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Both soldiers who were killed were from the 5th Combat Engineer Regiment, and serving with the 2nd batallion of the Royal 22nd Regiment based in Valcartier Quebec. They're identified as Corporal Jean-François Drouin and Major Yannick Pépin.
More than 1,000 Canadian, U.S., Dutch and British soldiers turned out in the bright Afghanistan sunshine for a ramp ceremony to pay tribute to Major Pepin and Crpl. Drouin. The soldiers stood quietly as the flag-draped coffins carrying the two were loaded aboard a C-130 for the long flight home.
"Today the entire task force is mourning our fallen comrades," an emotional Col. Roch Lacroix, deputy commander for Task Force Kandahar said late Sunday night when announcing the deaths. "Saying goodbye to Yannick and Jean-Francois so prematurely is hard for me, it is hard for their friends, and it's hard for their families," Lacroix said, standing in front of a cenotaph marking each of Canada's fallen soldiers.
Battle Group Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Joe Paul told reporters he was proud of both Pepin and Drouin. "Maj. Pepin and Cpl. Drouin were basically a fine example of what the Canadian soldier can be, somebody who is extremely courageous. We should be extremely glad of everything they did," said Paul. "Combat engineers are doing an outstanding job here," he said. ``It's one of the most difficult jobs that any soldier can do."
He said Major Pepin was in his element serving in Afghanistan. "Maj. Pepin was what I like to refer to as a real field officer. He was at his best - not in a cubicle in Ottawa. It was really out in the field, leading his men that he was really at his best." Major Pepin had been in the Canadian Forces for a decade and took great pride in the mission and was devoted to helping and supporting his troops. He leaves behind his partner Annie and two children - Alexandra and Charles.
Crpl. Drouin was already showing great promise with his military career. He was known as 'Big Drou' to his friends and remembered as someone who liked to make others laugh. "Jean-Francois was a very generous man with a big heart," Lacroix said. "As big a heart as the three pieces of steel he liked to lift in the gymnasium." Crpl. Drouin is survived by his partner Audrey.
It has been five weeks since a roadside bomb attack in the Zhari district claimed the lives of two other Canadian soldiers. The latest explosion occurred about noon local time on Sunday and the latest deaths bring the total number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 129.
Check in with newsdurhamregion.com for information on the trip along the Highway of Heroes through Durham and Northumberland.