bobdina
09-09-2009, 05:53 PM
AN HEROIC soldier died in an IED blast as he helped secure an attack site where three Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel were killed.
Pte Jason Williams, 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, was on patrol near Gereshk, in Helmand province, when the explosion hit.
His platoon was securing the area as one of the three ANA dead could not be found and they wanted to prevent insurgents seizing his corpse.
Commanding officer Lt Col Simon Banton said: “On the day he died Jason was taking part in an action which adhered to every soldiers’ oldest code: leave no man behind.
“His brave determination and commitment ensured that the Afghan warrior’s family are able to pay their proper respects to their own fallen son. For his selfless sacrifice, ANA warriors now refer to Jason as a hero.”
Friend and colleague Pte Jason Fletcher added: “He was definitely a future NCO and many of us knew him as a hardworking, caring person. He would always laugh and joke and he would never turn away when I asked for advice.”
Pte Williams, from Worcester, joined 2 Mercian in November 2008 after completing the combat infantryman’s course at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick.
A family statement said: “Jason was a loving and caring son and brother.
“The Army gave him a sense of purpose and enthusiasm for life which stretched beyond the boundaries of his work.”
Pte Jason Williams, 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, was on patrol near Gereshk, in Helmand province, when the explosion hit.
His platoon was securing the area as one of the three ANA dead could not be found and they wanted to prevent insurgents seizing his corpse.
Commanding officer Lt Col Simon Banton said: “On the day he died Jason was taking part in an action which adhered to every soldiers’ oldest code: leave no man behind.
“His brave determination and commitment ensured that the Afghan warrior’s family are able to pay their proper respects to their own fallen son. For his selfless sacrifice, ANA warriors now refer to Jason as a hero.”
Friend and colleague Pte Jason Fletcher added: “He was definitely a future NCO and many of us knew him as a hardworking, caring person. He would always laugh and joke and he would never turn away when I asked for advice.”
Pte Williams, from Worcester, joined 2 Mercian in November 2008 after completing the combat infantryman’s course at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick.
A family statement said: “Jason was a loving and caring son and brother.
“The Army gave him a sense of purpose and enthusiasm for life which stretched beyond the boundaries of his work.”