Two buses carrying soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Wainwright were greeted by flag-waving supporters on an Alberta highway Wednesday, days after a deadly military base fire.
asserted
buses → carry → fire
Many in the crowd of about 300 also held up signs thanking those troops, who were not among the injured in the fire, for their service.
asserted
who → hold → service
One sign said, “Wainwright stands with you.”
“Our condolences for your comrades and thank you for your service,” said another.
asserted
another → say → service
Troops taking part in training at the base in Wainwright, Alta., southeast of Edmonton, were overwhelmed by a wind-whipped grass fire Saturday.
asserted
Troops → take → fire
Four were killed and dozens were injured.
asserted
dozens → kill → ?
Twenty-seven remain in hospital.
asserted
seven → remain → hospital
The four killed were identified as: Pte. Shaun Farrell, 23, of Prince Albert, Sask.; Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, of North Vancouver; and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, of Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, of Edmonton.
asserted
four → kill → Edmonton
On Wednesday, two military helicopters flew overhead as the two Forces buses drove slowly past the cheering crowd.
asserted
buses → fly → crowd
Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh said the town of roughly 7,000 people wanted to show support for the military.
asserted
town → say → military
“It’s a Highway of Heroes kind of thing in our own little community,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → community
“After the incident, they continued on with their training and continued to do their jobs.
asserted
they → continue → jobs
And so I think the least we can do is show a sense of pride in them and appreciation for what they’re doing.”
asserted
they → think → what
Among those on the highway were several soldiers from the base, some holding regimental and Canadian flags.
asserted
some → hold → flags
Dolly Brooks and her husband were carrying flags.
asserted
Brooks → carry → flags
Her walker was also festooned with a flag and a yellow “Support Our Troops” ribbon.
asserted
walker → festoon → Troops
Dan Brooks spent 33 years in the Forces, and the couple has lived in Wainwright for most of that time.
asserted
couple → spend → time
“I’ve noticed from near and far and all over the world that we’re getting the support that we need and how we come together when we really need to,” said Dolly Brooks.
asserted
Brooks → notice → that
Her husband said always it’s painful when a soldier dies.
asserted
soldier → say → ?
“It’s not easy.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s not the first time I’ve seen a soldier pass on and it’s never nice.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
“You always just hope that there’s a learning curve from what happened here, so we can prevent it in the future.”
asserted
we → hope → future
A huge pile of flowers continues to grow at the cenotaph in Wainwright after four soldiers were killed in a weekend training exercise gone fatally wrong.
asserted
soldiers → continue → exercise
Strong and sudden winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire across the Prairie landscape at lightning speed, stopping soldiers in their tracks and sending 39 to hospital, 19 critically.
asserted
winds → send → hospital
Six have since been discharged, says the defence minister.
asserted
minister → discharge → ?
Rhea Lovely grew up in a military family and her father was driving one of the buses.
asserted
father → grow → buses
She said it has hit the community hard.
asserted
it → say → community
The whole town’s been really quiet, but we’re just looking to support our troops because they are our town,” she said.
asserted
she → look → troops
“It doesn’t matter where they were from in Canada.
asserted
they → matter → Canada
The outpouring of goodwill comes on the same day that churches in the community were preparing to hold a prayer evening vigil for those killed and injured in the fire.
asserted
churches → come → fire
Ryan Wood, pastor of the town’s Church of the Nazarene, said it’s important those in the military know they’re not alone.
asserted
they → say → military
His church is hosting the vigil.
asserted
church → host → vigil
“They’re hurting.
asserted
They → hurt → ?
They’re struggling just like everybody else,” Wood said.
asserted
Wood → struggle → everybody
“We want to have a message that we’re together in supporting our military.
asserted
we → want → military
We’re together in grieving.
asserted
We → ’re → grieving
We’re together in seeking a sense of peace and even hope in all of this.”
asserted
We → ’re → this
Isaiah Mast, pastor of the Evangelical Free Church, said Albertans like to think they’re tough.
asserted
they → say → Church
But they need to know that it’s all right not to be all right.
asserted
it → need → ?
“These things will live with the person,” Mast said.
asserted
Mast → live → person
“I think what we hope to do is to be available for those who are going to be wrestling with this for a few weeks.
asserted
who → think → weeks
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
