Privates Dale and Kirby farewelled from Afghanistan

The 1st Mentoring Task Force farewelled two of its fallen comrades in a moving ceremony at Multi-National Base Tarin Kot yesterday evening (Australian Time) before they commenced the first leg of their journey home.

Privates Tomas Dale, 21, and Grant Kirby, 35, of the Brisbane-based 6th Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment, were killed in action when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated while they were conducting an overwatch task in the Baluchi Valley last Friday.

Commander Joint Task Force 633, Major General John Cantwell, said the two soldiers were fondly remembered by their mates during the service – not just as highly regarded soldiers but as brothers to them all.

“The service highlighted just how close-knit the soldiers from the 1st Mentoring Task Force have become after almost seven months of operations,” Major General Cantwell said.

“Tomas and Grant were separated by a few years and had quite naturally fallen into the role of youngest and oldest brothers in their section.

“Losing anyone is hard, but losing two people close enough to be considered as brothers, in every sense of that word, is especially difficult and it will be a real test for those who need to continue with this fight in their honour.”

Major General Cantwell said Tomas’ and Grant’s section mates were transported in from their outlying patrol base to attend the service and wish their mates a final farewell.

“It is an emotional time for them, particularly as they work through their grief and then refocus to get back on with the job at hand.

“I think the hardest part of dealing with this tragedy is knowing that two brave young men were taken from us by such a cowardly weapon.

“We’re also thinking of Tomas and Grant’s families as they prepare themselves for that awful ordeal of laying their loved ones to rest.”

The memorial service was followed by a traditional ramp ceremony with more than 1000 Australian, ISAF and Afghan servicemen and women lining the road to the Tarin Kot airstrip to pay their final respects as the flag-draped caskets of Privates Dale and Kirby moved past.

The fallen soldiers were taken to the major Australian Support Area at Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE and will remain under the watchful guard of fellow Australian soldiers until they commence the next leg of their journey home in the coming days.

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