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Media Advisory

Our Fallen Comrades Return Home

LFCA MA 09-20 - August 3, 2009

OTTAWA – Our fallen comrades, Sapper Matthieu Allard and Corporal Christian Bobbitt, will return to Canada on Tuesday, August 4, 2009.  Both men were from the 5e Régiment du génie, a combat engineer Regiment based in Valcartier, Quebec, and were serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group in Afghanistan.

Where:  8 Wing, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.

When:   Tuesday, Aug 4, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

What:    At the wishes of the families, media will be permitted on the tarmac.

Present to pay their respects will be Her Excellency The Governor General of Canada, The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Minister of National Defence, The Honourable Peter MacKay, Chief of Defence Staff, General Walt Natynczyk and other dignitaries.

The two Canadian soldiers were killed, and a further soldier was injured, when an improvised explosive device detonated near a patrol in the Zhari District. The incident occurred approximately 15 kilometres west of Kandahar City at around 3:20 p.m., Kandahar time, on 1 August, 2009.

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Note to Editors/News Directors:

Interested media may contact Captain Mark Peebles, 8 Wing/CFB Trenton Public Affairs Officer, who can be reached at (613) 392-2811, ext. 2041, or at: peebles.m@forces.gc.ca

For general queries, please contact the Media Liaison Office at (866) 377-0811, or on weekends 613-996-2353. For flight information, please contact the Air Passenger Terminal at 1-800-487-1186.

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