The Ministry of Defence has named the two soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday 1 July as Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe MBE, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and Trooper Joshua Hammond, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment.

They were killed by an explosion whilst on convoy along the Shamalan Canal, near Lashkar Gah, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

On 1 July Lt Col Thorneloe left the Battle Group Headquarters on a resupply convoy so that he could visit his men because they were conducting a major operation in hostile territory. He was travelling in a Viking armoured vehicle, but at 1520hrs local time an Improvised Explosive Device was detonated under this vehicle. Lt Col Thorneloe and Tpr Hammond were killed by the blast.

Enormous professionalism

Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth, said: "It was with great sadness that I heard of the deaths of Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe and Trooper Joshua Hammond in a single incident in Afghanistan yesterday.

"Lieutenant Colonel Thorneloe's death is a hard blow to the Welsh Guards, to Task Force Helmand and to the British Army.

"I knew him myself, as a man of incisive thought, enormous professionalism and the greatest decency, who could not wait to leave the high-profile post in the Ministry of Defence where he had performed so impressively in order to take command of his Battalion on operations.

"He saw it as the best job he would ever do, but I know that his genuinely exceptional abilities would have ensured him a brilliant career. As his own thorough and thoughtful tributes to those who fell before him show, he led his men with energy, care, and pride – and he died leading his men.

"I cannot imagine a finer officer to have had in the front rank of the British Army, and his loss is all the harder.

Exemplary soldier

"Trooper Joshua Hammond was by all accounts an exemplary soldier, popular with his comrades and a true family man.

"Tributes to his bravery, skill and commitment to his friends and family paint a picture of a good and much-loved man whose contribution and presence will be hugely missed by all those who knew him.

"At this terribly sad time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of these two fine men."

Devastating blow

Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said: "The deaths of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe MBE and Tpr Joshua Hammond during Operation Panchai Palang in Helmand Province is a devastating blow to the Welsh Guards Battle Group and to the Army as a whole.

"Tpr Hammond was a first class tank crewman who epitomised the spirited and determined approach to operations expected of Royal Armoured Corps soldiers.

"Lt Col Thorneloe was an outstanding Commanding Officer and a born leader, who I knew well. His courageous, thoughtful stewardship of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards since October last year has seen them superbly prepared for the demands of Afghanistan, both in terms of their professional capability and their unbreakable spirit as a team.

Capable and popular

"At the leading edge of his generation, his loss will be felt deeply not only by his family but also by his soldiers and others, who like me, had the privilege to serve with him.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of both these highly capable and popular soldiers - as well as with the entire Battle Group, for whom the loss of their Commanding Officer will have been a particularly bitter blow.

"However, this tragic incident has only served to strengthen our resolve and commitment to succeed in bringing stability and prosperity to Helmand Province. We will remember them both."