Master Cpl. Allan Stewart, who died in Afghanistan on Wednesday when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb, was born for the military but lived for his two daughters, says his sister. "He was about family. Even though he was quiet and kept to himself, we knew he was there for us," said his sister, Tanya Safard, a Saskatoon resident. "He said this was his last tour. He wanted to be home with his daughters." Stewart, 30, was killed with Trooper Patrick James Pentland, 23, just west of Kandahar City when their convoy of armoured vehicles was attacked. They were members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, based in Petawawa, Ont.

A career military man, Stewart lived in Trout Brook, N.B., with his wife and two daughters, Brittney, 12, and Sarah, 8. "He had two younger sisters and two daughters. Allan was a protector. . . . He was born to do this. He's always been a fighter," Safard said. "He spent almost every minute he had with his daughters when he was home." Stewart's other sister, Tammy Shackleton, and his grandmother were in Saskatoon with Safard on Wednesday night mourning Stewart's death. "(Allan) was strong-willed. He was very quiet, but caring," Safard said, trying to hold back tears. He returned to Afghanistan on April 1 after a two week leave, required because of a pinched nerve in his back that was caused when a vehicle he was riding in was bombed, Safard said.

He spent time in Bosnia as a soldier, but he said Afghanistan was a completely different experience, his sister said. "He said it was dirty and bad and this was the worst tour he's been on. He was on the front lines this time," she said.

Stewart and Pentland died on a day that saw three separate attacks in Afghanistan on convoys of Canadian armoured vehicles.

No further information is available at this time.