War on Terror: 2 Brits killed in Afghanistan, 1 in Iraq

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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At the weekend, two British soldiers were killed - one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. Today, another was killed in Afghanistan.

Tom Curry died during a battle as the British, Dutch and Americans fought the Taliban, and there are pictures of the battle below.
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THE WEEKEND


Two servicemen dead at just 21



Heroes ... Tom Curry and Alex Green



By JOHN KAY
Chief Reporter
January 15, 2007



TWO brave British servicemen, both just 21 years old, died at the weekend in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Commando Tom Curry was killed during running battles with the Taliban in Helmand province.

And Kingsman Alex Green, serving with 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, was shot after getting out of his armoured vehicle.


Britain at war... the Royal Marines in a battle with the Taliban on Saturday during which Tom Curry
was shot dead, left, and Royal Marines pass the body of an insurgent fighter, right



Marine Curry, from East London, died on Saturday when elements of 42 Commando were engaged in an offensive operation at Kajaki in southern Afghanistan.

His unit was engaged in close-quarter fighting when he was hit by small arms fire and died instantly.

The Commander of the UK Task Force in Afghanistan, Brigadier Jerry Thomas, said: “I send my sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family and his friends.”

Marine Curry was leading his comrades “courageously” from the front when he came under enemy fire while clearing an enemy compound.

His section had been attacked from longer range as the Marines moved forward.

They had crawled up a hill in the early hours to launch the attack, which also left 16 suspected insurgents dead.

Dutch and British Apache attack helicopters fired missiles while American aircraft also joined in the battle, dropping 500lbs bombs.

Nato commanders said the insurgents, hiding out in mud-brick compounds, had been disrupting a dam project.


Battle stations ... spent shells litter the ground as British soldiers dig in, left, and Royal Marines take a breather before the action, right



Tom, known as ‘Vinders’ from Vindaloo, joined the Marines in 2005 and linked up in February 2006 with 11 Troop M Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines.

Kingsman Alex Green, from Warrington, Cheshire and serving with Chindit Company, died on Saturday while on a task in the Hayy Al Muhandisn District of Basra.

The dad-of-one, who has a son Bradley, two, was part of a routine patrol escorting a convoy out of Basra.

He had “dismounted” from his vehicle, which is normal to gain better visibility, when he was gunned down.

His Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Hutchinson MBE said: “Kingsman Alex was one of our most promising soldiers.

“If you could capture in one man all that a Kingsman could hope to be, you would struggle to come closer to the mark than Alex.”

His death was the second in the past month suffered by the 2nd Battalion, which deployed to Iraq in November.

Defence Secretary Des Browne was “greatly saddened” to hear of the deaths.

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TODAY

Brit soldier killed in Afghanistan

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By ONLINE REPORTER
January 15, 2007

A BRITISH serviceman was killed in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province today, the Ministry of Defence said.

The soldier was taking part in an attack on an insurgent base in the troubled southern province when he died, Nato officials said.

He is the second British serviceman to die in the country in the past three days after 21-year-old Royal Marine Thomas Curry, from east London, was killed during a battle to clear Taliban positions on Saturday.

A spokesman for the MoD said it was “with profound regret that we must confirm the death of a British serviceman in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

“Next of kin are in the process of being informed,” he said.

thesun.co.uk
 
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