Italian Air Force NCO, Arnaldo Forcucci

Arnaldo Forcucci

Italian Air Force Marshal, Arnaldo Forcucci, aged 41, died at the Italian Base Camp, Herat, on 15th January 2009 from a heart attack.

He was an operations planner for the Italian forces in Afghanistan.

He leaves his wife and a daughter.

Australian commando killed in rocket attack

Private Gregory Michael Sher was killed in a rocket attack in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan, on Sunday 4th January 2009, at 12:55 Afghan time (19:25 AEST).

Private Sher was a member of 2 Commando Company, 1st Commando Regiment, and at the time of the attack was with a Special Operations Task Group element that had deployed from Tarin Kowt to a provincial patrol base.

Private Sher was 30 years old and leaves behind his parents, two brothers and a partner, who are currently receiving support from Defence.

Private Sher was born in South Africa in 1978 and moved to Australia with his family in 1986. He joined the Australian Army in 1998 as an Army Reserve infantryman, serving with 5/6 RVR. Private Sher deployed on operations to East Timor with his regular infantry unit from November 2002 until May 2003.

Private Sher successfully completed the Commando selection course in 2004 and gained entry to Special Forces, joining the 1st Commando Regiment. He went on to complete the suite of Special Forces courses required to become a qualified commando.

For his service in East Timor, Private Sher received the Australian Active Service Medal, the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor Medal and the Infantry Combat Badge. Private Sher has also been awarded the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal with ISAF Clasp, the Australian Defence Medal and the Returned from Active Service Badge.

Private Sher was buried following a Jewish funeral service with full military honours.

UK Military fatalities 2008

British military fatalities in Afghanistan - 2008

Date	Name	Rank	Age	Unit	Cause
2008
31-Dec	Elms, Liam	Corporal	26	45 Commando Royal Marines	IED attack
24-Dec	Whatley, Benjamin	L-Corporal	20	42 Commando Royal Marines	Hostile fire
21-Dec	Deering, Robert	Corporal	33	Commando Logistics	IED attack
17-Dec	Nash, Stuart	Rifleman	21	1st Battalion The Rifles	Hostile fire
15-Dec	Lewis, Aaron	Lieutenant	26	29 Commando Royal Artillery	Hostile fire
12-Dec	Davies, Damian	Marine	27	Commando Logistics Regiment	Suicide bomb
12-Dec	Manuel, John Henry	Sergeant	38	45 Commando Royal Marines	Suicide bomb
12-Dec	Birch, Marc	Corporal	26	45 Commando Royal Marines	Suicide bomb
12-Dec	Fellows, Steven	L-Corporal	26	45 Commando Royal Marines	IED attack
27-Nov	Evans, Tony	Marine	20	42 Commando Royal Marines	RPG attack
27-Nov	Sparks, Georgie	Marine	19	42 Commando Royal Marines	RPG attack
24-Nov	Lucas, Alexander	Marine	24	45 Commando Royal Marines	IED attack
15-Nov	Dura, Krishnabahadur	C-Sergeant	36	Royal Gurkha Rifles	IED attack
12-Nov	Dunstan, Neil David	Marine	32	UK Command Support Group	IED attack
12-Nov	McKibben, Robert	Marine	32	UK Command Support Group	IED attack
04-Nov	Rai, Yubraj	Rifleman	28	2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles	Hostile fire
15-Oct	Munday, James	Trooper	21	Household Cavalry Regiment	IED attack
13-Sep	Mason, Nicky	L-Corporal	26	2 Parachute Regiment	IED attack
12-Sep	Rawstron, Jason Lee	Private	23	2 Parachute Regiment	Hostile fire
10-Sep	O'Donnell, Gary	WO2	40	11 EODR Royal Logistic Corps	IED attack
04-Sep	Cupples, Justin James	Ranger	29	1st Royal Irish Regiment	IED attack
18-Aug	Dempsey, Barry	Corporal	29	Royal Highland Fusiliers	IED attack
11-Aug	Bland, Wayne	Signaller	21	16 Signal Regiment	Suicide bomb
29-Jul	Cowton, Peter Joe	Private	25	2 Parachute Regiment	IED attack
28-Jul	Mathews, Jonathan	Sergeant	35	4 Royal Regiment of Scotland	Hostile fire
24-Jul	Rowe, Kenneth	L-Corporal	24	2 Parachute Regiment	Hostile fire
22-Jul	Barnes, Jason Stuart	Corporal	25	2 Parachute Regiment	IED attack
28-Jun	Johnson, James	L-Corporal	31	5 Royal Regiment of Scotland	Land mine
27-Jun	Shirley, Dan	WO2	32	13 Air Assault Support	Accident
24-Jun	Williams, Michael	Sgt Major	40	2 Parachute Regiment	Hostile fire
24-Jun	Whittaker, Joe	Private	20	4 Parachute Regiment	RPG attack
17-Jun	Stout, Paul	L-Corporal	31	Not reported yet	IED attack
17-Jun	Bryant, Sarah	Sergeant	26	Intelligence Corps	IED attack
17-Jun	Larkin, Richard	L-Corporal	39	Not reported yet	IED attack
17-Jun	Reeve, Sean Robert	Corporal	28	Royal Signals	IED attack
12-Jun	Bateman, James	L-Corporal	29	2 Parachute Regiment	Hostile fire
12-Jun	Doherty, Jeff	Private	20	2 Parachute Regiment	Hostile fire
08-Jun	Murray, Charles David	Private	19	2 Parachute Regiment	IED attack
08-Jun	Gamble, Daniel	Private	22	2 Parachute Regiment	IED attack
08-Jun	Cuthbertson, Nathan	Private	19	2 Parachute Regiment	IED attack
25-May	Gostick, Dale	Marine	22	3 Armoured Support	IED attack
19-May	Thompson, James	Captain	27	SAS	Hostile fire
02-May	Babakobau, Ratu	Trooper	29	Household Cavalry	IED attack
21-Apr	Pearson, Robert	Trooper	22	Queens Royal Lancers	IED attack
13-Apr	Thompson, Gary	Snr. Airman	51	RAF Regiment	IED attack
13-Apr	Livingstone, Graham	Snr. Airman	23	RAF Regiment	IED attack
30-Mar	Marsh, David	Marine	22	40 Commando Royal Marines	IED attack
30-Mar	Thornton, John	Lieutenant	23	40 Commando Royal Marines	IED attack
20-Feb	Mulvihill, Damian	Corporal	32	40 Commando Royal Marines	IED attack
17-Feb	Lawrence, Damian	Corporal	25	2nd Yorkshire Regiment	IED attack
20-Jan	Gardiner, Darryl	Corporal	25	5th Royal Artillery, Recon	IED attack