Monday, December 11, 2006
Slain Canadian soldier a hero, commander says
A Canadian soldier's heroic action in the seconds before he was killed this week is being credited for saving the lives of most of his platoon.
Sgt. Craig Paul Gillam and Cpl. Robert Thomas James Mitchell were killed during an attack by insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles outside Kandahar City earlier this week. They had been providing security for road construction about 20 kilometres west of Kandahar when they came under attack."
(Gillam) was able to shout and warn the others about this and then in about 30 seconds the other units were also attacked. Craig Gillam was able to shoot back, however he was killed in the firing," CTV's Paul Workman reported from Afghanistan on Thursday.
Gillam was the only soldier who had opportunity to shoot back when insurgents tried to sneak up on the observation post to set up an ambush, Maj. Andrew Lussier, Gillam and Mitchell's commander, told the Canadian Press.
Seconds later, the insurgents attacked two other two posts. Because of Gillam's heroism, the insurgents were forced to retreat, Lussier said after a ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield.
"His actions, I'm certain, saved the lives of the remainder of the patrol," said Lussier, leader of a surveillance and reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Canadian Dragoons.
Five out of eight soldiers in the observation post were wounded in Tuesday's attack.
CTV Article that this post is quoted from
Sgt. Craig Paul Gillam and Cpl. Robert Thomas James Mitchell were killed during an attack by insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles outside Kandahar City earlier this week. They had been providing security for road construction about 20 kilometres west of Kandahar when they came under attack."
(Gillam) was able to shout and warn the others about this and then in about 30 seconds the other units were also attacked. Craig Gillam was able to shoot back, however he was killed in the firing," CTV's Paul Workman reported from Afghanistan on Thursday.
Gillam was the only soldier who had opportunity to shoot back when insurgents tried to sneak up on the observation post to set up an ambush, Maj. Andrew Lussier, Gillam and Mitchell's commander, told the Canadian Press.
Seconds later, the insurgents attacked two other two posts. Because of Gillam's heroism, the insurgents were forced to retreat, Lussier said after a ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield.
"His actions, I'm certain, saved the lives of the remainder of the patrol," said Lussier, leader of a surveillance and reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Canadian Dragoons.
Five out of eight soldiers in the observation post were wounded in Tuesday's attack.
CTV Article that this post is quoted from
# posted by Willing Foe : 12/11/2006 08:50:00 p.m.
