The British soldier who was shot dead in Afghanistan on Thursday during a gunfight with Taliban fighters has been named as Guardsman Simon Davison.
He was killed by small arms fire after coming under attack while manning a general-purpose machine-gun at a checkpoint near the town of Garmsir in Helmand Province.
A gun battle broke out at the checkpoint early on Thursday morning when a force of between eight and 10 Taliban fighters opened fire and Guardsman Davison was fatally wounded.
The 22-year-old soldier, who was in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards and from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, is the first British serviceman to die in Afghanistan this month.
He was a member of Number 3 Company of the Guards, which is responsible for protecting Patrol Base Delhi and local security in the immediate area. The soldier was pulled out of the firing line as the fire fight intensified and was flown to Camp Bastion but medical teams were unable to save his life.
He was born in Newcastle and went to Cardinal Griffin Roman Catholic High School in Cannock and then Stafford College before becoming a carpenter. But the 22-year-old, who also enjoyed Thai boxing, switched careers in 2005 when he joined the Army and a year later he was posted to the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.
His commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Carew Hatherley, said he had always wanted to be a soldier and was "immensely proud" of his uniform.
He said: "Well known for his ability to find a smile even in the most adverse of conditions, he was a soldier who could be relied on to work hard at whatever was asked of him.
"Reliable and trustworthy are the two words most used when his colleagues describe him. He died fighting to protect other Grenadiers and gave his life in doing so.
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"There is a no more selfless act a soldier can perform. Guardsman Davison was a popular soldier who will be sorely missed and never forgotten."
