Praise for work of fallen Bomb Disposal expert

An inquest into the death of a highly decorated bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan has heard how his work helped bring down a notorious bomb maker.

Staff Sergeant Brett Linley was dealing with his third IED of the day when it detonated and killed him:

U.S Army Spc. Christopher Stark

Spc. Christopher G. Stark

Army Specialist, Christopher G. Stark, aged 22, from Monett, Montana, was killed by the blast from an imporovised explosive devise (IED). He died 28th February 2011. The incident happened in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 63rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion, 20th Support Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

In the same incident, his colleague, Staff Sgt. Chauncy Mays also died.

Italian bomb-disposal expert, WO1 Mauro Gigli

WO1 Mauro Gigli

Italian Army Warrant Officer, Mauro Gigli, was one of two Italian bomb-disposal experts killed 28th July 2010 while attempting to defuse a roadside bomb 10km north of Herat.

The two experienced engineers were part of a IEDD (Improvided Explosive Device Disposal) team. As they were trying to defuse the device, when it exploded.

WO1 Gigli, aged 41 and born in Sassari, Italy, served with the Turin-based 32nd Regiment of Engineers (Brigata Alpina Taurinense).

Italian bomb-disposal expert, Cpl. Pierdavide de Callis

Cpl. Pierdavide de Callis

Italian Army Corporal, Pierdavide de Cillis, was one of two Italian bomb-disposal experts killed 28th July 2010 while attempting to defuse a roadside bomb 10km north of Herat.

The two experienced engineers were part of a IEDD (Improvided Explosive Device Disposal) team. As they were trying to defuse the device, it exploded.

Cpl. de Callis, aged 33 and born in Bisceglie, Italy, served with the 21st Regiment of Engineers based at Caserta.

Hungarian Army Major, Krisztian Nemes

Major Nemes

Hungarian explosives expert Major Krisztian Nemes, aged 32, was killed by a bomb on 12th July 2008 in Baghlan province.

Major Nemes had been called to a road leading to Kunduz where a bomb had been found. As he was inspecting the device, it exploded, killing Nemes and injuring an Afghan police officer.

He had been sent to Afghanistan a few weeks previouly to replace Lieutenant Gyula Kovacs, who was killed by an explosive in June 2008. 

Major Nemes was posthumously promoted from Captain and declared a national hero.

Hungarian Sergeant, Gyula Kovacs

Sgt. Kovacs

Hungarian Army Bomb-disposal expert, Sergeant 1st-class Gyula Kovacs, aged 30, was killed as he was attempting to defuse a roadside bomb and the device exploded.

The incident happened in Baghlan province on 10th June 2008.

Sgt. Kovacs was a member of the Hungarian Provincial Reconstruction Team, Hungarian Army.

He was posthumously promoted from Sergeant to Sergeant First Class.

Five bomb disposal troops killed in explosion

Five NATO Bomb-disposal engineers were killed on 6th March 2002 while they were defusing a Soviet-made ground-to-air missile near Kabul, Afghanistan. The missile exploded as the engineers worked on it.

The engineers included two German Army Sergeants: Oberfeldwebel Mike Rubel (27) and Oberfeldwebel Thomas Knochert (29).

Also, three Danish personnel serving with the Danish Army Royal Engineers died: Sergeant Thomas Butzkowsky (26), Lance-Corporal Brian Andersen (26) and Lance-Corporal Kim Carlsen (35).