Inquest told of brave Upton soldier's death
AN Upton soldier died when an improvised explosive device was set off while he was on night patrol in Afghanistan, an inquest heard today (Wednesday).
Rifleman Luke Farmer, 19, of Third Avenue, was one of two soldiers to be killed by the blast in Sangin, Helmand Province, on January 15 this year.
Luke and Corporal Lee Brownson, 30, both of 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, were on a two-hour night patrol to stop the Taliban from planting IEDs and intimidating the local population, the hearing in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, was told.
When Luke and the rest of his section came under small arms fire they decided to fall back 400 metres to their base.
The former Minsthorpe Community College pupil bravely led the way using a metal detector to try to steer the patrol away from hidden IEDs.
But soldiers from another section heard a 'huge' explosion, which hit Luke and Cpl Brownson with the full blast.
The hearing was told the IED was likely to have been a pressure plate the men stepped on.
Wiltshire and Swindon coroner David Ridley recorded verdicts of unlawful killing for both men while on active service.
For more on this story see next week's Hemsworth and SOuth Elmsall Express.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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