Father Paul Acton, a member of the Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Association, was among those on Highway 2 just outside the entrance to CFB Trenton. "It is... to show our respect to the families," he said. "It is an important thing to bring back a soldier even if he's in a coffin, they need to come home."

Amid the sea of red, James Dixon of Belleville, Ont., waved a Quebec flag. "I'm holding it up because you just don't see them around here. I want the families to see just how much we respect the boys for doing their job."

[Mario Mercier], a veteran soldier who was planning to retire after his tour in Afghanistan, was affectionately known as "Papa Bear" to his colleagues, said Canadian Forces chaplain Maj. Pierre Bergeron in a short speech. Mercier was a member of the Royal 22nd Regiment.