Pte. Spencer Cudney with mom Elizabeth Barr

Elizabeth Barr, a sales representative with Royal LePage Niagara R.E. Centre, is the mother of a soldier in active duty in Afghanistan. Her son, 20-year-old Pte. Spencer Cudney, serves as an infantry foot soldier with Oscar Company of the 1st Royal Canadian Regiment battle group. His unit is stationed in the eastern Panjwal district of Kandahar province, the centre of the Taliban-led insurgency.

In a July 9 story in the Toronto Star, reporter Paul Watson detailed the challenges, responsibility and daily dangers faced by Oscar Company, including the heavy responsibility to detonate hidden explosives. Foot soldiers like Pte. Cudney are required to carry about 45 kilograms of body armour, weapons, water, food and other essentials when they embark on 12-hour foot patrols.

Barr is extremely proud of Cudney and says he is charming, witty, loving and happy-go-lucky. She recently spoke at the Rotary Club in St. Catharines about being the mother of a soldier in active duty in a war zone. Cudney returns to Canada in October for a scheduled short reprieve from active duty before he returns to Afghanistan for the remainder of his tour. While home, he has a special question he plans to ask of his long-time girlfriend.