Shropshire couple's son killed in Afghanistan roadside bomb blast
A soldier killed in a roadside bomb blast whilst on patrol in Afghanistan on Wednesday and whose parents live in Shawbury has been named as 24-year-old Captain Rupert William Michael Bowers.
The soldier was leading a patrol to clear a position from the threat of insurgents when he was killed by the explosion from an improvised explosive device.
Captain Bowers, of 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, was attached to 2nd Battalion The Rifles. Commanding a small team Captain Bowers was responsible for the training and development of the Afghan National Army based in Forward Operating Base Ouellette, in the Mirmandab region of Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand province.
Captain Rupert Bowers was born on 29 July 1987 in Wolverhampton, and after studying at The Old Swinford Hospital and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he commissioned into 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment in April 2007.
After successfully passing the Platoon Commanders' Battle Course in Brecon he joined his regiment in Afghanistan in 2007 where his actions during a complex insurgent ambush resulted in him being ‘Mentioned in Dispatches'. Upon return from Afghanistan he deployed on exercises in Jamaica and later to Kenya, as a Fire Support Group Commander after qualifying as a Machine Gun Specialist.
He leaves behind his beloved wife, Victoria, and his newly-born son, Hugo, as well as parents, Patrick and Jane, and sister, Juliet.
Lieutenant Colonel Colin R Marks, Commanding Officer, Combined Force Burma, 2 MERCIAN, said:
"Captain Rupert Bowers joined his battalion in Garmsir, Afghanistan in 2007 during Op HERRICK 6. A gifted officer, he excelled in the field and was happiest when leading men in battle.Returning to Helmand for a second time in 2009, he served as a member of A (Grenadier) Company, 2 MERCIAN, under command of the Light Dragoons Battle Group during Operation HERRICK 10.
"Already proven in battle, he continued to lead from the front and was wounded in action. During Operation HERRICK 15, he was a natural choice to lead an advisor team embedded within an Afghan National Army Tolay (Company) operating in an area in the north of Nahr-e Saraj, heavily contested by insurgents. Although officially attached to the Brigade Advisory Group, he spent his entire tour attached to 2 MERCIAN and was among his closest friends and comrades right to the end. The bravest of the brave, he died as he lived, leading from the front in the face of the enemy.
"Full of character, Rupert was fun to be around all the time and I enjoyed his company very much. We talked for hours about his love of piano music and he always made me feel happy because he was such a sincere and fun-loving person. His brother officers loved him dearly and we will remember him for his infectious smile and wicked sense of humour."
