Pte. Braun Scott
Woodfield, the 24-year-old soldier who died in a vehicle accident
while serving in Afghanistan, was bestowed with full military
honours at a memorial this morning at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.
Hundreds of mourners packed a gymnasium at the New Brunswick base to
pay their last respects to the private known for his patriotism, his
good humour and the maple leaf tattooed on his arm.
A native of Victoria, B.C. raised in Eastern Passage, N.S.,
Woodfield was killed near Kandahar last week when the LAV-3 he was
riding in rolled over. An investigation has since determined the
vehicle's driver swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle. Four other
members of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, were injured.
Two of those soldiers -- Cpl. Shane Dean Jones and Pte. Paul Schavo
-- were present at the memorial Friday.
"It was a tragic accident that claimed the life of an outstanding
soldier," said Brig.-Gen. Rick Parsons, Commander, Land Force
Atlantic, in a eEulogy.
"Braun Woodfield could have been anything he wanted to be. He had no
end to his options ... and just over two years ago he volunteered to
join the army .... he volunteered to wear the Canadian flag on his
shoulder because he wanted to help people. |