The Romanian, American and Australian priests had a religious service during the ceremony of repatriation of the post mortem Second Lieutenant Ioan Grosaru, this morning, in the Romanian Camp in Tallil, Iraq.

The military from the 32nd Infantry Battalion, the commander of the 2nd Joint Operational Command Maresal Alexandru Averescu, Lieutenant General Florian Pinta, the commander of the Multinational Division South East, Major General Graham Binns, the deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the Multinational Coalition in Iraq, Brigade General Visarion Neagoe, the commander of the Australian Combat Group, Lieutenant Colonel Jake Elwood, military from the US, British and Australian troops in Iraqi Freedom mission and deployed in Tallil paid their last honor at the Romanian hero's catafalque.

The Battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Cristian Dinulica expressed the grief and suffers the Romanians has: The 32nd Infantry Battalion Mircea will be not the same without Ioan Grosaru. There will be moments we no longer find ourselves but the mission must go on. He will always be in our minds and souls and we will do our job to show that the sacrifice was not in vain. Doing our mission the country trusted us, we will honor his good and nice soul that now is looking to us from above, from our Father.

Commander of the Multinational Division South East, Major General Graham Binns stated: In the name of the British Army, I express our deep respect and the entire admiration for the supreme sacrifice made by your fighter, Iona Grosaru.

General Florian Pinta advised the Romanian military to continue their mission: Do not ever forget that the supreme sacrifice Second Lieutenant (post mortem) Ioan Grosaru made is a symbol of the supreme sacrifice in the total war against terrorism. The entire Coalition is together with the Romanian Army and its hero. Be proud of your comrade who now is looking to us from above.

In the name of his combat comrades the mourning family will receive the Battalion Identification Flag, the booklet symbolizing an eternal flame and an amount of money from the donations made by the Romanian, Australian, British and American comrades.

The Second Lieutenant (post mortem) Ioan Grosaru's corps will be embarked on a Romanian Air Force military plane that will land about at 5 p.m. on Suceava airport.

MoD Press Office