Soldier dies in Afghan bomb attack

A TEENAGE soldier from the Westcountry has died in a bomb attack in Afghanistan.

Trooper Joshua Hammond, 18, from Plymouth, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, died on Wednesday in an explosion that also killed Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe, commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and the highest-ranking British soldier to die in the country.

Lt Col Thorneloe and Trooper Hammond died near Lashkar Gah when a bomb was detonated under their Viking armoured vehicle. Six other soldiers were injured in the blast.

Trooper Hammond, pictured above, enlisted in the Army aged just 16 and died only a week before his 19th birthday. He was engaged to be married. In a statement last night, his family said: "Joshua was a tremendous son. He was proud to be a soldier and died doing a job he loved.

"We are proud of the fact that Joshua was prepared to do his duty, helping the people of Afghanistan."

Lt Col Marcus Simson, commanding officer of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, said that after only a month in theatre, Trooper Hammond had already "proved himself to be a superb soldier".

"Fit, courageous and robust, he was the first to volunteer, the first to muck in and the first to offer help to others. But he was so much more than that," he said.

"For he was at the heart of everything that was going on. He was full of laughter, was always ready to listen and he cared deeply about his mates."