Serjeant Steven Campbell killed in
Afghanistan

Serjeant Campbell, aged 30, was killed when an improvised explosive
device detonated while he was patrolling with his Platoon around 3km
south of Sangin district centre.

Serjeant Steven Campbell

Serjeant Steven Campbell was born in Durham on 9 May 1979. He joined
the Army on 28 April 1998 at the age of eighteen, completing phase one
training in December that year before joining Second Battalion the Light
Infantry.

Serjeant Campbell completed the required courses to be promoted
through the ranks to corporal before being posted as an instructor to
the Army Foundation College in 2003. In 2005 he returned to the
Battalion, now based in Edinburgh.

He passed the Platoon Serjeants Battle Course and was promoted to the
rank of Serjeant in October 2006. He worked as a Platoon Serjeant in B
Company 3 RIFLES after formation, before again being sent to instruct
recruits at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick in 2008.

Serjeant Campbell returned to 3 RIFLES during the Battalion's current
deployment to Sangin, in Helmand Province. He was originally sent to B
Company to assist the Company Headquarters but on 10 March he was sent
to A Company to take on the role of Platoon Serjeant.

He leaves behind his wife Lisa, son Brandon, and his parents.

His family have made the following statement:

"Serjeant Steven Campbell was born on 9 May 1979, he lived in Pelton,
Chester le Street in Co Durham. He was a loving husband to Lisa and a
loving father to Brandon, and he will be missed by all his family and
friends."

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson, Commanding Officer, 3 RIFLES Battle
Group said:

"Serjeant Steve Campbell was one of the army's rarest treasures. So
positive and energetic, it was truly an honour and a pleasure to know
him and to have him with this Battle Group. He returned to the Battalion
from Catterick just under two months ago, full of enthusiasm to get
stuck in. Initially disappointed with a Headquarters post, he
nonetheless happily put his shoulder to the wheel, immediately adding
tremendous value.

"When the opportunity arose Serjeant Campbell jumped at the chance to
get back out on the ground. A warrior to his core, he was delighted to
return to real soldiering, relishing the opportunity to be in the thick
of things alongside his fellow Riflemen. It was our good fortune to have
such a man to bring his infectious enthusiasm and inspirational
leadership to the younger men of a hard-pressed Platoon on the frontline
of this most tough fight.

"His boundless energy, positivity and vivacity reinvigorated his men
and it is the cruellest of tragedies that he was taken in his prime.
Such was his impact, though, that nothing will erase the indelible mark
he had made there in just a few days.

"Serjeant Campbell epitomised selfless commitment and everything it
means to be a Rifleman. Nothing was too much trouble for him; his needs
always came last. He has been held in the highest regard, his memory
remains a beacon of light as we continue building on the success to
which he has contributed much. Fit, capable and versatile, he was a
Commanding Officer's dream, guaranteed to complete any task in any
sphere and to do it to the highest standard. He had such a promising
future, it is impossible to quantify what this Regiment has lost. He
will be sorely missed by us all.

"We take comfort from the fact that he died doing a job he loved,
with people who cared deeply for him. He thought of nothing but the
welfare of his men, the success of our mission and a better future for
this troubled land. His loss is a devastating blow but we shall steel
ourselves all the more, remaining true to his exemplary energy and
determination. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and
son, but also to his wider family, friends and loved ones."

Major James Richardson, Officer Commanding, B Company 3 RIFLES
said:

"Serjeant Stevie' Campbell arrived with B Company straight from
Catterick, where he had been a Platoon Serjeant. He took over as Company
Intelligence Officer, a role that many thought he would not enjoy or be
suited for. However, such was his professionalism and enthusiasm that
within minutes of talking to him it was clear that he would put
everything into it and he was just delighted to be involved in
operations with B Company again.

"He was dedicated to the Army and he joked about the Army coming a
close second to Newcastle United, with his family in third. When I asked
about how his wife and son felt about this, he merely said, with his
gap-toothed grin, that she knew what she was getting into. As I got to
know how much he loved his family, it gave me some idea of what
soldiering meant to him too.

"His enthusiasm was infectious and he brought a buzz to Company
Headquarters, giving as good as he got in the daily O groups' and
breathing new life into the Intelligence community at a critical point
in the tour. You would never have known that he did not enjoy the role,
such was the energy he put into it.

"Sorry as I was to see him go to A Company, he couldn't have been
happier when the opportunity came to be a Platoon Serjeant again and it
came as no surprise that he had an instant effect, bringing the same
levels of enthusiasm and professionalism to that job. He was loving life
with A Company, his catch phrase was often heard whenever someone
bumped into him or heard about how he was doing.

"His death is a cruel blow. The Army has lost a very bright and
capable SNCO. The Regiment has lost someone who has influenced so
positively, a whole generation of young Riflemen at Catterick. B Company
has lost an old ally.

"Many of the Battalion will feel they have lost a friend because he
was such an inclusive man. His new colleagues in A Company will be
feeling his loss extremely keenly. But it is all as nothing compared
with a wife and son who have lost the centre of their existence and who
are foremost in our thoughts. It was a joy to have worked with him."

Major Tim Harris, Officer Commanding, A Company 3 RIFLES said:

"I regret not having had the pleasure of knowing Serjeant Campbell
for long. He came to A Company at short notice to fill a gap, and he
came with glowing recommendations. In the tragically short time he was
with me, I could see that his reputation was entirely justified.

"I would be lying if I said that 2 Platoon have had an easy tour: he
knew he was taking on a difficult and dangerous job, but he relished the
challenge. He recognised that the job was vital to the continuing
success we are enjoying in providing a secure environment in southern
Sangin. I sat with him for an hour or so, trying to get the measure of
the man and it did not take long before I knew that he was precisely
the right man for the task.

"He was up for it, brimming with confidence and positive energy, and
determined to make a difference to his Platoon. He was such a positive
man; I would imagine he was one of those blokes who never wasted a
single day of his all too short life.

"I distinctly remember being impressed by his professionalism
although he had worked in another Company's area of operations, he was
already familiar with my area and had read extensively into everything
that had happened here. He did not do this because he knew he would be
coming to me, but because he was dedicated and had a voracious appetite
for operations.

"I gave him a couple of days to settle in before I visited his Patrol
Base, and when I did I realised just how fortunate I had been to have a
man like him on my team. He had already made such an impact that I
doubt any of the men of 2 Platoon will ever forget him.

"He encouraged them to be better, and he filled them with courage,
and in the evenings he filled them with good food. He made them feel ten
feet tall all within days of his arrival. Most of all, he possessed
an infectious smile that lifted us all, no matter what the situation. He
was a proud family man, and I remember him speaking with pride of the
love he had for his wife Lisa, and son Brandon. My thoughts and prayers
are with them at this terribly difficult time.

"His loss is felt widely he was one of those characters who just
seem to make the Battalion a happy and productive place to be. He leaves
friends in all of the companies, who will miss him dearly. Serjeant
Campbell was proof that good people do not need a long time to leave a
lasting impression on others. A born leader, we will follow in his
footsteps and finish the race that is set before us."