Topic: British casualties in Iraq/Afghanistan etc.

[BIGdavalad]

The soldier killed last night in Al-Amara has been named as Gdsm Anthony Wakefield of the Coldstream Guards, part of 12 Mechanized Brigade.

Rest in peace fella.
Editted to add the complete list of British deaths in ongoing operations:

Operation Telic (Iraq)
21st March 2003
Colour Sergeant John Cecil, 35, Royal Marines
Lance Bombadier Llewelyn Evans, 24, 29th Commando Regt. Royal Artillery
Captain Phillip Stuart Guy, 29, Royal Marines
Marine Sholto Hedenskog, 26, Royal Marines
Sergeant Les Heir, 34, 29th Commando Regt. Royal Artillery
Operator Mechanic (Comms) Second Class Class Ian Seymour, 29, Royal Navy
Warrant Officer Second Class Mark Stratford, 39, Royal Marines
Major Jason Ward, 34, Royal Marines

22nd March 2003
Lieutenant Philip Green, 30, 849 Sqn Fleet Air Arm
Lieutenant Antony King, 35,  849 Sqn Fleet Air Arm
Lieutenant Marc Lawrence, 26, 849 Sqn Fleet Air Arm
Lieutenant Philip West, 32, 849 Sqn Fleet Air Arm
Lieutenant James Williams, 28, 849 Sqn Fleet Air Arm
Lieutenant Andrew Wilson, 36, 849 Sqn Fleet Air Arm

23rd March 2003
Flight Lieutenant Kevin Barry Main, IX(B) Sqn, Royal Air Force
Flight Lieutenant David Rhys Williams, IX(B) Sqn, Royal Air Force
Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth, 36, 33 Engineer Regt. (EOD)
Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24, 33 Engineer Regt. (EOD)

24th March 2003
Sergeant Steven Roberts, 33, 2nd Royal Tank Regt.
Lance Corporal Barry Stephen, 31, 1st Bn.. Black Watch

25th March 2003
Corporal Steven Allbutt, 35, Queen's Royal Lancers
Trooper David Clark, 19, Queen's Royal Lancers

28th March 2003
Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull, 25, Household Cavalry Regt.

30th March 2003
Major Steve Ballard, 33, Royal Marines
Lance Corporal Shaun Brierley, 28, 212 Signal Squadron
Marine Christopher Adison, 24, Royal Marines

31st March 2003
Staff Sergeant Chris Muir, 32, Army School of Ammunition, Royal Logistic Corps

1st April 2003
Lance Corporal Karl Shearer, Household Cavalry Regiment
Lieutenant Alexander Tweedie, 25, Household Cavalry Regiment

6th April 2003
Lance Corporal Ian Malone, 28, 1st Bn. Irish Guards
Fusilier Keiran Turrington, 18, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Piper Christopher Muzvuru, 21, 1st Bn. Irish Guards

30th April 2003
Lance Corporal James McCue, 27, 7 Air Assault Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers

6th May 2003
Private Andrew Kelly, 18, 3rd Bn. Parachute Regt.

8th May 2003
Gunner Duncan Pritchard, 22, RAF Regiment

 19th May
Corporal David Shepard, 34, RAF Police

22nd May 2003
Mr Leonard Hervey, 55, Defence Fire Service

24th June 2003
Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41, 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Corporal Russell Aston, 30, 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Corporal Paul Long, 24, 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Corporal Simon Miller, 21, 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde, 24, 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Lance Corporal Thomas Keys, 20, 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police

 18th July 2003
Captain James Linton, 43, 40 Field Regt. Royal Artillery

13th August 2003
Private Jason Smith, 32, 52nd Lowland Regiment (attached to 1st Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers)

 14th August 2004
Captain David Jones, 29, Queen's Lancashire Regiment

23rd August 2003
Major Matthew Titchner, 32, 150 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Warrant Officer Class Two (CSM) Colin Wall, 34, 150 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Corporal Dewie Pritchard, 35, 116 Provost Company, Royal Military Police

27th August 2003
Fusilier Russell Beeston, 26, 52nd Lowland Regiment (attached to 1st Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers)

23rd September 2003
Sergeant John Nightingale, 32, 217 Transport Squadron, Royal Logistic Corps

31st October 2003
Corporal Ian Plank, 31, Royal Marines

6th November 2003
Private Ryan Thomas, 18, Royal Regiment of Wales

1st January 2004
Major James Stenner, 30, Welsh Guards
Sergeant Norman Patterson, 28, Cheshire Regiment

7th January 2004
Lance Corporal Andrew Craw, 21, Argylle and Sutherland Highlanders

21st January 2004
Rifleman Vincent Windsor, 23, Royal Green Jackets

31st January 2004
Sapper Robert Thomson, 22, 35 Engineer Regt. Royal Engineers

12th February 2004
Corporal Richard Ivell, 29, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers

28th June 2004
Fusilier Gordon Gentle, 19, Royal Highland Fusiliers

19th July 2004
Flight Lieutenant Kristian Glover, 30, 33 Sqn Royal Air Force

4th August 2004
Private Christopher Rayment, 22, Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment

9th August 2004
Private Lee O'Callaghan, 20, Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment

12th August 2004
Private Marc Ferns, 21, Black Watch

17th August 2004
Lance Corporal Paul Thomas, 29, 2nd Bn. Light Infantry (attached to Cheshire Regiment)

10th September 2004
Fusilier Steven Jones, 22, Royal Welch Fusiliers

28th September 2004
Corporal Mark Taylor, 27, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (serving with 1st Regt. Royal Horse Artillery)
Gunner David Lawrence, 25, 1st Regt. Royal Horse Artillery
29th October 2004
Private Kevin McHale, 27, Black Watch

31st October 2004
Staff Sergeant Denise Michelle Rose, 34, Special Investigations Branch, Royal Military Police

4th November 2004
Sergeant Stuart Grey, 31, Black Watch
Private Paul Lowe, 19, Black Watch
Private Scott McArdle, 22, Black Watch

8th Novemeber 2004
Private Pita Tukutukuwaqa, 27, Black Watch

26th December 2004
Sergeant Paul Connelly, 33, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers

30th January 2005
Squadron Leader Patrick Marshall, 39, Headquarters Strike Command
Flight Lieutenant David Stead, 35, 47 Squadron Royal Air Force
Flight Lieutenant Andrew Smith, 25, 47 Squadron Royal Air Force
Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel, 35, 47 Squadron Royal Air Force
Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42, 47 Squadron Royal Air Force
Chief Technician Richard Brown, 40, 47 Squadron Royal Air Force
Flight Sergeant Mark Gibson, 34, 47 Squadron Royal Air Force
Sergeant Robert O'Connor, 38, 47 Squadron Royal Air Force
Corporal David Williams, 37, 47 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Acting Lance Corporal Steven Jones, 25, Royal Corps of Signals

28th March 2005
Private Mark Dobson, 41, Tyne-Tees Regiment

2nd May 2005
Guardsman Anthony Wakefield, 24, 1st Bn.. Coldstream Guards

29th May 2005
Lance Corporal Alan Brackenbury, 21, King's Royal Hussars

29th June 2005
Signaller Paul Didsbury, 18, 21 Signal Regiment

16th July 2005
Second Lieutenant Richard Shearer, 26, 1st Bn. Staffordshire Regiment
Private Leon Spicer, 26, 1st Bn. Staffordshire Regiment
Private Phillip Hewett, 21, 1st Bn. Staffordshire Regiment

5th September 2005
Fusilier Donal Anthony Meade, 20, 2nd Bn. Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Fusilier Steven Robert Manning, 22, 2nd Bn. Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
11th September 2005
Major Matthew Bacon, 34, Intelligence Corps (attached to HQ Multinational Division (South East))

15th October 2005
Captain Ken Masters, 40, Special Investigation Branch, Royal Military Police

18th October 2005
Sergeant Chris Hickey, 1st Bn. Coldstream Guards

20th November 2005
Sergeant John Jones, 31, 1st Bn. Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

30th January 2006
Lance Corporal Allan Douglas, 22, 1st Bn., The Highlanders

31st January 2006
Corporal Gordon Pritchard, 31, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

2nd February 2006
Trooper Carl Smith, 23, 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)

28th February 2006
Captain Richard Holmes, 28, 2nd Bn. Parachute Regiment
Private Lee Ellis, 22, 2nd Bn. Parachute Regiment

16th April 2006
Lieutenant Richard Palmer, 27, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

6th May 2006
Wing Commander John Coxen, 47, Royal Air Force
Lieutenant Commander Darren Chapman, 40, 847 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm
Captain David Dobson, 27, 847 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm
Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill, 32, Royal Air Force
Marine Paul Collins, 21, Royal Marines (attached to 847 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm)

13th May 2006
Private Joseva Lewaicei, 25, 2nd Bn. Royal Anglian Regiment
Private Adam Morris, 19, 2nd Bn. Royal Anglian Regiment

28th May 2006
Lieutenant Tom Mildinhall, 26, Queen's Dragoon Guards
Lance Corporal Paul Farrelly, 27, Queen's Dragoon Guards

16th July 2006
Corporal John Johnstone Cosby, 28, 1st Bn. Devon and Dorset Light Infantry

1st August 2006
Corporal Matthew Cornish, 29, 1st Bn., The Light Infantry
4th September 2006
Gunner Samuela Vanua, 27, 58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regt. Royal Artillery
Gunner Stephen Robert Wright, 20, 58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regt. Royal Artillery

7th September 2006
Gunner Lee Thornton, 22, 58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regt. Royal Artillery

1st October 2006
Lance Corporal Dennis Brady, 37, Royal Army Medical Corps

27th October 2006
Lieutenant Tom Tanswell, 27, 58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regt. Royal Artillery

6th November 2006
Kingsman Jamie Lee Hancock, 19, 2nd Bn. Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

12th November 2006
Warrant Officer Class 2 Lee Hopkins, 35, Royal Corps of Signals
Staff Sergeant Sharon Elliot, 34, Intelligence Corps
Corporal Ben Nowak, 27, 45 Cdo. Royal Marines
Marine Jason Hylton, 33, 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines

24th November 2006
Sergeant Jonathon Hollingsworth, Parachute Regiment

28th December 2006
Sergeant Graham Hesketh, 35, 2nd Bn. Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

7th January 2007
Sergeant Wayne Rees, 36, The Queen’s Royal Lancers

13th January 2007
Kingsman Alex Green, 21, 2nd Bn. Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

21st January 2007
Private Michael Tench, 18, 2nd Bn. The Light Infantry

5th February 2007
Second Lieutenant Jonathon Carlos Bracho-Cooke, 24, 2nd Bn. Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

9th February 2007
Private Luke Daniel Simpson, 21, 1st Bn. The Yorkshire Regiment

27th February 2007
Private Daniel Lee Coffey, 21, 2nd Bn. The Rifles

4th March 2007
Private Jonathon Dany Wysoczan, 21, 1st Bn. Staffordshire Regiment

1st April 2007
Kingsman Danny John Wilson, 28, 2nd Bn. Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

2nd April 2007
Rifleman Aaron Lincoln, 18, 2nd Bn. The Rifles

5th April 2007
Second Lieutenant Joanna Yorke Dyer, 24, Intelligence Corps
Corporal Kris O’Neill, 27, Royal Army Medical Corps
Private Eleanor Dlugosz, 19, Royal Army Medical Corps
Kingsman Adam James Smith, 19, 2nd Bn. Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

15th April 2007
Colour Sergeant Mark Lawrence Powell, 37, Parachute Regiment
Sergeant Mark J McLaren, 27, Royal Air Force

19th April 2007
Corporal Ben Leaning, 24, Queen’s Royal Lancers
Trooper Kristen Turton, 27, Queen’s Royal Lancers

23rd April 2007
Kingsman Alan Joseph Jones, 20, 2nd Bn. Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

29th April 2007
Rifleman Paul Donnachie, 18, 2nd Bn. The Rifles

1st May 2007
Major Nick Bateson, 49, Royal Corps of Signals

6th May 2007
Private Kevin Thompson, 21, Royal Logistics Corps

"We will remember them"

[Beef]

RIP

YNWA

[Pheeny]

RIP

[Bannside Red]

Terrible news.

RIP

[۩ Imperator ۩]

Very sad. Rest in peace, along with the 13 Iraqi civilians killed today.

[Rob K]

RIP

[BSBW]

I believe this post is about Guardsman Wakefield RIP!

He shall not grow old as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary him nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember him



No longer do I see my friends who once marched by my side,
No longer can I hear the sound of voices raised in pride.
As we marched off down that road, to whatever lay in store,
Had I a choice of comrades, then I could not ask for more.

We set off then that autumn day, not knowing what lay ahead,
But soon we found out to our cost, there are no glorious dead.
Just young men who had no choice, we went with flags unfurled,
So that our kin could again rejoice, in peace throughout the world.

I came back, I don't know how, to see my folks again,
But I pray to God, my children, you will never experience the same.

[Dermot]

God Speed

[FinnishRed]

just sad

RIP 

[BIGdavalad]

It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence can confirm the death in Iraq of Guardsman Anthony John Wakefield during the early hours of 2 May 2005.

Guardsman Wakefield, a married father of three from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, died as a result of wounds sustained during a routine patrol in Al Amarah, Iraq. He was 24. His Company of the 1st Battalion The Coldstream Guards is currently serving alongside 1 Staffords (Staffordshire Regt.) in Maysan Province, Iraq. The Commanding Officer of 1 Staffords, Lt Col Andrew Williams has paid tribute to Gdsm Wakefield’s professionalism:

"May I start by expressing my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Gdsm Wakefield.

"Gdsm Wakefield died in the early hours of 2 May 2005 as a result of wounds sustained during a patrol in the town of Al Amarah, Southern Iraq.

"He was acting as the top cover sentry in the second of a two vehicle patrol when what appears to have been an Improvised Explosive Device detonated – disabling the vehicle and injuring another soldier.

"Despite receiving first aid at the scene and in the helicopter that evacuated him, he sadly died of wounds shortly after being attended by the doctor at the Battlegroup’s base just outside the town.

"Gdsm Wakefield was a supremely fit and popular soldier who died doing his duty and amongst his friends. A proud Coldstream Guardsman, he was attached to the Staffords Battlegroup and had made many friends during his time with us.

"To all those who were lucky enough to know him, it was clear that he loved his duty and had a very bright future ahead of him. He was already a qualified Physical Training Instructor and had been selected to attend a course for promotion at the end of the 6 month tour.

"Gdsm Wakefield will be sorely missed by a great many people and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

[Elli]

Was on the local news as well here cos he was from Newcastle. Three kids And he's just one of so many.

[Maggie May]

When it was announced he was a Guardsman I thought for a horrible minute it might be your wife's mate's husband.  Thank God she is spared the grief, but another family is devastated and another three children have lost their father.  There was a video clip of him on the news and he looked a fine, lovely lad.  God rest his soul and bring comfort to his poor family.

[susie]

Terrrible news

RIP

[Techmick]

Another wasted life.

RIP soldier

YNWA

[BIGdavalad]

Another lad killed last night - no name as yet. More news as it comes in.

Edit - further casualties airlifted from the scene.

[Millsee]

RIP.

Could one of our military guys explain what this means please?

"He was acting as the top cover sentry in the second of a two vehicle patrol

[BIGdavalad]

Standing in the backof a Land Rover with a rifle, covering the convoy.

[saltynuts]

You feel very vunerable doing top cover, Not a nice thing to do, especially going through the city...

R.I.P. lad...

[BIGdavalad]

Yesterday's soldier was named today:

A British soldier killed in a bomb attack on a military convoy in southern Iraq has been named.

L/Cpl Alan Brackenbury, 21, from East Yorkshire, was among troops targeted while travelling to meet security officials on Sunday.

Four other soldiers injured in the attack, in the Maysan region 160 miles north of Basra, were flown to hospital.

L/Cpl Brackenbury's father, Stephen, said: "It is some comfort to us that he died doing what he loved so much."

The death brings the number of British troops killed in Iraq since the start of military operations to 88.

The Ministry of Defence said the scene of the attack had been sealed off and that the incident was under investigation.

The Ministry of Defence said it was with "very deep regret" that it confirmed L/Cpl Brackenbury's death.

"He was immensely proud to be a soldier and we were immensely proud that he was a soldier," said his father.

   
There is a sizeable British contingent in that region and relations with the people of Amara are difficult
Charles Heyman
Jane's Information Group

"It is some comfort to us, as we grieve for Alan, that he died doing what he loved so much."

L/Cpl Brackenbury had been serving with the King's Royal Hussars in A Squadron - part of the 1 Staffords battlegroup in Iraq.

He joined the Army in 2000, and was promoted to Lance Corporal earlier this year.

Lieutenant Colonel Toby Bridge, Commanding Officer of the King's Royal Hussars, said the soldier's death was a "desperate loss".

The area around Amara has seen some of the British army's most fierce fighting with insurgents in the last two years.

Earlier this month, Anthony Wakefield became the 87th UK soldier to die during the conflict after a roadside bomb blast in the same area.

Rest in Peace fella

[۩ Imperator ۩]

Very sad news indeed. I pray to God that all these people will not have died in vain.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

RIP

My very deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the Newcastle hero.

[nyujvary]

RIP


Somber day over here in the States, Memorial Day, RIP to all the fallen...

[BIGdavalad]

Me and Mrs BDL know him (by sight, not personally), we lived next to the KRH in Tidworth. Another sad day.

[۩ Imperator ۩]

[Maggie May]

Deepest sympathy.  I read today that attacks on our lads in and around Amara are not being reported.  Any news on the truth of this from your squaddie sites BIGdava mate?

[BIGdavalad]

Deepest sympathy.  I read today that attacks on our lads in and around Amara are not being reported.  Any news on the truth of this from your squaddie sites BIGdava mate?

I know most of them weren't last year while I was there MM, my mum only knew we were getting attacked because I was on the phone to her when a mortar attack started. You'll find that 99% of aren't reported (unless a soldier dies) because it's just not news anymore.

[Maggie May]

Thanks mate.     

The Mail today said that it was believed attacks go unreported, and that six attacks are believed to have happened in "recent months".  I thought it was just journo bull, but from what you say it seems not.  The families must be demented with worry.

[saltynuts]

The families must be demented with worry.

Thats the nature of the game unforunately Mag....

[BIGdavalad]

Thanks mate.     

The Mail today said that it was believed attacks go unreported, and that six attacks are believed to have happened in "recent months".  I thought it was just journo bull, but from what you say it seems not.  The families must be demented with worry.

Don't know about now MM, but there were (at times) up to 20 or 30 incidents a day last year, almost none of them reported back home. From what I've seen on tv so far, could be another interesting summer for the lads out there.

Most Army wives know what their husbands are going through, the majority of them just out it out of their minds and try to carry on as normal. It's the ones that sit and watch Sky News 24 hours a day and wait for the knock on the door that end up on Prozac.

[Barney_Rubble]

RiP

[saltynuts]

I think if every incident was reported BigD, every paper in the land would be full up....from your random pop shots, to bombs, to RPG attacks to full on contacts....

It can work both ways really, No news is good news, News is something to worry about......The families know there is always danger out there, but the blueys that come through their doors can help ease the worry too...

[BIGdavalad]

That's what I mean though mate, there's that many contacts they're not news now. It's only news when someone dies or gets injured. The same thing happened with NI - I remember attacks on police stations and watchtowers and the like when I was there that didn't get reported over here because they're not news.

[saltynuts]

A good thing though don't you think?

[BIGdavalad]

A good thing though don't you think?

For the families - definitely

[Mystic Red]

R.I.P.

[saltynuts]

For the families - definitely

 

[BSBW]

RIP

For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

[BIGdavalad]

Been a bad weekend for the Army:

A Scottish solider has died from heat-related injuries while training in Oman.
Corporal Peter Armour, from Glasgow, collapsed during a training run on 18 May and died nine days later.

The 26-year-old was serving with the Royal Corps of Signals as part of a regular deployment in Oman, unconnected to British operations in Iraq.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said Corporal Armour was on regular deployment in Oman.

"Corporal Armour was from Glasgow and married with one daughter," the spokesman added.

"The media are requested to respect the family's privacy at this very difficult time.

[saltynuts]

Thats not good to hear....R.I.P.

It's crazy the way you can go through all your medicals, there's nothing wrong and then you can go out and that'd happen....

Can't be helped and can't be foreseen....Heart problems have happened in the past and I suspect they'll continue...

Jst like the footballers that have died during matches...

[adopted_scouser]

R.I.P

Y.N.W.A