Troops mourn 5th Canadian soldier to die within week

Hundreds of soldiers from Canada and other NATO countries stood at attention on the tarmac of Kandahar Airfieldon Monday morning to honour a fallen comrade, the fifth Canadian to die in a week inAfghanistan.

The ceremonybid farewell to Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt, 32, of Peers, Alta., who was killed in a traffic accident near the airfield on Aug. 5.

The crash took placejust as the military began to transport home the bodies of four other Canadian soldiers,who died days earlier inthebloodiest week yet seen by Canadian troopsin Afghanistan.

A lone bagpiper played as pallbearers carried Arndt's flag-covered coffin to a C-130 transport plane. His body was due to arrive on Tuesday at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in eastern Ontario.

3 other soldiers hurt in crash

Arndt, a member of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, had been travellingin alight armoured vehicle that was part of aconvoy delivering medical supplies to a military outpost outside the airfield. Hedied after his vehicle was hit head-on byan Afghan delivery truck.

Three other soldiers from his regiment were also injured in the crash.

Cpl. Jared Gagnon of Sherwood Park, Alta.,suffered head injuries and remains in serious condition. Cpl. Ashley Van Leeuwen of St. Paul, Alta.,is recovering from a broken leg, ankle and rib, while Pte. Adam Keen of Edmonton has returned to duty.

4 bodies returned to Ont. base

The bodies of four Canadian soldiers —killed on Aug. 3 in fierce fighting with Taliban insurgentsthat also left 10 Canadian troops wounded — arrived Sunday night at CFB Trenton.

A ceremony was held to honourSgt. Vaughn Ingram, Cpl. Bryce Keller, Cpl. Christopher Jonathan Reid and Pte. Kevin Dallaire.

They all belonged tothe Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, also based in Edmonton.

Twenty-five Canadians, including one diplomat,have been killedinAfghanistan since2002.