Canadian Special Forces Soldier killed in fall off tower.

[RackMaster]

Canadian soldier killed in fall off tower

Last Updated: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 | 8:51 PM ET
CBC News

A Canadian soldier was killed in Afghanistan Wednesday when he fell while climbing a communications tower.

Colonel Mike Cessford said the soldier, who was a member of Canada's special forces, was not working as part of an ongoing operation at the time of the fall in Kandahar.

The soldier's death is being described as "non-combat" related.

The family has requested the soldier's name not be released until other relatives have been notified.

Canada's special forces usually operate under extreme secrecy.

Cessford said this is the first time the unit has suffered a fatality in Afghanistan.

Fifty-four Canadian soldiers have now been killed in Afghanistan.

Most have died in combat or in bomb attacks by insurgents.

Fuck! The Comms world up here is small and the SOF Comms world is even smaller. I'll hear more in the morning.

RIP Brother.

 

[LibraryLady]

RIP

LL

 

[tova]

RIP, Godspeed, PBS....

 

[Outback]

RIP




.

 

[0699]

RIP Warrior.

 

[Boondocksaint375]

RIP....

 

[AWP]

Blue Skies.

 

[Polar Bear]

That really Sucks RIP

 

[Pete031]

A sad day For CANSOF and the CF, RIP

 

[Crusader74]

RIP...

 

[gunslinger]

RIP. I appreciate his service and sacrifice.

 

[RackMaster]

Update

Soldier's death a first for elite Canadian unit

Last Updated: Friday, April 20, 2007 | 8:53 AM ET
CBC News

The elite Canadian soldier who fell to his death in Afghanistan while scaling a communications tower was the first death ever suffered by Canada's ultra-secretive stealth force, military sources tell the CBC.

While the soldier's family was notified of his death on Wednesday, they have requested to withhold his name.

Little is known about the soldier other than his status as a member of Canada's "special forces."

In Canada, that elite commando unit is known as Joint Task Force 2.

JTF2 fighters operate under extreme secrecy and are considered to be among the country's finest military specialists.

Col. Mike Cessford, the deputy commander of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, earlier told reporters it was the first special forces death of a Canadian in Afghanistan.

But a military spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, was explicit the incident was the first fatality during a mission in the unit's history.
'Simply, unfortunately, an accident'

The soldier's death is being described as "non-combat" related.

Cessford said the soldier was not working as part of an ongoing operation in Kandahar at the time of the fall.

"I believe that this was a routine activity that was underway," Cessford said in Kandahar, where Canadian troops are based. "It was not operationally related at this time. It was simply, unfortunately, an accident.

"I would stress that we take every precaution to minimize the dangers to our soldiers. However, risk is inherent in the nature of the work that we do."

Fifty-four Canadian soldiers have now been killed in Afghanistan.

Most have died in combat or in bomb attacks by insurgents.

As stated the name will not be released. It's a hard hit for the SOF family up here.

 

[Gypsy]

Tragically sad, may he RIP. Comfort to his family and Brothers...

 

[RackMaster]

Secret ramp ceremony for Canadian soldier who died in fall

Anthony Klumpenhower, 25, who grew up in a small farming community near Listowel, Ont., was conducting surveillance earlier this week in Kandahar City.

Look like they made a liar out of me and changed their minds. ;)