Lieutenant Paul Mervis from The 2nd Battalion the Rifles was killed in an explosion during an operation near Sangin in the north of the Helmand Province, Afghanistan on the morning of 12 June 2009.

The 27-year-old had been one of the first officers commissioned into the newly formed Rifles regiment in April 2007 and had led troops in Kosovo and Afghanistan to much praise.

He was killed whilst on a foot patrol near his company's base.

Paul Mervis, was born on 30 September, 1981, grew up in London and was educated at King's College, Wimbledon. He spent a gap year in China and Israel before going on to study Philosophy at University College London.

He spent his summer holidays in Africa in the Namibian bush. After graduation, his passion in geo-politics and travel led him into the world of journalism where he was involved with The Week and The Spectator. But it wasn’t long before his thirst for adventure drew him into the British Army.

Lt Mervis had been singled out for his leadership in training and combat, and even in the week before his death he was praised for his handling of the death of one of the men under his command, Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher .

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson said: “Lieutenant Paul Mervis was utterly irrepressible. There was no more committed officer in the Rifles and the Riflemen adored being under his command.

“He was one of those leaders who, out here, was always first onto the objective. He had taken the fight to the enemy at every turn and it had not been without a cost - - Rifleman Thatcher was in his platoon and his beloved 10 Platoon had already had two other Riflemen wounded in action, including his Platoon Serjeant.

“It was a cost which hurt him to the core but it did not deter him. He adored platoon command and the richness of its challenge and there was nothing he would not do for one of his Riflemen.”

Major Alastair Field said: “Paul Mervis was a one in a trillion. I have never met a more passionate and engaging young officer in my twelve years in the Army.

"His thirst for knowledge was unquenchable. You knew when 'Merv' was out of the mess when the periodicals and Amazon parcels he had ordered piled up on the post table!

"I could not have wanted more of him as a platoon commander. Full-on, intelligently so, he was caring and understanding in the best way. He had a sharp intellect and immediately got the bigger picture faster than most of us and did so without a trace of arrogance.”

Lt Mervis' family, Jonathan and Margaret, Hannah and Jack Mervis released a statement saying: “Paul was a wonderful, loving son, brother and friend – generous and thoughtful, with an infectious sense of fun. Paul was killed doing the job he chose and loved. He was passionately committed to his men – far beyond mere duty. He had read widely about Afghanistan, and went with a genuine desire to help bring enough stability there to enable reconstruction to follow.”