I was forced to give the air force a try and was posted to an air force radar station. It was not a marriage made in heaven (my fault and theirs) and we parted (non amicably) after a year and a half. I went to Montreal and then back to the air force at the end of the road in Senneterre, Quebec. After 2 years there I was sent to Petawawa to serve in the Special Service Force in 2 Service Battalion.

In 1979 I was allowed to successfully complete the jump course and then went right back to boring repairs. In 1980 I re-mustered to Military Intelligence (no oxymoron), my course lasting most of 1981. From there I was posted to the Canadian Airborne Regiment in Petawawa. I savoured the next two years until a landing into a hill (ALWAYS listen when Mother Nature say's don't do it'!) fractured my right leg in 8 places and tore all the ligaments (adding to a career that saw a total of 20 broken bones and 300 stitches). The next year was spent on crutches and a cane. In 1984 I was posted to Germany, joining our operational brigade: the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (which had a strength of a mini-division). I spent 2 years there as the 2 I/c of the Intelligence section, commanding an M577 all over the country and accumulating 5 or 6 thousand photos. In 1988 I returned to Canada to teach at the Intelligence School for three years. After that I was posted to the Intelligence Section of the 1st Canadian Division in Kingston. In Jan of 1993 I found myself in Mogadishu, Somalia, which certainly wasn't Kansas anymore, Toto. In May I returned to Canada and to the 1 Division's Intelligence Company. In 1996 I went to Ottawa for a one year French course and thence back to Kingston to the Electronic Warfare Squadron of the 1st Canadian Division Headquarters and Signals Regiment. I served there until my forced retirement in 2000 because I developed Degenerative Disc Disease which is helping my backbone to fall apart and provide compressed discs so I can experience pain at new levels. Massive doses of codeine twice a day help the worst of the pain but still leave enough for me to be a thoroughly nasty and mean tempered bastard.

All in all, I have operated in or around all of the armoured and soft skinned vehicles in use in the Canadian military since 1965. Additionally, I have driven and operated in/around most of those vehicles operated by our allies in Europe, Germany, Britain, France and the United States. Thanks to the US Army I have also driven most of the armoured vehicles owned by our former co-inhabitors of central Europe, the Russians and their Warsaw Pact allies. As this is also part of my job, my working knowledge of Russian vehicles is extensive. I have accumulated in the vicinity of 20,000 photos of military vehicles. I built my first model (a JU87 by Airfix) in 1962. I graduated to armour in 1968 and started collecting books and data. I wrote my first article for IPMS Canada in 1976 and attended my first Canadian National convention that same year. That year also saw the start of long friendships with Steve Zaloga and Ron Volstad. Steve and I both built 1/76 armour (he built armor) and enjoyed a good competition. Since that date I have won over 300 trophies in national and international competition. I met Cookie Sewell in Germany and struck up a very close and lasting friendship with him as well. In 1991 Ron Volstad gave my name to Freddy Leung and I started providing technical data to Dragon models. Shortly thereafter Concord Publishing put out the first of my books for them. I no longer build as my medical condition precludes it. I have hundreds of 1/76 drawings to go with my photo collection. I have specialized in Canadian vehicles and markings but my interest extends to all vehicles of all countries. When not writing, I have a passion for fishing which I can indulge early in the morning by myself or later if I have a driver/guide (not to the fishing spots but to drive the car home!). I have been married to the same compassionate, understanding woman for 31 years and have 3 children, 2 boys (25 and 15) and a daughter (23), the eldest two having left home. I am internationally known to be modest, understanding, compassionate and introverted. And I have some swamp-land just for you!