The British soldier who died during a training accident in Iraq on Sunday has been named as a Lance Corporal from the Royal Anglian Regiment.
L/Cpl James Freeman, 29, died during what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) described as “routine training activity” in northern Iraq as part of Operation Shader, the UK’s war against so-called Islamic State.
The MoD said he was a “dedicated and experienced” soldier who had a promising career ahead of him.
He had previously been deployed to South Sudan, Cyprus, Iraq, the Falklands, Jordan, Romania and Kenya.
L/Cpl Freeman was a “devoted family-man” who put his family “first in every situation whether it was a passing comment in a hard situation or expressing his excitement to see them when he was away”, the MoD said.
Lieutenant Samuel Frost, who was L/Cpl Freeman’s Platoon Commander, praised him as “an impressive soldier”, adding: “Working with Lance Corporal Freeman has been a huge pleasure, and he will be sorely missed, rightfully commemorated, and never forgotten.
“He was one of the best. His passing is a shock to the Company, and his wife and daughter have my profound sympathy.”
Corporal William Thorpe said: “James was my best friend.
“A man who was committed to achieving any task before him to the highest standard and always professional, but also someone to talk to in confidence, either for advice or, most often, for a moan.
“I do not believe I would be where I am today without him, especially for the amount of ‘just do me a favour’ favours I owe him.”
The US Army Central and Third Army said an American solider also died during the accident, which it said happened at Erbil air base in northern Iraq.
Operation Shader has been under way since 2014 and has seen thousands of British jets and drones striking so-called Islamic State militants across the Middle East, as well as the training of local forces and the provision of military equipment.
