The bodies of six Canadian soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan last Sunday have been returned to Canadian soil.
Their remains arrived at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario about 7:15 p.m.
The families asked that the media not be allowed on the tarmac for the arrival. Media and spectators massed outside the base on a cold, blustery Wednesday night.
"I think (the families) are going to be very, very happy to see such a large contigent of people from Trenton," CTV's Rosemary Thompson told Newsnet from the scene.
"They've brought flags, they've brought poppies, they've brought their prayers."
The military's Combat Camera unit, which takes still photos and video for the Canadian Forces, was allowed to attend the arrival.
Sgt. Don Lucas, Master Cpl. Chris Stannix, Cpls Aaron Williams and Brent Poland, and Ptes David Greenslade and Kevin Kennedy were killed when their Lav-III armoured vehicle ran over a roadside bomb 75 kilometres west of Kandahar City.
Their deaths mark the single worst day for the Canadian military since the Korean War of more than 50 years ago, Thompson said.
Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor and Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean were among the dignitaries who will be on hand at CFB Trenton.
A mother's story
Meanwhile, the mother of one of the four soldiers who was injured in the attack says she still doesn't know what exactly happened in the bombing incident -- and doesn't want to know.
Maurita Fevens told Canada AM Wednesday that she first learned that her son, Cpl. Shaun Fevens, had been seriously injured in the attack when her son called home.
"When he phoned me on Sunday afternoon, it was around 3 p.m., all he said was, 'Hi, mom, I love you,'" she told CTV from Yarmouth, N.S.
"He said, 'When you put the TV on, you're going to see a lot of things that have happened. I'm okay. I'm intact. And that's all I can say, and I'll talk to you later. I love you, and bye.'
"So that's all he could say to me at the time," she said.
Fevens says her son told her nothing about the actual bombing.
"Not at all and I didn't ask. I didn't want to know," she said.
Fevens received a broken ankle and a broken leg in the attack, as well as shrapnel in his wrist and lost a lot of blood. He is now in good condition at a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. Fevens' family says they are now eager to see Shaun return home in the next few days.
The other three injured soldiers -- the driver, commander, and gunner who were in the front of the vehicle -- remain in Afghanistan with light injuries.
Military officials believe Fevens is alive because he had the presence of mind to orchestrate his own first aid. Though he was bleeding profusely after the blast, he gave instructions to another soldier on how to save his life.
