Remembering the Fallen: on this day in 2009 Serjeant Chris Reed, 6th Battalion, The Rifles, died in Afghanistan. He was killed by an IED while conducting a vehicle patrol in the Garmsir district of Helmand Province.

Sergeant Reed was a highly experienced Territorial soldier, having joined the Rifle Volunteers in 2001. He served in Iraq in 2005, then passed Platoon Sergeants’ Battle Course, praised for his ability and obvious leadership skills, and remembered as “an incredibly capable, intelligent and loyal Rifleman.”

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Mereweather gave this tribute: The death of Serjeant Christopher ‘Reedy’ Reed is a hammer blow to the Battalion. He was a talented, committed and highly professional NCO who engendered trust and respect from all who came into contact with him. I regarded him as one of my very best Section Commanders. He was undoubtedly a Company Serjeant Major of the future. I was not surprised to learn that he had been selected to join one of the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams with the 1st Battalion. His competence, previous military experience and natural easy going authority made him an obvious choice. A natural leader he relished the opportunity to train and mentor his Afghan Army colleagues. A wonderful West Country soldier - calm, modest, easy going but with a sense of purpose and obvious steel, he will be greatly missed.”

Christopher, from Plymouth, was 25 years old and preparing to marry his fiancee on his return from Afghanistan.