Media Advisory --- Fallen Soldiers Returning Home (MWOMario Mercier and MCpl Christian Duchesne)

DND/Canadian Forces ^ | 2007-08-24 | (media advisory)

[Clive]

Media Advisory

Fallen Soldiers Returning Home

MA 07-016 - August 24, 2007

OTTAWA, Ont. — Our fallen soldiers, Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier and Master Corporal Christian Duchesne, both members of the Task Force Afghanistan Roto 4, based out of Kandahar, Afghanistan, are scheduled to return home to Canada on Sunday.

Where: 8 Wing Trenton, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.

When: Sunday, August 26, 4:00 p.m.

What: At the wishes of the families, media are not invited to view the arrival from the tarmac, and no interviews will be given.

Present to pay their respects will be Her Excellency, the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and other dignitaries.

Master Warrant Officer Mercier and Master Corporal Duchesne succumbed to their injuries after their armoured vehicle struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on August 22, approximately 50 km west of Kandahar City. At the time of the incident, the Canadian soldiers were returning to base by Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) after completing Operation EAGLE EYE, a joint operation with Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) aiming at bringing more stability to the district of Zarey.

-30-

Note to the Editor/News Director:

CFB Trenton Public Affairs Officer, Major Isabelle Robitaille can be reached at (613) 392-2811 ext. 4565, mobile (613) 242-3156 or at: robitaille.mji@forces.gc.ca.

For flight information, contact the Air Passenger Terminal at 1-800-487-1186.

[Clive]

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[SandRat]

Two more of Canda’s Finest who paid the ultimate price for Freedom are coming home. Prayers for them, their families, friends, and the Nation.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Last Post

RIP MWO Mario Mercier
MCpl Christian Duchesne

Flowers of the Forest

[combat_boots]

God bless them and their families. God bless our troops.

[Little Bill]

Freedom ain’t FRee my FRiend, the tree of Liberty, even for foreign slaves is watered by by the blood of Patriots.

[exg]

Thank You.
THE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST

I’ve hear them liltin’, at the ewe milkin,’
Lasses a-liltin’ before dawn of day.
Now there’s a moanin’, on ilka green loanin’.
The flowers of the forest are a’ wede away.

As boughs in the mornin’, nae blithe lads are scornin’,
Lasses are lonely and dowie and wae.
Nae daffin’, nae gabbin’, but sighin’ and sobbin’,
Ilk ane lifts her leglin, and hies her away.

At e’en in the gloamin’, nae swankies are roamin’,
‘Bout stacks wi’ the lasses at bogle to play.
But ilk maid sits drearie, lamentin’ her dearie,
The flowers of the forest are a’ wede away.

In har’st at the shearin’ nae youths now are jeerin’
Bandsters are runkled, and lyart, or grey.
At fair or at preachin’, nae wooin’, nae fleecin’,
The flowers of the forest are a’ wede away.

Dool for the order sent our lads to the Border,
the English for ance by guile wan the day.
The flowers of the forest, that fought aye the foremost,
The prime of our land lie cauld in the clay.

We’ll hae nae mair liltin’, at the ewe milkin’,
Women and bairns are heartless and wae.
Sighin’ and moanin’ on ilka green loanin’,
The flowers of the forest are all wede away.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks for the words. Prayers of peace for your soldiers and their families. God Bless them for their service to their country.

[exg]

Thank you Kathy.
Prayers for your soldiers as well.
We are in this together.

[Kathy in Alaska]

We are, indeed, in this together.

[fanfan]