strength clare: Soldier shot dead in Afghanistan

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Soldier shot dead in Afghanistan

Corporal Lloyd Newell of the Parachute Regiment

Corporal Lloyd Newell was praised as epitomising the "great British Paratrooper"

One of the two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Thursday has been named by the Ministry of Defence.

Corporal Lloyd Newell, a member of the Parachute Regiment, was killed by small arms fire while on operations in Helmand Province.

"[He] was a natural and talented soldier who loved his work and the military lifestyle," the MoD said.

The other soldier killed on Thursday served with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

Cpl Newell was married with a nine-week-old daughter. The MoD said it would not be releasing details of his age or where he was from "because of the nature of his work".

An MoD spokesman said the paratrooper "was a man of integrity and principle".

"He was a natural and talented soldier who loved his work and the military lifestyle.

"He personified the great British Paratrooper - selfless, humble, cheerful and utterly reliable. He did his duty, relishing discomfort as a personal test, and always acting in the greater interests of the team."

The serviceman from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, serving with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, was killed by a bomb in the Gereshk Valley area of Helmand.

He died trying to rescue a vehicle which had been hit by another blast.

The two deaths bring the total number of UK troops who have died since operations in Afghanistan began in 2001 to 373.

This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.