Heading Home
Their tour of duty in Afghanistan completed, the men and women of the 3PPCLI prepare to come back home for a well deserved rest before being redeployed elsewhere on other assignments.
18 July 02 - Canadian soldiers from the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) Battle Group march on the close-out parade and cairn dedication ceremony in front of the Kandahar Air Field terminal.
18 July 02 - Major General Franklin "Buster" Hagenbeck, Commanding General of Task Force Mountain (center) and Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran Commanding Officer the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) Battle Group inspect Canadian soldiers during the close-out parade and cairn dedication.
18 July 02 - Master-Corporal Charles Gladue from the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) Battle Group, along with American and Romanian soldiers, rests on his arms reversed during the close-out parade and cairn dedication ceremony.
22 July 02 - Members of Third Batallion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group (3 PPCLI BG), board a Boeing 747 aircraft for the flight to the Island of Guam for a "decompression" period prior to redeploying to Canada after a completing a 6 month tour in Afghanistan in support of Operation Apollo, Canada's military contribution to the international campaign against terrorism.
Homecoming
28 July 02 - Edmonton, Alberta - About 280 soldiers of the Third Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, arrived at Edmonton International Airport after serving a six month tour of duty in Afghanistan with Op Apollo. After disembarking from a charter plane, they were greeted by military leaders and government officials, before moving on to clearing Customs and retrieving luggage. They then proceeded to transport buses at the main terminal, where they were met by cheering relatives, well wishers, and media. After boarding the buses, they were given a police motorcycle escort along a route where hundreds of people, with Canadian flags and yellow ribbons, waved and cheered the troops home to their base at Edmonton Garrison.
In the days that followed, similar welcomes awaited others of the battle group as they arrived.
Fire trucks from the Edmonton International Airport fire department spray the plane carrying the returning soldiers as a welcome home salute.
Brigadier-General Ivan Fenton, Commander Land Force Western Area (LFWA), meets with returning troops.
Colonel Stuart Beare, Commander, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, welcomes home Regimental Sargeant Major Comeau from Afghanistan. Major-General Richard Hillier, Assistant Chief of Land Staff looks on.
Returning troops assemble to pick up luggage at the airport.
Sargeant Ford, soldier injured in Afghanistan, meets with fellow soldiers returning from Afghanistan.
Returning troops arrive to see crowds cheering and thanking them for a job well done.
Proud well-wishers, Chase Turnbull 12, an Air Cadet, and his mother, Kelly Turnbull, wave flags as they greet the returning troops as they pass by on DND buses.
Well-wishers greet the returning troops as they pass by on DND buses at 97 street and 137 Ave.
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