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The girlfriend of the most highly decorated soldier to have died in Afghanistan sobbed today as his body was brought home.
Jo How was among the hundreds who gathered to pay their respects to Acting Sergeant Michael Lockett who was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in a daring rescue.
The 29-year-old father-of-three was killed by a roadside bomb while on foot patrol in Helmand province last week.
Sgt Lockett, of 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, lost nine of his platoon when they came under heavy fire by Taliban insurgents two years ago.
He was knocked unconscious but recovered to lead a three-hour rescue mission. His body was flown home to RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire, and after a memorial service at the base, hundreds of mourners lined the streets of Wootton Bassett, covering the hearse in yellow and red roses.
Speaking after his death, Sgt Lockett's mother, April, and father, Mal, from Dundee, said: “His passing has left a huge void in all our lives that can never be filled. We are immensely proud of Mike. He was everything we could ever have wanted in a son and was a devoted father. Words cannot express what he meant to his family and friends.”
Reader views (1)
Afgan asylum seekers continue to enjoy the good life in the U.K. whilst our countries bravest souls die trying to make their land safe. Train these cowards then send them back to fight for the freedom we enjoy.
- Les, London, 29/09/2009 20:25
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