The bodies of two Canadian soldiers killed earlier this week while serving in Afghanistan are on their way home to Canada.
Chief Warrant Officer Robert Girouard was one of two Canadian soldiers killed in a suicide bombing Monday in Afghanistan.
(DND-Sgt Ron Hartlen)
Hundreds of Canadian, American, Dutch, and British soldiers stood on the Kandhar Airfield Thursday to bid farewell to Cpl. Albert Storm and Chief Warrant Officer Robert Girouard.
The two men died Monday in a suicide bomb attack on the outskirts of Kandahar.
Armoured vehicles, similar to what the soldiers were in when they died, served as makeshift hearses.
A piper played Amazing Grace as the flag-covered coffins were carried onto a Hercules C-130 aircraft for the flight home.
The soldiers were killed when their Bison armoured personnel carrier was struck by a car loaded with explosives. They were members of the Royal Canadian Regiment, based in CFB Petawawa, Ont.
A number of soldiers offered remembrances of their comrades.
Cpl. Albert Storm was killed in a suicide bombing Monday in Afghanistan.
(Sgt Ron Hartlen/DND)
Cpl. William Guse, a medic, says he's a better soldier for having had Girouard as his platoon warrant officer in battle school.
Cpl. Victor Thibault, who served with Storm in Kosovo, says his friend was good-natured, a hard worker, an exceptional soldier and will be missed.
The blast, the first deadly attack on Canadians in six weeks, happened in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar province. Most of the more than 2,000 Canadians in Afghanistan are deployed in Kandahar.
Panjwaii is considered a Taliban stronghold and has been the scene of fierce fighting between NATO soldiers and Taliban militants in recent months.
Forty-four Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan since the mission began in 2002.
With files from the Canadian Press
The bodies of two Canadian soldiers killed by a suicide bomber in Kandahar, Afghanistan were brought back to Canada. Both were from CFB Petawawa located in Petawawa, Ontario.

Their vehicle has intercepted on a road by a suicide bomber. A helicopter came helping all injured and possibly dead soldiers into it where they received medical attention somewhere safe. This time, their vehicle was blown up by a man's car when he drived into them and detonated his car. Two Canadians were killed, the rest were injured.

Canadian, U.S., Dutch, and British soldiers stood at Kandhar Airfield Thursday to farewell Cpl. Albert Storm and Officer Robert Girouard. A piper played ''Amazing Grace'' as the Canadian flag-covered coffins were carried onto the C-130 Hercules aircraft for their flight home.

"It's very hard for me to do it but I know my colleague, my friend and soldier, is going home to a restful place," Cpl. Victor Thibault, 38, of Digby, Nova Scotia said to the Canadian Press. "He's done what he had to do and I believe that's good... He was a good friend. I will miss him," he said. 

Forty-four Canadian soldiers as well as one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002. About 2,500 Canadian troops are serving in Afghanistan.