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Soldiers' bodies flown home from Afghanistan
21 Aug 2009The body of the 201st soldier to die in Afghanistan will fly back to Britain today along with two fusiliers and the commander they died trying to save.
Sergeant Simon Valentine, 29, will fly back to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire beside Lance Corporal James Fullarton, Fusilier Simon Annis and Fusilier Louis Carter, all of 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
After a private ceremony at the base's chapel, their coffins will be driven through nearby Wootton Bassett, where hundreds are expected to line the streets.
Sgt Valentine, 29, a married father of two young daughters, from Bedworth, Warwickshire, joined the army in 1997.
He was hand-picked to deploy to Kosovo in 1999 and took part in anti-terrorist operations in Belfast, as well as completing numerous periods of deployment overseas, including two tours in Iraq.
He leaves his wife Gemma, who he had known since school and married in 2002, and two daughters, Chantelle and Niamh.
Mrs Valentine said: "Simon, above all else, was a truly loved father, son, husband and friend. To have known him was to have loved him."
He died on Saturday August 15 in an explosion while on foot patrol near Sangin.
Newlywed Fusilier Annis, 22, from Salford, and Fusilier Louis Carter, 18, from Nuneaton, perished the next day in another blast at Sangin.
They were battling to rescue their injured commander Lance Corporal James Fullarton, 24, from Coventry, who was anticipating his wedding next year to girlfriend Leanne.
Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth said: "These three brave soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the security of all of us in the United Kingdom. Their deaths are truly heart rending and their families are in my thoughts; the loved ones they have lost are true heroes."
Fusilier Annis married in February this year, just weeks before he was deployed to Afghanistan.
His wife Caroline said: "Simon was the perfect husband, son and brother. He will be sorely missed by all of us. He was a true hero who made all of us so very proud and he will always have a place in our hearts. We will love and miss him always."
Lance Corporal Fullarton had become engaged to his girlfriend Leanne while he was home on leave from Afghanistan in June. They planned to marry next year.
He joined the Army in 2003 and had served in Northern Ireland, Jordan and Iraq.
Fusilier Louis Carter joined the Army in 2007 and after completing his training was sent straight out to Afghanistan.
He was a keen footballer, rugby player and cricketer and was a Coventry City supporter.
The 200th serviceman to die in Afghanistan was this week named as private Richard Hunt, 21, from The 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh. Pte Hunt died of his wounds at a military hospital in Selly Oak, Birmingham, on Saturday.
Pte Hunt, from Abergavenny, South Wales, was injured while on patrol near Musa Qaleh in Helmand province three days earlier.
