About the Webmaster

Michael A. Dorosh, CD, has been a member of The Calgary Highlanders since 1987, serving as a pipe band musician, finance clerk, Resource Management Support clerk, driver-signaller, and clothing storesman, as well as regimental webmaster at http://www.calgaryhighlanders.com from 2011 until February 2018.

Corporal Dorosh was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration in 1999 for long service and good conduct, as well as the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005 for distinguished service to the Regiment. Additionally, he was awarded the rank of Henchman in the Clan of the Gallant Canadians. In 2010, he received the clasp to the Canadian Forces Decoration, recognizing 22 years of service in the Canadian Forces and qualified for the second clasp in October 2019 recognizing 32 years of service. It was presented in September 2022.

Michael Dorosh's published works include several books, magazine articles on Canadian Army uniforms in the Korean War for Military Modelling and Military Trader, and other articles for various military magazines and newspapers. In April 2024 Calgary's Infantry Regiment: A Pictorial History of The Calgary Highlanders was launched. It is the first full account of the history of the regiment covering the period 1910 to 2024, covering the early history of the military in Calgary, the short history of the 103rd Regiment, Calgary Rifles, Calgary's CEF infantry battalions, and reorganization into The Calgary Highlanders and their history in the Second World War and Afghanistan.

His books are:

  • Dressed to Kill (published by Service Publications)

  • CANUCK: Clothing and Equipping the Canadian Soldier 1939-1945 Vol. I (out of print)

  • Gallant Calgarians: The Story of the 10th Battalion Calgary Highlanders Association Heritage Section 1995-2006 (see Publications)

  • Yorkton's Gunners: The Story of the 64th (Yorkton) Field Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery (see Publications)

  • Scenario Designer's Handbook (see Publications)

  • Signs of War (see Publications)

  • Indescribable Ordeal: The History of the German 65th Infantry Division 1942-45 (see here)

  • Calgary's Infantry Regiment: A Pictorial HIstory of The Calgary Highlanders (see here)

Periodicals include:

  • Tactical Wargamer's Journal (ISSN 1918-9729)

    • Issue 1 (2009)

    • Issue 2 (2011)

    • Issue 3 (2013)

Other published articles include:

  • "Neckwear in the Canadian Army" in Military Artifact June 1991

  • "Warriors of the North" in ASL Annual 93b (Avalon Hill 1993)

  • "The Single Black Chevron" in Military Artifact October 1996

  • "Stabilized Fire": A New British SW for ASL in View From the Trenches #31, May-Jun 2000

  • "Canadian Army Uniforms in the Korean War" in Military Modeller, October 2000

  • "Canadian Army Uniforms in Korea" in Military Trader, October 2004

  • "6-6-6 The American Soldier in ASL" in View From the Trenches #85, May-Aug 2012

  • "New Perspectives on D-Day Variants" in War Diary, Vol.1 No.4, Winter 2015

  • "Modelling Terrain in Tactical Wargames" in War Diary, Vol. 2 No. 2, Spring 2015

  • "Monty's Single Thrust: Scheldt Variants" in War Diary, Vol. 2 No.4, Winter 2016

  • "Forlorn Battles: East Prussia 1944-1945" in World at War #68, Oct 2019

Other Professional Accomplishments

Support to Motion Pictures

  • Served on the training cadre for the military extras on the film Legends of the Fall; appears as background in one scene.

  • Credited in Partners in Motion's production of Men of Valour for loan of uniforms to the production in the autumn of 2000.

  • Organized the outfitting and training of military extras for the Edmonton Tattoo in July 2006.

  • Provided uniforms and acted as background extra during the production of D-Day Plus One in September 2017.

  • Provided uniforms, insignia, equipment, and expertise, and acted as background extra during the production of Leo Major: A One Man Army in May 2019.

  • Provided uniforms, insignia, equipment and expertise and acted as background extra during the production of Fallen Heroes: Their Journey Home in November 2020 with additional shoots in August 2021 and November 2022.

On the set of Leo Major, May 2019, webmaster at left.

On the set of Fallen Heroes, Nov 2020, webmaster at left.

Support to Artists

  • Wrote copy for "sell sheets" for aviation artist Robert Bailey.

  • Assisted with minor research for Dieppe painting by David Pentland.

Wargaming

  • Had Combat Mission scenarios published in the Special Editions of Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin and Combat Mission: Afrika Korps.

  • Designed the VASSAL module for Special Forces by Dan Verssen

  • Official beta-tester for Airborne Assault by Panther Games (Panther Games, 2003)

  • Official beta-tester and scenario designer for Combat Mission: Shock Force; designed approximately 20% of the scenarios in the Task Force: Thunder campaign (battlefront.com 2006)

  • Official beta-tester and scenario designer for Combat Mission: Campaigns (project never published, abandoned by Hunting Tank Software in 2009)

  • Beta-tester for Panzer Command: Ostfront (Matrix Games, 2010)

  • ASL scenario published in Issue 5 of Yaah! Magazine (February 2016)

  • Playtester and proofreader for ASL scenario pack Ostfront Pack 3: Operation Barbarossa (Lone Canuck 2016)

  • Playtester and proofreader for ASL scenario pack Blitzkrieg in the West: Northern Campaign (Lone Canuck 2016)

  • Playtester and proofreader for ASL module Forgotten War (Multi-Man Publishing 2017)

References for Others

  • Website "GD for CM" is credited in the book SPEARHEAD: GROSSDEUTSCHLAND

  • Book CANUCK is credited in the footnotes of DRAB SERGE AND KHAKI DRILL: The Foreign Service, Universal Service, Battle and Combat Dress Jackets of the Canadian Army, 1899-2003.

  • Credited by name in Men at Arms 359: Canadian Forces in World War II for assistance to Ron Volstad with details of a colour plate

  • Uncredited for assistance to Ron Volstad providing reference material for Dragon Model Company's 12" Commonwealth Infantryman action figure

  • Credited by name in Century of Service: The History of the South Alberta Light Horse for minor assistance in researching obscure Calgary Highlanders references

  • Book DRESSED TO KILL is credited in Bouchery's CANADIAN SOLDIER 1939-1945

  • Book DRESSED TO KILL is credited in Skill At Arms

  • Credited by name in Uniforms of the WWII Tommy

  • canadiansoldiers.com website is credited by name as a reference in :

    • Tobin, Laurence and Michael Iremonger Modern Body Armour and Helmets: an Introduction (Argos Press, 2006) ISBN 1-921138-02-7

    • Goddard, Lance Hell & High Water: Canada and the Italian Campaign (Dundrun Press, Toronto, ON, 2007) ISBN 978-1-55002-728-0

 


On the headland overlooking Dieppe in the summer of 2010.


Receiving the Alberta Centennial Medal from Lieutenant Colonel Tom Manley, Commanding Officer of The Calgary Highlanders, in December 2005.


Receiving the clasp to the CD from Lieutenant Colonel Mike Vernon, Commanding Officer of The Calgary Highlanders, atop Hill 67 in Normandy in June 2010. Photo by Nancy Desilets.


Receiving the second clasp to the CD from Captain Pittet, acting CO of The Calgary Highlanders, and WO Gaisford, Company Sergeant Major of "A" Company.


Film still from Legends of the Fall. Blink and you'll miss it, but the webmaster is behind the officer, ready to go over the top. The webmaster was lucky enough to be one of the training cadre for the several hundred extras that were employed on the set.

 

 

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