Coventry Soldier killed in Afghanistan blast named

[dutchman]

A British soldier killed by a roadside bomb he was trying to clear has been named by the Ministry of Defence as Sapper Guy Mellors.

The 20-year-old from Coventry - of 36 Engineer Regiment - died in the blast north-east of Sangin, in Afghanistan's Helmand province, on Monday.

He was part of a team responsible for detecting improvised bombs, and described as an "outstanding searcher".

A total of 261 UK personnel have died since the conflict began in 2001.

Senior officers have paid tribute to Sapper Mellors, trained as a Searcher in an Advanced Search Team, as one of a "unique breed" who save lives by repeatedly going out to search for roadside bombs, known as Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs.

Commanding officer of the Counter IED Task Force, Lt Col Gareth Bex, described him as "an impressive young man and an outstanding searcher".

'Fine soldier'

He said: "Fearless and determined he was a great team player, well loved and respected by his comrades.

"Although it is a tragedy to lose such a fine soldier, it is a comfort knowing that through his efforts many lives were saved."

Sapper Mellors is survived by mother Linda Holland, step-father William and sisters Lana, 13, and Kia, six.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said he died while operating in a team "bringing safety to both the local Afghan population and to his fellow… comrades."

Sapper Mellors was one of three British soldiers to die in unrelated incidents over two days.

Kingsman Sean Dawson, from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, was shot in a suspected "friendly fire" incident on Sunday.

Territorial Army Rifleman Mark Marshall, a 29-year-old police support officer from Exeter, was killed by a roadside bomb north-east of Sangin the same day.

None of the deaths were linked to an ongoing offensive involving up to 15,000 Nato troops searching for the Taliban in Marjah and Nad Ali, Helmand.