Master Corporal Anthony Klumpenhouwer

MCpl Anthony Klumpenhouwer grew up in a farming family of 13 children in the small community of Kurtzville, Ontario. He joined the Canadian Forces on 13 Feb 2002, and after completing basic training he was posted to the Joint Signals Regiment in Kingston, Ontario where he was employed as a Land Communication and Information Systems Technician.

He deployed with Task Force Lebanon during Operation Lion to assist with the evacuation of Canadian citizens from Lebanon and then to Afghanistan with the Provincial Reconstruction Team. He joined the Canadian Special Operations in January 2007 and deployed again to Afghanistan in March 2007.

MCpl Klumpenhouwer was described as a fun-loving young man with a great sense of humour. He was also extremely fit and placed 14th in an annual relay race in Hamilton in 2006, with two other soldiers from CFB Kingston.

Anthony was on duty conducting surveillance in Kandahar City when on 18 April 2007, he was killed as the result of a tragic accident when he fell from a communication tower where he was stationed. His is believed to be the first death for the Canadian Special Forces in Afghanistan.

Maj. Doug Allison, spokesperson for the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, said the death has been a tough blow for Canada's fraternity of clandestine fighters, who call themselves the "quiet professionals."