BRADFORD, Ont. - Hundreds of flag-waving mourners lined the streets of this Ontario town Thursday to remember the latest Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Sapper Brian Collier, who was born in Toronto and raised in Bradford, Ont., died last week in a makeshift bomb attack. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group.

Collier's flag-draped coffin arrived at the Holy Martyrs of Japan Roman Catholic Church to a piper's lament.

Hundreds more filled the church.

"Brian was a wonderful son, he was so proud of his family," the family said in statement delivered by Rev. Larry Leger.

"Brian spoke of how brilliant the stars were in that seemingly godforsaken country. His great concern was to protect all whom he knew."

Collier had left his vehicle in a village about 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city, when he was killed by an IED blast on July 20.

He had been wounded in an earlier encounter with an improvised explosive device during his tour of duty, which began in May.

"How do you say there is meaning when all you really want to do is scream out, '24 year olds aren't supposed to die,' " Rev. Boniface Perri told the congregation.

"But here's one thing I know: Brian's life mattered, it mattered a lot.

"If the value of a man's life is how many people will remember him well, and how many people he touched and loved, and how many people loved him back, then look around to all the people he touched."

Collier's family thanked Canadians from "coast to coast for their tremendous outpouring of prayers and support."

"It has been humbling for us yet it serves as a powerful witness of just how peaceful and loving Canadians are," the family said in a statement.

"This generosity reminds us of Brian's ultimate mission: to bring freedom and prosperity to the people of Afghanistan."

One of Collier's last Facebook posts was about longing for a beer, to which a friend replied one would be waiting for him back home.

Collier was the 151st member of the Canadian military to die during the Afghan mission since it began in 2002.