‘Soldier’s soldier’ killed in Afghanistan in insurgent firefight
by: Lanai Vasek
From: The Australian
July 03, 2012 8:47AM
A 40-YEAR-OLD career soldier has died in Afghanistan after being shot in the chest by Taliban insurgents.
The Perth-based Special Air Service operative was a career soldier on his seventh tour of duty in Afghanistan.
He died yesterday morning (Afghanistan time) while on an intelligence-led operation to target a Taliban commander in the Chora Valley.
Chief of the Defence Force David Hurley said the soldier was shot in the chest as a helicopter attempted to drop SAS soldiers into the mission area.
He wearing combat body armour. First aid was provided at the scene before he was taken to the medical facility in Tarin Kowt.
“Sadly, despite the best efforts of all, attempts to resuscitate the soldier were unsuccessful,” Gen. Hurley said.
Julia Gillard said the death was a “dreadful blow for the nation”.
