Funeral today of soldier killed by bomb

Private Anthony Frampton, 20, of 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, died alongside five colleagues on March 6.

Also killed in the attack were Corporal Jake Hartley, 20, Private Christopher Kershaw, 19, Private Daniel Wade, 20, and Private Daniel Wilford, 21, all also of 3 Yorks, and Sergeant Nigel Coupe, 33, of 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

The soldiers, who had been in Afghanistan for only a few weeks, were killed when their Warrior armoured vehicle was blown up by a massive improvised explosive device about 25 miles north of the capital of Helmand province, Lashkar Gah.

The force of the Taliban blast - the deadliest single attack on British forces in Afghanistan since 2001 - turned the Warrior upside down and blew off its gun turret.

Speaking after her son’s death, Pte Frampton’s mother, Margaret Charlesworth, 47, said: “We are devastated at the loss of our beautiful boy Anton and are so very proud of him. He was a legend to us and all who knew him. We are heartbroken.”

She said her son had liked the routine of the Army and the “comradeship of all the lads”.

She said: “He just loved it. He just loved it. He loved the craic, he loved the lads, the training, everything.”

Mrs Charlesworth added: “As a young boy he was like a whirlwind.”

She said he was “happy” and added: “He was just the joker, the clown. He entertained all the troops. He lifted them up with his daft dances and karaoke and singing. And they loved him for it.”

Pte Frampton’s funeral will take place at Huddersfield Parish Church today.

The funerals of Cpl Hartley and Sgt Coupe were held last month and the funerals of the other soldiers killed in the explosion will follow this month.

Pte Frampton’s platoon commander, Lieutenant Daniel Brennan, said: “Private Frampton was the life and soul of the party. He could raise the spirits of everyone in the room. He was also exceptionally kind and willing to do anything for anyone, and his absence will leave a void in the lives of all those that knew him.”

Pte Frampton was an apprentice welder before deciding to join the Army in 2009. In January 2010 he completed a tour of duty in the Falklands.

He had spoken to a reporter of his concerns about going out to Afghanistan months before his deployment, but said he thought the mission was worthwhile.

Yorkshire Post reporter Joe Shute went out on patrol with Pte Frampton on a freezing training exercise in Norfolk last year.

The young soldier told the journalist: “I have never really regretted joining the Army. I feel like it is worthwhile being out there in Afghanistan. I am worried about myself, and my mates as well.”

Pte Frampton left behind his mother, father Gary, stepfather Martin Charlesworth, sisters Gemma and Nicola and great-uncle Pat.