British soldier killed in Afghanistan named

Tributes have been paid to a British soldier who was killed when his patrol was attacked in Afghanistan

Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch, 21, of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, was killed in fighting with Taleban rebels in Helmand province. He was one of three British soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Michael McGovern, L/Cpl McCulloch's commanding officer, described him as a "truly outstanding soldier" who was "very colourful". He said the soldier, originally from Cape Town, South Africa, "was a delight to have around and always the centre of attention".

He went on: "Operationally, he was extremely experienced and served on Op Telic 1, the liberation of Iraq, and in Northern Ireland. Most recently, he completed a six-month tour of Baghdad and southern Iraq. He loved soldiering and was one of the first to volunteer to deploy to Afghanistan just to be with his mates."

L/Cpl McCulloch was one of three soldiers who died in Afghanistan on Wednesday. The other two were named as Corporal Mark William Wright, 27, from Edinburgh, of the Parachute Regiment, and L/Cpl Paul Muirhead, 29, of the Royal Irish Regiment, from Bearley, Warwickshire.

Cpl Wright died after a patrol entered an unmarked minefield in Helmand province. He died attempting to save the life of an injured paratrooper. And L/Cpl Muirhead was injured in an attack on his base at Musa Quala, Helmand Province. He died from his injuries five days after the attack.

About 4,000 UK troops are in Helmand as part of a Nato peace keeping force. The area is where most of Afghanistan's opium production is concentrated, and sees regular deadly violence blamed on Taleban fighters or drug lords.

The total number of UK troops killed while on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 now stands at 40.

Whatever the circumstances, practical accident support, compensation claim assistance and legal advice is available free of charge from our expert First Response team on freephone 0800 037 1066.

Free legal advice direct to your inbox: Ask Law Answers your compensation claim legal question.