A British soldier on patrol in southern Afghanistan who was killed after a grenade was thrown from behind a wall will be named by the Ministry of Defence.
The soldier, from the Household Cavalry Regiment, serving as part of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force, was killed in Sangin and next of kin were informed.
Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "He was on a Brigade Reconnaissance Force foot patrol operating about three kilometres to the south of Sangin District Centre when he was fatally wounded by a grenade thrown from behind a wall.
"He was part of a BRF operation doing what the soldiers of the BRF have done throughout their tour in Helmand, boldly and relentlessly taking the fight to the insurgents. He will be sorely missed by us all and we will remember him."
The soldier is the first member of the Household Cavalry Regiment to be killed in Afghanistan this tour. The regiment is coming to the end of its six month deployment. Prince Harry served with the Household Cavalry in Afghanistan for 10 weeks at the beginning of 2008.
Grenade attacks are not uncommon in Helmand but this is the first time this year a death has been specifically attributed to such an attack. According to the MoD website, of the 32 British soldiers to be killed in Afghanistan this year, 21 were killed by improvised explosive devices, six from small arms fire, three from unspecified explosions, and one from unspecified enemy fire.
The MoD also released details of an incident in which Lance Sergeant Richard French, of the Coldstream Guards, made a lucky escape after he dived for cover when a grenade bounced off his helmet. The 28-year-old from Holsworthy in Devon, was manning the radio at a new command post in Babaji when he was attacked.
Earlier this month James McKie, of Reconnaissance Platoon, 3rd Battalion The Rifles, based in Sangin, picked up a Taliban hand grenade which landed at his feet and threw it back towards the enemy.
A total of 277 British troops have now died in the Afghan conflict since operations began in 2001.
