Parents of fallen soldier affirm support for son, Forces

The Regina mother and father of a soldier who died in Afghanistan Wednesday are mourning their loss with friends and family.

Master Cpl. Jeffrey Walsh, who was part of the Canadian mission in the strife-torn country, was killed in what appears to have been an accidental discharge of a rifle by another soldier.

It happenedduringroutine operations ona highwayabout 20 kilometres west of Kandahar.

Walsh, 33, who was with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry from CFB Shilo in Manitoba, grew up in Regina and Avonlea, about 80 kilometres southwest of the city.

In Regina, Walsh's uncle Ken Muschka read a statement from Walsh's parents, Ben and Margie, in which they expressed support for him and for all the Canadian Forces members in Afghanistan and for peacekeepers.

"Jeff believed in his job and felt he could make achange in Afghanistan," the family said.

In December 2003, during a visit home for Christmas, Walsh spoke to the CBC about the deaths of four soldiers in Afghanistan. At the time his partner waspregnant withtheir second child.

"It must be very, very hard for them," he said. "I can't begin to imagine losing a family member, and Christmas is a time for family, so they are going to be missed."

It's the second timein a week a soldier who was originally from Regina died in Afghanistan.

Cpl. Bryce James Keller, who was born and raised in the city, was one of three soldiers who died in Afghanistan in a rocket-propelled grenade attack near the village of Pashmul on Aug. 3.