Australian sergeant killed by IED

Sergeant Brett Till, a highly-respected Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician from the Incident Response Regiment in Holsworthy, New South Wales, was killed by an explosion that occurred during a route clearance task in Southern Afghanistan on Thursday, 19 March 2009.

Sergeant Till, age 31, lived in Sydney with his wife and two children. His immediate family is currently receiving support from Defence representatives.

Sergeant Till enlisted in the Australian Army in 2001 and was allocated to the Corps of Royal Australian Engineers following recruit training. Sergeant Till trained as a Combat Engineer and served with a number of units, including the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment and the School of Military Engineering.

The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, paid tribute to Sergeant Till and his extraordinary bravery.

“Sergeant Till’s selfless act to protect his mates and innocent civilians is a mark of the character of the man,” Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Sergeant Till’s loved ones at this difficult time. His sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Australian soldier killed by small arms fire

It is with deep regret the Australian Defence Force announces the death of Corporal Mathew Hopkins during operations in Afghanistan.

Corporal Hopkins was serving with the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF) in Afghanistan when he was killed while conducting a patrol near Kakarak when he and his team were engaged by a group of around 20 Taliban on Monday 16 March, 2009.

Twenty-one-year-old Corporal Hopkins was a valued member of the Darwin-based 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

 Click to read full story

French soldier, Nicolas Belda, killed in combat

Monday 16 March 2009 on the Place d'Armes Camp Warehouse in Kabul, took place the ceremony of lifting the body of Corporal Nicolas Belda, who died in combat in Valley Alasa on 14 March 2009.

Corporal Belda, of the 27th Brigade Alpine Annecy, had joined the Afghan theater in late November 2008, with his unit in the Kapisa region.

Corporal Nicolas Belda

German Army Corporal Conrad Hoetzel

German Army Corporal Conrad Hoetzel, age 21, was killed on 14th March 2009 in Feyzabad, Afghanistan.

Cpl. Hoetzel, serving with 37 Mechanised Infantry, died in a traffic accident.

Afghan journalist killed in Kandahar

Ahmad

Ahmad, 23, was shot while driving on a main street in Kandahar, not far from the governor’s palace, according to The Canadian Press and Agence France-Presse. Another car, which the Canadian network CTV identified as a white Toyota, pulled alongside the passenger side and a gunman opened fire. 

Ahmad died at the scene, CTV said, citing Qasim Khan, the physician who pronounced him dead. The journalist was known by his nickname, Jojo, and also used the surname Yazemi or Yazamy.

Ahmad was a freelance field producer for CTV and worked for a number of other news organizations. He also pursued business projects unrelated to journalism.

French officer killed by IED

Captain Patrice Sonzogni, 46, from Tarbes, Midi-Pyrenees, died of injuries sustained during an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Deh-e-Manakah, Logar province on 11th February 2009. He served with 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment.

Captain Patrice Sonzogni

Prior to Afghanistan, he was sent to Saudi Arabia under Operation Daguet on 11 February 1991. On 24th February 1991 he crossed to Iraq with a Commando unit and was injured in combat.

German Army Lieutenant Alexander Janelt

German Army Lieutenant Alexander Janelt was killed on 11th February 2009 in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan.

Lt. Janelt, serving with 32 Medical Regiment, died from gunshot wounds when his unit was attacked by insurgent forces.

Polish soldier, Andrzej Rozmiarek

WO Andrzej Rozmiarek

Chief WO Andrzej Rozmiarek died on 10th February 2009 in a road accident when the vehicle he was travelling in back to the camp in Ghazni was struck by a bus travelling at high speed. 

Chief WO Andrzej Rozmiarek died in an accident, four other soldiers were wounded. They were transported to the camp in Ghazni and later to the hospital in Bagram.  

Aged 35, he served with the Polish 12th Mechanized Brigade.

Lithuanian military fatalities - list

LITHUANIA

Complete list of Lithuanian military fatalities since 2002

Date Name Rank Age Unit Cause 22-May-08 Jarmalavicius, Arunas Sergeant 35 Motorised Infantry Hostile fire

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

3 Danish Hussars killed by land mine

Sergeant Jacob Moe Jensen, konstabel Sebastian La Cour Holm and konstabel Benjamin Davie Sala Rasmussen lost their lives when they were engaged in what they have done so many times before. Namely, to escort logistikkonvojen through the desert.

All three were vital pieces in the battle group convoy section, with the walking-on courage and enthusiasm time after time ran out to ensure that there were supplies to their comrades in the camps Price and Armadillo.

All three were professional to the utmost. Go on their first deployment, they all three had taken a position on that they wanted the mission here and that they believed in the matter.

Jacob, Sebastian and Benjamin were all three victims of the enemy's cowardly way to hit us on. One way in which the three are known for.


That day they took away with the largest logistics column, which we had seen on hold 6th Mood was high, this day, although the weather was gray and dull. 
We beckoned goodbye to them as they drove through the gate, and stood with bowed head as they drove in again.


Jacob, Benjamin and Sebastian knew all three, what it was, they went in for. They knew they could come to pay the ultimate price. Yet they took the place without blinking for the task which they were trained to do.

So do we, who sit back. We are not intimidated. We are running out through the gate today, tomorrow, next month. We will not allow Jacob, Sebastian and Benjamins death be in vain.

Have honored their memory

Dutch soldier killed by roadside bomb

Sergeant Mark Weijdt

A DUTCH soldier serving in Afghanistan was killed on 19th December 2008 by a roadside bomb during a fire-fight with the Taliban.

The country's armed forces chief, General Peter van Uhm, said Sergeant Mark Weijdt, 24, died after stepping on the explosive device in the Baluchi Valley, north-east of the joint Dutch-Australia base at Tarin Kowt in the southern province of Oruzgan. Another soldier was slightly wounded.

Two Danish Dragoons killed by IED

above: Jacob Gronnegaard Gade

Dan Gyde

The Danish Army Operational Command announced Friday afternoon the names of two soldiers who were killed Thursday morning in Afghanistan when their patrol was engaged in a fight.

22-year-old Konstabel Jacob Gronnegaard Gade and 29-year-old Overkonstabel Dan Gyde were killed as a result of the blast of an improvised explosive device in Gereshk, Helmand province.

Jacob Gronnegaard Gade had been in Helmand province previously in 2007 and 2008, while Dan Gyde had been deployed to Macedonia in 1999.

Dan Gyde leaves his father, mother, three sisters, his wife and a small child.

Jacob Gronnegaard Gade was unmarried and had no children. He leaves behind his mother and sister.

Both were assigned to the Jydske Dragonregiment (Jutland Dragoon Regiment).