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Soldier Killed In Afghanistan Named

The Soldier killed yesterday in Afghanistan was today Named as Lance Corporal Adam Paul Dran. He was 23, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and served in the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment.

Lance Corporal Drane died whilst carrying out security duties at Check Point Paraang in southern Nad e-Ali, Helmand province.

He deployed to Afghanistan as a Section Second-in-Command within C (Essex) Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, attached to the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards Battle Group.

Lance Corporal Drane was employed within 6 Platoon, C (Essex) Company. He was responsible for commanding a four-man 'fire team' and as such was charged with engaging with and reassuring the local population as well as defeating the insurgents in one of Helmand province's most challenging areas. He had been conducting this task for nearly two months.

His colleagues said the engaged soldier had been "an extremely kind individual who had a wonderful sense of humour".

Maj Chris Barry, of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, said "his quiet and intelligent personality made him an effective and humble leader".

"His love of music, warm sense of humour and fun were appreciated by everybody and his death is felt by all," he added.

His parents, Desmond and Jackie Drane, said there were "no words" to describe their loss.

The keen boxer and music fan had been in Afghanistan for about two months, where he came under attack almost every day.

L/Cpl Drane was shot while carrying out security duties at a checkpoint in the Nad-e Ali area on Monday afternoon.

The death brought the total number of British service personnel who have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001 to 237.

There were 39 deaths in 2006, 42 in 2007 and 51 in 2008.

This year has been the bloodiest for British forces since the Falklands War in 1982.