Fitaloon at MicroShaft

Always and Forever

The MOD reports that another Royal Marine from 40 Commando has been killed in Sangin, Afghanistan.

The MOD has this:

It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce that a Royal Marine from 40 Commando Royal Marines serving as part of Combined Forces Sangin, Helmand was killed in Afghanistan yesterday, Wednesday 26 May 2010.

My thoughts are with his family and friends on this sad day.

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Military Operations | Royal Marine killed in Helmand.

Always and Forever

Sadly another member of our Armed Forces has died in Afghanistan.

The BBC has this.

A Royal Marine has been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence says.

The member of 40 Commando Royal Marines was killed while on a foot patrol in Sangin, Helmand Province, this morning.

The death take the total number of British service personnel killed in Afghanistan to 285.

Next of kin have been informed and asked for a period of grace before further details were released, an MoD spokesperson said.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, said:

“He was part of a foot patrol in an operation which was being conducted in support of the Afghan National Army when he was struck by an explosion.

“He died in the course of his duty, seeking to provide reassurance and security to the local nationals in Sangin. He will be sorely missed and his sacrifice will not be forgotten.”

My thoughts at this sad time are with his family and friends.

BBC News – Marine dies in Afghan explosion.

Always and Forever

Sadly another reminder to our Politicians that we are, despite the media blackout /censorship, fighting a war in Afghanistan. Two soldiers have been killed in the line of Duty whilst we have suspended effective government for a month.

Let us hope that come Friday we can expect the new government to get serious with what is happening to our Armed  Forces in Afghanistan.

The BBC has this:

Two British soldiers have been killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.

One soldier, from 21 Engineer Regiment Group, died in a traffic accident.

The other, from the same regiment, was killed in an explosion – both died in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan. Next of kin have been informed.

The latest deaths on Monday morning mean 284 UK military personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since operations began in 2001.

Reconnaissance trip

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lt Col James Carr-Smith, said of the soldier killed in the blast: “He was travelling to meet up with local Afghan contractors prior to continuing with reconstruction programmes when he was killed in an explosion.”

Lt Col Carr-Smith said the other casualty had been “part of a team conducting a reconnaissance to replace a bridge over a canal in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand, in order that local Afghans could travel more freely, when he was killed in a traffic accident.”

Lt Col Carr-Smith also said both soldiers died in the course of their duty, and would be remembered.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the two soldiers.

BBC News – Two UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

Always and Forever

News of the sad death of a Soldier from 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh in Afghanistan. The MOD has released this:

It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of a soldier from 1^st Battalion The Royal Welsh. The soldier was killed as a result of a gunshot wound sustained during an exchange of fire with insurgents that happened near Showal, in the Nad-e-Ali District of Helmand Province, during the afternoon of 7 April 2010.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, said:

It is my sad duty to have to inform you that a soldier from 1^st Battalion The Royal Welsh was killed this afternoon in an area to the south east of Showal in Nad-e Ali District, central Helmand. He was on a foot patrol which came under attack from insurgents and in the ensuing fire-fight he was shot and killed. He died doing his duty and he will be deeply missed by us, his comrades, but his indomitable courage in the face of the enemy will be remembered.

Next of kin have been informed and have asked for a 24 hour period of grace before further details are released.

My thoughts are with his family and friends on this sad night.

PoliticsHome | Soldier from 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh killed in Afghanistan | PoliticsHome | Press Release.

Always and Forever

Another piece of sad news from Afghanistan last night, when a soldier from 3 Rifles was killed in Afghanistan. The MOD has this:

It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must announce that a soldier from 3rd Battalion, The Rifles was killed in Afghanistan today, Sunday 4 April 2010.

The soldier was killed as a result of an explosion that happened near Forward Operating Base Zeebrugge, in the Kajaki area of Helmand Province, this morning.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, said:

“It is with deep sadness I must inform you that a British soldier, one of our comrades, was killed this morning by an explosion in the Kajaki area of northern Helmand.

“He was from 3 RIFLES and was on a foot patrol against insurgents to the north east of Forward Operating Base Zeebrugge, an area known by us as 3 Peaks, when the explosion happened.

“His courage and resolve, confronting the enemy and the dangers of IEDs day on day, will not be forgotten; we will remember him.”

Next of kin have been informed and have asked for a period of grace before further details are released.

My thoughts are with his family and friends on this sad day.

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Military Operations | Soldier from 3 Rifles killed in Afghanistan.