Two soldiers were patrolling near Gereshk in Helmand province when the accident happened on 2 June. 19-year-old Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher was killed. He left behind his parents and two brothers, who said they would never recover from his death.
A very well-known guy with a wide smile in the 2nd Battalion The Rifles, he was missed by all.
Sergeant Leon Smith, who was the injured in that explosion, agreed on Rifleman Thatcher’s popularity and it was proven by the turnout of their squad.
Being deployed to Afghanistan as a machine gunner in April, he had already been marked as a strong candidate for promotion.
168 British service personnel deaths were totaled on operations in Afghanistan since 2001.
Popularity: 27% [?]
