TRIBUTES were today paid by the families of two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Corporal John Moore, 22, and Private Sean McDonald, 26, from the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, were killed by an explosion in Sangin on Sunday.
Cpl Moore’s relatives said they were “devastated”.
A statement from the family said: “Johnathan was a proud Scottish soldier who was doing a job that he loved. The Army and his family were Johnathan’s life, we are devastated at our loss.”
The tributes were paid as defence sources said a major operation against Taliban insurgents was reaching the final “shaping phase” this morning.
British forces are joining Afghan and US allies as Operation Moshtarakin aims to root out the Taliban from their stronghold in Helmand province.
Cpl Moore, from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, and Pte McDonald, who was born in Toronto but went to school in Edinburgh were “professional, courageous, selfless, and committed – true infantry soldiers”, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said.
Cpl Moore was commanding his section on a routine night patrol when a roadside bomb detonated, killing him and Pte McDonald.
Pte McDonald, who leaves a wife, Jennifer, will be “desperately missed”, his mother Jacqueline McDonald said.
She added: “This tragedy has left a hole in our lives and a hole in our heart.”
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson, commanding officer of 3 Rifles Battle Group, said Cpl Moore was: “A junior leader of the rarest quality, our Army depends on men like him and his loss is a bitter blow.”
Pte McDonald, who spent much of his time in Afghanistan helping clear improvised explosive devices (IEDs), had also been on three tours of Iraq as well as serving in Bosnia and Northern Ireland.
It was today confirmed that bomb disposal expert, Warrant Officer Class 2 David Markland, 36, of 36 Engineer Regiment, died while clearing explosive devices in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province on Monday.