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UK soldier killed in blast named | UK soldier killed in blast named |
(20 minutes later) | |
A soldier killed in a blast in southern Afghanistan on Friday has been named by defence officials as Lieutenant Paul Mervis of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles. | A soldier killed in a blast in southern Afghanistan on Friday has been named by defence officials as Lieutenant Paul Mervis of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles. |
The 27-year-old, who died on foot patrol near Sangin, in Helmand, became the second man from his platoon to be killed in action in under two weeks. | |
The Ministry of Defence said Lt Mervis had been a "rock" to his platoon in the days after his comrade's death. | The Ministry of Defence said Lt Mervis had been a "rock" to his platoon in the days after his comrade's death. |
Lt Mervis' family paid tribute to a "generous and thoughtful" man. | Lt Mervis' family paid tribute to a "generous and thoughtful" man. |
In a statement, his family said: "Paul was killed doing the job he chose and loved. He was passionately committed to his men - far beyond mere duty. | |
"He had read widely about Afghanistan, and went with a genuine desire to help bring enough stability there to enable reconstruction to follow." | |
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." |