The first members of 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry are due to arrive home from Afghanistan early Friday morning, but it will be a bittersweet reunion as three soldiers won't be returning to greet their families.
Residents had been putting up yellow ribbons for weeks in anticipation of the troops' homecoming at Canadian Forces Base Shilo in Manitoba, but the mood was muted by the deaths of three soldiers Wednesday.
Cpl. Andrew Grenon, 23; Cpl. Mike Seggie, 21; and Pte. Chad Horn, 21, were killed when Taliban militants attacked their LAV III armoured personnel carrier. They were all due home shortly.
Instead, their caskets were carried on to a military plane at Kandahar Air Field Thursday morning for their final journey home.
Five other soldiers were injured in the attack. One remains in critical condition and another is in serious condition.
Two others are in good condition and a fifth, Pte. Glen Kirkland, got out of his wheelchair after the ceremony and eased his way up the aircraft's ramp to say goodbye to his comrades.
The deaths of the men brought up feelings deep sorrow and unwavering pride, Col. Andre Corbould, their commanding officer, said Thursday.
"We feel deep distress, sadness and regret by the fact that their lives ended far too early for our liking," Corbould said during a media availability session at CFB Winnipeg.
"Yet we feel great pride for having had such great Canadians serve among our ranks. We feel great pride because we know these fine men were lost to us on the battlefield doing something that they loved -- soldiering."
Family, friends speak of fallen soldiers
The family of Cpl. Andrew Grenon said in a statement Thursday that the 23-year-old was happy and content to be serving with his unit in Afghanistan.
"He firmly believed in Canada's mission in Afghanistan and that he saw the good that was being done there," it said.
"I'll always remember the `heroes' work' you did for our country," added his 14-year-old brother Matthew. "I remind (everyone) to keep praying for our forces and for world peace."
In Windsor, Grenon's home town, Mayor Eddie Francis ordered all flags flown at half-mast. St. Joseph's High School, which Grenon attended until December 2002, also honoured him in its morning prayer.
The three men were scheduled to rotate back to Canada in the coming weeks. Seggie had phoned his mother in Winnipeg on Sunday to say he'd be home in two weeks -- seven days ahead of schedule.
"Mike (Seggie) was always one who stood up for what was right," his father, Jim Seggie said. "Mike would not want us sitting around moping. He'd want us having a little more fun then we're having. He was that kind of guy."
"He's just a wonderful kid who loved life and joked and he's going to be missed," his aunt, Karen Medwid, said Wednesday about the young man whose father and grandfather were soldiers.
Horn was from Calgary and joined the military in 2005. In announcing the soldiers' deaths, Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson praised his abilities as a LAV gunner.
"An amazing soldier. I would not want anyone else beside me other than him," fellow soldier Pte. Justin Bonneville said.
A soldier's poem
Grenon had written a poem during his 2006 tour of duty in Afghanistan entitled "Why We Fight:"
"I've often asked myself why we are here. Why my government actually agreed to send troops to this God-forsaken place.
"There are no natural resources. No oil, gold, or silver. Just people.
"People who have been at war for the last 40 plus years. People who want nothing more than their children to be safe. People who will do anything for money; even give their own life.
"I look into the eyes of these people. I see hate, destruction and depression. I see love, warmth, kindness and appreciation.
"Why do we fight? For in this country, there are monsters. Monsters we could easily fight on a different battlefield, at a different time. Monsters that could easily take the fight to us.
"Surrounding these mud walls and huts is a country in turmoil. A country that is unable to rebuild itself. A country that cannot guarantee a bright future for its youth.
