The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Copter crash five’s names released
FIVE BRITISH servicemen killed when the Lynx helicopter they were travelling in crashed in southern Afghanistan have been named by the Ministry of Defence.
Captain Thomas Clarke, Warrant Officer Spencer Faulkner, Corporal James Walters, all of the Army Air Corps (AAC), lost their lives together with Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan of the Royal Air Force and Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas of the Intelligence Corps.
Their aircraft went down in Kandahar province during a routine flight on Saturday morning.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has denied claims by the Taliban that insurgents shot the helicopter down, with initial investigations indicating a “tragic accident” rather than enemy action.
Group Captain Richard Maddison, Station Commander at RAF Odiham, said: “I am extremely saddened to hear of the loss of Captain Thomas Clarke, Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan, Warrant Officer Spencer Faulkner and Corporal James Walters, all who served at RAF Odiham.”
Captain Clarke, 30, from Cowbridge in Wales, was described as a “rising star” in the AAC and a man who was “full of life and immensely committed to his soldiers and friends”.
His family said: “He had an absolute passion for life and was the best part of us; we are all poorer today without him. “
Flight Lieutenant Chauhan, 29, from Birmingham, was on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan as an intelligence officer when he died.
Known as Rak, he was described as “bright, articulate, charismatic and loyal”.
Warrant Officer Faulkner, 38, was an “experienced aviator, loving husband and hugely dedicated father to two children” who had been deployed to Afghanistan on numerous occasions.
His family said: “Spen was a loving husband to Cally and devoted father to Natasha and Jack, and will be greatly missed.”
Corporal Walters, 36, known as Bungle, was a “highly respected” junior noncommissioned officer and “consummate professional” who had deployed to Afghanistan on numerous occasions.
Lance Corporal Thomas, 26, from Brecon in Powys, Mid Wales, was “young, enthusiastic and highly capable”.
Having first joined as an Army Reservist in June 2011 and joined 3 Military Intelligence Battalion in July 2012, he volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan and arrived there in December last year.
His family said: “Oliver was very much loved and will be greatly missed by his grieving family and friends.”