Aust soldier killed in Afghanistan named

23 Oct 2012, 1:14 pm   -   Source: AAP
The defence department has named the soldier killed in Afghanistan as Corporal Scott James Smith. (AAP)

The defence department has named the soldier killed in Afghanistan as Corporal Scott James Smith. (AAP)

The special forces soldier killed in Afghanistan is Corporal Scott Smith, 24, who was based in Sydney, the defence department says.

RELATED

Defence has named the 24-year-old special forces soldier killed in Afghanistan at the weekend as Corporal Scott James Smith.

He is the 39th Australian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan since the international mission began in 2001, the seventh so far this year.

Corporal Smith was killed instantly when an insurgent improvised explosive device exploded as he searched a compound during an operation in southern Afghanistan on October 21.

He was a member of the Special Operations Engineer Regiment, based at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney, who was serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan.

"Corporal Smith was an exceptional soldier who possessed all the qualities and charisma of a great junior leader," Defence said in a statement.

"He is described by his unit as a genuine, honest and dedicated member who was probably one of the best Junior Non-Commissioned Officers that the unit has seen.

"His loss will be deeply felt."

Corporal Smith is survived by his partner Liv, his parents Katrina Paterson and Murray Smith and sister Roxanne.

He was born in South Australia's Barossa Valley in 1988, joined the army in February 2006 and after completing his initial employment training, was posted to the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment in Darwin.

Corporal Smith was posted to the then Incident Response Regiment, now the Special Operations Engineer Regiment, as a search operator in 2008.

During his army career, he served in the Solomons and twice in Afghanistan.

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube