Commanding officer dies in Helmand

Jul 3 2009

The most senior British serviceman to be killed in action in Afghanistan has been described as "a superb commanding officer" who was "destined for greatness".

Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was killed along with 18-year-old Trooper Joshua Hammond, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, about 8km north of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province on Wednesday.

The men were travelling in a Viking armoured vehicle which was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED).

The cross-country vehicles are due to be replaced for operations in Afghanistan by more than 100 new, larger and more heavily-armoured tracked vehicles to be known as Warthogs, while a further 100 Jackal all-terrain vehicles will also be purchased.

The Viking was introduced into Afghanistan three years ago but last year the Ministry of Defence (MoD) admitted it had reached the limit of how much it could be armoured following a series of deaths involving Taliban IEDs.

The first of the new vehicles should be ready to be deployed by the end of next year.

General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, said Lt Col Thorneloe, of Kirtlington, near Oxford, was at the "leading edge of his generation" while his wife Sally said the 39-year-old father-of-two would be "sorely missed".

He had left the Battle Group Headquarters and was on a resupply convoy in order to visit his men who were conducting a major operation in hostile territory, the Ministry of Defence said.

An improvised explosive device was detonated under his vehicle, killing him and Trooper Hammond, and taking the number of UK servicemen and women who have died in Afghanistan since operations began in October 2001 to 171.

A Clarence House spokesman said the Prince of Wales, who is Colonel of the Welsh Guards, was "deeply saddened" by his death and would be writing privately both to his family and to his regiment. It is understood Charles knew Lt Col Thorneloe well.