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Victims of explosion hailed for bravery
Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan as Britain's death toll in the conflict matched that of the Falklands War were last night hailed for their bravery.
Corporal Johnathan Moore, 22, and Private Sean McDonald, of the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, were killed by an explosion in Sangin on Sunday.
A soldier from 36 Engineer Regiment – part of the counter-IED Task
Force – died on Monday, taking the total of British servicemen and women killed since operations in Afghanistan began to 256.
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said the soldiers killed on Sunday were "professional, courageous, selfless, and committed – true infantry soldiers".
Cpl Moore, from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, was commanding his section on a routine night patrol when a roadside bomb detonated, killing him and lead man, Pte McDonald, who was born in Toronto but went to school in Edinburgh.
Cpl Moore's relatives said they were "devastated".
A statement from the family said: "Johnathan was a proud Scottish soldier who was doing a job that he loved – he will be sadly missed by a loving and very proud family. The Army and his family were Johnathan's
life we are devastated at our loss".
Pte McDonald, who had a wife, Jennifer, will be "desperately missed", his mother Jacqueline McDonald said.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson, commanding officer of 3 Rifles Battle Group, said: "Corporal 'John' Moore was as determined and committed as he was able and professional.
"A junior leader of the rarest quality, our Army depends on men like him and his loss is a bitter blow."
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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