Funeral for Edmonton soldier killed near Kandahar

A funeral was held near Edmonton for a soldier killed in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on the outskirts of Kandahar this month.

There was no formal procession for Cpl. Bryce Jeffrey Keller, but about 20 soldiers dressed in full regalia flanked both sides of a Sherwood Park funeral home Tuesday morning.

Keller, originally from Regina, died at age 27, leaving his wife Sarah, parents Helen and Mel, and brothers Brad and Scott.

After the service, Keller's casket was taken to his burial site, where Sarah Keller, a medic with Edmonton-based 1 Field Ambulance,was presented withhis beret, the flag from his coffin and his medals.

Dark day for Forces

Aug. 3 was one of the deadliest days for Canada in the military campaign in Afghanistan, with three separate attacks killing four soldiers and injuring 10 others.

All the soldiers killed that day were based in Edmonton with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Keller was the last of the four to be buried.

Among those at his funeral was Brig.-Gen. Tim Grant, the commander of the Land Force Western Area.

"Whether it's one soldier or four soldiers, it's extremely difficult. Everyone is really struck by losing some really great young Canadians,real heroes, people we should all be proud of," he said.

Keller, Sgt. Vaughn Ingram and Pte. Kevin Dallaire were killed when Taliban militants attacked soldiers with rocket-propelled grenades on the outskirts of Kandahar.

The soldiers were supporting Afghan national police in clearing a suspected Taliban position in the Zharey district.

Earlier in the day, Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid was killed near Kandahar when his armoured vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb.