Remembering the Fallen: on this day in 2007, Private Luke Daniel Simpson, 1st Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment, died in southern Iraq. He was returning to base after a routine patrol when the vehicle he was driving was hit by an IED.

Private Simpson had joined the army at sixteen, and served in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, deploying to Iraq in November of 2006. His father served with the battalion as Sergeant Major. He is remembered as a highly professional young soldier with superb standards, enthusiastic about the army and life in general, and with a much appreciated sense of humour. Colleagues commented on how they could rely on him, that he would never let anyone down, how he put others before himself, and how devastating they found his loss.

Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Jackson said: “Private Luke Simpson stood out as a young soldier with the highest personal and professional credentials. He had the potential to go far and his dedication to duty, personal pride in soldiering and selfless commitment to his comrades is an inspiration to us all. His passion and zest for life touched everyone who knew him and we are all the poorer for his passing. Pte Luke Simpson’s death is an utter tragedy; we have lost a member of our close Regimental family and we will not forget him.”

Luke, from Howden, near York, was 21 years old.