'Irreplaceable' British soldier who became 140th to die in Afghanistan is named

Corporal Lawrence, 25, was killed by an explosion in southern Afghanistan, raising the death toll from two days of bombing to more than 140. He was described by one senior officer as "irreplaceable".

The soldier from the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment was part of a team training Afghan troops.

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He was taking part in a foot patrol alongside Royal Marines from 40 Commando in northern Helmand Province.

At around 9pm on Sunday the patrol was hit by an explosion - thought to be caused by a booby-trap bomb placed by Taliban insurgents.

Another soldier was injured and both men were flown by helicopter to the British field hospital at Camp Bastion, where one was pronounced dead.

A spokesman from the Ministry of Defence said: "Just before 9pm local time, soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, as part of their Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team role, were taking part in a foot patrol with 40 Commando Royal Marines near Kajaki, Helmand Province, when they were caught in an explosion.

"Medical treatment was administered at the scene and both soldiers were evacuated to Camp Bastion by emergency response helicopter.

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"Sadly one of the soldiers was pronounced dead on arrival."

The second soldier's injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

Cpl Lawrence was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, but had his roots firmly based in the town of Whitby, the spokesman said.

He enlisted on October 28, 1999 and on completion of basic training joined the 1st Battalion The Green Howards, 10 Platoon Charlie Company, then based in Warminster, Wiltshire.

He spent his first year as a rifleman before being singled out to move to the Reconnaissance Platoon.

He went on to complete a Junior Non-Commissioned Officers Cadre in 2005 while in A Company and was noted for his diligence and enthusiasm, the spokesman said.

He continued to develop his leadership and command skills and recently attended the Section Commanders' Battle Course in Brecon, where he achieved a high pass. He returned to complete pre-deployment training in time to deploy with the battalion to Helmand.

His role was to train and mentor an Afghan national army platoon - a dangerous and difficult task that he performed outstandingly, the spokesman said.

The rate of casualties has tailed off over the winter months, though commanders are braced for the traditional Afghan pattern of an upsurge in violence in the spring.

In Germany yesterday Chancellor Angela Merkel said she saw no reason to increase her country's presence in Afghanistan despite Nato pressure.