KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The latest soldier to give his life in the service of Canada's mission in Afghanistan was a "guy full of life,'' his senior commanding officer said Saturday as Pte. Terry John Street's platoon comrades bid him a teary-eyed farewell.
Eight of Street's colleagues from the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., shouldered his flag-wrapped casket into a waiting military transport plane during a ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield.
Afterward, they put on a display of the bonds that exist between comrades in arms, hugging and clapping one another affectionately on the back in an impromptu scrum on the tarmac.
Battle group commander Lt.-Col. Dave Courbould rallied his troops the same way he'd done several times before, reminding them to focus on the unfinished task at hand and that Street, 24, would always be in their thoughts.
"Keeping his memory at the forefront of our minds helps us, keeps us motivated,'' Courbould said.
"We know that he would have wanted us to keep going on; he wouldn't have wanted us to stop what we had already planned to do, so we carry on with the mission and focus on that one thing that he knew we had to do.''
Canadian padre Jim Short invoked the image of Canada's Vimy Ridge memorial as he paid tribute to Street, whose death was the 82nd of a Canadian soldier since our troops arrived in Afghanistan in 2002.
"The sculpture symbolizes Mother Canada weeping for her dead sons,'' Short said. "Tonight, Mother Canada grieves once again for one of her children.''
Street, born in Hull, Que., died Friday when his armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in the perilous Panjwaii district west of Kandahar city.
Short described Street as "a vibrant, keen, energetic, personable young soldier, a team player born to be an infantryman.''
He called him a soldier who believed in Canada's mission, one whose death symbolizes the passing of a torch his fellow soldiers will carry as a "sacred trust.''
"We hold that torch here in Afghanistan in support of her government, her people and the future of her children.''
Piper Capt. Ludger Hacault trailed behind the casket, blowing the mournful notes of "Amazing Grace,'' as the pallbearers trudged slowly into the back of the plane.
Canadian and coalition troops stood in rigid formation, saluting as the casket passed by.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid tribute to Pte. Street in a statement issued during a visit to Poland.
"Pte. Street served his country with pride and selfless dedication,'' he said. "He will forever be remembered as an example of bravery and outstanding dedication.''
Maj. Michael Wright, Officer Commanding Rear Party 2nd Battalion at Shilo, said Pte. Street was "exceptionally fit and dedicated'' and looked forward to his first tour in Afghanistan.
"It no doubt will be a sombre weekend on the base,'' Wright said in a statement. "Our focus is ensuring that we do whatever we can to support his parents.''
Col. Jonathan Vance, commander of the First Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group at Edmonton Garrison, said Pte. Street made the ultimate sacrifice for the betterment of others.
"You were one of those people who made ideas happen,'' he said.
Lt.-Col. Courbould called Street a "tremendously solid individual'' who had a sharp sense of humour and wasn't afraid to use it to lighten the mood among his colleagues and superiors.
"Pte. Street was one of those soldiers who always had a smile on his face,'' he said.
"He was that guy full of life. You could always see his mind was scheming, or thinking about things -- really focused on the bigger picture.''
