Post by cammy on Jul 7, 2009 7:25:55 GMT 1
Two British soldiers killed in separate attacks in Afghanistan on Saturday have been named today as Lance Corporal David Dennis, of the Light Dragoons, and Private Robert Laws, of 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment.
A third British soldier killed yesterday in Helmand province will be named later.
Dennis, 29, from Llanelli, south Wales, was killed by an improvised explosive device while on foot. His battle group had just begun a clearance operation. Laws, 18, from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. He was deployed to Afghanistan in May after completing army training in March.
The three deaths took the number of UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 174.
Lieutenant Colonel Gus Fair, commanding officer of the Light Dragoons battle group, led tributes to Dennis, who was known as Duke.
"Duke loved being in the regiment, and the regiment celebrated this popular, genuine and heartfelt soldier.
"If there is any consolation, it is that he is reunited with his close friend Lance Corporal Nigel Moffett, whose death earlier in the tour had affected Lance Corporal Dennis greatly. My sincerest condolences go out to his mother, Adele, his brother, Gareth, and his fiancee, Lisa," he said.
In a statement, the family of Laws said: "The parents and close family are immensely proud of their popular and loving son. They would like to thank all their friends for their loving support at this very difficult time."
The three were all involved in Operation Panther's Claw, which was launched to drive the Taliban out of strongholds in and around Babaji, north of Lashkar Gah, Helmand.
The third soldier was a member of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards – the battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, who last week became the most senior British army officer to be killed since the Falklands War.
Thorneloe was killed in a blast that hit his Viking armoured vehicle near Lashkar Gah province on Wednesday.
A plane carrying his body and that of trooper Joshua Hammond, landed at RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire, this morning.
A Downing Street spokesman told a daily Westminster media briefing: "The government sends its condolences to the families and friends of those who have been killed or injured in Afghanistan. It believes the armed forces are doing a vital job in very difficult circumstances."
Asked if consideration was being given to increasing the British military presence in Afghanistan, the spokesman said: "Decisions on the nature of our engagement in Afghanistan are obviously taken by commanders on the ground in consultation with the MoD and ministers, and of course with our allies.
"At present, we believe we have the balance in the right place.
"There will be additional UK troops in Helmand to assist in the period up to the Afghan elections, and of course there are also ongoing US operations as part of the wider allied operation in the south."
(Cammy)....Such a Tragic Loss<><> God Bless & Keep You Both
A third British soldier killed yesterday in Helmand province will be named later.
Dennis, 29, from Llanelli, south Wales, was killed by an improvised explosive device while on foot. His battle group had just begun a clearance operation. Laws, 18, from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. He was deployed to Afghanistan in May after completing army training in March.
The three deaths took the number of UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 174.
Lieutenant Colonel Gus Fair, commanding officer of the Light Dragoons battle group, led tributes to Dennis, who was known as Duke.
"Duke loved being in the regiment, and the regiment celebrated this popular, genuine and heartfelt soldier.
"If there is any consolation, it is that he is reunited with his close friend Lance Corporal Nigel Moffett, whose death earlier in the tour had affected Lance Corporal Dennis greatly. My sincerest condolences go out to his mother, Adele, his brother, Gareth, and his fiancee, Lisa," he said.
In a statement, the family of Laws said: "The parents and close family are immensely proud of their popular and loving son. They would like to thank all their friends for their loving support at this very difficult time."
The three were all involved in Operation Panther's Claw, which was launched to drive the Taliban out of strongholds in and around Babaji, north of Lashkar Gah, Helmand.
The third soldier was a member of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards – the battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, who last week became the most senior British army officer to be killed since the Falklands War.
Thorneloe was killed in a blast that hit his Viking armoured vehicle near Lashkar Gah province on Wednesday.
A plane carrying his body and that of trooper Joshua Hammond, landed at RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire, this morning.
A Downing Street spokesman told a daily Westminster media briefing: "The government sends its condolences to the families and friends of those who have been killed or injured in Afghanistan. It believes the armed forces are doing a vital job in very difficult circumstances."
Asked if consideration was being given to increasing the British military presence in Afghanistan, the spokesman said: "Decisions on the nature of our engagement in Afghanistan are obviously taken by commanders on the ground in consultation with the MoD and ministers, and of course with our allies.
"At present, we believe we have the balance in the right place.
"There will be additional UK troops in Helmand to assist in the period up to the Afghan elections, and of course there are also ongoing US operations as part of the wider allied operation in the south."
(Cammy)....Such a Tragic Loss<><> God Bless & Keep You Both