Royal Marine Killed In Afghanistan Named

A Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan after a grenade was thrown into his patrol's checkpoint has been named by the Ministry of Defence as James Wright, from Weymouth, Dorset.

Before the incident, the serviceman from 42 Commando had been on foot patrol in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province when they came under fire from insurgents.

With the help of mortars and close air support, the group broke contact with the insurgents and returned to their checkpoint.

They then came under further attack, and the Royal Marine was wounded by a grenade that had been hurled into the checkpoint.

He later died in hospital at Camp Bastion, the Ministry of Defence said.

Task Force Helmand spokesman Major Rolf Kurth said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends in their time of grief."

The Marine's death brings the number of British servicemen killed in action in Afghanistan to 333.

The total number of casualties since the 2001 campaign began now stands at 378.