Canadian Sgt. James Macneil dies fighting the enemy in Afghanistan

Sgt. James Macneil, 28

10-year veteran of the Canadian Forces was killed Monday while on foot patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan, the military announced.

Brig.-Gen. Jon Vance, Canada’s top commander in Afghanistan said Sgt. James Macneil, 28, was killed at approximately 8 a.m. local time by an IED.

Macneil was patrolling with the Afghan army near Nakhonay, a village southwest of the city of Kandahar, when the device exploded, Vance said.

A man "with a big heart," Jimmy, as he was known, was regarded as "the epitome of excellence and professionalism," Vance said.

Macneil was on his fourth mission to Afghanistan. He was based in Petawawa, Ont., with the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group

Jeannie Lind, his cousin, said MacNeil was planning a new chapter in his life and had just become engaged to Laura, a teacher living in Glace Bay as well, hoping to eventually buy a house and become stationed in Sydney, N.S.

“I begged him not to go, I didn’t have a good feeling about it,” Lind said from her Glace Bay home. “He already went three times and was lucky to make it home those three times. We had a feeling something bad was going to happen this time. We didn’t want him to go.”

In a statement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper thanked Macneil for his service and said: "We are all saddened by this loss."

Governor General Michaëlle Jean released the following statement:

It was with great sadness that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I learned of the death of Sergeant James Patrick Macneil of 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ontario. Sergeant Macneil was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was on foot patrol, some 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar, in the Panjwa’i district.

Driven day after day by their sense of duty, the members of the Canadian Forces answer their country’s call in response to Afghan security commitments undertaken by NATO-member countries, under the auspices of the United Nations. Sergeant Macneil was a dedicated participant in this most complex and perilous mission. We shall forever be indebted to him for the tremendous perseverance, courage, heroism and generosity that he exhibited. We shall not forget him.

I know that Canadians are as one in their desire to offer comfort and support to Sergeant Macneil’s family, friends and brothers-in-arms. We join them in extending our deepest sympathies and condolences.

As of today, Canada has lost 148 soldiers in the war in Afghanistan since 2002.

We at Oye! Times humbly pay our respect to Sgt. James Macneil’s family and the loved ones he left behind.

Please leave a comment or condolences for our fallen soldier.