Nolan remembered as dedicated soldier, father

Flags at the Newfoundland and Labrador legislature are flying at half-mast Tuesday, to honour a Newfoundland soldier killed in battle in Afghanistan.

Warrant Officer Richard Nolan, who grew up in Mount Pearl,was one of four Canadians killed in combat on Sunday.

He and his common-law partner, who is also serving in Afghanistan, were based at CFB Petawawa in Ontario, where Nolan's mother cared for the couple's four children.

Sarah Proulx, Nolan's next-door neighbour in Petawawa, described him as a dedicated soldier and father, and said the community is in shock.

"I'm still numb. I can't believe that it happened," Proulx told CBC News.

"Rick's been only gone a month. We talked many times about them going over, and they said, 'That's our job. We're soldiers.'"

Nolan was killed while Canadians were battling Taliban fighters during a major offensiveaimed attaking control of two dangerous districts in southern Afghanistan. Also killed were Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, Sgt. Shane Stachnik and Pte. William Jonathan James Cushley.

Padre Joseph Johns said the atmosphere at the base has been sombre since residents learned of the deaths.

"When events like this occur, it happens to us as a family and we respond to it as a family," Johns said.

"We mourn, we grieve, but we also carry on with the task at hand of caring for each other."

Johns said the base will prepare Tuesday for the repatriation ceremony for the soldiers' remains.

Premier pays tribute

"He served his country and the people of Afghanistan, as he worked selflessly to bring peace and hope to a country far from home," Premier Danny Williams said in a statement.

"Warrant Officer Nolan paid the ultimate sacrifice in achieving this noble goal, and we will never forget his dedication and commitment to others. He is truly a hero who will never be forgotten."

Meanwhile, the family of a Newfoundland soldier who was wounded in Sunday's battle says Warrant Officer John Barnes will rejoin his group.

His sister, Joanne Dwyer, said Barnes wanted to return to duty as soon as possible.

"They went in to find out if he was well enough to go back into the battling fields, because a lot of people have been injured and hurt," Dwyer told CBC News.

"Because of the dedicated soldier he is, he wanted to go back and help out."