An opening of one's knowledge,capabilities, vision and guidance. The Kenaz is about creating a relationship,learning and allowing room for interpretation. When you are in the darkness,an opening with light is the best and most gracious thing to have bestowed upon you. This is a great time for putting energies into new opportunities. Come share my world as I see it.
Showing posts with label Ode to the Canadian Soldiers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ode to the Canadian Soldiers. Show all posts
I had the song "Ode to the Canadian Soldiers" a tribute song for the Canadian Soldiers in Afghanistan uploaded to the now defunct Imeem and inserted into every tribute post to the fallen. In it's place I found the video for the song which was written and recorded by John MacPhee, Paul Schram and Brad Howe was ordered played on armed forces radio in Afghanistan by CDS General Rick Hillier. This is from Brad Howe's Youtube page.
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.
Lieutenant Justin Garrett Boyes was killed by an improvised explosive device just 10 days into his second tour in Afghanistan. Two others were injured in the blast near Kandahar. Boyes, 26, was remembered as an 'easy-going Prairie boy.'
Sapper Steven Marshall, of 11 Field Squadron 1 Combat Engineer Regiment based in Edmonton, Alta., was killed Friday afternoon when his patrol was struck by an IED in Panjwaii district, southwest of Kandahar city. Marshall, 24, had been in Afghanistan for less than a week when he died.
He is the second Canadian soldier to be killed this week after Lt. Justin Boyes of was struck by an IED on Wednesday.
The latest death brings to 133 the total number of Canadian soldiers who have died as part of the Afghan mission since it began in 2002.
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.
It is always the same and it is always different.
The latest Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan apparently considered the mission useless. The brother of Pte. Jonathan Couturier has told a Quebec newspaper the young soldier thought the mission was futile.
Such a strong anti-war reaction is rare from a family following the death of a soldier in Afghanistan, but totally understandable given the mounting casualty list in a war that sees no end and people uncapable to change.
Liberal Sen. Colin Kenny has called it futile, dubbing it Canada's Vietnam – a comment that has drawn an angry denunciation from military brass.
Even Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean has waded into the issue, saying Canada's mission is improving lives in Afghanistan.
He died and 11 others were injured when their vehicle drove over a roadside bomb.
Lieut.-Col. Joe Paul, the battle group commander, says the 23-year-old Quebec soldier died yesterday morning when his vehicle hit an IED while returning from a mission in the Panjwaii district, southwest of Kandahar city.
Paul says the soldiers were clearing a village with plans to have Canadian troops living among the Afghans there to provide security.
Couturier is the 131st Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since the mission began in 2002.
Soldiers gather to say farewell Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan gathered as the sun was setting Friday to say farewell to a fallen brother in arms. Hundreds of soldiers lined the tarmac at the Kandahar Airfield as the body of Pte. Jonathan Couturier was carried in a flag-draped casket to a waiting military transport aircraft. (Sept. 18, 2009)
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.
It is always the same and it is always different.
Pte. Patrick Lormand, a 21-year-old infantryman remembered for his dedication to duty and his sense of humour, is the 12th Canadian soldier to die during the current rotation and the 130th overall since the mission to bring peace to his war-torn land began seven years ago. Lormand was on a patrol Sunday when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device southwest of Kandahar city. Four other soldiers riding with him received minor injuries.
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.
A powerful roadside bomb blast hit an armoured vehicle that was part of a Canadian convoy on a road southwest of Kandahar, bringing to 129 the total number of Canadian soldiers who have died as part of the Afghan mission since it began in 2002.
Killed in the explosion were 36-year-old Maj. Yannick Pepin and Cpl. Jean-Francois Drouin, 21 who were hit by the IED explosion around noon local time in the Dand district, southwest of Kandahar city on Sunday.
Both men were members of the 5 Combat Engineer Regiment and were stationed in Valcartier, Que.
Pepin, the highest ranking member of the Canadian military to die in combat in Afghanistan, was the commander of the last two soldiers killed as part of the mission.
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.
Yet another two heroes have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of peace. My thoughts, prayers, condolences and sympathies go out to the families of these young men. Don't ever feel as though your efforts are not being respected and acknowledged as our country is what it is today due to your efforts as well as those before you and those serving today. May you rest in peace.
Sapper Matthieu Allard, 21, based in Valcartier, Que., was one of two soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in the Zhari district of Afghanistan on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2009.
Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, based in Valcartier, Que., was killed by a roadside bomb in the Zhari district of Afghanistan on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2009.
Two Canadian soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan Saturday.
Sapper Matthieu Allard, 21, and 23-year-old Cpl. Christian Bobbitt were killed in the Zhari district, west of Kandahar.
Both were members of the 5th Combat Engineer Regiment and had been serving in Afghanistan since March with the 2e Batallion of the Royal 22e Regiment, also known as the Van Doos, based in Valcartier, Que.
The two soldiers were killed when their re-supply convoy was hit by two improvised explosive devices.
The two soldiers had left their vehicle to secure the area after an initial explosion near the town of Senjaray, when a second IED exploded around 3:20 p.m. local time.
Brig.-Gen Jonathan Vance, commander of Task Force Kandahar- The roads in Kandahar are heavily travelled by Afghans, and soldiers like Christian and Matthieu work tirelessly under extremely hazardous conditions to try and prevent restrictions to the freedom of movement of Afghans, so that they can begin to live more normal lives.
The two soldiers were part of a group of engineers who clear roads of IEDs. The two likely helped defuse half of the roadside bombs found in Kandahar province in July
On the day the two men died, soldiers halted operations at two bomb-making factories and seized a quantity of bomb-making equipment.
The total number of Canadian soldiers killed during the Afghan mission is now at 127.
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.
Pte. Sébastien Courcy from 2nd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment
A Canadian soldier fell to his death Thursday while conducting operations in the Panjwaii district of Afghanistan. Pte. Sébastien Courcy was a member of 2e Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment -- known as the Van Doos -- based at CFB Valcartier outside Quebec City.
He was the fifth Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan this month, along with at least 42 other NATO military personnel.
Courcy, 26, arrived in Afghanistan in April and was part of an operation to separate the insurgency from the population in Panjwaii district. The young soldier had joined the military in 2006. This was his first deployment in Afghanistan.
In a tribute to the fallen soldier, Padre Normand Cholette said he was an enthusiastic and meticulous soldier who served as a confidante to his brothers in arms.
He is the 125th Canadian soldier to die since the Afghanistan mission began in 2002. Earlier this month, Master Cpl. Patrice Audet, 38, and Cpl. Martin Joannette, 25, were killed in a helicopter crash at an American forward operating base in Zabul province. Cpl. Nick Bulger, 30, was also killed this month when the convoy he was in struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan's southern Zhari district. Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud, 28, died from injuries he received on June 23 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol in the Panjwaii district.
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.
Cpl. Martin Joannette, left, and Master Cpl. Patrice Audet, right
Master Cpl. Patrice Audet served with the 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron based in Valcartier, Que. Cpl. Martin Joannette was with the 3e Bataillon, Royal 22e Regiment, also based in Val Cartier, Que.
Two Canadian soldiers have died in a Griffon helicopter crash in Afghanistan, along with another coalition soldier. Three other Canadians were injured. The killed Canadians have been identified as Master Cpl. Pat Audet, 38, and Cpl. Martin Joannette, 25.
Both were based in Valcartier, Que. Audet served with the 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, and Joannette was with the 3e Bataillon, Royal 22e Regiment. Two of the injured soldiers were able to return to duty, while the third was listed in stable condition.
Insurgents were not involved in the incident, suggesting the helicopter may have suffered from mechanical failure possibly caused by a dust storm.
Audet was on his first deployment to Afghanistan. Joanette, although younger, was on his third deployment.
"Their contribution here in Afghanistan was incredible, and we will remember their sacrifice always,"-Canadian commander Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance.
Canada lost four soldiers in as many days. Cpl. Nicholas Bulger died from an IED explosion on July 3, and Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud died the next day, succumbing to injuries he had suffered in a bomb blast the previous month.
The latest casualties bring Canada's military death toll in Afghanistan to 124 since the mission began in 2002.
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.
Michaud served as a mentor to his fellow troops and was a model soldier.-Col. Jean Marc Lanthier, commander of the 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
A soldier injured last month in Afghanistan has died of his wounds. The soldier was identified as Master Cpl. Charles-Philippe Michaud, 28. He was wounded June 23 when he stepped on a mine in the Panjwaii district. Michaud becomes the 122nd Canadian soldier to die during the Afghanistan mission.
Master-Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud is from the 2e Batallion, Royal 22e Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, near Quebec City.
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.
Corporal Nick Bulger's job was to protect the life of Canada's top commander in Afghanistan, Brigadier-General Jonathan Vance.
"IEDs are the tools of cowards," Brig-Gen.Vance
Brig.-Gen. Vance's armoured vehicle slipped past a powerful, buried bomb in the restive Zhari district west of Kandahar City. Cpl. Bulger's vehicle, travelling just 15 metres behind, wasn't so lucky: It triggered an explosion that killed the married father of two girls and injured five other members of Brig.-Gen. Vance's security detail.
The security unit is comprised mostly of veterans. And while Cpl. Bulger - the 121st Canadian to die in Afghanistan since 2002 - was on his first tour, he'd already made an impression. Bulger was a member of 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton.
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.
A Canadian combat engineer, described as a great guy to be around, was killed in southern Afghanistan yesterday when one of two roadside bombs he was trying to defuse exploded. Corporal Martin Dube, 35, was the second Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan in a week.
In making the grim announcement at Kandahar Airfield, Brig.-General Jonathan Vance said the "energetic" Dube was someone who believed in the Afghan mission and was eager to make a difference.
"The IED that Martin was dismantling could have killed an entire family, as it was deliberately aimed at passing traffic," said Vance, the senior commander in Kandahar.
"His actions, his sacrifice, saved the lives of innocents."
Vance praised Dube, who was from the 5e Regiment du Genie de Combat based at CFB Valcartier near Quebec City. Dube's death brings to 120 the total number of Canadian soldiers who have died during the Afghan mission since it began in 2002.
A period of relative calm for Canadian soldiers trying to bring stability to Afghanistan was shattered Monday June 8 when a makeshift bomb cut short the life of an infantryman on foot patrol in the treacherous Panjwaii district of Kandahar province.
Pte. Alexandre (Pelo) Peloquin, 20, of the 3e Bataillon, Royal 22e Regiment, was based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier near Quebec City. Peloquin was from the Laurentides region north of Montreal but was living in Val Belair before he left in mid-April on his first mission to Afghanistan, said spokesman Alex Maille. He is the 12th Valcartier soldier to die in the mission.
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.
Trooper Karine Blais was killed Monday when the vehicle she was travelling in hit an improvised explosive device in Shah Wali Kowt, north of Kandahar City.
Karine Blais lived life in a small town, but she had big dreams.
She grew up in the Quebec riverside village of Les Méchins, and became a familiar face in the community while working in the local convenience store. She wanted to return one day to build a house there. But it was her desire to join the army, so that one day she could drive a tank and become a mechanic, that ensured she would never return to the place she loved.
On Monday, the 21-year-old died in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan, just two weeks into her first tour of duty there.
Blais was killed while riding in an armoured vehicle in the Shah Wali Kot District north of Kandahar city. She was serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment battle group, based at Valcartier, Que. Four other soldiers were hurt in the blast.
She is the 117th Canadian soldier to die in the Afghan mission since 2002 – and the second woman – the majority of whom were killed by roadside bombs.
Capt. Nichola Goddard of Calgary, who was killed in battle in May 2006, was the first woman killed in Afghanistan.
After graduating from the Polyvalente de Matane high school in a nearby town, Blais went directly into the army. She was stationed at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, near Quebec City, and has been with the forces since 2006.
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.
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.
Trooper Marc Diab, 22, from the Royal Canadian Dragoons was killed in an attack in Afghanistan on Sunday. He was serving as a member of the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group based in Petawawa, Ont. The Canadian soldier died and four were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded near their armoured vehicle on patrol northeast of Kandahar city. The soldiers were conducting security operations in the mountainous region of Sha Wali Kot district — a known entry point for Taliban fighters.
Soldier was dedicated, religious and loved sports
-Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance talking about Trooper Marc Diab, 22
Diab's death brings the number of casualties in Afghanistan to 112 since Canada's combat mission there began in 2002. One diplomat and two aid workers have also been killed. There are 2,830 Canadian troops serving at Kandahar Airfield and Camp Nathan Smith, the home of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar city.
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.
Corporal Kenneth Chad O'Quinn, Warrant Officer Denis Raymond Brown, and Corporal Dany Olivier Fortin, killed March 3, 2009 during a patrol in the Arghandab District.
A roadside bomb killed three Canadian soldiers and injured two others Tuesday after it exploded near their armoured vehicle northwest of Kandahar City.
The Canadians were returning home after defusing an improvised explosive device in Arghandab District when their vehicle was hit. The area is normally quieter than the more anarchic Zhari and Panjwai Districts and the blast may mark the start of the spring and summer fighting season.
Killed in the explosion were Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, a reservist from The Lincoln and Welland Regiment, based in St. Catharines, Ont., Cpl. Dany Olivier Fortin from the 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron at 3 Wing, based in Bagotville, Que., and Cpl. Kenneth Chad O’Quinn, from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron, in Petawawa, Ontario.
Canada lost three outstanding soldiers,” said Brig.-Gen. Jon Vance, Canada’s top commander here. “The work they performed every day played an important role in establishing security, stability and safety for the people of Afghanistan and saved countless lives.
Their deaths bring the total of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 111. The two injured soldiers were taken by helicopter to the hospital at Kandahar Airfield and are reportedly in good condition.
Thankfully these are the first Canadian deaths in March. February was a quiet month for Canadian soldiers, with only one serious injury and no deaths. It was a welcome respite after a bloody December and January, when roadside bombs killed 11 soldiers.
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.
The body of Canada's latest soldier killed in the fields of battle in Afghanistan is back on home soil.
Sapper Sean Greenfield, was killed Saturday when his armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the volatile Zhari district west of Kandahar city.A military aircraft carrying Sapper Sean Greenfield's flag-draped casket landed on Tuesday afternoon at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in eastern Ontario.
Greenfield, 25, was killed by a roadside bomb Saturday near Kandahar City.
He was a member of 24 Field Engineer Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment based out of Petawawa, Ont., serving with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment battle group.
Greenfield grew up in Pinawa, Man., and Petawawa, and studied graphic design at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., before joining the military.
His comrades remembered him as an exceptionally fit soldier who was passionate in his love of music, playing the guitar and singing.
Greenfield is the second Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan in 2009, bringing the Canadian military's death toll to 108 since the Afghan mission began seven years ago.
One Canadian diplomat and two Canadian aid workers have also been killed.
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.
"Good's sacrifice will not be forgotten"..."He was active in his community and the best neighbour you could ask for"
A Canadian soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in the northern part of Afghanistan's Kandahar province early Wednesday, say military officials.
The soldier died when an improvised explosive device detonated near the armoured vehicle in which he was travelling. Three other soldiers were injured in the incident in the Shah Wali Kowt district, about 35 kilometres north of the city of Kandahar.
Trooper Brian Richard Good, 42, was a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, serving with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment and stationed at the eastern Ontario Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.
The three injured soldiers, all members of the same unit, were taken by helicopter to Kandahar Airfield and are reported to be in good condition, military officials said.
Good's death is the first of 2009 of a Canadian soldier and brings the Canadian military's death toll in Afghanistan to 107 since the mission began seven years ago. One Canadian diplomat and two Canadian aid workers have also been killed.
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.
"Christmas has finally come and our soldier isn't home," Jill Kruse wrote only days ago. "And for some families, they won't have their soldiers sit at their table for Christmas dinner again."
Two Canadian soldiers killed this weekend in Afghanistan are on their way home, after a solemn twilight ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield Sunday evening.
A lone bagpiper played as the caskets of Warrant Officer Gaetan Joseph Roberge and Sgt. Gregory John Kruse were loaded onto a military aircraft.
Roberge and Kruse were killed Saturday after a bomb exploded while the two soldiers were on security patrol about 24 kilometres west of Kandahar City.
An Afghan policeman and interpreter were also killed in the blast, while three Canadian soldiers and a second interpreter were injured.
The soldiers had been on a security patrol in the volatile Panjwaii district, where Canadian troops have repeatedly fought against Taliban gunmen.
Roberge, was a member of the Royal 22nd Regiment who was serving with the Irish Regiment of Canada in Sudbury, Ont. He was serving in Afghanistan to help train the country's national police force.
Kruse was from the 24 Field Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment based in Petawawa, Ont. He was serving as a member of 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment battle group.
Capt. Shane Gapp described Roberge as someone with a good sense of humour, and who earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues.
"His men loved him. He loved his men. You could count on him at any point in time to do anything," Gapp said.
Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, the head of Canadian and NATO forces in Kandahar, said in a statement that there were no words to describe the emotional impact such deaths have on soldiers.
"Every one of our soldiers is very dear to us. They are our friends and our brothers."
He added that Canadian soldiers "also grieve for our Afghan brothers with whom we have been working side by side to help make their country more secure and stable."
Warrant Officer Gaeten Joseph Roberge was killed in Afghanistan on Dec. 27, 2008.
Sgt. Greg John Kruse was killed Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 while on patrol in the Panjway district, in the western part of Kandahar province.
Along with one diplomat and two aid workers, 106 Canadian soldiers have now died in the war-torn country since 2002.
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.
""Pte. Freeman served his country bravely with pride and dedication. His sacrifice will not be forgotten" Defence Minister Peter MacKay
Pte. Michael Freeman's armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb during a security patrol around 12:45 p.m. local time on Friday.
Freeman, who lived in Peterborough, Ont., leaves behind his parents and a fiancée. His death brings to 104 the number of Canadian soldiers killed in the Afghan mission since 2002. One diplomat and two aid workers have also been killed.
Canada has about 2,500 soldiers in Afghanistan. Most are based in the south around Kandahar. Its military mission is slated to end in 2011. Roadside bomb attacks have killed seven Canadian soldiers in December alone. Freeman, 28, served with November Company, 3rd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment based at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa in eastern Ontario.
Freeman had returned to Kandahar less than two weeks ago from home leave. This was his first tour of duty in Afghanistan. The attack in the Zhari District of Kandahar province also wounded three other soldiers. They were airlifted to the hospital at Kandahar Airfield and were reported to be in good condition.
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.
Private John Michael Roy Curwin, Corporal Thomas James Hamilton and Private Justin Peter Jones were killed as a result of an improvised explosive device attack on an armoured vehicle during a patrol in the Arghandab District on Dec. 13, 2008.
Three Canadian soldiers have died west of Kandahar city, after their armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. A fourth soldier was injured in the blast.
The soldiers killed have been identified as: Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton, Pte. John Michael Roy Curwin and Pte. Justin Peter Jones. All three were with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, RCR based in Gagetown, New Brunswick. They were members of the Quick Reaction Force, or QRF, a team of soldiers that are usually called out to emergency situations within Kandahar City or just outside city limits. The soldiers were responding to a call that a bomb was being planted along the highway that runs from Kandahar city to the border of Helmand province.
Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, commander of Task Force Kandahar, told reporters that Hamilton, or "Hammy," was on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan and had a young daughter, named Annabella. Hamilton had previously served in Haiti.
Curwin was described as a "family man," who had three children .
Jones, or "Jonesy" as he was called, of Baie Verte, N.L., was known for his kindness and his love of the guitar, Thompson said.
The injured soldier is in fair condition at the military hospital at Kandahar Air Field. The news of the soldiers' deaths came as 1,000 mourners paid tribute to Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren in a Peterborough, Ont., drill hall. He was one of three soldiers killed in a roadside blast on Dec. 5, bringing Canada's troop death toll to the grim milestone of 100. With the latest attack, that toll has now risen to 103. A Canadian diplomat has also been killed.
Sapper Matthieu Allard, 21, based in Valcartier, Que., was one of two soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in the Zhari district of Afghanistan on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2009.
Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, based in Valcartier, Que., was killed by a roadside bomb in the Zhari district of Afghanistan on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2009.
Sapper Sean Greenfield, was killed Saturday when his armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the volatile Zhari district west of Kandahar city. 
