Two British soldiers die in fresh launch on Taliban

A soldier from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards was shot during the British-led operation taking the fight to the Taliban in the Upper Gereshk Valley area of Helmand.

Yesterday Lance Corporal Alex Hawkins, of the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, was killed in an explosion which hit his vehicle as he returned from a routine patrol at Sangin, elsewhere in the province.

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Two others were injured in the fighting.

A trained sniper, the 22-year-old from East Dereham, Norfolk, was described by his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver, as "one of the most promising soldiers of his generation".

The deaths, which take the number of British forces personnel killed in Afghanistan since November 2001 to 66, came as the head of the UK's armed forces, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, called on other countries to send more troops.

The latest soldier to be killed was taking part in the British-led Operation codenamed "Chakush" - or Hammer - to extend the writ of the government of Afghan president Hamid Karzai fully into the area of the Upper Gereshk Valley.

A total of 2,000 Nato and Afghan forces have been taking part in the operation in the area between Heyderabad and Mirmandab, north east of Gereshk.

Key to the early part of the push was establishing a bridge over the Nahr-e-Seraj canal.

It was close to the same canal that the Grenadier Guard was shot.

His company had secured a bridge over the canal and were pushing west when they came under fire from the Taliban and he was shot.

Defence Secretary Des Browne paid tribute to Lance Corporal Hawkins, describing his death as a "dreadful loss".

"He died defending our country and helping to bring stability to Afghanistan." Mr Browne said.

"His contribution will be remembered with honour."

A former Army cadet, Lance Corporal Hawkins joined his county regiment in January 2003.

Described as a huge fitness fanatic, a keen rugby player and skier, he volunteered to train as a sniper after his first tour or Iraq, earning his badge last year before being promoted to Lance Corporal.

The Ministry of Defence said tonight that he had proved himself in combat repeatedly during his subsequent deployment in Afghanistan.

He had a younger brother who recently joined the army and also leaves behind parents and an elder sister.

But his family said tonight that he died "doing the job he loved".

In a brief statement they said: "He dreamed of joining the Army and becoming a sniper.

"This he achieved within his first year and was the top student on his course.

"He was an excellent cadet and an excellent soldier, a kind, loving son, brother and boyfriend, always thinking of others before himself.

"He was the light of our life and the world will be a duller place without him."

Lt Col Carver said: "He leaves behind some fond memories and a lasting legacy that we will all strive to live up to.

"Never to be forgotten, he will go down in Regimental history as a true professional and close friend who we feel privileged to have served and fought with."

Among those who served with him was Captain Ollie Ormiston.

He said: "The other men in the platoon always looked up to him.

"He was one of the boys and no one had a bad word to say about him. We will miss him as a soldier, and more importantly as a friend."

Fellow Lance Corporal Craig Rouse said: "Recruits passing out of training should model themselves on him."