Family of Birmingham soldier Joe Murphy say he was too young to die
Cpl Horne was described by his widow, Rachel, as “the most caring, thoughtful, funniest, loving and generous person I have ever known.”
The soldier, who previously served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets, had also been on operations in Iraq – where he was wounded in action -– and Kosovo.
Described by Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson, Commanding Officer 2 Rifles Battle Group, as a popular “rising star”, Cpl Horne was “tough, compassionate and full of infectious mirth”, he added.
The Prime Minister has insisted that British forces had the resources needed to “do the job” in Afghanistan.
After a rising toll of deaths and injuries in recent days, Mr Brown acknowledged it had been a “sad and difficult time” for our armed forces and the country.
But he said that if the Taliban’s “vicious insurgency” was to be defeated, British troops must “persist” with their mission.
Mr Brown was forced to hit back at Tory accusations that his government was guilty of the “ultimate dereliction of duty” in under-equipping the armed forces.
“It has been a very difficult summer and it is not over yet,” said the Prime Minister.
“But if we are to deny Helmand to the Taliban in the long term; if we are to defeat this vicious insurgency and by doing so make Britain and the world a safer place, then we must persist with our operations in Afghanistan.
“I am confident we are right to be in Afghanistan – that we have the strongest possible plan and we have the resources needed to do the job.”
