Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

Edith Bailey is distraught over the death of her son Mark Anthony Graham, a member of the Canadian military who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. - Daraine Luton

AN INFANTRY man's dream is to destroy the enemy on the battlefield and then make it out alive to not only claim medals of bravery, but also to tell the tale.

These may have been the lines along which Private Mark Anthony Graham was thinking when he was deployed to Afghanistan five weeks ago. But before the Jamaican-born Canadian soldier could taste real combat, he was killed by his allies! The military term is 'friendly fire.'

Graham's mother, Ms. Edith Bailey, fought desperately to hold back the tears, but with reality staring her in the face, she had to let go. Never again will she see her beloved son Mark.

Pvt. Graham, 33, a member of the Royal Canadian Regiment, perished to friendly fire in Afghanistan on Monday. Two U.S. aeroplanes mistakenly fired on the platoon he and 30 others were in.

It was Mrs. Audrey Pinnock-Fairwather, a cousin with whom Graham grew up, who revealed the shocking news to Ms. Bailey.

"I felt every pain that I felt to bring him on the earth when mi get the news," bemoaned his mother.

Picture of distress

An obvious picture of distress, she sat in a comfortable chair at a house in Gordon Town, St. Andrew, where her son spent his early years before leaving for Canada.

" ... No more Mark again. Mi nah guh si mi pickney again," she lamented.

Along with Pvt. Graham's aunt, Mrs. Rachel Pinnock and Mrs. Pinnock-Fairweather, Ms. Bailey perused photographs, newspaper clippings and Internet downloads of the slain soldier. They all remembered him as a jovial boy who could not stay still; and a little boy who had a healthy appetite.

"He was a loving person. We used to play together, tearing down the hillside ... We were very close ... Those memories I will never forget," Mrs. Pinnock-Fairweather said.

"I wonder if I talked to him enough about loving the Lord more?" Mrs. Pinnock pondered, while holding unto the hope of seeing him in the after life.

Ms. Bailey worked as a barmaid during Mark's early years in Jamaica. When the opportunity came for her to give him a better life, she allowed him to migrate to live with his father, Albert. He was seven years old when he left.

Hamilton became Mark's home and he would later carry Canada's flag proudly as a sprinter at the 1992 Atlanta Olympics.

Injury forced Graham to cut short his athletics career in 1994. After a stint in the fitness business as a gym instructor, he joined the regiment. Five weeks ago, he was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led anti-Taliban operation.

A 'gentle giant'

However, before experiencing real combat, the man Mrs. Pinnock-Fairweather described as a "gentle giant" perished.

"I am deeply saddened and very upset that he went that way. If he had died in combat you could understand, but I don't understand the term friendly fire," Mrs. Fairweather said.

Ironically, Mark, who has not been home in 20 years was planning to visit in March, when his tour of duty in Afghanistan would have ended. But as fate would have it, death went knocking.

"Mi nuh know how this wound is going to stop bleeding," Ms Bailey said as she laments not seeing him again. She will not even be journeying to Canada for Mark's final send off. Like other family members, Miss Bailey will just have to hold unto memories.

The Canadian Olympic Association remembered Graham as a "courageous patriot and an outstanding athlete."

Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper while extending condolences to Private Graham's family and friends said Canada took "comfort in knowing that he did not lose his life in vain. His sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice, will have helped the local displaced population to return home and be free from the shadow of the Taliban".

In all, 32 Canadian soldiers have died since the mission to Afghanistan began in 2002.