British soldiers killed in Afghanistan named

Sergeant Nigel Coupe, 33, of the 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, was killed alongside Corporal Jake Hartley, 20, Private Anthony Frampton, 20, Private Christopher Kershaw, 20, Private Daniel Wade, 20, and Private Daniel Wilford, 21, all of the 3rd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment, after their vehicle was hit by a blast in the Helmand Province.

The deaths bring the total of British soldiers and military personnel killed in Afghanistan to 404 since the start of operations in 2001.

Their names were announced as defence Secretary Philip Hammond insisted troops’ morale in Afghanistan is “extremely high”. Army chief, General Sir David Richards, also vowed Britain will “hold its nerve” after news of the deaths broke.

Mr Hammond said: “Morale on the ground in Afghanistan is extremely high, and it’s high because the servicemen and women there know that they are doing a job and are doing it well and that is their professional commitment to get that job done.”

He added: “The people on the ground are acutely conscious of the risks that they are running but they are also incredibly proud of the job that they are doing and rightly so, and hugely satisfied by the level of public support that they have back home.”

Continue combat

At the same time, General Sir David Richards said the country would “hold its nerve” and continue combat operations in the region until the end of 2014. He said the army would continue the strategy and tactics already employed.

“As progress continues, the work of our servicemen and women will draw down, but our efforts will endure,” he said. “Sadly, as we hold that course, it is likely that others will lose loved ones.”

He added that he and his troops do not “underestimate the dangers” faced in Afghanistan, but understood “the importance of the mission with which we are charged”.

“We will hold our nerve,” he said.