Those Who Fell

New Video - Afghanistan 2007

Remembering those who fell in Afghanistan during 2007. Rest in peace.

Vandals smash up war memorial

From News & Star

THUGS attacked Maryport’s war memorial just hours before Remembrance Services took place.

Sandstone slabs were torn down from the monument which commemorates those who died in World War One. They were smashed and left close to the memorial.

The damage in the Memorial Gardens was discovered yesterday morning, a short time before vicar Judith Dunkling and the Flimby band led a service organised by the Royal Naval Association.

Contractors from Focsa were brought in to clear up the area before people paid their respects. Reports to police at around 9.30am said the area had been ‘trashed’ and that coping stones had been pulled off and smashed.

Continue reading Vandals smash up war memorial…

Lance Corporal Jake Alderton of 36 Engineer Regiment killed in Afghanistan

From the MoD

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Lance Corporal Jake Alderton of 20 Field Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment in southern Afghanistan yesterday, Friday 9 November 2007.

Lance Corporal Jake Alderton, 36 Engineer Regiment
[Photo: MOD]

Shortly before 0400 hours local time, British Forces were taking part in an operation in support of the Afghan National Army near the district centre of Sangin in Helmand Province.  The vehicle LCpl Alderton was travelling in left the road and rolled off a bridge.

Sadly, LCpl Alderton was declared dead at the scene.  Another soldier and an interpreter were also injured and were evacuated by helicopter to the field hospital at Camp Bastion. Their injuries are not life threatening. There were no enemy forces involved.

Lance Corporal Jake Alderton, 36 Engineer Regiment

Jake Alderton, aged 22, was born in Bexley. He joined the Army on 14 December 2001 and attended the Army Technical Foundation College as a junior soldier. On completion of basic training, he undertook combat engineer training at 3 Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) Regiment. He served for a year with 28 Engineer Regiment before returning to 3 RSME Regt to provide training support to courses.

Between January and October 2005 he successfully completed an artisan engineer trade course at 1 RSME Regiment, qualifying as a Class 2 Building and Structural Finisher. On 22 November 2005, he joined 20 Field Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment based in Maidstone, Kent.

Having recovered from a serious back injury, LCpl Alderton worked hard at 20 Field Squadron and was selected for Junior Leadership training. He achieved a strong pass on a Junior Non-Commissioned Officer’s Cadre in November 2006 and, following a very successful squadron construction exercise in Canada conducted during early 2006, he was deservedly selected for promotion to Lance Corporal on 25 July 2007.

LCpl Alderton deployed on Operation HERRICK 7 to Afghanistan on 16 September 2007. He was attached to the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment to provide engineer advice to the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team, working with the Afghan National Army. His role was to provide essential training and engineer support to the Afghan soldiers in order to develop their capability and so help provide a long-term indigenous security force for Afghanistan.

Continue reading Lance Corporal Jake Alderton of 36 Engineer Regiment killed in Afghanistan…

The Scottish Poppy Appeal 2007 Video

This is the official video for the Scottish Poppy Appeal 2007. Please take the time to forward the link to anyone and everyone.

“So what can I do?”

If you can, please take a few moments to donate online at www.poppyscotland.org.uk.

Also, If you post on any message boards, you can show your support by placing this banner into your signature block. Raising awareness of the campaign is step one, and you’d be doing an invaluable service. Likewise, if you run a website, adding our banner would really help.

On most boards, the code you need is this:

• [url=http://www.thosewhofell.co.uk][img]http://www.thosewhofell.co.uk/thosewhofell.gif[/img][/url]

Simply copy and paste the code into your signature block. It will display the banner direct from this site.

Afghanistan crash kills soldier

From the BBC

Politicians have said the UK’s burden in Afghanistan is too great

A British soldier has been killed in a road accident in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The soldier died after the vehicle he was travelling in left the road and rolled off a bridge near the town of Sangin in Helmand province.

No enemy forces were involved in the accident and the soldier’s next of kin have been informed.

The soldier was serving with 36 Engineer Regiment. UK forces have held a presence in Sangin since June 2006.

There are currently 7,700 UK troops serving in Afghanistan. Most are deployed in Helmand province in the south of the country.

Towards the end of October, a Nato spokesman said the UK was considering “potentially increasing” its force in Afghanistan to help fill gaps in Nato’s deployment there.

The MoD did not confirm that there would be any reinforcements, and politicians of all parties have previously said the UK is bearing too much of the burden in Afghanistan.

The road accident brings the number of UK troops killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 83.

Lack of Recent Updates

This is a quick post to apologise for the lack of updates over the past couple of weeks. Both Sgt. Phil Newman and Pte. Damian Wright were good friends of mine, and their loss temporarily threw my concentration.

Having taken the time out to accept and adjust to what’s happened, it has strengthened my resolve to press on with the blog, and you can expect frequent updates from now on.

Thanks for reading.

Prince William pays tribute to Maj Alexis Roberts

Maj Alexis Roberts was married with two children

Prince William has said he is “deeply saddened” by the death in Afghanistan of his platoon commander at Sandhurst. Maj Alexis Roberts, 32, from Kent, died in an explosion while returning to Kandahar Airfield on Thursday.

William described Maj Roberts, who served with the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, as “a good friend”.

Maj Roberts is the most senior Army officer to die in Afghanistan since the conflict began. Some 82 UK troops have been killed in the country since 2001.

‘Deeply loving father’

A statement issued by Clarence House on behalf of the prince said: “At this time, his thoughts and prayers are with Lex’s wife, Susie, their two young daughters, Alice and Freya, and with all his family and friends.”

Maj Roberts’ wife, Susie, said in a statement: “Lex was my best friend, the most wonderful husband and deeply loving father to Alice and Freya.

Continue reading Prince William pays tribute to Maj Alexis Roberts…

C/Sgt Phil Newman & Pte Brian Tunnicliffe Killed in Helmand

Colour Sgt Phillip Newman and Pte Brian Tunnicliffe died in Helmand

Two British soldiers killed in a road accident in southern Afghanistan on Thursday have been named. Colour Sgt Phillip Newman and Pte Brian Tunnicliffe were serving in Helmand province with the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment.

Their 4×4 vehicle overturned and landed on its roof in an irrigation channel.

Colleagues have paid tribute to Colour Sgt Newman, 36, an “outstanding model” for today’s Territorial Army, and the “big-hearted” Pte Tunnicliffe, 33.

Family man

Colour Sgt Newman joined the TA in Coventry 13 years ago and has since served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He became a mainstay of his battalion, the 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment.

His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Yardley, said: “Phillip touched many people’s lives, here and abroad; he personified all that was good in a soldier, he led from the front and protected those who could not protect themselves.”

Continue reading C/Sgt Phil Newman & Pte Brian Tunnicliffe Killed in Helmand…

UK soldier killed in Afghanistan

From the BBC

UK soldiers have been in Afghanistan since 2001

A British soldier has been killed and another injured in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the MoD has said. The soldiers, who have not been named, were from the 36 Engineer Regiment.

An MoD spokesman said a helicopter had been sent to the scene of the blast and the two soldiers flown to a medical facility at Camp Bastion.

One was pronounced dead on arrival. The second soldier’s injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The next of kin have been informed.

Their regiment is based at barracks in Maidstone, Kent.

An MoD spokesman said: “It is with immense sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that a soldier from 36 Engineer Regiment has been killed and another injured in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.”

Junior defence minister Derek Twigg, who is on a three-day trip to Afghanistan, said he was “deeply saddened” by the news.

“My immediate thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and comrades as they struggle to make sense of their loss,” he said.

The death takes the total number of UK troops killed while on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 to 79.

Of the 79 killed, 23 died from accidents, illness, or non-combat injuries, according to MoD figures. 

Sgt Craig Brelsford & Pte Johan Botha Killed in Afghanistan

From the BBC

Sgt Brelsford died while trying to rescue Pte Botha

Two British soldiers killed in southern Afghanistan have been named by the Ministry of Defence. Sergeant Craig Brelsford and Private Johan Botha, from 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, were killed during a firefight with Taleban insurgents.

Sgt Brelsford, 25, died while trying to find Pte Botha, also 25, who had fallen behind enemy lines in Helmand province.

A number of other soldiers were injured in the “heavy firefight”, including two who remain in a serious condition.

A tribute from his commanding officer said Sgt Brelsford, who is from Nottingham, had died in “heroic circumstances” trying to rescue wounded colleagues, including Pte Botha.

‘Exceptionally courageous’

Major Jamie Nowell said: “I am convinced that if he had been given the opportunity to choreograph his own death it would not have been dissimilar to the heroic circumstances in which he died.

“He repeatedly fought through tenacious enemy fire to extract casualties and was hit on his final attack to find Private Botha, also killed in action, who had fallen behind enemy lines.

Pte Johan Botha was described as the archetypal South African

“This exceptionally courageous act of bravery and selfless commitment personified the character of Sergeant Brelsford.”

Lieutenant Colonel Simon Banton said: “Sergeant Craig Brelsford was a hugely popular man and a superb senior non-commissioned officer; fit, strong and robust, he led from the front.

“Junior soldiers were inspired by him and aspired to follow the example he set. He was assured a bright future and had an enormous amount of potential.”

‘Devoted family man’

Pte Johan Botha, born in Pretoria, South Africa, was described as a “mountain of a man”.

He had moved to the UK four years ago with his wife and the couple have a young daughter.

Continue reading Sgt Craig Brelsford & Pte Johan Botha Killed in Afghanistan…