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Captain Carl Manley dies in Afghanistan

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that Captain Carl Manley of the Royal Marines died in Afghanistan on Monday 24 September 2012.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

He died at Bagram Air Force Base from what are believed to be natural causes.

Captain Manley, aged 41, was a Royal Marines officer who had served his nation with dedication and courage for more than twenty years.

His Commanding Officer said:

His combination of ferocious work ethic and humility ensured that he made a sustained contribution to ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] operations on this and his previous tours of Afghanistan. A highly valued Royal Marines officer, he will be missed by all those who worked with him.

Captain Manley was devoted to his wife and three children, whose loss cannot be portrayed. Captain Manley’s wife said:

To us, Carl was the loveliest husband and father. We can’t imagine life without him; we are so very proud of him and everything he has achieved, both professionally and for the family.

“Always smiling, he never had a bad word to say about anyone. Everything he did was selfless, at work and at home. The world has lost a really special person.”

The Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, said:

I was very saddened to learn of the untimely death of Captain Carl Manley, whose career in the Royal Marines has been tragically cut short by a fatal medical condition.

He served with courage on Afghanistan’s front line and his contribution to the campaign, and to Britain’s national security, will not be forgotten.

Captain Manley’s family have asked that their privacy is respected.

Published 26 September 2012