Heavy hearts in the Canadian military family again. The repatriation of Lt.Justin Boyes at CFB Trenton.
Yet another Ramp Ceremony in Kandahar as Sapper Steven Marshall a Canadian Engineer is carried home to Rest in peace in the homeland he loved.
SapperStevenMarshall payed the ultimate soldiers price while on foot patrol in Panjawi district.
More than 2,300 Canadian and foreign troops gathered on the airfield's tarmac to pay their last respects to Marshall before his flag-draped coffin boarded a military plane for Canada.
One of his friends, Dustin Perry remembered Sapper as someone with a great sense of humour.
Perry says Marshall always put others before himself.
Sapper Steven Marshall, 24, from 11 Field Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Edmonton, was patrolling 10 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City in the Panjwai district when the bomb exploded, Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance said.
No other Canadians were injured.
At the time of his death, Steven was working toward securing the Panjwaii district in order to provide a more stable environment for the Afghan population living there, Task Force Commander Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance told reporters on Friday.
A stable environment is the best defence against insurgents, because they have no way to counter the positive effects that soldiers like Steven bring to bear, said Vance.
Steven will be remembered as the life of his section. He had an incredible sense of humour and a contagious grin that never left his face even in the most difficult of times, Vance said.
He would embrace every situation always found and shared that silver lining with his mates.
Marshall joined the army a little over two years ago, Vance said. He was deployed with the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group.
Having arrived in the theatre of operations less than a week ago, he was eager to get out and begin making a difference, Vance said.
May the family, friends and brothers in arms remember this man as a fine soldier, a fine Canadian trying to make a better life for an oppressed people.
Congratulations to MND Peter MacKay on his engagement this weekend.
Remember Everyone Deployed
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
