Remembering the Fallen: on this day in 2010 Lieutenant John Charles Sanderson of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire), attached to 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles Battle Group, died of wounds sustained in Afghanistan. He was wounded in an explosion whilst on patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province on the 13th of July, treated at the scene and then flown to the U.K. for further treatment. Sadly a month later he succumbed to his injuries. He read history at Exeter University and was a member of the University Officer Training Corps. Immediately after university he joined the Royal Marines and began training on the Young Officers’ Course at Lympstone in 2002, although he was forced to withdraw from the course having broken his ankle. He later attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, commissioning into the Mercian Regiment in 2009. From Major Rich Grover: "A truly inspirational leader, his men would follow him anywhere and for anything. A leader who inspired his men by always being at the front, he was courageous, loyal and determined. He had already proved this on numerous occasions on operations. He cared passionately for the men of his platoon, and they loved and respected him for it. Confident and self-assured, he was always motivated to be better and never stopped in this pursuit." Private Blake Grimshaw paid this tribute: "All the lads loved him as the Boss and he would do anything for anyone. A true inspiration to us all." John, from Windelsham in Surrey, was 29 years old.