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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, from London, who died on foot patrol near Sangin, in Helmand, became the second man from his platoon to be killed in less than 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. | 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. |
| There was nothing he would not do for one of his riflemen Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson | |
| "He had read widely about Afghanistan, and went with a genuine desire to help bring enough stability there to enable reconstruction to follow." | "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". | 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 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." | "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. | 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. | "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." | "He adored platoon command and the richness of its challenge and there was nothing he would not do for one of his riflemen." |
| Lt Mervis' death came a day after Private Robert McLaren, from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was killed by an explosion near Kandahar. | |
| Since operations began in 2001, a total of 168 British service personnel have been killed in Afghanistan. |