Corporal Cole Daniel Bartsch

Hometown Whitecourt, Alberta and member of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton.

Cole Daniel Bartsch was born in 1983 and graduated high school in 2003. He immediately joined the military after graduation.

Corporal Cole Bartsch died on July 4th, 2007 at 23-years-old. He was killed while in a RG-31 Nyala armoured vehicle that was struck by a massive roadside bomb west of Kandahar City. Five members of the Canadian Forces and an Afghan interpreter also died in the blast. The soldiers were returning in a convoy to a forward-operating base in the Panjwaii-Zhari district after completing joint operations with the Afghan National Army.

He was due to return home from his second tour of duty at the end of July, 2007.

Canadian soldiers also killed in the blast included: Capt. Matthew Jonathan Dawe, Pte. Lane Watkins, Cpl. Jordan Anderson, Master Cpl. Colin Bason, and Capt. Jefferson Francis.

As a kid he loved playing volleyball and playing with his family at the lake. The family now holds an annual volleyball tournament in his honour. He also enjoyed the outdoors, camping, fishing and riding ATVs.

He is survived by parents Dennis and Juanita, brother Eric, and sisters Tara and Joleen.

He was described as warm spirit and ability to make people laugh at almost anything.

Fallen Saskatchewan soldiers in Afghanistan.