This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8538986.stm
The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Afghan blast death airman named | Afghan blast death airman named |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A serviceman killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on Wednesday has been named as Senior Aircraftman Luke Southgate. | A serviceman killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on Wednesday has been named as Senior Aircraftman Luke Southgate. |
| The 20-year-old from 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, died while on patrol north of Kandahar airfield, the Ministry of Defence said. | The 20-year-old from 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, died while on patrol north of Kandahar airfield, the Ministry of Defence said. |
| His family, from Bury St Edmunds, paid tribute to the "best son, brother and boyfriend" they could have wished for. | His family, from Bury St Edmunds, paid tribute to the "best son, brother and boyfriend" they could have wished for. |
| On Friday, a soldier from 28 Engineer Regiment died in a blast near a checkpoint in Helmand province. | On Friday, a soldier from 28 Engineer Regiment died in a blast near a checkpoint in Helmand province. |
| It brought the number of deaths in Afghanistan among British service personnel since 2001 to 266. | It brought the number of deaths in Afghanistan among British service personnel since 2001 to 266. |
| SAC Southgate joined the RAF as a gunner in 2008 and earned the Frank Sylvester Trophy for top student during his traineeship. | SAC Southgate joined the RAF as a gunner in 2008 and earned the Frank Sylvester Trophy for top student during his traineeship. |
| He was a willing volunteer for his tour of duty in Afghanistan and epitomised the very best the service represents Air Cmdr Malcolm Brecht UK soldier killed in Afghanistan | |
| He went on to become a machine-gun specialist and had planned to stay with the RAF for two years before joining the special forces. | He went on to become a machine-gun specialist and had planned to stay with the RAF for two years before joining the special forces. |
| In Afghanistan, he was working as part of the Kandahar Airfield Defence Force. He died when the military Land Rover he was driving ran into a roadside bomb. | In Afghanistan, he was working as part of the Kandahar Airfield Defence Force. He died when the military Land Rover he was driving ran into a roadside bomb. |
| The airfield commander Air Commodore Malcolm Brecht described SAC Southgate as "an outstanding Gunner in every respect". | |
| "An enthusiastic, loyal and dedicated member of the Royal Air Force Regiment, he was a willing volunteer for his tour of duty in Afghanistan and epitomised the very best the service represents - loyalty, respect, selflessness, service and excellence," he said. | |
| SAC Southgate was described by friends as "happy, compassionate and fiercely loyal" and comrades also spoke of his sense of humour. | |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said: "He was a young man who showed great promise as a soldier and was a loyal comrade to his colleagues. | |
| "He had already marked himself out as skilled soldier with leadership potential even before he deployed to Afghanistan." |