4 Canadian soldiers killed, 8 wounded in Kandahar

I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course. Master Cpl. Scott Francis Vernelli, Cpl. Tyler Crooks, Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes Four Canadian soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in two separate roadside bomb blasts outside Kandahar City on Friday. Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli and Cpl. Tyler Crooks — both of November Company, 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment — died when an improvised explosive device exploded near their patrol in the Zhari district, about 40 kilometres west of Kandahar. The incident happened about 6:45 a.m. local time. One Afghan interpreter was killed and another injured in the attack. Trooper Jack Bouthillier and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes, both of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb around 8:45 a.m. local time in the Shah Wali Kot district. That region is about 20 km northwest of the city and has seen an increase in Taliban activity. All the soldiers who died were based in Canadian Forces Base Petawawa. All of the injured soldiers are in stable condition in Kandahar and were able to call their families. The soldiers were nearing the tail end of a four-day offensive that was the largest joint U.S.-Canadian offensive since the Korean war. The offensive, which began Tuesday, saw Canadian and U.S. soldiers split into two battle groups. They went into a large swath of land in Kandahar's Zhari district to engage Taliban forces, who usually try to organize munitions and prepare plans for the fighting season in the summer. These wonderful Canadian men were, at the moment of their deaths, engaged directly in the continuing work to keep the insurgency sufficiently at bay to ensure safety for the population and to preserve our ability to meet the objectives of the Afghans, the international community, and the government of Canada. And those objectives are intended to meet the needs of a desperate Afghan population. Success in war is costly. Vernelli, 28 was married with a six-month-old daughter, described as an enthusiastic and dedicated father. A terrific athlete, very funny and, ironically enough, always able to joke at the worst of times. Crooks, a native of Port Colborne, Ont., was a keen and motivated soldier who loved dirt-biking and was a Texas Hold 'em card shark. He died on his 24th birthday. He's remembered by his friends as the kind of guy who would do anything for you without even being asked. Bouthillier, was a 20-year-old from Hearst, Ont., was a joker who always had everyone laughing. His enthusiasm and his unswerving duty for work inspired other soldiers. Hayes, 22, who grew up in Ripples, N.B., was a proud and dedicated soldier who always put his friends and family before himself, his friends remember him not only as a friend and a comrade-in-arms, but a brother who Inspired them to stand up in the face of danger and do what was right. -Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance The latest deaths bring the number of Canadian military fatalities in Afghanistan to 116 since Canada's combat mission there began in 2002. One diplomat and two aid workers have also been killed. Peace.