Major Yannick Pepin 36 and Cpl Jean Francois-Drouin 21 of 5 Combat engineers, have been repatriated and are enroute to Trenton Ontario. God Bless them and Thank you for your service to Canada.
Canada's latest casualties leave a vast hole in the hearts and monds of their families and loved ones. As well in the hearts of Canadians who are proud of their military.
Two Canadian soldiers were honoured at a ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield on Monday, where more than 1,000 Canadian, U.S., Dutch and British soldiers gathered to mourn their loss.Following the news of their deaths, Col. Roch Lacroix, the deputy commander for Task Force Kandahar, said the entire task force was mourning their loss.Saying goodbye to Yannick and Jean-Francois so prematurely is hard for me, it is hard for their friends, and it's hard for their families, Lacroix said late Sunday night.
Engineers like Yannick and Jean-Francois....put in a great deal of effort in Afghanistan where they're denying the ability of the insurgents to kill innocent victims on a large scale or simply reconstructing a bridge, roads, schools with their Afghan partners.Lacroix praised both men for their commitment to the mission and their personal qualities.
Nothing comes easy here and it takes patience and determination -- two qualities that both men embodied. Today is the time to grieve but tomorrow we will continue our work to better the lives of Afghans.
Les ingnieurs comme Yannick et Jean-Francois .... installent beaucoup d'effort en Afghanistan o ils nient la capacit des insurgs de tuer des victimes innocentes sur une grande chelle ou reconstruisent simplement un pont, des routes, les coles avec leurs partenaires afghans. Lacroix lou les deux hommes pour leur engagement la mission et leurs qualits personnelles. Major Pepin leaves behind his partner, Annie, and their two children, Alexandra and Charles.
Rien ne vient facile ici et il prend la patience et la dtermination - deux qualits cela les deux hommes ont personnifi. Aujourd'hui est le temps pour avoir du chagrin mais demain nous continuerons notre travail mieux les vies d'Afghans.
The 10-year Canadian Forces veteran was a compassionate soldier, Lacroix said.
Proof of this was when he was on patrol once and stopped his vehicle to take a kite out of the antenna from his vehicle. He handed it to the small Afghan child who thought it had been lost. That day he carried a big grin, said Lacroix.Yannick was a man of action who was always involved in things and put his personal interests second. We miss him enormously.
His younger colleague Drouin had a bright future ahead of him in the military. He was known among his fellow soldiers as 'Big Drou,' and as a guy who liked to make other people laugh.Jean-Francois was a very generous man with a big heart, Lacroix said. As big a heart as the three pieces of steel he liked to lift in the gymnasium.
Lacroix said Drouin had recently received an accelerated promotion to the rank of corporal.
Drouin is survived by his partner, Audrey.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper released a statement Monday, offering his condolences to the friends and family of the pair of fallen soldiers.
Be reassured that an entire country stands behind you at this difficult time, he said in a written statement.
Harper said the deaths of Pepin and Drouin will not be forgotten, and he said Canada remains undeterred in its mission to help Afghans rebuild their war-torn country.
It is only through the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of remarkable Canadians like Corporal Jean-Francois Drouin and Major Yannick Pepin that Afghanistan will once again flourish and stand on its own, Harper said.
Let us never forget these brave men, whose self-sacrifice served to make life better for others.
Members of 5 Combat Engineers I apologise if my French translation to your comrades is improper french. I mean these comment from my heart. I feel sad that these young Canadians will not be at their reunions in the future. As I was honoured to be last week in Base Borden. May they Rest in Peace in the advance party. prayers to their wives and children, parents and siblings and all their loved ones and especially to their Brothers in arms.
Les membres de 5 Ingnieurs de Combat je m'excuse si ma traduction franaise vos camarades est le franais impropre. Je veux dire que ceux-ci font des remarques de mon coeur. Je suis triste que ces jeunes Canadiens ne seront pas leurs runions dans l'avenir. Comme j'ai t honor pour tre la semaine dernire dans Borden Bas. Peuvent ils Se reposer dans la Paix dans l'quipe d'avant-garde. les prires leurs femmes et enfants, parents et siblings et tous leurs aims et surtout leurs Frres d'armes.
Please say a prayer or have a thought for our troops and their families Canada's Invisible Army they to suffer stress as their loved ones are in Harms way.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
