Soldiers killed in Afghanistan mourned as toll hits 191

THE bodies of three British soldiers killed in blasts in Afghanistan arrived back at a military base yesterday.

Hundreds, including shopkeepers, British Legion members, families and veterans, lined the streets of the market town of Wootton Bassett to pay their respects, as has become tradition.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Sean Upton, of the 5th Regiment Royal Artillery, and Trooper Phillip Lawrence, of The Light Dragoons, died in separate explosions in Helmand province on July 27.

Bombardier Craig Hopson, of 40th Regiment Royal Artillery, died on July 25 in a bomb attack.

It emerged yesterday that record casualty rates among British troops in Afghanistan left British military surgeons so exhausted they had to call in US reinforcements.

July has been the bloodiest month for British forces in Afghanistan since the mission began eight years ago, with 22 soldiers killed, taking the total death toll to 191.

Also yesterday, the head of the British Army insisted the military effort in Afghanistan was succeeding despite the heavy loss of life. But Chief of the General Staff Richard Dannatt called for the whole of government to be put on a “war-like footing” to deliver support for troops and security for Afghanistan.

In his last public speech before retiring next month he said: “I see Afghanistan as both a challenge and as an opportunity where we must succeed and, given the right commitment, we will succeed.”