Death of three British soldiers in Afghanistan a 'hammer-blow'

The deaths of three soldiers in Afghanistan are a "hammer-blow", a spokesman for the battalion in which the men served has said. A bomb killed Cpl William Savage and Fusilier Samuel Flint from the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment Of Scotland. Pte Robert Hetherington, of the 51st Highland, 7th Battalion, a Territorial Army member, was also killed. Pte Hetherington had joined the 2nd battalion to go to Afghanistan. Maj Tim Petransky said Pte Hetherington "embodied the ethos of the Territorial Army, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us". He described the mood in the battalion as "sombre but determined". "Our thoughts are with the families of these brave men". "I know that the battalion, its families and the regiment as a whole will, with great stoicism, pride and professionalism carry on in a manner that would have made our three men proud." The three soldiers died after their Mastiff armoured vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province in Afghanistan on Tuesday. It is the first time soldiers travelling in a Mastiff have died, the Ministry of Defence said. The vehicle is considered one of the safest armoured vehicles in use by the British Army. Six other soldiers were injured in the explosion. Read More HERE  R.I.P.

Afghanistan roadside bomb kills three British soldiers

Three British soldiers have died in Afghanistan after their armoured vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Helmand, the Ministry of Defence said. The soldiers were from the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Next of kin have been informed. Six other soldiers were also injured after the bomb blast on Tuesday. Prime Minister David Cameron said the country had paid a "very high price" for its work in Afghanistan. He added: "It is important work because it's vital that country doesn't again become a haven for terrorists, terrorists that can threaten us here in the UK. "But today our thoughts should be with the families and friends of those that have suffered." 'Great loss' The number of UK service personnel to have died since operations in Afghanistan began in 2001 is now 444, with the latest deaths bringing the total of British troops killed in Afghanistan this year to six. The soldiers were travelling in the heavily armoured Mastiff vehicle on a routine patrol in the district of Nahr-e Saraj when the blast happened. The MoD says the three soldiers were evacuated by air to the military hospital at Camp Bastion but died of their injuries. The spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Richard Morgan, said: "Their deaths come as a great loss to all those serving in Task Force Helmand. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to their family and friends at this difficult time." Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said the armed forces "deserve our deepest gratitude and respect for the job they do in some of the most difficult and trying circumstances imaginable". An MoD spokesman said the incident underlined the threats faced by British personnel as they continued to hand over security operations to their Afghan counterparts, ahead of UK combat operations concluding by the end of next year. It said security in Helmand was improving, with Afghan forces now responsible for the bulk of the province - but that the environment in which UK troops operated remained "risky and dangerous including the threat of improvised explosive devices and insurgent attack".Read More HERE   R.I.P.

1971 Scottish Soldiers murdered by IRA

1971 Scottish soldiers' killings