The Globe and Mail, Wednesday August 9, 2006
By SONYA FATAH
with a report from Canadian Press
CFB TRENTON, ONT. — Asombre mood hung in the air at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ont., as family and military personnel gathered to pay their last respects to Master Corporal Raymond Arndt, 32, who died in a traffic accident in Afghanistan on Aug. 5.
In a scene that’s becoming all too familiar at the eastern Ontario air force base, the casket, wrapped in the Canadian flag, was lowered from the grey Airbus and brought to a waiting hearse while the family stood by in a long, straight line.
Supported on either side by military personnel, MCpl. Arndt’s wife of nine months, Darcia, wept openly when the coffin first appeared.
Once the pallbearers had placed the coffin into the hearse, Ms. Arndt kissed a single long-stemmed red rose and placed it onto her husband’s coffin before almost collapsing. She was escorted by wheelchair to a waiting limousine.
MCpl. Arndt’s father, three sisters, mother-in-law, sister-in-law and two brothers-in-law each paused for several moments, weeping as they stood by the coffin.
Several military officers also followed the family in leaving flowers and tears behind.
CFB Trenton, also known as 8 Wing Trenton, is home to AIRCOM’s transport and search-and-rescue aircraft. It has hosted a number of repatriation ceremonies for fallen Canadian soldiers in recent weeks.
More than 60 people were in attendance yesterday at the ceremony for MCpl. Arndt, including Minister of National Defence Gordon O’Connor and Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hillier.
MCpl. Arndt died after a large truck collided head-on with a Canadian G-Wagon that was part of a resupply convoy, about 35 kilometres southeast of Kandahar. Canadian troops engaged in their increasingly dangerous mission were still grieving four fallen comrades who died last Thursday when they received news of MCpl. Arndt’s death.
Private Kevin Dallaire, Sergeant Vaughn Ingram, Cpl. Bryce James Keller and Cpl. Christopher Reid were killed during fighting with Taliban forces west of Kandahar.
Their bodies were returned to CFB Trenton on Sunday evening.
MCpl. Arndt was a member of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, which had until Saturday escaped unscathed from a mission that has seen five Canadians killed in action in just the past week. Since first deploying to Afghanistan in 2002, 25 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed.
Friends of the fallen soldier gathered in Edmonton on Sunday to remember MCpl. Arndt’s life and discuss the impact of his death.
Cpl. Greg Trudel, a close friend, said Sunday that MCpl. Arndt loved the military.
“For Ray, he’d always wanted a brother. He’d always bugged his parents over the fact he didn’t have a brother,” he said. “And when he decided to join the army, he found the brothers he was looking for.”
MCpl. Arndt was due to return home in less than two weeks. He grew up in the region of Edson, Alta.
Three other soldiers in MCpl. Arndt’s vehicle — all from the same regiment — were injured in the accident. One has returned to duty, but two suffered serious injuries.
Cpl. Jared Gagnon and Cpl. Ashley VanLeuween arrived at a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, on Sunday afternoon.
Cpl. Gagnon was listed in very serious condition, while Cpl. VanLeuween, who suffered a broken leg, ankle and ribs, was in stable condition.
Canada has about 2,200 soldiers in and around Kandahar, where Taliban resistance is strong.
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