22 October 2004

National Silver Cross Mother named for 2004

OTTAWA – Mrs. Agatha Dyer of Montreal has been selected by The Royal Canadian Legion as the 2004 Silver (Memorial) Cross Mother. She is the mother of the late army Corporal Ainsworth Dyer.

Corporal Dyer was killed in a friendly fire incident at Tarnak Farm in Afghanistan while serving as a member of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Afghanistan in 2002.

Mrs. Dyer will lay a wreath at the National War Memorial during the annual 11 November National Remembrance Day Ceremony on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost sons or daughters in the military or Merchant Navy services of the nation. The ceremony is organized and conducted by the Legion on behalf of the Government of Canada and in memory of all Canadians who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of freedom and peace.

Mrs. Agatha Dyer

The National Silver (Memorial) Cross Mother for 2004 is Mrs. Agatha Dyer of Montreal, Quebec. The National Silver Cross Mother is chosen annually by The Royal Canadian Legion to represent the mothers of Canada at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on 11 November. As the Silver Cross Mother she will lay a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who lost children in the military and Merchant Navy service of the nation

Mrs. Dyer is the mother of the late Corporal Ainsworth Dyer who died from friendly fire while on duty with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) in Afghanistan in 2002.  She is the former spouse of the late Paul Dyer of Toronto. Corporal Dyer was one of the couple’s four children.

Mrs. Dyer is a native of Clarendon, Jamaica who immigrated to Canada in 1972.  Now retired she has lived in Montreal since her arrival in Canada.

Corporal Ainsworth Dyer

Corporal Ainsworth Dyer was born in Montréal, Que., on July 29, 1977 and resided in Toronto, Ont. He enrolled with the Militia’s 48th Highlanders of Canada as an Infantryman in February 1996 and transferred to the Regular Force in October 1997.

After completing Battle School, Cpl Dyer was posted to 3 PPCLI in the spring of 1998, where he served as a Rifleman and deployed with 3 PPCLI on Operation Palladium to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2000. He later deployed with his battalion to Operation Apollo in Afghanistan where he was killed during a live fire exercise.

For further information please contact Bruce Poulin at Dominion Command, The Royal Canadian Legion, at (613) 591-3335 ext. 241 or by cell at (613) 292-8760.

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