The bodies of two Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan returned to Canada Wednesday.
A military plane carrying the bodies of Master Cpl. Josh Roberts and Master Cpl. Erin Doyle landed at Canadian Forces Base Trenton at 2 p.m. ET, according to base officials.
Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk and Defence Minister Peter MacKay were expected to accompany the families of the fallen soldiers.
The two dead are Canada’s 89th and 90th soldiers to have perished in Afghanistan since Canadian troops began their role in the mission in 2002.
Both soldiers were members of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and died in separate incidents.
Roberts, of the 2nd Battalion based in Shilo, Man., died Saturday in the Zhari district under mysterious circumstances.
An American military newspaper has suggested Roberts died after guards with a private security firm opened fire when they stumbled onto a skirmish between Canadian soldiers and insurgents. The Canadian military is investigating the charges.
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After arriving, the bodies are to be driven along a 172-kilometre stretch of Highway 401 dubbed the “Highway of Heroes” to Toronto for an autopsy.
Earlier on Wednesday, two female Canadian aid workers were gunned down by insurgents in Logar province in Afghanistan.
And another five Canadian soldiers were slightly injured when a roadside bomb went off as they passed.
Doyle, with the 3rd Battalion, was on his third tour of Afghanistan. The Edmonton-based soldier died Monday during an attack by insurgents against a Canadian combat outpost.
“Erin was a big tough mountain of a man who enjoyed the outdoors,” said Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, commander of Task Force Afghanistan.
“He was a true warrior and just the person you would want beside you in a firefight.”
Doyle leaves behind wife Nicole and daughter Zarine.
Roberts was promoted to master corporal just two weeks prior to his death.
“Josh was a soldier. He had always wanted to be a soldier, and he loved what he did,” said his family in a statement.
Roberts’ fiancee, Lise Malenfant, is eight months pregnant with the couple’s child.
The Saskatchewan native was a member of the 2nd Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Shilo, Man., and served as part of the peacekeeping reserves in Bosnia in 2002-03.
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