Victims of CFB Wainwright fire remembered as Grey Cup carried into Calgary

CALGARY — The Grey Cup arrived in Calgary with traditional bagpipes and a Canadian Forces escort Monday as the dozens of soldiers involved in a deadly fire at an Alberta military base were honoured.

The Cup was transported to the Mewata Armoury in a horse-drawn wagon before it was marched inside.

Col. Kyle Clapperton, commander of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, choked up during the ceremony.

He said the arrival of the CFL’s championship trophy is both the beginning of a celebration and a moment of reflection.

“This year that reflection carries special significance,” Clapperton said of the four soldiers who died Oct. 17 during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton.

Dozens of others were injured after strong and sudden winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire racing toward a group of 84 soldiers from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

The soldiers who died were: Pte. Shaun Farrell, 23, of Prince Albert, Sask.; Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, of North Vancouver, B.C.; Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, of Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, of Edmonton.

“We also keep the many injured soldiers, many of whom are reservists from 41 Brigade and serve in the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and the Calgary Highlanders, their families, their friends and their comrades in our thoughts as we wish them the best recovery possible,” Clapperton added.

Several members of the Armed Forces were on hand for the Cup’s arrival.

CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston said he realizes many in the Armed Forces community are carrying an enormous loss and the entire league is thinking about them.

“This is a kickoff to a weeklong celebration and it will be that, but we know for the Canadian Armed Forces’ community, and for so many people here in Alberta, you’re carrying an enormous loss after the tragedy at CFB Wainwright,” he said.

Johnston said that for more than a century, the Grey Cup has travelled through Canadian history and been celebrated in times of joy and carried by Canadians in times of sacrifice.

“There is something especially meaningful about having members of the Canadian Armed Forces help carry it to Calgary today,” he said. “This isn’t just a trophy arriving in a city, it’s more than a century of Canadian stories arriving with it.”

The Edmonton Elks play the Montreal Alouettes for the Cup at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2026.

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press