Fallen soldier killed in Afghanistan named
Lance Corporal James Johnson
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Monday, 30, Jun 2008 02:18
The soldier killed by an anti-personnel landmine in Afghanistan yesterday has been named by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Lance Corporal James Johnson of B Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, died while part of a vehicle checkpoint patrol operating in the Lashkar Gar area of Afghanistan's Helmand province yesterday.
He is the 13th British soldier to die in Afghanistan this month and the 110th British fatality in the country since the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001.
James' father Lawrence Johnson said: "I am very proud of my son for being a soldier. It was his life. He always wanted to be in the Army since he was a small boy. He loved it."
L Cpl Johnson, 31, had served in Northern Ireland before retraining as a sniper for service in Bosnia and Afghanistan.
His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel David Richmond, said L Cpl Johnson was a "superb soldier and junior commander" who had "paid the ultimate sacrifice".
"He was loved and respected by everyone he served with and will be remembered for his humanity, the time he always had for people whatever the pressures on himself, his keen sense of humour and, above all, his professionalism," he added.
L Cpl Johnson's identity was released as British forces struck back against the Taliban, killing a senior leader and up to ten members of his cell in an Apache helicopter attack.
British forces in Afghanistan believe the leader, named Sadiqullah, was responsible for the recent series of attacks on coalition forces.
Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Robin Matthews said the "deliberate and surgical strike" against the leader "strikes a blow at the heart of the Taliban's leadership in southern Afghanistan".