We regret to advise of the death of Sergeant Brenton Gertz, CD who died suddenly on 29 January 2003 while working in Bosnia in his civilian job with ATCO Frontec. Brenton served as a Sapper in the Regular Force for 20 years and served with 8 Field Engineer Regiment in the Reserve Force after his retirement.
Sergeant Brent Gertz started his military career in 1973 in the Militia with 8 Field Engineer Regiment, Edmonton, AB. In the early 1970s he served on the UN Emergency Force Middle East as one of the first Reservists to support our UN missions. Brenton joined the Regular Force as a Sapper in 1978, initially serving with 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Chilliwack. For the period 1980 - 1988, he served with 4 Combat Engineer Regiment in Lahr Germany where he became an Armoured Engineer operator - a specialty that he remained with for the rest of his Regular Force career. He left Germany as a Master Corporal and was posted Camp Gagetown, NB where he served in both the Armour School and 22 Field Squadron and was promoted to Sergeant in 1989. In 1992 he was transferred to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering, Chilliwack and then was posted to 1 Combat Engineer Regiment as it was relocated to Edmonton. While with 1 CER, he served on Op Palladium Roto 1 with the Lord Strathcona's Horse Battle Group.
Brent retired from the Regular Force in 1998 with 20 years of service and immediately joined the Primary Reserve as a member of 8 Field Engineer Regiment. After retiring from the Regular Force, Brenton worked with ATCO Frontec in overseas locations.
The funeral service was held at the South Side Memorial Chapel in Edmonton on 4 February with a grave site interment following at South Haven Cemetery. A reception followed in the Senior Non-Commissioned Officers' Mess at the LCol P.L. Debney Armoury, 8403 Roper Road, Edmonton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Medecins sans Frontieres or Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association. {khApr2016}