2 Fallen Soldier

I will be putting together a dvd of these photos. Watch for details or email me.

Some of the many photos cropped.

After a long journey on Wednesday, I sat down to watch the 11 p.m. newscast.
On this day, I rode along with an OPP officer who was leading the procession from CFB Trenton to Toronto along the Highway of Heroes.
The repatriation ceremony began at 2 p.m. for Gunner Jonathan Dion who was killed on
December 30, 2007 by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
To many times I’ve covered the story of a soldier killed in Afghanistan returning home.
From local bridges I’ve watched as hundreds of people line the bridges of Northumberland
County. At CFB Trenton I’ve witnessed family members weep as their loved ones come home
for the last time.
I’ve watched strangers stand side by side on bridges to offer their condolences to the families as they pass under bridges along the Highway of Heroes.
So after a long day on the highway I watched the Toronto newscast to see the repatriation
services from CFB Trenton that I attended earlier in the day.
But what I thought would be the lead story, wasn’t.
Oil prices, the weather, the upcoming election in the United States, and pot holes in the city were put ahead of a fallen Canadian soldier returning home on the television station I turned too.
I was and am disgusted.
The story of the 75th Canadian who gave his life for his Country has become just another story for
media outlets.
I remember in 2002 when the first four soldiers were repatriated, television stations carried the
service live from CFB Trenton.
But now, a story on pot holes seems to be more pressing for the media.
At least one thing I can say that I know to be true.
To the thousands of people that stood on bridges along the Highway of Heroes on Wednesday,
the story of how a Canadian hero who volunteered to serve his Country and loved his job, was first and foremost on their minds, even if it wasn’t in the eyes of the news editors with some Toronto television stations.

On Wednesday the Cobourg Daily Star had the honour of riding along the Highway of Heroes
with the lead police car for the procession of Gunner Jonathan Dion.
Gunner Dion was 27-years-old and a member of the 5th Light Artillery Regiment based in CFB
Valcartier, north of Quebec City.
He was killed on December 30 when the vehicle he was riding in hit an improvised explosive
device 20 kilometers west of Kandahar City.
It marked the 74th Canadian soldier killed in action since 2002.
Whitby Detachment Highway Safety Division OPP Sgt. Harry Carrigan has been involved with
every repatriation ceremony along Highway 401 since 2002 except for one.
He is up for retirement later this year and will be turning over his duties to another officer who
will be taking charge of duties involved with leading the procession along the Highway of
Heroes.
During Wednesday’s procession, Sgt. Carrigan spoke of previous trips he has made along the
route and spoke of how he believes the Highway of Heroes is the most patriotic thing this
Country has done in the last 25 years.
Sgt. Carrigan recalled during one procession a police helicopter was flying overhead along
Highway 401 during the night and radioed to ask if they could use their high powered light, to
light the bridges up to show the numbers of people standing to honour their loved ones.
CDS:How had this changed since the processions started in 2002?
Sgt. H.C.:Originally Port Hope and Cobourg were the only two (bridges) of any significant
involvement.
They seemed to always have somebody out there. In the beginning very small groups, but now they’ve grown.
From there it goes right through until the last overpass at Don Mills.
CDS: What does it mean to you?
Sgt. H.C.:It’s a great patriotic thing for me. I’m ex-military and I can appreciate what the
families are going through, though nobody can imagine what they are going through.
I do have a handle on why we need to recognize these soldiers. They need to be raised on a pedal as heroes because they are. Our military is strictly volunteer and these are volunteer men and women.
These are young men and women who have actually volunteered to go to a strange country and fight for freedom for all of us. For them to lose their life in fighting for freedom for us - we have
to get together to recognize them.
CDS:What do you think about seeing the people standing on the bridges?
Sgt. H.C.:Canadian unity. Seeing them waving the Canadian flag, being proud of the Country
they belong to.
It’s sad to know that these young people have lost their lives and what the families are going
through, it’s also pride in the fact that we live in such a great Country.
CDS: Do you think this helps the families?
Sgt. H.C.: It definitely helps the families. We get many emails and letters of commendations
from the families. They are just overwhelmed. Lately with the Royal Canadian Van Doos, we
have had letters from those French Canadian families who have had nothing but sheer pride in
seeing what people are doing for their young ones.
CDS: Were you surprised to see the number of people on the bridges today (Wednesday) in
minus 11 weather?
Sgt. H.C.: I didn’t expect there would be that many given the weather. However it just goes to show you how patriotic some people are. It’s their way of honouring the soldiers that absolutely deserve it.

For people that wonder if they are scene by the family and members of the procession along
Highway 401, I can tell you in one word - yes.
If anyone has ever wondered if it is worth traveling to the bridges to brave the weather for that few seconds a procession passes by - it is.
As a member of the media, sometimes we are allowed to do special things.
On Wednesday I was allowed to do a very special thing.
I rode along with Whitby Detachment Highway Safety Division Sgt. Harry Carrigan along the
Highway of Heroes and covered the repatriation of Gunner Jonathan Dion.
I’ve covered the procession along the Highway of Heroes many times along with the repatriation
service at CFB Trenton.
As I’ve wrote previously, wherever you are, it’s a very moving experience.
At the base it was unbelievably cold with the wind whipping across the tramac.
The family of the fallen soldier was brought out and stood by as the flag drapped casket was
lowered from the belly of the Airbus 310.
Most times I’ve attended a piper is heard, but on this day a bugler played Amazing Grace.
Once again, for me the reality of it all kicks in when I witness family members walk up to the
hearse. A mother’s anguish of her son coming back home. Never seeing him again, spending a
Christmas with him. It’s incredibly sad.
After the service Sgt. Carrigan and myself got in our black and white OPP cruiser. We were the
lead cruiser in the procession of approximately 10 vehicles that would take us to Toronto.
On the way down to Trenton from Whitby OPP Detachment, Sgt. Carrigan commented that he
didn’t expect to many people on the bridges because of the -11 degree weather.
As we left the base, we both knew he was wrong.
As we left the base a lone Military Police officer stood at attention, then as we made our way out to County Road 2, Legion members were the first ones we saw standing at attention saluting.
Then, members of the 1st Canadian Army Veterans, followed by civilians. Fathers, mothers,
grandparents brining their children.
While traveling along the back roads to Highway 401, Sgt. Carrigan pointed out numerous
people along the roadway. One family who has always stood by the road in front of their home
with their children.
And as we approached the highway, officers had intersections closed to allow the procession to
go through.
As we turned left onto the on-ramp, members of the Quinte-West Fire Department stood at
attention by their firetrucks.
Sgt. Carrigan said the one of the hardest parts is getting all the cars in the procession on the
highway in unison. Previously for the procession for six soldiers traffic was stopped along the
highway because there were over 20 vehicles.
Along the journey, there were memorable bridges for me in Northumberland County.
The fire departments, police, paramedics, and Legion members were all at various bridges along
with many civilians on this blustery cold day.
I remember seeing just two people on one bridge holding a Canadian flag. I thought on other occasions I’m sure there were many others, but the two people standing there spoke volumes.
As we entered Cobourg, seeing an OPP and Cobourg police officer standing side by side on the on-ramp at Country Road 45.
Near the Wesleyville overpass, a snow plow on the bridge along with two people holding
Canadian flags.
As we made our way into the city, bridges, on-ramps, packed with people. People in both
directions pulled over wanting to catch a glimpse of the procession. It is an amazing thing to
witness.
When we hit the Toronto border we were met by members of the Toronto Police Service.
They took over leading the procession and OPP officers backed off. Unfortunately this
procession has been done so many times, that everything falls into place and knows what to do.
At every single on-ramp in the city that lead to the express lanes, Toronto Police officers had
every on-ramp closed letting the procession have a clear road ahead.
On the Don Valley Parkway it was the same, every on-ramp shut down by the Toronto Police
until the procession went by and exited at the Bayview Avenue, Bloor Street exit.