Commanding Officer pays tribute to his men

A moving tribute has been paid to six British soldiers killed in Afghanistan by their Commanding Officer. Lt Colonel Zac Stenning, of 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, read a eulogy to the men outside Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster, Wiltshire.

Describing them as ‘incredibly brave’ he took time to pay tribute to each of the men on what he said was a ‘sad’ day. People have been leaving floral tributes at the base throughout the day.

Sergeant Nigel Coupe, 33, from 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment was among the men killed when the armoured vehicle they were travelling in was caught in an explosion.

Known as 'JJ' to his friends Corporal Jake Joseph Hartley, 20, was described by his Commanding Officer as a ‘top soldier’.

20-year-old Private Anthony Frampton was also killed in the blast on Tuesday evening. He has been described ‘the life and soul of his platoon’.

Expecting the birth of his first child, Private Daniel Wade, who had a real passion for motocross and superbikes, had only recently joined the battalion.

The youngest ofthe men to be killed was 19-year-old Private Christopher Kershaw.

Paying tribute to the last of his fallen comrades, Lt Colonel Zac Stenning described Private Daniel Wilford, 21, as “quiet, unassuming but with bags of character”.

The men's death mark the biggest single loss of British lives in Afghanistan since 2006. It brings the total number of UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan since 2001 to 404.