Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe MBE, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, died on Wednesday 1 July, 2009, in Afghanistan.

He was the most senior British officer to be killed in action since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001.

He was killed by an explosion - along with Trooper Joshua Hammond - whilst on convoy along the Shamalan Canal, near Lashkar Gah, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

The Prince of Wales, who is Colonel of the Welsh Guards, knew Lt Col Thorneloe personally and was said to be "deeply saddened" by his death. A Clarence House spokesman said the Prince would be writing privately both to his family and to his regiment.

Lt Col Thorneloe, 39, 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 an explosive device was detonated under this vehicle and Lt Col Thorneloe and Tpr Hammond were killed by the blast.

Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth, said: "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."

Lt Col Thornloe leaves behind his wife, Sally, and their daughters Hannah and Sophie.

Brigadier Tim Radford, Commander Task Force Helmand, said:"Rupert Thorneloe was, quite simply, a superb Commanding Officer. He was an inspiration to his men, and they loved him for it.

"He cared deeply for them and the whole Welsh Guards family. He died as he lived his life, leading from the front. As his Brigade Commander, I valued his leadership, his honesty and his enormous moral and physical courage.

"He was destined for greatness in the Army. As a friend for 12 years, I will remember him as a devoted husband to Sally and a most wonderful father to Hannah and Sophie. I shall miss him dreadfully."