33-year-old New Zealand SAS Lance Corporal Leon Smith was killed in action on 28th September 2011 in Wardak province, Afghanistan. The Special Air Service trooper was shot in the head during a contact with enemy forces. He had served with the SAS since 2008 and had spent 11 of the past 24 months on combat operations.
He was part of an operation assisting Afghan police targeting an insurgent group planning an attack on Kabul. He was shot while watching over the cordon. He was evacuated by air and taken to a nearby base, but died on the operating table.
L-Cpl. Smith was an advanced medic and was first on the scene when SAS soldier Corporal Doug Grant was killed on 19th August.
Lance Corporal Smith’s family say he died doing what he loved.
Died doing what he loved. Not few of us could say so, but its hard to live on without the ones we loved. My best wishes to your family!
ReplyDeleteI never knew him, but was touched by the picture first and by the story. Rest in peace, Soldier!