158 soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice were remembered today across the country.
The Canadian government set aside May 9th as the National Day of Honour, which marks the end of Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan.
Two soldiers in particular were on the minds of many local residents.
Corporal Kristal Giesebrecht of Wallaceburg was killed on June 26, 2010 by an improvised explosive device in the Panjwayi District in Afghanistan.
She was 34.
Private William Jonathan James Cushley, of Port Lambton, was killed on September 3, 2006 during a ground offensive.
He was 21.
“This is the end of the conflict,” said Bev Shipley, MP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. “It was a time the government wanted to show appreciation for the men and women that had been involved that went over and came back and certainty to pay respects to those who gave their life.”
Shipley added: “This day is for all those people that stepped up to the plate to do what they were suppose to do. It was nice to hear so many great comments today. That it wasn’t a lost cause, that there are so many improvements over there that most people don’t see. In Krystal’s (Giesebrecht’s) case, she gave her life for that cause.”
Shipley said Cushley’s mother was attending a service in Sarnia today, while his father was attending a ceremony in Ottawa.
“I’ve heard from others that they were afraid they would get forgotten, but now it won’t be forgotten because it will be a part of Remembrance Day,” Shipley said. “For those parents it is a bit bittersweet, because it is a reminder for some parents and relatives and spouses and it is stil a very fresh memory.”
Shipley added the 12 years makes the Afghanistan conflict the longest Canada has ever been in.
“We started in 2002 and it is wrapped up in 2014,” he said. “There was over 40,000 people that were in the Canadian Forces that were involved, over 2,000 were injured and unfortunately we lost 158.”
