Fallen soldier brought home from Afghanistan

A plane carrying the body of the latest Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan arrived at CFB Trenton in Ontario Tuesday afternoon.

Sapper Steven Marshall, 24, had been in Afghanistan less than a week when he was killed by an improvised explosive device on Oct. 30 while on foot patrol 10 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City in the Panjwai district.

He had belonged to the 11 Field Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Edmonton. His family said Marshall died doing what he loved, and called him a "soldier's soldier." He also loved his hometown Calgary Flames.

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean and Defence Minister Peter MacKay were among the dignitaries at the sombre repatriation ceremony.

Marshall's body was then taken along the Highway of Heroes to Toronto, where an autopsy will be performed.

Marshall joined the army a little over two years ago and was deployed with the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group.

Marshall is the second Canadian soldier killed in action in October. Lt. Justin Garrett Boyes, 26, was killed Oct. 28 when his foot patrol was hit by an IED southwest of Kandahar City.

Their deaths bring the total number of Canadian soldiers who have been killed since the Afghan mission began in 2002 to 133.