Australian Commando, Sergeant Brett Wood

Australian Special Forces Sergeant Brett Wood, aged 32, was killed in southern Afghanistan on 23rd May 2011 when a bomb was detonated while Sgt. Wood and his unit were conducting clearance operations.

Sgt. Wood, from Victoria, served with the elite 2nd Commando Regiment. With over 15 years military service, he had served in Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Iraq. This was his third deployment to Afghanistan. In 2006 he was awarded the Medal for Gallantry.

Australian Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston described Sgt. Wood as a "decorated warrior."

French Commando, Jonathan Lefort

French Commando, Jonathan Lefort , age 28, was killed on December 17, 2010, in Bedraou Valley, Kapisa, Afghanistan.

This was his third tour in Afghanistan.  Jonathan Lefort was born in 1982 in Pompey (Meurthe-et-Moselle), France. 

For his merits in combat, he received the Cross of Military Valour with Bronze Star and the Cross of the fighter. He became a paratrooper instructor. He was also awarded the Medal of National Defence, the Medal with Overseas clasp Republic of Ivory Coast, Medal of Recognition of the nation and the French Commemorative Medal with Clasp Afghanistan.

British Commando, Adam Brown, killed

Marine Adam Brown, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, serving as part of Combined Force Sangin, was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday 1 August 2010.

Marine Brown was conducting a reassurance patrol as part of 3 Troop, Alpha Company, to provide security for the locals in the area.

At approximately 1750hrs on Sunday 1 August, there was an explosion in the vicinity of his patrol base and Marine Brown was killed instantly in the blast.

Australian Commandos killed in Afghanistan

THREE Australian soldiers killed in a chopper crash in Afghanistan have been named.

Privates Tim Aplin, 38, Ben Chuck, 27, and Scott Palmer, 27, were killed when a chopper crashed in southern Kandahar province yesterday.

All three were from the Sydney-based 2nd Commando Regiment.

L-R: Ben Chuck, Tim Aplin, Scott Palmer

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Click here to see listing of all Australian military fatalities

Journalist Sultan Munadi killed

Afghan journalist, Sultan Munadi has been killed during an operation by British Commandos to rescue hum and British journalist, Stephen Farrell. Both men had been kidnapped and were being held hostage when the rescue mission happened.

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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.

Australian officer killed in IED attack

Lieutenant Michael Fussell was serving with the Special Operations Task Group when he was killed in action by an Improvised Explosive Device detonation while conducting a dismounted patrol in Uruzgan province, on Thursday 27 November, 2008.

Twenty-five-year-old Lieutenant Fussell was from the Sydney-based 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando).

Lieutenant Michael Fussell was born on 17 November, 1983 at Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.

Lieutenant Fussell enlisted in the Australian Army January 2002 and was appointed as an Officer Cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy. He completed a Bachelor of Arts and was a keen sportsman, with a strong interest in rugby.

He attended Royal Military College, Duntroon in 2005, commissioning in December 2005 into the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. On graduation he was posted to ‘A’ Field Battery, 4th Field Regiment, where he fulfilled a number of junior officer roles.

During his time at ‘A’ Field Battery he qualified as a paratrooper. He also deployed to East Timor on Operation Astute in 2006 and 2007.

Lieutenant Fussell was posted to 4 RAR (Commando) in January 2008 as a Joint Offensive Support Team Commander. He was a Platoon Commander for the Advance Infantry Course at Singleton and completed the Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) course.

Lieutenant Fussell’s military decorations include the Australian Active Service Medal with clasp International Campaign Against Terrorism (ICAT), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Australian Service Medal clasp, Timor-Leste and the Australian Defence Medal. 

Michael leaves behind two loving parents, his younger brother Daniel and two younger foster sisters Nikki and Nyah. His brother Daniel is a Lieutenant with 1st Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery (RAA) in Brisbane.

Australian commando Luke Worsley killed in action

It is with great sadness that the Department of Defence announces the death of Australian Commando, Private Luke Worsley, serving with Special Operations Task Group in Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, 23 November 2007.

Private Worsley, 26 years of age from Sydney, was killed by small arms fire while participating in a planned and deliberate attack by our forces against Taliban leaders and their supporters in Uruzgan Province.

Luke Worsley

 Read Australian Department of Defence press release