Search: Afghanistan victim
A British Army bomb disposal expert killed in southern Afghanistan has been hailed as a "talismanic figure".
Warrant Officer Class 2 David Markland, 36, of 36 Engineer Regiment, died as he led a team clearing routes of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province on Monday.
His death came ahead of a major joint British, US and Afghan offensive against the Taliban in Nad-e-Ali called Operation Moshtarak.
WO2 Markland, a married father-of-two originally from Euxton, Lancashire, had been in the Army for 20 years and was on his eighth operational tour.
The number of British troops who have died in the Afghan conflict since 2001 now stands at 256, one more than the total death toll in the 1982 Falklands War.
WO2 Markland, who had previously served in Bosnia and Iraq, deployed on his second tour of Afghanistan in October as a Royal Engineer search adviser as part of the Counter-IED Task Force.
His commanders praised his dedication, noting that he had only recently returned from leave in the UK but was desperate to get back out on the ground with his team.
He was recently selected for the rare accolade of being made a Field Squadron Sergeant Major.
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WO2 Markland leaves behind his wife, Corallee, and their two sons, Keelen, 10, and Logan, seven.
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said: "I was deeply saddened to hear about WO2 David Markland's death. He was an experienced and extremely courageous soldier, who had distinguished himself on operations in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."
