THEY LIVE by the motto "Swift and Bold", but yesterday the soldiers of 2 RIFLES stood proud and united as they received their operational medals and paid their respects to the fallen riflemen on deployment with them in Afghanistan.

OP HERRICK 10 saw some of the hardest fighting the British Army has encountered in Helmand Province. Seventy men from the 19 Light Brigade Task Force were killed in action during a time of unprecedented use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) by Taliban forces. Twenty-four of the soldiers were from the 2 RIFLES Battle Group. Thirteen of them riflemen from 2 RIFLES, with more than 80 soldiers wounded in action.

Each riflemen, wounded and not, stood to attention as the names of their fallen brothers were read out in a Battle Group Roll of Honour during a private thanksgiving and memorial service at the battalion’s home base in Abercorn Barracks, Ballykinler.

Rifleman Damiene Britton, 23 from Bristol, was in the same vehicle as Rifleman Adrian Sheldon the first rifleman to be killed during the tour. He and Damiene were friends.

"The platoon was very badly affected by his death - it's like losing a brother because you rely on each other so much. Having your friends with you is what gets you through.

"You always think that your platoon will be safe, especially as ours had so many experienced soldiers in it. [This was Damiene's third operational tour.] It doesn't matter how good a soldier you are sometimes, but a lot to do with luck.

"I've been very lucky. I've been in two vehicles that have driven over IEDs."

In the second incident, Damiene was able to save the life of a fellow riflemen travelling in the vehicle behind him that was caught by an IED blast. An IED his own vehicle had driven over unharmed. Again the injured rifleman was a friend.

"The days blur, so I can't remember the date, but everything you are taught just happens. We ran back to give first aid and secure the wounded while we waited for support. We were on our own, and the Taliban were so close around us they could hear the wounded cry. You need to get them to safety but there is always the threat of a secondary device. The doctor said what we did saved his life though, which makes all the training we do worthwhile - to know that you can do something to make a difference.

"I've been a very lucky man, but everyone is lucky at times. It happens to everyone there, and all the soldiers do amazing things that make that difference."