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| Service remembers 'lion' marine | Service remembers 'lion' marine |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Marine Richard Hollington had been deployed to Sangin in April | Marine Richard Hollington had been deployed to Sangin in April |
| Hundreds of people are gathering for the funeral of the 300th member of the UK forces to die as a result of the conflict in Afghanistan. | |
| Marine Richard Hollington was injured in a blast in the Sangin district of Helmand on 12 June and died from his injuries eight days later. | Marine Richard Hollington was injured in a blast in the Sangin district of Helmand on 12 June and died from his injuries eight days later. |
| The 23-year-old, of Petersfield, Hampshire, who served in 40 Commando, "lived as a lion", his family said. | The 23-year-old, of Petersfield, Hampshire, who served in 40 Commando, "lived as a lion", his family said. |
| His funeral is being held at All Saints Church in his home village of Steep. | |
| The service, with full military honours, will be followed by a private cremation. | The service, with full military honours, will be followed by a private cremation. |
| His family, who were by his side when he died in Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said: "Richard will leave a huge numbing hole in the lives of his family, friends and Royal Marine colleagues. | His family, who were by his side when he died in Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, said: "Richard will leave a huge numbing hole in the lives of his family, friends and Royal Marine colleagues. |
| "The saying goes, 'It is better to live one day as a lion than your whole life as a worm'. | "The saying goes, 'It is better to live one day as a lion than your whole life as a worm'. |
| "He chose to live his days as a lion and to us, and we believe his friends, he was the biggest, if softest, lion in the pride - how proud of him we all are." | "He chose to live his days as a lion and to us, and we believe his friends, he was the biggest, if softest, lion in the pride - how proud of him we all are." |
| The 23-year-old was deployed to the Sangin district in April. | The 23-year-old was deployed to the Sangin district in April. |
| As a member of Bravo Company, he had been conducting joint operations with the Afghan National Security Forces. | As a member of Bravo Company, he had been conducting joint operations with the Afghan National Security Forces. |
| Lt Col Paul James, commanding officer 40 Commando Group, Combined Force Sangin, said Marine Hollington was "one of my finest". | Lt Col Paul James, commanding officer 40 Commando Group, Combined Force Sangin, said Marine Hollington was "one of my finest". |
| He said: "It takes extraordinary courage to be at the front of every patrol but Marine Hollington did so with the professional pride that gave confidence to others. | He said: "It takes extraordinary courage to be at the front of every patrol but Marine Hollington did so with the professional pride that gave confidence to others. |
| "He was a strong and resilient man with an immense personality." | "He was a strong and resilient man with an immense personality." |
| Fellow servicemen paid tribute to his "great sense of humour". | Fellow servicemen paid tribute to his "great sense of humour". |
| Marine Hollington leaves his parents and younger brothers Nick and Charlie. | Marine Hollington leaves his parents and younger brothers Nick and Charlie. |