This morning at Business Questions I raised the paramount need for the Commons to acknowledge our role in sending 397 British soldiers to their deaths in Afghanistan. We are in grave danger of stumbling into a new war on the basis of new falsehoods.
Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab): Tragically, it now requires 24 early-day motions to list the names of those brave soldiers who have fallen in Afghanistan as a result of decisions taken in this House. As the aims of the war become increasingly meaningless, may we debate early-day motion 2673 so that we can record our gratitude for the sacrifices of the fallen and avoid our military leaders being faced with the terrible question that John Kerry asked himself at the end of the Vietnam war: “Who will be the last soldier I will order into battle to die for a politician’s mistake?”
Sir George Young: The hon. Gentleman has consistently pursued this case in the House and we respect him for that. As I said in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Baron), I anticipate that the Foreign Secretary might make his statement on Afghanistan quite shortly. That will be an opportunity for the hon. Gentleman to make his case.
(EDMs are limited to 250 words. I have already put down 20 EDMs listing the other fatalities)
Early day motion 2670
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 21)
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Guardsman Christopher Davies, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, aged 22 from St Helens, Merseyside, Lance Corporal Gajbahadur Gurung, 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, aged 26 from Majthana, Nepal, Signaller Ian Gerard Sartorius-Jones, 20th Armoured Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (200), aged 21 from Runcorn, Cheshire, Rifleman Sachin Limbu, 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, aged 23 from Rajghat, Morang in Nepal, Private John King, 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, aged 19 from Darlington, Squadron Leader Anthony Downing, Royal Air Force, aged 34 from Kent, Captain Tom Jennings, Royal Marines, aged 29, Sapper Elijah Bond, from 35 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, aged 24 from St Austell, Rifleman Sheldon Lee Jordan Steel, 5th Battalion The Rifles, aged 20 from Leeds, Private Thomas Christopher Lake, 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Regiment, aged 29 from Watford, Lieutenant David Boyce, 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, aged 25 from Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, Lance Corporal Richard Scanlon, 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, aged 31 fromRhymney, Gwent, Lance Corporal Peter Eustace, 2nd Battalion The Rifles, aged 25 from Liverpool, Private Matthew Thornton, 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, aged 28 from Barnsley and Private Matthew James Sean Haseldin, 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, aged 21 from Settle, Yorkshire.
Early day motion 2671
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 22)
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Rifleman Vijay Rai, 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, aged 21 from the Bhojpur District, Deaurali in the East of Nepal, Marine David Fairbrother, Kilo Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 24 from Blackburn, Lance Corporal Jonathan James McKinlay, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 33 from Darlington, County Durham, Sergeant Barry John Weston, Kilo Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 40 from Reading, Lieutenant Daniel John Clack, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 24 from North London, Marine James Robert Wright, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 22 from Weymouth, Corporal Mark Anthony Palin, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 32 from Plymouth, Lance Corporal Paul Watkins, from 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's), aged 24 from Port Elizabeth, Republic of South Africa, Highlander Scott McLaren, from The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 20 from Edinburgh, Private Gareth Leslie William Bellingham, 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Staffords), aged 22 from Stoke-on-Trent, Corporal Lloyd Newell, The Parachute Regiment, Craftsman Andrew Found, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, aged 27 from Whitby, Rifleman Martin Jon Lamb, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 27 from Gloucester and Lance Corporal Martin Joseph Gill, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 22 from Nottingham.
Early day motion 2672
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 23)
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Corporal Michael John Pike, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 26 from Huntly, Scotland, Lieutenant Oliver Richard Augustin, from Juliet Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 23 from Kent, Marine Samuel Giles William Alexander MC, from Juliet Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 28 from London, Colour Sergeant Kevin Charles Fortuna from A Company, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 36 from Cheltenham, Marine Nigel Dean Mead, from42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 19 from Carmarthen, Captain Lisa Jade Head, 11 EOD Regiment RLC, aged 29 from Huddersfield, Colour Sergeant Alan Cameron, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, aged 42 from Livingston, Scotland, Major Matthew James Collins, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, aged 38 from Backwell in Somerset, Lance Sergeant Mark Terence Burgan, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, aged 28 from Liverpool, Private Daniel Steven Prior, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 27 from Peacehaven, East Sussex, Lance Corporal McKee, from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, aged 27 from Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, Lance Corporal Liam Richard Tasker, Royal Army Veterinary Corps from Fife, Scotland, Private Robert Wood, 17 Port and Maritime Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, aged 28 from Hampshire and Private Dean Hutchinson, 9 Regiment TheRoyal Logistic Corps, aged 23 from Wiltshire.
Early day motion 2673
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 24)
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Lance Corporal Kyle Cleet Marshall, from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 23 from Newcastle, Private Lewis Hendry, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 20 from Norwich, Private Conrad Lewis, 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 22 from Bournemouth, Warrant Officer Class 2 (Company Sergeant Major) Colin Beckett, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 36 from Peterborough, Ranger David Dalzell, 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment, aged 20 from Bangor in County Down, Private Martin Simon George Bell, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 24 from Bradford, Private Joseva Saqanagonedau Vatubua, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 24 from Suva, Fiji, Warrant Officer Class 2 Charles Henry Wood from 23 Pioneer Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, serving with the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Task Force, aged 34 from Middlesbrough, Corporal Steven Thomas Dunn from 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron, attached to 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment Battlegroup, aged 27 from Gateshead and Private John Howard, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 23 from Wellington, New Zealand.
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