Today it was reported that Colonel Geoff Parker, a member of the Royal Canadian Regiment (and former commander of its Second Battalion) stationed in Kabul, was killed in a suicide attack on a NATO convoy that also killed five US soldiers and some twenth Afghan civilians. Col. Parker was stationed at Land Forces Central Area HQ in Toronto. He is the highest ranking Canadian soldier to be killed by enemy action in theatre.
Private Kevin Thomas McKay was killed by an IED on 13 May. He was 24 years of age, and was with the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry out of Edmonton, AB. He was in the last days of his tour in Afghanistan.
Petty Officer Second Class Craig Blake, age 37, was killed on 3 May while on duty in Afghanistan as an explosive disposal expert. He came from the Fleet Diving Unit in Halifax, was a respected triathlete and a father of two. He has the distinction of being the first member of the Canadian Navy to be killed in Afghanistan and he was remembered during ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the Navy.
Together these three bring the number of military deaths in Afghanistan to 145. They may be viewed here.
Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon them.
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Noted in passing from the US Department of Defense news service. Of the five US soldiers killed in Kabul along with Col. Parker were three senior officers, making this, to my knowledge, the largest loss of senior NATO officers since the intervention began in 2001.
The five US killed were:
Col. John M. McHugh, 46, of New Jersey, assigned to the U.S. Army Battle Command Training Program, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.;
Lt. Col. Paul R. Bartz, 43, of Waterloo, Wis., assigned to Headquarters, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.;
Lt. Col. Thomas P. Belkofer, 44, of Perrysburg, Ohio, assigned to Headquarters, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.;
Staff Sgt. Richard J. Tieman, 28, of Waynesboro, Pa., assigned to Special Troops Battalion, V Corps, Heidelberg, Germany; and
Spc. Joshua A. Tomlinson, 24, of Dubberly, La., assigned to Special Troops Battalion, V Corps, Heidelberg, Germany.
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