Solemn ceremony closes Afghan campaign
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — On a sunny, chilly morning before an audience of several hundred coalition soldiers and an honour guard that included Mounties immaculate in red serge, the mournful skirl of a lone piper’s lament preceded the laying of wreaths Monday during the Canadian Forces’ last Remembrance Day gathering in Afghanistan.
The solemn occasion, which took place as most Canadians slept, commemorated their 158 countrymen who lost their lives in Afghanistan, as well as the thousands of other Canadians who have died on distant battlefields.
“Today we stand as one nation and one family, not only to honour the fallen, but in these few moments to show our respect and to acknowledge the pain that comes from the loss of a family’s greatest gift to the nation, their sons and daughters, husbands and wives, dads and moms,” said Padre Kevin Olive of the Shilo, Man.-based 2 Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
“But on a day like today, we are also reminded that in war we often see the greatest acts of humanity. We see self-sacrifice and selfless courage and a determination to defend the oppressed. We see a nation rising up and stating with our actions, ‘We are our brother’s keeper and we will not shrink back from the darkness.’”
His voice choked with emotion, Capt. Olive added, “The pain and loss felt by a mother and father from Winnipeg, whose son looked so invincible in his tan ‘cadpad’ uniform, rings just as true as (it) did in the hearts of those mothers and fathers who lost their sons and daughters some 99 years ago.”
Brig.-Gen. Hamed Habibi, who commands an Afghan army brigade that fought alongside Canadian troops in Kandahar for several years, flew north to Kabul to thank the Canadians, as did several other senior Afghan officers.
“The sacrifice of those Canadian soldiers who died helped our country,” Habibi said. “You helped develop Kandahar City. You built asphalt roads between Panjwaii and Zahri and in Dand. You built and repaired schools. You helped us with the Dahla Dam.
“Because of you, we have better governance. You left Kandahar, but before you did you gave us better security. You have much to be proud of. ”
With only about 100 days left in Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan, which began late in 2001, this Nov. 11 represented one of the last chances for the 620 Canadian military trainers still mentoring Afghan soldiers and police here to quietly reflect on their fallen comrades and the future of this war-weary country.
“It used to be that old guys would come and talk to us about Remembrance Day,” said Sgt. Matthew Aseltine of Consort, Alta., who has served four tours in Afghanistan.
“I am only 33 but I am a veteran now. And the public knows more than it did before. People do not only regard it as a day off work.”
Cpl. Christopher Linehan, a signaller from Victoria and currently a mentor to Afghan security forces, recalled several good friends who were killed during his three tours here.
“I like to feel that they are looking down on us and approving of what we’ve done here,” Linehan said.
“It is incredible how different a world it is out there today than when I first came to Afghanistan in 2006.”
Lt.-Gen. Stu Beare, who as commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command oversees all Canadian troops overseas and an Afghan veteran himself, came from Ottawa to mark Remembrance Day.
“Commemorating the sacrifices that have been made allows us to put purpose to the risks that our military took,” Beare said in an interview. “It puts purpose to the jobs we continue to do here today. The sense of ownership and the relationship that Canadians have with their military now, compared with many years past, is quite something to see.”