Remembering the Fallen: on this day in 2009, Lance Corporal David Dennis, The Light Dragoons, was killed by an IED while on foot patrol during a clearance operation in Afghanistan. He was responsible for radio communications for the Commanding Officer’s tactical headquarters, and had just helped to secure a helicopter landing site for the extraction of casualties from an earlier incident.

He had joined the Army in 2003 as a gunner in the Royal Artillery; he served for two years and was then attached to The Light Dragoons for a tour of Iraq. He had also served on a previous tour of Afghanistan. He is remembered by comrades as a quietly-spoken, courageous, loyal and popular man, a mentor to those younger and less experienced, and with a sense of humour that allowed him to laugh at himself.

Captain David Ansell, the Regimental Signals Officer, said: “Duke was a dedicated soldier and an absolute rock, who could be depended on no matter the circumstances. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him, whether it be at work or for his friends. He was an example to us all. Duke was a true Light Dragoon and personified everything that the regiment holds dear. He was utterly professional in all he did. He remained flexible and adaptable to whatever came his way, being equally at home in the turret of a Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), top gunning on a Mastiff or in the dismounted role. More than this though, he approached all he did with a desire to succeed. He was an excellent Junior NCO who was always looking after the needs of others first. His loss is a huge blow to the troop. One of life’s real characters, he was fiercely proud of his Welsh roots. He was gregarious by nature, and always to be found in the thick of things. Duke’s sense of humour and his mischievous streak were well known to all.”

David, from Wales, was 29 years old and engaged to be married.