Bodies of 2 Canadian soldiers return home

Canadian military officials gathered at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario Thursdayasa repatriation ceremony was heldfor two Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan last week.

Cpl. Francisco Gomez, 44, of Edmonton and Cpl. Jason Warren, 29, of Montreal died last Saturday when a suicide bomber blew up his vehicleclose totheir troop carrier near the coalition base in Kandahar.

A military Airbus carrying their bodies landed Thursday shortly before 8:30 p.m. ET.

An honour guard met the caskets of Gomez, andthen Warren, before pallbearers transported them to waiting hearses, as bagpipes played.

Governor General Michaëlle Jean, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillierwere among the officials attendingthe ceremony.

Gomez's brother, Cpl. Richard Gomez, and sister-in-law Sara Gomez were at the ceremony, as were Warren's parents Gerald and Debora, sister Cpl. Rachel Warren, brother Steven, sister-in-law Jolene, and grandfather D.J. Gagnon, who is a retired brigadier-general.

Private funerals for the two soldiers will be held next week. Gomez is expected to be buried in Edmonton, with Warren to be laid to rest in Montreal.

On Tuesday, their fellow troops honoured the fallen soldiers in a ceremony on Kandahar airfield. A lone bagpiper played while their flag-draped coffins were loaded onto the plane. Soldiers stood at attention during the ceremony, but many wiped away tears.

Due for a visit

Gomez and Warren are the 18th and 19th Canadian soldiers to be killed in Afghanistan.

Gomez's family has said that he was due home for a visit in the next few weeks.

"We were looking forward to him coming and visiting and so were the little grandchildren because he plays with them," George Gomez, his father, said.

Warren's family has said they are devastated by his death, but proud of what the reservist accomplished in his life and during his military career.

"Jason was a good, faithful son and a wonderful brother. As he truly believed in what he was doing in Afghanistan, we fully supported him to volunteer for this mission as we have supported him throughout his military career," said the family in a news release. "He died doing what he loved, being a soldier and serving his country."

A reservist, Warren was set to return home from a six-month deployment in August.

Eight others, including one Canadian, were injured in the attack that killed Gomez and Warren.