Afghan death soldier 'was our hero'

12 April 2012

The family of the latest British soldier killed in Afghanistan has paid tribute to a "true hero".

Sergeant Robert David Loughran-Dickson, 33, of 4th Regiment, Royal Military Police, was killed in the Babaji area of Helmand Province yesterday morning.

In a statement released through the Ministry of Defence, the family members said of the father, from Deal in Kent: "He gave the ultimate sacrifice doing what he loved and was devoted to."

Lieutenant Colonel Debbie Poneskis, commanding officer of his regiment, led tributes from comrades.

She said: "Sergeant Loughran-Dickson was an exceptional soldier and was completely committed to the Royal Military Police. He will be sorely missed by the regiment and by the military community in Aldershot. Prior to his deployment to Afghanistan, Sergeant Loughran-Dickson was the local intelligence officer and a community policeman. He excelled in this role, where his calm personable nature, dedication and commitment plus his consistent enthusiasm for the job, made him stand out.

"He was totally professional, easy company and was the first to volunteer for anything - whether it was helping his colleagues, attending community events out of hours or taking on additional tasks."

Since joining the Royal Military Police in 2001, he had served in Kosovo, Iraq and Northern Ireland. The father-of-one was a keen runner, who enjoyed preparing for and running marathon races, as well as hill walking and swimming, the MoD said.

The family statement added: "Robert is a true hero in many ways, of whom the whole family are extremely proud.

"A beloved father, son, brother and uncle. You lit up our lives and that light will stay bright forever. You will be greatly missed but always loved by all."

His death in a gun battle made him the 235th member of the Armed Forces to die in Afghanistan since operations began in 2001.

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