On Wednesday, just two days before the world celebrated Christmas, I expect the family of Lt. Andrew Nuttall was doing what most Canadians were doing, preparing for Christmas. I expect they were thinking about their loved one serving in Afghanistan. Thinking about how they would celebrate when his deployment was over and he returned home.

I can’t begin to imagine the gut wrenching body slam the Canadian Forces members served them as they arrived at the door to inform them of the death of Lt Nuttall. The news would have been delivered with compassion and as gently as possible but how do you tell anyone news like that gently? Especially just two days before Christmas.

My heart breaks for every Canadian soldier who dies in this war. Lt. Nuttall served with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), my late husband also served with the PPCLI in the Korea War. His birthday would have been on Wednesday, he would have been 79 years old. Frank, my late husband, came home safely although having suffered wounds. His best friend who he had grown up with and joined up with died the day after Frank was shipped out.

That was an unseen wound he always carried. The picture of his buddy, Tommy Fowler, hung in a prominent spot on our wall while Frank was alive. A poppy, replaced every year, tucked into the corner of it to make his remembering of his buddy.

As the residents of British Columbia awaken this Christmas morning, it is unlikely Lt. Nuttall’s family will be able to muster much joy in the season as they prepare to fly to Ontario. On Sunday they will arrive at CFB Trenton to receive home the casket carrying Lt Nuttall. They will then accompany it as a motorcade travels 150km along the Highway of Heroes to Toronto.

His picture will be added to the other 134 Canadians killed in this war on the Colborne Legion’s Wall of Honour. Everyone who enters the branch has to pass by those pictures to enter the building. Those brave Canadians are gone, but not ignored.

I will be among those standing on the bridges along that route to show the family the support of Canadians. I can but hope it will bring the family some small comfort to know they are not completely alone in their grief, their country mourns their loss even if not as personally as they do.

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