Tribute to officer killed in blast

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Lieutenant Paul Mervis, 27 and from London - who was a platoon commander with 2nd Battalion The Rifles - died on Friday from a blast near Sangin in northern Helmand Province.

A statement from his family said: "Paul was a wonderful, loving son, brother and friend - generous and thoughtful, with an infectious sense of fun. He was passionately committed to his men - far beyond mere duty."

His death took the number of British service personnel who have died in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 168.

Lt Mervis was caught in a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) while on foot patrol on Friday morning.

He died just 10 days after one of his platoon members, Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher, was killed by an explosion during another operation in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson, the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion The Rifles, said of Lt Mervis: "There was no more committed officer in the Rifles and the Riflemen adored being under his command.

"He had taken the fight to the enemy at every turn and it had not been without a cost - Rifleman Thatcher was in his Platoon and his beloved 10 Platoon had already had two other Riflemen wounded in action, including his Platoon Serjeant.

"It was a cost which hurt him to the core but it did not deter him."

Lt Mervis went to school at King's College, Wimbledon, and studied philosophy at University College, London.