Nolan Victor Durie was a 21 year old Canadian volunteer who joined the Ukrainian military in 2022 when he was only nineteen.

I knew him well before he actually joined the Ukranian army, young and determined, with a seriousness and purpose well beyond his years.

As a volunteer instructor with the Tactical Combat Advisory Group, he committed himself fully to our mission. He wanted to train Ukrainian soldiers to the highest standard and worked constantly to improve his own skills. He studied, he practiced, and he always pushed himself to learn more.

Nolan was the first to pull the whiteboard out of the car, the first to step forward when training needed to begin, and the first to volunteer for any task. That was the measure of the man.

Nolan gave everything he had to Ukraine.

In 2022 he served with the Tactical Combat Advisory Group and helped train elements of the 36th Marine Brigade during the operations to retake Kherson. He later deployed forward.

The last time I spoke with him was by phone in Kramatorsk. He had been wounded in the arm, yet all he talked about was returning to his unit and continuing the fight as soon as he left the hospital. He meant every word. That was his character. That was his heart.

Nolan lost his life on the eastern front, standing with Ukraine in one of the most difficult battles of this war.

He was brave, loyal, disciplined, and selfless. In a short life he achieved what many never do. He trained soldiers, he served with honor, and he stood with a nation fighting for its survival. Although he served with many units, he will always be part of us in TCAG.

Thank you, Nolan, for your sacrifice, your courage, and your dedication. We will carry your memory, and we have the watch from here.

Slava Ukraini. Heroyam Slava.

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