Hundreds say farewell to 300th Afghan victim

Hundreds of people gathered at a country church for the funeral of the 300th British serviceman killed in Afghanistan.

Marine Richard Hollington, of 40 Commando Royal Marines, was injured in a blast in the Sangin district but died from his wounds eight days later on June 20 in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

The 23-year-old has been described as a "lion" and "one of the finest".

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At his funeral, held with full military honours at All Saints' Church in his home village of Steep, near Petersfield, Hampshire, a tribute was read by family friend Brigadier Charlie Hobson.

He said: ""His courage, generous character and wonderful attributes have been praised by all those who knew him.

"Not one of us knows what he might have become, but all of us know that our lives are richer because we knew him and that the sense of loss is huge.

"In his short life he managed two things that few can achieve at his age: the unconditional love of his family and the respect and unconstrained comradeship of his fellow RMs, whatever their rank."

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Marine Hollington's colleagues still serving in Afghanistan will pay their respects to him in autumn when they return.

He leaves behind his parents Jenny and Robin, and younger brothers Nick and Charlie.

He was deployed to the Sangin district in April.

The marine, who was known as Dickie, was injured in a blast on patrol on June 12.

He was evacuated to hospital where his condition was described as critical and was later transferred to Birmingham where he died.

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His family, who were by his side when he died, said at the time of his death: "What can we say that hasn't been said so many times before and will be repeated so many times to come?

"Richard will leave a huge numbing hole in the lives of his family, friends and Royal Marine colleagues."

They added: "He chose to live his days as a lion and to us, and we believe his friends, he was the biggest, if softest, lion in the pride – how proud of him we all are."

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