Cpl Tyler Crooks, 3rd Bn, The Royal Canadian Regiment. 20-02-09

[Mike Blais]

On the bridge, Saturday.








Legion afterwards. Proud royals all.

[Mike Blais]

Sit Rep. Alright, lads,. I visited the funeral home yesterday to offer my condolences to the family and his friends. Afterwards, i stopped in at the legion in Port to confirm whether there would be a honour guard at the cemetery. They are not doing so as yet so we shall provide one of our own.

The funeral service is at 1300. We shall be meeting at the cemetery, main gate, at 1330.

More to follow as the day progresses, should the situation change. Afterwards, we have been invited to the port Colborne legion for refreshments and a some snacks.

Mike.   

[Mike Blais]

To those, who can make it,
 
We are meeting tomorrow, (Thursday, 2 April, 2009), at St Paul's Cemetery in Pt Colborne, 3rd Concession, between 1:15 and 1:30 for the purpose of providing an honour guard as the funeral procession for Cpl Tyler Crooks, 3RCR, enters the cemetery, much as we did in St Catharines, three weeks ago.
 
To get to St Paul's Cemetery, head south on Hwy 406 to East Main St, left, under the canal, to Hwy 140. South to Concession 3 then turn left . The cemetery is on the right, just keep driving till you see it.
 
Blue/Grays, Berets and Gloves, please. If you do not have a uniform, please wear red.

[Mike Blais]

Funeral services for fallen soldier Thursday
Public can watch video feed of Cpl. Crook's services at Lakeshore Catholic High School
Posted By MARK TAYTI/Tribune Staff
Posted 2 hours ago
   

PORT COLBORNE — High-ranking members of the Canadian Forces will attend funeral services Thursday for Port Colborne soldier Cpl. Tyler Crooks.

The service gets underway at First Lutheran Church on Elm St. in Port Colborne at 1 p.m.

It is for family members, friends of the family and “official mourners” only, said Capt. Scott Costen, public affairs officer with 31 Canadian Brigade Group.

Crooks was a member of November Company, 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment based in Petawawa. He was one of four soldiers killed in two separate incidents March 20 in Afghanistan's Kandahar province.

The 24-year-old Crooks and Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli, 28, of Sault Ste. Marie, were killed by an improvised explosive device while on foot patrol in the Zhari district. Crooks and Vernelli, along with other soldiers, were in the final stages of clearing out a village and about to sit down with local elders when a soldier set off a booby trap.

One local interpreter was killed and one was injured in the attack, reported the Canadian Forces.

Trooper Jack Bouthillier of Hearst, Ont., and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes, of New Brunswick, of The Royal Canadian Dragoons, were killed just hours later when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the Shah Wali Kot district, a region northwest of the city. Eight other soldiers were injured in the two blasts.

Costen said he expects about 400 people will attend Thursday's funeral service at the church.

The public has an opportunity to watch a live video feed of the funeral service at Lakeshore Catholic High School at 150 Janet St.

"Members of the media are excluded from both locations at the request of the family,” Costen said. The media is allowed to observe the funeral procession as it enters and exits the church.

Military officials in attendance are to include Brig.-Gen. John Collin, commander of land forces central area; Col. Dean Milner, commander of 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group; Maj. Mike Percy, acting commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment and Lt.-Col. Matt Richardson of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.

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Costen said at least 40 members of the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment are expected to attend.

Army reserve units are also expected to be in attendance, Costen added.

There will be a short procession from Davidson Funeral Homes on Clarence St. to the church led by a Niagara Regional Police escort.

A “bearer party” consisting of military personnel will carry the body of Cpl. Crooks into the church while a military guard salutes the fallen soldier.

The service will be led by Rev. Thomas Arth, who said his message will centre on trying to provide “comfort to the loved ones who are going to be missing Tyler.”

“There is a sadness,”Arth said. “He died way too soon.”

Scriptures will be read and prayers given by Rev. Mike McHugh, chaplain for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, and Francesca Scorsone, a chaplain from CFB Petawawa.

Arth said about eight people will deliver eulogies at the service. He anticipates the service will take an hour or longer.

The church sanctuary seats about 220 and the church hall – which will have a live video feed – seats another 220. Arth said the Lincoln and Welland Regiment was at the church yesterday dropping off more chairs.

Lakeshore Catholic High School auditorium seats 600.

Arth said text he will be using for the funeral is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and John 15.

The funeral procession from the church to the cemetery will travel north on Elm St. to Main St. E., east to Highway 140 and north to 3rd Concession and east to St. Paul’s cemetery in Bethel.

Costen said the interment at St. Paul’s Cemetery is a private ceremony and not intended for members of the general public.

[Mike Blais]

And so it is done.

A sad day in Port Colborne, where our regimental brother in arms, Tyler Crooks, was interned beneath a shining sun and the sound of rifle fire shattering the peaceful nature of the rural cemetery. 


Let me assure the older generation, of which I am one, that those who have taken up the torch, those fine young Royal Canadians of the next generation, are every bit as sharp and professionally polished as we once were. The lads performed an outstanding job under very difficult circumstances and, as a Branch, we offer our compliments to everybody involved.

We assembled on either side of the road just outside of the cemetery and with great pleasure, I can say the The Niagara Branch, The RCR Association, was amply represented! Jay Matzoz, whom joined our group last week on the bridge, was selected to bear our Regimental banner. Jay is an Afghan veteran, a serving member of the Regiment currently posted down in the Niagara Region. Jay paraded in the dress uniform of the Royal Canadian Regiment and stood proud on the right. Al Mckelvey, Korean vet, Royal Canadian and colour sergeant for our Branch, bore the association branch banner on the opposite side the the street. Royal Canadians in attendance (Association) were  Mike Gander, Brian Peacock, Andy Anderson, who drove down from Hamilton to join us, Ed MacDonald, Korean Vet, myself and Jimmy Kaczmerec. We were joined on parade by the president of the Niagara Region, PPCLI Association, George Ledwand, Hub Lalonde, my favourite Korean War Patricia, Don "Buzz" Bowman, president of the Cpl Albert Storm CD Branch, CAVUNP and several legionnaires of fine standing.

To our intense pleasure,  Major General Walter M. Holmes, MBE, CD, Honourary Colonel of the The Royal Canadian Regiment, was in attendance and graciously took time to briefly speak with each of our members before the funeral procession arrived.

Outstanding!

As was the performance of the guard and firing party. Our brother, Cpl Tyler Crooks, would be proud of his friends and colleagues today. 

Pro Patria.

Sgt Michael Blais  CD
President, Niagara Branch
The Royal Canadian Regiment Association. 

[Mike Blais]

Family, friends say goodbye to a hero

MILITARY FUNERAL: Cpl. Tyler Crooks laid to rest
Posted By KAESHA FORAND, SUN MEDIA

Before entering the funeral service for her fiance, Kelly Maxwell took a deep breath and looked up into the sky.

Arm-in-arm, she and Tage, Alfred and Karen Crooks entered First Lutheran Church for the funeral of Cpl. Tyler Crooks. Soon after, O Canada could be heard outside.

During the service, words of remembrance were shared by family and friends, Scripture was read and a regimental prayer recited.

Members of the RCMP, Niagara Regional Police, soldiers in desert camouflage, Niagara Parks Police, legion members, Canadian Army veterans, students and mourners gathered around the church while Port Colborne residents lined streets and Hwy. 140 with flags and poppies to pay their respects.

Crooks joined the military in 2005.

Maj. Michael Percy, acting commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment based in Petawawa, said Crooks was eager to learn and integrated into his role as a soldier quickly.

"He became a key member of the battalion team ... He had significant potential. He had a knack for it," Percy said, noting Crooks was promoted to corporal one year faster than soldiers typically climb military ranks.

"The thing that stood out was his positive attitude," said the company commander who knew Crooks well during their year together.

Percy recalled an outdoor training exercise in Canada where, despite the frigid temperatures that dipped near -30 C, Crooks had an ear-to ear-smile.

He said Crooks' death at a young age meant he had potential that he was never able to fulfil, but also noted it hurts when a soldier is lost at any age.

The funeral lasted about 90 minutes and was attended by about 400 mourners. Led by Rev. Thomas Arth, the service was attended by military officials including Brig.-Gen. John Collin, commander of land forces central area; Col. Dean Milner, commander of 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group; and Col. John Celestino, commander of 21 Canadian Brigade Group.

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At Lakeshore Catholic High School, about 300 to 400 mourners watched the funeral from a live video feed on three screens hung above the auditorium stage. On the stage were crosses surrounded by white lilies.

After the church service, bagpipes could be heard playing Amazing Grace, as ministers walked slowly down church steps to stand near a waiting hearse.

Then, a silence fell across the community. Mourners stifled their crying and slowly the coffin of Cpl. Crooks made its way to the hearse, carried by his comrades.

Mourners flooded out of the church shortly after. Some were wiping tears from beneath sunglasses, others were embracing to comfort each other. A few were sporting hockey jerseys in honour of the Canadian hero who was also an avid hockey player.

Thursday marked the end of a long journey for Crooks, 13 days after he was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. He was laid to rest in St. Paul's Cemetery in the Port Colborne hamlet of Bethel.

The private burial included a bagpiper, a bugler playing Last Post and a firing party. The flag that has draped Crooks' coffin since his return to Canada was folded and given to his family by a senior officer, in addition to his beret and the general campaign star medal he earned for his tour in Afghanistan.

The night before the funeral, Crooks' younger brother Tage was given a memorial cross - an item that is historically given out to wives of fallen soldiers. Upon entering service, however, Crooks made a decision to have such honours given to his brother.

[Mike Blais]

At the cemetery. A few of the fellows are not in the picture. Al Morris, in command of a NRP special constable unit, paraded at the church. Jimmy K was at the church and came later.  We were  joined by the reps from the KVA, the CAVUNP and the PPCLI Association.

Waiting.

[ranrad]

May our brother rest in peace, and may i thank him and hi family and friends for all ther dedication and service..nice pics, thanks Mike, ranrad

[Mike Blais]

Thanks Ron. I wish you lived locally because I know you would be there with us. I just KNOW it.