680NEWS

SASKATOON - Citizens hung Canadian flags over a highway overpass and lined the route as the funeral procession for a soldier killed in Afghanistan wound its way through Saskatoon on Saturday.

Lt. Justin Boyes was killed Oct. 28 in an explosion while he was leading a foot patrol southwest of Kandahar City. It came only 10 days into the 26-year-old infantryman's second tour of duty in the country.

Among those who came out to pay honour to the young soldier was George Cook, a 90-year-old veteran of the Second World War.

"I wanted to see a young man put to rest," explained Cook, who sat in his wheelchair with a blanket over his lap to ward off the chill air. "It's just hard to let your son go into the battlefield when you know he might come home like this."

Scott Walls choked back tears and watched as a group of Canadian Air Cadets, including his daughter, saluted when the hearse drove by.

"I just figured it was the thing to do," he said. "Honour (Boyes) for our freedom. That's about all I can say."

Randy Dombowski, who stood beside Walls, said it was a sad day.

"It's the least that we can do to come out and pay our respects for someone that was willing to fight for our freedoms around the world." said Dombowski. "It's not a big sacrifice for us to be here."

Boyes, who was married with a three-year-old son, was based in Edmonton with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

His family asked that Saturday's memorial service be private, but his widow said recently that she wanted to share her husband's concern that Canadians are losing support for the mission in Afghanistan.

Alanna Boyes described her husband was a selfless, loving, courageous man who was a wonderful father.

Recently he told her he was worried that some Canadians are undermining the military's efforts in the ravaged country.

"Justin and I believe in the mission in Afghanistan," she has said.

"One of the things that frustrated him was the lack of support from the Canadian citizens he lived to protect. He said recently, 'we're not losing this war, but if we do, it's because we lost it at home first.' "

Boyes was the 132nd Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since the mission began in 2002. A few days later, Sapper Steven Marshall was also killed when his patrol struck an IED in Panjwaii district, 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.