Soldiers served country well

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This article was published 08/07/2009 (6121 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — After a tough week, this was a particularly difficult ramp ceremony even for Canadian soldiers used to the dangers of war — saying farewell to two fallen comrades at once.

More than 2,000 people gathered Tuesday in the setting sun on the tarmac of Kandahar Airfield as the bodies of Master Cpl. Pat Audet, 38, and Cpl. Martin Joannette, 25 — killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan on Monday — began their final journey home.

"It’s with sadness that we bring them to their last flight," Lt.-Col. Marc Bigaouette, commander of Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan, said before the sombre ceremony. "They can leave Afghanistan with their heads up. They did an incredible service for their country."

Audet belonged to the 430 tactical helicopter squadron while Joannette came from 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment. Both were based in Valcartier, Que., and served as Griffon flight crew members of the Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing.

"They were always people with a positive attitude, and were always willing to help," Bigaouette said. "They kept a good sense of humour despite the fact that they face very difficult situations in theatre."

Audet was serving as a flight engineer while Joannette was flying as a door gunner when the Canadian multi-use helicopter went down around 1:50 p.m. local time during a mission.

At their home base, the Canadian flag was at half-mast. Friends and family of both soldiers paid tribute to them Tuesday.

Sharon Harrison, a close friend of Audet, said his death is a huge loss for everyone who has come to know him.

"He’s an amazing person and I’m really glad to have been a part of his life," said Harrison, who works at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont. "He used to say to me all the time: ‘You’re the sister I never had and never wanted’, as a joke of course. He was quite the comedian," said Harrison.

At Joannette’s home just outside the Valcartier military base, his mother-in-law said the family is shattered by the news. Joannette’s mother and brother thanked family and friends on Facebook for their support during this difficult time.

"We’re all going to miss him greatly but he’ll always be in our hearts. Go in peace my big boy. Now we’ll have an angel Martin to watch over us," wrote his mother Manon Gibeau.

Joannette was born in St. Calixte, Que., in the Lanaudiere region. He joined the Forces in 2001 and was on his third mission in Afghanistan.

The tragedy that killed both soldiers occurred at an American forward operating base in Zabul province, out of Canada’s area of control, about 80 kilometres northeast of Kandahar City.

Zabul province is patrolled predominantly by U.S. forces, while Canadians are based in neighbouring Kandahar.

Although Afghanistan media quoted a Taliban spokesman saying insurgents shot down the Griffon — an almost automatic claim for militants when coalition aircraft go down — the Canadian military had already ruled out enemy action. A flight safety investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.

A British soldier also died in the accident, while three other Canadian soldiers were injured. Two have been released, although one remains in hospital.

The latest tragedy brought Canada’s death toll in the Afghanistan mission to four in four days. Six have died in less than a month, bringing the total number of Canadians who have died in Afghanistan since 2002 to 124.

 

— Canwest News Service