Tributes to blast death soldier

Pte McLaren's commanding officer paid tribute to his courage during the battle

Tributes have been paid to a 20-year-old soldier from the Isle of Mull who has died during operations in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

Private Robert McLaren, from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was killed in an explosion near Kandahar on Thursday.

The Ministry of Defence said Pte McLaren had only been on active service for four weeks when he was killed.

His family said they were proud of him and that he died doing a job he loved.

Pte McLaren, from Kintra on the Isle of Mull, passed out of Seven Platoon on 3 April and was posted to The Black Watch.

The loss of this young man so soon after joining us has hit us particularly hard Lt Col Stephen Cartwright

His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Cartwright, said from the moment Pte McLaren arrived, "he threw his heart and body into everything he was asked to do".

He said the Company had been been engaged in close combat with insurgents for several hours and that Pte McLaren had displayed enormous physical courage during the battle for one so young.

"He gave his life for his friends with his selfless commitment, moving forward in the face of a determined and ruthless enemy," he said.

"Fit, keen to learn and easy company, Robert had so much going for him and was so proud to be on operations so soon in his career.

"Any death in this close knit Battalion delivers an emotional body blow, but the loss of this young man so soon after joining us has hit us particularly hard."

'Cherish memories'

He said Pte McLaren would be sorely missed by his many friends in the Battalion.

"We march forward on this most difficult task knowing that Robert would be urging us to do just that," he added.

The soldier's family said: "We are very proud of Robert; he died doing a job he loved and we will cherish fond memories of Robert for ever."

A total of 168 British troops have been killed on operations in Afghanistan since 2001.