Shortly after Britain had granted India and Pakistan their independence in 1948, war broke out between the two new nations along the Kashmir border. After a year of bloody fighting, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire. The United Nations (UN) established the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to supervise the ceasefire agreement. During UNMOGIP's mission, open hostilities have broken out several times between India and Pakistan.
Canada has participated in UNMOGIP from its inception. The size of UNMOGIP, as well as of the Canadian contingent, has varied over the years. Until Canada ceased providing UNMOs (military observers) in 1979, it provided about 10 of a total observer strength that averaged approximately 50. Until 1996, Canada also provided air transport. A detachment based on three C-130 Hercules transports was deployed annually to replenish supplies for the UN missions on both sides of the ceasefire line. On 17 July 1950, a Canadian officer, Brigadier-General H.H. Angle, was killed during sporadic fighting along the India-Pakistan border. He was the first Canadian to be killed while participating in UN missions.
