The fiancee of a Royal Marine from Dorset killed in Afghanistan has spoken of her heartbreak over his death and her pride in his achievements.
Neil Dunstan, 32, from Bournemouth, was one of two marines killed on patrol in Helmand province last Wednesday.
The pair were from UK Landing Force Command Support Group and served with the Plymouth-based 3 Commando Brigade.
Kate Miller said: "He was the absolute love of my life. I truly believe he was my soul mate."
The couple were due to marry in the summer of 2010.
Ms Miller added: "To me and all my family he is the bravest hero we'll ever know.
"He absolutely lived for the marines and was so proud to have the green beret.
"That's my comfort really, that I know that he died doing something he loved so much."
But Ms Miller said the sacrifice made by soldiers was not always publicly recognised.
"I felt that it was important that Neil had a tribute from myself and his family because he died for his country and I think it needs a lot more recognition.
"I want to let everyone know how much he meant to not only us, his mum and dad, brother, granny and all his friends as well.
"I had a really wonderful farewell letter from him that he wrote before he left and in it he tells me to be strong and that he wants me to carry on. So that's what I'm living with at the moment.
"If I think about the future we could have had then I get extremely upset.
"But if I think about what we did have, our memories, then I end up smiling because I've got so many wonderful memories of him.
"I'm the proudest person in the world."
Robert McKibben, 32 and from the Irish Republic, also died in the blast which killed Mr Dunstan.
The fatalities took the total of UK military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan to 300 - 124 of them in Afghanistan.
The explosion happened while they were on joint patrol with Afghan soldiers in the Garmsir district.
A third marine was seriously injured in the blast and a member of the Afghan security services was also killed.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~47~RS~)