A FORMER Catterick soldier has been named as one of the latest to lose their lives in Afghanistan.

Rifleman Daniel Hume, of The 4th Battalion The Rifles, died on July 9.

He was killed in a contact explosion whilst on a foot patrol near Nad e-Ali, Helmand province.

He was from Slough.

His family said: "Daniel passed out of Catterick as top recruit and since joining the Army he was the happiest we had known him, he had truly found his place in the world. He believed in what the British Army was trying to achieve and was confident. He was proud to serve his country and was planning to move battalion when he returned, so that he could guarantee a speedy return to Afghanistan.

"We have lost a son and a best friend, his death has left a huge void in our lives, we are fiercely proud of him."

His Commanding Officer, Lt Col Rupert Jones MBE, said: "Rifleman Daniel Hume always said that he wanted one day to be RSM of the battalion.

"This may at first appear to be an arrogant boast from a young soldier, but in his case it was anything but this. He was an exceptionally gifted young man who wanted to genuinely do something with his life and it would have been a brave man to bet against him to achieve his ambitions.

"He only arrived in the Battalion at the end of April having just passed out from ITC Catterick where he was the Top Student."

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