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| Killed soldiers to be repatriated | |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan, including the most senior Army officer to die in action since the Falklands War, will be repatriated on Monday. | |
| The bodies of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, 39, from Oxfordshire, and Trooper Joshua Hammond, 18, from Devon, are to be returned to RAF Lyneham. | |
| The pair died after an improvised bomb blew up their Viking armoured vehicle in southern Afghanistan, on Wednesday. | The pair died after an improvised bomb blew up their Viking armoured vehicle in southern Afghanistan, on Wednesday. |
| Prince Charles and Gordon Brown have both paid tribute to the men. | Prince Charles and Gordon Brown have both paid tribute to the men. |
| Col Thorneloe, from Kirtlington, near Oxford, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and Trooper Hammond, from Plymouth, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, were part of a resupply convoy. | Col Thorneloe, from Kirtlington, near Oxford, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and Trooper Hammond, from Plymouth, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, were part of a resupply convoy. |
| Six other soldiers were injured in the blast near Lashkar Gah in Helmand province. | Six other soldiers were injured in the blast near Lashkar Gah in Helmand province. |
| Prince Charles: "It is completely heartbreaking" | |
| The Prince of Wales, who knew Col Thorneloe personally, said: "As you can imagine, the shock and horror that has affected the whole of the regiment family was quite dramatic. | The Prince of Wales, who knew Col Thorneloe personally, said: "As you can imagine, the shock and horror that has affected the whole of the regiment family was quite dramatic. |
| "I was horrified to say the least about both deaths, Trooper Hammond as well." | "I was horrified to say the least about both deaths, Trooper Hammond as well." |
| The prime minister, speaking on a visit to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, said: "They were very professional soldiers, they were serving in Afghanistan in the most difficult terrain. | The prime minister, speaking on a visit to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, said: "They were very professional soldiers, they were serving in Afghanistan in the most difficult terrain. |
| "Lt Col Thorneloe was someone I know, someone I worked with, someone I admired." | "Lt Col Thorneloe was someone I know, someone I worked with, someone I admired." |
| Major offensive | Major offensive |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Col Thorneloe was a "born soldier" who was "destined for greatness". | Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said Col Thorneloe was a "born soldier" who was "destined for greatness". |
| The deaths came as the US army announced it had launched a major operation in Afghanistan against the Taliban. | The deaths came as the US army announced it had launched a major operation in Afghanistan against the Taliban. |
| More than 700 British troops have launched a similar offensive, codenamed Operation Panther's Claw, against insurgent strongholds in the south of the country. | More than 700 British troops have launched a similar offensive, codenamed Operation Panther's Claw, against insurgent strongholds in the south of the country. |
| Col Thorneloe was the first British commanding officer to be killed in action since Lt Col Herbert "H" Jones died at Goose Green on the Falklands on 28 May 1982. | Col Thorneloe was the first British commanding officer to be killed in action since Lt Col Herbert "H" Jones died at Goose Green on the Falklands on 28 May 1982. |