Lance Corporal Jamie Webb killed in Afghanistan
It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that Lance Corporal Jamie Webb, of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire), died in an ISAF Hospital in Afghanistan on 26 March 2013.
Lance Corporal Webb died as a result of wounds sustained during an insurgent attack on his patrol base in the Nad ‘Ali district of Helmand province on 25 March 2013.
Lance Corporal Jamie Webb, 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire)
Lance Corporal Jamie Webb (All rights reserved.)
Lance Corporal Jamie Webb was born on 6 October 1988 and was from Handforth. He attended Wilmslow High School and Macclesfield College. He enlisted in the British Army aged 18 and joined 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment in September 2006. His first posting with B Company took him to Ballykinler, Northern Ireland on Operation Banner.
On return from Northern Ireland, Lance Corporal Webb again deployed on operations, this time to Iraq on Operation Telic 11. He spent 3 months in Iraq with B Company involved in security operations. In January 2009, Lance Corporal Webb moved from B Company to C Company where he continued to shine as an intelligent, fit and enthusiastic soldier.
Lance Corporal Webb subsequently deployed with 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (1 MERCIAN) on 2 tours of Afghanistan. On his first tour in 2010, as part of Operation Herrick 12, he served as a rifle section second-in-command in the Nahr-e Saraj area operating with the Danish battlegroup. Although he was only a private soldier at the time he undertook the role of a junior non-commissioned officer and developed a reputation for hard work, strong leadership and reliability.
As a result of his performance on operations in Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Webb was recommended for promotion and successfully completed a junior non-commissioned officer cadre in October 2011. He was immediately promoted from private to lance corporal and assumed the role of infantry section second-in-command.
Lance Corporal Webb deployed on his second tour of Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 17 in October 2012, as part of Transition Support Unit Nad ‘Ali, led by 1 MERCIAN battlegroup. Working as a Company intelligence collator and section second-in-command he displayed a sharp, analytical mind and a deep understanding of the operational environment and the Afghanistan campaign.
Lance Corporal Webb was a justifiably proud Mercian Regiment soldier; despite his young age and short time in the Army he achieved a huge amount. He deployed on 4 operational tours and developed a reputation for being a highly capable junior commander. He was an outgoing, upbeat and popular member of C Company who will be sorely missed by his brothers-in-arms. Lance Corporal Webb leaves behind his much loved parents Dave and Sue, and his close family.
Lance Corporal Webb’s family have paid the following tribute:
We are so proud of Jamie being a Mercian soldier. Jamie is loved by his dad, Dave, mum, Sue, and his close family and friends.
Lieutenant Colonel Phil Kimber MBE, Commanding Officer 1 MERCIAN, said:
A real character, a totally professional soldier and a great friend to many, Lance Corporal Webb was exactly the type of man you wanted around. Always with a smile on his face, always willing to engage in some witty and mischievous banter, he really did lift the morale of all around him.
He was also an outstanding professional; bright, engaging and hugely talented. He had an obvious gift for intelligence work, which ensured he was at the heart of all that his company did on this tour. Despite his relatively junior rank he had a huge amount of operational experience having deployed to Northern Ireland, Iraq, and twice to Afghanistan. No matter what else he did, he was an Infantry Lance Corporal at heart and as such he was a talented and inspirational junior commander.
Lance Corporal Webb was surrounded by his friends when he was injured. These friends and all in 1 Mercian Battlegroup will miss him terribly. We have lost a great soldier and a great friend. Despite our grief we are acutely aware of the indescribable loss his family will now be feeling and it is his family that our thoughts and prayers are now with.
Major Edward Gaffney, Officer Commanding C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
Lance Corporal Webb’s tragic loss has deeply moved every member of the Company. He was the type of man who, no matter what the situation, was able to maintain his great sense of humour and constantly see the positive side of everything. A very talented soldier, he worked on the tour as a section second-in-command when deployed on the ground and formed an important part of the Company intelligence cell in the patrol base. In both these roles he worked extremely hard and constantly volunteered for any other job that needed doing. This was his second tour of Afghanistan and once again he showed how brave and professional he was in everything he did.
His constant stream of jokes and impressions - not all good! - will be greatly missed. Lance Corporal Webb had the qualities that represent the best of the British Army: courage, professionalism and devotion to comrades. At this most difficult of times, the Company’s thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Captain Richard Sawyer, Company Second in Command, C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
Lance Corporal Webb was a fine soldier and undoubtedly one of life’s true characters. Never one to hide from the limelight, he was always ready to treat those around him, be it a private soldier or the Officer Commanding, to one of his impressions or jokes - which invariably resulted in hilarity for all those present. Jamie Webb was constant morale.
Having deployed to Afghanistan previously, he was a committed soldier but it was his unique and loveable personality that makes him unforgettable. It was clear to all how much he enjoyed working with his mates in the Army and how much he loved his family. He will be sorely missed.
Lieutenant Jack Brierley, Platoon Commander, C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
To describe Lance Corporal Webb as ‘a bit of a character’ is an understatement. For a man small in stature, he had a bigger personality than anyone I have ever met. Through the employment of his unique and somewhat left-of-field sense of humour, he made sure that if you were near him, you had a smile on your face. As a junior non-commissioned officer in 9 Platoon he was a consummate professional.
Keen, compassionate, proactive, competent, intelligent are all words that do not come close enough to describing Lance Corporal Webb. The welfare of his soldiers was his primary concern and he constantly checked up on them. He embodied all that a platoon commander could want from a section second-in-command and this was evident in the way that the private soldiers looked up to him for example and inspiration. Needless to say, his loss has left a gaping hole in the Company and even more so in the Platoon.
We will not, indeed cannot, forget him and he will be missed dearly by every single man in 9 Platoon. Our deepest sympathies go to his family at this difficult time. Stand Firm, Strike Hard.
Warrant Officer Class 2 Wayne Glynn, Company Sergeant Major, C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
Lance Corporal Webb, or ‘Webby’ as he is known to all, was a real character. He was always there with a joke or funny comment and was a real morale boost to everyone that knew him. A member of 9 Platoon, he volunteered for a crucial role within the intelligence cell. Although military intelligence was not his chosen profession he threw himself into it with 100% commitment and enthusiasm and as ever with a joke and smile. He will be missed and it was my pleasure to have served alongside him.
Sergeant Kev Howard, 9 Platoon Sergeant, C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
Jamie Webb was one of the funniest people I have ever met. It did not matter how bad a day you were having, he brightened it up with his sense of humour. He was a happy-go-lucky guy with not a bad bone in his whole body. He was a model professional soldier to the other junior non-commissioned officers and a role model for the privates to look up to. He had a promising career ahead of him in C Company and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts go to his family, whom he always talked about and missed dearly. Jamie Webb, you will never be forgotten and will always be in our thoughts. Stand Firm, Strike Hard.
Corporal Lawrence Iddison, Section Commander, 9 Platoon, C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
Lance Corporal Webb was, and always will be, a true Mercian. He was a proactive, brave and quick-thinking section second-in-command. He was always laughing, always smiling, always offering a helping hand to those in need. He was always cheerful, ensuring morale was at the highest level it could possibly be. Needless to say, he was a great friend and a proud soldier. ‘Til we meet at the big re-org in the sky, Stand Firm, Strike Hard. Never forgotten.
Private Mason Stead, 9 Platoon, C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
Lance Corporal Webb, known to all as ‘Webby’ was a man whom all could call a friend. He was caring and always looked after the blokes in his Platoon, always making sure everyone was okay and getting involved in what they were up to. He led from the front and through example, and he was always a source of banter in the Platoon. He was always thinking of ways to make our bond ever stronger and succeeded in strengthening the friendships of those around him.
Living opposite him in our accommodation in camp, he was always someone I could confide in whenever I had anything on my mind. He always had a way of cheering me up; a quality that everyone knows he possessed in abundance. Needless to say, over time, he became a brotherly figure to me. His passing saddens me deeply.
We may move on in time, but we will never forget you Webby. See you on the big re-org where I promise that I will return that roll of sniper tape I owe you. Stand Firm, Strike Hard.
Private Darren Hamnett, 9 Platoon, C Company, 1 MERCIAN, said:
What he lacked in height, he made up for with his massive personality. He was a top soldier and a top bloke for dishing out tons of morale to the lads when times got a little hard. Always the one to have a smile on his face, he could be relied upon to tell jokes that were so bad you could not help but laugh.
Webby was an awesome section second-in-command, always getting around the blokes, asking if they were okay even if he knew they were. He loved being around the lads, even if it was to have a talk about something that did not even make any sense. Overall he was a loving and loyal man and an awesome soldier who has paid the ultimate sacrifice doing a job he loved. Gone but not forgotten.
The Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, said:
I was very saddened to learn of the death of Lance Corporal Jamie Webb, a young soldier who served his country in Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Ireland, and who impressed his commanders consistently with his dedication, hard work and reliability.
Lance Corporal Webb died as he served - fighting to protect the national security of the United Kingdom. My deepest sympathies are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time.
Last updated 25 November 2013 + show all updates
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Home town changed from Wilmslow to Handforth at the family's request
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Lance Corporal Webb's home town amended at the request of his family
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First published.