IN MEMORIAM

LCPL BARRY BUXTON (27)
ROYAL ENGINEERS
KIA MAY 3 – AFGHANISTAN

A ROYAL Engineer who “always gave 100 per cent” died after he was involved in a road traffic accident in southern Afghanistan.
LCpl Barry Buxton, of 21 Engineer Regiment, was commanding a vehicle during a move between two patrol bases along the Nahr-e-Bughra canal when the road collapsed, causing his wagon to roll into the waterway.
His fellow sappers heroically managed to free him from the submerged wreckage and the junior NCO was evacuated to Camp Bastion, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.
LCpl Buxton’s mother Sharon said: “When Barry joined the Army it was his dream come true. It became his life and we couldn’t have been prouder of him.”
LCpl Buxton, from Meir, Stoke-on-Trent, enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 2002 as a design draughtsman before retraining as an armoured engineer. He had previously served with 25 Engineer Regiment and 22 Engineer Regiment and deployed to Iraq in 2006.
Lt Col Bobby Walton-Knight, commanding officer of 21 Engineer Regiment, said LCpl Buxton was a “great soldier”, adding: “Friendly and outgoing with a keen sense of humour, he had only been in the regiment for a short time but had quickly made his mark.
“Among his many talents, he was known for his fitness and determination. He would rise to every challenge and particularly relished tough physical activity.”