Friday, May 8, 2009

Britain: Some Gave All


Soldier from 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland killed in Afghanistan

A Military Operations news article

7 May 09

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that a British soldier from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was killed as a result of a gunshot wound in Afghanistan today, Thursday 7 May 2009.

The soldier was killed during a reassurance patrol with the Afghan National Army in the vicinity of Woqab, close to Musa Qaleh in Helmand province.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, said:

"This is another tragic situation where we all feel this great loss. Words mean very little in this extremely sad situation but our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this brave soldier.

"Their pain is our pain and as the years go by we will mourn the loss of this true British hero."

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


And this:

One soldier from the Royal Gurkha Rifles and one member of the Royal Military Police killed in Afghanistan

A Military Operations news article

8 May 09

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that one British soldier from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles and one member of 173 Provost Company, 3rd Regiment, Royal Military Police, have been killed in Afghanistan.

The two Service personnel were killed as a result of a suicide improvised explosive device during a patrol in Gereshk, Helmand province, yesterday afternoon, Thursday 7 May 2009.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, said:

"With heavy heart we report another extremely sad situation, where lives of our courageous soldiers have been sacrificed for the greater good of the Afghan people.

"Our deepest and heartfelt sympathies go to their families and loved ones and we offer our thoughts and prayers to them all at this most painful and distressing time."

Next of kin have been informed and have requested a period of grace before further details are released. [source]

And:

Soldier from 2 RIFLES killed in Afghanistan

A Military Operations news article

8 May 09

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that a British soldier from 2nd Battalion The Rifles was killed in Helmand province yesterday evening, Thursday 7 May 2009.

The soldier was killed as a result of an explosion when travelling in a Jackal vehicle near Sangin, in Helmand province.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, said:

"Today has been a sad day in the history of Task Force Helmand and this death has deeply moved us. The loss of a soldier, friend and colleague is tragic and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time."

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


And there is more:

Four soldiers killed in Afghanistan

08.05.09

Four British soldiers were killed in southern Afghanistan in a single day, the Ministry of Defence said.

The troops died in three separate incidents in Helmand province on Thursday, taking the number of UK service personnel killed in the country since 2001 to 157.

It was the bloodiest day for British forces in Afghanistan since February 25, when three soldiers and one Royal Marine died.

The soldiers' families have been informed.

Two of the soldiers, one from 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles and the other from 173 Provost Company, 3rd Regiment, Royal Military Police, were killed by a suicide bomber during a patrol in Gereshk on Thursday afternoon.

The attack also left at least 16 Afghan civilians dead and more than 30 wounded, according to the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).

British military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson said: "With heavy heart we report another extremely sad situation, where lives of our courageous soldiers have been sacrificed for the greater good of the Afghan people. Our deepest and heartfelt sympathies go to their families and loved ones and we offer our thoughts and prayers to them all at this most painful and distressing time."

Isaf spokesman Brigadier-General Richard Blanchette added: "The insurgents repeatedly and intentionally harm the innocent Afghans we are committed to protecting, in support of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan....[Evening Standard here]


Rest in Peace.


[UPDATE: One of the fallen has now been identified:

Corporal Sean Connor Binnie, 22, who was killed in southern Afghanistan

Corporal Sean Connor Binnie, 22, who was killed in southern Afghanistan

Wife mourns 'strong, brave' soldier

Friday, May 08, 2009, 18:11

Tributes have been paid to a "strong and brave" British soldier killed on one of the bloodiest days for UK forces in Afghanistan.

Corporal Sean Binnie, 22, from the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, died in a fire fight with insurgents near Musa Qala in Helmand province on Thursday.

Another three British soldiers in Afghanistan were killed in two other incidents on the same day, taking the number of UK service personnel lost in the country since 2001 to 157.

It was the bloodiest day for British forces in Afghanistan since February 25, when three soldiers and one Royal Marine died.

Cpl Binnie, from Belfast, was taking part in a routine reassurance patrol with the Afghan National Army when he came under attack.

Click here for more

He was killed when he went forward to engage the enemy and get his comrades out of danger.

His wife, Amanda, 21, spoke of her devastation at losing her "hero".

Addressing her late husband, she said: "You have been so strong and brave. Our married life has been a short six months and I'm speaking for both of us in saying it was the best six months ever. I know you have died a happy married man in doing what you loved. We're so proud of you. God bless you, babe."

The soldier's mother, Janette, said: "We are devastated at the loss of our son, Sean. We are very proud of him and he will be missed always. Sleep tight."

Senior officers praised the bravery, enthusiasm and "strong determined streak" of Cpl Binnie, who served in Iraq and the Falkland Islands before deploying to Afghanistan in March as a mentor, living and working with Afghan soldiers....[here]

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