Four British soldiers die in Iraq in a week
Pastor Dale Morgan
Four British soldiers die in Iraq in a week*
· Soldiers who died in roadside blast are named
· Veteran says Basra must be retaken or abandoned
Audrey Gillan
Saturday August 11, 2007
The Guardian
They were doing "top cover" together, standing with their heads out of
the roof of a vulnerable Snatch Land Rover, facing away from each other,
their eyes trained down the sights of their SA80 rifles. The British
soldiers were killed instantly when their soft-skinned vehicle was hit
by an improvised explosive device as it travelled in a convoy to
oilfields west of Basra.
Yesterday, they were named as Lance Corporal Kirk "Rederz" Redpath, 22,
and Lance Sergeant Chris Casey, 27, both members of the 1st Battalion,
Irish Guards. Two other soldiers were seriously injured in the attack.
L/Sgt Casey, a married father of two, was on his second tour of Iraq,
having fought during the invasion in 2003. He was a member of his unit's
pipes and drums band and was involved in training the Iraqi army.
His company commander, Major Piers Ormerod, said: "A hugely popular
member of his platoon and company, he had thrown himself fully behind
the job of training the Iraqi army. Working in their training centre in
Shaiba, his efforts ensured tangible signs of development. He was helped
by an excellent knowledge of the local environment and excellent
cultural understanding and used this expertise to help contribute to the
development of the Iraqis. He was therefore a critical element in the
huge training task that is critical in enabling the Iraqis to take more
responsibility for their own security."
His brother-in-law and fellow Irish Guard, L/Sgt Neil Nicholson
described him as "one of the finest musicians in the Irish Guards and
the most professional soldier we have seen". He said: "He was dedicated,
loyal and trustworthy and the friendliest man you could ever know. Sadly
he leaves behind Tanya, his wife, Kian his son and Ashlyn his daughter.
He was a great family man."
L/Cpl Redpath had been on operations in Iraq since early May. A member
of the battalion's intelligence cell he was attached to Badger Squadron,
2nd Royal Tank Regiment, and was on patrol with them when he died. His
job in intelligence meant he was not required him to deploy outside his
base but he regularly volunteered. A side drummer in the pipes platoon,
he also played the bugle and took part in the Ceremony of the Keys at
the Tower of London.
Captain James Bullock-Webster, his platoon commander, said: "The news of
Rederz's death has come as a massive shock and is deeply saddening.
Rederz was undoubtedly a fantastic person, a great role model and friend
to all. He was professional, incredibly keen and extremely competent.
However, in my mind he will not be remembered for the manner in which he
carried out his job but as the person who made us laugh through all the
frustrating and difficult times."
The killings brought the number of British soldiers to die in the Basra
area this week to four. On Tuesday evening, Leading Aircraftman Martin
Beard, 20, of No1 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, was shot during a
foot patrol in the al-Waki district north of the main British base at
Basra airport.
The previous day Private Craig Barbour was shot in the head while
driving a Warrior armoured personnel carrier near Basra Palace, the soon
to be handed over British base in the centre of the city.
The latest deaths prompted a former military commander to say that
British troops must either retake the city or abandon it. Colonel Bob
Stewart, who led the British forces in Bosnia, told BBC Radio 4's Today
programme: "Either we retake control of that ground so that people
can't, for example, rocket the Basra base or put an improvised explosive
device at very short notice on to a route that one of our strike force
is going down, or we abandon it. If we don't re-dominate the ground, we
have to accept casualties."
In Afghanistan, another British soldier was killed whilst on patrol to
check a local irrigation project north east of Sangin when he and his
colleagues came under fire from Taliban fighters. He was a member of the
1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment. A fellow soldier was injured.
Next of kin have been informed.
Roll call of losses
Monday August 6
Private Craig Barber, 20, of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, dies in
Basra during a night operation to counter indirect fire attacks.
Tuesday August 7
Leading Aircraftman Martin Beard, 20, of No 1 Squadron Royal Air Force
Regiment, is killed on routine patrol in Basra.
Thursday August 9
Lance Sergeant Chris Casey, 27, and Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, 22, of
1st Battalion, Irish Guards, die together in southern Iraq.
Friday August 10
An unnamed soldier from the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment
dies in southern Afghanistan.