Remembering the Fallen: on this day in 2013 Captain Richard Holloway of the Royal Engineers was killed in Afghanistan. He was shot in a Special Boat Services raid against Afghan insurgent leaders after troops had been warned the operation was so perilous they were likely to be killed or wounded. His C.O., who gave evidence from behind a screen at the inquest to protect his identity, had carried Captain Holloway off a mountainside after being hit by a burst of gunfire. The special forces troops had been helicoptered at night to a rocky valley which was considered an insurgent safe haven. It was expected, he said, that one would die and four would be injured. The coroner at his inquest broke down in tears – he had lost his own son in a car accident and said that he would would feel very proud to hear tributes to his son like those paid to Captain Holloway. He is remembered as loyal, serious and reflective, known to be a perfectionist and a young man with a great sense of adventure who loved a challenge.

Captain Holloway’s C.O. said of him: "He was one of the best, a natural leader. His tactical ability commanded wide respect, his judgement was unerring, his enthusiasm was infectious and his standards never dropped. He had a humble self-confidence that instinctively drew people to him. His own brand of selflessness and professionalism marked him out as a soldier, but it was the warmth of his personality that set him out as a popular and effective leader. He will be sorely missed by all those who had the privilege to work alongside him, but his memory will never be allowed to fade. A caring and loving son whose loss cannot be portrayed in words. We have lost a brother, they have lost their world."

Richard, from County Durham, was 29 years old.