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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Dead Afghanistan marines named | Dead Afghanistan marines named |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Two Royal Marines killed in a blast in southern Afghanistan have been named by the Ministry of Defence. | Two Royal Marines killed in a blast in southern Afghanistan have been named by the Ministry of Defence. |
| Neil Dunstan, of Bournemouth, and Robert McKibben, both aged 32 and from the Irish Republic, died on patrol in Helmand province on Wednesday. | |
| The pair, from UK Landing Force Command Support Group, served with the Plymouth-based 3 Commando Brigade. | The pair, from UK Landing Force Command Support Group, served with the Plymouth-based 3 Commando Brigade. |
| The fatalities took the total of UK military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan to 300 - 124 of them in Afghanistan. | The fatalities took the total of UK military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan to 300 - 124 of them in Afghanistan. |
| 'Natural leader' | |
| The explosion happened while they were on joint patrol with Afghan soldiers in the Garmsir district. | |
| A third marine was seriously injured in the blast and a member of the Afghan security services was also killed. | |
| Marine Dunstan was due to marry his fiancee Katie Miller in summer 2010. | |
| She said: "Neil was so proud to be a marine and lived each day to the full. He was my soulmate and the love of my life. Neil was very much loved by all the family." | |
| His commanding officer, Lt Col Andrew McInerney, said Marine Dunstan was a "quiet but natural leader". | |
| "Tough and committed, he was always prepared to go the extra mile for his comrades," he said. | |
| 'Example and inspiration' | |
| Marine McKibben, who was from Westport, County Mayo, had been expected home by his family before Christmas. | |
| A family statement said: "As a family, we are all extremely proud of our Robbie. He had very definite plans of how he wanted to live his life. | |
| "He was always thoughtful, considerate and had an amazing sense of humour that touched so many lives." | |
| Lt Col McInerney described Marine McKibben as a "larger-than-life character, with an easy smile and quick wit". | |
| He said: "He was an immensely capable man, yet his humility made him an example and inspiration to all he served with." | |
| Defence Secretary John Hutton said he was "extremely saddened" by the deaths. | |
| "I understand from their commanders that both were capable, committed and brave Royal Marines who served with dedication and distinction," he said. |