We regret to advise of the death of Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Bradley "Chris" LaSalle, CD (Ret'd) in Ottawa on 3 November.  Chris was the former Regimental Sergeant Major of 33 Combat Engineer Regiment.

Born and raised in Burlington ON, Chris was greatly influenced by his scout leaders with their past military service and this led to his enlisting in the Canadian Forces in 1986 in Hamilton.  After his recruit training at Canadian Forces Base Cornwallis, Chris completed his basic Combat Engineering training at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack BC in 1987.

Chris’ first posting was to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment in Petawawa ON but it was short as he was posted the next year to 4 Combat Engineer Regiment in Lahr, Germany. During his tour in Germany, Chris deployed with the regiment as part of the Canadian Contingent, United Nations Protection Force (CCUNPROFOR) in March – October 1992. He returned to 2 CER in Petawawa and, during this tour, Chris was sent back into Bosnia in January 1996 as part of the first NATO multinational Implementation Force (IFOR) mission. 

Chris subsequently had a four-year tour with CFSME starting in 1997 and an exchange posting to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His last posting was with 4 Engineer Support Regiment in Gagetown. In 2001. While at 4 ESR, Chris deployed to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Qunaytirah Syria (Jul - March 2006).

Chris’ Regular Force career also included domestic deployments such as the 1997 Winnipeg Flood and the 1998 Ice Storm.  He retired from the Canadian Forces in 2006 after 20 years of service with the Regular Force and set up residence in Val-Des Monts QC. He joined 33 CER in 2007 and also accepted a Class B position with the Joint Engineer Branch in the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command Headquarters later that year conducting Country Info and IED-EOD Intelligence work. Chris remained with CEFCOM through its transition to the Canadian Joint Operations Command Headquarters. When he was promoted to Warrant Officer, Chris returned to Class A status in 2013 with 33 CER in the position of Squadron Sergeant Major. In 2015, on promotion to Master Warrant Officer, he moved over to a Class B position with Competition and Benefits (DGCB) to work on the new job-evaluation system for the purpose of pay. He served with them until his retirement in 2021. 

Chris deployed with 33 CER in 2017 during Op LENTUS for a bridge build in Laval QC. He has also been an active member of the Canadian Military Engineers Association where he served as the Reserve Units Representative on the National Committee. He was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer in October 2020 and assumed the duties of Regimental Sergeant Major of 33 CER in 2020. Unfortunately, Chris became ill shortly thereafter and took a medical release early in 2021.

Funeral arrangements are private as Chris did not want any ceremony. His widow suggests that you can remember Chris by reading The Engineer Prayer that he always kept with him:

Almighty God. We pray thee to bless the Canadian Military Engineers. May our bridges always stand and our charges never fail. Our men be ever loyal, and our officers worthy of their loyalty. May we work diligently in all our purposes and be skilled in our trades; good soldiers for King  and country everwhere. Amen.

If you would like to make a gesture in his memory, you can make a donation to the SPCA of the Outaouais  as Chris would have liked.