Gurkhas' bodies to be flown home

 
8 November 2012

The bodies of two Gurkhas killed by a man wearing an Afghan police uniform will be repatriated to the UK today.

Lieutenant Edward Drummond-Baxter and Lance Corporal Siddhanta Kunwar, of 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, were shot dead at a checkpoint in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand province, on October 30.

The men were killed in the latest "green-on-blue" attack on British troops in Afghanistan, bringing the number of British servicemen killed by Afghan soldiers or police to 11 this year.

Their Union flag-draped coffins will be flown into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire where they will be carried from the plane with full military honours.

Private ceremonies for their families will be held on the air base before the cortege makes its way to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

The cortege will be escorted at walking pace past the memorial garden in Carterton, where the Union flag will be hung at half-mast and members of the public are expected to gather.

Lt Drummond-Baxter, 29, and L/Cpl Kunwar, 28, were attached to 40 Commando Royal Marines and were attending a meeting with Afghan uniformed policemen when one of the men opened fire, the Ministry of Defence said.

Lt Drummond-Baxter, who was born in Peterborough and lived in County Durham, was on his first tour of Afghanistan having been deployed on September 30.

His mother Helen, father David and sister Emily issued a statement saying: "Edward was fiercely loyal and totally sincere to his parents, sister and many friends who are mourning him today, both in the UK and around the world.

"He loved the Gurkhas and died among friends doing the job that he wanted to do."

Lieutenant Colonel David Robinson, commanding officer 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, described the soldier, known as Edward or DB, as a "true gentleman" and an "inspirational leader".

L/Cpl Kunwar deployed to Afghanistan on October 3 as a sniper section commander in the acting rank of lance corporal.

He lived in Pokhara, Nepal, with his mother and father before joining the Gurkhas.

The soldier leaves his father, Shyam Kumar Kunwar, stepmother, Chhali Devi Kunwar, four sisters, Shova, Shyandya, Smita and Sardha Kunwar, and an elder brother, Bhupendra Kunwar.

His family said: "We are deeply shocked, disheartened and in disbelief that Siddhanta is no longer with us.

"But we shall treasure all the good things he did. He enjoyed immensely his profession and was fully committed towards it.

"He has made us proud. The whole family misses him dearly."

Lt Col Robinson paid tribute to him, describing him as "tough and brave" and the epitome of everything a Gurkha should be.

The toll of 11 British servicemen killed by Afghan soldiers or police this year compares with one last year, three in 2010, and five in 2009.

At least 53 international troops have died as a result of "insider attacks" in which Afghans turn their weapons on coalition colleagues.

Their deaths take the total number of UK service members to have lost their lives since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001 to 437.

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