Family tribute to 'charismatic' solider

Published on Thursday 14 May 2009 22:04

A BRITISH soldier shot in Afghanistan who died after being flown back to the UK for treatment was named yesterday as Lieutenant Mark Evison.

The 26-year-old officer with the 1st Battalion, The Welsh Guards, died in Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital on Tuesday.

His family, who were with him when he died, paid tribute to Lt Evison, describing him as "charismatic, caring, optimistic and always happy".

Lt Evison, a platoon commander, was shot in the shoulder when he and his men came under fire while on patrol in Haji Halem, Helmand Province, on Saturday.

Medics treated him on the ground and at the Camp Bastion field hospital before flying him back to the UK.

Meanwhile, a British Harrier jet crashed in Afghanistan yesterday, the Ministry of Defence said.

The RAF pilot is believed to have suffered only minor injuries after ejecting before the plane came down at Kandahar airfield.