Remembering the Fallen: on this day in 2007, Drummer Thomas Wright, 1st Battalion, the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters was killed in Afghanistan. His armoured Snatch land rover was escorting a military team surveying the site for a new road project in the Babaji area when it was caught in an explosion.

He had joined the army in 2003, making a long-held dream come true, and served in B Company as a rifleman in Northern Ireland. He later moved to D (Fire Support) Company and trained as a Drummer in the Corps of Drums. His comrades remember his practical jokes, sharp wit and quirky dress sense, along with his dedication and courage.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Westley MC said: “Drummer Wright was part of a patrol that was delivering Civil and Military Aid to needy people in remote districts when he was killed. The tragedy is deepened in that he was killed by people from an area that he and his colleagues were protecting and developing, through the provision of security and reconstruction. His courage and professionalism serve as a reminder of the commitment of young soldiers across Afghanistan, who set a fine example to the Armies of the World and to whom society owes a huge debt. ‘Wrighty’ died in the service of his country, defending a foreign land with vigour, valour and vigilance and it is a terrible blow to us all that he will not make the trip home with us.”

Thomas, from Ripley in Derbyshire, was 21 years old.