MICHAEL LOCKETTActing Sergeant Michael Lockett, from Monifieth in Angus, was killed in an explosionwhile on patrol in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan on Monday September 21, 2009.
A member of 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, he had been awarded The Military Cross - one of the highest awards for gallantry - for rescuing wounded comrades in an incident two years ago.
He was widely acknowledged as an inspirational leader.
A father-of-three, Sergeant Lockett was nearing the end of his third tour of Afghanistan when he died.He had volunteered to stay on at his patrol base to ensure that theincoming soldiers knew as much as they could about the local area andthey could reap the benefits of his vast local knowledge.
He was investigating and confirming the find of anImprovised Explosive Device when it exploded. Two other soldiers wereinjured in the same incident.
Sergeant Lockett had joined 1st Battalion the Worcester and Sherwood ForestersRegiment (1 WFR) in Tidworth in 1996. The WFR became 2nd Battalion theMercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters) in 2007.
He took part in every operational deployment andexercise the Battalion undertook serving in Bosnia and NorthernIreland, and in 2009 he returned for his third tour of Afghanistan.
At Garmsir in 2007, as Platoon Sergeant in A (Grenadier) Company, hedisplayed selfless commitment and unshakable bravery fighting andleading his Platoon to rescue wounded comrades trapped in a Talebanambush. It was for this that he was awarded The Military Cross.
He spent most of his career as a Machine Gunner but heheld many other qualifications including Jungle Warfare Instructor andMilitary Tracking Instructor.
His deployment to Afghanistan in 2009 was as part of the OperationalMentoring and Liaison Team Battlegroup. He was working and operatingalongside the Warriors of the Afghan National Army at Patrol BaseSandford in the Upper Gereshk Valley. His professionalism set thefinest example to the Afghan Warriors.
Locky, as he was known to his friends, willalways be remembered for his infectious laugh and prominence as a man.His leadership style was the exact mix of compassion and steel whichgarnered the respect of both those he led and those he served.
Sergeant Lockett leaves behind his childrenConnor (eight), Chloe (seven) and Courtney (five), family, and hisgirlfriend Belinda English.
LtCol Nick Richardson, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said he had beena "courageous soldier" and extended his sympathies.
His death takes the number of UK troops killed in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001 to 217.
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