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Topic: Afghanistan - 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment - 08-09 (Read 121 times)
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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The sad news responsible for this thread certainly highlights the second battalion's presence in Afghanistan at a time wherein the lads of the Third are carrying the fight to the taliban.
God Bless the Regiment and all Royal Canadians who would tread in harms way on behalf of this great nation. May 9'r Higher also take into his loving embrace the brave and the valiant, our brothers in arms who had stood tall in the face of adversity and, with honour, offered the ultimate sacrifice.
Pro Patria...
We start on December 14th, 2008
Three more soldiers killed in Afghanistan
GRAEME SMITH
Globe and Mail Update
December 14, 2008 at 8:04 AM EST
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Three Canadian soldiers have been killed in an explosion on a notoriously dangerous stretch of road west of Kandahar city.
Their convoy was summoned yesterday to investigate part of Highway #1, about 14 kilometres west of the city, because of suspicions that a bomb had been planted under the road, a common hazard on the main route out of the city.
Locals described a large explosion at 9 a.m. just beyond the bridge that divides the western outskirts of the city from the farmland on the other side of the Arghandab river. The force of the blast flipped a Canadian vehicle, according to witnesses who said they ran away in fear and did not see what happened next.
The dead were named as Corporal Thomas James Hamilton, Private John Michael Roy Curwin, Private Justin Peter Jones, all part of Golf Company, of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based at Camp Nathan Smith, home of Canada's provincial reconstruction team.
Another soldier was injured in the blast and is recovering in fair condition.
Brigadier-General Denis Thompson confirmed the men were serving as the PRT's quick-reaction force, a standby unit that responds to emergencies, but said he cannot give more details about their duties at the time of their deaths.
"In Kandahar, we will pause and remember Thomas, John and Justin before we return to our duty, steadfast and resolute," said Brig-Gen Thompson, Canada's top commander in the country.
Little more than a week earlier, another blast in roughly the same part of Highway #1, near a suburb known as Senjaray, killed three other soldiers: Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson, Corporal Mark Robert McLaren, and Private Demetrios Diplaros.
Yesterday's deaths brings to six the number of soldiers killed on the latest six-month rotation of Canadian troops. The previous five rotations have averaged 17 or 18 deaths each, and a total of 103 military personnel have died on Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
Handling the news of deaths is easier in Kandahar than back in Canada, the commander said, because on the front lines of the war the soldiers remain immersed in their mission.
"Back home in Canada, the sense of loss is greater, because here we have our work, and we work 12, 14, 16, hours a day, and it's simple to lose ourselves in our work," Brig-Gen Thompson said.
The commander gave short biographical sketches of the three slain soldiers. He described Corporal Thomas Hamilton, or "Hammy," as an avid outdoorsman, who loved to fish, hunt and barbeque, and who was devoted to his daughter Annabella. The bearded corporal was a veteran of Haiti currently serving his third tour in Afghanistan.
Private Curwin was remembered as a strong family man, dedicated to his three children and wife Laura Mae.
"John's buddies say that he was the most mature among them, a voice of reason when they got rambunctious and planned to get into mischief," Brig-Gen Thompson said.
Private Jones, or "Jonesy," was described as "a friendly Newfoundlander who loved to play the guitar and drive his pick-up truck ... the sort of fellow that would give you the shirt off his back."
The commander said he cannot confirm if the dangerous stretch of highway had already been swept for explosives that morning.
Such checks are a daily ritual on Highway #1 west of the city, where Afghan troops and their Canadian mentors painstakingly examine the road for new bombs planted during the night.
The day before the explosion, Captain Joe Hentz of London, Ont., stood at a small outpost on the highway and explained that his team's search requires three to eight hours to cover 30 kilometres of road - only part of the distance cleared for explosives each day.
The teams depend mostly on visual observation, peering into culverts under the road to look for bulky objects: "The old fashioned way," Capt. Hentz said.
Insurgents often cache their bombs in the culverts, tunnels under the road usually constructed with concrete and protected by metal gratings. But recently the Taliban have also targeted the sweep teams, the captain said, with smaller explosives on the roadside to hit the foot patrols.
"They see us doing something and change their tactics," Capt. Hentz said.
When asked whether the Canadians get tired of the dangerous routine, the young captain shrugged.
"We do," he said. "It has its moments, I guess."
Establishing a safe route west of the city has become more important in recent weeks as U.S. and Canadian forces expand a new base in Maywand district, expected to absorb part of a new influx of American troops in the south.
As the Maywand base grows, it requires increasing shipments of food, water, fuel, construction materials, and other goods transported by truck along Highway #1.
"When you come to a new place the biggest test has been testing the logistics system," said U.S. Lieutenant-Colonel Dan Hurlbut, of the 2-2 Infantry regiment. "We're 80 kilometres from an established base, and it's a long 80 kilometres along a route that is heavily travelled by the enemy. There have been immense challenges trying to establish a foothold here and then just feeding the beast - it's an intense beast that needs fuel and water."
But keeping a safe corridor in a zone heavily influenced by the Taliban has proven difficult so far, Lt-Col Hurlbut said, because the insurgents prefer to attack the foreign troops with bombs instead of openly confronting them in battle.
"They don't really stand out and they're part of the people," the American officer said. "So trying to differentiate between the good guys are and the bad guys has been extremely difficult and they haven't seemed to want to come out and fight us yet. We're looking forward to that day because it will make it a lot easier on us because we can shoot back."
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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
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Governor General of Canada
Dec 14, 2008 10:26 ET
Message from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada,...
...on the deaths of Corporal Thomas James Hamilton, Private John Michael Roy Curwin, and Private Justin Peter Jones
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 14, 2008) -
Today we are mourning the deaths of three soldiers, after a loss that saddened us deeply only a few days ago. In addition, one of their colleagues was severely wounded by the explosion of an IED while they were patrolling in the reconstruction zone close to the city of Kandahar.
To the families, loved ones and friends of Corporal Thomas James Hamilton, Private John Michael Roy Curwin, and Private Justin Peter Jones, all from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, we extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences. May they know that they are not alone to shed tears for these three irreplaceable men. Not only were they courageous, they were proud to serve their country with all their skills and might to help the people of Afghanistan, torn by decades of war and profound misery. They pursued their goal, putting their lives on the line. We will never forget the extent to which they valued peace, justice and equity, values equally shared by all Canadians.
Our best wishes for prompt recovery to the injured soldier and to his or her family. We know how afflicted and worried they are.
To all the members of the Canadian Forces, wherever you are, in Canada or abroad, be assured of our solidarity during this difficult time.
Michaelle Jean
Statement by the Minister of National Defence on the Death of Three Canadian Soldiers in Afghanistan
Last update: 10:42 a.m. EST Dec. 14, 2008
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Dec 14, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, issued the following statement today on the death of three Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan:
"It is with deep sorrow I learned of the deaths of Corporal Thomas James Hamilton, Private John Michael Roy Curwin, and Private Justin Peter Jones today in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones as they deal with this tragic loss. I also wish a quick recovery to the other soldier injured in this incident.
The vital contribution of the Canadian Forces to the United Nations-mandated, NATO-led mission is making a difference in Afghanistan. While challenges remain, Canada is steadfast in its support of the international mission to help Afghans reclaim their country by building a more democratic, free and safe society.
The bravery and dedication demonstrated on a daily basis by the men and women of the Canadian Forces while making Afghanistan a better place to live are a testament to the values respected and revered by all Canadians.
Canada will remain eternally grateful for the sacrifices made by Corporal Hamilton, Private Curwin and Private Jones. They will not be forgotten."
These soldiers were all from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, and served as members of the Force Protection Company of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.
Harper offers condolences to families
By Don Peat, SUN MEDIA
Killed in action were (L-R) Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin and Pte. Justin Peter Jones. (The Canadian Press/DND-HO)
Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered his condolences this morning to the three families of the three Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan yesterday.
While saying the country is profoundly saddened by the death of the three men, Harper vowed "Canada will not waver in its support for (Canadian Forces) members, as they continue to work with Canadian civilians and our NATO allies in the international community's mission to help Afghans rebuild their country."
Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin, and Pte. Justin Peter Jones, were killed in action when the vehicle they were riding in struck an IED while patrolling an area near Kandahar City.
All three were from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based at CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick, and were serving as members of the Force Protection Company of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.
"On behalf of all Canadians and of the Government of Canada, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the friends and families of Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin, and Pte. Justin Peter Jones," a statement read.
"We are grateful for their selfless service to this country, while helping to ensure a brighter future for the Afghan people."
Harper also wished the fourth soldier, injured in the same incident, a quick recovery.
"This tragic incident demonstrates the considerable risk faced by the exceptional men and women of the Canadian Forces as they work to promote freedom, security and democracy in Afghanistan," Harper said.
In Afghanistan, Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, commander of Task Force Kandahar, described the men while standing in front of the cenotaph honouring Canadians killed there. The Canadian flag was flying at half-mast in honour of their loss.
Thompson said Hamilton had served in Haiti and was on his third tour of Afghanistan. He was known as "Hammy" to his friends and loved having a beard. Thompson said Hamilton's "first love" was his daughter Annabella. Curwin was described as the quintessential "family man", a dedicated father to his three children and always said his wife Laura Mae was his best friend.
Jones, or "Jonesy" was described as a friendly Newfoundlander who loved to play guitar and was "one of the kindest people you would ever meet."
With files from Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
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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
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Ultimate 2000+ Member
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Fallen soldiers mourned
Canwest News Service Published: Sunday, December 14, 2008
Ethan Baron/Canwest News Service
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN -- As soldiers bid farewell Sunday to three fallen colleagues killed on duty in Afghanistan, condolences continued to pour in from the soldier's home base and national leaders.
Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin and Pte. Justin Peter Jones, all based out of CFB Gagetown, N.B., were killed in a roadside blast while on security patrol Saturday morning about 14 kilometres west of Kandahar City. Another soldier was injured in the blast.
A total of 103 Canadian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since Canada's mission started in 2002.
The coffins carrying the bodies of the three soldiers were carried on the shoulders of their colleagues and placed on a flight home Sunday evening in a ceremony in Kandahar that was scaled back after rocket attacks at the base.
Back at their home base in New Brunswick, representatives at their base expressed his sorrow for the fallen soldiers and vowed that the base would do all it could to help the grieving families, but said they will remain strong.
"The priority of the base and priority of the battalion is that we look after the families in this very sad and very difficult time for them," said Col. Ken Chadder, base commander at CFB Gagetown, adding that the injured soldier was currently undergoing treatment.
"(Soldiers at CFBGagetown) are obviously saddened by the loss of their comrades. This is not a new event to the soldiers of this battalion or the soldiers in the task force. They're determined to carry on with the mission."
All four are from Golf Company, 2nd Battalion and served as members of the Force Protection Company of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team. Their job was to conduct regular security patrols, respond to incidents in Kandahar City and the surrounding districts, and to facilitate the reconstruction and development work within the province, Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson said Saturday.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement Sunday expressing his condolences and sadness over the most recent Canadian casualties.
"This tragic incident demonstrates the considerable risk faced by the exceptional men and women of the Canadian Forces as they work to promote freedom, security and democracy in Afghanistan," Harper said.
"While profoundly saddened, Canada will not waver in its support for CF members, as they continue to work with Canadian civilians and our NATO allies in the international community's mission to help Afghans rebuild their country. As Canada mourns the death of Cpl. Hamilton, Pte. Curwin and Pte. Jones, we are grateful for their selfless service to this country, while helping to ensure a brighter future for the Afghan people."
Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean also released a statement Sunday, centred on the families of the victims.
"To the families, loved ones and friends . . . we extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences," she said. "May they know that they are not alone to shed tears for these three irreplaceable men."
Saturday's incident marks the second attack in just over a week to have claimed Canadian lives.
On Dec. 5, an explosion along Highway 1 killed Cpl. Mark McLaren, Pte. Demetrios Diplaros, and Warrant Officer Robert Wilson as they were searching with Afghan soldiers and police for improvised explosive devices. McLaren, Diplaros and Wilson were members of the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, charged with training the Afghan National Army.
Also on Dec. 5, a Canadian soldier on foot patrol in Zhari district lost his lower legs to a buried IED.
Families 'not alone'
Jean, Harper express nation's condolences
By DON PEAT, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 15th December 2008, 2:32a
As the trio of flag-draped caskets started to make their return from Afghanistan, Canadian leaders were offering condolences to the families of the soldiers.
Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin and Pte. Justin Peter Jones, were killed in action Saturday when the armoured vehicle they were riding in struck an improvised explosive device while patrolling an area near Kandahar City.
Governor General Michaelle Jean extended her heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the soldiers' loved ones.
"May they know that they are not alone to shed tears for these three irreplaceable men," a statement said. "Not only were they courageous, they were proud to serve their country with all their skills and might to help the people of Afghanistan, torn by decades of war and profound misery."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the country is profoundly saddened by the death of the three men.
Harper vowed in a statement that "Canada will not waver in its support for (Canadian Forces) members, as they continue to work with Canadian civilians and our NATO allies in the international community's mission to help Afghans rebuild their country."
'SYMPATHIES'
The three dead soldiers were from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based at CFB Gagetown, N.B., and were serving as members of the Force Protection Company of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.
"On behalf of all Canadians and of the government of Canada, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the friends and families" of the fallen soldiers, Harper's statement said.
"We are grateful for their selfless service to this country, while helping to ensure a brighter future for the Afghan people."
Harper also wished a fourth soldier, injured in the same incident, a quick recovery.
"This tragic incident demonstrates the considerable risk faced by the exceptional men and women of the Canadian Forces as they work to promote freedom, security and democracy in Afghanistan," Harper said.
'CONTRIBUTION'
Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the men will not be forgotten.
"The vital contribution of the Canadian Forces to the United Nations-mandated, NATO-led mission is making a difference in Afghanistan," MacKay said in a statement released yesterday.
"While challenges remain, Canada is steadfast in its support of the international mission to help Afghans reclaim their country by building a more democratic, free and safe society."
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FUNERAL TODAY
A funeral for Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson will be held today at the Roman Catholic Chapel at CFB Petawawa. Wilson, a father of two and of Keswick; Pte. Demetrios Diplaros, 25, of Toronto; and Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren, 23, of Peterborough were killed Dec. 5 in 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
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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War Three deaths in Afghanistan roadside bombing shock New Brunswick military base and shatter holiday festivities
CFB GAGETOWN - In the midst of a weekend of holiday shopping and seasonal festivities came the shattering news that three more soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown had been killed in the badlands of Afghanistan.
They bring the number of dead to 10 from this New Brunswick base, a steep price that is bound to raise more questions about the wisdom of prolonged involvement in the faraway conflict.
Amid the brightly-coloured Christmas lights and garlands adorning homes and businesses in the military town of Oromocto, the sight of the large Canadian flag at half mast by the front gate of the base was a sombre reminder of the loss.
Military officials acknowledged on Sunday that the time of year makes the news harder to bear for families, friends and comrades.
"There's never a good time to lose soldiers," said Lt.-Col. Geoff Parker, commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment.
"But it seems more difficult at this time of year."
Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. Justin Peter Jones and Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin were all killed on Saturday after a powerful roadside bomb tore through their military vehicle as they passed along a road in southern Afghanistan.
The three men were responding to a report that an improvised explosive device was being planted on the highway, which runs from Kandahar city all the way to the border of Helmand province, when their vehicle hit an explosive device.
A fourth soldier from Gagetown was injured in the explosion and was listed in fair condition.
Roadside bombs have become the weapon of choice for the Taliban over the past two years. More than half of the soldiers killed have died from them, as well as 17 this year alone.
"The Taliban know they can't win in a stand-up fight," said Lee Windsor, author of a new book on Afghanistan entitled, Kandahar Tour: The Turning Point in Canada's Afghan Mission.
"So they are all training on IEDs . . . They know that every time there are casualties in Afghanistan, it erodes public opinion in Canada."
Windsor, deputy director of The Gregg Centre at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, said that for every one fatal explosion, eight or nine IEDS are found by Canadian soldiers and put out of commission.
"This blood price has not been for nothing," he said.
"Our death rate goes up because we are successfully disrupting their (the Taliban and the drug lords) ability to grow, sell and transport opium."
The deaths of the Gagetown soldiers came just eight days after three other soldiers - Warrant Officer Robert Wilson, Cpl. Mark McLaren and Pte. Demetrios Diplaros - died when their armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device on the same stretch of highway 14 kilometres west of Kandahar city.
The latest incident brings Canada's death toll from the Afghan mission to 103.
"It has certainly hit us very hard," Base Commander Col. Ken Chadder told reporters at Gagetown on Sunday.
"Our priority will be make sure that we look after the families in this very sad and difficult time for them."
Curwin was from Mount Uniacke, N.S., but his wife and children live in Oromocto, N.B.
Friends described him as the quintessential "family man", a dedicated father to his three children and a devoted husband to his wife, Laura Mae, whom he always called his best friend.
Chadder said the family is now surrounded and supported by friends in the tightly-knit military community.
Jones, or "Jonesy," was described as a friendly Newfoundlander who loved to play guitar and was "one of the kindest people you would ever meet."
"Justin will always be remembered for his "go-go" and "can-do" mentality," his family said in a statement.
Just over a week before a roadside bomb ended his young life, Jones was at home in Newfoundland, celebrating an early Christmas, his 21st birthday and his grandparents' 50th anniversary. When friends and family saw him off last Friday, they anxiously bid him well and made plans for his return.
"He was looking forward to going back," Alice Jones, his great aunt, said from Baie Verte, referring to his excitement for the mission.
"He loved it, I think. It was an adventure for him. That was his dream to join the military."
A member of Hamilton's family in Nova Scotia said they were shocked and saddened at the news.
"Thomas was a wonderful son, brother, uncle, father and friend," his mother, Cindy Higgins, said in a statement.
She said her son, 26, was born in Truro, N.S., and grew up in Upper Musquodoboit, about 30 minutes outside Halifax on the eastern shore.
"Thomas was a kind and loving man who loved to tease, he enjoyed fishing, camping and golfing.
Thomas was a professional soldier, who strongly believed in the mission and volunteered for his third tour in Afghanistan," Higgins said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean offered their sympathies to the friends and families of the soldiers.
"This tragic incident demonstrates the considerable risk faced by the exceptional men and women of the Canadian Forces as they work to promote freedom, security and democracy in Afghanistan," Harper said in a statement from Ottawa.
At a shopping mall in Oromocto, people tending a Christmas tree lot said a number of customers had been talking about the deaths.
While military personnel generally support the Afghan mission, opinion polls indicate that civilian endorsement is wavering.
"We should support the soldiers, but I don't think we still need to be over there wasting lives," Stephen Kirkpatrick said as he waited for customers at the Christmas tree lot.
"It's sad because the soldiers who are dying are so young. I mean, I'm 21 and some of the guys getting killed are my age. You're just starting to live."
The bodies are expected to arrive in Canada on Tuesday. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced, but Parker said it is likely a memorial will be held at Gagetown in January.
'When you lose one soldier here, everyone feels it'
Published Monday December 15th, 2008
By MICHAEL STAPLES
Life continued to move along in Oromocto and its surrounding areas Sunday, despite news that three soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown had been killed in Afghanistan.
But the impact from the deaths was obvious.
"When it hits close to home like this, it really, really hurts," said Oromocto's Ralph Harris, who has long supported the troops. "It hurts when any Canadian soldier is killed over there but, when it hits close to home like this, it seems to make it so much worse."
Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, 26, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin, and Pte. Justin Peter Jones, 21, were killed Saturday and a fourth soldier injured when a roadside bomb detonated near an armoured vehicle during a patrol in the Arghandab district of the country.
All soldiers were members of Golf Company from The Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR).
"At this time of the year, it is just the worse possible news that anybody could get," Harris said. "I just feel so sorry for the kids."
Hamiliton had one child and Curwin was the father of three.
Hoyt resident Stephen Kirkpatrick was selling Christmas trees outside the Oromocto Mall on Sunday.
He said the loss of the soldiers was unfortunate.
Initially, he thought one of the victims could be a friend of his serving there.
"I didn't know if he was back yet," said Kirkpatrick, who admitted to having a few anxious moments. "He was supposed to be back for Christmas. It could have been him but it wasn't. He knew one of the guys who passed away."
Kirkpatrick said while it's important to support the soldiers serving in Afghanistan, he questions the need for them to be there.
"I don't really think we need to be over there and wasting lives."
Dell Jenkins of Fredericton was also in Oromocto on Sunday.
He said members of the Taliban aren't as stupid as people think they are.
"They know when to hit people and when to make it count," Jenkins said. "They figure this is our Christmas season.
"They are Muslim, we're Christian, and they know in the Christian faith when they (target) Christmas, it has the most ability to hurt. Look at the six people we lost at Easter time last year."
People couldn't help but discuss the bad news with friends Sunday morning at the Tim Hortons in Oromocto.
Marc Allain said members of the community will come together to get past this latest tragedy.
"It's always horrible when something like this happens, but it seems extra hard when it happens at this time of year," he said.
"But this community is good at coming together for things like this. People will stand up with each other."
Oromocto Mayor Fay Tidd said Sunday was an upsetting day.
Tidd said when she first heard on Saturday there had been Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan, she had a feeling they could be from Gagetown.
"It's one of those horrible things for a town that's pretty well composed of all military people," Tidd said.
"No matter where you go, it is sad day. When you lose one soldier here, everybody feels it."
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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
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Fallen soldiers to be repatriated Tuesday
CPL ANDREW SAUNDERS/DND
Dec 15, 2008 - 10:16 AM
NORTHUMBERLAND - The repatriation ceremonies for the three soldiers killed in Afghanistan over the weekend will be take place on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
The bodies of Corporal Thomas James Hamilton, Private John Michael Roy Curwin and Private Justin Peter Jones will be repatriated at CFB Trenton at noon, and travel along The Highway of Heroes (Hwy. 401) to Toronto, passing through Northumberland County around 1 p.m.
The soldiers were part of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based at CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick. They were killed early Saturday morning when an improvised explosive device detonated on a stretch of road just west of Kandahar city.
They are the 101st, 102nd and 103rd Canadian soldiers to die in Afghanistan since 2002. The death toll hit 100 earlier this month when three other Canadian soldiers were killed after their armoured vehicle struck an IED on the same stretch of highway.
Watch northumberlandnews.com for coverage of the cavalcade's journey as thousands line bridges along the Highway of Heroes to honour the fallen.
Province honours dead Nova Scotia soldiers Breaking News print this article
Halifax News Net
Flags at the legislature are lowered to half mast today, Dec. 15, out of respect for Pte. John Curwin and Cpl. Thomas Hamilton, two soldiers from Nova Scotia who died this past weekend (Send a Message To Our Troops).
Cpl. Hamilton was born in Truro and raised in Upper Musquodoboit. Pte. Curwin was from Mount Uniacke.
Both were members of the Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, N.B., and died of injuries sustained from a roadside bomb while serving with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.
"The government and the people of our province are all saddened by the loss," said Premier Rodney MacDonald. "We share the sorrow with their families and their comrades, and we share their conviction that they will be remembered for their efforts to bring peace to a troubled land."
"I want to add our condolences to the many expressions of sorrow for the families of Private Curwin and Corporal Hamilton," said Richard Hurlburt, Minister responsible for Military Relations. "We are saddened by the loss of two courageous Nova Scotians."
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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
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Relatives, escorts gather for soldiers
Toronto procession to arrive around 3 p.m.
By IAN ROBERTSON, Sun Media
Last Updated: 15th December 2008, 6:01pm
More than 35 relatives, padres and escorts will be at Canadian Forces Base Trenton for the arrival at noon today of the bodies of three soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Members of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment will remove the caskets containing Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, and Ptes. John Michael Roy Curwin, and Justin Peter Jones from a C-177 Globemaster when the large plane lands.
Based at CFB Gagetown, N.B., the trio was killed Saturday by a roadside bomb near Kandahar.
Capt. Mark Peebles said relatives will take shelter beneath a wing of the C-177, then pay their respects after the caskets are carried to hearses, with members of the regiment’s 1st Ballation providing an honour guard.
Family travel expenses are paid for “by the Crown,” he said.
Dignitaries at the sombre repatriation will include Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean, Defence Minister Peter MacKay, and Gen. Walt Natynczyk, Chief of Defence Staff,
After the 90-minute ceremony, the hearses will be escorted to Toronto along Hwy. 401 by Ontario Provincial Police.
As Canada’s losses — now 103 soldiers — have mounted in Afghanistan, hundreds of people including veterans, adults, children, police, firefighters and paramedics — have traditionally lined the Highway of Heroes to pay tribute.
Similar gatherings occur here, when Toronto Police traffic officers provide escorts to the Centre of Forensic Sciences, where a coroner will perform autopsies before the bodies are collected by funeral home staff.
“It’s quite nice to watch,” Toronto Police Staff-Sgt. Larry Bryson said of people paying respects in the city.
“Sadly, in some ways, these tragic deaths have made us all a little more aware, a little more patriotic,” he said. “We have people waiting for two hours on bridges.”
Alternate routes from the Don Valley Parkway and Hwy. 401 to Bloor St. are used. Officers yesterday checked road construction before deciding to have the motorcade head south on Bay St., or south on Jarvis, east on Wellesley Ave. to the coroner’s facility on Grosvenor St.
Bryson expects the procession to reach here between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Police will block intersections to provide safe passage and, normally, “officers get out of their cruisers, stand at attention and salute,” he said.
Toronto firefighters and paramedics traditionally join in tributess.
The OPP issued a reminder to avoid stopping or slowing down alongside Hwy. 401 to pay respects, which Acting Sgt. Dave Woodford said “could be very dangerous to yourself and to others.
ian.robertson@sunmedia.ca
Soldiers believed in mission
Fallen troops to be returned to Canada today
By DAN ARSENAULT Crime Reporter
Tue. Dec 16 - 10:38 AM
Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin loved his wife and three kids, hockey, computer games and being in the army.
In a release the Mount Uniacke man’s family issued after his death in Afghanistan, they said: "John was loved by everyone who knew him, from his friends, immediate family and his extended family."
Pte. Curwin, Cpl. Thomas Hamilton of Upper Musquodoboit and Pte. Justin Jones of Baie Verte, N.L., died Saturday when a roadside bomb ripped apart their vehicle. Another soldier suffered minor injuries in the explosion west of Kandahar city. A bomb on the same stretch of road killed three other Canadian soldiers just over a week earlier.
Pte. Curwin’s family released their statement through CFB Gagetown, where he and Cpl. Hamilton were based as members of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
"He was forever the ‘good guy’, always there to do what was right, what was needed and always willing to give whatever he could for his family and friends," the release said.
Pte. Curwin and Laura were childhood sweethearts from the moment they met at the tender age of 15, the release said, but they grew up fast with their three children, Makayla, Michael and Jenna.
The 2000 graduate of Windsor High School loved playing hockey with his son and his own military team and playing the computer game Call of Duty.
"He was an excellent rifleman and loved being in the army. A member of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment, he was proud to be a Royal and treated them as his second family with the same dedication and commitment. We will always have him with us and will love him forever."
Cpl. Hamilton’s mother told The Chronicle Herald on Sunday that her son loved his family and outdoor activities and that he believed strongly in the Afghanistan mission.
The three fallen soldiers are scheduled to return to Canada at noon today. Their plane will land at CFB Trenton in Ontario and they will be transported to Toronto on Highway 401, also called the Highway of Heroes, which thousands of people have been known to line to pay tribute to the dead.
Autopsies will be performed in Toronto, Trenton spokesman Capt. Mark Peebles said Monday.
Afterward, the bodies of the soldiers will be flown to their home provinces for funerals. Capt. Peebles didn’t know when the bodies of Pte. Curwin and Cpl. Hamilton would arrive in Nova Scotia.
He said the respect shown to fallen soldiers by people along the Highway of Heroes is touching.
"It’s a moving sight to see."
Flags flew at half-mast at Province House in honour of the men Monday.
"We share the sorrow with their families and their comrades, and we share their conviction that they will be remembered for their efforts to bring peace to a troubled land," Premier Rodney MacDonald said in a release.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his condolences Monday at an elementary school in Saint John, N.B., where veterans shared their experiences of the Second World War with students.
Mr. Harper addressed a group of soldiers from Gagetown who were attending the event.
"On behalf of myself and all Canadians, I hope you will pass on our condolences to the comrades and the families of those servicemen that we lost on the weekend," he said.
"It’s always a tremendous tragedy when we lose people like this, but it just leads us to a deeper appreciation of the tremendous work all of you do on behalf of our country."
There have been 11 Nova Scotians killed in Afghanistan since 2002 and a total of 103 Canadian soldiers killed in the mission.
Dartmouth businessman John Moloney hopes many Nova Scotians take the time to honour the lives of Pte. Curwin and Cpl. Hamilton. He’s a former military man and has two sons in the service, including one infantry private who’s heading to Afghanistan this summer.
"I kind of like the quiet vigil thing," he said Monday.
He’s touched by the respect shown to fallen soldiers when they are flown to Trenton, Ont., and then transported along Highway 401 to Toronto.
He intends to go to the Halifax airport to show his respect when the bodies of the soldiers arrive.
He’d be doing it to show their families how he feels, he said, adding he hopes he isn’t alone.
"I’d love to see the roadway leaving the airport completely lined with people."
With The Canadian Press
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1RCR 1982-88 Mortars. Dukes, Cyprus-Welfare NCO 84-85, Injured, WO&Sgts Mess, (CFB London)
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Prime minister pays tribute to fallen soldiers in N.B.
Published Tuesday December 16th, 2008
By KEVIN BISSETT
The Canadian Press
SAINT JOHN - Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his condolences Monday to the families of three soldiers based in New Brunswick who were killed on the weekend in Afghanistan, calling their deaths a "tremendous tragedy."
SOLEMN OCCASION: Prime Minister stephen harper, right, talks with a soldier from 2nd Battalion, the royal Canadian regiment, from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, at an event with students and veterans in saint John on Monday. harper expressed his condolences to the families of three soldiers based in new Brunswick who were killed on the weekend in afghanistan.
Harper spoke an elementary school in Saint John where veterans shared their experiences of the Second World War with students.
Harper said the Dominion Institute's Memory Project event at Forest Hills School is important because it reminds Canadians of the service veterans have given to the country.
Harper addressed a group of soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick who were attending the event.
"On behalf of myself and all Canadians, I hope you will pass on our condolences to the comrades and the families of those servicemen that we lost on the weekend," he said.
"It's always a tremendous tragedy when we lose people like this, but it just leads us to a deeper appreciation of the tremendous work all of you do on behalf of our country."
The prime minister's comments come after six Canadian soldiers were killed in separate explosions in Afghanistan in an eight-day period.
On Sunday in Kandahar, an honour guard lined a path as the flag-draped coffins of Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin and Pte. Justin Peter Jones were carried slowly into the belly of a Hercules C-130 for the flight home.
They died eight days after an improvised explosive device killed three soldiers Dec. 5 as they were riding in an armoured vehicle on the same stretch of highway west of Kandahar City.
The latest victims of an improvised explosive device were based at CFB Gagetown.
Their deaths bring the number of Canadian soldiers killed in the Afghan mission to 103.
During the school event Monday, almost 100 students listened intently to the wartime memories of Saint John-area veterans Frank Rusling and Dick Cornell, and they viewed videotaped holiday greetings from seven New Brunswickers now serving in Afghanistan.
The prime minister encouraged the students to remember the soldiers during the holidays.
"Don't forget to say a special prayer and to give thanks to those people who continue to serve our country today ... who are separated from their own families and own loved ones at Christmas as they serve our country in Afghanistan and in other parts of the world," he said.
The Memory Project was launched by the Dominion Institute in 2001 to connect veterans and students online and in classrooms across the country, and so far has reached more than 750,000 students.
Military historian Bob Lockhart said while the motto of the Royal Canadian Legion is "We will remember them" it's up to everyone to remember the veterans.
"We're just getting a taste of the cruel side of living on our planet, and it's very important that the young people realize that their freedoms were bought and paid for by veterans," Lockhart said.
"War is a horrible scourge, but it's the price that's paid for freedom and we need to remember that."
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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
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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'Her father was a hero'
Published Tuesday December 16th, 2008
Family grieves | Daughter of fallen soldier to be on tarmac today
By MICHAEL STAPLES
staples.michael@dailygleaner.com
A little girl's image of her father can be a powerful sight.
STEPHEN MACGILLIVRAY PHOTO
FATHER, SON, SOLDIER: A family member holds a photo of Cpl. Thomas hamilton on Monday in Fredericton. hamilton, who was killed on the weekend in Afghanistan, was an avid sports fisherman.
For four-year-old Annabelle, it promises to be a snapshot that will stay with her for the rest of her life.
She will be on the tarmac later today at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario with her mother, Heather Peace.
They will pay respects to her father, Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, and two others killed over the weekend in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan.
The plane carrying the bodies of the fallen soldiers is scheduled to land at Trenton at around noon local time.
"I think that since she is his daughter, she should be there," Peace, Hamilton's ex-wife, said in an interview Monday. "Even though she doesn't quite understand yet, it will mean a lot later on.
"We'll make sure that Annabelle knows her father was a hero."
Hamilton, 26, a native of Truro, N.S.; Pte. Justin Peter Jones, 21, of Baie Verte, N.L.; and Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin, originally from Mount Uniacke, N.S.; died Saturday when a roadside bomb detonated near an armoured vehicle during a patrol.
Another soldier injured in the same blast is listed in fair condition.
The incident occurred approximately 14 kilometres west of Kandahar City.
All four soldiers were members of Golf Company from The Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR) at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.
Peace said that even though she and Hamilton were no longer together, they remained close and stayed in contact.
"He was a dear friend to me for a very long time," she said. "I just want to be there to see him one last time."
Among those also expected to be present will be Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk.
Hamilton was due to fly back to Canada on Christmas Day for several days of leave.
"We were looking forward to seeing him again at Christmas," Peace said.
"He was looking forward to coming back at Christmas to see Annabelle. He had bought skates for Annabelle, so we were going to take her skating for her first time over the holidays.
"It's going to be a big hard thing to deal with."
Hamilton loved his job and loved being a soldier. This was his third tour of duty in Afghanistan - the latest of which he volunteered for.
"He tried as hard as he could to get himself into Golf Company so that he could go back," Peace said. "He really wanted to go. It's what he always wanted to do - join the military.
"He saw a lot of improvements over there and that is why he always wanted to keep going back."
Peace said Hamilton believed in what he was doing in Afghanistan and felt he and other Canadian soldiers were making a difference.
"The reason he wanted to go back was that he saw improvements. He went over there in 2003 for his first tour. So, he really has been in and out of there all through the mission."
Peace said she hopes people will remember Hamilton for his love of children, his kindness, his love of nature and fishing and for his sense of humour.
"He was a big joker and he liked to play tricks on all of his buddies. He just had fun all the time,'' she said.
Hamilton is expected to be buried later this week in Nova Scotia.
Flag-draped caskets of three soldiers killed in Afghanistan return to Canada
CFB TRENTON, Ont. — A little girl was the first person Tuesday to lay a flower on the flag-draped casket of Cpl. Thomas Hamilton as his remains and those of two fellow soldiers, the latest Canadian casualties in Afghanistan, were returned to this country.
Hamilton, the father of a young daughter, Pte. John Curwin and Pte. Justin Jones were killed Saturday when an improvised explosive device detonated near their armoured vehicle while they were on patrol west of Kandahar City.
All three were members of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, based at CFB Gagetown, N.B.
The repatriation ceremony on the windswept tarmac of this eastern Ontario military base came one day after the funeral service for another Canadian soldier who died in the war-torn country.
For about an hour, the base fell quiet. The silence of people paying their respects was broken only by a lone piper, the sounds of boots hitting the ground in a calculated march as a soldier shouted orders, and the faint sound of crying.
Each soldier was carried off a military plane separately by his comrades. Once the casket was placed into a hearse, the soldier's loved ones would gather outside the car, place flowers inside, then pause to hug each other and wipe away tears.
The little girl, who military officials did not identify, led a procession of mourners who, one by one and in groups, walked to the open hearses.
The grief extended outside the base, where a crowd of people, many dressed in red and carrying Canadian flags, gathered despite the frigid temperature to pay their respects.
Tonya Lambert, 35, lives near Trenton but grew up in Baie Verte, N.L., the hometown of Jones.
His death is the first during the Afghan mission for the tiny community, Lambert said.
"This one is the hardest," she said. "You see the soldiers die, but you never think it would hit home. This is the first time it's hit our home.
"My heart goes out to the family and my hometown. Everyone's just so sad."
William McQuay, 74, was also among those gathered outside the base and said he felt "very sorry for the families."
"It's a real sad thing. I feel in my heart the Armed Forces shouldn't be over there. And yet there's still young guys signing up.
"I have a scrapbook of them all from Day 1 till now."
Tuesday's repatriation ceremony was the second at the base in as many weeks.
It came the day after a funeral service for the last of three Canadian soldiers killed the previous week, also by an explosive device.
Warrant Officer Robert Wilson of Keswick, Ont., was remembered at a private service held at CFB Petawawa. Cpl. Mark McLaren of Peterborough, Ont., and Pte. Demetrios Diplaros of Toronto were buried last week.
Since 2002, 103 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have died during the Afghanistan mission.
Seventeen Canadians have died as a result of improvised explosive device attacks this year alone.
Jones had returned home to Baie Verte shortly before the roadside bomb ended his life.
During his two weeks at home, he had marked an early Christmas, his 21st birthday and his grandparents' 50th anniversary.
Jones was on his first tour in Afghanistan, where he had deployed in August. He had been expected to stay until February or March.
Hamilton, 26, was born in Truro, N.S., and grew up in Upper Musquodoboit, about 30 minutes outside Halifax on the province's eastern shore.
Curwin, a father of three, grew up in Mount Uniacke, N.S. He and his wife Laura lived in Oromocto, N.B.
His parents described their son as "forever the good guy."
They said their son met his wife when they were both just 15 years old.
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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!
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Durham residents line bridges to honour fallen soldiers
AJ GROEN / METROLAND
Supporters line bridges to honour the troops
OSHAWA -- A Somber moment as the hearses carrying the 3 fallen soldiers pass under the Albert Street bridge on the Highway Of Heroes. December 16, 2008
Afghanistan war dead toll hits 103
Dec 16, 2008 - 05:15 PM
By Parvaneh Pessian
WHITBY -- The father of two sons in the armed forces, Joseph Arruda ventured out with a heavy heart to the Brock Street overpass in Whitby for the second repatriation procession this month.
Standing with his son Andrew -- currently on holiday leave from training for deployment -- the Whitby resident said six Canadian soldiers killed in two weeks hits very close to home for him.
"My other boy is over there now serving his third tour and he was actually friends with one of the boys we lost last week," he said.
"It's hard but it's the reality of being in the war zone and he's still very committed to the mission."
The cavalcade rolled down the Highway of Heroes Tuesday afternoon carrying the bodies of Corporal Thomas James Hamilton, Private John Michael Roy Curwin and Private Justin Peter Jones from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, based in New Brunswick.
They are the 101st, 102nd and 103rd Canadian soldiers to die in Afghanistan since 2002. The soldiers were killed in action early Saturday morning when an improvised explosive device detonated on a stretch of road just west of Kandahar city.
It's the tragic loss of the young lives that seems to affect people the most as they come out to honour the fallen, said Malcolm Chartrand.
"They were just young guys who'd begun their lives and now they're gone," he said, fighting back tears. "We need to pay tribute to them and remember they died for us."
The casualties came only eight days after the death toll of Canadian soldiers hit 100 when three other soldiers lost their lives on the same stretch of highway.
"It's so sad when we lose any of our men but this close to Christmas makes it even worse and these guys are even younger than my own sons," said Shirley Snedden, propping a massive Canadian flag up against the side of the bridge.
Nineteen-year-old Kaitlin Taylor-Rivet also said showing up at the bridge has personal significance for her as she waits for her boyfriend to leave for Afghanistan next year.
"The soldiers need our support and I know how hard it can be on the family," she said.
"Being young and seeing all these young kids going out there, it's terrifying but I'm so proud of them and know we have to be strong for them."
THE LONG GOODBYE
We owe the dead soldiers our attention
CHRISTIE BLATCHFORD
cblatchford@globeandmail.com
December 17, 2008
I've seen ramp ceremonies at Kandahar Air Field, repatriation ceremonies at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, stood on an overpass above the Highway of Heroes as soldiers' bodies were brought to the coroner's office in downtown Toronto and twice followed at breakneck speed such a cortège along this route.
I've watched one or another end of the long goodbye in person and on television, and yesterday, for the first time, I watched the ceremony at Trenton on my laptop, because neither of the country's two major all-news networks (including the CBC, the alleged national broadcaster) could be bothered to carry the ceremony live.
This, by the by, enrages me.
As it turns out, it takes less than a half-hour to unload the coffins of three young servants of Canada from the airplane, solemnly march them one by one to waiting hearses and have them met by various huddles of their weeping and stricken relatives.
It doesn't seem too much to ask of the networks that they air each of these ceremonies, which possess more inherent dignity and grace than almost anything else on the small screen. Why do you suppose the vast majority of the families left behind decide to allow the media on the tarmac at Trenton? It is their call, always, and when they say yes, it is not so we will ignore the ceremonies, but rather so we will show them and report on them and perhaps, through this coverage, that this will encourage others to stop and notice.
It is curious to me that I am compulsively drawn to these things. It's as if I need to suffer a little - if not physically, as the infantry likes to do, then emotionally - so as to keep the pain fresh and live.
Yesterday, the returning young men were Privates Justin Jones and John Curwin and Corporal Thomas Hamilton, all from the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment, which is based in CFB Gagetown. They were the 101st, 102nd and 103rd soldiers to die in Afghanistan since Canada first went there in 2002. Their collective age totalled 73, which is a year older than my father was when he died.
Cpl. Hamilton was called "Hammy," of course; I have a Hammy too, a soldier I know and love from my time in Afghanistan and who is one of the central figures in my book about Canadian troops. My Hammy took one look at my increasingly haggard face not so long ago and said he suspected I felt I owed the troops something, which was, he said, "of course horseshit." But it isn't, and in fact I feel we all owe the soldiers, at the very least, our attention.
Cpl. Hamilton was the highest ranking of the soldiers killed on Saturday, so it was his casket that was off-loaded first, and his family whose members walked to the first hearse. Their faces disappeared one at a time into the dim of the vehicle, out of sight from the TV cameras, but I could see someone lifting his little daughter Annabelle, who is 4, up and into the back of the car. She wore pink snow pants and a purple ski jacket. Cpl. Hamilton was due to fly home on Christmas Day for leave, and according to his ex-wife, Heather Peace, who spoke to the Daily Gleaner in Fredericton, he was planning to take Annabelle skating for the first time.
Pte. Curwin's casket was next. One of his relatives was on a motorized scooter. Born and raised in Mount Uniacke, N.S., Pte. Curwin was so proud of his hometown that he wrote to the local paper and asked if they could help him get a Mount Uniacke flag. Sure enough, they did, and he proudly posed with it in Kandahar and sent the pictures back home. He and his wife Laurie, childhood sweethearts, have three young children.
Pte. Jones's casket was the last off the plane. Among his pallbearers was a young soldier so tall he had to hunch down so as to not throw the others off, and among his mourners was a Mountie, in bright red dress, and a woman in a wheelchair.
It was at this moment that the cameras moved to the dignitaries, among them the tiny, and lovely, Governor-General, Michaëlle Jean. Her head was bent low, but behind her dark sunglasses she must have been crying, because she was wiping her face with a sodden tissue.
I was at her house, Rideau Hall, just last week, to receive an award my book won. I'm not sure of the protocol of all this, but I liked her immensely, and was most struck by her interest in and empathy for our soldiers, this woman who was born and raised in Haiti, and whose family fled to Canada in 1968.
François (Papa Doc) Duvalier, the first but not the last dictator in his family, was in charge then, notorious for the paramilitary thugs called the tontons macoutes.
For the Governor-General, as with other Haitians of that era, the uniform must have meant fear, death and terror. Now she is the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces, in a country where the uniform is worn, in Quebec, by young men and women who helped put that province back together after the infamous 1998 ice storm, and in Toronto, by young men and women asked by a hysterical mayor to come and shovel the snow, and in Manitoba, by young men and women who saved homes in the Red River floods.
Hers is a remarkable journey, and that she is able to embrace Canadian soldiers, as she has, is testament to her and soldiers both. To the families of Cpl. Hamilton, Pte. Curwin and Jones of Baie Verte, Nfld., she said in part, "May they know that they are not alone to shed tears for these three irreplaceable men. Not only were they courageous, they were proud to serve their country with all their skills and might to help the people of Afghanistan, torn by decades of war and profound misery."
It was a nice bit of symmetry; Cpl. Hamilton had also served in Haiti.
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