Canadians pay tribute to Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht and Pte. Andrew Miller as the motorcade carrying their bodies travels from CFB Trenton to Toronto on Tuesday. (Fred Thornhill/Reuters)

The bodies of two medics killed in Afghanistan returned to Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario on Tuesday afternoon.

Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht and Pte. Andrew Miller, both from CFB Petawawa, died Saturday after their armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.

Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht and Pte. Andrew Miller were killed when their armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. (Department of Defence)

They had been responding to a report of a mine found in the doorway of a home when their vehicle detonated the IED, the military said. The blast occurred about 20 kilometres southwest of the city of Kandahar.

Queen Elizabeth, in Halifax on the second day of a nine-day visit to Canada, asked that her condolences be conveyed to the families of Giesebrecht and Miller.

Giesebrecht, 34, and Miller, 21, were the 149th and 150th members of the Canadian Forces to die in Afghanistan since the Canadian mission began there in 2002. They were attached to the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group.

Fondly remembered

Giesebrecht, who was born in Wallaceburg, Ont., and was based at CFB Petawawa in the Ottawa Valley, was a fit, dedicated, fun-loving medical technician and "a wonderful friend, always opening her heart to everyone in need," according to Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, commander of Task Force Kandahar. She was serving her second tour in Afghanistan.

Miller was born in Sudbury, Ont. A member of 2 Field Ambulance, based at CFB Petawawa, he was serving on his first overseas deployment.

Vance said Miller will be remembered as someone who would give his fellow soldiers the shirt off his back and was always the first to volunteer.

"Andrew was very confident in both his soldier and clinical skills. He wanted nothing more than to be part of the Health Services Unit for ROTO 9, in Afghanistan, so that he could put his skills to the test," he said.

At the request of the soldiers' families, media were not permitted on the tarmac at the repatriation ceremony, which took place just after 2 p.m. at CFB Trenton.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay, Gen. Walt Natynczyk and other dignitaries were scheduled to attend.