Canadian Forces casualties in Afghanistan
Encyclopedia
The number of Canadian Forces
' fatalities resulting from Canadian military activities in Afghanistan is the largest for any single Canadian military mission since the Korean War
between 1950 and 1953. A total of 158 Canadian Forces personnel have been killed in the war since 2002.
, in which four Canadians were killed and eight seriously wounded when a United States
warplane dropped a bomb on a training exercise in the belief that the Canadians were enemy soldiers. The four servicemen were honoured at an event unprecedented in Canada 2002, Skyreach Centre in Edmonton
, Alberta
, was filled to capacity for a tribute ceremony for the four fallen soldiers that included personal messages from the Governor General of Canada
, Prime Minister of Canada
, Chief of Defence Staff
, Premier of Alberta
and Premier of Manitoba
, and the Mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, most of whom also attended the service. Subsequently, deceased soldiers have been honoured by much smaller services, though, at the rededication of the Vimy Memorial
on 9 April 2007, Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, made reference to all the fallen Canadians in Afghanistan when she rededicated the monument "to their eternal remembrance, to Canada, to all who would serve the cause of freedom, and to those who have lost their lives in Afghanistan." Further, in honour of all those who died during the Afghan mission, the section of Ontario
's Highway 401
along which fallen soldiers are carried from Canadian Forces Base Trenton
to Toronto
after repatriation was named the Highway of Heroes. All those Canadian Forces personnel who are killed during the mission are posthumously awarded the Sacrifice Medal
and their spouse or next of kin receive the Memorial Cross
.
The first deployed Canadian woman to die in combat was Captain
Nichola Goddard
, and the death of Anthony Boneca initiated debate around the combat readiness of Canadian reservists, wherein questions were asked not only about the suitability of employing reservists, but also the role of the media in reporting comments by grief-stricken relatives, such as those made by Boneca's partner's father. The suitability of the Iltis
vehicle was also questioned heavily following a land mine incident that claimed the lives of Canadian soldiers, leading the military to thereafter acquire Mercedes-Benz G-Class
and RG-31 Nyala armoured patrol vehicles.
The first Canadian woman to commit suicide on an overseas deployment was Major
Michelle Mendes, an intelligence officer, who died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at Kandahar Airfield
only a few days after her arrival.
The first gravely injured Canadian soldier to redeploy in Kandahar was Captain Simon Mailloux
in November 2009. Capt Mailloux had been gravely injured in November 2007 following an IED incident in the Panjwayi district and his left leg had to be amputated. Two more Canadian soldiers, Corporal Nicholas Beauchamp and Private
Michel Levesque, died in the same incident.
The highest ranking casualty was sustained on 18 May 2010, when Colonel
Geoff Parker was killed after a suicide bomber drove a car full of explosives into a NATO convoy during a morning rush hour on the edge of Kabul. 5 U.S. soldiers and 12 Afghan civilians were also killed in this attack.
. Four soldiers (Privates Richard Green
and Nathan Smith
, Corporal Ainsworth Dyer and Sergeant Marc Léger) were killed and eight others wounded when an American
F-16 fighter jet dropped a laser-guided 225-kg bomb on the Canadians who were on an exercise at Tarnak Farm, near Kandahar
.
On 17 May 2006, 26 year old Captain Nichola Goddard
from the 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
was killed during operations against insurgents. She was the first Canadian female soldier to die in combat. On 4 September the same year, Olympic athlete Private Mark Anthony Graham
from the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
was killed by a US
A-10 Warthog attack aircraft
in a friendly fire
incident. Dozens of other Canadians were wounded in the incident.
Following a policy change at the beginning of 2010, the Canadian military began to withhold all injury reports, releasing only statistics after the end of a calendar year, citing security reasons.
The Department of National Defence also refuses to disclose the nature or severity of injuries and wounds, claiming that information is an operational secret.
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
' fatalities resulting from Canadian military activities in Afghanistan is the largest for any single Canadian military mission since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
between 1950 and 1953. A total of 158 Canadian Forces personnel have been killed in the war since 2002.
Specifics
The first casualties occurred in the Tarnak Farm incidentTarnak Farm incident
The Tarnak Farm incident refers to the killing of four Canadian soldiers and the injury of eight others from the Third Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on the night of April 17, 2002, by an American F-16 fighter jet. The aircraft, piloted by U.S...
, in which four Canadians were killed and eight seriously wounded when a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
warplane dropped a bomb on a training exercise in the belief that the Canadians were enemy soldiers. The four servicemen were honoured at an event unprecedented in Canada 2002, Skyreach Centre in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, was filled to capacity for a tribute ceremony for the four fallen soldiers that included personal messages from the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
, Chief of Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...
, Premier of Alberta
Premier of Alberta
The Premier of Alberta is the first minister for the Canadian province of Alberta. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. The current Premier of Alberta is Alison Redford. She became Premier by winning the Progressive Conservative leadership elections on...
and Premier of Manitoba
Premier of Manitoba
The Premier of Manitoba is the first minister for the Canadian province of Manitoba. He or she is the province's head of government and de facto chief executive. Until the early 1970s, the title "Prime Minister of Manitoba" was used frequently. Afterwards, the word Premier, derived from the French...
, and the Mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, most of whom also attended the service. Subsequently, deceased soldiers have been honoured by much smaller services, though, at the rededication of the Vimy Memorial
Canadian National Vimy Memorial
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known...
on 9 April 2007, Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, made reference to all the fallen Canadians in Afghanistan when she rededicated the monument "to their eternal remembrance, to Canada, to all who would serve the cause of freedom, and to those who have lost their lives in Afghanistan." Further, in honour of all those who died during the Afghan mission, the section of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's Highway 401
Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
along which fallen soldiers are carried from Canadian Forces Base Trenton
CFB Trenton
Canadian Forces Base Trenton , is a Canadian Forces base located northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad...
to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
after repatriation was named the Highway of Heroes. All those Canadian Forces personnel who are killed during the mission are posthumously awarded the Sacrifice Medal
Sacrifice Medal
The Sacrifice Medal is a decoration that was created in 2008 as a replacement for the Wound Stripe, being gifted by the Canadian monarch, generally through his or her viceroy-in-Council, to members of the Canadian Forces or allied forces who were wounded or killed in action.-Design:The Sacrifice...
and their spouse or next of kin receive the Memorial Cross
Memorial Cross
The Memorial Cross , often known as the Silver Cross, is a Canadian medal awarded to the mother, widow, widower, or next of kin of any member of the Canadian Forces who loses his or her life in active service, including peacekeeping, and other such international operations.-Design:The Memorial...
.
The first deployed Canadian woman to die in combat was Captain
Captain (Canada)
Captain is a rank in the Canadian military.In the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force, the rank insignia of an army and air force captain is two wide bars.The rank insignia of a navy captain is four wide bars....
Nichola Goddard
Nichola Goddard
Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard, MSM was the first female Canadian combat soldier killed in combat, and the 16th Canadian soldier killed in Canadian operations in Afghanistan.-Profile:...
, and the death of Anthony Boneca initiated debate around the combat readiness of Canadian reservists, wherein questions were asked not only about the suitability of employing reservists, but also the role of the media in reporting comments by grief-stricken relatives, such as those made by Boneca's partner's father. The suitability of the Iltis
Volkswagen Iltis
The Volkswagen Type 183, more commonly known as the Iltis , is a military vehicle built by Volkswagen for use by the German military and under licence by Bombardier for the Canadian Forces and Belgian Army...
vehicle was also questioned heavily following a land mine incident that claimed the lives of Canadian soldiers, leading the military to thereafter acquire Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The original 460-series Geländewagen went on sale for civilian buyers in 1979, after having debuted in February of that year. It was offered with two wheelbases, a short wheelbase of 2,400 mm and a long one of 2,850 mm. One could choose between three body styles: A two-door short...
and RG-31 Nyala armoured patrol vehicles.
The first Canadian woman to commit suicide on an overseas deployment was Major
Major (Canada)
Major is a rank of the Canadian Forces. The rank insignia of a major is two half-inch stripes with a quarter-inch stripe between. Majors fill the positions of Company/Squadron/Battery Commanders, or Deputy Commanders of a Battalion/Regiment; in the Air Force they are typically squadron...
Michelle Mendes, an intelligence officer, who died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at Kandahar Airfield
Kandahar Airfield
Kandahar International Airport is located 10 miles south-east of Kandahar City in Afghanistan. The airport was built by the United States in the 1960s, under the United States Agency for International Development program. It may have been intended to be used as a possible U.S...
only a few days after her arrival.
The first gravely injured Canadian soldier to redeploy in Kandahar was Captain Simon Mailloux
Simon Mailloux
Captain Simon Mailloux, B.A., CMR, Master of Science, MSc, University of Glasgow , is a serving officer in the Canadian Forces. He was severely injured on 16 November 2007 in an IED incident in Afghanistan and, as a result, his left leg was amputated...
in November 2009. Capt Mailloux had been gravely injured in November 2007 following an IED incident in the Panjwayi district and his left leg had to be amputated. Two more Canadian soldiers, Corporal Nicholas Beauchamp and Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
Michel Levesque, died in the same incident.
The highest ranking casualty was sustained on 18 May 2010, when Colonel
Colonel (Canada)
In the Canadian Forces, the rank of colonel is an Army or Air Force rank equal to a captain of the Navy. A colonel is the highest rank of senior officer...
Geoff Parker was killed after a suicide bomber drove a car full of explosives into a NATO convoy during a morning rush hour on the edge of Kabul. 5 U.S. soldiers and 12 Afghan civilians were also killed in this attack.
Fatalities by rank
| Rank | Number |
|---|---|
| General Officers (officiers généraux) | |
| TOTAL | 0 |
| Senior Officers (officiers supérieurs) | |
| Colonel Colonel Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures... s |
1 |
| Major Major (Canada) Major is a rank of the Canadian Forces. The rank insignia of a major is two half-inch stripes with a quarter-inch stripe between. Majors fill the positions of Company/Squadron/Battery Commanders, or Deputy Commanders of a Battalion/Regiment; in the Air Force they are typically squadron... s |
3 |
| TOTAL | 4 |
| Junior Officers (officiers subalternes) | |
| Captain Captain (Canada) Captain is a rank in the Canadian military.In the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force, the rank insignia of an army and air force captain is two wide bars.The rank insignia of a navy captain is four wide bars.... s |
6 |
| Lieutenant Lieutenant (Canada) Lieutenant is a rank of the Canadian Forces. As with the rank of Captain , the naval rank is superior to the Land/Air rank.A naval Lieutenant is equivalent to ranks with a NATO code of OF-2, whereas land/air Lieutenants are equivalent to ranks with a NATO code of OF-1.The rank insignia of a naval... s |
3 |
| TOTAL | 9 |
| NCM Senior Rank (Rangs supérieurs) | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Chief Warrant Officer Chief warrant officer is a military rank used by the Canadian Forces and the Israel Defence Forces.-Canada:In the Canadian Forces, a chief warrant officer or CWO is the most senior non-commissioned member rank in the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force... |
1 |
| Master Warrant Officer Master Warrant Officer Master warrant officer is a senior military rank in the Canadian Forces, Singapore Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces.-Canadian Forces:... |
1 |
| Warrant Officer Warrant Officer A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first... s |
6 |
| Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... s (17 Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... s, 1 Petty Officer 2nd Class Petty Officer 2nd Class Petty officer, 2nd class, PO2, is a Naval non-commissioned member rank of the Canadian Forces. It is senior to the rank of master seaman and its equivalents, and junior to petty officer 1st-class and its equivalents... ) |
18 |
| TOTAL | 26 |
| NCM Junior Ranks (Rangs subalternes) | |
| Master Corporal Master Corporal Master Corporal , in the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Army Cadets is an appointment of the rank of Corporal in the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Airforce... s |
16 |
| Corporal Corporal Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4.... s (54 Corporal Corporal Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4.... s, 3 Bombardiers Bombardier (rank) Bombardier is a rank used in artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of corporal. Lance-bombardier is used instead of lance-corporal.... ) |
57 |
| Privates Private (rank) A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career... (30 Privates Private (rank) A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career... , 10 Troopers Trooper (rank) Trooper from the French "troupier" is the equivalent rank to private in a regiment with a cavalry tradition in the British Army and many other Commonwealth armies, including those of Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. Today, most cavalry units operate in the armoured role, equipped... , 1 Gunner Gunner (rank) Gunner is a rank equivalent to Private in the British Army Royal Artillery and the artillery corps of other Commonwealth armies. The next highest rank is usually Lance-Bombardier, although in the Royal Canadian Artillery it is Bombardier.... , 5 Sapper Sapper A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield... s) |
46 |
| TOTAL | 119 |
| TOTAL | 158 |
Fatalities by cause
| Cause | Number |
|---|---|
| Enemy action | |
| Explosive Improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action... s |
97 |
| Direct fire | 22 |
| Suicide attack Suicide attack A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :... s |
13 |
| TOTAL | 132 |
| Non-enemy action | |
| Friendly-fire | 6 |
| Vehicle accidents | 6 |
| Helicopter accidents | 2 |
| Accidental falls | 2 |
| Accidental gunshots | 2 |
| Suicide Suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse... s |
3 |
| Unspecified | 4 |
| Illness | 1 |
| TOTAL | 26 |
| TOTAL | 158 |
Notable fatalities
The first Canadian casualties came on 18 April 2002, in what is known as the Tarnak Farm incidentTarnak Farm incident
The Tarnak Farm incident refers to the killing of four Canadian soldiers and the injury of eight others from the Third Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on the night of April 17, 2002, by an American F-16 fighter jet. The aircraft, piloted by U.S...
. Four soldiers (Privates Richard Green
Richard Green (soldier)
Private Richard A. Green was a Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan in what became known as the Tarnak Farm incident in which a U.S. plane dropped a laser-guided bomb on the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry...
and Nathan Smith
Nathan Lloyd Smith
Private Nathan Lloyd Smith was a Canadian soldier who was killed in a friendly fire incident near Kandahar, Afghanistan ....
, Corporal Ainsworth Dyer and Sergeant Marc Léger) were killed and eight others wounded when an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
F-16 fighter jet dropped a laser-guided 225-kg bomb on the Canadians who were on an exercise at Tarnak Farm, near Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
.
On 17 May 2006, 26 year old Captain Nichola Goddard
Nichola Goddard
Captain Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard, MSM was the first female Canadian combat soldier killed in combat, and the 16th Canadian soldier killed in Canadian operations in Afghanistan.-Profile:...
from the 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery is the name given to the regular field artillery units of the Canadian Army. RCHA units are the senior units of the Canadian land field force, with a history dating back to the birth of Canada as a nation...
was killed during operations against insurgents. She was the first Canadian female soldier to die in combat. On 4 September the same year, Olympic athlete Private Mark Anthony Graham
Mark Anthony Graham
Mark Anthony Graham was a Canadian Olympic athlete and soldier who died while participating in Operation Medusa during the NATO mission in Afghanistan....
from the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Primary Reserve...
was killed by a US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
A-10 Warthog attack aircraft
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
in a friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
incident. Dozens of other Canadians were wounded in the incident.
Non-fatal casualties
Figures released by DND in January 2011 show that the total number of Canadian soldiers injured and wounded in more than nine years of war reached 1,859 by the end of December 2010. 1,244 of these are listed as NBI (Non battle injuries) and 615 of these are listed as WIA (wounded in action).Following a policy change at the beginning of 2010, the Canadian military began to withhold all injury reports, releasing only statistics after the end of a calendar year, citing security reasons.
The Department of National Defence also refuses to disclose the nature or severity of injuries and wounds, claiming that information is an operational secret.
See also
- Canada's role in the invasion of AfghanistanCanada's role in the invasion of AfghanistanCanada did not have a significant role in the first few months of the invasion of Afghanistan that began on October 7, 2001, and the first contingents of regular Canadian troops arrived in Afghanistan only in January–February 2002. Canada took on a larger role starting in 2006 after the Canadian...
- Coalition casualties in AfghanistanCoalition casualties in AfghanistanAs of November 30, 2011, there have been 2,744 coalition deaths in Afghanistan as part of ongoing coalition operations since the invasion in 2001. In this total, the American figure is for deaths "In and Around Afghanistan" which, as defined by the U.S...
- Criticism of the War on Terror
- Opposition to the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
- International public opinion on the war in AfghanistanInternational public opinion on the war in AfghanistanInternational public opinion is largely opposed to the war in Afghanistan. A 47-nation global survey of public opinion conducted in June 2007 by the Pew Global Attitudes Project found considerable opposition to the U.S. and NATO military operations in Afghanistan...
- Protests against the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
External links
- Ottawa Citizen searchable database of Canadian casualties in Afghanistan
- CBC News Indepth: Afghanistan, Canadian casualties
- DND site for Afghanistan casualties
- The Canadian Virtual War Memorial (allows search for information about the dead by name)
- CTV.ca News article listing casualties
- icasualties.org list of Canadian casualties in Afghanistan
- CASR: Hard Numbers – CF Afghanistan Casualties by Vehicle Type, listed Chronologically (up to Feb. 18, 2008)