British Forces casualties in Afghanistan since 2001

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Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

The United Kingdom was one of the first countries which took part in Operation Enduring Freedom to topple the Taliban regime in autumn 2001. See Britain's role in the 2001-present Afghan war.

Contents

[edit] Background

See Operation Herrick and Operation Veritas.

[edit] British casualties supporting the American invasion of Afghanistan and whilst serving in the Northern NATO command

Non-Hostile deaths

The first three British casualties were non-hostile deaths in Kabul, from suicide, accidental weapons discharge and homicide. [1] The dead soldiers were Private Darren John George - who was killed by a ricocheting bullet fired by a comrade who had a dizzy spell[2] - Sergeant Robert Busuttil - who was killed by a drunken comrade, Corporal John Gregory, by shooting Busuttil "up to ten times" with an SA80 rifle[3] - and Corporal Gregory, who committed suicide after shooting Sergeant Busuttil[4].

Kabul suicide attack (1/28/2004)

One British soldier was killed, and four injured in a suicide attack in Kabul. The British troops where in lightly armered landrovers when a taxi swerved into there convoy and a bomber detonated 200Ibs of explosives [5]. The dead soldier was Private Jonathan Kitulagoda.

Mazar e-Sharif attack

One British soldier was killed and five wounded by a lone gunman, outside the main Mosque, in the former Northern Alliance stronghold of Mazar e-Sharif. As a result of its Northernly situation it is unlikely that the Taliban were involved[6]. The dead soldier was Lance Corporal Steven Sherwood.

2006 Kabul incidences

One British soldier was killed in a vehicle accident, and another in a suicide bombing in Kabul in 2006. Four Afghan civilians where also killed in the attack[7]. The soldier killed in the bombing was Private Craig O'Donnell, and the soldier killed in the vehicle accident was Private Leigh Reeves.

Britain has lost 41 soldiers since the Taliban government was toppled in 2001, the bulk of them in the year 2006.[8]

[edit] British casualties as part of the British led NATO command in the South

March 2006

Corporal Mark Cridge died in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, on 22 March. His death is being investigated by the Army but no-one else is currently being linked with his death. [9]

Lance Corporal Peter Edward Craddock died in Lashkar Gah, southern Afghanistan on Monday 27 March. L/Cpl Craddock died as a result of a road traffic accident and enemy forces are not thought to have been involved. [10]


June 2006

On 11 June, Captain Jim Philippson was killed in a gunbattle with suspected Taliban militants whilst he participated in a mobile patrol. [11]

Two British soldiers were killed in fighting with Taleban forces in Afghanistan early in the morning of 27 June. They died when a rocket-propeled granade hit there land rover, destroying the vehicle. There names where Captain David Patten and Sergeant Paul Bartlett. At the time they had just detained four Taliban militants, two of whom died in the insueing gunbattle although the other two where able to escape. [12]

July 2006

On the 1st of July, two British soldiers and their Afghan interpreter where killed, and a number of others wounded when a rocket propelled grenade hit the government compound they where defending in the town of Sangin. The dead where Corporal Peter Thorpe and Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi, who was the first Muslim British soldier to be killed in either Iraq or Afghanistan. [13]

Private Damien Raymond Jackson, who had previously served in both Iraq and Northern Ireland, was shot dead during a patrol in Sangin.

[edit] Since ISAF Stage 3, July, 31, 2006

August 2006

Three British soldiers were killed after a vehicle patrol was ambushed by militants in a northern district of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan on 1 August, they where ambushed with RPG's, AK-47's and a heavey machine gun. The dead soldiers where Captain Alex Eida, 2nd Lieutenant Ralph Johnson and Lance Corporal Ross Nicholl. The incident took place on August the 1st.

Private Andrew Barrie Cutts of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment was taking part in an action in Musa Qala, Helmand province, against insurgents when he was killed on 6 August. Troops came under "substantial fire" from Taleban during the operation, which involved 500 British troops, which was their largest action against the Taleban and the opperation was supported by Afghan forces. Military leaders said the objective of disrupting Taleban control of the area was "overwhelmingly achieved".

Lance Corporal Sean Tansey, 26, of the Household Cavalry Regiment, died in an accident as he repaired a damaged Scimitar tank at a military base in Helmand province on 12 August. [14]

Corporal Bryan Budd, of the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, died in a gun battle with Taleban forces in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, on 20 August. He had been in the Army for 10 years serving in Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Afghanistan and Iraq and was about to be promoted to platoon sergeant when he died. [15]

Lance Corporal Jonathan Hetherington was shot dead while fighting rebels during an assault on his platoon house in Musa Qaleh in northern Helmand province on 27 August. [16]


September 2006

Ranger Anare Draiva of 1 Royal Irish Regiment, who was Fijian, died on 1 September in northern Helmand following an attack by insurgents. [17]

RAF Nimrod crash

Main article: Royal Air Force Nimrod crash in Afghanistan

Fourteen British servicemen where killed when there Nimrod transport aircraft crashed, hostile fire is not thought to be responsible. The dead where named as Flt Lt Steven Johnson, Flt Lt Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, Flt Lt Gareth Nicholas, Flt Lt Allan Squires, Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, Flt Sgt Gary Andrews, Flt Sgt Stephen Beattie, Flt Sgt Gerard Bell and Flt Sgt Adrian Davis.

Corporal Mark William Wright, 27, from Edinburgh, of the Parachute Regiment, died after a patrol entered an unmarked minefield in Helmand province. Cpl Wright died attempting to save the life of an injured paratrooper.

Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, 29, of the Royal Irish Regiment, from Bearley, Warwickshire, died of injuries on the 6th of September, after an attack on 1 September. He was wounded during a Taleban attack on his base at Musa Quala, in Helmand province. He had been receiving specialist medical care since the attack and his parents were with him when he died.

Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch, 21, of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, was killed in a battle with Taleban rebels. The fighting took place in Sangin, Helmand province.

October 2006

Gary Wright, a 22-year old Royal Marine, was killed along with two children when a suicide bomber on foot detonated explosives near the Land Rover in which Wright was travelling; one other Royal Marine was seriously injured. [18]

December 2006

Jonathan Wigley, of Zulu Company 45 Commando Royal Marines, was killed in a battle with the Taleban on the outskirts of the village of Garmsir in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.

Richard Watson, was killed on the 12 of December by suspected enermy action in Northern Helmand provence, however many suspect he was really killed be an American bombing raid in support of British forces.

[edit] Political impact of British casualties

British casualties in Afghanistan have had a major political impact, although not as significant as the impact of British casualties in Iraq. This is mainly because the three main British political parties (Labour, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats) all support British operations in the country. [19] However British casualties in the middle of 2006 did lead to the government's decision to reinforce the British contingent, after pressure from the Conservatives.[20]

[edit] A table showing British fatalities and the circumstances of the killed soldier

Date of Death Name Rank Age at Death Unit Cause of Death Location of Death Place of Origin
12/12/06 Watson, Richard J. Marine 23 K Company, 42 Commando, Royal Marines Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire Now Zad (Now Zad, northern Helmand Province) Caterham, Surrey England.
05/12/06 Wigley, Jonathan Marine 21 Zulu Company, 45 Commando, Royal Marines Hostile - hostile fire Southern Helmand Province Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire England
18/10/06 Wright, Gary Marine 22 45 Commando, Royal Marines Hostile - hostile fire - suicide bomber Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province Glasgow, Scotland
06/09/06 Muirhead, Paul[1] Lance Corporal 29 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment Hostile Musa Quala (Helmand Province) Bearley, Warwickshire England
06/09/06 Wright, Mark William[2] Corporal 25 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment Hostile fire - land mine Kajaki (Helmand Province) Edinburgh Scotland
06/09/06 McCulloch, Luke Lance Corporal 21 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment Hostile [21] Sangin (Helmand province) Cape Town South Africa
04/09/06 O’Donnell, Craig[3] Private 24 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland Hostile fire - suicide bomber Kabul Clydebank, Dunbartonshire Scotland
02/09/06 Dicketts, Oliver Simon[4] Lance Corporal 27 The Parachute Regiment Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Wadhurst, East Sussex, England
02/09/06 Windall, Joseph David[4] Private 22 Royal Marines Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire England
02/09/06 Quilliam, Gary Paul[4] Sergeant (Weapons Systems Operator) 42 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Manchester England
02/09/06 Langton, John Joseph[4] Sergeant (Weapons Systems Operator) 29 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Liverpool England
02/09/06 Knight, Benjamin James[4] Sergeant (Weapons Systems Operator) 25 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Bridgewater England
02/09/06 Davies, Adrian Flight[4] Sergeant (Air Engineer) 49 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Amersham, Bucks England
02/09/06 Bell, Gerard Martin Flight[4] Sergeant (Weapons System Operator) 48 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Cambridgeshire England
02/09/06 Beattie, Stephen[4] Flight Sergeant (Weapons System Operator) 42 UK Royal Air Force Number 120 Squadron Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Dundee, Scotland
02/09/06 Andrews, Gary Wayne Flight[4] Sergeant 48 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Tankerton in Kent England
02/09/06 Swarbrick, Steven[4] Flt Lt (pilot) 28 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Liverpool England
02/09/06 Squires, Allan James[4] Flt Lt (pilot and captain) 39 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Clatterbridge England
02/09/06 Nicholas, Gareth Rodney[4] Flt Lt (Weapon System Officer - Navigator) 40 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Newquay, Cornwall England
02/09/06 Mitchelmore, Leigh Anthony[4] Flt Lt (Weapon System Officer - Navigator) 28 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Bournemouth England
02/09/06 Johnson, Steven[4] Flt Lt (Weapon System Officer - Navigator) 38 No. 120 Squadron RAF Non-hostile - aeroplane crash Southern Afghanistan Collingham, Notts England
01/09/06 Draiva, Anare Ranger 27 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment Hostile Musa Quala (Helmand Province) Afghanistan Fiji
27/08/06 Hetherington, Jonathan[5] Lance Corporal 22 14 Signal Regiment Hostile fire Musa Qaleh (northern Helmand Province) Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
20/08/06 Budd, Bryan James[6] Corporal 29 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment Hostile fire - small arms fire Sangin (Helmand province) Ripon, North Yorks England
12/08/06 Tansey, Sean Lance Corporal 26 The Life Guards Non-hostile - accident Helmand province Washington, Tyne and Wear England
09/08/06 Reeves, Leigh Private 25 Royal Logistic Corps Non-hostile - vehicle accident Kabul (Camp Souter) Leicester England
06/08/06 Cutts, Andrew Barrie Private 20 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps Hostile fire - small arms fire Musa Qualeh (Helmand Province) Blidworth, Nottinghamshire England
01/08/06 Nicholls, Ross Lance Corporal 27 Household Cavalry Regiment Hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Helmand Province Afghanistan Edinburgh Scotland
01/08/06 Johnson, Ralph 2nd Lieutenant 24 UK British Army Household Cavalry Regiment Hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Helmand Province Windsor England
01/08/06 Eida, Alex Captain 29 Royal Horse Artillery Hostile fire - small arms fire, RPG Helmand Province Surrey England
05/07/06 Jackson, Damien Raymond Private 20 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment Hostile fire - small arms fire Sangin (Helmand Province) South Shields, Tyne and Wear England
01/07/06 Hashmi, Jabron Lance Corporal 25 14 Signal Regiment Hostile fire - small arms fire Sangin District (Helmand Province) Birmingham England
01/07/06 Thorpe, Peter Corporal 28 14 Signal Regiment Hostile fire - small arms fire Sangin District (Helmand Province) Cumbria England
27/06/06 Bartlett, Paul Sergeant 35 Special Boat Service, Royal Marines Hostile fire Sangin valley (Helmand Province) Poole, Dorset, England
27/06/06 Patten, David Captain 39 Parachute Regiment Special Reconnaissance Regiment Hostile fire Sangin valley (Helmand Province) Ulster Ireland
12/06/06 Philippson, Jim Captain 29 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Hostile fire Helmand Province St Albans Hertfordshire
27/03/06 Craddock, Peter Edward Lance Corporal ? 1st Battalion, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry Non-hostile - vehicle accident Lashkar Gah (Helmand Province) Newberry England
22/03/06 Cridge, Mark Corporal 25 7 Signal Regiment, Royal Signals Non-hostile - unspecified cause Camp Bastion (Helmand Province) Not reported yet
29/10/05 Sherwood, Steven Lance Corporal 23 1st Battalion, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry Hostile fire Mazar-e Sharif Ross-on-Wye Herefordshire
28/01/04 Kitulagoda, Jonathan Private 23 E (Devon & Dorset) Company, The Rifle Volunteers, (Territorial Army) Hostile fire - suicide bomber Kabul Plymouth
17/08/02 Busuttil, Robert Sergeant 30 Royal Logistics Corps Non-hostile - homicide Kabul Tycoch Swansea
17/08/02 Gregory, John Corporal 30 Royal Logistics Corps Non-hostile - suicide British base at Kabul International Airport Catterick North Yorkshire
09/04/02 George, Darren John Lance Corporal 22 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment Non-hostile - weapon discharge (accid.) Kabul Basildon Essex

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Lance Corporal Paul Mirhead Kiled in Afghanistan"
  2. ^ "MoD names two British casualties"
  3. ^ "Private Craig O'Donnell killed in Afghanistan"
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Fourteen Personnel In Afghanistan Nimrod Crash Named"
  5. ^ "Killed Afghanistan soldier named"
  6. ^ "Corporal Bryan James Budd Killed In Afghanistan"

[edit] External links

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