British soldier killed in Afghanistan named
Guardsman Christopher King died on Wednesday
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Thursday, 23, Jul 2009 06:01
A British soldier killed in Afghanistan yesterday morning has been named by the Ministry of Defence.
Guardsman Christopher King, of 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, died while serving on operations in the Nad e Ali District in Helmand province on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old had been working as part of a team responsible for the protection of vehicle patrols, involving checking vulnerable points were clear of danger.
He had been on foot clearing a vulnerable point when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated. He died immediately from the injuries caused by the blast.
His family paid tribute to him in a statement.
"Chris was a tremendous son, he was proud to be a Guardsman and died serving his country doing a job he loved," they said.
"We are very proud of the fact that Chris was prepared to do his duty, helping to secure a lasting peace and provide stability to the people of Afghanistan.
"We are devastated by the loss of Chris, who was a loving son and ask that the media respect our privacy and allow our family to grieve in peace."
His death means 188 British soldiers have died in Afghanistan since the war began seven years ago, 19 in July so far.
Until yesterday, the bloodiest month in Afghanistan for the UK army had been September 2006 when 19 troops died, including 14 in a single incident when an RAF Nimrod crashed in Kandahar.