TRENTON, Ont. - The casket of the latest Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan arrived Sunday at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario. Maj. Michelle Mendes, a 30-year-old intelligence officer based in Ottawa, was found Thursday in her quarters at the Kandahar base.
Mendes is the 118th Canadian soldier, and third Canadian female soldier, to die in the Afghan mission, which began in 2002.Among the dignitaries who will be on hand for the repatriation ceremony will be Defence Minister Peter MacKay and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Walt Natynczyk.
As per custom, her casket will be driven along the Highway of Heroes - the 170-kilometre stretch of Highway 401 from Trenton to Toronto.
Appropriately this arrived in the latest Red Friday Issue:
What is the sound of a repatriation? by Brian Muntz
Is it the sound of the chatter on TV announcing the name of the fallen serving our country?
Perhaps the sound from the roar of the large military jet landing in Trenton?
Is it the sound of the doors opening on the air craft or the sound of the boots of the soldiers carrying the coffin?
Is it the sound of the pipers playing a song of sorrow, or the sound of the commanding officer calling his orders?
Was it the sound of the Hearse doors opening or the sound of the people and family near by?
Repatriation may be the sound of the cars moving to the Highway of Heroes but then again it may be the sound of the people standing on the bridges.
Is it the sound of the traffic going by in anticipation of the procession or the sound of the occasional horn honking as drivers see you on the bridge.
Maybe it's the sound of the flags flapping in the wind that people are holding?
Then in the distance the procession is in sight and the people on the bridge are mumbling here it comes.
Is the sound of repatriation the police sirens that fills the air as the procession reaches your bridge?
The sound of sirens vibrate in your chest then in a beat of your heart you finally hear the sound of a repatriation?
It is the sound of a silent Thank You from you and all the people around you to the soldier that gave his/her life for his/her country; your country. This is the sound of a repatriation; our freedom.
May Major Mendes be at peace with the Lord. God bless her family and Thank them for the ultimate price that she paid for Canada.
A link for everyone not just Veteranshttp://redfridays.ca/ but for all Canadians.
This Link from Eric an avid reader and commenter, ThanksEric; http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=808a521b-6a64-495c-a35c-a25daa1a7196
if this link does not work then please cut and paste.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
