Soldier from 2 RIFLES killed in action near Sangin

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It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that a British soldier from The 2nd Battalion the Rifles was killed as a result of an explosion during a deliberate operation near Sangin, northern Helmand Province, Afghanistan on the morning of 12 June 2009.
Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Richardson, said:

"It is with deep regret that we report the death of another soldier in Helmand Province. Our deepest heartfelt sympathies go out to the soldiers and Officers of 2nd Battalion the Rifles and the bereaved friends and family of this brave soldier."

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


Rest in Peace

We Will Remember Them

[Guest Close BigStevie]

Another tragedy - sadly we are reaching the point where there will be no news link for these stories.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8098523.stm

This was hidden under Nick Faldo's knighthood and Mandleson's sabre-rattling.

Rest easy, lad.

[Guest Close Slopjockey]

Rest Easy Soldier

[Guest Close Frenchie]

The 2 Rifles soldier has been named.

Lieutenant Paul Mervis was killed, whilst on a foot patrol, by an explosion north of FOB Gibraltar on 12 June 2009. He was Platoon Commander 10 Platoon.

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson, commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, described Lt Mervis as "utterly irrepressible".

"He was one of those leaders who, out here, was always first onto the objective.

"He had taken the fight to the enemy at every turn and it had not been without a cost."

On 2 June, Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher, from Reading, Berkshire, died after a blast near Gereshk in Helmand province.

"It was a cost which hurt him to the core but it did not deter him," Lt Col Thomson went on.

"He adored platoon command and the richness of its challenge and there was nothing he would not do for one of his riflemen."

Lt Mervis' death came a day after Private Robert McLaren, from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was killed by an explosion near Kandah

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We Will Remember Them!

.

[Guest Close Capt]

We will never forget them.

Capt