2,300 attend funeral for fallen Canadian Soldier
CTV
An estimated 2,300 people gathered in Wingham, Ont. to remember Cpl. Matthew Dinning, a Canadian soldier who lost his life in Afghanistan one week ago.
Dinning and three other soldiers died on April 22 when a roadside bomb destroyed the G-Wagon jeep carrying them as they travelled from Gumbad to their home base in Kandahar.
People streamed into a hockey arena in the town of 3,000 people about 150 kilometres west of Toronto to attend the funeral for the 23-year-old who was born in Richmond Hill, Ont.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Ontario Provincial Police attended, wearing formal dress uniforms.
Purple ribbons adorned trees and storefronts through town, placed in memory of the fallen soldier.
Those at the service got to watch Dinning's life unfold on a giant video screen as his father Lincoln showed home movies of Matt singing O Canada as a young boy, appearing as Robin Hood in a school play and speaking at a wedding.
"Now I'd like to show you some of the video that Mr. Harper wouldn't let you see close up of Matthew's arrival home,'' said Lincoln. He then showed some home video of Matt's remains returning to CFB Trenton on Tuesday.
Lincoln told the crowd his son was well aware of the risks he faced serving in Afghanistan, and died doing a job he loved.
Matt "knew that he would have a target on his back'' serving in Afghanistan, said Lincoln, an Ontario Provincial Police officer.
"I distinctly remember him saying: `If I'm going to be killed, it will be by a roadside bomb and I'll die instantly.' How right he was.''
Brendon, Matt's younger brother, talkd about how the two planned to drink some beer together when Matt was scheduled to return to Canada in the fall.
"I love you, you're the best brother in the world and, Matt, this one's for you buddy,'' Brendon, said, cracking open a can in the process and holding it up.
He also read a poem entitled Freedom Isn't Free.
A hockey player who spent much of his youth at the arena where his funeral was held, former hockey coach Mark Foxton remembered Matt.
He said Dinning joined the military because he thought it would improve his chances of being hired by the Ontario Provincial Police, and said they had "a special bond and friendship."
Dinning's remains are to be cremated and interned during a private family ceremony.
The funeral for Lieut. William Turner, who also died in the April 22 attack, will be held on Monday in Erin, Ont. at the Royal Canadian Legion.
Also on Monday, Cpl. Randy Payne's funeral will be held in Gananoque, Ont. at Grace United Church. It will be followed by a memorial service scheduled for Wednesday at his military base, CFB Wainwright, in Alberta.
The funeral for Bombardier Myles Mansell of Victoria, B.C. will take place Wednesday afternoon.
[img height=120 alt="An honour guard brings the coffin of Cpl. Matthew Dinning in to his memorial service" src="vny!://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20060429/160_dinning_coffin_060429.jpg" width=160 border=0]
[DIV class=topPhoto][img height=120 alt="Lincoln and Laurie Dinning, parents of Cpl. Matthew Dinning" src="vny!://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20060429/160_dinning_parents_060429.jpg" width=160 border=0] Lincoln and Laurie Dinning, parents of Cpl. Matthew Dinning
[DIV class=topPhoto][img height=120 alt="Lieut. William Turner" src="vny!://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20060422/160_cpl_matt_dinning_060422.jpg" width=160 border=0] Cpl. Matthew Dinning
[/DIV]
