Military News

Lance Corporal Tom Keogh died on 7 March, 2010, after being shot in Afghanistan.

The soldier was a member of 4th Battalion The Rifles and was killed at Patrol Base Bariolai in Sangin, Helmand province.

Lance Corporal Keogh was born on 25 August, 1985. He was from Paddington in London and leaves behind his parents and two brothers.

He originally enlisted in 2003, serving until 2008, including a tour in Iraq. After a year's break, he rejoined in 2009. Immediately upon rejoining, he was posted to the Reconnaissance Platoon, 4 RIFLES.

His parents, Lawrence and Marion Keogh, said: "Tom was our eldest son and we all loved and admired him greatly. He loved the Army life and lived his life to the full. He brought laughter and happiness to our home and all who knew him.

"Our family has been left devastated by Tom's tragic death, but not a day will pass without us remembering the happiness and pride he gave us. We love you Tom."

Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Jones, Commanding Officer of 4 RIFLES, said: “It is sometimes tempting to get carried away in extolling the virtues of the fallen, but with Lance Corporal Tom Keogh there is no danger of drifting towards exaggeration. He was quite simply one of the very best soldiers in the battalion and proves yet again the sad adage that it is the best that die young.

Corporal Stephen Thompson, of 1st Battalion, The Rifles, was killed in Afghanistan on 7 March, 2010.

He was attached to the 3 Rifles Battle Group at the time and died in an explosion. Corporal Thompson, from Bovey Tracey, in Devon was born in Cleveland on 11 August 1978.

He enlisted in the Army in January 1997 and was sent to be trained at the Army Training Regiment in Lichfield, completing his course in October that year. He joined the 1st Battalion The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment where he successfully completed a Junior Non Commissioned Officers' Cadre earning him promotion to Lance Corporal.

Corporal Thompson then completed the Section Commanders Battle Course before being posted to the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick to train recruits. He returned to 1 Rifles in January 2010 before volunteering to deploy as a Battle Casualty Replacement for 3 Rifles.

Corporal Thompson joined A Company (A Coy) 3 Rifles in February and was working with 2 Platoon out of Patrol Base Almas in Sangin when he was tragically killed while on patrol by an improvised explosive device (IED).

He leaves behind his mother and father, Carol and Peter, brother, Philip, sisters, Claire and Helen, and his son, Ewan.

Rifleman Liam Maughan, of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, died from wounds received as a result of small arms fire near Sangin, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on March 6, 2010.

Liam was born in Doncaster on 6 July 1991 and went to Hatfield Visual Arts College before joining the Army in January 2008. He trained at Harrogate and then Catterick, completing this in March 2009.

He arrived with 3rd Battalion The Rifles in Edinburgh in March 2009 and joined B Company for pre-deployment training.

He then deployed to Sangin, Afghanistan with 5 Platoon in September 2009 where he was employed as a sharpshooter in his patrol. He was shot and killed while in a position of overwatch, providing protection to his platoon as they engaged with the local population.

He was survived by his parents, girlfriend and new born son, whom he had never met.

Rifleman Maughan’s family said: "Liam was a tall, handsome six-footer, with looks to melt the heart of any girl and make men envious, but he was also a son and a brother, a fiance and a father to his own son who he will now never meet.

Rifleman Jonathon Allott of 3rd Battalion The Rifles died in Afghanistan on 5 March, 2010.

The 19-year-old received fatal wounds in an explosion in Helmand Province while on an operation to insert a new patrol base.

He left behind his parents, sister and two brothers.

Jonathon Michael Allott was born in North Shields on 31 May, 1990. He attended Kings High School in his home town of Bournemouth before becoming an apprentice bricklayer.

He enlisted to join the Army in 2008 and was sent for training at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick, completing this at the end of May 2009. He joined 3rd Battalion The Rifles in Edinburgh in June 2009 and joined B Company for their pre-deployment training.

Rifleman Allott deployed to Sangin, Afghanistan in September 2009 where he was employed as the front man in his patrol, responsible for clearing the ground of improvised explosive devices.

His platoon was working out of a Patrol Base in the centre of Sangin and, alongside their Afghan National Army partners, were providing security and reassurance to the local population.

Corporal Richard Green from 3rd Battalion The Rifles was killed in Afghanistan on 2 March, 2010.

The 26-year-old from Reading died as a result of small arms fire near Sangin in Helmand province.

He was born on 4 September 1986 and attended Little Heath Secondary School, gaining a GNVQ in Leisure and Tourism before joining the army at the age of sixteen.

He trained at Bassingbourn and Catterick before joining 3 RIFLES and completed the necessary officers training to become a Corporal.

Corporal Green deployed to Afghanistan in September 2009 with 3 RIFLES Recce Platoon. Following five months of patrolling and operating in the town of Sangin, he was sent with his team to a patrol base to work alongside his Afghan National Army partners to bring stability and development to local Afghans.

He was survived by his father Chris, his mother Eileen and his brother and sister, Daniel and Charlotte.

Organisers of the 10,000-bike charity ride through Wootton Bassett this Sunday visited RAF Lyneham today to pay thanks to the air base on behalf of Afghan Heroes.

Organiser Julia Stevenson lead the group of bikers from the Cross Keys pub in Wootton Bassett to RAF Lyneham, and they were joined by some RAF personnel who were on the ride on Sunday.

The group met Station Commander Group Captain John Gladston to present a glass plaque to show the thanks Afghan Heroes feels for the role RAF Lyneham takes in repatriations.