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Topic: Sergeant Donald Lucas, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (Read 386 times)
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
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Posts: 3424
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Sergeant Donald Lucas, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, died on Easter Sunday when the LAV-III he was commanding struck a powerful IED. The incident occurred at approximately 13:30 hrs Kandahar time on April 8, approximately 75 kilometres west of Kandahar City, near the border between Helmand and Kandahar provinces.
Rest in peace, Don. Rest in peace.
Pro Patria.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3424
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Premier expresses condolences to families of two Newfoundland and Labrador soldiers killed in Afghanistan Breaking News print this article
The Telegram
Premier Danny Williams today expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of the six Canadian Forces soldiers in Afghanistan on the Easter weekend. Two of the soldiers tragically killed Sunday in Afghanistan are from Newfoundland and Labrador — 31-year-old Sgt. Donald Lucas of St. John's and 20-year-old Pte. Kevin Kennedy of St. Lawrence.
“Our hearts are broken for the families of those who have sacrificed their lives so tragically and valiantly. On a day when we are remembering tragic losses in past wars, we are saddened that our sons and daughters continue to pay the ultimate price to secure peace and freedom,” Williams said. “Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to all the colleagues and loved ones of the brave soldiers who lost their lives or suffered injuries. We will never forget the sacrifice they have made."
Flags at Confederation Building will be flown at half staff to honour Sgt. Lucas and Pte. Kennedy.
The six soldiers killed Sunday make it the deadliest day for Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
Kennedy and Lucas were two of five soldiers from the Gagetown, N.B.-based 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. The other three were Cpl. Aaron E. Williams, 23, of Lincoln, N.B.; Pte. David Robert Greenslade, 20, of Saint John, N.B.; and a soldier who was not identified at the request of his family. Also killed was Cpl. Christopher Paul Stannix, 24, of Dartmouth, N.S., who was a reservist from the Halifax-based Princess Louise Fusiliers.
Ten soldiers were travelling Sunday in a LAV-3 armoured vehicle, accompanying coalition convoys to the Sangin district, the scene of fierce fighting between the coalition and the Taliban, when the bomb exploded.
The explosion injured two other Canadian soldiers, one seriously.
Sunday’s toll brings the total number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2002 to 51. A Canadian diplomat has also been killed.
Canadians are among 4,500 NATO and 1,000 Afghan soliders involved in Operation Achilles — one of the largest multinational forces fielded in a single operation in Afghanistan.
The military said in March that a force of more than 200 soldiers from the Royal Canadian Regiment battle group would be supporting the offensive by setting up a blocking position in the Maywand district just inside the northwestern border of Kandahar province.
Kandahar province, where Canada’s 2,500 troops operate, is adjacent to Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3424
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Lucas, Kennedy lauded for leadership
Fallen soldiers well liked by their peers
STEVE BARTLETT THE TELEGRAM
The Telegram
Myles Kennedy says he was more than Kevin’s dad.
He taught the fallen Canadian soldier in high school at St. Lawrence Academy and coached his boy in a variety of sports, especially basketball and soccer.
Besides being a “top athlete,” Myles Kennedy says Kevin was a “person magnet.
“People wanted to be around him. He would walk into a room and just his mere presence and charisma would just lighten up the room. If it was gloomy, all of a sudden everybody was laughing. He had very, very strong leadership skills ... He was always a leader at everything he went at.” Including, he says, the Canadian military.
The 20-year-old Kennedy, who grew up in St. Lawrence, was one of six Canadian soldiers killed in a roadside bomb attack in southern Afghanistan Sunday. Sgt. Donald Lucas of St. John’s also died in the incident. Both Newfoundlanders and two of the other soldiers killed were members of 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, which is based in Gagetown, N.B.
“Kevin was well-liked in the military among his peers,” says his father. “Kevin was the go-to guy. When guys were complaining, he’d turned around and say, ‘Boys, let’s suck it up.’ He was well admired. I can tell you that.”
The 31-year-old Lucas, a father of two young children, was also known for his leadership skills and has been for a long time.
Bernard Davis remembers meeting Lucas in the summer of 1992 through the Church Lads Brigade (CLB).
“He took all the young ones under his wing,” says Davis, a lieutenant at the CLB. “He was sort of like the guru of the CLB. He sort of knew everything there was to know. (He had) a lot of leadership experience.”
Lucas went on to become the brigade’s battalion sergeant major, its highest youth rank. According to Davis — who would later fill the same position — “Don is how a lot of us judged ourselves in my age bracket.”
Kennedy told of fire fights
Myles Kennedy says he spoke with his son eight or nine days ago and he was involved in “fire fights” then.
“Even then, (he was) very, very motivated to get the job done to help the people over there. He was acutely aware of the dangers because they faced it night and day, because they were making tremendous success.”
The grieving, but extremely proud, father says that with his second son’s death — his oldest, Michael, is in the Canadian navy — his life will never be the same.
“Part of me has gone,” he says.
The mood is also quite solemn around the CLB, which Lucas joined as a six-year-old.
“It’s a somber mood. Reflective,” says Davis, noting the CLB Armory’s flags were flying at half-mast in honour of the fallen soldiers. “We’re all upset, disappointed. It’s sad when any soldier falls, but it really hits home when you know someone as well as we knew Don. And he has done much for the CLB.”
Col. Keith Arns, the organization’s governor and commandant, echoed Davis’s sentiment. He described Lucas as an outstanding young man who was a model to his peers.
“I’m sure there are boys who looked up to him at the time as an inspiration. I would assume that that would be his legacy.
“His was a good example. He was involved in all our activities. He obtained the rank of sergeant in the Forces and I’m not surprised by that, because we saw the leadership abilities when he was a young man.”
Other soldiers are also grieving Sunday’s casualties.
Capt. Rick Nolan is stationed in Kandahar City — about 75 kilometres away from where the explosion occurred. The Gander native says the mood is “pretty somber.” He learned of Sunday’s attack and spent a couple of hours that night “running it through in my head.
“I didn’t even know at the time where they were from,” Nolan says. “They could have been six guys from my very own unit, and that weighs with you right there — you don’t know ... The anticipation, the dread, I guess, of wondering if you do know them. And, even then, you put that out of your mind and go through the mourning and suffering for the six people who have lost their life. After that, when you find out they are from Newfoundland, it is really too late for it to have a deeper impact.”
Despite the mood caused by the tragedy, Nolan — who didn’t know Kennedy or Lucas — was impressed by the resiliency of the Canadian troops. He says it was business as usual Monday morning.
‘We’ve all volunteered’
“I think it is important that the readers know we understand that these things happen. It’s not that we accept them ... I don’t know how to word it exactly ... but we’ve all agreed to be in this situation. We’ve all volunteered to be in this situation and nobody is going to turn their back on this situation because these things are happening. Like I said, everybody suited up and everybody who went out this morning, did it without hesitation.
“The guys on the ground, they understand the risks. ... We mourn the loss, but we are resilient. We’re going to stay and we are going to do what we are going to do for as long as it takes and we’re told to stay here, and we’ll do it willingly.
“People need to know we are doing it
willingly.”
According to his dad, Kevin Kennedy held a similar view.
“Kevin would say, ‘If you see evil and you don’t confront it and if you see evil and evil is causing mayhem and you don’t confront it, somewhere down the line you are going to be forced to confront it.’ ”
After the military protocol, Kennedy will be waked for two days in Marystown before being buried in St. Vincent’s, his mother Kay’s home community.
“He wants to be buried next to his grandmother,” his father says.
Details of Lucas’s funeral were unavailable at press time.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
Offline
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Posts: 3424
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Lucas remembered as proud father, family man
Andrew Mayeda
CanWest News Service
Monday, April 09, 2007
OTTAWA — Sgt. Donald Lucas, the highest ranking of the Canadian soldiers killed this weekend, was remembered Monday as a committed leader and loving husband who enjoyed sitting around the campfire with his son.
“He was an excellent leader and very proud of the soldiers under his command. He believed in the mission and that he had a role to play to help those in need in Afghanistan,” his family said in a statement.
Lucas, 31, was born and raised in St. John’s, N.L. His family described him as a “proud Newfoundlander.”
A member of the 2nd battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, he was stationed at CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick and lived in the nearby town of Burton. He has two children, son Matthew and daughter MacKenzie.
“In his spare time, Don enjoyed everything to do with the outdoors, from hunting to boating, to sitting around the campfire with Matthew, and looked forward to his days boating on the river,” the family said.
A man reached at the home of one of Lucas’s relatives said the family had no comment. In its statement, the family asked the media to respect their privacy.
News of the soldiers’ death cast a pall over Oromocto, a small military town of about 9,000 nestled next to CFB Gagetown.
On most days, military veterans and local residents can be heard swapping stories at the mall in town, said Doreen Williams, an Oromocto resident whose husband served on several NATO peacekeeping missions.
That’s where she would occasionally run into Lucas, whom she described as a “gentleman” who appeared dedicated to his work.
But the entire town seemed eerily quiet Monday, she said.
“Look at the Canadians who were killed in Vimy, and look what’s happening now. When are Bush and the rest of them going to say hey, ‘Enough is enough’?”
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3424
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Father of two committed to leadership
Andrew Mayeda
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Sgt. Donald Lucas, the highest ranking of the six soldiers killed Sunday, was remembered as a committed leader and loving husband who enjoyed sitting by the campfire with his son.
"He was an excellent leader and very proud of the soldiers under his command. He believed in the mission and that he had a role to play to help those in need in Afghanistan," his family said in a statement.
Sgt. Lucas, 31, was born and raised in St. John's, N.L. His family described him as a "proud Newfoundlander."
A member of the 2nd battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, he was stationed at CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick and lived in the nearby town of Burton. He has two children, son Matthew and daughter Mac-Kenzie.
"In his spare time, Don enjoyed everything to do with the outdoors, from hunting to boating, to sitting around the campfire with Matthew, and looked forward to his days boating on the river," the family said.
News of the soldiers' deaths cast a pall over Oromocto, a small military town of about 9,000 next to CFB Gagetown.
On most days, military veterans and residents can be heard swapping stories at the mall in town, said Doreen Williams, an Oromocto resident whose husband served on several NATO peacekeeping missions.
That's where she would run into Sgt. Lucas, whom she described as a "gentleman" who was dedicated to his work.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3424
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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This is a sad day for all Royal Canadians.
Sgt. Donald Lucas remembered at St. John's, N.L. funeral as father figure
Canadian Press
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
PERTH-ANDOVER, N.B. (CP) - More than 1,000 mourners gathered under grey, blustery skies in western New Brunswick to pay tribute to Cpl. Aaron Williams, one of six Canadian soldiers killed in an Easter Sunday attack in Afghanistan.
As members of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment carried Williams's flag-draped coffin into a church in his hometown of Perth Andover, a line of Canadian flags fluttered along the sweeping driveway to the church.
Williams's fiancee, Jennifer McManus, and their two-year-old daughter Kayla, watched quietly as the coffin was carried inside.
The military service was closed to the news media, as was a funeral earlier in the day for Williams's commander, Sgt. Donald Lucas.
Hundreds of mourners attended the morning service in St. John's, N.L., where Lucas, 31, was remembered as a highly regarded soldier and father figure to many.
Fifty-three Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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Mike Blais
SSM (NATO Bar), CPSM, UN-Cyp, CD
Ultimate 2000+ Member
Offline
Gender:
Posts: 3424
A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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First of six soldiers’ funerals held
By Tara Brautigam
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. (CP) — The wife of Sgt. Donald Lucas cradled their baby daughter in her arms Wednesday as she bid farewell to her husband at the first of six funerals this week for soldiers killed during Canada’s deadliest day in Afghanistan.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Natasha Lucas carried daughter MacKenzie and held her son Matthew’s hand as her husband’s casket, draped in the Canadian flag, was led away from St. Thomas United Anglican Church.
Hundreds of mourners attended the service, where Lucas, 31, was remembered as a highly regarded soldier and father figure to many.
“He was a good guide to the young military men,” said Charmaine Meaney, whose brother-in-law served as a pallbearer.
Col. Albert Pelley, the regimental commander of the Church Lads Brigades, said Lucas — a former member of the youth group — was always a gentleman.
“He would correct me when I was wrong and he’d say, ‘No disrespect sir, but here’s how that command should have gone,”’ he said.
“I learned more from him than he did from me.”
Born and raised in St. John’s, Lucas and was the youngest child of Ella and Fred Lucas.
He started his military career with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment before transferring to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick.
The commander of Hotel company, Lucas was described by other soldiers as a charismatic leader who often spoke of his love for his wife and children.
His funeral was the first of five to be held this week in the Atlantic region.
Cpl. Aaron Williams was to be laid to rest Wednesday in Perth-Andover, N.B.
On Thursday, Pte. David Greenslade will be buried in his hometown of Saint John, N.B., and Pte. Kevin Kennedy of St. Lawrence, N.L., will be buried in St. Mary’s in eastern Newfoundland. Services will be held Friday for Cpl. Brent Poland in Sarnia, Ont., and for Master Cpl. Christopher Stannix in Halifax.
The six soldiers, all members of Hotel company, were killed when their light-amoured military vehicle hit a roadside bomb west of Kandahar on Easter Sunday.
At the time, Hotel company had been operating in the desert in the Maywand district near the border of Helmond province for almost six weeks.
They had been patrolling and escorting convoys in the area but hadn’t been near the site of the explosion for almost three weeks.
Four soldiers were also wounded by the blast, one of them seriously.
Three days later, trooper Patrick Pentland and Master Cpl. Allan Stewart, both of New Brunswick, were killed in a similar explosion.
Funeral arrangements for the two soldiers have not been finalized.
Fifty-three Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.
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1RCR 1977-79 Depot (Italy PL), B Coy, Mortars, Pioneers, D Coy (CFB London)
3RCR 1979-82 M Coy, Pipes & Drums, Sigs, Mortars. (CFB Baden-Soellingen)
1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
1988-92 Med-remuster to HELL/ 35 DU, CFB Baden
1992 Medical release. God Bless you all!
Pro Patria
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