Post by cammy on Aug 10, 2009 14:27:30 GMT 1
A British soldier killed in Afghanistan while trying to retrieve the body of a fallen Afghan comrade has been named todayas Private Jason Williams.
The 23-year-old, of the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, died after he triggered a roadside bomb near Gereshk in Helmand province on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.
Williams's platoon was securing the site of an earlier attack that had killed three Afghan national army soldiers. While searching for the bodies of one of the soldiers to prevent insurgents seizing his corpse, Williams set off an improvised bomb.
His family paid tribute to a "loving and caring son and brother". In a statement, they said: "The army gave him a sense of purpose and enthusiasm for life which stretched beyond the boundaries of his work. We are so proud of Jason and we will miss him every day."
Lieutenant Colonel Simon Banton, his commanding officer, said Williams, from Worcester, was considered a hero by his Afghan comrades. "On the day he died, Jason was taking part in an action which adhered to every soldiers oldest code: leave no man behind.
"His brave determination and commitment to his brothers in arms ensured that the Afghan warrior's family are able to pay their proper respects to their own fallen son," he said.Lieutenant Duncan Hadland, Williams's platoon commander, called him "an excellent soldier who could be relied upon totally". He said: "From the moment he joined us, his amazing cheerfulness and friendliness stood out. He had no problems settling in, helped greatly by his huge character and good nature – the fact that it was impossible to put him in a bad mood became evident early on.
"He never said no to any task and would always perform any job, no matter how mundane, with an ever-present smile on his face."
His death takes the British death toll in Afghanistan since 2001 to 196.
Another True Hero... Rest Easy Mate
The 23-year-old, of the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, died after he triggered a roadside bomb near Gereshk in Helmand province on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.
Williams's platoon was securing the site of an earlier attack that had killed three Afghan national army soldiers. While searching for the bodies of one of the soldiers to prevent insurgents seizing his corpse, Williams set off an improvised bomb.
His family paid tribute to a "loving and caring son and brother". In a statement, they said: "The army gave him a sense of purpose and enthusiasm for life which stretched beyond the boundaries of his work. We are so proud of Jason and we will miss him every day."
Lieutenant Colonel Simon Banton, his commanding officer, said Williams, from Worcester, was considered a hero by his Afghan comrades. "On the day he died, Jason was taking part in an action which adhered to every soldiers oldest code: leave no man behind.
"His brave determination and commitment to his brothers in arms ensured that the Afghan warrior's family are able to pay their proper respects to their own fallen son," he said.Lieutenant Duncan Hadland, Williams's platoon commander, called him "an excellent soldier who could be relied upon totally". He said: "From the moment he joined us, his amazing cheerfulness and friendliness stood out. He had no problems settling in, helped greatly by his huge character and good nature – the fact that it was impossible to put him in a bad mood became evident early on.
"He never said no to any task and would always perform any job, no matter how mundane, with an ever-present smile on his face."
His death takes the British death toll in Afghanistan since 2001 to 196.
Another True Hero... Rest Easy Mate